One of the first wallpapers for Empire: Total War features a grenadier
Grenadiers are a type of infantry unit in Empire: Total War.
General Information[]
Armed with unexceptional muskets, they carry their namesake grenades, crude explosives which can be thrown a short distance. Available relatively early on in the game, their performance can be mixed. Although doughty musketeers (they utilize platoon fire when researched, and have access to Fire by Rank until then) and melee fighters (grenadiers are traditionally strong, tall soldiers), their small unit size can place them at a disadvantage when confronted by larger cavalry and line infantry units.
Tactics[]
Grenadiers are extremely powerful infantry units capable of quickly wearing down their enemy's ranks. In their normal firing mode, grenadiers fire their muskets like standard line infantry, albeit with marginally better accuracy and speed. However, their true strengths lie in their ability to throw grenades. A single well-aimed volley of grenades can kill dozens of enemy soldiers.
However, the limited range of theirs grenades forces grenadiers to come dangerously close to their enemies, an action which can have fatal consequences. With these limitations in mind, it is best to use grenadiers opportunistically, letting regular infantry do the brunt of the fighting and holding them back for flanking grenade attacks or shock bayonet charges.
Grenadiers can also be useful in more specialized situations. In sieges, they can clear walls and breaches, wreaking havoc on the packed masses of enemy infantry. And, should the enemy entrench themselves in the open, grenadiers can lob explosives over their cover.
It is sound practice to protect grenadiers for as long as possible before exposing them to fire or throw grenades. This can be both by sending other units to absorb fire or distract the enemy, hopefully opening a chink in their lines the grenadiers can then exploit.
List of grenadier types[]
Standard Grenadiers[]
- Grenadiers
- Guard Grenadiers
- Hungarian Grenadiers
- Beylik Janissary Grenadiers
- Cemaat Janissary Grenadiers
Hand Mortars[]
See Also[]
- Line Infantry