How to defeat Falling Line Strategy?

[The Fool on The Hill]

I just won a battle against an opponent using that tactic but at the expense of losing two United States Legions. Any body got any advice against that tactic? I usually end up winning but it is probably the most annoying thing on the face of the planet. I did lose once but thats because my teammate was getting his behind handed to him and I had to take out his enemy while at the same time chasing this other guys units.

[TheEschaton]

Could you describe the falling line strat in more detail please? I may have come up against it but I'm not generally well-informed about the formal names for these gambits.

[Claus DeWitz]

Falling line usually refers to one side falling back with their entire army after giving a volley. When the pursuer has no range advantage he has no other option but to start his assault again from scratch. Falling line gives you many advantages: it gives you the first shot, nullifies any enemy flanking maneuvers, and it requires less unit management than your opponent's assault since you are in effect setting up a new camping position time and again.

In team matches it can be a more or less legitimate way of trading space for time, but excessive use in 1v1s is rather unsportsmanlike.

Ways to counter:
- start running as soon as the match starts, so you leave as little space for you enemy to fall back to as possible.
- no frontal assault: flank hard. It is risky, because your opponent can split your forces, but at least this means he commits.
- unit composition: make sure you have a range advantage. Next point is related:
- bring artillery. If the falling line brings artillery; push their line back to their batteries. Most will refuse to give up their big guns, pinning them; otherwise, spike their guns.
- cav charge when he falls: risky and costly, but it bogs the falling line down enough for the rest of your troops to catch up.
- bayonet charge: usually the falling line has the range advantage, which means they have traded melee for range. Exploit that.
- play terrain maps: the more terrain/obstacles a map has, the less viable the falling line is. Even better, play maps with a clear advantageous position.

None of these are hard counters though and every player that has invested in both range AND mobility has to use this strategy to some degree.

[TheEschaton]

Help a brother out; why would the pursuer be forced to commit to a new assault? Why not hold back? I would try to hold back until I could arrange for an ambush of some sort against the line to pin at least part of it.

[Claus DeWitz]

Help a brother out; why would the pursuer be forced to commit to a new assault? Why not hold back?

Because the falling line has range advantage.

[TheEschaton]

Because the falling line has range advantage.

In every game I've ever played, the stationary line infantry gets the shot off before the moving line infantry because it's already in formation. No line unit that I'm aware of (except the amazons and legion - sort of) have a greater-than-70 range, so I'm not sure how the falling line person is supposed to get the first volley off before I can respond in kind if I'm sitting in a defensive position.

[Ashu-Siralis]

In every game I've ever played, the stationary line infantry gets the shot off before the moving line infantry because it's already in formation. No line unit that I'm aware of (except the amazons and legion - sort of) have a greater-than-70 range, so I'm not sure how the falling line person is supposed to get the first volley off before I can respond in kind if I'm sitting in a defensive position.

Aren't falling line guys by definition campers? Also, the guys I've fought spam light infantry, and I only bring up to five to a fight. That itself will force me to attack.

[Ashu-Siralis]

Often times, it's used in conjunction with tons of light infantry, many times at the expense of cav. About the cav charge thing: it's really effective. Have your cav right behind your own line. That way, when you start running, they can charge through the gaps and attack the falling line. If he starts to form squares, stop your line and take his guy out. If he commits, works for you too, AND you get the first shot, since he has to stop and turn while you don't. Make sure you invest in heavy cav, though, cause light will get killed after repeated use. Sipahis used to be ideal for this, before they were nerfed (but they're still not bad. The point is to get him into a square or to commit). If you position a couple of cav units on your flank, when he commits, you can easily send a couple of units to mop up any light infantry that might have gotten behind him (remember, you just ruined his plan, or put a serious chink in it. He's probably not going to be able to set up his army as fast as you, and, as the attacker, you'll have the advantage of initiative and setting the tone. He can end up making mistakes, and light cav is ideal for taking advantage of those situations.

[TheEschaton]

When my cav are placed behind my line, they die to stray shots. sucks, man.

[Ashu-Siralis]

Well, the point of the falling line is to get one shot off. You don't have to position them right behind: just enough to get them as they pull away. Remember, the falling line is a one shot and run policy.

[TheEschaton]

Really, if they spam much more than 6 light infantry, they will be suffering severely in the line infantry department. I would keep my line infantry charging until his light infantry was separated or until he committed what line he had to stop yours. Then use your cavalry to swipe the light infantry either way.

[Ashu-Siralis]

Not if he doesn't hav cav. He could go 10 line, six light, some horse cav, or mix it up.

[daniu]

I must say while cav isn't the huge killer, in my experience it's very hard to win battles without any.
I think someone trying Falling Line needs some cav to guard his flanks, or you can use your cav to fall into their retreating infantry.