Thank you and question

[Peasant Phill]

I had my first major battles today in which I could get a real taste of the capabilities of the different units and the tactics that can be used. These are some of the observations I made for the early game (If you have things to add, this could be made in something of a guide):

1. Like I said before, early cannons are best only used in sieges. Even with there long range, any other missile unit will make more cassaulties and tactically be of more use.

2. Bows beat guns. Guns have their extra effect on morale but bows can decimate gununits before they can fire there first shot. This is especially true when you're on the offensive and your opponent is camped on a hill. I'm not saying that there is no place in your army for gununits but there should always be room for bowunits as well.

3. Put a lot of care in manouevring your army. Pike formations are, although very powerful in melee, very slow and cumbersome. Always move as on or your pikes can become isolated very easily.

4. Make extensive use of missilecav. The best way to win a full on pike on pike melee is to avoid one. Petronels, mounted xbows, mounted arqebusiers, ... can all disrupt/lure away advancing pike formations easily. There slow speed will ensure you can decimate a pike unit as long as they don't get help.

[seireikhaan]

2. Bows beat guns. Guns have their extra effect on morale but bows can decimate gununits before they can fire there first shot. This is especially true when you're on the offensive and your opponent is camped on a hill. I'm not saying that there is no place in your army for gununits but there should always be room for bowunits as well.

Caveat- bows are excellent for a ranged duel; however, they are nearly useless if the enemy is heavy oriented. Whether its men-at-arms, condottiere, or heavy german merc infantry, bows will have trouble doing much damage against the heavier, early troops of the period.

3. Put a lot of care in manouevring your army. Pike formations are, although very powerful in melee, very slow and cumbersome. Always move as on or your pikes can become isolated very easily.

BIG BIG BIG. This is the most important part of pike and musket. Battles are usually determined by who can outmanuever their opponent's lines.

[Peasant Phill]

Caveat- bows are excellent for a ranged duel; however, they are nearly useless if the enemy is heavy oriented. Whether its men-at-arms, condottiere, or heavy german merc infantry, bows will have trouble doing much damage against the heavier, early troops of the period.

I should have been more specific. Xbows and AP bows beat guns. Sure they won't stop a charge of men-at-arms dead cold but I highly doubt any early gun unit could. AND by the time the men-at-arms, condottieres, ... are upon your lines I'm sure the Xbows and AP bows will have made a lot more casualties.

[seireikhaan]

I should have been more specific. Xbows and AP bows beat guns. Sure they won't stop a charge of men-at-arms dead cold but I highly doubt any early gun unit could. AND by the time the men-at-arms, condottieres, ... are upon your lines I'm sure the Xbows and AP bows will have made a lot more casualties.

Indeed, you are correct. Specifically, arbalesters(or the unique spanish unit, I forget its name off the top of my head) make excellent armor punchers early on. Particularly for vanquishing those insane landschnekt foot units that can seem impossible to defeat otherwise.

However, they cannot be trained past the first era of the game, and will be outclassed anyways as guns get better and better.