Line Infantry (FOTS Unit)

Line Infantry (FOTS Unit)
File:Line Infantry FOTS.png
Class	Line Infantry
Recruitment Cost	770
Upkeep Cost	100
Requires	Buildings: Cadet School
Melee Attack	4
Charge Bonus	10
Bonus vs Cavalry	5
Range	125
Accuracy	30
Reloading Skill	30
Ammunition	10
Melee Defence	2
Armour	2
Morale	6
Speed	4

Description

Line infantry are the bulk of an army, doing a good deal of the killing and most of the dying.

Line infantry are the main force of an army making up, as the name suggests, the bulk of a battle line. Equipped and armed in modern, European style, each man has a good quality rifle which gives the unit a reasonable reload speed and good accuracy of fire in most situations. The large bullets fired do an unpleasant amount of damage to enemies. This means that line infantry are best suited to engaging the enemy with fire, and not in close combat where they are no better than other infantrymen. And like other infantry, they can be ridden down by cavalry if they are mishandled or left in an exposed, unsupported position.

A wide variety of rifles from many parts of the world were available on the open market by the time of the Boshin war. For most practical purposes on the battlefield there was little to choose between the various rifles on offer. Manufacturers in Britain, France, America and elsewhere competed fiercely to sell their weaponry to anyone who was interested. Governments supported the trade as an adjunct to diplomacy, or conveniently looked the other way in the interests of national profit. The period was, after all, a period of liberal "laissez faire" capitalism where politicians did not consider it the proper business of government to interfere in mercantile matters, even when death was the commodity.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Average accuracy and reload rate.
• Average in melee.
• Weak against cavalry.
• Good morale.

Special Abilities

• Kneel Fire - The first rank of this unit will kneel to allow the first two ranks to fire simultaneously.
• Suppression Fire - This ability increases reload rate but lowers accuracy. Enemy units hit by suppression fire are slowed and suffer a morale penalty.

Other Information

Line Infantry are one of the first Gun Infantry units that a Clan can produce. They are also the strongest Line Infantry type unit that is available for many Clans, besides the Allegiance specific Imperial/Shogunate/Republican Infantry. They only require a Cadet School, which can be built right away. Their stats are rather average, and they won't beat Samurai armies without support early on, but they can be made much better with upgrades, technology, and a foreign veteran to provide experience. In the early game they are a solid unit when used properly, and even later on they can be very good, particularly for their cost.

As soon as you've secured a good expanse of territory and built up your economy, it is strongly recommended that you switch over to Line Infantry as the standard unit for your field armies and castle garrisons. Levy Infantry are simply cost ineffective and absolute rubbish when compared to Line Infantry. Later on you should probably recruiting Line Infantry except as garrisons, and use the many stronger options available. However, unlike Levy Infantry they are still useful in a strong army.

If you are playing as a Clan without a unique Line Infantry unit and are planning to switch Allegiances (or become a Republic), it is generally better to stick with Line Infantry until you switch, because the Allegiance-Specific Infantry will disband if you change your Allegiance.