Line Infantry, how do you fight with them and why?

[Lucius Verenus]

Continuing the rather off-topic issue of cavalry behaviour....

It's annoying when they charge into a Chevaux De Frieze or a square - and saying if you want to order them to do it they should is missing the issue.

Chevaux de frieze existed so cavalry couldnt approach that way - not so they would pile up dead on them.

The simple fact is that horses are not humans and they will NOT charge at long thick lines of pointy things. hence the Schiltrom formation for example (and like the square, great against cavalry, disastrous if the cavalry keep you in the formation while the longbowmen or successors kill you all)

As an example the (stupid) repeated mass-charges of the French Cavalry ordered by Marshal Ney at Waterloo - they swept up through and around the Allied positions - but for the most part just made good targets for the Infantry formed into squares.

When Napoleon wanted to do the right thing and make a combined attack to have the cavalry force the allied infantry into squares to be smashed by French Infanty columns - he couldn't do it, the horses were 'blown' by the stupid charges.

As for the LI - usually three lines deep, cannons interspersed between units - which brings up another totally nerfy thing - when the enemy got too close to the cannon they fired off their last grape/canister then legged it behind the infantry (or into the squares as at Waterloo) - they didn't engage in melee if they could possibly avoid it.

When the immediate danger passed they went back to their guns and got back on with their job, I have seen them get into melee then among the scrum - assuming any survive - I have to find them and get them to go back to the guns - bah humbug

As for manoeuvre - as has been said where at all possible Envelope the enemy from both flanks till they run away then micromanage your horse till they have killed as many as possible

On the upside, I haven't had CTD's lately - since choosing Shader 2 and turning off all cpu's except CPU1 on my quad-core

Cheers

[Didz]

As an example the (stupid) repeated mass-charges of the French Cavalry ordered by Marshal Ney at Waterloo - they swept up through and around the Allied positions - but for the most part just made good targets for the Infantry formed into squares.

Thats not what really happened at Waterloo, its just part of the 'English Myth' surrounding the battle. Its actually one part of the battle that Barbero appears to have carefully researched and described with reasonable accuracy in his most recent history of the battle.

The French cavalry were certainly not unsupported as eye witnesses from Halketts division testify, nor did they charge 'round', 'through'. 'over' or 'into' the allied squares despite the impression given by the aerial scenes shot for the film. Even Mercer testifies that the French horse advanced with 'the slow and steady determination of men intent on making a point.'

They did not sweep through the allied positions, as such, but to understand the confusion one really needs to walk over the ground and get a first hand feel for the topography. Most of those who swept around behind Hougoumont were following the natural path of least resistance along the line of the farm track that passes behind the farm to join the Nivelles road on the plateau (where the Dutch have since built a motorway). The spur in the centre of the ridge between La Haye Sainte and Hougoumont gives the impression to men approaching the ridge that this track is actually mounting the slope when in fact it passes along the face of the slope and never actually crosses the crest.

Instead it passes along the face of the Allied position in front of the positions occupied by Mitchel and Adams brigades and emerges onto the plateau behind Hougoumont where it joins the Nivelles road. Nevertheless, the French cavalry who took this route did cause problems for the garrision of Hougoumont who became completely isolated by the constant flow of French cavalry between them and their supports on the ridge itself. In the end, the British put a stop to this movement by creating a barrade across the track at head of the valley effectively trapping any French horse trying to use this route and over fifty French cavalry were trapped and slaughtered between the ridge line and the main gate to the chateau before they found an alternative way through further up the slope.

Mercers does attest to the fact that one or two cuirassiers attacking his section of the British line did try to escape by riding through his gun line. However, those troopers were the exception and did so in desperation when their way back down the slope was blocked by their own comrades. The vast majority simply went three's about and retired, or pushed their way back through their own comrades rather than try and penetrate the allied lines.

Elsewhere, several allied squares found themselves pinned in square and subjected to close range cannister fire from French horse artillery acting in close support of the attack, or by musketry from Voltigeurs who took the opportunity to move forward and occupy the sunken lane that runs along most of the Allied front line between La Haye Saint and Hougoumont. And as Barbero says even when artillery or infantry were not on hand the French improvised by sending small parties of horsemen forward to shoot into the squares with their pistols in an attempt to get the infantry to fire back, or to prod at the infantry with lances.

We English have spent years making fun of the French for being stupid in the use of their cavalry at Waterloo, but in fact the attacks were conducted with considerable control and co-ordination unlike the attacks by the Union and Household Brigades earlier in the battle.

[Sheogorath]

I find that line infantry are mostly good for...well...being line infantry. They stand in a line and shoot things.

Typically 3-4 lines is best for firing. 3 lines prior to fire-by-rank since you need that extra volume to get a decent kill rate. After fire-by-rank, 4 lines allows the front ranks replacements when people get killed.

I also find that there is very little that can budge standing line infantry in defensive mode for melee. As long as the enemy comes from the front, they're probably not going anywhere.

Once again, 'hammer and anvil' tactics are the best and simplest method of dealing with most forces. Tie them up with a group of line infantry and hit them from behind with cavalry. %80 of the time you get an instaroute. If you can time it right, and have your infantry and cavalry hit at the same time...well, it's glorious ;)