Technology in Empire Total War refers to specialized weapons or formations that can be used to give a player an advantage.

There are three main technological weapons or formations in Empire Total War. Details on each from the game's official website appear below:

A fougasse consists of a pit, sometimes dug at an angle, with gunpowder packed into the bottom and suitably wrapped to keep it dry. The hole is then backfilled with rubble and stones, taking care not to break the fuse, creating a huge weapon. Any enemies caught by the explosion are blown to smithereens by the blast. Dampness will cause the fougasse to misfire, like any other gunpowder weapon, so it's not recommended in rainy environments.Official Site: Empire Total War Units

As the name suggests, this is four two- or three-rank lines of infantry arranged as a hollow square, with everyone facing outwards. Forming a square requires good order in the ranks. The outer companies of an infantry unit in line have to “fold back” to form the sides and back of the square, without losing cohesion in the process. The unit colors take up station in the centre, a final rallying point should the square be broken. It is also possible to form larger squares with more than one unit. The square is, of course, a tempting target for enemy artillery. Whether it is better to form square in the face of cavalry and risk an artillery barrage, or stay in line to mitigate artillery fire and risk a cavalry chargeis a tactical decision.Official Site: Empire Total War Units

Platoon fire is a way of dividing a unit into smaller groups that each fire, reload and fire again in turn. The result is a “rippling fire” down a line formation and, as the last platoon fires its muskets, the first is ready to fire again. A unit can always give some fire to the enemy at all times, even if this is less than a complete volley. When more than one unit is involved all the troops in every first platoon fire, followed by all the second platoons, and so on, creating several rippling barrages down the battle line.Official Site: Empire Total War Units