Prussian Fusiliers are a type of light infantry in Napoleon: Total War.
Description
Fusiliers are an elite light infantry unit, able to form a firing line or skirmish as required.
Rigorous training and careful selection of troops have made the fusiliers some of the best soldiers in the Prussian army. The men are armed with smoothbore muskets and bayonets, and drilled to use the most of the tactics of light and line infantry. Their only real weakness is that, when under threat from cavalry, they cannot form square.
The first battalion of fusiliers for the Prussian army was formally created in 1787. Its origins, however, went back to the “Free Regiments” of the Seven Years War; those units had a reputation for ill-discipline, roguish behaviour and desertion, even at a time when desertion was a common problem. Indeed, desertion remained a problem for many armies, especially among the men conscripted into light skirmishing units. Skirmishers often operate away from direct control by sergeants and officers, and can slip away in the heat of battle, if they really want to desert.
General Information
While most units named "fusiliers" in other factions are line infantry, Prussian Fusiliers are light infantry instead. They are Prussia's standard, and only, light infantry type. In this role, they excel, and are in many ways some of the best standard light infantry in the game. Only Portuguese Cazadores are better, and only in melee fighting and slightly better reload skill. Prussian Fusiliers' reloading and accuracy are nearly unmatched, and they even hold up relatively well in melee fights. In fact, they're just shy of being equal to Prussian Musketeers in this regard. The rest of their statistics are mostly tied with or superior to their counterparts, with the exception of being very slightly weaker defensively than their French and British counterparts, as well as a much lower charge bonus than their Russian counterparts (more than made up for with their far superior accuracy and reloading).
As with other light infantry, Prussian Fusiliers can fight in tight lines in a similar fashion to line infantry, or they can fight spread out and crouching as skirmishers. The former is better for concentrating fire and for fending off cavalry, while the latter is better for minimizing casualties from artillery and musket fire. Crouched light infantry can be placed in front of standing infantry or ranged cavalry without much fear of friendly fire.
While they are equal or superior to Musketeers in nearly every way, they still lack access to square formation, and are especially vulnerable to being attacked from the flanks or rear by cavalry.