Gunpowder!

[ReiseReise]

The most annoying missile bug is the "half way through so lets finish" animation bug where your xbows or guns are going through their long reloading animation as the enemy is getting really close. Finally! Reloaded and ready to fire! Every man points his weapon directly into the eyeballs of the enemy who is now 2 feet away when you hear the sadistically satisfying twang of tensioned bows violently untensioning and the chemical witchcraft of gunpowder erupting into flame. You giggle and wet yourself a little as your sick mind joyfully anticipates the scene of carnage about to be unleashed upon the foolish enemy and ....... nothing happens.

Not so much of a problem with the super long range guns but it makes handgunners useless.

For any missile troops, it is essential that they are deployed on the flanks making a slight 'V' from the sides of your infantry line (it may be necessary to move them there after the rest of your line is engaged). From this position, your missile troops will be able to deliver withering enfilade fire against the enemy while they are engaged in combat with your own melee infantry. You will kill a few of your own troops but the enemy will take the brunt of it and rout before you can whip out a Sharpie and write "THE PEACEMAKER" on the barrel of your favorite arquebus.

BTW Although it is a rare occurence that history and the game actually agree, this was a tactic used by English longbowmen to great success. Not exactly, but rather a version of it (which also involved dismounted knights using their lances as pikes. Oh if only we could in the game!) Somebody else (I want to say Persians) recorded it before that, but it is unlikely the English had previous knowledge of it. Anyway this info is from an interesting book titled "How Wars Are Won" by Bevin Alexander. It examines and expands on Sun Tzu's teachings using examples from the beginnings of recorded history through Desert Storm. If the AI were actually smart you could become a better player by reading it, but in the meantime I recommend it anyway.