This guide will cover the basics of linear warfare and how to apply them to Master of Command in particular.

Most of my experience in linear warfare games comes from Wargame Design Studio, Napoleonic Total War 3, Grand Tactician; The Civil War, and commanding regiments in War of Rights and Mount and Blade: Napoleonic Wars.

Therefore I feel as qualified as anybody to create this tactician's guide to the basics of using your units to work together on the battlefield.

The essence of linear warfare is bravery. It takes a huge amount of courage to stand in a line and be shot at or charged down. Battles are won by destroying your enemy's will to fight, so they run away and cede the field.

In this game that is represented by the morale system. This is, I believe, the most important system to understand in the game.

I will expand this guide as I discover tactical uses in this game specifically.

Enfilade fire and rear charges are extremely effective against forces in line formations. The line is oriented so that all of its firepower is straight forward. It can struggle when enemies come from multiple directions. One way to get this positional advantage over an enemy formation is by pinning and flanking.


In this image from a recent campaign, the melee-focused Hungarian regiment Nr. 2. "Hiller" is attempting to turn the flank of the British Foot opposite late in a battle. The shooting-focused line regiment Nr. 1. "Kaiser Franz" is pinning the unit so it cannot pivot.

Pinning an enemy can be done by any line unit, and sometimes also cavalry. All it means is that the enemy cannot pivot their line away without being flanked by the pinning unit. This is the essential part of a flanking maneuver. It is also true at the brigade and division levels.

The flanking unit usually wants to be the stronger, faster, higher morale, or otherwise better unit. It is taking on the greater risk of the two units. Units with strong close range abilities are very good for this. Having buck and ball, great charge, or great speed are all advantages for getting to an advantageous position and then using it.

Generally this ends with the flanked unit pivoting to meet the new threat. This means that the old pinning unit is now free to push their flank.

This tactic is also very effective with cavalry, however they are much better flanking units than pinning ones due to their low staying power.

Rotating units is very valuable in this game. As they are engaged and worn down, they lose morale and stamina. Therefore they need a break from the front line to recover this sometimes. A unit with no stamina is a sitting duck for a charge and cannot stand up to pretty much anything in a gun fight.

So a commander must keep a ready tactical reserve near to the lines to replace these units before they come close to routing. It is even more valuable if this unit also provides morale buffs to the others, such as when an officer is embedded.


In this image from a recent campaign, the infantry regiment Nr. 3. "Archduke Charles" is shifting from the left side of the line to the right to support an ongoing engagement with a British Line on the flank.

I try to keep brigade commanders in tactical reserve, particularly if they are embedded in very good units relative to my other ones. I use these units to plug holes that form, back up newer units, extend flanks to prevent enfilade fire, and countercharge strong enemy units approaching close to my lines.

They generally sit just behind the main front line. They are tactical reserves, not strategic ones.

Artillery can be an extremely powerful tool. Many heavy guns firing on the same unit can destroy it even before it comes into contact with your line. These guns must be micromanaged, however, to get the best results out of them.


In this image from a recent campaign, three units of Austrian Field Artillery sit upon a hill and all target the same Subsidy Recruit unit in the middle of the British line.

With enough concentrated power, a massed battery of artillery can rout or shatter a unit before it has had a chance to fight. When this was an important unit, such as an elite one, or one holding an important position, this can create a very easy victory for you.

In this case, the recruit was targeted because it was a weak unit right in the middle of the enemy formation. Destroying it would create a large hole through which my elite dragoons may want to charge.

Artillery can also be used this way to support a weaker unit. For instance if you have a recruit unit in a line fight with a unit which is definitely stronger, using artillery support can make the fight more even, or push it into your favor.

Knowing which units of yours are the best and how to use them to win battles is an essential skill to winning a campaign.


In this image from a recent campaign, we can see a veteran artillery battery equipped with the most advanced artillery available, all with bonuses from its officer and faction.

For instance, if powerful artillery is your strength as it will often be with Austria, then you should focus on winning artillery duels and forcing the enemy to attack you. You can play much more passively knowing that the enemy will be taking significant damage for every volley from your many powerful guns.

If cavalry is your strength, you will have to be more mobile, seeking flank attacks and opportunities to use the horsemen effectively.

If infantry is your strength, focus on preserving their manpower and using them in decisive moments to shatter the enemy's own infantry forces.

If your units are about even with the enemy, know which skills are better and take advantage of them.


In this image from a recent campaign, a unit of Combined Hungarian Grenadiers is charging a unit of enemy light infantry. Knowing that the grenadiers have a massive advantage in melee vs this unit, and a massive disadvantage in shooting informed this move.

When units are more or less evenly matched, it is important to know what your unit does better against the enemy. For instance, if two units are the same tier but one is good at melee and the other is good at shooting, the melee regiment should try to charge if possible. This will ensure that your strengths are being played to, and the opponent's strengths are being downplayed.

Even if you are likely to win an engagement, it is often better to get it over with faster by using more or better units.


In this image from a recent campaign, a foolish Prussian Hussar is frontally charging my tired line unit. I have committed the legendary armored horsemen of K.K. Cuirassier No. 5. 'Marquis Sommariva' to rapidly shatter the hussars.

It is likely this engagement would have ended in my favor anyhow, but by using a stronger unit, the engagement can end more swiftly and I can spend less manpower and time on it.

This frees up all the units in this sector to push other enemies or rest to recover morale and stamina.

Gaining a terrain advantage over your opponent will help you take less casualties and cause more.

When possible, engage enemies from behind cover as they are in the open. This will ensure that your soldiers are as protected as possible while theirs have no protection from you.


In this image from a recent campaign, the Karlstadter-Oguliner Grenz-Infanterie Regiment is in strong cover behind a hedge row and with their chevaux-de-frise out. Enemies are forced to attack it across a dangerous open field in front of their extremely accurate fire.

This particular unit was in almost 80% cover at this point. This makes it extremely difficult to kill except by charging.


In this image from an earlier battle in the campaign, the Karlstadter-Oguliners are positioned atop a hill. This gives them an elevation bonus which makes their fire more accurate.

Try to avoid engaging enemies in strong cover or on hills. It may make sense to push them off of such positions with melee charges since the bonuses are so strong for shooting engagements.

This was the image from my first campaign victory with the Austrians.

The campaign has a big snowball effect. Once you win decisively a few times, it becomes easier and easier to do so. That doesn't mean that you can begin making lots of mistakes after a few battles, but it does mean that it's even more important to preserve forces and resources early in the campaign.

Losing a unit is very bad, and should be avoided at all costs. Sometimes risks need to be taken to win a battle, since losing a battle is worse than losing a unit, but whenever possible, economic uses of force should be practiced.

If you don't have to charge your one thousand thaler value cuirassier or grenadier unit the whole battle, that is fine. You should use your weaker troops to engage as much as possible, particularly since they replace faster.

Please let me know if this guide was helpful, any suggestions for what to add, or any feedback for tactics that worked for you.

So far I have only won the campaign with Austria, so I will revisit this guide after I win with a few more nations.