Battlefield tactics

[Lun]

Havent seen any battlefield tactics thread yet.
Well... share your tactics.
I myself try to as SOP to keep my arty in the centre and split my line infatry into 3-4 seperate groups with 2 regiments alongside of oneanother and one regiment behind the two of them(maybe not historically correct but it works) and with the 3-4 groups i outmaouver the enemy and try to flank them with at least one of my group of 3 regiments and of course i try to charge my cavalry through any breach i might find in the enemy line.

PS. not sure if my english is correct, i quote some other dude i saw in another thread "excuse my english im from Mars"

[Sylver]

I try to pin and flank. Cavalry at first deals with enemy cavalry trying to get around me. Artillery i don't even care about until I have grape, and even then only when defending. But howitzers are good.

The AI usually bunches up its line infantry somehow and they all shoot each other anyway. I shoot at them with around 4 units in an enveloping fashion, if it's an option, and then send units to flank in an L shape. And then a nice bayonet charge, coupled with cavalry to the sides or rear since at this time the enemy cavalry/artillery has been dealt with.

Oh and walls. The AI doesn't always charge a wall. Sometimes, but not always, and when it does, not en mass. It's a nice place to shoot them all down from.

[Jayzilla]

I enjoy the envelopment strategy, especially with Howitzers. spread out your guys a bit thinner than the enemy, make the gaps a bit wider, and it makes it easy to encircle them.

it works best with howitzers because normal cannon leave a weakness in your line.

[SoftCrustPizza]

My strategy is rather simple, I think, but tends to work well. I start out by setting up my line infantry with about 6 units across my front line, 3 deep on the line. I put cavalry on each flank to counter any cav charges the AI sends my way. If there is a hill behind me, I put my arty up on it in the center of my line. This way, even when they are firing on my line my arty is mowing them down. I will sometimes have 2 units of skirmishers and put them in my center, but I prefer this next choice. If I have a full stack, I place a second line of line infantry directly behind my front line and turn off Fire at Will (must have a full stack to do this).

This enables me to do multiple things: 1) if the enemy breaks my front line, I put Fire at Will back on and allow my new line to mow down the enemy with musket fire while they are tied up with my front line. This of course means FF casualties, but it can turn the battle easily. 2) I can call on this line to protect my flanks or expand my line if needed. If I see someone going for my flank, I will simply grab the nearest 2nd line unit and have them run to the flank. 3) When the enemy is persistent on my line, ammo runs out. I click withdraw on that line while also asking the 2nd line unit to move forward at a run. Probably 5 second of no fire, and then a fresh line is back in their face. I then put the old unit on my flank for melee.

My general is ALWAYS back with my arty. Sometimes the AI will be smart and try to flank around my line and take my arty, but as long as I am careful with my flanks, I can typically get my cavalry to route them before they get there. Losing your general is just a stupid move.

I’ve won some pretty serious battles this way. One battle against France was 1300 against 2100 in an open field (their reinforcements helped them up that number) and I only lost 300 or so by the end of the battle. Wiped out 1700 on their end

SCP
Eat my crust!
scpgaming.blogspot.com

[Jayzilla]

SCP, have you tried that setup with howitzers? it's very nice not to have to have a hill. And to have your shells explode and actually kill guys instead of just giving a morale hit.

Since were talking tactics, what do you guys like to do with grenadiers? rush to melee (where they rock!), throw the little bombs, or keep them back?

[SoftCrustPizza]

I don't really use grenediers...I prefer to fill my stack with arty, line infantry, and cav. Might try adding 1 or 2 gren units when I get home though.

Great advice on the howitzer, btw. I stacked my research in farms and infantry from the start so that I had the income to support my 4 armies and that they had superior tactics under their belt. Just got howitzers so will definitely give them a shot tonight too.

SCP

[Jayzilla]

yeah, between howitzers and rank fire, the techs make a huge difference on the field.

I like grenadiers actually, I wasn't too impressed with them at first, because their smaller unit number really gets pwned by enemy fire, and I kept trying to use grenades. However, the first time I used a full unit in melee, they held off three line infantry units long enough for me to crush the other flank and re-enforce. now i try to keep a unit for every two-four line infantry.