Can square formation be fixed?

[Marquis of Roland]

As you guys already found out by now, when in square either all four sides fire at once or nobody fires at all. So basically if a square is in melee combat with even just 1 cavalry, the other 3 sides will not shoot at anything.

I also see the first row constantly standing up and kneeling down. When they kneel down they have their muskets out at 45 degrees, apparently to repel cavalry better, but whenever cavalry gets closer they start to reorganize again.

Also, shouldn't squares be 3 ranks deep or more?

[Tsavong]

I think square is fine in game, it helps inferiority repel cavalry batter and that seems all it is good for, which is fine by me. Also when a square is fighting off cavalry it seems to try and keep its formation so people seem to be moving about it so there probably a bit distracted to fire and reload.

Maybe it should be 3 ranks deep but that would have probably made them very small in the game, and one hit with an explosive round form artillery may wipe out a unit, that would not be nice.

[A Very Super Market]

It is realistic that infantry squares are vulnerable to artillery, but there are just too little men in the game. Even on ultra size, 160 men is not enough to make a realistic 3-rank infantry square.

[antisocialmunky]

They don't even get any sort of realistic cavalry protection because ETW Horses Know No Fear(TM). They just get ridiculous anti-horse bonuses while in square.

[Marquis of Roland]

Ok, I agree with 160 being a little too small to form square. I guess I'm even ok with horse completely overunning my square and still get pwned because of anti-cav bonus. 1 unit of line infantry can probably stand up to 6 units of melee cav.

However, 2 missile cav can easily destroy a square. All they gotta do is run 1 unit close to the square so that maybe 2 or 3 horses are meleeing. So that prevents the whole square from shooting, because it can't shoot while even 1 soldier is in melee. So you have the other cav unit standing off at POINT BLANK range just unloading volley after volley into the square, and these dumb infantry is just standing there like they're lined up for a firing squad.

That is the issue I have problems with.

[antisocialmunky]

Its more realistic to take 4 units of line infantry and some grenadiers. :-\

[Tsavong]

Ok, I agree with 160 being a little too small to form square. I guess I'm even ok with horse completely overunning my square and still get pwned because of anti-cav bonus. 1 unit of line infantry can probably stand up to 6 units of melee cav.

However, 2 missile cav can easily destroy a square. All they gotta do is run 1 unit close to the square so that maybe 2 or 3 horses are meleeing. So that prevents the whole square from shooting, because it can't shoot while even 1 soldier is in melee. So you have the other cav unit standing off at POINT BLANK range just unloading volley after volley into the square, and these dumb infantry is just standing there like they're lined up for a firing squad.

That is the issue I have problems with.

I don't thing one unit of line could stand up to 6 units of melee cav your exaggerating a bit there.

Also you are quite right 1 unit of inventory vs 2 units of cav should loose. However if say one unit has only 2 horses in melee (quite how you stop the rest of the unit getting involved I don't know) you get involved on your dumb infantry's behalf and do some micro to tell them to charge into the dragoon regiment in melee with them 1 v 1 they should still win all be it taking losses. Then the other player or the AI has a chose to make ether shoot into the melee fight and hit its own men or charge in itself.

Or you could send your cav to drive of the enemy cav.

Also infantry is quite strong in Empire especially Guards I don't think it needs to be even stronger I think the balance between cav and inf str is about right as it is.

One last thing did point blank relay need to be in caps shouting at us?