Post your Empire battle formations

[Graphic]

I don't know many of the finer points of this era's warfare so I'm mostly just making it up as I go along. I've found that staggering the lines is working good, with the more accurate infantry in front, with better melee infantry in back. First line will do the early shooting kills, with the 2nd line shooting through the gaps. Then when it gets around to melee time the melee infantry will take over. Works OK so far.

[Belid Hagen]

it's called LINE infantry for a reason. form a continues line (if you have the troops to pull it off), lights and cavalry on the flanks, guards/grenadiers in support.

[Graphic]

it's called LINE infantry for a reason.

That picture contains Minute Men and Colonial Militia.

[ZombieFriedNuts]

Don’t the units in the second row shoot the front units in the back doing that formation? That’s what happened to me when I wasn’t paying attention

[Strategy]

In the Napoleonic era, massed batteries rule. The early cannon in the game though are not quite that effective, so the best way to use them is to deploy them in the gaps between infantry units (pretty much as done historically, in fact).

I like to always deploy in two lines, with the cavalry behind in a third line (usually out on the flanks), ready to charge out and wreck havoc. Second line is never set to fire at will... you need to manually control that, unless you'd like to have them shoot your first line in the back.

If the enemy only attacks one end of your line, swing your other troops round to enfilade them at the double.

Some light infantry thrown out in front of your army can be very effective. They get to fire first at long range (causing the enemy attack to become more chaotic as they try to deploy) and can then fall back on your main body of troops (never let them get into a firefight).

[Sir Beane]

I like to use as big a line as possible, with the wings wide so I can envelop the enemy and catch them in the cross fire. Skirmishers work well on the wings with Line infantry in the middle.

[Sheogorath]

In the Napoleonic era, massed batteries rule. The early cannon in the game though are not quite that effective, so the best way to use them is to deploy them in the gaps between infantry units (pretty much as done historically, in fact).

I like to always deploy in two lines, with the cavalry behind in a third line (usually out on the flanks), ready to charge out and wreck havoc. Second line is never set to fire at will... you need to manually control that, unless you'd like to have them shoot your first line in the back.

If the enemy only attacks one end of your line, swing your other troops round to enfilade them at the double.

Some light infantry thrown out in front of your army can be very effective. They get to fire first at long range (causing the enemy attack to become more chaotic as they try to deploy) and can then fall back on your main body of troops (never let them get into a firefight).

This is actually (more or less) the preferred historical Russian strategy during the Napoleonic Wars. They usually deployed their infantry in columns in a 'checkerboard' pattern with artillery in the front gaps. This generally enabled their close support arty to do the most damage in most situations to the enemy infantry, while the Russian infantry closed as quickly as possible to melee. The arty took the place of musket volleys, since the Ruskies were generally such terrible shots.

Somebody ought to try a good ol' Russian Rush and see what happens

[Necceh]

I've heard a rumour that it's easier to shoot when drunk off gin than it is off vodkaa.