Mount & Musket

There aren't too many games based in the 17th-19th centuries.  Europa Universalis, Napoleon: Total War, and Empire: Total War are pretty much the only examples that come to mind.  Maybe there's a History Channel game in the works for it; I know they've got one for the Civil War.  It'll suck, but at least it'll fill a niche!

On a more basic level, I have to question the need for this mod when Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword exists.  I mean, both have old muskets and flintlock pistols, cavalry, and so on.  I can't honestly say without having played WFaS online though whether this assertion is grounded in something that bears a resemblance to reason.

I can say with confidence that the guns are much less usable in M&M (which I shall now call Eminem) because they're so damn inaccurate.  Unless you're a skirmisher class character with a rifle, you won't hit a thing unless your target is in ten paces.


However, this is a good thing.  Since most guns kill in one hit, battles would become sniping duels in the vein of the Counter Strike AWP arenas.  This gives cavalry and other classes a chance to be useful.


There's lots of little things that make this mod entertaining.  First off is the inclusion of flag bearers and musicianship.  You can play as a guy that holds your army's flag, or as a flutist/trumpeter/drummer.  I've seen many musicians proudly stand their ground, continuing to play even though they know they will be cut down.  Flag bearers however, tend to be jerks that just block attacks for as long as possible.


For a mod based on a time where people stood in lines to fire guns at each other, no one actually does this.  Unless you join a clan that does line battles, everyone just runs off to do their thing.  As a result, melee tends to be extremely important, and a single guy competent in melee can change the course of a round.


For example, I saw this one guy who went by the name of SAVAGE.  He was the last Russian soldier on our team, fighting ten Frenchmen.  He proceeded to go into a frenzy, and with his bayoneted musket skewer 8 soldiers in a row until he was finally felled.  It was a beautiful and awkward thing to watch, see him spin around like crazy while slowly stabbing people.  Next round, I used the cheer button to say some incomprehensible Russian phrase that sounds kick ass.  Certainly better than the British's "HURRAH FOR OLD NOSEY!"


One of my gaming groups decided to form their own line battle clan, which I joined.  We began to do training exercises on the basics of making lines; marching, firing in volleys, etc.  I mostly spent the time using the kick button to interrupt my comrades' aiming.  And they thought it'd be a good idea to appoint me captain.

I was quickly replaced.