Ammunition types

Would it be possible to include different ammunition types for the musket?, i know cannons have this feature so i figured why not with muskets, it would make engagements twice as challenging.

The most standard ammunition type for a musket was a simple lead ball and sometimes a musket was loaded with lead shot or "buckshot". I figured we could add this so that when charging into close quarters an infantryman could stop mid charge and fire off a lead shot volley into the enemy ranks.

The way a lead shot could work is the same way canister shot work with a cannon only miniaturised for musket use, of course due to the high chance of hitting with lead shot at close range the pellets could be made weaker the further away you are from your target.

The only problem i see with this is that a lot of people will shoot people at point blank range quite a lot so a way to counteract this would be to limit the amount of lead shot an infantryman can carry.

There is a musketoon, which is basically a mini canister

Well yes there's that but i'm talking about ammunition for the standard line infantryman.

Not sure about a buckshot for muskets, wouldn't mind seeing the weapon harper uses in sharpe thou! but ive heard off loading in two musket balls instead of one, used in the battle of Quebec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCChBCw7AxQ&feature=related

but i think for the most part, the better packed a shot was, not allowing for escaping gases, it would probably increase yur range and accuracy i would imagine.

That's why i'd like to see buckshot included, it would increase accuracy at close range( i've seen too many people try and shoot at point blank range and miss).

yeah true, but i think point blanking is still quite deadly, you have to be quite unlucky to miss at pointblank to be fair. i wouldn't actually mind seeing somthing like short ranged firing and long ranged firing, so more prepartion is needed in reloading if you don't want bullet drop when shooting half way across the map.  Could also allow for different styles of play, so regiments can choose to bark out volley after volley, while opposing regiment take care preparing there shot

Also an option to remove bayonets for faster reloading would be pretty neat too

AgentGB said:

yeah true, but i think point blanking is still quite deadly, you have to be quite unlucky to miss at pointblank to be fair. i wouldn't actually mind seeing somthing like short ranged firing and long ranged firing, so more prepartion is needed in reloading if you don't want bullet drop when shooting half way across the map.  Could also allow for different styles of play, so regiments can choose to bark out volley after volley, while opposing regiment take care preparing there shot

Also an option to remove bayonets for faster reloading would be pretty neat too

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That would be really cool, maybe also increasing speed and accuracy slightly.

Infantry in this period were issued ball ammunition. The only exception I can think of is US infantry, who were issued buck-and-ball, but that isn't really relevant to NW.

Bayonets were designed in such a way that they do not hinder reloading muskets, and the effect of the added weight on accuracy in general is negligible. In battle, bayonets would typically be fixed at all times, it just doesn't make sense not to keep them fixed.

Volkonski said:

I've seen too many people try and shoot at point blank range and miss.

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You know, I think people get used to the idea that point blank misses are because of the inaccuracy and just forget about trying to improve their aim. Which leads to tons of point blank misses like you said.

Believe me improving accuracy can be done. If you've played for long enough, you can learn to take into account the movement of your enemy, bullet drop and firing delay. Knowing this stuff makes makes close range misses rare. Even at medium range it can greatly improve your chances of hitting. But I imagine I'll have to relearn everything in NW  So I just want to say, when NW does come out, don't leave your shot entirely to luck!

Some infantry also fastened spikes and other stuff to the lead balls to cause more damage.

Bayonets were designed in such a way that they do not hinder reloading muskets, and the effect of the added weight on accuracy in general is negligible. In battle, bayonets would typically be fixed at all times, it just doesn't make sense not to keep them fixed.

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It is not typical for all armies, but for most of them. Prussian infantry didn't even have bayonet scabbards, thus having no choice at all.

Ghost Dad said:

Bayonets were designed in such a way that they do not hinder reloading muskets, and the effect of the added weight on accuracy in general is negligible. In battle, bayonets would typically be fixed at all times, it just doesn't make sense not to keep them fixed.

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You are correct,  they were designed in order to allow reloading while being fixed, and for the most part of napoleonic armies, especially the french or russians, was a common used tactic off routing the enemy of the battlefield through shock and awe.

but imo would still be a nice feature to have in game, even if there is no actual proof in a bonus in reloading or accuracy, although i do believe it would have given a slightly better reload time, were 3 shots a minute could turn the tide of a battle compared to two shots a minute, obviously it also depends on other factors, then just being able to get off 3 volleys, then just no bayonet present, such as training.

Pictures ive fount of the 52nd with no fixed bayonet, and one about to fix a bayonet.


But that was just an idea in general, and tbh even though it would be a nice feature for me, like you said, probably doesn't matter to be fair.

But to get back more on topic with a stronger point i made, would be the earlier thing i mentioned on the prepartion of shot, for long and short distance firing.

Such as
Longer well packed shot = improved accuracy and range
Shorter hastily packed shot = diminished accuracy and range

again its all quite debatable the general accuracy of muskets, but for expercied users for weapons, such as skirmishers or poachers, they obviously wielded the weapon with a certain level of skill.

Anyway im not the greatest history buff, i tend to know alittle about everything then specialise in one subject, so if there flaw in my logic, that would probably be why. 

Imagine the point blanks before melee 

No that takes all the point of non musket weapons .

Werent rifles Faster at reloading than muskets...I read like 3 books that said it yet MM and MW have a slower reload for rifles....

gaham1 said:

Werent rifles Faster at reloading than muskets...I read like 3 books that said it yet MM and MW have a slower reload for rifles....

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No, they are significantly slower for a variety of reasons.

Ghost Dad said:

gaham1 said:

Werent rifles Faster at reloading than muskets...I read like 3 books that said it yet MM and MW have a slower reload for rifles....

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No, they are significantly slower for a variety of reasons.

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They had to double tap the butt on the ground at the end after all that reloading to make sure the musket ball was firmly at the bottom of the barrel. Whats the point of having a grooved barrel if the ball isn't going to use all of it get the best range.

gaham1 said:

Werent rifles Faster at reloading than muskets...I read like 3 books that said it yet MM and MW have a slower reload for rifles....

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Reloading speed all depended on the person using the rifle/musket, a common fact was that a trained and well drilled infantryman could load and fire off 3-4 shots per minute.

The same could be applied to a rifleman depending on how fast he was, obviously he will still be slower than an infantryman because he'd have to aim instead of just point and shoot.

Volkonski said:

gaham1 said:

Werent rifles Faster at reloading than muskets...I read like 3 books that said it yet MM and MW have a slower reload for rifles....

Click to expand...

Reloading speed all depended on the person using the rifle/musket, a common fact was that a trained and well drilled infantryman could load and fire off 3-4 shots per minute.

The same could be applied to a rifleman depending on how fast he was, obviously he will still be slower than an infantryman because he'd have to aim instead of just point and shoot.

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It is quite difficult to get more than 2 aimed shots per minute with a muzzleloading rifle, unless you're using underbore balls (which is a big part of why you can get 3-4 shots per minute with a musket) but using those with a rifle will have a very undesirable effect on accuracy.

Also, the ramrod could be taken in and out a smoothbore muskets in a matter of seconds, while because of the rifle grooves, the riflemen had to put a lot of force on the ramrod. Austrian Jagers even had a hammer to knock the bullet and ramrod in!