Scourge of War Boards

Coming today, “If God is willing and the Creek don't rise.”

Been pushing it to get it out this day, the 158th Anniversary, July 3, 1863, of this famous (for the North) and infamous (for the South) battle. Got this infamous result late last night for my first run. Ironically, it reflected the historical numbers pretty much. Hopefully I'll do better for the South my next run this afternoon, no time for a third run if I keep with this release date, which I consider a must.  

GB3-01btn_July3-The Pettigrew, Pickett, Trimble Attack (C-Corps)

Length of Play: 1 Hour

Command: Lieutenant General James Longstreet, 1st Corps Commander
Date: July 3, 1863
Location: South of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Situation: Our artillery barrage that pounded the enemy's center for an hour is over. Our officers are convinced that center is weakened and are riding about preaching encouraging words of confidence. Regardless, we still see the long blue line, and know we are in for a brutal fight once we eventually move forward across open ground and get close enough to test their mettle

Mission: Capture the two objectives and silence the enemy guns, then defend the objectives as a Union counteroffensive is imminent.

Objectives: For the first 50 minutes the two objectives award no points. The last 10 minutes the objectives award 900 points per minute (150 points per each 10 second interval), for a total of 9000 points.

Forces Involved:
CSA - 14,977 Troops, 102 Guns
USA - 23,128 Troops, 148 Guns
_________________________________________________________________________________

This scenario is historically based but involves some 'What If' situations. First, the CSA units are positioned close together to better focus in on the closest objective. Second, the artillery made available can be moved forward to support the attack at close range.

Due to the size of this scenario, a heads-up to avoid 'AI Freeze Up' (troops stop fighting), keep most of your officers TC'd throughout. For the initial movements select the brigade commander (I recommend movements by brigade), then select 'Atcommoff', double click destination, select formation, then 'tcofficers'. Don't worry about officers overlapping enemy units because all officers are scripted as 'immortal' in this scenario series. Over the years I've found that the game plays much better with immortal officers plus it improves the enemy AI competition wise.


One second left, never got my defensive line set along the wall, so never had a chance to go after the Cemetery Hill objective. Well, improved upon that ugly Major Defeat. However, a Defeat is a Defeat, I need some more runs to figure this Grog out, but no time because I've gotta post today, the 158th Anniversary, July 3, 1863, of this battle. Next morning, getting there... And, after another defeat and draw, finally, by the third morning at 2:00 AM, managed at least a Victory After having my doubts on whether a Major Victory was possible, following some more 'less than impressive' Victorys, managed to break the 9000 mark with this run, five days into this MV quest... Finally, after six days, the path to a MV was found, or I got lucky...probably mostly the latter.
Regardless, it can be won, and that was the goal of this quest. 
One second left, the fight for Cemetery Hill continues in the background as the Union Center is about to be overwhelmed by Union reinforcements from the south...Saved by End Game!  

Mission accomplished, see last post.

Next up, the Union response.

GB3-02btn_July3-The Pettigrew, Pickett, Trimble Attack (U-Corps)

Length of Play: 1 Hour

Command: Major General Winfield S Hancock, commanding the Federal center
Date: July 3, 1863
Location: South of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Situation: After turning back the Rebel attacks yesterday afternoon, we again face another threat to our army's center. Their artillery barrage the previous hour has stopped, but they overshot our lines and caused little damage to our defensive front. Now the enemy is preparing a much larger force to test our center once again, and our mettle to withstand their desperation to gain our ground.

Mission: Recapture the two objectives before or by the last 10 minutes of play.

Locked Units: Initially all player units are locked, otherwise this scenario would prove totally non-competitive due to the overwhelming Union strength in numbers. Once engaged, infantry units will unlock and artillery batteries will unlock when enemy infantry comes within 150 yards of them. As the battle progresses reinforcements will unlock by division after they form their battle lines and eventually move forward to the objectives.

Objectives: For the first 50 minutes the two objectives award no points. The last 10 minutes the objectives award 900 points per minute (150 points per each 10 second interval), for a total of 9000 points.

Forces Involved:
USA - 23,128 Troops, 148 Guns
CSA - 14,977 Troops, 102 Guns
_________________________________________________________________________________

This scenario is historically based but involves some 'What If' situations. First, the CSA units will attack more en mass at the two objectives giving them a competitive edge. Second, the CSA artillery made available (much less than the historic numbers) is moved forward to support the Rebel attack at close range (approximately 500 yards out), simulating the historic artillery barrage that can't be reenacted due to artillery range limitations, and to give the CSA a little more competitive edge.

Due to the size of this scenario, a heads-up to avoid 'AI Freeze Up' (troops stop fighting), keep most of your officers TC'd throughout. For the initial movements select the brigade commander (I recommend movements by brigade), then select 'Atcommoff', double click destination, select formation, then 'tcofficers'. Don't worry about officers overlapping enemy units because all officers are scripted as 'immortal' in this scenario series. Over the years I've found that the game plays much better with immortal officers plus it improves the enemy AI competition-wise.

Once division (reinforcements) commanders move their troops forward they will be locked again and moved to safety. The player must then move their troops via brigades, the preferred method anyway, so not really a liability. Rice's brigade, formerly Vincent's brigade of 'Little Round Top' fame, will be unlocked with the first wave of reinforcements.


The Angle breaks...SR1 play at its best, showing the real numbers of what this battle may have looked like. One second left...objectives have been secured the full 10 minutes of awarding points. I fell short of securing them in time with my previous attempt and thus missed the MV bar. Not an easy win, I had to work for it. And, no bull-rush attackmarch commands were necessary, just pressure, pressure, and more pressure, in order to break the Rebel defensive stand around the objectives.

Damage Control...
Please download the latest release again.  I had to fix the gfx file so Hancock's portrait displayed Hancock correctly.  I've already fixed the most recent post above to show Hancock's true identity. Guess no one noticed...Yet.

Damage Control again...

Please download the last release again.  When I changed the US portraits to fix Hancock, I also changed the CS portraits thinking the same issue applied to them, well it didn't, messing up the upper level CS portraits.  In my defense, the SR1 portraits have been a challenge to undertake, especially when it came to wing commanders, as Hancock was.  I think I've got them right now, please let me know if anyone sees wrong portraits...I'm getting good at damage control, lots of practice.

RB

GB3-03btn_July3-JEB's Mission Possible, and Practicable (C-Div)

Carryover from: GB3-01btn_July3-The Pettigrew, Pickett, Trimble Attack (C-Corps)
Carryover to: GB3-04btn_July3-Fight for Cemetery Hill, Day 3, 4 PM (C-Corps)

Length of Play: 75 Minutes

Command: Major General James EB Stuart, Army of Northern Virginia Cavalry Division Commander
Date: July 3, 1863
Location: Southeast of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Ahistorical Situation (What If): What if Stuart's Division feints an extended engagement at East Cavalry Field in order to distract the enemy cavalry and then, after several brief engagements, General JEB Stuart moves his division, aided by two infantry brigades, to the vulnerable Federal rear.

Situation: We finally got some rest last night after a weeks long trek of constant riding and evading enemy troops while scooping up Yankee supply trains and other supplies necessary for our army. Now we confront the Army of the Potomac's cavalry, on their ground. As we invade their ground, we know they will attack soon, that's what Yankee cavalry does. Our only orders are, once we defeat them, and we're confident we will, that we don't pursue them. For we have a more important mission this day, the Union rear, but we must turn back this Yankee cavalry attack first.

Mission: Capture the first objective (Randol's Battery) and silence the enemy guns, then proceed to the 'Waypoint to Staging Areas' objective. Once activated, the two 'Staging Area' objectives will appear. Use the infantry brigades, guarding the 'Western Route' objective (no points awarded, indicator objective only), to help clear the roads for the cavalry that must be constantly moving to the staging area objectives.

Objectives: The first objective (Randol's Battery) awards 500 points. The 'Pennington's Battery' minor objective awards 100 points. For the first 65 minutes the two Staging Area objectives award no points. The last 10 minutes (3:50 PM) these two objectives award 900 points per minute (150 points per each 10 second interval), for a total of 9000 points. The 'Staging Area South' objective requires 500 troops to activate.

Forces Involved:
CSA - 8,840 Troops, 39 Guns
USA - 6,039 Troops, 10 Guns
_________________________________________________________________________________

This scenario is historically based but involves many 'What If' situations. First, the CSA units are positioned so as to have brief encounters with Union cavalry and then proceed to staging areas behind Federal positions along Cemetery Ridge. Second, the artillery made available includes two more batteries that were unavailable during the historic fight at East Cavalry Field. Third, Colonel Gregg's cavalry brigade is positioned to block the western staging area route whereas historically it was sent closer to Culp's hill after the Brinkerhoff Ridge fight the day before. Fourth, two infantry brigades are added to help the CSA cavalry reach and clear the staging areas, otherwise this scenario would be an impossible mission, as proven by the historical result.

Historical accuracies include the number of cavalry troops involved in the East Cavalry Field fight, the positions of the Federal cavalry there, and the position of Neill's brigade of Sedgwick's corps, guarding the north staging area.

Due to the size of this scenario (thousands of troops are hidden for carryover purposes), a heads-up to avoid 'AI Freeze Up' (troops stop fighting), keep most of your officers TC'd throughout. For the initial movements select the brigade commander (I recommend movements by brigade), then select 'Atcommoff', double click destination, select formation, then 'tcofficers'. Don't worry about officers overlapping enemy units because all officers are scripted as 'immortal' in this scenario series. Over the years I've found that the game plays much better with immortal officers plus it improves the enemy AI competition wise.


The fighting parts of this scenario are not too tough, however, getting your troops to the staging area within the time limits is quite a challenge. After getting this scenario set and then tweaking positions to make it not impossible, it still took me five more days of runs before I proved it possible to win, finally with two back to back Major Victories...this was the final, and most successful, MV. Edit:
The above attachment was for the original one hour version, the following two attachments are for the revised 75 minutes version. Either version can be used for carryover purposes. However, the original version will no longer be available with the next update.

This new version took me two runs to get a decent result. The extra 15 minutes were necessary to adapt to the next carryover scenario which added enemy artillery close to the north staging area objective, as per historic Union positions.

One second left, got almost all my troops to the staging area, the added 15 minutes helps make this scenario a lot more possible for that purpose. Cost me more troops, but that was inevitable because the Union guns had to be silenced to make the staging area secure, at least for the time being; for Custer is hot on your heels, you haven't seen the last of him and the rest of the Federal cavalry you engaged with briefly at East Cavalry Field.
At least one more scenario planned, depends on how well SR1 play holds up as more troops must be added to extend the fight for Cemetery Hill, GB Day 3, the ‘Grand What If’ challenge by the CSA.

Scenario GB3-03btn will be revised with the next update coming real soon.  Along with this revision, scenario GB3-04btn will be released.  The above (last) post has been edited to explain how and why the revision was necessary, most notably, the addition of 15 minutes.  It also includes two attachments added to the scenario INFO discussion.  The ending 'Edit' section should clarify this message.

Thanks once again for all the hard work Reb.

David(jolly)

GB3-04btn_July3-Fight for Cemetery Hill, Day 3, 4 PM (C-Corps)

Carryover from: GB3-03btn_July3-JEB's Mission Possible, and Practicable (C-Div)
Carryover to: GB3-05btn_July3-Fight for Cemetery Hill,Day 3, 5 PM (C-Corps)

Length of Play: 1 Hour

Command: Lieutenant General James Longstreet, 1st Corps Commander
Date: July 3, 1863
Location: South of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Ahistorical Situation (What If): What if the Pettigrew, Pickett, Trimble Attack was more concentrated toward the northern part of the Federal position on Cemetery Ridge and was able to break through and gain Cemetery Hill. Also, the Confederate cavalry was able to evade the Federal cavalry at East Cavalry Field after brief engagements and was able to move to the rear of the Federal positions along Cemetery Ridge.

Situation: Despite suffering terrible losses, so far our attack on Cemetery Ridge has been successful. After breaking through the Federal line we were able to attack Cemetery Hill from the south and managed to silence the guns and defeat hundreds of enemy troops fortifying the western slope. Once we finish clearing this hill completely we must move up our own guns and reinforcements without delay. Otherwise, our gains will be short-lived, for Union troops are forming up to our east and south, and we have little doubt that their intent will be to regain this commanding ground.

Mission:
Infantry and guns: hold Cemetery Hill
Cavalry: disrupt and delay enemy reinforcements, and, take out as many guns as possible

Objectives: For the first 50 minutes the two Cemetery Hill objectives award 12 points per minute(2 points per each 10 second interval). The last 10 minutes these two objectives award 840 points per minute (140 points per each 10 second interval), for a total of 9000 points. The two Battery Brigade objectives award 100 points each, plus hundreds of points available from capturing guns near these objectives.

Forces Involved:
CSA - 26,819 Troops, 172 Guns (before carryovers)
USA - 39,545 Troops, 232 Guns (before carryovers)
_________________________________________________________________________________

Although ahistorical, this scenario is historically based in regard to the first Federal reinforcements that would have arrived had the Rebels not been stopped as they were historically. Already in route were two brigades from Sedgwick's corps. Torbert's brigade was moving from their position near the Big Round Top and Shaler's brigade from Culp's Hill.

Due to the size of this scenario, a heads-up to avoid 'AI Freeze Up' (troops stop fighting), keep most of your officers TC'd throughout. For the initial movements select the brigade commander (I recommend movements by brigade), then select 'Atcommoff', double click destination, select formation, then 'tcofficers'. Don't worry about officers overlapping enemy units because all officers are scripted as 'immortal' in this scenario series. Over the years I've found that the game plays much better with immortal officers plus it improves the enemy AI competition wise.


One second left, lost both Cemetery Hill objectives for a while. Fortunately, with the arrival of Rodes' division they were taken back eventually and I was able to earn another hour of fighting. Surprised myself! What was supposed to be my first test run turned out to be my 'one and done' run, and, as pictured below, my 'won and done' run. Didn't hurt that I kicked butt at the two battery brigade objectives, I don't think a single gun escaped my cavalry onslaught. However, Phillip's cavalry regiment suffered dearly taking out the southern objective's guns, and thus wasn't able to get the 100 points that objective awarded. So far so good, we get another scenario despite the large number of troops and guns depicted--coming next, the 5 PM version. Just heed the "keep your officers TC'd" warning. Makes for a whole lot of micromanagement necessary, the price we must pay for multi-corps level SR1 play.