Fantasy Musket and Magic Lore Library

[Elekta Kount]

This is where you can find everything all sorts of information, from the individual nations of Novanasia right down to the enemy units
Check back often for new info! And as always feel free to contribute!
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[Elekta Kount]

Novanasia
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[Elekta Kount]

Spoiler: Militia/National Guard/Landwehr/Fencibles

Militia and National Guard regiments are rarely expect to be sent into battle. It is their lot to act as reserves, or local law enforcers. As a result, if they do find themselves on a battlefield, they should be expected to run away, and not handle their weaponry with any great proficiency. However, they often march into battle in large numbers and can reinforce nearby regiments if needed.

Spoiler: Line Infantry/Fusiliers

The back bone of the army, versatile troops form the line of battle, using volley fire to break the enemy before delivering a bayonet charge. Highly disciplined and calm in the face of the enemy, these men are well trained in line infantry tactics. They can be relied upon to perform their duties with stolid determination, advancing upon the enemy, firing volley after volley before they close with fixed bayonets. Their close ranks can make them vulnerable to artillery bombardment and skirmishers, and they will be ripped apart by heavy cavalry charges if they are in line. To counter this last threat, the unit can be ordered to form square. As long as discipline holds, an infantry unit in square should be able to see off enemy cavalrymen.

Spoiler: Grenadiers/Guard

Grenadiers are large, strong men, armed with musket-rifles, grenades, and a fearsome reputation. Grenadiers see themselves as elite soldiers, and occupy the place of honor at the right of the line on parade. They have good reason: only the larges and bravest men become grenadiers, their size and strength makes them an impressive sight in a charge. It also gives them an advantage in melee combat, not to mention throwing those heavy grenades. Grenadiers are a proud group and this pride makes for dedicated soldiers who will follow orders to the letter. Like other infantry, they must exercise caution when facing heavy cavalry, as they have less men then their infantry counterpart, but they are also vulnerable to attack from skirmishers.

Spoiler: Light Infantry/Skirmishers/Irregulars

The jacks of all trade, but masters of none. These light troops are ideal for harassing the enemy from a distance. These light troops are trained to use their surroundings to their advantage, and use skirmish tactics to break and harass the enemy. Their greatest strength is speed, be it on the move or reloading their musket rifles. Light infantry regiment can also form an effective firing line when needed. However, while they have above average marksmen skills, they cannot out shoot dedicated marksmen. They also cannot stand up to dedicated melee units like line infantry, as they travel light, thus prolonged close combat is also inadvisable.

Spoiler: Sharpshooters/Snipers/Jägers

These sharpshooters are excellent shots, perfect for harassing an enemy from a distance. Nothing causes fear in men during battle like seeing your comrades slaughtered by a seemingly invisible enemy. Sharpshooters are adept at hiding in cover as the foe approaches and they then use their superior marksmanship and scoped rifles to bring down their targets. Using loose skirmishing formations, sharpshooters are good at ambushes, as well as avoiding concentrated fire. However, sharpshooters are slow to reload and fire,and when they are forced into close combat or ridden down by cavalry it is almost certain they will be slaughtered.

Spoiler: Pioneers/Sappers/Engineers-

View attachment 451775
Sappers perform a variety of military engineering duties such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses as well as building, and working on road and airfield construction and repair. They are also trained to serve as infantry personnel in defensive and offensive operations. A sapper's duties are devoted to tasks involving facilitating movement, defense and survival of allied forces and impeding those of enemies. However, although they can stand up in a stright up melee fight, it's advisable only to use them as such in a last resort bid, as they're skills are too valuable to waste.
View attachment 451776

Spoiler: Hussars/Light Cavalry

Hussars are lightning fast cavalry, moving quickly and useful for scouting ahead of an army. These superb horsemen can be used as a screen for the main army, or for strategic scouting to locate the enemy. Hussar speed makes them ideal for targeting skirmishers and artillery: enemies have little chance to escape if hussars are sent against them. Hussars are armed with curved sabers, as well as pistols, carbines, even shotguns, and can acquit themselves well in melee or during a charge, although they do not fare well against disciplined infantry or heavy cavalry.

Spoiler: Dragoons/Medium Cavalry

Dragoons are medium cavalry, trained to fight on foot and horseback. The Dragoons’ strength lies in their versatility: on horseback they can produce an impressive charge or they can ride to critical spots on a battlefield where firepower is needed. Once dismounted, they can engage in melee or use their muzzle-loading muskets to fire upon the enemy. This flexibility is also their greatest weakness: they are not as fast as light cavalry, nor as durable as heavy cavalry, nor are can stand up as well as regular line infantry in a fire fight or melee, depending on their armament.

Spoiler: Cuirassier/Carabiniers/Heavy Cavalry

These elite heavy cavalry are renowned for their swordsmanship and fearsome and powerful charge as they plow through enemies, breaking and scattering men with their straight heavy swords. Equipped with heavy, straight swords and wearing armor, cuirassiers are melee cavalry. If the cuirassiers can get in among their foes, then they can do bloody work and have some protection in the fight granted by their cuirasses and heavy helmets. They are rightly feared by enemy infantry, and other cavalry forces are foolish not to treat them with a degree of respect. The price paid for this imposing strength is in speed: cuirassiers are far from swift, dashing cavalrymen, and are not expected to chase down infantry on most occasions. They are heavyweights, and killers.

Spoiler: Lancers/Ulans/Shock Cavalry

Lancers are fast moving and terrific shock cavalry who can batter an enemy into flight. The very sight and sound of these thundering cavalry, lances thrust forward, is a fearsome thing to behold. Like all lancers, it is their weapons that give them a distinct advantage in the first seconds of contact. A unit of lancers, charging into the attack, is frightening indeed to the targets of their ire. However, a lance is not the handiest of weapons in a melee, so the lancers should break off, reform and charge anew rather than stay in hand-to-hand combat. Like all shock cavalry, they should not be thrown into ill-considered attacks against prepared or elite infantry in square formations.

Spoiler: Mounted Rifles/Rangers

As mounted riflemen, these men harass the enemy and screen the main body of an army. Along with their horses, initiative, aggression and pace mark these men out from other infantry. Mounted rifles carry fast firing rifles and even repeater rifles, but they do not rely on massed volley fire: they use the accuracy of they're weapons and deliberately aim at individuals within the enemy ranks. This unsporting and selective fire can be delivered on foot or from horseback. It can disrupt enemy formations or drive off enemy skirmishers. These men are trained to shoot, not fight in hand-to-hand battles, and will be bested in a melee.

Spoiler: Horse Artillery

To keep up with fast moving cavalry, horse artillery batteries put entire gun crews on horseback or the horse-drawn limbers. The cannon used by horse artillery lack range and firepower compared to other artillery pieces. This is considered unimportant; speed is all! Horse artillery units can move guns to a firing position, deploy, and then remove themselves with some dispatch. They can be where they are needed to support and attack or break an enemy advance. They are a tactical reserve that any general will welcome, or a means to exploit a weakness in the enemy line.

Spoiler: Foot Artillery

Foot artillery batteries are the core of an army on campaign: cannons win battles. Despite the name, foot artillery batteries are towed by horses. The artillerymen, however, march alongside their pieces rather than ride. Because the guns can be loaded with round or canister shot they are effective at long and short range: canister shot turns cannons into gigantic fowling pieces. Artillery is slower than the rest of the army and, if left behind and undefended, will be vulnerable to cavalry attacks. Disabling the enemy’s guns should always be a high priority for a general, and artillerymen only have the most rudimentary sword skills for their defense.

Spoiler: Rocket Battery

War rockets are a terrifying device; they can be fired over a great distance and lower enemy morale.The rockets these troops employ are iron tubes filled with gunpowder propellant; when fired in large volleys, the noise alone is unnerving and has a negative effect on enemy morale. Each rocket is laid in an angled launcher, and it is the job of the artilleryman to correctly judge the angle of launch so that the rockets drop in the middle of the enemy. He also needs to take into account wind, as the long tails of the rockets make them inaccurate. Rockets actually do very little damage, it is their visuals and noise that makes them effective at routing unexperinced enemies. Rocket batteries are also the fastest artillery, as they have very little parts that could be considered "heavy" and thus can move about like like cavalry.

Spoiler: Mortar Battery

A mortar is a large caliber artillery piece that lobs percussive shell, quicklime, and explosives in a high arc at the enemy. To the uneducated eye, a mortar looks like a large, stumpy cooking pot, set at an angle in a heavy wooden frame. Indeed, the weapon’s name may even come from its similarity to the mortars used to grind spices. Mortars use indirect fire, firing their percussive shells and quicklime high into the air to plunge down on enemy positions, causing much damage at the price of their movement speed.

Spoiler: Howitzer Battery

Howitzers can send shells high into the air to plunge onto enemies, making defenses and cover less effective, or fire directly into enemy formations Howitzers fall somewhere between cannons and mortars, the other main artillery types. Like cannons, they have limited mobility and are slow moving, yet are they not as accurate as cannons, yet they are not as slow as mortars. The charge of powder and the barrel angle can be varied, which means a howitzer can send an almost-vertical shot over a wall or send a solid shot stright through an enemy position. Given such an ability, they are best employed to bombard areas where enemies are concentrated. In close action, they can fire canister rounds directly into enemy formations, blasting them with hundreds of musket balls.

Spoiler: Gatling Guns

Industrial machinery, applied to the battlefield business of killing. Gatling guns are a form of artillery, although they are only really useful against men. The guns have an exceptionally high rate of fire, good range, and do terrible slaughter. Accuracy is adequate, although this would be considered far too good by anyone being targeted! With numerically small crews, Gatling guns are weak in close combat, but this is not their role. They should be used to deliver devastating fire support