Infantry in Siege Battles and Chasing Down & Shooting

[spartan1982]

Hi there,

I've just had some major issues with my infantry (milita) units in a Siege battle. Made it all the way up the enemy fort's walls with my infantry, lined them up to fire down below where my pikemen were already fighting in melee, hoping for a nice wipe out.

However, only about 10% of the untit were actually firing, then I clicked again on the target and they started running around the fortifications, then down the ramp into melee! Is this normal behaviour or am I missing something? Fire at will was on, melee off.

Also, is there a way to just stop your unit mid-run reliably (out of formation) and make them shoot? A few times, somehow I think I achieved this and they did start shooting a routing enemy. Recently however every time I try to get them shooting when not in formation (by right-clicking the routing enemy or stopping my unit and using fire at will), they try to line up first - but of course the enemy is long gone by then. They won't fire until every last one of them is in formation (

Any ways / tips to make my infantry more efficient and actually start shooting things faster? Especially when they're on fort walls or turning suddenly / chasing a routing enemy unit without lining up perfectly every time! I want to see some chaos on the battlefield!

[SonOfCrusader76]

Speaking of 'chasing down', is it just me, or does chasing routers feel noticeably less brutal in this game than in M2: TW, or even Rome TW? In M2 TW especially, sending a bunch of horsemen into the middle of a panicking mob was one of the most brutal things I've seen in gaming - sword strokes all over the place - you could just imagine heads flying off. In ETW, it feels like a step backwards.

[♔Darmoth♔]

However, only about 10% of the untit were actually firing, then I clicked again on the target and they started running around the fortifications, then down the ramp into melee! Is this normal behaviour or am I missing something? Fire at will was on, melee off.

Unfortunately... this is one of the very broken things about siege and fort battles. The AI has chronic brain farts trying to deal with action from on top of the walls. The best advice I can give you regarding getting them to fire reliably from walls, is to make sure the unit is stationary, and toggle the fire at will button off and then on again quickly, the infantry will line up and hopefully start shooting the closest enemy unit. It can be difficult however if you're trying to get them to shoot down into the fort.

Also, is there a way to just stop your unit mid-run reliably (out of formation) and make them shoot? A few times, somehow I think I achieved this and they did start shooting a routing enemy. Recently however every time I try to get them shooting when not in formation (by right-clicking the routing enemy or stopping my unit and using fire at will), they try to line up first - but of course the enemy is long gone by then. They won't fire until every last one of them is in formation

Again unfortunately... I don't know if it's realistic, in that they were trained like this... or if it's just a weird game mechanic. If you're trying to do it with infantry, the best I can suggest is make sure it's fast moving light infantry, and that you have researched the Light Infantry Doctrine, so you toggle on light infantry behavior, it does give individuals soldiers a bit more freedom in firing. Otherwise you'll have to try making sure they're in relative formation before you begin chasing the enemy and make sure you don't click to fire ON the enemy unit, but rather chase them within firing range and hope your unit can shoot before they're out of it again.

If you're trying to chase down routing units however, the best way to do it is to use missile cavalry, light dragoons, chassuer a cheval, carabineers, mounted tribal auxiliary, tartars, and I'm sure others. Make sure fire at will is on, then toggle on the melee button and charge them at the routing enemy. They can all fire while moving, and will continue to reload when they don't have their sword out.

About quickly turning your infantry, once you've ordered them to rotate, make sure you either press the R key, or hit the run button with your mouse so they'll rotate and get into line faster. You may have already been doing this, but couldn't hurt to mention.

Wish I could do more but that's as much advice as I can think of.

Speaking of 'chasing down', is it just me, or does chasing routers feel noticeably less brutal in this game than in M2: TW, or even Rome TW? In M2 TW especially, sending a bunch of horsemen into the middle of a panicking mob was one of the most brutal things I've seen in gaming - sword strokes all over the place - you could just imagine heads flying off. In ETW, it feels like a step backwards.

Some would say the whole game feels like a step backwards, haha. But you're right, the melee cavalry does a terrible job path finding to simply chase down routers... It makes my Death's Head Hussars sad.

[♔Drewoid13♔]

Quote:
However, only about 10% of the untit were actually firing, then I clicked again on the target and they started running around the fortifications, then down the ramp into melee! Is this normal behaviour or am I missing something? Fire at will was on, melee off.
Unfortunately... this is one of the very broken things about siege and fort battles. The AI has chronic brain farts trying to deal with action from on top of the walls. The best advice I can give you regarding getting them to fire reliably from walls, is to make sure the unit is stationary, and toggle the fire at will button off and then on again quickly, the infantry will line up and hopefully start shooting the closest enemy unit. It can be difficult however if you're trying to get them to shoot down into the fort.

i know it doesn't make sense to have one rank firing while the rest of the unit stands pretty. but got to love CA's world class job here. regardless, to add to Darmoth's suggestion, spread your infantry out as far as possible along a wall section. You won't be as concentrated should the enemy scale the wall, but at least you'll bring more muskets to bare and probably staff more wall cannon too.

Quote:
Also, is there a way to just stop your unit mid-run reliably (out of formation) and make them shoot? A few times, somehow I think I achieved this and they did start shooting a routing enemy. Recently however every time I try to get them shooting when not in formation (by right-clicking the routing enemy or stopping my unit and using fire at will), they try to line up first - but of course the enemy is long gone by then. They won't fire until every last one of them is in formation

Darmoth covered this well, but its worth reiterating to just use cav to chase down fleeing enemies. Trying to fire on a fleeing enemy is worthless in every instance and you're usually better off just letting your chasing infantry keep chasing the fleeing enemy (unless your chasing enemy cav ). Light infantry do the best job though of shooting mid-pursuit, but you only get one shot really since the enemy will flee beyond your max range by the time you reload (if they weren't at max range already).


3) I do miss my medieval pursuits! capturing all those swine was the best part of the game.

[♔Darmoth♔]

3) I do miss my medieval pursuits! capturing all those swine was the best part of the game.

Haha, and ransoming the enemy back their own general sometimes.

[♔Drewoid13♔]

Haha, and ransoming the enemy back their own general sometimes.

that was the best part! I loved capturing a faction leader. Then I'd have to kill him b/c the nation was too poor to pay.

[Darth_Revan]

that was the best part! I loved capturing a faction leader. Then I'd have to kill him b/c the nation was too poor to pay.

Haha killing the faction leader was the best part , I miss capturing both leader and heir and butchering them so many good things were removed

[♔Drewoid13♔]

so many good things were removed

/signed. although i'm happy merchants are gone, somehow the AI still gets agents with 2, 3, 4 ranks higher than even my best guy. I'm happy they brought back some short cut scenes though! duels are pretty cool to watch; but Shogun still had the best.

[SonOfCrusader76]

I certainly wouldn't call the whole game a step backwards - in many ways, it is the best TW game so far. The new map is a lot better for one thing, not just the way it looks, but the way it works as well, and naval battles are just epic! It's just the collision detection when slashing at enemies from horseback is so horrendously off kilter! It's such a shame, because RTW and M2: TW had that aspect nailed!