How to ambush an unit behind a wall?

[Resdulac]

Maybe there is something I have not undestood, but I can rarely hide an infantry unit behind a wall. Most often, soldiers stack in a short front and are set on the wrong side of the wall, ie on the side of the incoming ennemy, with their back to it.

Is it a way to effectively set an unit covered behind a wall?

[ElementUK]

Unfortunately the developers have made the walls one-sided. However at least the wall forces Cav to slow to a jump, therefore I assume messing up their charge.

[Hellman109]

Once you get the 'move to wall' icon (wall with arrow) press and HOLD right mouse and it will show where the unit will go, drag it to the right side of the fence.

It is NOT one sided.

BUT, fences are bugged, only your front line will shoot which often means the loss of firepower outweighs the gain in defence.

I simply line up my men behind the wall, but not on the wall itself. Then you get about 60% of the protection (they dont duck behind it) but you get 100% of your firepower instead of ~30%.

[Tacgnol]

i first put light infantry hiding behind a wall then line up my line infantry 3 deep behind them

[mir24]

BUT, fences are bugged, only your front line will shoot which often means the loss of firepower outweighs the gain in defence.

I simply line up my men behind the wall, but not on the wall itself. Then you get about 60% of the protection (they dont duck behind it) but you get 100% of your firepower instead of ~30%.

Hey Hellman, did you mean fences or walls? When behind walls, I know only my front line fires but the amount of firepower seems to be the same. Perhaps this is true for Fire By Rank - ie only the front line fires but the others don't when a unit is behind a wall.

I've won several battles thanks to walls. Two that come to mind was when the walls were in a 'W' shape so my units had overlapping fields of fire; and the second where the wall formed a small enclosure - almost like a mini fort. The enemy couldn't outflank me because I had men covering the walls on every side!

[daniu]

I've won several battles thanks to walls.

Me too, but not because it was me taking cover behind them but because the AI loves to. Also, once in place, it is very reluctant to leave and very easy to outflank.
To give it credit, it does outflank you too when you're behind a wall though, so cover your flanks and don't get stuck.

[pandoursbox]

I've noticed that with my light infantry (pandours atm) and militia, i have no problems with the wall. They take cover behind it, fire at will, and generally do a good job. I only have trouble when it comes to line infantry.

I realize it's silly that line infantry can't make use of cover, but to be fair, alot of issues in this forum come from improperly using units. Line infantry fight in lines, Irregulars fight irregularly, elite spam doesn't work, etc. etc.

[CynicalTyler]

I wouldn't discount the usage of walls, once you learn how to place them on the proper side. In situations where you're outnumbered or outclassed, they can really make the difference. A battle comes to mind where I had two units of militia against two regiments of horse and a regiment of line infantry. I hid both units of militia at a corner, facing 90 degrees from each other. The AI rushed in with cavalry, I was able to cut down a few with a first volley, but their charge was blunted by the wall. I won the melee without losing too many men and then was able to turn and fire on the line infantry. They were unable to inflict significant casualties before we routed them.

And the converse is true as well. When you're facing an enemy behind walls, don't expect to be able to just let your line infantry volley away at them. You need to flank them and quick. And always plan ahead for the slow-down caused by having your troops climb over walls. I would avoid crossing a wall under fire if at all possible.

[Faris ad Din]

When you're facing an enemy behind walls

- GRENADES!

Sorry. Call of Duty habits kicked in. Those habits die hard. Although honestly speaking, grenades should make quick work of wall-camping units. Hand mortars with 70 yard range should be nice - barring that, some howitzers.

Either that, or position one of your own units just outside their firing range (usually the same as just outside of yours), and if you can spare the men, swing another unit behind them and start shooting them in the back a la firing squad. Dirty, but pays them right for their cheap tricks.

[pandoursbox]

One of my favorite battles to date (and a loss) involved 2 militia and 4 pandours against a half stack of your usual polish mix. I routed a good deal of them by putting pandours behind wall and militia in gaps between them. Charged melee once I survived the cav.

Naturally, my forces were routed by cannon crew in the end...

[Faris ad Din]

Naturally, my forces were routed by cannon crew in the end...

Naturally angsty chaps, those cannoneers, I tell you.

[Seamless]

I learned about line infantry and walls the hard way. I was about to take Antigua, the last pesky pirate outpost. I should have had it, but I underestimated the Buccaneers, and put my line infantry behind a wall. Their fire did very little against the pirate's melee charge and once hand to hand combat was joined, it was over.

So I guess it's a no brainer, but DON'T INCORPORATE WALLS AGAINST MELEE UNITS (except cavalry). You will lose.

[daniu]

DON'T INCORPORATE WALLS AGAINST MELEE UNITS (except cavalry).

May I correct: EXCEPT CAVALRY.
It is very effective to attack a cavalry unit while it's crossing a wall or fence; not only is it slowed down and cannot charge, but if the attack is timed right and some are still crossing, they will be slaughtered one by one.

[Faris ad Din]

May I correct: EXCEPT CAVALRY.
It is very effective to attack a cavalry unit while it's crossing a wall or fence; not only is it slowed down and cannot charge, but if the attack is timed right and some are still crossing, they will be slaughtered one by one.

When facing cavalry, I try very much to make use of walls and fences which conveniently break cavalry charges. I have the walls/fences screen my line infantry about ten to fifteen yards in front so that there is a little shooting room to kill the cavalry slowed down at the obstruction. But again, this is just standing behind a wall.

I also prefer to station my artillery a little distance behind walls, with a gap so I can run some infantry in between as a screening force.

I would only use the duck-behind-wall feature in the same situation I would garrison units inside buildings: to create a fortified hard point which will delay the enemy and is tough to kill, but which won't do much damage. I don't duck behind walls/garrison inside buildings in order to do damage, I use it as a delaying tool. Don't worry about a "walled" unit - it doesn't do much damage. Use melee tactics if all else fails.

[Asehujiko]

If the AI hides behind a wall, they will treat it like a city square from RTW and not move an inch even if you walk arround them, approach then to less then a unit's width and open fire with everything you got. If you accidentaly touch them, they will run across the wall and take cover on the far side. If the lone soldier that ended up in melee dies, they all start shooting. I've managed to "sneak" a 12 pounder behind them(silly walls forming no coherent enclosures) and they didn't even notice when i canistered the back of their heads. The only things that went wrong was a gunner taking cover on the wrong side of his cannon and promptly being blown to bits and another cannon managing to shoot SIDEWAYS(as in, dakka coming out of a wheel instead of the muzzle) and kill another crew completely.

[the_mango55]

Walls are quite useful IMO, but don't take cover behind them, just stand behind them.

[Jzwief]

I use grenadiers or i flank them.