Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

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RebBugler
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by RebBugler »

Thanks Reb. I just installed the new file and it appears the situation with Calef's battery has been resolved. However, I did notice two new issues, that I can only assume are related.

First of all, Devin's Brigade individual regiments are never "released", ie. they are never able to receive direct orders, they remain as they start the game. Devin is movable and his units will respond to his brigade orders, but they cannot be given any orders as separate regiments.

Secondly, the 3rd brigade of Buford's 1st Cavalry Division, Merritt's brigade, is now immediately available to accept orders at the beginning of the game. It's my understanding that they are normally scheduled to arrive at the field on either the 2nd or 3rd day.

I haven't gotten any further than this, if I notice anything else I'll let you know. I'm so far loving the new 3-Day scenario.

thanks Reb

Pete
OK, fixed, tested and updated. Thank goodness this issue is near the beginning so I could do the test part in a timely manner. Don't understand the Devin issues you're reporting. To be clear on that brigade's scripting, it begins unavailable for orders, locked. Then, once any of Devin's regiments become engaged, the whole brigade becomes available for orders, unlocked. I just tested this out and it worked as designed.

You're a great help. I've gotta admit I didn't check the Union scripting as thoroughly as I should have as I primarily concentrated on making the Confederate offensive as formidable as possible...Blame my Rebel soul. :evil:

Glad you're enjoying the scenario. Besides fixes, any feedback for improvement is most welcome.
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SwampRat
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by SwampRat »

RebBuglar,

Oh man, you are da bomb!!! B)

I have just finished playing it through twice and would like to give some thoughts. I don’t want you to think I’m criticizing anything in any way. These are merely some thoughts on how it played out for me.

First and foremost, thank you for taking the time, energy and effort to make this wonderful game even better with this scenario!!! Your work is greatly appreciated!

That Reb assault is totally unbelievable! You outdid yourself and the result is simply magnificent. I have never experienced the level of anxiety in a game that I felt BOTH times I played it! I recommend to everybody to just play the scenario through the first day. It’s like the first 20 minutes of “Saving Private Ryan”. But in Blue and Gray.

I will try not to give any spoilers, just a general description of what I experienced.
Full disclosure, I started the game, but was so turned around in the first hour and a half or so that I had to stop and restart just to find out how I completely lost control of a battle that quickly.

On the second start, I saw how you tied me up so bad, and you’re a very sharp fellow. Finally able to get some semblance of control, I was able to barely, and I mean barely, hang on to both Cemetery and Culp’s Hills at the end of Day 1. But I lost them both in the first five minutes of the second day. The way that happened was very, very clever. I had enough troops in First and Eleventh Corps left to have made one brigade in each Corps.

Then weird stuff started happening. It was like I was watching the AI play itself and I was just gumming up the works. I think every gun in the ANV was placed just across from Cemetery Hill, and for some reason the Second Corps suddenly decided to collectively commit suicide. I tried pulling them back by using Hancock as Corps commander. I tried pulling them back by division. I tried pulling them back by brigade. Then I started mass retreat by regiment to get them out of the slaughter pen. By the time I did, the damage was done and I was at around -2600 points. I never felt a “lull” :laugh:! as the Reb guns never stopped firing. Later on day 2 the Third Corps was attacked and at one point I was down around -3500. But on day 3 Pickett was kind enough to march into a U shaped bowl of artillery and I finished at around 7500. Only one regiment of Kemper’s Brigade even made it to my rifle line.

An awesome game! Again much appreciated!

The second time I played it through after you had make an update and I had another Cav regiment and more importantly, a beautiful battery of 3 inch Ordinance Rifles. I held both Hills through day 1, but did end up losing Culp’s Hill at the start of day 2. Those additional guns made a huge difference! Holding Cemetery Hill, and watching Second Corps very closely, I was able to keep the Army under some little bit of control, but then strange stuff started happening with Third Corps. Humphrey’s entire division, HALF of Third Corps, (over which I had no control at the time), started marching toward the Reb guns and were actually engaged in combat 10 maybe 12 minutes or so before I was given control of Third Corps. By then of course my line was hopelessly out or order and half of Third Corps was already in action. LOL. I saw no opportunity to keep Sickles where he originally started. I pulled Fifth Corps up to replace Third Corps and they held till Sixth Corps and night came along. But Fifth and Third Corps got chewed up pretty bad. Again no “lull” as we had counter battery fire going on all of day 2 and 3. Pickett was dispensed with (but not as “efficiently” as the first time because I less time to set up an ambush – Third Corps spread all over the place) but Jeb Stuart did give me some trouble near the end of day 3. I ended up with a minor victory at about 13,600. I feel like having the battery of cav artillery at the start really helped make a difference.

Again, that first day and the beginning of the second day were totally awesome. A work of art! But as I mentioned, at times I felt like I was watching the AI play itself. Overall the experience was excellent. Well worth the time spent in playing it and I enjoyed both games very much. I think I will try it again for a third time and tinker with my strategy a bit just for fun.

The only drawback for me was after the first hour or so of the second day. It might have been because of the initial Reb assault, but I was left with a strange unfulfilled feeling. Like getting a big, long, hard hug from your cousin. Not the hot one, but the skinny one that looks like uncle Clyde.

Thanks again for this wonderful work of art!

S
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RebBugler
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by RebBugler »

SwampRat

Once again you made my day with great feedback...Much Appreciated!

Much to elaborate on but I have a dental appointment in on hour, so later on that. In the meantime, hold off on another play because something is amiss by your report on the Third Corps. I've got to check out the scripting because it should be entirely unlocked well before the enemy makes contact. The same goes for all the player's troops...The player should never experience no control over his troops once they're engaged. In fact, the Third Corps should be unlocked well before engagement, so the player has the option to pull out of Sickle's infamous salient before Longstreet's Corps arrives.

Later...
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SwampRat
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by SwampRat »

Hi RebBuglar,

Thanks for the reply.

I want to make it clear about Third Corps. I hope I was not too confusing.

Birney and the Arty stayed put and were released before the enemy made contact. But Humphreys' Division marched over toward Cemetery Hill and they engaged the enemy. After Humphreys' Division was engaged for 10 or 12 minutes is when I got control over all of the Third Corps. I don't know what was up with Humphreys' Division.

S
Last edited by SwampRat on Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RebBugler
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by RebBugler »

Update, fixed the Third Corps control issue discussed above. Now Humphrey's division will be unlocked as soon as they appear moving down the road, ready for player orders.

SwampRat

You mentioned control problems also once the Rebels took Cemetery Hill early day two. Were these control problems due to locked troops? By that time point you should have full control of Hancock and Sykes Corps, let me know otherwise?

Thanks again for the feedback!
Last edited by RebBugler on Fri Sep 08, 2017 9:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SwampRat
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by SwampRat »

RebBugler,

No I had control over both Corps. Sykes Corps (I think it was Fifth) I had no trouble controlling. But for Hancock's boys you know how hard it is to disengage troops once they are engaged. The problem was that Second Corps seemed to consider my orders suggestions and not orders. I had Hancock TC'ed back from the line on "Hold at all costs". But brigade after brigade just kept either still engaging the Rebs or marching toward them. I got each Division commander, moved them back and had them TC'ed and on "Hold at all costs", but that did not stop the behavior. I would get one brigade matching back toward the division commander, then find another brigade moving forward again. I would get them moving away only to find the original brigade trying to engage again. This happened to each division in Second Corps. I did the same process with each brigade commander. Despite orders or TC status, they seemed to want to engage those guns. It was almost like they were programed to move to engage. That's when I felt like I was watching the AI play itself and I was just getting in the way.

For those brigades actually in contact with the Reb guns, I went regiment by regiment and ordered "Retreat" repeatedly until I was able to move them back out of range of the Reb guns. As I was doing that I would find brigade after brigade from other divisions still moving toward the Rebs. I ended up "Retreating" most of the regiments in Second Corps before I got them under control.

In the second game. I moved Hancock well back from the gun line one day 1, and TC'ed each brigade as it was released or showed up on day 2, and manually moved them so as not to engage. In that way I was able to keep Second Corps where I wanted them later, but that's when Humphreys started North with his division.

I hope this is more clear. Sorry if I was confusing in the first post.

S
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by RebBugler »

Update, fixed a scripting error that alerts Union forces of a Rebel occupation of Cemetery Hill. This should have 'kicked in' and prevented Union forces from storming ahead to form their scripted positions, as witnessed and frustratedly discussed by SwampRat.

In addition, a MUST update because I screwed up with the last several updates and included a renamed battlescript file in the CSA version. I was working between versions and forgot to rename it back. So, if you open the CSA version you'll find both full armies ready for an endless battle, once they find each other. :lol:
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SwampRat
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by SwampRat »

Thanks so much RebBugler! And thanks again for your awesome work.

I'm gonna try them both again. I'll start by trying to reach (who am I fooling! ;)) or come close to the bar you set. It's a high bar! :woohoo:

I'll let you know.

Thanks again man!

S
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by SwampRat »

RebBuglar,

I have started the Confederate New Ground and I'm seeing some behavior I haven't seen before with my artillery. I am using all the mods I have always used, but I have not seen this before.

What is happening is that some guns in battery and even some full batteries are retreating for no apparent reason. And once they retreat I have trouble getting them back on the gun line as they retreat again as soon as they arrive at their position.

As an example, I have a battery I want to set up 700 yards from a Federal battery and 500 yards from some cavalry in line formation. As the four guns reach their position two set up and begin counter battery fire but two set up and then automatically retreat. This has also happened with entire batteries. The crews end up behind where I want them and exhausted.

I don't ever remember seeing this behavior unless I have accidentally set up a battery within 200 yards of enemy forces which I understand.

Is this something I have just missed before? Is 700 yards too close? I'm just curious to see if this is new and if anybody else is seeing it.

As usual, thanks!

S
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Re: Gettysburg 3Days - New Ground

Post by RebBugler »

SwampRat

From my experience this (not staying put) is normal artillery behavior, and they do tend to exhaust themselves if the battery commander is not TC'd. The orders 'Hold to the Last' work pretty well for keeping them in place, but TC'd officers is always best for full control.
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