Friendly Fire?

[Groove74]

Ok after playing for a bit I have noticed that this is a big problem when it comes to the use of Cannons. Has anyone found a way to keep you cannons from cutting down your battle lines. I generally set ou my main line with cav on the flanks and Light inf on the front with line inf behind the light and my cannons grouped behind my lines. Now when the Enemy closes distance I swith to canister shot to thin there line. The problem is that this seems to kill just as many of my own lines? with the regular shot it is not quite as bad but it happens from time to time which I get mis fires happen. Has anyone found a way to minimize friendly Fire?

[ElSypatiko]

The only i can avoid is to place no troops in front of the guns .
Talking about realism .LOl
Very good CA

[Gunodd]

Place them on a hill so they'll fire over your lines, or simply make gaps in your line and put them there, that's what I always do. Enemy tries to take out arty and gets blasted with cannister and 2-4 regiments of line. They route soon enough. Try something like this ^--x-x--^ Where ^'s are cav, -'s are line and x's are arty. Works like a charm, and easy to manage.

[Faiakas]

Get Mortars instead of cannons

[pnbjunior]

Total War is one of the most realistic games I ever see, so friendly fire is total realism. Have you tried or imagined to stay in front a cannon shooting a shower of bullets just behind you?? I think not.

I love total war series because of this realism, why do you want to minimize this realism?? So I suggest you to read about some military tactics and positioning your army to kick the enemy @$$&$ .

[Crazy_Ivan88]

The only i can avoid is to place no troops in front of the guns .
Talking about realism .LOl
Very good CA

Yes, because in the Napoleonic Wars it was common practice to stand your men in front of your cannons...

Personally, I tend to use the integrated artillery group formation, which normally keeps my cannon safe when facing the AI. Line infantry or cavalry don't stand up well to cannister. Although if there are hills, I'll try to make use of them for the added LOS.

[Daneboy]

I would say that I prefer friendly fire to kust beeing able to somehow shot cannister through your own ranks.

Not much realism in that.

[Groove74]

Total War is one of the most realistic games I ever see, so friendly fire is total realism. Have you tried or imagined to stay in front a cannon shooting a shower of bullets just behind you?? I think not.

I love total war series because of this realism, why do you want to minimize this realism?? So I suggest you to read about some military tactics and positioning your army to kick the enemy @$$&$ .

I totally agree with ya' on that point. So please don't get me wrong here, I am not complaining about it rather I am asking what are some thing folks do to minimize the damage done . and as I can see there are a couple of Ideas I am gonna try for sure.

Thanks for the tips folks!!!

[Player2]

Howitzers are good but don't have that much range usually i have my cannons in the front (if there not howitzers) my line behind them and 2 light infantry regiments on the flank when they get close enough rush light infantry in front (expect to lose men) then limber your arty and pull back, works like a charm.

[maxinstrument]

Total War is one of the most realistic games I ever see, so friendly fire is total realism.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Thats realistic? It also happens when you have cannons behind your own lines! Sure Buddy!

[Player2]

you were lucky lol

[Gunodd]

Cannonballs aren't explosive (usually) and use kinetic force to rip targets apart. So it's more realistic that some get knocked over than plenty dying from a single cannonball. The real killer is when the cannonball has a flat trajectory and bounces on the ground, smashing troops apart along the way. When using explosive shells, you'll notice a lot more soldiers dying.

On another note, if you play Russia and your arty workshop is advanced enough, you can recruit "Unicorn" cannons that can use both cannon and mortar ammo. Still fires in a flat trajectory though. Maybe it doesn't if you use mortar ammo types, haven't checked.

[YourOnlineHero]

What about friendly fire from infantry? You're line infantry don't shoot your own light infrantry as they crouch down when not moving... But if you accidently place a line unit that came back from routing behind your line and ordered it to start shooting. Would they just shoot into the backs of your main line? Attempt to shoot between their heads?

[Gunodd]

What about friendly fire from infantry? You're line infantry don't shoot your own light infrantry as they crouch down when not moving...

Hah, I had no idea.

[Pro-opera Jungian]

What about friendly fire from infantry? You're line infantry don't shoot your own light infrantry as they crouch down when not moving... But if you accidently place a line unit that came back from routing behind your line and ordered it to start shooting. Would they just shoot into the backs of your main line? Attempt to shoot between their heads?

It happens. A lot of Friendly fire takes place by infantry which is why you do a few things-

1. Until your 2nd line of troops is going to go into combat, keep fire at will off. Have all lines behinf the front line with no fire at will. When you want them to engage, make sure none of your troops are in front of them within range.

2. Make sure you don't hit by crossifre. For example, never surround an enemy unit and fire on all sides, the bullets that miss will pass the enemy formation and hit one of your troops on the surrounding side. This butchered the confederates at Shiloh.

3. Properly align your lines so they do not overlap. If handling more than 1 unit, never actually click the 'fire' button on another enemy unit. otherwise the computer will form the men for you, and you might have friendly fire. Instead, aling your units so there's no overlap, and then click 'fire at will'.

4. Never line up your squares. If you are forming numerous square formations (Like in a Waterloo situation) form your squares in a checkerboard fashion for two reason-

A. This stops friendly fire. Otherwise, if cavalry is going between two squares, and both sides of the square facing that unit fire, where do you think the stray bullets go? Your men in the other square.

B. This makes it even trickier for the cavalry to beat, because they have to weave in and out between squares, instead of simply having to go past a line of squares.

So yes, friendly fire is rampant, but if handled properly, can easily be avoided.

[Ciisar]

You cant control all thing in your life. Just be better General and do not send your troops to your own fire.

[Gunodd]

You cant control all thing in your life. Just be better General and do not send your troops to your own fire.

wut?

[www2]

It happens. A lot of Friendly fire takes place by infantry which is why you do a few things-

1. Until your 2nd line of troops is going to go into combat, keep fire at will off. Have all lines behinf the front line with no fire at will. When you want them to engage, make sure none of your troops are in front of them within range.

2. Make sure you don't hit by crossifre. For example, never surround an enemy unit and fire on all sides, the bullets that miss will pass the enemy formation and hit one of your troops on the surrounding side. This butchered the confederates at Shiloh.

3. Properly align your lines so they do not overlap. If handling more than 1 unit, never actually click the 'fire' button on another enemy unit. otherwise the computer will form the men for you, and you might have friendly fire. Instead, aling your units so there's no overlap, and then click 'fire at will'.

4. Never line up your squares. If you are forming numerous square formations (Like in a Waterloo situation) form your squares in a checkerboard fashion for two reason-

A. This stops friendly fire. Otherwise, if cavalry is going between two squares, and both sides of the square facing that unit fire, where do you think the stray bullets go? Your men in the other square.

B. This makes it even trickier for the cavalry to beat, because they have to weave in and out between squares, instead of simply having to go past a line of squares.

So yes, friendly fire is rampant, but if handled properly, can easily be avoided.

Is this a 100 %....I mean I have been playing for a while now and always have two lines shooting (one behind the other) and I havent noticed any friendly deaths.......

[n1ss]

just compare amount of your losses and enemy kills at the end of the battle.

[sqirelmaster]

back to the original post:
In this time period often artillery were part of the line of battle as much as line infantry. The cannons would be placed in between gaps in the infantry and shower the enemy with canister shot. IF you do this, you will have minimal friendly fire casualties and a LOT of enemy casualties

or, just use howitzers.