Empire: Total War Grenadier artwork, artist: Michael Kutsche
Grenadiers are a type of infantry in Empire: Total War and Napoleon: Total War.
Empire: Total War[]
Armed with unexceptional muskets, they carry their namesake grenades, crude explosives which can be thrown a short distance. Available relatively early on in the game, their performance can be mixed. Although excellent musketeers and formidable melee fighters, their small unit size can place them at a disadvantage when confronted by larger cavalry and line infantry units.
Tactics[]
Grenadiers are extremely powerful infantry units capable of quickly wearing down their enemy's ranks. In their normal firing mode, grenadiers fire their muskets like standard line infantry, albeit with marginally better accuracy and speed. However, their true strengths lie in their ability to throw grenades. A single well-aimed volley of grenades can kill dozens of enemy soldiers. Grenades may be "reloaded" much more quickly than muskets, and properly micro-managed grenadiers can quickly destroy even the stoutest of regiments. As the grenades detonate a few seconds after they are thrown, however, they are a poor option against rapidly moving targets. Mobile cavalry or even infantry can escape from grenades with few casualties. This can be remedied by forcing targets to engage in a melee with other units before throwing grenades, though such a tactic inevitably results in some friendly casualties.
However, the limited range of theirs grenades forces grenadiers to come dangerously close to their enemies, an action which can have fatal consequences. With these limitations in mind, it is best to use grenadiers opportunistically, letting regular infantry do the brunt of the fighting and holding them back for flanking grenade attacks or shock bayonet charges.
Grenadiers can also be useful in more specialized situations. In sieges, they can clear walls and breaches, wreaking havoc on the packed masses of enemy infantry. And, should the enemy entrench themselves in the open, grenadiers can lob explosives over their cover.
It is sound practice to protect grenadiers for as long as possible before exposing them to fire or throw grenades. This can be both by sending other units to absorb fire or distract the enemy, hopefully opening a chink in their lines the grenadiers can then exploit.
Napoleon: Total War[]
Grenadiers make a return in Napoleon: Total War. Their regiment sizes are larger (75% as large as line infantry regiments rather than 50%), making them much more durable and versatile in any situation than their predecessors. As in Empire: Total War, they are unremarkable in terms of shooting capabilities, but are a cut above regular line infantry in melee fighting and come armed with powerful, close-ranged grenades. Unlike Empire: Total War grenadiers, they can use Square Formation. This, together with their excellent melee statistics, make well-prepared grenadiers an excellent counter to cavalry.
Certain elite units, and even a type of heavy cavalry, are named "grenadiers", but aren't classified as actual grenadiers by the game as they lack the ability to throw grenades. Such troops are named "grenadiers" for their imposing size and melee prowess, not grenades.