Wait...You Can Win Twice in HITS?

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Hancock the Superb
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Wait...You Can Win Twice in HITS?

Post by Hancock the Superb »

For those of you out there who can’t manage to win a HITS & Couriers fight, I have good news: you can. Even a new historical fan like myself can win multiple fights (yes, even ones where I don’t outnumber the enemy 2 to 1). Right now, I am sporting a 2 for 5 victory ratio, which is not altogether great, but I am learning the ropes still.

This past victory was far more challenging than my first (see my previous post, Finally: A Victory). I started a division versus division battle, selecting Howe’s Sixth Corps Division (4500 men) with three brigades and three batteries. I started in Gettysburg, and was ordered to take the bridge over Willoughby Run, at the toll house. I ordered the division up to the Lutheran Seminary and scouted ahead.

After ensuring the division was indeed marching up the Chambersburg Pike, I galloped forward to McPherson’s Ridge. Lo and behold, I found an entire enemy division camped on Herr’s Ridge. Taking a few pickets prisoner, I found that it was Pettigrew’s Division (4100 men), freshly wrecked from the previous day’s fighting. I rode back to Seminary Ridge to organize the division.

My first thought was to secure my right (across the railroad cut) and center. I established the Second Brigade in position at the Seminary, and rode over with the First Brigade and put them just in front of Willis Woods. Deciding that McPherson’s Ridge should be occupied if the enemy would allow it, I ordered the Second Brigade to defend Herbst Wood’s to their front and grabbed a battery of Napoleons to shell the enemy from the turnpike.
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Timing was critical: I didn’t want the battery to arrive before the infantry support, but I timed it perfectly. Unfortunately, as the battery unlimbered on McPherson’s ridge, the enemy brought up all of its artillery, then daringly pushed a battery across the creek just 400 yards away from my own cannon. As I was confident there was infantry in the creek-bed as well, I decided that it would not be feasible to capture it.
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Just minutes into the artillery duel, I saw that my men were getting the worst of it. The 16 enemy cannon were decimating my 6. I realized that McPherson’s Ridge would only be held by a fight and rode back to the remainder of my division (one brigade and two batteries), and ordered them into reserve at the Seminary. Riding back to McPherson’s Ridge, I noticed the ominous signs: enemy brigades moving off of Herr’s ridge and down into the creek.

Not stopping to count the enemy regiments (which I should have), I ordered the Second Brigade forward to save the battery. I rode to the commander and gave the orders to attack, hoping they would hold the battery (and perhaps drive off the enemy one close by), while I brought up the rest of the troops. I rode back to the Seminary to grab a battery in support of the movement. This, I placed on a small rise near the Fairfield Road, hoping they would cover the left flank of my advance. I started riding over to order the First Brigade forward, when I realized it would be prudent of me to figure out what exactly was happening on McPherson’s Ridge.
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It was probably the best thing I did all day. I rode forward into the battery, finding several guns dismantled by artillery fire, as well as two enemy brigades pressing down on my front. I caught sight of a third brigade moving to my left flank, and realized that this was going to be difficult to hold. I rode across the railroad cut to the right flank to see what I could accomplish if I ordered the First Brigade forward. I found no enemy troops to the right of the cut. Realizing that I had no intention of attacking the enemy’s left flank (on my right), and that a brigade on the flank would do no good, I almost gave up. Demoralized, and watching the Second Brigade get shredded, I wanted to ride back to the Seminary and get the troops on the other side of Gettysburg from the rebs.

Fortunately, I found the strength within myself to salvage the situation (thank you to the Grant biography I read earlier in the day!). I realized that I had no need to hold McPherson’s Ridge. I ordered the battery of Napoleons back to Seminary Ridge (continuing to station them between the turnpike and the railroad cut), and let the Second Brigade buy me enough time to craft a defensive line.
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I galloped back to the Seminary and ordered the reserve battery to unlimber in the orchard on the ridge. The Third Brigade was directed to cover the left flank of the battery. I decided to leave the battery on the far left where it was to cover the withdrawl of the Second Brigade. The First brigade would swing onto the flank of the attacking Confederates, attacking across the cut. Positioning these units, I rode out to bring in the remnants of the Second Brigade. The two remaining regiments I double-quicked into line between the two batteries on Seminary Ridge.
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As expected, the enemy continued the assault from McPherson’s Ridge to Seminary. Fortunately, the enemy took no time to reform their lines and merely pressed forward into my line, which consisted mostly of artillery. Seeing that my makeshift line of worn regiments was holding at the present, I rode to the battery on my left flank, and ordered them to my Seminary Ridge line. It was none too soon. A fresh enemy brigade was moving forward at the battery, being merely 200 yards away when I pulled it out. The fresh brigade also explained the erratic movements of the Third Brigade, whose commander I was about to shoot since he was marching the brigade everywhere but towards the enemy which was about to break my line in the center. Under the impression that the Third Brigade was in capable hands, I returned to the center of the line to try to halt the impending breakthrough.

Then, I remembered I had forgotten to order the First Brigade into action. I hurried over a courier to give the attack orders, and hoped that my mistake wouldn’t hinder the entire operation. I then rode into the Seminary grounds, and saw my battery commander there start limbering his guns to retreat back to town. I rode up to him and said, “Captain, what the hell are you doing?” He replied that the infantry support on his right had run off and he needed to save the battery by retreating. I thundered, “Damn it man! Can’t you see beyond your battery for a moment! I ordered you to hold your position to the last man because you are the center of the entire line. You cannot pull out. You can retreat your cannon when I tell you to, and that is only when you and me and these men are dead. Unlimber your guns and stop those rebs!” The guns were unlimbered and the rebel advance halted.

As casualties rapidly mounted in the battery, I rode over to the right flank to see what I could do. I found my battery commander completely out of ammunition, and down to one working gun. I suggested that he return to the Seminary and resupply his piece, and then I rode across the cut to see how the First Brigade was fighting.

I was severely disappointed with the First Brigade. Of course, it was partially my fault, having not launched them at the correct time. However, the commander was having difficulty crossing the railroad cut, and his regiments were wavering. Sickened, I took solace in knowing that the enemy wasn’t concentrating on breaking the center if they had so many regiments fighting on the flank.
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I rode back to the center of the line, praying for a miracle, and found myself in the midst of one. My earlier ideas about the commander of the Third Brigade were completely false. That man was a whirlwind of destruction. His brigade had not only stopped the drive of the reserve brigade, but also turned inwards towards the center, smashing through the flank of the enemy attack just as the remnants of the two batteries at the Seminary were driven off. Perhaps 15 minutes later, the enemy was in full retreat.
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I could not believe my eyes. My gamble to stay on Seminary Ridge and fight on cashed in. It had been the nearest-run thing I had ever seen. Had the enemy just pushed to the other side of the ridge, it probably would have been all over, leaving me with two brigades separated by the enemy: an utterly terrible situation. But the Third Brigade had swept in and took the enemy in flank, crushing them, and sending them back over McPherson’s Ridge. It was a great victory.

I ordered the remnants of the First Brigade (two regiments), and my remaining battery forward to reoccupy McPherson’s Ridge. I surveyed the damage wrought on the two opposing divisions. My own had been beaten badly. The Second Brigade was gone, all regiments routed, taking 60% casualties. The Third Brigade fared impressively, taking only 30% casualties for the amount of fighting they did. The First Brigade lost four commanders (I believe the current commander is a piece of shit, as well), and took 50% casualties, two regiments remaining on the field. Overall, I took 45% casualties (2034 men), while dishing out 2436, 59% of the enemy force, every enemy regiment being routed.
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The enemy artillery being the only force left on the field, and the enemy commander unwilling to admit defeat (retreat goddamn you!), I called the battle, with a score of 150 or so.

Thank you NorbSoftDev for the great AI. I am certainly starting to enjoy these HITS & Courier battles, now that I can actually win!
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Last edited by Hancock the Superb on Wed May 02, 2012 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hancock the Superb
con20or
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Re: Wait...You Can Win Twice in HITS?

Post by con20or »

“Damn it man! Can’t you see beyond your battery for a moment! I ordered you to hold your position to the last man because you are the center of the entire line. You cannot pull out. You can retreat your cannon when I tell you to, and that is only when you and me and these men are dead. Unlimber your guns and stop those rebs!”
Who modded this order in - i need it :lol:

Another great post - thanks Hanckock
Marching Thru Georgia
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Re: Wait...You Can Win Twice in HITS?

Post by Marching Thru Georgia »

Well done. You recovered from your mistakes and lived to tell the tale. Most HITS and courier battles are close run affairs. Most of my games also have ~50% casualties rates. I looked to see where the AI made a mistake but none were apparent. You just out-generaled him.
I can make this march and I will make Georgia howl.
Hancock the Superb
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Re: Wait...You Can Win Twice in HITS?

Post by Hancock the Superb »

Sorry about not posting my usual second (the post-Morten) post as soon.

As I continue to play HITS & Couriers, I learn a lot of new things each time.

The most important was to know when to give up. As a commander, you need to know when it is fruitful to be stubborn and when it is fruitful to run away. This battle, I skinned it about as close as possible to defeat while achieving victory. In the Civil War, it would have been advisable to call for reinforcements and back off after the annihilation of the Second Brigade. Fortunately, I knew there were no reinforcements in the vicinity (which I really would not know in war), and that the enemy had no reinforcements either (which I also would not know). Destroying my division to take an objective, then having to give it up in the face of superior enemy forces is a rather Pyrrhic victory.

But that is not to say I did not do the correct thing. I tried to forget the mistake I made in sending a single brigade forward on McPherson's, and concentrated on defeating the enemy on Seminary Ridge. In my opinion, this was quite courageous, and ultimately defeated the enemy. If you believe you can beat the enemy, you will fight like you can beat the enemy, and you will beat the enemy. I like to think that a very few Civil War commanders would have done what I did in this battle: forgetting about the defeat of earlier and stubbornly grasping for victory. I like to think that my performance here deems me worthy to be a general in the Civil War, and also worthy of the sacrifices the great generals made to ensure the life I live today. I claimed victory by being stubborn and not giving up.

Beyond that, I would suggest that I learned several other good lessons. Perhaps the most surprising one was that the enemy AI acts almost human-like. After defeating my troops on McPherson's Ridge, the enemy pressed on forward, as if to take advantage of the make-shift line I had created just a minute before, composing of weakened troops. Although the AI's failure to stop and secure their gains, and then reform and attack cost them the battle (I had no reserves, so why not take the time to do it right; a reasonably formed attack would have wiped me off the ridge, but the mayhem that they sent at me was not strong enough to defeat my cannon line), I could easily see a human commander debate whether to halt the troops or to press on forward and take advantage of an ill-prepared line.

Not only did the enemy AI perform human-like, but the friendly AI did as well. The prime example is of my Third Brigade, whose commander was originally marching all over the place, and failing to press into the enemy flank when I thought he should. What I realized just as I was about to withdraw my left flank battery was that a fresh enemy brigade was coming up. The commander of the Third Brigade must have started to launch his attack, then realized that a brigade was coming up on his flank, and adjusted to meet it. I was impressed by his ability to counter the enemy movements, then continue on at just the right time (although helped by the enemy's inability to coordinate the reserves properly) to defeat the enemy in the center of the line.

Finally, I need to remember to give my commanders orders as to places to go to. This battle, I rode all over trying to find exact positions for my brigades, when in reality, the brigade commanders can do a better job of finding the best location for their brigade within a vicinity. Perhaps I would have remembered to commit the First Brigade earlier had I not been overwhelmed trying to place the troops in specific positions. Unfortunately, you cannot do this with battery commanders.

Well, a good game altogether.
Hancock the Superb
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