Breakthrough!Utte!!

[Duke John]

With that code you don't have smoke lingering around the musketeers, right? Mine solution is probably better then Try just this effect (simple but very effective):

Smoke

effect fiery_boulder_smoke
{
	type particle
 	{
		texture			battlefield/fire/smoke0.tga

		size_range      6.0, 8.0
		age_range       5.0, 6.5
	    grow_range		1.1, 1.6
		velocity   		0.0, 0.2
		colour     		190, 190, 180
		alpha_max	   	80			 ; maximum alpha value
		emitter distance
		{
			density			0.01 	     ; how many particels per meter
		}
		
		fade_time		9.0		
	}
}

The all important trick is typed in bold. The smoke texture is only placed once every 100 metres (1/0.01=100) so if the range is 100 metres (reasonable effective range for muskets) then you only get the smoke effect at the start, which is right around the musketeer. A lower density doesn't seem to work although I do have to research that more. You will see at the bottom part of my screenshot that above the enemy unit a cloud is floating. That is at 100 metres so the range of my test muskets is too large (since it looks awkward).

Accuracy decrease as range increases
To make it perfect add this in your missile stat file:

destroy_after_max_range_percent_and_variation	20	90 ; // Destroyed after 120% of unit's max range, plus random value up to 15%

They unit will now only hit effectively at 20% of the maximum range and while maximum range can be reached there is only a very small chance the bullet will get that far. So when units are charging the musketeers they will not be harmed when at maximum range but will get increasingly more casualties as they get closer to the muskets.

Cheers,
Duke John