Struggling with Brandy Station/cavalry

[ird1968]

Hi. I've had SOW for a while plus all the add ons. So far I've mainly played the Gettysburg scenarios and have managed to get a major victory in most of them. Now I've started to try the Brandy Station scenarios and I'm coming unstuck. I've tried the first three and have taken a battering on each one. Does anyone have any general tactics or tips for using my cavalry correctly because I'm definitely in need of a bit of help...

[Little Powell]

Calling JC Edwards.. Calling The Mad One.. Pick up, sir.

You may want to go back and take the cavalry tutorial, it covers a lot of the ins and outs of Cav combat. One thing to remember with cavalry is to charge when you can because they are brutal when charging. Also don't tire them out (double quick them) too often or they will be worthless. You also have to micromanage cav quite a bit, TC etc. Cav can be hard to master, but once you do, they are the funnest unit type to command.

If you can be more specific on where you are getting hung up on the scenarios, maybe we can offer additional scenario specific advice.

[ird1968]

Thanks. I might redo the tutorial as you suggest. I understand how to handle them but it's not coming together. My main issue is how to proceed when a cavalry brigade faces off another one. And is it ever advisable to dismount in this situation? I also never seem able to flank the enemy as I can with my infantry

[Little Powell]

Cavalry will dismount on their own when they get in firing range, unless you have the regiment TC'd. But if they aren't fighting, you'll want them mounted because they of course move a lot faster. As for the flanking question, can you can you give more detail on this? Cavalry moves faster than infantry, so I can't imagine how it would be more difficult to flank.

[ird1968]

I phrased it wrong I think - I am struggling to flank the enemy when it is my cavalry against theirs. I meant that it seems easier to perform flanking manoeuvres when it is infantry against infantry

[Don]

Have you tried pinning the enemy cavalry with a brigade, preferably dismounted, of your own in front and sending another brigade to the flank of the enemy? That'll work, especially if your pinning brigade of cavalry s behind a wall or breastwork, or some other kind of protection. This tactic should break the enemy unit very quickly if you attack from the side or rear.

[ird1968]

I will give that tactic a try. Cheers Don