Effectiveness of musketeers

[edyzmedieval]

Comprehensive post, thank you macsen.

So technically, you use them only as flank weapons. Any special arquebusiers? Any faction that has particular bonuses for them?

[macsen rufus]

Any special arquebusiers? Any faction that has particular bonuses for them?

There's just the one flavour of arquebusiers in vanilla, and I don't recall any faction bonuses... but then it's a long while since I last played the unmodded game

[Trapped in Samsara]

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

[edyzmedieval]

But can they be used as an effective front, at least a mainstay of the army? In M2TW, with some training, you could field a good arquebusier/musketeers army and do significant damage, but only in the very late period of the game. (last 25 years)

[macsen rufus]

I haven't tried doing it - by the end of the game I usually have built up various field armies to match the tactics I prefer for whichever faction I'm playing, and optimised for that.

But of course, with MTW if you throw in enough upgrades (armour, weapons, valour and morale and kickass generals) then the differences between troop types get smoothed out, as does the usual vulnerability of a less balanced force

[Trapped in Samsara]

Hi Edzymedieval

If you mean can vanilla Arqs be counted upon to function as a frontline melee force allowing you to dispense with spears/swords/polearms, the answer is no, IMHO.

Obviously, if you're fielding massively upgraded Arqs under a demigod general they can do well, but straight out of the box so to speak, they cannot be counted upon to hold the line.

Best regards
VictorGB

Sapere aude
Horace

[LordK9]

You'll have to wait until they invent the bayonet. :)

[edyzmedieval]

I was thinking more along the lines of - can they do significant damage if they're put forward in a line, with obvious sword/spear backup? Lets say 6 units of arquebusiers, front line, fire until the enemy engages.

Works well? Or are you better of with experienced longbowmen or Trebizond Archers?

And yes, the bayonet... the most important thing in ETW is to research the ring bayonet as quickly as possible, allowing you to melee and to fire.