Cazadores (ETW Unit)
| Cazadores (ETW Unit) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Skirmishers |
| Unit Size | 80 Men |
| Weaponry | Rifles |
| Morale | |
| Melee Attack | |
| Ranged Attack | |
| Defence | |
| Charge Bonus | |
| Accuracy | |
| Range | |
| Ammunition | |
| Region | Europe |
| Recruitment Cost | 620 |
| Upkeep Cost | 150 |
| Turns to Build | |
| Unit Limit | |
| Building Requirements | Barracks |
| Technology Requirements | Machined Rifling |
| Attributes | |
Riflemen are skirmishers and snipers without peer, picking off leaders to sow confusion in enemy ranks.
Overview
Organised and equipped as light infantry with rifles, not smoothbore muskets, riflemen have every right to see themselves as an elite. Chosen for initiative and intelligence, they fight without close supervision from their officers. Their uniforms set them apart in an age when soldiers dress like peacocks: they deliberately blend into the landscape so that they can stalk their prey.
Historically, the most famous riflemen, the British Greenjackets, carried infantry rifles designed by Ezekiel Baker. This muzzle-loading flintlock used a small ball from a tightly rifled barrel to give superb accuracy. There are accounts of riflemen holding targets for each other at hundreds of paces! It was a slow business to load the piece properly, as high-quality powder was carefully measured out and the bullet wrapped in a leather patch then tapped down the barrel to engage with the grooves. All of this could take a minute or more to do properly, but the resulting shot was deadly over astonishing ranges. Baker even carefully supplied a long “sword bayonet” so that the overall length of his rifle plus bayonet matched that of a line infantryman’s bayonet-tipped musket.
Details
Cazadores have much of the same qualities as Light Infantry: both can use Light Infantry Behavior, both have all of its men fire simultaneously, both can deploy stakes etc. They also possess one large advantage over light Infantry: They have a significantly greater range. This makes Cazadores viable candidates for hit-and-run tactics without worrying about the enemy firing back. Their large range bonus, combined with their light infantry behavior,also mean that they are very suitable for (relatively) safely engaging enemy artillery. However as with most Light Infantry they are vulnerable to melee and so, should avoid melee situations.
Due to their long rifles, Cazadores take much longer to reload than what their statistics might suggest.
