Fire By Rank -- Useful for damaging morale?

**z WeApOn z** · March 22, 2011, 06:20 PM

Trying to recall what this was good for in NTW. I believe Fire by Rank's benefit was that it would damage the morale of the enemy more than just normal shooting? Correct me if I'm wrong.

**crossjon** · March 22, 2011, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by z WeApOn z

Trying to recall what this was good for in NTW. I believe Fire by Rank's benefit was that it would damage the morale of the enemy more than just normal shooting? Correct me if I'm wrong.

you'll be recalling for a while then, seeing as NTW had no fire by rank in vanilla.

FoB's benefit is more soldiers firing at once which= more kills.
it might damage morale as well, idk.

**Fallen Angel Ezekiel** · March 22, 2011, 06:36 PM

It is devestating, three volleys and ashigaru will rout unless there a general near by!

**Kazuhiro** · March 22, 2011, 06:59 PM

On normal difficulty, fire by rank is absolutely devastating! Ashigaru always run unless they are rallied. Samurais rout, too, before even reaching your lines if there's no general nearby. I find a nice volley from veteran matchlock samurai to be one of the most enjoyable things to watch in the game. On harder difficulties,though, the AI gets a huge morale boost so this is less "exploitable".

**Ludicus** · March 22, 2011, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Kazuhiro

On normal difficulty, fire by rank is absolutely devastating!

And yet, try to start a costum battle, normal difficulty: matchlock ashigarus versus archers. Guess who wins?

**Kazuhiro** · March 22, 2011, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Ludicus

And yet, try to start a costum battle, normal difficulty: matchlock ashigarus versus archers. Guess who wins?

I will. But how about you try matchlock samurai vs archers? And even if thats how it works in custom battle, in the campaign a volley from matchlock samurai will rout a unit. So even if bow samurai win 1v1 against matchlock samurai, the matchlocks are more useful.

**vyyye** · March 22, 2011, 07:42 PM

So is there any reason NOT to fire by rank?

**sillyfrenchman** · March 22, 2011, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Ludicus

And yet, try to start a costum battle, normal difficulty: matchlock ashigarus versus archers. Guess who wins?

I agree. The range makes matchlock units at a disadvantage against even bow ashigaru.

This is supposed to be a rock-paper-scissor system, yet bow ashigaru can severely deplete armor-buffed katana samurai.

**Thanatos** · March 22, 2011, 08:08 PM

Moved to Gameplay and Strategy Discussion.

**Coolguy** · March 23, 2011, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by vyyye

So is there any reason NOT to fire by rank?

I'd like to know this too.

**Lord Dakier** · March 23, 2011, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Coolguy

I'd like to know this too.

I believe units will generally kill faster without fire by rank but seeing one man drop every 3 seconds is nothing compared to seeing 5 drop in ten its gonna damage morale. Because this game is based so much on morale then probably no reason to not use fire by rank.