Ren tactics

[Bison36]

Just curious as too the tactics that folks are using in REN.

So far I have basically followed the same formula.

Pike in block w/ ranged skirmishers for center of line
Halbard in line w/ ranged line for right/left of Pike block
ranged in line on flanks
cavalry defending ranged flanks
guns try to position on high ground. I have found that do to LOS limitations when high ground is not availible that I need to have a breaks in my melee line to open up LOS.

 

[trauth116]

(Excuse my poor arrow drawing - I didn't spend much time on this)

Another formation you can use to protect from cavalry charges is below.

Ignoring the elevation change, what you can do too, is place artillery in place of the arqubusiers in line - the blocks prevent anything moving through their zoc. The crummy arrows indicate where you have fire protection (even if in some instances it is at max arq range). Throw some skirmishers in the block hexes, and you have it.

Edited to add, the counter to this can be a line of cavalry squadrons, just out of range of the fire weapons -as pike in melee will move cavalry, but not kill any.

 

[Bison36]

Can anyone expand on the uses of extended/shortened line?

 

[Xaver]

Well, extend line... in napoleon games i only use it as last resource to form a defensive line covering terrain with less efectives, think that a big btl (800 soldiers) can cover 2 hex but if you extend it with the same 800 solidiers you can cover 4 hexes.

In REN i dont use extend line because only fire units can use it (melee units cant form line... i think are 1 or 2 exceptions) and they are very vulnerable to melee units... in REN the defensive line has it power in Block formations and cavalry units (shock units, not dragoon units) and units that can form line work better behing then covering free hexes with fire like you can see in the image posted by trauth116, if enemy has many fire units use skirmis, with broken terrain better, they can stop better your enemy with less units.

PD: a little observation, in REN routed units (not skirmis) can disrupt blocks and cavalry, use fire units, that are weak in melee, in first line with an enemy with heavy cavalry is a very dangerour tactic, you can find your 2nd line disrupted by routed units of worst, a total routed army..... God save bayonet :laugh: