Handgunners

[Night Fox]

OK, this is my first post and I just wanted to know why I can't get hundgunners yet. I'm playing as the English and gunpowder has just been discovered. I've built all the related buildings (gunsmiths and cannon foundries) but I still can't train any kind of gun unit. Do I have to wait for another event to happen before I can train hundgunners/cannons? Thanks.

[Mithrandir]

Welcome to the Org Night Fox

Gunpowder units dont become available till the late era, which starts quite a while after the gunpowder event.

So just sit back and upgrade the province a bit while you wait till the late era starts (I'll look it up for you -the year-).

[Night Fox]

Oh OK then, thanks for the reply.


oooh this emoticons are fun

[Major Robert Dump]

Handgunners are a hassle to master, but if you can do it more power to you

[Gaius Julius]

Hi, Night Fox

Just wait until you build a canon foundry.
This will enable you to build Demi-Culverins.
Then you'll have some fun.

[Tyrac]

1087 early
1205 High
1321 Late

[Exile]

Quote[/b] (Major Robert Dump @ Jan. 21 2003,18:29)]Handgunners are a hassle to master, but if you can do it more power to you

Indeed. Then please come back and explain to me how to use them

So far I have only been able to use handgunners as foddder to interept an enemy attack until I can get some infantry/calvary into the action. This does not seem to be their designed purpose...

[Major Robert Dump]

They have extremely low range, but if you spend money on valour and weapon upgrade, they deliver a big moral hit to the unit they are firing at. It is best to keep them behind another unit and I would never have more then one in a single 16 unit army.

Also, be sure to have them on either hold position or fire at will so they don't chase

[Night Fox]

It took me a while to realise this, but your handgunners do NOT fire when other units are in front of them. They go through the shooting animation, aim their guns then just move to the back of the lines without firing. The exception to this, i think, is if you order a charge. Then they'll shoot a volley into the backs of your own men = massive morale failure and lost battle.

Keep them in 3-deep ranks, position them in the open, preferably on a hill (like normal archers). Try to shoot volleys into the backs or flanks of enemies, more often than not that's an immiate morale failure.

[malkuth]

You need to get Gunpowder event and it doesnt happen to latter period. + Gunpowder units are pretty useless anyway. But good luck.

[Efrem Da King]

What you should really do is mod aquibusiers to 1 accuracy. Then they're like archers on crack.

[Asmodeus]

I've just built my very first units of HandGunners (and Bombards too ) but I havent yet commited them to battle. I did try to but the enemy just retreated without a fight.

I've noticed that Crossbowmen also will not fire at the enemy if your troops are in the way (because they can only fire straight not up in the air) so i guess i will use HandGunners like I use crossbowmen:

Leave them in front of your main infantry line to give an opening broadside to any advancing units - retreat them to prevent them being charged then move them around to the flanks when melee commences.

I suspect that on steep terrain they maybe able to fire down safely over the heads of your infantry into the enemy ranks but depends on the range limitation and height.

Good or not, i intend to try and learn how to use them just for the crackle of muskets on the battlefield.

I was disappointed the enemy ran way as I was very keen to try out my first Bombard cannon Boooooom

[A.Saturnus]

Handgunners are usually underrated. The trick is: commit them to battle They are a good light infantry unit and can stand against most other inf. A little example: HG cost 30 upkeep, Byz inf over 60, so you can have 2 units HG for one unit Byz inf and still spare money and who wins? The HG Even without guns they would be worth their money, with them, they can melee and deal some heavy morale penalties against units engaged with other of your troops.