My thoughts on Empire: Total War, some questions, and help with naval tactics.

[Sir Beane]

Some questions...
Is there friendly fire?

Oh boy yes. You can easily kill hundreds of your own men with artillery if you aren't careful.

Whats the point of bayonets?
Playing the Maratha Campaign, up to about 20 turns, I never researched the plug bayonet... since my infantry could engage in melee and also return to shooting, I assumed they already had RING bayonets. This was not the case however. Once I take my next turn in my campaign, the plug bayonet technology will be finished researching with. So why have bayonets? I was doing fine without them! Do bayonets include melee bonuses or bonuses against cavalry?

You will be essentially useless in melee without bayonets (when fighting an opponent with them) Once you have ring or socket boayonets your troops will be much more effective in combat, especially against cavalry. If you fought a teched up Euro army without bayonets on your side you will probably lose.

Duels?
Now the Maratha faction has researchers that don't duel other researchers... however I remember in the RtI campaign, I selected a "gentleman", (not knowing what they do) and he lost a duel to a British gentleman, and my gentleman returned to a college afterward... Can gentleman possibly die when partaking in a duel?

Yes they can, doesn't always happen though.

Finally... Naval tactics?
I don't know any tactics to use in naval tactics... Can someone please clue me in on how I should fight naval battles?
What I would do, is start with my ships in a horizontal line with the starboard side facing the enemy. Then I would sail toward where the wind is blowing, and I would just order some broad sides... Not knowing really what to do. It ends up really messy, and the AI usually murders me in naval battles.

All help is appreciated.

Group all your ships. Toggle their formation into line abrest, essentially a big long line. Now when you select the group and tell them to move they will follow the lead ship in a kind of conga line. It makes handling them much easier. Never use broadsides, they are innacurate and pretty much useless outside of very specific situations. Just let your ships fire at will and you will be fine .