Introduction
There were two types of infantry during Napoleonic era: line infantry and light infantry. Infantry units carried several different names, depending on the nation they belonged to. This guide consists of line infantry commands and tactics, but some of them can be used for light infantry as well. Certain commands can have several different names, and it is simply a matter of taste which of those the officers will use, depending on their leading style and personal preference.
Formation Orders
Line – Lines are wide, which makes them awful at maneuvering. However, lines are the only way a unit can fire all their muskets effectively & without breaking rules. In a line all the men of a unit face the enemy shoulder to shoulder; You should only go in line when you are about to engage in combat.
Column – better for moving and maneuvering & is characterised by a single file facing the enemy.
• “Form a column!” – Form a single file behind the officer.
• “Form a line on my left/right!” – Form a straight line on the left/right of the officer.
• “Reform!” – Stop whatever you are doing, find the officer in command, and assume the formation you had before.
• “Left/right face!” – Turn 90 degrees in the direction ordered.
• “About face!” – Turn 180 degrees.
• “Anti-cav formation!” – Stop and make a defensive square/circle around the officer. Always hold the Up Attack while standing. Turn either clockwise or anti-clockwise, depending on the direction the cavalry is attacking from.
• “Aggressive reform on me!” – Reform on the officer’s left and right. If you see the person in front of you going left, you must go right & vice versa.
Movement Orders
Movement should usually be done in column until engaging in combat, in which the unit should then form into line. Before giving an order, it is recommended to say "Company/Regiment, prepare to..." to warn the unit.
• “Forward, march!” – Move out.
• “Halt!” – Stop.
• “Reverse!” – Turn completely 180 degrees and advance straight in the opposite direction.
• “Wing left/right!” – Beginning from the front of formation, unit adjusts to the side of the leading officer or soldier. Always stay behind the left/right shoulder of the person in front of you, depending on the order given.
• “Break left/right!” – Turn 90 degrees in the direction ordered and advance in that direction.
• “Advance!” – Move forward. Keep distance between your teammates, do not separate from the line. You should stay on the officer’s left/right.
• “Retreat!” / “Fall back!” – Turn 180 degrees and run in that direction. Do not fire or charge, simply run either to the officer or your unit, and hide from the enemy.
Combat Orders
• “Present!” – Level your musket in the direction of the enemy. The bottom of the crosshairs should be no lower than the enemy's waist and no higher than their neck. Always aim at the person directly opposite of you. Aiming at somebody else’s target may waste ammo or accidentally TK one of your own. Always present for at least 2 seconds but never longer than 5 seconds.
• “Fire!” – Let go of the fire button and fire. Immediately press the fire button again to start reloading.
• “Fire at will!” – Fire freely.
• “Cease fire!” / “Hold fire!” – Stop shooting.
• "Shoulder arms!" – Stop presenting.
• “Ripple fire from the left/right!” – Starting from one side, each person fires in order from one side to other.
• “Charge!” – Charge at the enemy. Stay in formation, unless ordered otherwise. Depending on the event, sometimes you may fire in charge. Never reload while in charge!
General Rules In The Events And Etc.
• Respect for all regiments and officers.
• No team killing.
• No spamming of group/all chat.
• No obvious gaps in line.
• No crouching while shooting/reloading.
• Officers and special classes are allowed to move freely and defend themselves.
• Men of three or less must join another line and fight alongside them.
• Do not “Rambo”.
• OA – (Officer Aim) Intentional aiming for the officer (regardless of unit).
• FiC – (Fire in Charge) Firing whilst engaged in melee.
• RiC – (Reload in Charge) Reloading when the line you are part of is charging.
• FoL – (Fire out of Line) Firing when you are not in formation.
also known as: FooL, FooF (Fire out of Formation)
Postscript
All illustrations of visualised commands are made by me.
I do not own the rest of the images featured in the guide. All rights belong to their rightful owner(s).
Many thanks to the creators of the original guide that inspired me, and my appreciation for this generous young man for his support!
Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1699627399
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