French Musketeers

[Athos1660]

I find the French Musketeers of 1649-1660 (without bayonet) very fragile and weak, despite their nice Impact foot (a capability I usually enjoy) .

But they very often get disrupted before the Impact under the enemy fire, generally from P&S, and don’t resist long during the following melee, not to mention their logical weakness against a cavalry charge. Most of the time, before the end of the battle, all my French musketeers end up broken. I’d like to use them but the French average P&S seem a much better deal for the same cost, stronger and with the same Impact foot. So when I don’t have to (in smaller fights), I prefer not to select the Musketeers.

I also tried to use them during a longer phase of shooting delaying the melee, but they are not meant for that either.

Any advice ?

Maybe I should use them as a reserve till the armies meet, ie after the shooting phase and the first impact ? Or use them only against Raw P&S ?

I understand that their relative weakness of firepower is a logical compensation to their Impact foot capability, that they should be weak against cavalry and during long melee, but why/when using them ?

btw, If I get it right, they share the same stats as the Blue_Musketeers in SQUADS.csv. I guess their characteristics are scripted (not that I want to mod then. I'd like to use them correctly).


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(edit)

off-topic : does the latest FoGR update give up to 2 Commanded shots to the Early Louis XIV army as mentioned here, p. 20 ?

[rbodleyscott]

(edit)

off-topic : does the latest FoGR update give up to 2 Commanded shots to the Early Louis XIV army as mentioned here, p. 20 ?

That is the update. The tabletop book wasn't reprinted.

[Athos1660]

(edit)

off-topic : does the latest FoGR update give up to 2 Commanded shots to the Early Louis XIV army as mentioned here, p. 20 ?

That is the update. The tabletop book wasn't reprinted.

Thank you for the reply.

[Athos1660]

About the French Musketeer, I guess a solution is to protect them from the enemy shooting and cavalry in the 2nd row until the impact of the first row and then to use their Impact foot capability :

[SnuggleBunnies]

I think you're selling them short, they're great troops.

1) Their shooting malus puts them at 75% effectiveness at *short range.* So at 3-4 tiles, they are much more effective than Pike and Shot units. At close range, they are still more effective than standard Pike and Shot units, and slightly less than Late Pike and Shot. Of course, close range being 1-2 tiles, the best move is generally to charge with Impact Foot anyways.

2) They are on nearly even terms in melee vs Pike and Shot, units, with both units having no melee capabilities. The only disadvantage is that they get -1 to their cohesion roll to losing a melee *in open terrain* vs heavy or mixed foot.

3) Pike and Shot units are at -30% disordered in forests, musketeers are only at -22%, in addition to being able to move their full two squares in difficult terrain types, as opposed to the 1 of Pike and Shot.

So really, on a battlefield without cavalry, I would grab as many French Musketeers as I could, as they tend to outfight Pike and Shot units. They win long range firefights, and if the Pike and Shot close to force the close range firing malus on the Impact Foot, they invite a devastating charge.

Because they are vulnerable to horse, they should be deployed in non-open terrain to negate cavalry's Impact bonus vs unprotected Medium Foot.

[Athos1660]

@SnuggleBunnies : Thank you for taking the time and sharing precious advice. Always nice to have those of a MP champion

I think you're selling them short, they're great troops.

1) Their shooting malus puts them at 75% effectiveness at *short range.* So at 3-4 tiles, they are much more effective than Pike and Shot units. At close range, they are still more effective than standard Pike and Shot units, and slightly less than Late Pike and Shot. Of course, close range being 1-2 tiles, the best move is generally to charge with Impact Foot anyways.

2) They are on nearly even terms in melee vs Pike and Shot, units, with both units having no melee capabilities. The only disadvantage is that they get -1 to their cohesion roll to losing a melee *in open terrain* vs heavy or mixed foot.

3) Pike and Shot units are at -30% disordered in forests, musketeers are only at -22%, in addition to being able to move their full two squares in difficult terrain types, as opposed to the 1 of Pike and Shot.

So really, on a battlefield without cavalry, I would grab as many French Musketeers as I could, as they tend to outfight Pike and Shot units. They win long range firefights, and if the Pike and Shot close to force the close range firing malus on the Impact Foot, they invite a devastating charge.

Because they are vulnerable to horse, they should be deployed in non-open terrain to negate cavalry's Impact bonus vs unprotected Medium Foot.

= lots of valuable stats/info I didn't even know/notice (especially about long range shooting and terrains)!

I guess that, till now, I just haven't been lucky with my French Musketeers vs enemy P&S in open terrain and mistook the 'dice God' for their real stats. And vice versa : placing them in the second row, I noticed some really nice shooting (ie from long distance) without realizing it was part of their characteristics.

I will follow your example and first start with learning more about the stats/skills of my units in any circumstances.

Thx!

[SnuggleBunnies]

You're welcome. The game is deep. Even after five years I'm learning new things about it.

[Athos1660]

The game is deep.

Indeed! That's what makes it so interesting. This is an intelligent game

I've just played a game with the French Musketeers, using them first as a shooting platform at long distance on or near rough terrain, then charging the weakened enemy P&S at the very end. I've got a good result.

btw the Commanded shot I added to this Army was also on a rough square protected by my cavalry nearby and in front enemy cavalry half mired in rough terrain. The latter ones although being more numerous did not like it. But that's another story