how to win malvern hill with less losses? (CSA)

[Down with Orrix]

hey there, Malvern hill is a bit of a head scratcher to me. i've been improving my performance in most battles, but malvern is always a mess.

at first i can push them off the south side by using the forest along with artillery and snipers without losing many, but the very long battle to push them back over what is essentially mostly just open ground while under cannon and rifle fire has caused meto take ~50% casaulties consistently.

any way to lower this number? the map seems to have very limited movement for cavalry, not many oppurtunities for skirms, its quite restrictive (great defensive ground for the union though)

[Luunyrkki]

Use a handful of brigades/the 2nd corps to flank through the north, you can cross the river and take the objectives as well as deploy into enemy flank.

[m4rt14n]

Charge and envelope fire the forest? then flank from the right?

Who has time to cross the river though.

[uhamster9]

Malvern Hill is literally Flanking: The Game

[Luunyrkki]

The first time I played the scenario I crossed the river, maneuvered over half the units there. I think it's the time I took the least losses playing the scenario, as you can move your whole first corps there. Very gamey in a way.

[Suleo]

1. Front-load your 1st corps, i.e. deploy the maximum amount of brigades allowed. Bring 3-4 cavalry (preferrably in the 2nd corps) if possible. Have most of your artillery in the 1st corps.
2. Use ~4 brigades and most of the artillery to demonstrate in the center. The wood patch to the Union left is a good place for a brigade, backed up by Napoleons or 24pdrs firing cannister. There's another wooden patch on the right, but you'll take more fire from this one. You can also place some artillery across the river, firing at the union right.
3. All of this is a diversion. The bulk of your infantry and all your cavalry (if any from the 1st corps) should move to the upper right corner of the map, in the clearing between the two forests. They will be used for flanking.
4. When your 2nd corps arrives & the map opens up, cross the river with the flanking force (the crossing should be very close to where you parked them) and all your cavalry & move downwards. Wait for your infantry to catch up and scout the opposite bank for enemy deployments (they are usually at the bottom right corner of the map, behind the river). Depending on how the enemy is deployed you might need to wait for more infantry to arrive, in order to keep them busy.
5. The rest of your 2nd corps should go to the center (where the 1st corps segments are fighting).
6. Once you've ascertained the force guarding the bottom side and have sufficiently distracted the garrison, move all your cavalry to the other side of the river & immediately turn left (towards their center). The bulk of their artillery should be there, and should be dispatched quickly. Have your infantry run, cross the river & take positions to cover the cavalry's retreat.

From that point on, the enemy is flanked and you can steamroll them. Just be careful not to move your cavalry too far to the bottom left, as the 3rd phase will spawn 2 skirmishers & a cavalry unit there.

[ceutermark]

What i did was i broke through the front and when the rest of the union troops moved up to counter my 1st corps i moved my cav and my 2nd corps behind them and took the two back objectives i think i had somewhere in the number of 5k losses don't remember for sure.

[gribol]

Its hard battle to fight and you always will have got a lot of KIA, but there are some ways to make number of deaths a little lower (maybe about 20-25% of yours army - for that battle is a good result i think).

My way to attack at Malwern Hill is:
1. I am sending to the forest at left about 1 - 2 divisions (~3-4 inf brig, 1-2 art, 1-2 skirms) and from this direction i launch main attack. I dont try to make it fast, but i want to shot as much Union soldiers as its possible when i am in forest and i have got cover. But there is some moment, when we must advance, well, you must find right moment to attack. There is one trick, that you must know - troops from this place must take too this additional VP that is in the rear of Union troops at phase 2 of this battle, so have some fresh reserve troops (1-2 brig.) to do this.
2. When the main attack from left beginns, you must send troops in the middle to help them and pin down Union troops. But do it wisely - there are 2 little forest in front of Unions line - go there and from this place cover main attack. When the right moment come, you must push harder in the center to take VP. Good timing - sending troops in the right time - in left and center is most importnant.
3. Atack with reinforcements from right - i think thats useless, its helps only to take the 3 VP in the time, but nothing more. I dont send there more that 2-4 brig.
4. In this battle is one more tricky moment. Union have got a lot of art. So after taking 1 VP there are 2 ways to minimalize losses. 1 - you push hard and kill all of the union art. 2 - you go back with all possible units and try to resist a heavy artilery fire to the end of this battle.

I hope that my advices will be usefull to you. Good luck.

[m4rt14n]

I managed to get roughly 3300 casualties on this battle.

1 scoped withworth and a non scoped on the right side of the river flanking shooting artilleries and enemy brigades hanging near the river.

For flanking I used 2 melee cavs, 1 spencer cav and another with sharp carbine.

1st corps of good musket rifle brigades shooting in the treeline and wheat field in the center. I wait for the 2nd corps of troops with 1842s to come and they do the pushing forward.

Later my cavalries come and shred the union from behind with carbines and sabers. No union troops was left behind, all dead.

Fun mission