how to use cavalry and militia?

[cato13]

has anyone got any tips on using these units in detailed battles?

i can never get militia to form line formation and and can very rarely get cavarly to charge cos when i get close to an enemy unit i aint got enough movement points

ps

i can win large battles but i can never seem to inflict large losses after ive routed the enemy from the field

[Ralegh]

Militia: hide them to your rear. Let them come out and play if either (a) the morale of the rest of your units drops under 3 or so (about day 4 for me usually) or (b) the enemy retreat or (c) you can run them into the area the enemy are putting their disordered units into - try surrounding em and getting em to surrender rather than futile attacks.

Cav: Cav should be column formation as they move right up next to the enemy unit. Only then change into line formation (if you have 15 movement points - 6 for the formation change and 9 for the charge). Cav in line won't be able to catch up with the enemy usually.

[Hard Sarge]

for mili when you can, you may want to split them in half, and then make them form square, don't plan on using them to attack, but to be protection for other units

but over all, try to get them out of your combat armies as soon as you can

(they can be okay in seige armies)

What kind of Cav are you using ? Heavy don't have as many points to use as others

but what I tend to do, is to move in steps, trying to get into a postion that I can use them

also, you want to use them when the time is right

[carnifex]

I use militia to fill in one flank, usually the passive one if there is one. I put them all in cover terrain so they can withstand charges better, and I never let them initiate fire combat unless they're in position for a rear attack. I also stick them right next to my supply, making it harder for enemy cavalry to charge the caissons. I never intermingle them with my regular troops because if they break, which they do at the drop of a six-pounder, they will demoralize all my good troops.

For cavalry, I slowly work them up the most active flank, and their main mission is to charge enemy artillery and supply and any disorganized infantry. I never send them against formed troops unless I really need to square some enemy infantry so my artillery can pound them. Also, on the very first turn, cavalry is ideal for protecting your supply caissons, which are usually strung out on the flanks.

After a while you will get enough experience where to place your cavalry so they can stay out of effective fire range, then move in and retain enough points to charge.

[LeBaron]

Militia is quite useless ! Keep it in garrison. Cavalry is for taking artillery out and the best is the use against routing units. Even mediocre quality like cossacs can inflict terrible casualites in pursuit so make sure that they are not disordered or routed when the fun starts.

[Rocoteh]

I think militia in detailed combat means much trouble, and I use
them only as garrisons.

Cavalry charging disordered infantry is extremely deadly.
However compared to AI I seldom produce much Cavalry.

I always reduce draft age to 35 year since it will give a direct
and heavy improvement in troop-quality with regard to new units.

Rocoteh

[Grand_Armee]

Place militia into your garrisons or disband them...they are a hazard for any combat.

Cavalry, move in steps, hiding behind cities and woods to save them from fire damage if you can. When you get barrack upgrades, choose "Quality horses" because it gives you additional movement points. Light Cavalry have much greater movement than regular or heavy cavalry.

If your enemy has infantry in line formation, get your cavalry into position to charge causing those infantry in line to form square...then pound them with firepower.

When your cavalry are disordered, get them behind other troops to improve their chances to re-form. PLacing leaders with them will also increase those chances.