Light infantry frustrations

[Slaists]

OK, I finally researched all the techs to field Russian riflemen (the 125 range ones). So, how do you use these guys? I had only frustrations with them in my first battle.

1. They are supposed to skirmish, but more often than not they DO NOT... even when the enemy is right upon them...

2. They are supposed to shoot (at good range, mind you), but most frequently they DO NOT shoot at all... even when the enemy is in direct sight...

3. When you order them to shoot at something (directly) they frequently prefer to shoot sideways or walk away into the meadows...

4. They are supposed to be able to put down stakes, but when ordered to do so, they just turn 180 degrees and stand there... no stakes...

5. but not the least, they 'prefer' to look in the last direction they were looking at. So, if you drag and spread them with a mouse ordering them to a new location and orientation, once they arrive they face (and shoot, if they feel like shooting) the way they were facting before the move command was issued. This can be micromanaged by ordering them a step forward at the arrival point though.

So, how do you make these guys do what they're supposed to do?

[FactionHeir]

1. worked if not in light infantry mode
2. usually because they run out of ammo quickly and/or face the wrong direction
3. Happens to any other unit too
4. Funny enough every man must have his rifle reloaded before he can plant stakes
5. see 2.

Oh, and once their target dies or routs and if they are in light infantry mode, they can shoot all the way across the map too on their own unless you give them any orders.

[Slaists]

1. worked if not in light infantry mode

I guess, that was my "problem": I had them in light infantry mode.

2. usually because they run out of ammo quickly and/or face the wrong direction

Was not the case: they were still full of amo and were facing the right direction. I 'checked' by pushing them forward a step.

3. Happens to any other unit too

True, just it so happened will all FOUR of my riflemen units in the first (and the last) battle I had with them.

4. Funny enough every man must have his rifle reloaded before he can plant stakes

mmm... I see... that's why we miss a proper manual

5. see 2.

Oh, and once their target dies or routs and if they are in light infantry mode, they can shoot all the way across the map too on their own unless you give them any orders.

Yup. I noticed that too... They like to salute their routing enemy by shooting in the air...

[Belgolas]

I have never had a problem with them and have used them in many battles. I prefer to have them in light infatry mode infront of my line infantry. while they relode they are ducking so they don't get hit by my line infantry.

[Megas Methuselah]

They get hit, Belgolas. And they also take the full brunt of the enemy's fire.

I use them in front until the enemy's line is in range. I then pull them back and wrap them around the enemy's flank.

[Kulgan]

I'v had a great battle with the colonies ( chapter III) vs France. I had four units of Rangers who set up in a rather large forest lined up facing inward. The enemy line infantry approached my line and then all my 240 rangers got to fire one or two volleys at several units of enemy line. They all made 60+ kills in seconds, succesfully routing a large portion of their army.

Point is light infantry is a very tricky thing to use, but when you can make them to do their job properly they can really rule the battlefield...


Kulgan

[Didz]

I wouldn't bother with them personally, the skirmishing system has not really been thought through and doesn't reflect the true benefits of the skirmishing process on the battlefield. The only real benefit I've found for them was in my Road to Independance campaign where the scouts did prove useful in provoking the native indian's to charge. However, that required a lot of micro management at individual unit level to achieve and once the main battle started I found it best to park the scouts in the rear and keep them out of harms way.

Bit dissapointing but its a legacy carried over from the very early TW titles and I can understand the problems that the programmers had in trying to get a skirmishing unit to behave intelligently.

[FactionHeir]

Something I noticed about skirmishing is that if you wait until the cavalry is almost right onto your infantry and then press skirmish, you hardly take any damage from the charge. Almost seems like an exploit.

[al Roumi]

They get hit, Belgolas. And they also take the full brunt of the enemy's fire.

I use them in front until the enemy's line is in range. I then pull them back and wrap them around the enemy's flank.

In my experience the vital thing is pulling back, them out of harm's way. Place them behind or deep on your flank, such that your main line of infantry is either in between your unit and the enemy or at least a more favourable target.

Once, and only once enemy forces have engaged your units, then move the light inf in to fire into the backs of the engaged enemy and roll them up the enemy's line untill you get a nice mass rout.

If the situation presents itself and the enemy general is standing behing his main line, you could equally focus your light inf fire on him.

[Slaists]

In my experience the vital thing is pulling back, them out of harm's way. Place them behind or deep on your flank, such that your main line of infantry is either in between your unit and the enemy or at least a more favourable target.

Once, and only once enemy forces have engaged your units, then move the light inf in to fire into the backs of the engaged enemy and roll them up the enemy's line untill you get a nice mass rout.

If the situation presents itself and the enemy general is standing behing his main line, you could equally focus your light inf fire on him.

Good tips, will give them a try. My problem is also that I get the 125 range light infantry so late in the game, that I only had a chance to field them in ONE battle. Of course, I could have gone on a conquest spree beyond the required province count just to test them out, but that did not feel like much fun.

[Marquis of Roland]

They get hit, Belgolas. And they also take the full brunt of the enemy's fire.

I use them in front until the enemy's line is in range. I then pull them back and wrap them around the enemy's flank.

It all depends on the terrain and the angle your guys behind are firing from. Some of my battles they never get hit by friendly fire.

Light infantry, then line infantry, then mounted light dragoons, concentration of firepower is a good thing.

[antisocialmunky]

I used to stick light infantry behind my cannons to after the canister shot, the light infantry's massed single volley routs whatever is left.

[al Roumi]

Good tips, will give them a try. My problem is also that I get the 125 range light infantry so late in the game, that I only had a chance to field them in ONE battle. Of course, I could have gone on a conquest spree beyond the required province count just to test them out, but that did not feel like much fun.

Tell me about it! I've so far only ever used rifles in an ottoman campaign for the conquest of America. I'm currently polishing of the objectives of a GB long campaign, with only Malta left to capture, and am 3 turns from completing the last Army building. There is no way i will stave off boredom, waiting another 10 turns before invading with rifles and then clicking through the remaining 60 years.

[mmk]

1. worked if not in light infantry mode
2. usually because they run out of ammo quickly and/or face the wrong direction
3. Happens to any other unit too
4. Funny enough every man must have his rifle reloaded before he can plant stakes
5. see 2.

Oh, and once their target dies or routs and if they are in light infantry mode, they can shoot all the way across the map too on their own unless you give them any orders.

Hi, there is the "Skirmish" button and there is the "Light Infrantry Behavious" button.
Should I turn them off both? Since my Light Infantry frequently gets slaughtered as they just stay put when the enemy closes in on them. So obviously I don´t have the right mode on/off combination...

[Megas Methuselah]

The "skirmish" button is useless. The light infantry pull back way too late. In order to skirmish, you will have to manually keep them out of the enemy's range.

But the "light infantry behaviour" is valuable. Not only do your lights spread out, but they also crouch down. This minimizes their chances of being hit by enemy fire.

[mmk]

The "stakes" button seems rather useless, too. I had stakes deployed in fron of the light infantry and the AI cav was charging right trough the stakes.

[Fisherking]

The "stakes" button seems rather useless, too. I had stakes deployed in fron of the light infantry and the AI cav was charging right trough the stakes.

That would be a change. Early in the game it was death to any horse to get within 30 yards of a stake.

[Ishmael]

The "skirmish" button is useless. The light infantry pull back way too late. In order to skirmish, you will have to manually keep them out of the enemy's range.

But the "light infantry behaviour" is valuable. Not only do your lights spread out, but they also crouch down. This minimizes their chances of being hit by enemy fire.

Hmm...how does this fare behind a wall (not attached to the wall, but just aligned behind it)? I assume that if they crouch most of their body would be underneath the wall?

[Slaists]

That would be a change. Early in the game it was death to any horse to get within 30 yards of a stake.

Stakes efficiency seems quite inconsistent. There are times, AI cavalry just runs through them unscratched. At other times, it is like you said: it just drops dead 30 yards FROM the stakes... Not sure what causes that inconsistency, maybe the angle at which the cavalry approaches the stakes has to do with it.