Hi

I have found that HandGunners can be quite useful when in woods acting as a skirmisher screen in front of something like Militia Sergeants or Halbs.

In that terrain the HGs are decent enough in a melee to take on most missile troops and cavalry, and they can exchange fire and prevent your melee line from being peppered to death.

In open terrain, however, HGs just don't cut the mustard. I find Arquebusiers are very useful in the later stages of big, long battles. I often deploy them in extended order as skirmishers in front of, say, Mounted Sergeants. If anything gets too close the Arqs fall back and your cav charge.

The Arqs slow rate of fire is actually an advantage in an extended engagement.

Best regards
VictorGB

Sapere aude
Horace