Favorite army composition

[caralampio]

I would like some suggestions for army composition. I am more interested in something that would reflect historical orders of battle, than in something gamey that makes you win every battle; although suggestions of the latter type would also be welcome.

I currently tend to make armies like this:
General
3 cavalry units
3 artillery units
9 line infantry
3 support infantry (such as grenadiers)
1 light infantry

[guerra]

General, 3 cavalry companies, 8 line infantry, one elite line infantry (Black Watch, Maison Du Roi, Guards, etc) one or two skirmishers and some cannon.

It's balanced and it works very well. Line infantry is the backbone of any army.

[Walternat0r]

General
2 x Puckle guns
2 x Howitzers/Mortars
10 x Line Infantry/Guards/Whatever
2-3 x Grenadiers
2-3 x Light Infantry

Tend not to use cavalry, mainly because I cba with the micro-management of them. But if I can easily get a hold of Uhlans or something with a beastly charge then I might chuck a couple in there.

[traxx91]

General
10x Infantry (Line or guards)
4x Long range cav
4x Infantry (no Line/guards. Possibly light inf or grenadiers)
1x artillery (I prefer mortars or mounted artillery)

I never do head-on charges with my cav, only some flaking duty and chasing routers. So I dont need heavy cav, long range cav can do the flanking job aswell.

[Octovon]

I'm not big on cavalry, I know they can be useful, but I'm more of an infantry kind of general. My armies tend to be 1 general, 2-3 units of cavalry at most (usually Hussars or Cuirassiers because they look cool), 10-12x line infantry, 2x cannons, 2x howitzers (I like the combo of ammo types). I usually use less line infantry as my campaign goes deepers and light infantry is unlocked, usually putting maybe 2 units of light infantry in my armies to skirmish. If I'm campaigning in the New World though, from the start I'll use more than a few Native Musket Auxiliary dudes for their historical presence.

[Anda02]

Although I don't have a specific numerical amount, I have to say that I will generally go with 2/3s infantry (time to use some math skills ) 1/6 cavalry and 1/6 Artillery. For me it goes pretty well. And also it works in different variations. If I know the enemy force is more likely to wield an all infantry force, I'll put some extra cav and arty in my army.

[PB&J]

General
8 Line Infantry
4 Grenadiers
2 Cannon
1 Howitzer
2 Light Dragoons
1 Rangers
1 Curraissers

[PSSpyker]

Usually in Single Player (European Style army):
1 General
1 Heavy Cavalry
1 Lancer Cavalry (For devasting charges )
7 Line Infantry
3 Elite Infantry or Grenadiers
3 Riflemen
2 Horse Cannons
2 Howitzer

For MP
1 General
1 Lancer Cavalry
2 Mortars
2 Horse cannons
4 Light infantry or Riflemen
10 Line infantry

[Zakris]

I tend to use:

General
2-3 Artillery (3 cannons until howitzers then 2 howitzers)
2-3 Cavalry (typically 2 light/reg dragoons and 1 heavy cav)
6-8 line infantry
3 Rangers/Light Inf ( like using them as a screen for my line inf)
3 Grenadiers ( typically use them to guard my arty or if the enemy is using walls I use them to flush them out)

[worm00]

This is probably historically inaccurate; but it wins "all the time" with the AI

4-5 mortars, as big as possible

2-3 howitzers

0-2 puckle guns; they are useful only when the AI has no or small cavalry. If it does have significant cavalry forces, discard. (if used, in the well known "wavy line" )

1 cavalry (to pickup routers unprotected artillery and such auxiliary roles, not to really fight)

the rest line infantry + a couple light infantry


You use the mortars to pound them at a distance, and of course destroy their artillery. You put the howitzers further back, so that if there is a shootout with your main line the howitzers pound the poor enemy infantry. Light infantry flanks them.

I usually play 3 x ultra unit size, so I can protect my artillery from enemy cavalry with infantry. It's impossible to lose from the AI if you get them to attack. Which you will, because you're pounding them with the mortars.

[Nastyvale]

European 1 (Division System):

General

9xLine Infantry grouped in 3's. Two units at the front line, one local reserve behind them.
3xLight Infantry/Militia. Two on the flanks in front of cavalry, one in reserve/artillery screen.
2xHeavy Cavalry. My battering ram.
2xDragoons/Horse Carabiniers/Cossack Cavalry. Fire Brigade/Flankers.
1xHussars/Melee Light Cavalry in reserve.
1xFoot Artillery.
1xHorse Artillery for flanking in tandem with Dragoons.

Variations:

No Heavy Cavalry, 2xUhlans.
No Hussars, extra Heavy Cavalry.
No Hussars, extra Artillery.
Occasional replacement of three Line Infantry with Guards/Elite Infantry.

European 2 (Brigade System)

General

8xLine Infantry grouped in pairs. Three at the front one in reserve.
3x Light Infantry. Two ahead of Line Infantry, one in reserve.
4xArtillery. Three deployed one limbered in reserve.
2xHeavy Cavalry.
2xLight Cavalry (either Hussars or Lancers).

On occasion two Line replaced with Guards/Elite Infantry.

Assault Stack:

General

6xLine Infantry grouped either in pairs or in threes as above.
2xFoot Artillery.
3xHeavy Cavalry.
3xLight Cavalry.
---Assault group---

4xGrenadiers.
2xHowitzers.

Eastern:

General

6xMelee Infantry grouped in pairs.
4xMusket Infantry en masse.
4xLance Cavalry with one pair on the flank and one in reserve.
2xRanged Cavalry in reserve.
3xFoot Artillery ideally the big 64 pdrs.

Variations:

Melee Infantry phased out when Socket Bayonettes are researched. Replaced by 4xMusket Infantry and extra Lancers and Ranged Cavalry.

I tend to use quite a few stack compositions but these are my most common.

Phew! Another long one!

[Capt_Amazing]

1 general,2 cannons rest is line infantry

[Hellman109]

1xgeneral
10x Line Infantry
3x Canons of some sort (howitzers or mortars generally)
6x Heavy Cav

Setup:
6x Line inf in straight line, 2 on each side at an angle that suites the map (so it looks something like /-\ or |-| with the - being at the top of the side lines)
3x canons behind them a bit to avoid FF and to help minimum range
3x cav on each flank
General behind and to the side of the artillery (so if they shell him or the cannons they dont 'miss' and get the other)

This is ofcourse against the AI and works VERY well. Just swing the flanks around as needed.

[Seamless]

8-9 Line Infantry
2 Regiments of Horse
3 Artillery
5-6 Dragoons

I have a pretty straight forward deployment. Line of infantry with a couple regiments in reserve, cavalry securing flanks, Dragoons behind the artillery to be deployed where needed, and artillery behind the line a good distance. Kind of boring but it's interesting to adapt that to each new landscape and scenario. My Dragoons make the most of my maneuvering. I really use them a lot, I think they're way underrated.

[caralampio]

Well it's nice to see that roughly we all tend to the same composition. It is clear infantry rules.

[IGdood]

20 Conscripts. Select all, press F, prepare for ownage (Mostly likely you're the recipient of said ownage.)

[Leeuwenhoek]

1x general
2x cavalry
6x line infantry
4x light infantry/skirmishers
3x cannons
3x howitzers

[the_mango55]

Euro armies

1 general
2-3 melee cavalry
3 light infantry/rifles
6 line infantry (I hardly ever seem to need more)
2 grenadiers or guards
3 long cannons (sometimes replacing 1 or 2 with puckles)
2 howitzers

I put the cannons on the line with some the line infantry angled to cover them like this (_ is cannons) \_/ but not that deep. I start the battle with the light infantry in front of the cannons, and I plant some stakes immediately in front of the cannons, then I move the light infantry into a nearby forest or behind the line if I'm on a hill.

[johannlo]

2 cannons
2 puckle guns, howitzers or mortars (from offensive to defensive preference in that order)
general
2 heavy cav
2 light dragoons (fire whilst mounted!!!) otherwise light melee cav. I find standard dragoons require too much micro for mount/dismount but whatever floats your boat.
2 skirmisher or grenadier
rest line infantry.

Cannons/pucke guns on one flank, long line, heavy cav on cannon flank. Mortars/howitzers (if there) behind of course.
Couple of units and / or light cav and general in reserve. At least one infantry unit or skirmishers near the cannons.

If you're feeling adventurous trade line infantry for more grenadiers/skirmishers, however I find that I can never have enough fire by rank

Flexible and dependable

[Frederf]

My current ideal setup is:
General
Cavalry (4) - 2x (Heavy Cavalry, Light Cavalry)
Artillery (3) - 1x Howitzer, 2x Cannon
Infantry (12) - 3x (Line, Line, Grenadier, Light)

You need some heavy cavalry for some heavy flanking and damage to the vulnerable engaged enemy line but there's plenty of need for light cavalry for anti artillery and broken->shattered work.

Artillery is great but it really takes up a lot of front line space and is really vulnerable to attack.

I use infantry in battalions that can behave independently with one always initially in reserve. Light infantry augments each BN when able. Having a lot of infantry can feel a bit crowded when trying to bring all of it to bear at once. More supporting units/line units ratio might be better.