Slitherine

1) Historical background

On 4 February 1671, Louis XIV created a new infantry regiment « Les fusiliers du Roi » whose exclusive task was to serve and protect the artillery.

Composition of the regiment :
1) in 1671, 4 companies :
- 1 company of gunners
- 1 company of sappers
- 2 companies of labourers

2) in 1672 (before the Franco-Dutch War), 26 companies :
- 1 company of gunners
- 1 company of sappers
- 2 companies of labourers
- 2 companies of Grenadiers
- 20 companies of Fusiliers

In 1693, this regiment had its name changed into « Le régiment royal de l’artillerie » (shorten as Royal Artillerie).

A second regiment was created in 1684, named « Les bombardiers du Roi », used in sieges and the defense of strongholds. It was initially composed with 2 compagnies of « bombardiers » and 12 companies of fusiliers.

Fighting near the black powder of the artillery and grenades, those fusiliers and grenadiers were given « fusils » (that is flintlock muskets), being of safer use than matchlock muskets (among over advantages) and also bayonets (plug one, at first).

Sources :
Michel Decker, Louvois, l'artillerie et les sièges, in Histoire, économie et société, 1996, p. 75-94.
John A. Lynn, Giant of the Grand Siècle: The French Army, 1610-1715

2) Royal Artillerie in P&S : adding Fusiliers to the Artillery ?

To mod this, I started with a medium artillery (but I could have done it with a heavy one) and add to it two attributes : 100% musket and 100% bayonet.

So I had this and I like it :



But several issues remain :

(1) I would like to be able to have my Fusiliers fire their muskets in any direction while the guns don’t rotate

Right now, you can't :


(2) I’d like to be able to rotate my Fusiliers equipped with bayonets towards a enemy charging while the guns don’t rotate, to prevent a flank/rear charge

(3) I'd like to remove the Impact PoA -100 and Melee PoA -100 of any unprotected artillery against any enemy to have my fusiliers protect the artillery.

Right now, unprotected artillery is... unprotected :


I guess it would take a lot of modding ! It's like having two units inside one.

However, I did want to introduce this unit to those who did not know it
(being more confortable with History than modding )

1) Each company of the Regiment Royal Artillerie numbered about 100 men.

2) Here is an illustration of this Regiment
(from A. L. V. de Moltzheim, L'Artillerie française, costumes, uniformes, matériel, depuis le Moyen Âge jusqu'à nos jours", 1870)
Fusiliers and their flintlock muskets can be seen on the right hand side :



source

Do you think the following rules would be balanced for an "Artillery with (protecting) fusiliers" :

• The Fusiliers protecting the Artillerie by firing muskets would be treated the same as Darts or Late Roman units with only 20% bow in FoG2, ie they would provide the Arty an Impact PoA against an enemy charging the unit. Let's say a small one : +50 or +25

• Rear/Flank charges against this unit : removed

• Impact PoA -100 and Melee PoA -100 of any unprotected artillery against any enemy : removed

• Unit size = 100 men

• Bayonet ability

• Cost : ?

Would this unit resist a cavalry charge/melee for a little while (timeframe : late 17th century) ?
Wouldn't it be defenceless against a LF firing in its back over and over ?