Quote Originally Posted by Doug-Thompson
A shallow formation helps most when the unit is moving.
Only forward and backward, yes, I found that also. Turning, absolutely not. The unit rotation in v1.1 seems to take a note from the old STW/MTW unit movement dynamics, in that the units while "wheel" and somewhat rotate in place to face in the new direction, then start running again. This is much much quicker in block formation than in long thin lines, as there's less rotation time.

Quote Originally Posted by Quillian
With muskets and arquebusiers, the front rank is all that fires, yes. But, they pretty much fire as soon as the back rank finishes reloading. Because of the larger number of men moving in the wide formation, and the resulting hangups as men get stuck on obstacles and other men, the narrow formation is probably finishing first and getting a higher rate of fire as a result. Rate of fire seems higher to me in a 4 rank formation than in a 2 rank line, from using my Spanish musketeers.
Oddly enough, I noticed the same thing except that they didn't rotate when on the walls. Only the men in the gaps between crenelations fire, and they do NOT rotate with the units behind them. The guys in front will stay in front, and they are the only ones who shoot. /shrug If you ask me there's a LOT that could be improved there in terms game code and mechanics.