Do you withdraw artillery units when charged?

[hellagrant]

I always keep my foot artillery units on the front line, 12 & 24lbs.

So the AI usually likes to charge at them first, which makes sense. I usually tell them to withdraw(the white flag button) and I throw in some pikes or other infantry to secure the position. Then I tell the artillery unit to go back and grab the guns(mouse over guns = hands).

I would actually prefer them staying and fighting but I noticed some wierd glitches with that problem. For example, after the fight, 1 unit of artillery will man guns from 2 gun units.......

G G G G---------------------------- G G G G
so there are 4 guns on the left and 4 guns on the right, sometimes 1 unit will grab 2 guns from the left then 2 on the right. Which prevents the 2nd unit grabbing any guns.

[ndefontenay]

Nah. I just keep them in the fight shooting canister shots point blank. I never got anything coming close to my canons. As nearby units are ready to take on those closing in anyway. Whenever some manage to reach the canons their moral is very low and they run away on the first charge.

[Space Wolves]

Takes to long to get them to safety, plus i don't care much for artillery crew men, i keep them in the thick of battle plus, once my front line is engaged in melee, and should they break, i hold my cannons up for a canister at the right moment when the line falters and unleash there pay load. Neither friend nor foe is safe, and to my men, THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR ROUTING!

[MortenJessen]

Hi there.
I too tendes to keep my artillery in the front line, ready for cannister. But never the less, if the situation becomes too dire, I withdraw the entire unit, cannons, horses and men alike, to a safer position. The morale damage to other units that follows a units rout, is the same for artillery units as for everything else, and hence is not worth it. That is just one reason for keeping them safe.
Y.S.
M. Jessen

[klesh]

The morale damage to other units that follows a units rout, is the same for artillery units as for everything else, and hence is not worth it. That is just one reason for keeping them safe.

So you're saying that if one uses the white flag button to withdraw your artillerymen from the cannons, it gives a "rout" morale penalty to other nearby friendly units as if the line were breaking?

[MortenJessen]

So you're saying that if one uses the white flag button to withdraw your artillerymen from the cannons, it gives a "rout" morale penalty to other nearby friendly units as if the line were breaking?

Hi there.
I hornestly do not know if there is a penalty connected to the white flag. But that was not my concern how ever. I meant a unit routing; e.g. if the enemy gets too close and the artillery-unit starts taking casualties and routs. Hence, I always withdraws my artillery if the enemy gets too close. An artillery unit routing is damaging to the rest of the army. And, as a note since I have an idea of what you are getting at, a tactical withdraw is not the same as when you use the White Flag. It is a manually re-positioning of the unit.
Y.S.
M. Jessen

[Daneboy]

I withdraw them. That means, after the released tons of cannister fire. Two art units firing cannister at one unit of line will usualy break them, however.

[Lowes]

Much like the man who commands them; my Artillerymen are gentlemen, I have them continue fighting, even if it comes down to them tossing their top hats and canes at the blighters! Jolly good melee and all that, if you catch my drift old bean. Of course, throwing in the rougher sort of Line infantry to aid my artillery is a most prudent act that I tend to practice. Yet, as I said; no retreat. We shall duff them on the beaches...

[happycynic]

Rather than withdrawing, I group artillery in two-unit lines and put a line infantry behind them. The length of two deployed cannons is almost exactly the length of a default 3-deep line infantry formation. If it looks like things are getting too tough, I have the cannons hold fire and march my line infantry forward into the gap.

L-L-C-C-L-L
-----L-----

goes to this

-----L-----
L-L-C-C-L-L

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

I always have the cannon placed directly infront of my main line of battle, except when using Rockets/Mortars/Howitzers which can shoot over my men (or if I'm on a hill, in which case the inclination prevents friendly fire until the enemy are at the bottom of the hill). This way, I can put them in the best position in terms of getting most access to as many targets as possible. If the enemy get too close, I try to fire off at least 1 round of canister per gun per unit before ordering the infantry to rush up and line up immediately infront of them (obviously I make sure auto-fire is off). When the enemy break, I can order the men back a few paces and continue firing.

I don't like putting the cannon on the flanks unless well protected.

C C C C C C C C
----------------------

(whereby C = Cannon and the - represents the main line of infantry immediately behind them)

I do however, sometimes use this layout for my cannon.

----C C C C----C C C C----C C C C----

(whereby the cannon are placed inbetween lines of infantry)

[DrGordon]

I never withdraw with my arty, since its just seem to disorganize my troops in a uneffective way.

most often i place my arty in a position as follow (plain and simple, i think many do this since it is very easy to defend the arty and keeps them out of harms way):

Just placing out 2 types of troops here, to make it as easy as possible to understand:

Line infantry = L

Artillery = A

L-L-L-A-A-L-L-L
--------L-L

If anyone comes close to the artillery and the canister shots was ineffective i just put my line infantry in front of my arty like this:

--------L-L
L-L-L-A-A-L-L-L

When the charging troops run i immedietaly step back with my infantry so my arty can fire once more.

EDIT: Now i see that someone already posted this type of tactic, my bad

[P|A|ntZ]

To withdraw your artillery men from their guns without using the white flag, just hit their melee (sword) button and order them to melee attack any enemy unit. Then, immediately tell them to move to a safe spot behind your own main lines. No morale hit, and they don't have to engage in hand-to-hand.

[British-Bulldog]

Keep the artillery there! The buggers are meant to be fighting on the frontlines, I keep 'em firing and then I send my infantry in front to engage the oncoming enemy, some of my men die in the barrage that follows, but hey, that's war!

[The_Valiant]

I usually keep a line infantry unit on the flank of the artillery. It looks like this.

-AA-----AA-

That way, if cavalry charge, I form the flanks into a square; if infantry charge, then my artillery are not on the end of the line. I dont feel right placing artillery on the flank without someone to back them up.