Firefight. Two ranks line VS Three ranks line. Empire: Total War.

Basically, unit with lesser ranks is always superior in 1vs1 firefight.

Unit delivers fire volume faster. Own casualties from musket or artillery fire are less due to formation's density. Soldiers standing in two-ranks line do not regroup (it is shown in the video). They do not waste time for this and fire where they stand till the end of the fight.

However, it takes longer to maneuver and to form square. Also, frontline is longer and the enemy can concentrate more units against one thin line.

Here, Russian infantry formed in two ranks faces three-ranks British line. Stats are vanilla.

[red.sk]

I didn't expect anything else, I always stretch my lines for maximum firepower

[itzmystic]

personally i proffer 3 lines because it feels like it preforms better against charges then a 2 line unit

[Starvationru]

This is the reason why I have won every battle in this game. Those regiments of line infantry that turn out to be "superfluous" due to the length of the ranks - can be placed "at an angle" - first inward in order to catch enemy cavalry units - and then outward - thus enclosing the enemy regiments in a semicircle.

[henriquecarvalho]

The military techs such as fire by rank are one of the thing I miss of empire, watch your soldiers firing in organized lines is pretty awesome and I missed that in TW Napoleon

[mythicalrp]

I kinda miss my lines firing like this because I modded my lines to have the "can skirmish" so that they will all fire, not quite a mass volley but it's close there

[AttiliusRex]

what difficulty are you playing? sadly difficulty affect unit morale & accuracy

[diegopepe]

Because the rows are not as stretched out, does that affect performance somewhat, does it give the more stretched row the advantage, or is there no difference?

[benpearson]

Wish this game worked on my computer, the damned thing crashes every half hour or so.

[mateuszwisniewska]

I mostly use 3 lines because then i can fit more men next to the enemy so instead of 160 fiering i get 320

[bemusedalligator]

can we check this with fire by rank on? Presumably 3 lines on FBR would be better than 2 due to a narrower front presenting a smaller target...

[nicklarocco]

I say, Not very sporting of you, old chap.

[samthecrazywowgamer]

The russian line infantry has a lower accuracy though

[koreancowboy]

Ehh played darthmod it doesn't matter how stretched your line is or isn't. It's all about your army comp and tactics