Rank fire, Fire and advance, Platoon firing

**Monk** · 03-11-2009, 09:42

Originally Posted by Sir Beane

Fire and advance is completely pointless. I cannot think of any possible use it could have. .

Yeah but it's so cool.

**yankeefan05** · 03-11-2009, 12:51

Im confused about the pros of "Fire and Advance". What is it?

**Monk** · 03-11-2009, 13:19

First rank fires and begins to reload, the last rank moves up to the front, fires and begins to the reload. The cycle then repeats itself. It basically ensures that your men are constantly in motion toward the enemy while sustaining a field of fire. It's very cool to se in action

**mini** · 03-11-2009, 13:23

basically the same as platoonfiring, only difference being that F&A makes your troops creep up to the enemy.
Quite conventient in some cases.

**PBI** · 03-11-2009, 13:25

Does it get confused as easily as coutermarching in M2 did, and result in your men endlessly marching back and forth without ever actually firing? If so I may give it a miss and stop at fire by rank.

**batemonkey** · 03-11-2009, 13:33

Surley you should be able to choose which type of firing you use in battle?

**dopp** · 03-11-2009, 14:57

Originally Posted by PBI

Does it get confused as easily as countermarching in M2 did, and result in your men endlessly marching back and forth without ever actually firing? If so I may give it a miss and stop at fire by rank.

The formation changing in ETW is vastly better than M2TW but fire and advance does involve a lot of movement; the unit has to open ranks, move forward and so on, which wastes valuable time. The enemy will probably get the first shot in and maybe even a second volley before your unit is ready to open fire. As you know, that's not ideal when a single volley can kill almost 20% of a regiment.

Platoon fire also suffers from this lack of 'alpha strike' ability but makes up in overall rate of fire. It burns through ammo incredibly fast though.

Skirmishers like dragoon and light infantry (and native archers) have the greatest alpha strike ability because all ranks fire immediately.

**Eusebius86** · 03-11-2009, 15:23

Originally Posted by dopp

The formation changing in ETW is vastly better than M2TW but fire and advance does involve a lot of movement; the unit has to open ranks, move forward and so on, which wastes valuable time. The enemy will probably get the first shot in and maybe even a second volley before your unit is ready to open fire. As you know, that's not ideal when a single volley can kill almost 20% of a regiment.

Platoon fire also suffers from this lack of 'alpha strike' ability but makes up in overall rate of fire. It burns through ammo incredibly fast though.

Skirmishers like dragoon and light infantry (and native archers) have the greatest alpha strike ability because all ranks fire immediately.

So are you saying that it is best to first engage the enemy and then use the button interface to select fire and advance?

**dopp** · 03-11-2009, 16:01

Originally Posted by Eusebius86

So are you saying that it is best to first engage the enemy and then use the button interface to select fire and advance?

As the name might imply, fire and advance isn't particularly useful when defending because you sacrifice first strike, but I think when attacking the enemy is going to get off the first volley anyway so you might fire and advance a little to even the score before charging home with the bayonet. It still takes so long to execute that you'll probably be finished and ready to charge just in time to eat yet another full volley in the face at point blank range. Yay. YMMV.

**Melvish** · 03-11-2009, 15:26

Originally Posted by dopp

The formation changing in ETW is vastly better than M2TW but fire and advance does involve a lot of movement; the unit has to open ranks, move forward and so on, which wastes valuable time. The enemy will probably get the first shot in and maybe even a second volley before your unit is ready to open fire. As you know, that's not ideal when a single volley can kill almost 20% of a regiment.

Platoon fire also suffers from this lack of 'alpha strike' ability but makes up in overall rate of fire. It burns through ammo incredibly fast though.

Skirmishers like dragoon and light infantry (and native archers) have the greatest alpha strike ability because all ranks fire immediately.

Sure fire&advance mix up you nicely align regiments but so does charging, so it doesn't really matter.
I usably fire one volley of standard rank fire and then i'll start fire&advance after that first volley. Sure you get some casualties and it is not a tactic for the faint of heart. I used it with great success so far. Be sure to have researched latest model of bayonet for awesome charge bonus. The only time i don't move in for the kill is when i'm in a strong defensive position like a high slope (i place the regiments in 3 row and 2to3 row of regiments.. a real killer as they all fire without hitting each other) or behind a wall. Even when the enemy is behind a wall i use half of my army to fire&advance to keep them occupy and under fire (moral hit?) and the other half running in a charge around the flank.

**Melvish** · 03-11-2009, 15:31

Originally Posted by dopp

The enemy will probably get the first shot in and maybe even a second volley before your unit is ready to open fire.

If you use 5+ rows it pretty much continuous fire and advance.

**Sheogorath** · 03-13-2009, 07:07

The purpose of fire and advance is to allow you to reenact that scene from 'Zulu'. That's the only reason it's in the game :P

**Miracle** · 03-11-2009, 13:35

Originally Posted by Monk

Yeah but it's so cool.

Indeed.

Here's a modified version of it done in live action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWuaSww3JnA

Perhaps we will be able to re-create this in the upcoming 19th century expansion pack...