Infantry Tactics

[Lord_Valentai]

Now, this sounds rather strange, considering I played the Talonsoft and later the HPS Napoleonic games.

However, in all that time, I still have no clear idea on the best way to use infantry! Obviously, you form square to repel cavalry, and use column to march through bad terrain...but what then?

- How do you use Line properly? With only one unit able to fire, and artillery smashing multiple units, it seems like it's fairly useless unless you're using BIG line units like the Austrians or British.
- So that leaves Column. Useful for attacking, melee, doesn't get disrupted by terrain. BUT, it gets murdered by close ranged fire, and is pretty bad at firing.
- Skirmishers are useful (though not as much as in the Talonsoft ones where they were annoyingly invulnerable to muskets), but they don't do that many casualties, and often rout quite easily as they're sent forward.

So...how do I use infantry properly? I admit I've usually only played the AI, and relied on fighting defensive and using cavalry mainly as my infantry always got disrupted and ran away!

 

[rahamy]

This is a pretty expansive topic, especially if you want to use them in a historical manner. I won't event attempt to get into that, but I do suggest you pick up some books on the period to dig into that - can be some very interesting reading.

In game terms, I move my infantry in column as much as possible, but once I get onto the field of battle I generally shift into Line formation. This reduces casualties from ranged artillery & it also allows me to deliver the best punch with ranged fire, in the event an enemy unit gets in range, etc.

Do not stack troops in Line - to prevent pass through fire losses.

Leave gaps in between your formations to prevent mass routs, where possible.

In your second line leave gaps so routers can pass through and worn units can be easily retired and new units moved up to fill the gaps.

When possible, based on enemy artillery positioning, stack your second line troops in column & realitively large stacks. A routing unit won't go into a stack if it causes an overstacking situation - so this will cut down on disruption within your ranks.

Close to musket range when ever possible and wear the enemy down with ranged fire - concentrating multiple units on a single target hex where possible. Soften up the target for the coming melee.

I generally melee in column, unless a really good opportunity exists for my units in line. The thing to remember though is once you become disordered you are much more vunerable, and columns have reduced fire power. So make sure you have good order troops left after the melees to hold things together - or have the enemy on the run so you don't have to worry about it!

Use strong points in the terrain to anchor your lines - use a forest or swamp if possible to prevent a cavalry attack on your flanks.

Keep a reserve - you will need it. You want fresh troops to feed in as needed, and don't keep your front line troops up front too long, as they will become excessivley fatigued and next to useless.

The base consideration with Napoleonics is combined arms. Get your artillery into elevated positions with good fields of fire. Place the infantry in supporting positions to prevent the enemy from getting to your guns. Place the cavalry in position to support both the infantry and artillery with a charge if need be.

Once the artillery has softened a target hit it with a cavalry charge and follow up closely with infantry supports. The infantry exploit what the cavalry accomplish. Move the artillery up and repeat the process. Avoid relying too heaviliy on any one arm of the army...

Hope that's of some help...

 

[Mike Cox]

One other thing to add - I tend not to move in line. I believe there is a fire bonus for having not moved. If I do move, it is only a couple of hexes. That also helps with the disorder. Now if he runs, hit em with the Cavalry.

On the stacking note, there is a limit to the number of units in a hex, so you can use skirmishers to keep at max stacking and avoid rout throughs disrupting you. (Also works well with cavalry squadrons.)

 

[Lord_Valentai]

That's really helpful Rich and Mike!

I still have one question. How do I use line effectively at all when, as you say, I shouldn't stack units in there? The usual battalion, especially French, is 4-600 men!

Do you normally fire in column, since I find even 2000 troops blazing away in column aren't that lethal.

How do you deal with your units disrupting while changing formation? After all, if one unit fails to change all the units in the hex are disordered!

 

[rahamy]

Lets play a match and I'll show you!

 

[Lord_Valentai]

OK. I have Jena, Waterloo, Wagram and NIR. Start one up with the appropriate rules and send it to ashantai[at]gmail.com

It'll be a massacre....

 

[rahamy]

Will get something in the small to medium range fired up from Waterloo soon and get it coming your way.

 

[Mike Cox]

Well I disagree with Rich that you should not stack. Often, even with lines I place max in a stack (rear ones can not fire) but no disrupted units that don't move can be lethal. You can rotate fatigued units within a stack. But if Rich has a game started, I think you will see a few things to get your creative juices flowing.

 

[Lord_Valentai]

Well, problem is, I usually play the AI in phases...so rotating units has never been a very viable tactic for me.

 

[Mike Cox]

I was thinking over time. You get fatigued, rotate to the bottom of the stack, during your movement phase.

 

[Lord_Valentai]

Ah, I see. Yes, that is a good plan because they can only target the front unit, so as long as they don't rout, your stacks can take considerable damage.

 

[rahamy]

But if artillery targets your stack the balls will take casualties out of all units in the hex, not just the front line (or top unit)...

 

[Lord_Valentai]

Exactly...which is why I need schooling in how to properly use the units!

 

[rahamy]

I just fired it up, finally, and the turn is on the way.

 

[Marshal Lannes]

A small note on the skirmisher side of things. Yep, they may seem to be pretty inneffectual, but have a important role to play. Aside to the historical feel to the battle- they give you;
1. A measure of screening ability, especially from long-range, pesky artillery.
2. An extra degree of firepower, although minimal- does play dividends against a disordered unit which is more likely to rout if you shoot at it.
3. when it is pushed next to an enemy unit- you get to see whether it is a fresh full strength unit or a depleted former router and more importantly its organisation suggesting that a re-infordement is in the vicinity.
4. They work better as recon units in wooded terrain- cavalry just gets disordered and cant fire back.
5. They are more disposable than a full battalion- one unit on a flank , scouting out a ridge-line or road is worth its weight in gold for an early warning of immediate flanking. That is, assuming that your cavalry is in short supply or you neeed them elsewhere.
6. Take minimal losses in building terrain and difficult to dislodge from chateaux - tend to get only retreat or fatigue results in obstructed terrain.
7. Can be used to give additional protection for your batteries from mellee attacks. Perfect job for them when they are depleted or have routed far behind a front-line.
8. Useful in moving to a high ground point near enemy flank- rear so that you can see reserves and reinforcements and the level of routing which may be obstructed by the elevated terrain. Yep, I know youn can use cavalry- but cavalry is slow through woods and a single skirmy unit is less noticeable.
9. Can give your opponent a bit of a fright , especially if you break-down a full light battalion. If your opponent suddenly see a half dozen skirmies coming out from a non-visible area- the logical assumption is that there is more infantry behind, since there are so many skirmies out front- he will be forced to at least move a brigade to counter the percieved threat . But you say - that would not happen as I would use some skirmies to cover such a possibility- thats right, and there you have another(10) use of them.
The list of skirmy uses is almost endless and just in case I get to fight against you- I will stop there, as to not divulge any of my personal battle usages. You never know who might be reading this- Hmmmmmm ! Disregard skirmishers at your own cost. Haaaaa Haaaa haaa !