Scourge of War Boards

I really like this scenario because you are scrambling from the get go. (This was also one of my favorite scenarios in SMG). And then things just get wonderfully chaotic. The scenario briefing is right, this is surprisingly awkward terrain and you don't realize why until you get into it. You have a very small functional perimeter around that knoll, whereas the enemy can bring a lot of firepower to bear on individual regiments. Trying to extend your line on either side is difficult because of streams and a variety of obstacles. Nothing quite works right. Really looking forward to playing this again.

However, that said, my first time out, I feel like it was a little easy to get a major victory. Maybe I just got lucky and there are variants that will make this a lot harder. And (he says modestly) I feel I did do some smart things (like getting artillery into a flanking position to shred a couple of the enemy regiments in the initial attack, freeing some of my troops to maneuver into flanking positions that helped make it less of a salient).

But I feel as if there needs to be an extra VP here. The thing seems winnable if you just rush all your available men to the knoll as fast as possible. But is this realistic? Your orders, for example, explicitly say that you are supposed to try and keep contact with the 1st division. But there seems no penalty for doing that. If you lose contact, however, confederate units could simply march right through your center, and in fact this happened late in the scenario with what I believe were a couple of reformed enemy units. Maybe make Barlow's knoll a lower VP value and add an additional one nearer to the McPherson action?

This isn't really a criticism of the scenario design, just a thought for the modders out there.

I really need help with this scenario.

I'm no general as it is, so isn't obvious how to hold this location and accrue 4000+ VP's.

I've replayed this one darn near 20 times and the best I can do is 3400. It seems the higher scores I've achieved are when I double time all avail arty to the hill and try and inflict maximum damage before committing troops to the line. It seems I accrue around 3000 points before I have to commit troops and then the attrition keeps me from increasing too much past that point. Perhaps I am looking at this as a tactical battle, when I should be minimizing losses as it is a VP victory condition. I have certainly rolled up the enemy before me, but again, losses keep my VP's down. I also see the Location VP Marker disappear at the 30 min mark which I'm guessing is by design.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or discussion to help me beat this scenario and improve my knowledge of art of warefare in this era in general.

I'd also like to compliment the designer and support teams on a great game (or should I say simulation). Thanks!!

Thresher

Check your PM...

I agree with Thresher. This scenario is driving me nuts, especially since I've so far beaten 7 other scenarios on my second or third try (even captured Cemetery Hill).

The last time I played I had 5,ooo points with 15 mins. left,only to end up with 3,600.

I move everybody to the Knoll, and at the end of every scenario I am still in control, usually at the original starting position. The problem is that Barlow's division gets the snot beat out of it every time, most regiments ending up routed or captured.

It's frustrating to end up holding your position but not get more than a Minor Victory and no promotion.

BillF wrote:

I agree with Thresher. This scenario is driving me nuts, especially since I've so far beaten 7 other scenarios on my second or third try (even captured Cemetery Hill).

The last time I played I had 5,ooo points with 15 mins. left,only to end up with 3,600.

I move everybody to the Knoll, and at the end of every scenario I am still in control, usually at the original starting position. The problem is that Barlow's division gets the snot beat out of it every time, most regiments ending up routed or captured.

It's frustrating to end up holding your position but not get more than a Minor Victory and no promotion.

I think with this one, I moved one of the reserve brigades to the Knoll, and then another one to my far left to flank the Rebel attack. Behind them, I placed artillery and hit the rebs in the flank. This one is all about flanking the Rebs on their right. Also, when you said you got up to over 5,000, you should retreat after that and get the Major Victory.. Historically, Barlow got completely annihilated, and this scenario does a great job of recreating that.. It's up to you to change history, retreat if you have to and save your forces and points.. Then you will get the Major Victory.

Little Powell Wrote:

It's up to you to change history, retreat if you have to and save your forces and points.. Then you will get the Major Victory.

This is good advice. This technique is necessary for several scenarios.

I do move artillery to cover both flanks, but haven't tried flanking movements as much as I should(some variants are more conducive to this than others). I didn't know you could retreat without a large loss of points. I'll keep this in mind. (I like to think that I didn't retreat because I wasn't ordered to retreat!)

It's not that I dislike this scenario. It certainly keeps you busy. But you do like to feel you're making progress. But I must admit that there are scenarios in TCM2 that I still haven't beaten, and probably never will!

Regards,
Bill

I just finished this yesterday with a score of 8525; however, I had to Take Command and micromanage virtually every regiment over a few days of playing in between working on my Honey Do list. Essentially, the strategy was:

I sent Ames and von Gilsa to the fence-line with a northern gap to let Wilkeson’s battery on top of the knoll canister occasional opportune targets. Dilger’s battery with von Amsberg's brigade flanked on my left. Krzyzanowski backed up by Smith with Heckman's and Wheeler’s batteries flanked on my right. I sent Wiedrich’s battery to help in the action near Oak Ridge and rack up some points. When I saw the VP light up at Cemetary Ridge, I sent Costers double timing back to it and racked up some points.

In this scenario, I discovered the friendly AI cheats against me. Wilkeson’s arty should have been able to fire over the heads of Ames and von Gilsa at the fence line. However, I advanced Wilkeson - as soon as the target range read 200 yards, the range reading immediately jumped back to about 220 yards! :huh: I guess Mark Tewes did not want Wilkeson to have the ability to fire canister over the heads of infantry. But, I was able to position a couple of Krzyzanowski's infantry regiments (after my right flank was secured) to fire over the heads of infantry at the fence line – double whammy!

Did you miss that one Tewes?!

This best way to win this scenario is to use your artillery wisely. In the real battle, Kryzanoski wasn't called up until the two federal brigades on Blocher's Knoll were in full retreat. Once it came up though, it was hit simultaneously by two confederate brigades and torn up.

Anyways, in order to get a major victor on this map and NOT PULL ALL AVAILABLE REINFORCEMENTS from cemetary hill, you must consolidate your regiments into a firm battle line, facing two directions, north east, and north. Forget the skirmish line, its useless. If you have to borrow two of Kryzanoski's regiments, do it. Also, Bring up some more artillery so that it can closely support you on the Knoll. Make sure any regiment, especially on your far right flank, are not wavering. If so, bring up additional infantry support, or shift regiments in line to deal with it. Your right flank will be very hot.

Hope this helps. This strategy usually works until you get to the hard difficulty then things get dicey without reinforcements.

- JNewton

As an update, I finally beat this scenario several weeks ago with the tremendous score of 4,006! Actually, I felt it was my best game tactically. After a bloody fight at the top of the knoll, I had my line down at the creek and was planning a full scale counterattack when I noticed I only had a few minutes left in the game, so I waited for the time to run out. I'll take my promotion and be happy with it:)

Now I'm stuck in the McLaws Scenario. Where did all those Yankees come from?!

BillF