Suggestions about Musket balancing

[Assmonkey3443]

I liked how the Musketeers' range and accuracy was changed in the latest OS. The new range is more realistic than before. However, now the muskets have nearly identical effective range (range when they actually start firing, not the "green bow" range) as the arquebus. Since the standard arquebus has the same firepower as the standard musketeer (14 missile), they're basically identical units now. I suggest that the damage of standard as well as elite (cossack, Janissary, etc) musket damage be slightly raised. This would be realistic, as the reason the musket was preferred over the arquebus was that it fired a heavier projectile using a larger charge, allowing it to pierce the heavy plate armor developed from the 16th century on specifically designed to resist bullets. Also, the longer barrel and greater charge resulted in a longer range for the musket, so I suggest either the arquebus's effective range be slightly reduced or the musket's effective range be slightly increased. Testing was done using Spanish arquebusiers and musketeers on very hard difficulty in Grassy Plain.

[coman]

I have yet to get to gunpowder in a campaign, despite my many attempts. I always learn something new and start the game over. One of these days I'll make it. I'm concerned about balancing gunpowder weapons, I find the short musket range to kind of defeat the gameplay balance as you mentioned. Muskets are a huge technical advantage over handgunners and arquebusiers. Is there a way to possibly reduce the range to roughly half the distance between arquebusiers and vnv musketeer?

I tested the change out with Spain/HRE/France and found the musketeers took a worse beating because of their range advantage/armor. They need to have at least one salvo distance advantage... They are the primary reason I'm playing Spain (even though I haven't gotten them yet in campaign).

coman