Columns-who uses them

[Fingon NL]

By now everybody has been playing the game for some time, and as columns were often used in the time period, how ar you guys faring with them?

I haven't used them too much yet, though last game I used them with great effectivity, punching a hole through the enemy lines straight to their artillery

[Lord Karhedron]

I've tried a couple of times, but they don't really often have the desire effect.

Fair enough they are good formaneuvering your regiments through other's lines... but for combat? Rather than punching straight through as your would like, they tend to stop, got held up, and devolve into a mass of men that is surrounded by the enemy's line formation...

Though in fairness i spose if you kept clicking to ensure they moved on -through- the enemy unit, this might negate this.

Further, the column was often used to help keep morale up. Men in column, rather foolishly perhaps, felt safer than in line, due to the press of bodies around them. As such, i think there should be a morale boost to beign in column.

[Fingon NL]

I bet youd feel safer in the middle of a column, but I'd feel pretty naked on one of the corners

[Ryttare]

I used it for advancing on buildings. Havent tried it in any other situation

[Gezoes]

I have a growing interest in them...

[hannibalic]

On crazy terrain like austrian pinnacles, i like to separate my line into groups of two and put them in column. This makes for easy manuevering thru rough terrain and/or flanking.Once in position just click line formation and run and they deploy into line rally fast. I' ve found any more than two units in a group wont have as smooth of a deployment into line.

I'll also put larger groups of line infantry into line formation but keep each individual unit in column for manuverability's sake. I've used column formation plenty for melee attacks with varied results. I would like to know what the best formation as far as rank and file is for bayonet charges. I would think a wider front for more initial hits, but maybe a deeper column formation to punch thru and split the line. Anyone know?

[Hekko]

I don't really use them, they do nothing better than line save dying to artillery.

[Bodhisattva]

Columns are useful for melee, but their usefulness is limited to just that. Well, maybe maneuverability too, but that's only for maps like Austrian Pinnacles, which I detest with a passion. The main advantage of columns is their ability to punch through lines; think of them as hammers. However, column charges need to be timed well, and aimed well. Columns work well at punching through a thin 2-man deep formation of line infantry that's trying to envelop you. Make sure to support it with cavalry, or else your column will get likely get charged by the enemy heavy cavalry.

Unfortunately, a column can put out very little firepower in comparison with a line formation. Use column charges after an exchange of volleys, and swing the column straight through the enemy's center, or around into his flanks. Just make sure not to run a column into the enemy's firing range once the enemy line has reloaded, because it'll simply get shot to shreds.

[Mithrandir the White]

Sorry, but what is a column????

[{GODS}Scipio_Africanus]

really thick formations with line infantry usually; More than 5 ranks deep usually.

[Spectre11B]

This reminds me of a game where someone had stretched their entire army of rifles across the map and then placed stakes. I think they may have also had 2 or 3 mortars in the back. I moved my army up and just out of range of their rifles. I then noticed there was a small hole at the edge of the map where you could just fit the width of a single unit. So I took all six cavalry units and made a single file so they could fit through that hole. Once he realized what I was doing, he started scrambling rifles to try and defend his flank but since his line was stretched so thin, he couldn't respond quickly enough. I then sent my line infantry to give chase but because the idiot threw up stakes, they acted like shields when he turned his rifles around to fire at the charging infantry.

After that it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Would have been one of my quickest wins, if he hadn't raged quit before the end.

[hajimemasite]

I feel Collum formations kindof useless in ETW
They've got less firepower, better target for arty, can hold less enemy.
They might be slightly better in melee when outnumbering but in 1v1 situations, you'll get a penalty for being surrounded which doesn't help at all.

One and only reason which I might use Column is their speed to form squares. But its usually easier just to turn back and shoot them.
and I hardly use it for that as it won't make much of a difference since square in current patch is too weak to resist against a good cav charge. and weak cav charge, well just turn ur troops.

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

@Mithrandir

Its a tactic used famously by the French whereby you would have your men form into long deep lines of smaller breadth, instead of the usual style of having a few ranks deep and a long breadth. You would form them up in this way and just keep them marching straight on through musketfire before smashing through thinner enemy lines.

However, it doesn't really work in Empire. They just stop when they encounter an enemy line instead of pushing through it, and you lose out on firepower if you begin a long stand-off with enemy units. Hopefully, Napoleon TW will make Columns how they should be, but I've seen little evidence to suggest this.

[hannibalic]

I was also talking about the column group formation. I group two units and put them in column so that each unit is still in a thinner line, one behind the other. I only use this if art isnt allowed or im well out of range and have cover from the terrain. It is strictly for manuverability...before im in range of the enemy i hit line and they deploy into a line of two units really fast. Not only is this handy for manuverability, it can be used to keep the enemy guessing as to exactly where you are going to deploy.

Another time i might use column is to move larger groups of infantry (flanking forces) parallel to the enemy when under artillery fire or even light musket/rifle fire. By this I mean grouping say 3 units and putting the group in column 2-4 across so they are essentially a line facing to the left or right instead of forward. this allows reserve and such to march parallel to the enemy without taking too much damage from artillery. Once in position. if u do it right, deploying into line will just be a matter of eacch soldier turning to his left or right.

As far as melee goes...I was wondering if using units grouped in column but still each in line 3-4 ranks deep, one behind the oher would have any benefits in a charge.I guess at thaat point it would just be better to have them grouped in line next to one another but formed in deeper columns, so 2 units for example would make up the front of the 1 unit they were charging. Maybe i just answered my own question? It's late sorry.
.....but i was reading about the french using L'ordre Mixte, where a regiment would have one battalion formed in line in the center and the other two on each wing in column.The picture looks like this: http://www.battlefieldanomalies.com/..._formation.gif

.......supposed to offer the firepoweer of line and shock and manuverabilty of a column. Does that mean they would charge in column like that one behind the other? Or is a battalion supposed to be the same as a unit in ETW and im looking at a picture of three units? Sorry this is so rambly but it's really late now. Thanks for any input.

[Valkierei]

anyone tried meleeing in column and changing to square formation, creating a big hole in the enemy line?

[Haas]

3 ranks deep ftw

[dmcheatw]

in TW you go thin to win. columns are only useful in forming squares faster, manuvering a bit faster, and concentrating fire on a segment of the enemies line (if anyone can think of another reason i'd love to hear it).

in TW flanking manuvers > penetration manuvers

[blonkers1234]

in TW you go thin to win.

Has changed a bit since patch 1.3, now more condensed formations are good on the maps besides grassy flatlands.

[Hekko]

Has changed a bit since patch 1.3, now more condensed formations are good on the maps besides grassy flatlands.

Well rather, space efficient formations are efficient where space is limited, aka the new maps.

[Haas]

This reminds me of a game where someone had stretched their entire army of rifles across the map and then placed stakes. I think they may have also had 2 or 3 mortars in the back. I moved my army up and just out of range of their rifles. I then noticed there was a small hole at the edge of the map where you could just fit the width of a single unit. So I took all six cavalry units and made a single file so they could fit through that hole. Once he realized what I was doing, he started scrambling rifles to try and defend his flank but since his line was stretched so thin, he couldn't respond quickly enough. I then sent my line infantry to give chase but because the idiot threw up stakes, they acted like shields when he turned his rifles around to fire at the charging infantry.

After that it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Would have been one of my quickest wins, if he hadn't raged quit before the end.

ROFL
epic win!