I'll speak bold
Quote Originally Posted by Gaiyamato View Post
That is not how it works.

I strongly suggest that you read pages 68-70 of the Heroes of Battle book about volley fire in large scale battles first before further commenting. I did...

A concentrated volley affects only 1 square/1 target. Damage is normally 1/5th. So this increases damage to 2/5ths is all. However it has a high DC to hit (DC 20) and only BAB, INT of the unit leader and range penalties are used.and 1/5->2/5 is doubling as I said, as is removing a save for half
A typical unit leader or unit captain is no more than 1-2 levels above the troops. True, though were I to use this I's make one elite unit and were this available I'd take a 1 level dip to give them 2X damage on concentrated volleys specifically since than they may fire extra arrows.
So a level 1 unit of musketeers lead by a level 3 commander has generally at best 4-range penalties (usually -2 at least). true

Thus a unit of 10 musketeers in a 5x2 formation with only 9 men firing should have 1D20+2 roll DC 20 to hit with a concentrated volley dealing 4D12 damage only with no chance of a crit roll (they are no crits on volleys), firing only once every second turn. I understand this

Also muskets cannot indirect fire only direct fire so no firing over walls. Arrow slits break up for the formation meaning that they cannot perform grouped fire actions. Which means that none of these abilities apply at all in such an instance. Ah, forgot about that bit, than a caster with a readied wall spell to use in the case that the oncoming attack looks to bad

It must be a solid block of men at least 2 ranks deep in order for any of these to function. I know

But as I said. In order to fully understand the implications of this class I strongly suggest you read the Heroes of battle book. Sorry, I thought you meant the whole book, not just this section

This class is not usable by PCs to any real serious effect.
You need entire units of men in order for it to have any function.
It is an NPC class only.This I also understand, and it's good for say a player with the leadership score to use for his followers, were this faceless character to have higher level followers than the elite group with concentrated fire would work all too well at taking out lone targets. (due to the limit of people that can launch concentrated fire at any one square)