Light Infantry tactics

[Bobo]

Hi everybody,

I have finished my first campaign with prusssia by now and fouth a few battles. But one thing remains mysterious to me, the light infantry.
It has a longer range than line infantry and can hide but that's all I think. Thy can not match any infantry or cavalry in close combat and in a shooting duel with line infantry they loose.
So I would know how to use them since I plan a campaign with austria that seems to focus on them.

[Ahiga]

The metaphor that people use is that Line infantry are Hastati/Principe, while light infantry are velites.

You should use them to harass and harry the enemy largely on the flanks, or on higher terrain than the line infantry engaging them.

[Bobo]

That's a good idea but is it worth sacrificing line infantry slots for them?

[coman]

For early technology units you should be using Dragoons as skirmishers. They play three parts;

1. Garrison bonus for recently captured cities and capitals.
2. Scouts and harassing while mounted, light dragoons can fire from the saddle.
3. Dismounted shorter range, melee capable units. Using them in pairs or as I do, as 3 to 4 units in a group makes it very hard for the enemy to handle. While they don't have many men, having four movable groups to use when taking on 1 to 3 enemy line infantry makes it very possible through maneuver, enfilade and flanking.

I haven't seen an effective light infantry unit, really and I haven't seen skirmish behavior working yet. Not enough experience, will update this thread when I have more.

coman

[Bobo]

Yeah I use dragoons already, mainly to secure settlments.

[coman]

You want to see good times? And I realize this isn't light infantry related...

Move a unit of Saxon Uhlans with three units of Light Dragoons.

Put one unit of Dragoons facing the main enemy line, alongside the Uhlans. Maneuver the other two dragoons to a flank of the enemy. Disable firing on the Dragoons. When the enemy is about to enter musket range, charge the Uhlans at their front. Then expand the Dragoons facing the enemy so both ranks can fire.

Move the flanked Dragoons into half musket range and spread them out, more focused towards the enemy's flank and retreat zone.

When the Uhlan's hit, double click them to continue out of the charge directly away from the front facing Dragoons. When they clear the rank, have the front facing Dragoons fire, followed by the flanked Dragoons. Just an incredible beaten zone.

So amazing.

[GenesisNow]

The metaphor that people use is that Line infantry are Hastati/Principe, while light infantry are velites.

You should use them to harass and harry the enemy largely on the flanks, or on higher terrain than the line infantry engaging them.

This is generally how I use light infantry in ETW.

I sometimes have them fire a long range and accurate double volley at advancing enemy line infantry, then retreat them back through my normal troops. After my front lines begin firing, light infantry scoots to the flanks or cavalry breakthroughs to support any formations under pressure. Keep it elastic, and don't immediately commit to an action just because it looks exploitable, your enemy might have something up his sleeve that your light infantry can counter.

[Jayzilla]

line infantry are 'awesome' when behind cover, they are much more effective than line infantry behind cover.

I use lights to flank the enemy formation with fire.

[naro]

I use them when i'm starting to roll up the enemys flanks as this is generally quite early in the battle (so morale and unit sizes arnt massively affected yet) the greater effective range of the light infantry allows me to keep them further away from the melee and any counter attacks.

[hilikusopus]

Light infantry have quite a few tricks up their sleeve, whether it's the ability to hide, superior range, or tactics like stakes, or mines. One of my favorite balanced stacks has a detachment of about three units of LI that I use for an ambitious flanking maneuver or to really take advantage of terrain elements like chokepoints and ambushes. They're great for supporting artillery (seconding as a reserve force). As skirmishers, they allow you to reduce your opponent's organization, while giving your main force that much more time to organize, regroup, out maneuver, and take advantage of your opponent's disorganization.

Recently, I've been experimenting with a "mechanized force" - a collection of highly mobile units: 4 light dragoons, 4 horse artillery, and combining a variety of light infantry (such as rangers, long riflemen, or minutemen, etc.), and maybe a couple supporting units that can trail behind and dig in when it counts (like some defensive units or some howies to provide indirect fire). It takes a little practice, but results in some exciting engagements with impressive (and satisfying) results.

[Terafis]

I actually find light infantry units combined with melee units works really well

Have your light infantry set up in a line behind the melee, and charge the melee with the light infantry firing from the rear - due to their accuracy, they can shoot directly into the fighting and not slaughter your own troops

Can't do this with a lot of the euro powers though - since they cannot recruit pikemen or other melee in the late era, except through colony troops - something easily moddable though

[Hellman109]

The AI can see 'hidden' units which hurts allot of their benefit against the AI.

They are better then line infantry in buildings as they can still cover every window, but have higher range and accuracy, meaning they do more damage. I bet if you had two equal buildings opposite the building holding the light infantry would probably win...

Good I guess in sieges to hold the central buildings

[IGdood]

Rangers and Light Infantry in buildings can sually kill over a 100 men while losing only 10-20 of their own.

Also, their long range (especially Longriflemen) makes them adept snipers for enemy generals or just enemy artillery pieces.

[realms18]

Light infantry are great for attacking from forests for fighting behind the low stone walls. One trick I like to do is set my main line so that there is some forest to one side and slightly to the rear, then I put my Light INF there in with Light IN behavior on (so they take cover behind trees). Then when the enemy tries to attack that flank with cav, my line IN on that flank forms square. Suddenly the enemy cav is receiving fire from and being resisted by the squares as well as being shot in the back or flank by Light IN. I have also put light infantry interspersed (is that even a word?) or almost inside the area of a artillery battery (but not infront) to supplement the firepower of the battery. That way they can put down some charging cavalry, and then absorb most of the charge to protect your gunner crews. View them as somewhat expendable, despite their cost. Another great way to use them to to garrison a building that is near or within your main line...this protects them from cavalry and allows them to supplement the firepower of nearby line infantry. I won a tight online battle due to my use of Jaegers as skirmishers (The light inf behavior, where they scatter out, severly decreases the effectiveness of line infantry volleys, just don't let them charge to stray too far ahead). The jaegers tied down the enemies approaching line infantry, which allowed me to draw line infantry from the main line to help resist a massive cavalry flank attack (4-6 units). Also, the deployment of stakes can be vital to protecting an important artillery position or can prevent cav from making certain flank approaches. If you have enough light infantry you can also deploy stakes in front of your entire line to prevent a frontal cavalry charge. I find that the AI and some online players try to threaten your front with a cav charge to get you to form squares, and then your square makes a great target for a volley or artillery barrage (canister shot at an INF square = you are screwed). Also, late in the game, light infantry can deploy primitive land mines when you get the option to constuct defenses...haven't gotten them yet, but I can't wait!

[fluffstalker]

The accuracy of light infantry actually makes me deploy them, not on the front as one would expect from skirmishers, but in the back, behind my wall of line infantry, sniping at the most dangerous enemy squads, or cavalry if its within range. Not only does this resolve the massive bugs with skirmish mode and unit facing, it also prevents them from being routed in melee and panicking other units in the army.

[thebrains29]

i use light infantry to pepper the enemy with bullets before they get to my main army, also they can draw away a few enemy units away from my main line infantry force.

Through peppering the enemy with bullets they're moral is wore down slightly, causing them to rout easier.

also they can deploy defensive stakes which is highly valuable if fighting an enemy with a large horde of cavalry

[Arej]

With my newest tactic, I use light infantry as my centre. Five Ferguson's riflemen, currently. Light dragoons are hidden and ready to rout several enemy units once engaged in combat. Guards hold the flanks and support light infantry.

[echalon7]

I set up my light infantry on my right flank with light cav to support should things get nasty. This normally causes my opponent to send a good number of infantry to crush that flank which allows me to commit my line and grenadiers to shatter either his left or center. All the while I have my artillery, light cav and one or two regiments of line to cover the light infantry's withdrawal. I then have them stop and fire again into the enemy on my right while I'm crushing what is left of my opponents army

[T4rget Pract1ce]

Often I'll play very defensively. I'll make a strong formation and move it up as such. When I do this I use 3 light infantry, 1 to the left, 1 to the right and 1 in the center of the formation a few meters infront. This way when the enemy advance, I have the opportunity to get a few rounds off before their in range then retreat my light infantry behind my linesmen giving me the upper hand straight off the bat, then circle around to flank.

Additionally, in case of enemy cavalry I can get the linesmen on either side of the formation to go square formation and the light infantry to lay down spikes at the front. This doesn't leave a lot of room for movement though.

What does everyone think? Good plan? Bad plan? Pros? Cons?

[nicotine]

Along these lines what does the "Line Infantry Tactics" button do?