Ferguson Riflemen are skirmishers in Empire: Total War.
Description[]
Ferguson Riflemen are scouts and snipers, who harass the enemy by targeting officers and leaders.
Major Patrick Ferguson's remarkable and patented flintlock rifle is a breech-loading weapon, with a cunning screw mechanism that opens the breech for loading and still seals the chamber tightly for firing. In the hands of a well-trained man, firing the piece is rapid; the laborious business of muzzle-loading is no more! The rifling makes it accurate and deadly!
Historically, Ferguson intended his gun to go into the hands of an elite force, under officers of enterprise and daring, who would move rapidly, use cover, and could deliver accurate and withering fire. In practice, the weapon was not a success, because it was difficult to manufacture in quantity and somewhat fragile in the rough conditions of a battlefield: the screw mechanism would jam if not treated with respect. After Ferguson was wounded in action, his critics lost no time in equipping the unit with Brown Bess muskets, and then eventually disbanding Ferguson's prize riflemen.
General Information[]
Ferguson Riflemen are unique riflemen available to Britain only. Although Green Jackets are superior in terms of melee, Ferguson Riflemen hold the advantage of having more than three times the fire rate thanks to their breech-loading rifles, thus making them some of the best light infantry available in the game in terms of firepower. However, as with most light infantry, Ferguson Riflemen have poor melee statistics.