| Isarelys | |
|---|---|
| |
| Belongs to | Ottoman Empire |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Weapon(s) | Musket |
| Ammunition | 15 |
| Soldiers in each unit | 120 |
| Melee Attack | 4 |
| Charge bonus | 8 |
| Defense skill | 12 |
| Morale | 5 |
| Range | 70 |
| Accuracy | 30 |
| Reloading | 20 |
| Tech requirement | None |
| Produced from | Barracks |
| Special abilities |
|
| Cost | 920 SP/550 MP |
| Upkeep | 230 |
| Turns to Train | 1 |
| Unit Cap | None |
Isarelys are a type of line infantry in Empire: Total War.
Description[]
These musketeers are a useful addition to any force, even if they lack the fire discipline of regular soldiers.
For all its smoke and noise, handling the smoothbore, muzzle-loading musket can be taught to all but the most stupid of men. Once the basic skills of loading have been mastered, it is simply a matter of pointing the loud end at the enemy and pulling the trigger. It is in God’s hands as to what happens next!
Even the most inexperienced or cack-handed of peasants can be useful with a musket in his hands. The noise of a volley is often enough to frighten, and any casualties in the enemy ranks are a bonus.
Historically, such units of irregular musket men would arrive at a battlefield with all kinds of weapons, from ancient matchlocks handed down from father to son, to modern government-issue weapons looted from the enemy dead. This lack of standardisation did not matter much, as it was the ability to fire at all that made the unit a useful force.
General Information[]
Isarelys are the closest thing the Ottoman Empire has to Line Infantry in the early game: they are the only early-game infantry the Ottomans have that can form squares and utilize bayonets. However, they are plagued with problems ranging from their very poor statistics around the board (comparable to Militia but only slightly better), their inability to Fire by Rank, and their inability to set up defensive fortifications when entrenched. Furthermore, they can only be trained in a relatively limited selection of areas within the Middle East, Persia, and the Balkans, leaving the Ottomans at a severe disadvantage in replacing lost units beyond their home territories. But despite these numerous flaws, they remain some of the best units the Ottoman Empire have in the early game due to their much higher durability than any other initially available unit.
They are most useful in the early game when there are no viable alternatives. In the late game, Nizam-I Cedit Infantry become available--better units by far in almost every way, although Isarelys retain some usefulness as militia substitutes for garrison duty due to their lower cost.