Light Dragoon best unit in game?

[morteduzionism]

I read a lot of posts expressing a really negative opinion on this unit.

After using them for a while...I have to disagree...

Well, I suppose they can't be 'best' in the game with such low morale but...if one doesn't try to use them like line infantry or like heavy cavalry then...the morale issue is thrown out, right? At least in my mind it is...

My rationale:
I keep reserves of infantry.

What I've noticed is that by the time it's apparent I need to call the reserves up it's too late. What I mean is the AI tends to try delayed flanking maneuvers sometimes. When the frontline is already engaged they send another unit to flank my line. Reserve infantry simply can't respond in time. If I line the "reserves" up on the line from the start...who then is the "reserve?"

I haven't found the dismount/remount to be "too slow" either.

They can easily flank line regiments and a unit being fired on from the front and the flanks or rear breaks easier.

With the "shortened carbines" tech they fire faster.

When a unit they were firing on routs...they remount and hack them down.

But the best thing about these guys, IMO, is that when they're chasing routers they not only hack 'em down...they shoot 'em in the back too...

I've just been finding so much use for them...

[jo the greek]

I read a lot of posts expressing a really negative opinion on this unit.

After using them for a while...I have to disagree...

Well, I suppose they can't be 'best' in the game with such low morale but...if one doesn't try to use them like line infantry or like heavy cavalry then...the morale issue is thrown out, right? At least in my mind it is...

My rationale:
I keep reserves of infantry.

What I've noticed is that by the time it's apparent I need to call the reserves up it's too late. What I mean is the AI tends to try delayed flanking maneuvers sometimes. When the frontline is already engaged they send another unit to flank my line. Reserve infantry simply can't respond in time. If I line the "reserves" up on the line from the start...who then is the "reserve?"

I haven't found the dismount/remount to be "too slow" either.

They can easily flank line regiments and a unit being fired on from the front and the flanks or rear breaks easier.

With the "shortened carbines" tech they fire faster.

When a unit they were firing on routs...they remount and hack them down.

But the best thing about these guys, IMO, is that when they're chasing routers they not only hack 'em down...they shoot 'em in the back too...

I've just been finding so much use for them...

Not the best the most practical

Actually in my tacts units like Dellis are more usefull
but surely Dragoons are helpfull.

[Tango12345]

Dragoons are useful, but I wouldn't say they were the best unit in ETW, certainly not in a battle.
Though for public order purposes they are pretty good.

[morteduzionism]

Dragoons are useful, but I wouldn't say they were the best unit in ETW, certainly not in a battle.
Though for public order purposes they are pretty good.

That's where I disagree.

I find them to be essential in a battle. I can't think of any single unit that could accomplish what they do on a battlefield: confront infantry, dispose of routers and face cavalry

[Tango12345]

In my experiance, they get shot down by line infantry (providing those line inf get to shoot at them) and beaten by heavy cavalry, and like all cavalry, are at a disadvantage if they fight a square in melee. True, they are flexible, but like most compromises they aren't as good in either capacity. They are certainly good, but not as good.

But then, I usually play DMUC, so the stats will be different from vanilla, but it is more realistic than vanilla at least.

In my book, the best unit in battle in ETW would be one that was solid in melee, had the numbers to face line inf, and had high morale. An elite infantry unit fills this gap for me, but I don't know which.

And for me, dragoons can't do anything that I can't get another unit to do, if I want a skirmish line I'll use skirmishers, if I want a cavalry charge I'll use heavier cavalry than light dragoons.

All in all it is a personal thing-it entirely depends on how each of us fights. Yes they can do more different jobs than other units, but I want units that are better at their individual roles, if a unit can do say 5 things, but none of them as well as more specialised classes, then I usually don't bother. Again, thats just me.

And by your reasoning wouldn't heavy dragoons be better anyway? Just asking

[morteduzionism]

In my experiance, they get shot down by line infantry (providing those line inf get to shoot at them) and beaten by heavy cavalry, and like all cavalry, are at a disadvantage if they fight a square in melee. True, they are flexible, but like most compromises they aren't as good in either capacity. They are certainly good, but not as good.

That's why I said as long as "one doesn't try to use them like line infantry or like heavy cavalry" their weakness can't be exploited.

In my book, the best unit in battle in ETW would be one that was solid in melee, had the numbers to face line inf, and had high morale. An elite infantry unit fills this gap for me, but I don't know which.

It's just that I've found infantry to be too slow. Way too slow.

If/when a trouble spot does pop up by the time an infantry unit can reach the area the event is over.

Before discovering the power of light dragoons that "event" would usually be one of my infantry units being slaughtered.

Light dragoons can get to the trouble places faster and have enough ability to turn the tide.

And for me, dragoons can't do anything that I can't get another unit to do, if I want a skirmish line I'll use skirmishers, if I want a cavalry charge I'll use heavier cavalry than light dragoons.

That's what I like about them: they can do all those

If your skirmishers routed the enemy they faced, could they then run them down? Can foot skirmishers skirmish against cavalry? In my experiences that's been shown to be a bad match up.

I don't use cavalry for "charges." My cavalry is mainly for neutralizing other cavalry, attacking gun crews and chasing down routers. I rarely, if ever, charge infantry with cavalry.

All in all it is a personal thing-it entirely depends on how each of us fights. Yes they can do more different jobs than other units, but I want units that are better at their individual roles, if a unit can do say 5 things, but none of them as well as more specialised classes, then I usually don't bother. Again, thats just me.

...different strokes for different folks

And by your reasoning wouldn't heavy dragoons be better anyway? Just asking

Actually no...

Maybe my game is bugged but the regular dragoons (Colonial dragoons since I play as Spain) can't fire from horseback...

[dutch81]

Yeah for me the best unit in the game has to be the best at something ... not just ok in a few things ... so I have a balanced army that has all the units that are the best at their part of the battle. Where these units are good for me is stopping raiders which always seem to plague me ... two of them are capable of taking a infantry unit on foot or can take a cavalry unit down and keep up with them all on the campaign map ... but even then I prefer the heavy dragoons!

[daniu]

I read a lot of posts expressing a really negative opinion on this unit.

Is it possible you heard those on MP?
Light dragoons used to be quite overpowered before (I think) 1.5.

Yeah for me the best unit in the game has to be the best at something ...

Before that patch, they used to have a range of 90 so they were really fast light infantry that could both outshoot and outrun line infantry and charge and rout most light infantry units (with the exception of Green Jackets).
I still wouldn't call them the "best unit in the game", but they were really annoying.
Bringing their range down to 70 helped balance them a lot (I recall a "Am I dreaming?" post on the MP forum ).

[Magefsx]

I have to know though, why CA decided to give muskets with shorter barrels more range. The logic in this was.... what exactly?

[l33tl4m3r]

Moved to the Gameplay and Strategy forum.

PM me with any questions.

[PVT-Kanaka]

Dragoons...No army is complete without a regiment on account of their flexibility and mobility. I've said elsewhere they are a great mobile reserve or exploitation force.

[Inhuman One]

It is a shame that Dragoons look terribly inaccurate with those helmets though. For most factions at least, thats why I prefer Carabineers instead even while they cant dismount.

As for the best unit, I would think that is the Blue Guard. Very powerfull, a bit more accuracy, great morale and good in melee as well. Anything with longer range can be a problem, but taking care of that is not their job, thats what cavalry is for.

[Lumina]

When they had 90 Range for most of ETW's history they were good, very good. Even before they could fire while moving. I used to use them as quick moving light infantry and deploy them in locations to slow and or deny from the enemy. They are ment to be mounted infantry, and sadly when they removed the 90 range on Light Dragoons i feel there is no point in making them "Light" Though I'd like it if perhaps when dismounted they could get their 90 range back atleast, or at least make them reload faster do to their short carbines to make up for the lack of range. I personally think no mounted unit should be able to fire when on the move atleast effectively, it is tedious, they removed Light Dragoons 90 range to balance them out because they were insanely over powered because of their ability to hit and run out of the range of most enemies.

I sadly woudl rather have Dragoons with 90 range than any kind of Rifle Regiments. I miss my 90 range quick deployable Light Infantry.

[daniu]

They are ment to be mounted infantry, and sadly when they removed the 90 range on Light Dragoons i feel there is no point in making them "Light"

Well, for cavalry, they are light...

Though I'd like it if perhaps when dismounted they could get their 90 range back atleast, or at least make them reload faster do to their short carbines to make up for the lack of range.

Yes, that's perfectly reasonable and also was proposed in the MP subforum at length; Jack Lusted said (I think it was him, someone from CA anyway) the engine didn't allow different values for mounted/dismounted.

[Lumina]

Well, for cavalry, they are light...


Yes, that's perfectly reasonable and also was proposed in the MP subforum at length; Jack Lusted said (I think it was him, someone from CA anyway) the engine didn't allow different values for mounted/dismounted.

But yet they can make range tweeks to munitions in artillery. So cruel.

[Gabrieln1]

I use light dragoons as the mop up crew, as well as flanking force. I find infantry and heavy cavalry just can't exploit open flanks like a unit of light dragoons can. I always try to get at least 3-4 units of them it break an enemy line.

[Lumina]

They are great raiders still. I use them to hunt other cavalry still since they can not fight back, wiped out 3 camel regiments with two dragoon regiments without the dragoons losing a single man once, just so much faster than the camels.