2. I like to tell my men to hold their ground while I ride up to clumped infantry (standard bearers provide nice clumps). Take careful aim, if you don't get a good bunch up, hold off till you get the right shot, it is worth it for dmg and reload time. I think it does its aoe off where it hits the ground, I have shot right through people to see it explode behind them, so aim at the ground in the middle of a big group or line of people. (hills make this difficult) Don't bother shooting horsemen, or packs of infantry/horse mix. The cannon ball will hit a single horse and kill nothing else.