Multiplayer Guide

Multiplayer in Napoleon: Total War is a pure test of army building and battlefield skill. No campaign economy, no reinforcements — just the army you bring and the ground you fight on. Here’s how to build and command for head-to-head.

Army composition

A balanced 20-unit stack for multiplayer usually looks like:

• 10–12 line infantry — your firing line and anvil. Don’t skimp.
• 3–4 cavalry — for flanking, chasing artillery, and finishing routed enemies. Too few and you can’t punish mistakes; too many and your line is thin.
• 3–4 artillery — the damage dealers. Guard them; a lost battery is a lost battle.
• 1 general — morale anchor and a combat unit in a pinch.

Build your list in the unit database filtered to a faction, then stress-test pairings in the comparator.

The meta

• Artillery dominance. Whoever brings more and protects it usually wins. Expect cannon duels in the opener.
• Cavalry control. Skilled players micro their horse to snipe guns and run down skirmishers. Practice the charge-and-retreat cycle.
• Infantry lines decide the mid-game. Hold a ridge, refuse a flank, and don’t let your line get enveloped.

Etiquette & setup

• Agree on army point limits and any banned units before the match.
• Play the diplomacy/set-up phase calmly; rushing the start is poor form.
• Save replays to learn from losses — most multiplayer improvement is pattern recognition.