Skirmishers and Light infantry

[HWick]

Greetings,

I was wondering about light infantry and skirmishers. Do people find them useful in NTW3 battles at all?

I now played online battles for a couple of weeks. I now have a feeling/experience of every types of unit classes. Line infantry is great, Cavalry is good, my only issue is with Lancers in general, but it would be another topic.

Light infantry now have a little better shooting skill and the exact same role as Line units. They can form square which is also great. One thing they lost though: skirmishing. The main role of their existence. Fighting in open order which allows well aimed shots from a greater distance against picked targets.

We lost all this.

We have the half strenght units representing companies or attachments with skirmishing ability and even higher shooting skills. Its all good, but somehow they just don't seem to work. they dont take or inflict casualties against other skirmishers or even against Line units.

If i am thinking correctly this might be due to the new combat system. Muskets are deadly close range and don't do much at around the end of their range. this is good but light infantry/skirmishers didn't fight the same way. they were used to taking long range shots. Maybe if devs could allow a bit more precision at long range for these units they would become useful again?

As it stands now, they are mostly useless from my experience. they don't have the crack shot quality or the harassing power. they don't even work well in one of their major role, picking off artillery crew.

Is it just me or others find this to be the same?

Please share your thoughts.

Thanks,
VO101_HWick

[LEGIO_Desaix]

Light infantry usually fight the same as line in the 1809-1813 period (mod range). Gone have the time of tiralleurs en grande bande during the years of the republic. No surprise then if they cannot form open order. Regarding skirmishers (which represent detached company) you must be right. Let's hear other feedbacks on the subject.

[[N]Tac]

I have to disagree about the skirmishers,i usually take 2 or 3 to screen my main infantry line (they obviously have to be supported against enemy cav) with these and and supporting inf i can control the pace of the attack and keep twice as many units occupied.
Thus creating space elsewhere for the breakthrough with cav and elite reserve inf.
Although its taken me a year of beta testing to be able to use them correctly,then can be a thorn in an enemys side and most annoying.
They will not win you a battle but strategically they certainly have a role to perform.
However it does depend on which nation you take,if i take russia i dont take skirmishers as i go for Heavy inf that can melee and powerful cav or art.
There are just so many options with all the nations,maps,and type of battles you can play for instance if you are playing a line of communication battle skirmishers move faster and so can reach and hold objectives quicker.

[HWick]

I have to disagree about the skirmishers,i usually take 2 or 3 to screen my main infantry line (they obviously have to be supported against enemy cav) with these and and supporting inf i can control the pace of the attack and keep twice as many units occupied.
Thus creating space elsewhere for the breakthrough with cav and elite reserve inf.
Although its taken me a year of beta testing to be able to use them correctly,then can be a thorn in an enemys side and most annoying.
They will not win you a battle but strategically they certainly have a role to perform.
However it does depend on which nation you take,if i take russia i dont take skirmishers as i go for Heavy inf that can melee and powerful cav or art.
There are just so many options with all the nations,maps,and type of battles you can play for instance if you are playing a line of communication battle skirmishers move faster and so can reach and hold objectives quicker.

Not sure if you can really find them useful or you are just(like me) used to seeing them in front of your line and give them the same tasks as we always do.

If you are using them, just watch them perform. You will see that if you keep them in a firefight at the end of their range, they do no damage just like line infantry.

My problem with them is the actual effectiveness. they are shooting with the same stats as line infantry, meaning deadly in close range and useless at around the end of their ranges.

The issue with this that its eliminates the only advantage they had over line units: individual aiming, target selection and better marksmanship. In the game this could only be portrayed with their base stat to be effective up until their maximum range. This will give them the means to fill their historic roles.

This is not about how to use them, how to maneuver them etc. Its about their capabilities in a firefight.

Would be interested to read other's opinion on the subject.

HWick

[DunkFunk]

Skirmishers did not decide battles. Skirmishers didnt route units so dont expect them to in the mod they are very good at forcing the enemy to attack, they are essentially the bait.

Light infantry origianlly had light infantry formation in a previous beta but they were reduced to superior shooting line battalions.