Line Infantry, how do you fight with them and why?

**Skott** · 08-02-2009, 17:08

I set my LI up in a three row/rank formation. With Fire By Rank all three ranks will fire as needed. Three ranks also will perform well in melee when the enemy closes in for hand to hand combat. Less chance of a break through. Considering I usually run 13-15 LI units per stack having them in three ranks deep is more than sufficient to cover the battle map adequately from one flank to another. Another reason I prefer three rank formation to two rank formation is that since the three rank formation set up doesnt stretch the unit as wide as the two rank formation so it will condense and form a square faster than the wider spread two rank formation. Two rank formations will fire all their muskets faster but I'm willing to give up some load and fire time to a better defense. It works well for me so I use it.

**lancer63** · 08-02-2009, 20:30

My main concern with 2 line formations is unit cohesion. Specially if charged by cavalry. 3 or 4 line units withstand horse charges much better and their morale penalties are much lower. Once I had an english 2 chevron LI unit break after the first charge of uhlans. Never before has happened to thicker formations, but of course there might be other factors contributing to that. Unit was at least at 85% strength, to the far left of the army formation and already engaged to a similar Prussian unit.
No real generals were present that I can recall.
Cheers

**Fisherking** · 08-02-2009, 22:10

I have never noticed it being a problem, and they actually take fewer casualties than denser unit formations. And now that the square is a magician device that makes infantry invulnerable to cavalry just by hitting the button...why even before they are in the square they begin to kill cavalry and take no more casualties....

**Prussian to the Iron** · 08-02-2009, 22:47

yeah, square is a bit overpowered (a bit meaning a ton). one time, my men were literaly already fighting cavalry, and losing. i form them up into a square, with about half the cavalry unit inside the square, and they rout the cavalry. its quite stupid really.

**Didz** · 08-03-2009, 08:57

I fight my infantry in three ranks, simply because to do otherwise is to lose a third of its firepower along a given frontage when using 'fire by rank'.

As far as squares are concerned. I consider it entirely correct that infantry in square should be able to kill cavalry with virtual impunity. The problems that arise with squares are entirely the result of the badly programme 'BAI'.

Firstly cavalry should NOT charge into a formed square, and therefore, should not get themselves massacred by doing so.

Secondly, cavalry should impose a major morale hit on any unit it threatens that is disorganised, more so than if that infantry had remained in steady and in line.

This would force players to make a much earlier decision on whether or not to form square and recreate more accurately the dilemma faced by real life commanders when threatened by cavalry. As things stand you can actually wait for the cavalry to charge, or even make contact before tapping the 'square' button which in practice ought to be effective suicide for your infantry.

Hitting 'Form Square' when cavalry are already in contact ought to be the virtual equivalent of 'Run for the hills' and result in an almost instant and guarantee'd rout.

**Skott** · 08-03-2009, 18:21

I agree with Didz here. If the square is formed before the cavalry arrive then its accurate that the cavalry should get the short end of the stick but if the cavalry get into the ranks before a square is formed then the infantry should suffer. One of the things the AI does wrong is that it will stop a cavalry unit extremely close to a formed square and just sit there and be picked off. Reality is that the cavalry wouldnt get that close and just sit there and be allowed to be killed. They would stay back a few hundred yards at least and be ready to exploit a breakthrough. They wouldnt willingly want to charge a square.

**Maleficus** · 08-03-2009, 19:33

I tend to use my infantry 3 ranks deep, as was usual practice in the 18th century. I have also tried 2 ranks, 4 ranks, and 5 ranks, and found that being 3 deep really does seem to be the most effective way, especially after you get fire-by-rank.

As for squares, if they didn't work, Napoleon wouldn't have bothered, right? But I agree that there should be harsher penalties for forming a square too late. Perhaps not an instant rout, but certainly more losses and less kills. Maybe it shouldn't actually be possible to form a square while engaged...