How Raz lost the Civil war

[Razgovory]

How Raz lost the Civil war

I decided to do an AAR on Supreme Commander: Gettysburg.  It plays a lot like Sid Meier's Gettysburg.  In fact it's essentially the same game with better graphics.  I think I got it off Steam for 10 bucks.  Please Note: The game is "Early access", which means it's not done yet.  New Features may be added in the game and the game has a bad habit of crashing when the fighting occurs near the borders of the map.  Nevertheless I've had a lot of fun with it.

For the purposes of the AAR I'm going to play through the Union Campaign on the hardest difficulty.  The difficulty bears some explaining: One of the most touted features of the game is the AI which can be adjusted.  You can adjust the capability of the AI (which functions as the difficulty), and it's personality.  Aggressive, Defensive and a Balance in between.   I'll be playing with the AI's highest capability and an aggressive personality.  The personality type is called "Determined"  I'll be using FRAPs to for screen shots and Open Office to make notes.



My initial force is up against Heth's division of III corps.  Division commanders are generally not represented on the battlefield, though Corps commanders are.  On my side I have Buford's cavalry division (Buford is one of the few division commanders to appear in game). and one battery of artillery which isn't much.  I'll be reinforced by elements of the Wadsworth's division of First Corp.  Until that time I can only really skirmish and slow the enemy down.  Most of my forces are skirmishers, but I do have two small units of guys on horses.  I'll move them to the south and hopefully they'll get a chance to strike at the Confederate Artillery



Two Confederate brigades attack the skirmishers on McPherson Ridge.  They don't seem to be pushing to hard Davis's brigade throw back some of the skirmishers but otherwise seems content to just slug it out with my guys.



Heth has a group of 400 skrimishers as well, who appear to be moving up toward a victory point, Oak Hill.  That means the artillery is unguarded.  I will send my videttes  around to attack the Confederate artillery.  At the same time the Iron Brigade and Cutler's brigade move up to take positions on Oak Ridge.



The Videttes tear up two artillery batteries and are forced to retreat.



Davis's Brigade falls back to defend the artillery leaving on Archer's smallish brigade on McPherson ridge.  I send my infantry up to flank him.  At the same time Robinson's division has come up.  Buford's men have taken a beating, and have fallen back.  The division has lost 14% of it's manpower.  They'll lose a lot more by the end of the battle.



Archer is hit but not very hard, as Davis's Brigade marches back to the fight.  The rest of Heth's division is now on the field so numbers are even.  I'll make my stand on Oak Ridge use Robinson's  Division to flank them.



For some reason Heth's boy's are only focused on the Iron Brigade and let Cutler's men cut them down.  Both of his brigades retreat.



I decide to send up my videttes to harass the Artillery again (which is really getting on my nerves).  I think I'll send my skirmishers north to drive off Heth's Skirmishers.





Heth's men focus on Cutler's brigade his men are driven off oak ridge with spirited charge.   Pettigrew's brigade also destroy my artillery. I move up the rest of my infantry to take it back  I do take back Oak hill, so at least there is that. 




Paul's brigade of Robinson's division is flanked and routed, however I just got news that Doubleday's division has arrived on the field.



With him he brings the corps artillery!  Artillery is kind of finicky in this game, and I have hard to getting a clear shot with it.  They don't seem to like to fire over the heads of the infantry. I rout Heth's division before my reinforcements arrive near the enemy.  However with them, I have a numerical superiority and I plan to push the enemy back to Herr's Ridge.



I go on the offensive and begin to drive the traitors from McPherson ridge.  Pettigrew, pushes Cutler back again and then tries to charge the Iron Brigade.  The Westerners didn't get that nickname for nothing!  Pettigrew's men never reach the Iron Brigade and fall back.



The Confederates fall back trying to from a line on Herr Ridge.  Their units are beat up and low on morale.  I simply push forward.



The Confederates are in in disarray.  I have 3rd division attacking on their right and the rest are pushing the majority of the Confederate force north.  Unfortunately the remnants of Archer's Brigade and an artillery battalion are enough to slow down Biddle and the Bucktails



Eventually 1st Corp pushes Treason's vanguard off the hill and Herr Ridge is mine.



The timer is about up.  I do see two Confederate Brigades trying to sneak by me.  I intend to flank them with Cutler and Meredith's Iron Brigade and maybe some skirmishers.  But the battle ends before that can happen.  I'm given an "Epic Victory" and have inflicted nearly twice the number of casualties on the enemy I received.  Still Buford's lost 1/5 of his men and Reynold's 1st Corp lost 10%.

[sbr]

Nice work

[crazy canuck]

Very nice AAR Raz.

Keep them coming. 

[Grinning_Colossus]

Bleed the damn rebs dry, Raz!

[The Brain]

Nice. Looks like Ultimate General: Gettysburg.

[Razgovory]

I played the next scenario (not well though).  I'll put it up in a bit.

[Razgovory]

I have no idea why I keep calling the game "Supreme Commander".  Oh well.

Gettysburg 2: Bobby Lee Strikes Back

Scenario two starts and the information I get is bad.  I will be severely outnumbered and attacked from all sides.  My plan is to move all of 1st Corps from Herr Ridge to the Cemetery Ridge south of town and link up with my reinforcements coming from that area.  I think it's 11th Corps.  A few reasons for this.  Firstly, part of the enemies force will be marching onto the map near my army.  If I fight them there, there is a chance that if I route the enemy they'll flee off the map which is sort of gamey.  Second, if I try this gamey tactics there's a good chance the game will crash.  Third, I'll probably get surrounded and destroyed.  After I fall back across the map, maybe I'll be able to inflict enough casualties for a counter attack.



My initial disposition


I send all my solider back and almost immediately I see that two divisions of 11th Corps show up.  Barlow's 1st division and Schurz's 3rd division who are mostly German I think. 



Incidentally, since Officer units are never hurt in the game John Reynolds is still alive.  Historically he would have already been dead.



My men retreat in good order with little trouble, though artillery attacks Biddle's Brigade.  The Confederates of Heth's division aren't in a good condition to pursue., however I keep getting messages telling me that more and more Confedreate units are appearing on the map.  I think I'll make my stand on Seminary ridge south of the victory point.  1st Corps will be on one side and 11th Corps will be on the other.  My hope is that all the Confederate forces will converge on 1st Corps and the have 11th Corps wheel around and flank.  At the same time I put Bufords dismounted skirmishers in some woods on McPhereson's Ridge (the same place they started on the last battle), and hopefully slow down the Southern Army.



It takes a while but I link up the two Corps and make a coherent defense.  Buford's skirmishers have retreated to the Seminary and are getting beaten up.  Their morale is pretty low.  Still they've done their job and hopefully my Infantry are ready to repulse the enemy.



As it happens the battle could be going better.  The enemy charges right through my center, and I move my right up to flank.  I manage to drive off some of the enemy, but a hole remains.



The Confederates charge my left and route Baxter's Brigade but are driven back by Paul.



I'm trying to get enough of 11th Corps together to take back Seminary Ridge.  I don't know if I can or have the time



The enemy is hitting my left pretty hard, fortunately it looks like the clock is running out.



I've held Cemetery Ridge but that's about it.  The battle ends in a draw,  Perhaps I should have placed my line on the victory point at the Seminary.  Oh well.



I do get an option on what I want the army to do for the next battle.  Unfortunately it's only one option.



The Rebels will launch another assault on Cemetery ridge for the next battle.  I'll need to hold or the battle is lost.  Stay tuned to see if the Union can withstand burden of Raz's command. 

[Razgovory]

Gettysburg III:  Revenge of the Federals

For the third battle things look bad.  The Confederate are making a late assault on Cemetery Hill with everything they have.  I believe they have two Corps on the field  A.P. Hill's 3rd Corps and Ewell's 2nd Corps.  I have two Corps my self. Reynolds 1st Corps and Howard's 11th Corps.  I'm expecting reinforcements in the which I think will be Slocum's 12th Corps.  I'm currently outnumbered, but when Slocum's men arrive on the field I should have numerical superiority.




The initial disposition of my troops is a bit of mess, and I'll need to relocate some brigades before the Confederate horde arrives.  1st Corps will defend my left while 11th Corps will defend the right around Culp's Hill.  I must hold these positions, there can be no retreat.  What 12th Corps will do depends on how the battle is going when they arrive.  If my men are hold their own, then I'll use 12th Corps to form a line South and West of 1st Corps and try to sweep the enemy from the field and take back the Seminary.  If they've beaten me back I'll use Slocum's Corps to plug any holes.



When I start the battle I don't have much time to move 1st Corps in a better position.  It looks as if the majority of the Confederate force is arrayed against them.  1st Corps has done the bulk of the fighting so far, and won't be able to catch much of a break this time either.



The enemy makes contact and my men initially seem to be doing well. 



However Scales brigade charges the far end of the line is routes two brigades.  Scales is routed in turn and takes some heavy casualties.  The enemy is focusing on 1st Corps and nobody is bothering Culps hill.  I still have some Videttes, perhaps if I move them round and attack the enemy artillery they'll detach a brigade or two to counter.

Doles Brigade charges into the Bucktails.



And most of the line falls apart, the fighting is desperate on left.  Stannard's Brigade of 1st Corps arrives and helps stem the tide.



Finally Slocum's men arrive.  They'll be able to shore up the line.  Both sides are pretty beat up.  Fresh troops may make a difference



Slocum's men take a painfully long time to arrive on the line. I will also move the men defending Culps hill left and hopefully flank the enemy.  This works marginally well.  When 12th Corps finally reaches the line it appears the line has already stabilized.  Now it's time to turn the tide.



12th Corps moves South and West planning to sweep the enemy from the field



The enemy has suffered a lot of casualties, and morale is low for a lot of their units.  I may be able to route the remaining units with Slocum's Corps.  Slocum's corps is hitting hard, but so is 11th Corps surprisingly enough.



The enemy is falling back those that remain risk being enveloped..  If I had more time, I would be probably be able to capture the Seminary.  The confederates have shifted most of their troops to face 12th Corps, but the rest of their line is falling apart



I don't have much time left, I try to move Bufords skirmishers north to take the Seminary.  At the same time the Confederates are in a bad way.  Sadly you can't capture whole Brigades, but if the battle were to continue for another hour I route and kill a good portion of their army.



My Skirmishers don't have the time but I let Ames brigade make a mad dash for the victory point.  My men get there, do not have enough time to capture it. So that's a missed opportunity.



Still It's a major victory, and Confederates have suffered heavy casualties.



So ends the First day.

[Berkut]

Wow, that was all just the first day?

Intriguing...

You write a nice AAR Raz.

[Razgovory]

The battle is cut up in chunks like Sid Meier's game.  Depending on how you did on each fight different scenarios will occurred.  Because I retreated to cemetery ridge, the AI had the option to make a late assault on me in that third scenario.  After this one I had a choice to attack Benner's Hill in the morning or sit on my ass and let the Confederates come to me.  I chose the second one because I had already seen Benner's Hill battle.  Because I was sitting on my ass, the AI chose to attack and it chose the option Longstreet attacks the round tops, which was the historical scenario.  Because it takes place late in the day it might be the only engagement on that day.  How that fight turns out will influence the next scenario.  I have played it where I won the battle of Gettysburg on the 2nd day.  There are three possible engagements on the first day, four on the second and one on the third.  This doesn't mean that I will play that number of engagements in one game though.  For instance because the my first fight on the second day is late afternoon I can only have two more possible engagements after that; one in the evening and one on the third day.

Based on the casualty numbers the confederates have lost 12327 men on the first day and I've lost 6,999.  So they took the town, and all points north of it, but payed very dearly for it.

[Razgovory]

I'll post the next battle tomorrow.  It was s big one!

[Alcibiades]

Nice AAR Raz, enjoying it. 

[Valmy]

Since Robertson's Texas Brigade is about to be involved I can only assume this was a crushing defeat for Raz

[sbr]

Hope to see you smash the traitors on Day 2.

[Razgovory]

Gettysburg IV: The New Batch

I had a choice between attacking Benner Hill or doing nothing and I chose to do nothing.  I forgot to take a screen shot of the choice.  Because I gave initiative to the AI it chose the battle for me. The Confederate 1st Corps will attempt to attack the Round Tops with some support from 3rd Corps.  This is the historical scenario.  Note that between the time I played last scenario and I play this one the game has patched.  There appears to be some new feature allowing me to see in greater detail my armies and expected reinforcements.  While the numbers of men in each brigade seems to have carried over, the the loses don't appear to have counted as casualties.  I'm not sure what that means.  It may screw up my final score because my strategy was based around inflicted as many casualties as possible over holding positions.  Such are the risks of a early access I suppose.



My initial troops are men all of 3rd Corps under "Brash" Dan Sickles and elements of 2nd corps who's Commander is not on the field (note: I later notice that not all the my initial troops are 3rd Corps).  Dan Sickles, a man who once escaped a murder charge by a plea of temporary insanity has moved his Corps forward to a peach orchard half a mile away from the best defensive positions.  Historically he got his ass kicked and lost his leg here.  I intend to fall back and cut off both his legs after the battle.  Seriously, I have no idea why a man who is a homicidal maniac prone to fits of insanity was given a corps command.  I should be reinforced by V Corps during the battle.  I think that's Sykes Corps. 



Longstreets' 1st Corps is not on the field yet, but will be soon.  Elements of 3rd Corps will aid him. 

My plan is to move 3rd Corps south and east to defend the ridges and have 2nd Corps defend the northern parts.  When reinforcements arrive I'll either plug holes until my line stabilizes and then push forward to take the peach orchard and the Wheatfield.  When everyone is on the field I should outnumber the enemy substantially.

I begin moving my troops into position.  The confederates are coming in from the north and for an attack on the roundtops.  I am getting elements of V corps to defend that area.



I also have some sharp shooters which I move forward to delay the enemy.  It's becoming a race for roundtops.  The 1st US sharpshooters are getting tore up, but the enemy is charging them tiring themselves out.  It an acceptable sacrifice.



I make it to big round top first.  In fact, it's the most heavily defended part my line.



The Confederates are moving across the peach orchard and Wheat field through artillery fire and into my lines.  I outnumber the enemy.  I suspect he'll take some heavy casualties.  My center is a bit further back then my flanks.  Hopefully I'll be able to get a lot fire on the enemy brigades.



Semmes Brigade leads the Confederate charge.  I start to pull back my artillery.  I have a good feeling about this!



Semmes charges in and is repulsed.



I have my line backed up by a lot of V Corps.  It's risky splitting a Corps like this, but I need reserves on the Round tops and the ridge.  They are attacking a higher position, outnumbered, and out gunned.  I'm watching the confederates getting slaughtered.  The enemy's left is weakening.



I plan to move right and see if I can flank the enemy and capture the peach orchard and Wheat Field.  The enemy is massed in front of the round tops.  They are inflicting casualties down there, but their flanks are in the air.  I have 7,000 more men then they do!  They move to attack my center.



The confederates are putting up a good fight.  Their units are good with high morale, but are badly outnumbered.



The confederates make furious charges against my my men.  An enormous melee breaks out.



The Irish brigade charges the artillery atop the hill near the Peach Orchard.  The confederate artillery flees!



Sadly they are eventually routed and fall back.  Taking the Peach Orchard is proving difficult.  The Confederates who charged my center beaten back.



In the southern part of the battle, the Confederates have pushed their way up to devil's den but are too battled to move forward.  At the same time 2nd Corps comes sweeping down from the north.



Everyman who can moves forward.  I will push The Confederates off every victory point by God!



My Aggrisive tactics have caused a lot of casualties for me.  Hopefully the enemy has suffered worse.  Even if they haven't I'll win by holding most if not all the points.  Strangely as the battle goes into over time I get Stannard Brigade from Ist Corps as reinforcements.  Suddently I get a message telling me that Pender's division is joining the battle and they start flanking my right.



Then I get a message that says Slocum is arriving.  Unfornatly he's arriving on the field about as far away as from the point of decision as possible.  I think I understand why they called him "Slow-come".



I thought I had this in the bag, but now Pender is rolling up my right.



I have to shift my focus and refuse my flank.  I still have more men in the area and eventaully the weight of numbers drives Pender off.



This is a bitter battle.  I thought the Wheat field was a victory point.  Apparently it is not.  The Peach Orchard is though.



Finally I capture the Peach Orchard!  It is the sweetest fruit I ever tasted!



At this point the confederates pretty much collapse and run away and the battle ends.



Surprisingly neither side lost as many as I thought it would.  I think the heavy cover on this map protected everyone.  Still, the butcher's bill was high.



I lose 4,059 men and 7,518 Confederates are lost.  I notice some new features that show which units caused the most casualties  lost the most.  Kershaw's Brigade lost the most men at 770.  Followed by Scales brigade who led the charge.  655 men which was 49% of their number.  They only infliced 55 casualties.  Grahams brigade inflicted the most casualties at 416.  Crosses Brigade lost the most men on the Union side at 289.  The highest percentage was probably Hiram Berdan's sharpshooters who lost 90% of their number when I sacrificed them.





Sorry for not showing much of the actual fight on the Round tops.  While they saw some bitter fighting, The confederates never had much of a chance in taking them.  After I moved my right toward the Peach Orchard they shift their focus to defending that point.  I was pretty focused there that was where point of decision was.

After the Battle I'm given three options on what I want to do.  Defend my position, attack Benner's Hill East of Gettysburg or try to retake Seminary ridge.





I choose to go on the offensive.  I can break the Confederates here and now.  I will launch an evening assault on Seminary ridge.