i still dont think it would actually make the unit better to get more range, part of the reason you buy it is because it gives an insane HP pool vs ranged units for its price, 14 range is good enough as is.
it just needs to kill infantry quicker, that is its intended role.
Why not make grenadiers work like the Peruvian Legion revolutionary unit? The Peruvian Legion is more akin to the actual historical grenadier (i.e., a “super-musk” of some sorts).
Just make the existing Euro grenadier unit like the Peruvian Legion, and have them armed with a musket, as with the Peruvian Legion they would use the musket to attack units up to 12 range, then between 12 and 18 range they’d have a grenade attack (+ grenade attack for siege).Then grenadiers could be used more to pad out your infantry mass with extra siege/splash damage and some high-HP units.
Historically, grenadiers were often the biggest and strongest soldiers, so you could keep them at 2 pop and have extra HP + some additional damage with their musket compared to a standard musk. Sort of like an Indian mansabdar unit, but they don’t buff nearby units. They should probably have a build limit like Tashunke Prowlers (somewhere in the range of 10-20 maybe? Could increase by 5 each age up).
Considering the historical argument you suggest, he could have a build where he behaves like a standard musketeer, and has melee armor against cavalry and ‘shock infantry’.
In case of toggling to ‘grenadier mode’ he again acquires ranged defense and loses the bonus against cavalry. The transition from one mode to another (Grenadier-Musketeer) should take a while to enable so that it does not toggle instantly. In other words, when you return to musketeer mode, it takes some time for the grenadier mode to become available.
Maybe they could reduce their cadence, but increase their damage. Make each impact a little more intimidating. The grenade launcher card must be absorbed by the ‘advanced arsenal’ and the upgrade ‘Insendiary Grenades’ give it a bonus against general infantry, but against cavalry and ‘shock infantry’ a negative multiplier when in grenade launcher mode.
The great bombard was never used after the siege of Constantinople, there is no rule that everything in the game must be absolute truth.