Just played Cold Harbour historical as CSA

[Cerberus]

So I have 20k vs 54k, and I am the one supposed to assualt the union lines? Since when?.....

Cold Harbor Summary: The Battle of Cold Harbor occurred May 31–June 12, 1864, just outside of the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Cold Harbor was the final battle of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant’s Overland Campaign, which began in early May 1864 with the Battle of the Wilderness. The main part of the Battle of Cold Harbor was a frontal assault on Confederate lines that ended in nearly 7,000 Union casualties after less than an hour—by some accounts most were lost in as little as 10 minutes. It was one of the most brutal confrontations of the war.

Cold Harbor Casualties
Union: 12,700
Confederate: 1,500

Why should I go on the offensive with 1-2 odds, against heavy fortifications, when it was a defensive fight for the Confederacy? I sat in defensive possitions just to see what the outcome would be, a loss if you do not assualt the union lines. No thanks.

[Koro]

You are told you can go on the offensive to end the battle with a victory, basically interrupting it. Otherwise you can stick it out for the entire duration.
It's only in phase 2 you need to capture one lightly defended Union point and then you can stay on the defensive for the rest of the battle.

[uhamster9]

You can win on the first day, but it's very hard.

[Cerberus]

Unless I am mistaken, it was a purely defensive battle for the south. By this I should assualt at Fedricksburg too? :P I should not have to assualt here during any phase. I just wanted to run through the historical battle first to see if I could sit and defend. From the Union discussion it seems to be a massacre of southerners because they do assualt, not one attack came at me on this field.

[wanderingthoreau1987]

I too am curious as to why a defensive battle has elements of an assault for the defenders.

[Koro]

Originally posted by Longstreet:

Unless I am mistaken, it was a purely defensive battle for the south. By this I should assualt at Fedricksburg too? :P I should not have to assualt here during any phase. I just wanted to run through the historical battle first to see if I could sit and defend. From the Union discussion it seems to be a massacre of southerners because they do assualt, not one attack came at me on this field.

I dont know what the reasons are, but you have to clear some woods that have 1 brigade and 1 artillery piece in it. That doesn't break the battle.
Otherwise, it's a purely defensive battle giving you the option of attacking if you want victory now and you see the opportunity.

[[BRE] Tancred]

This attack is nothing but an option on the first scenario. You can sit it out if you want. If you talk of the second scenario with Magnolia Grove it actually reflects an actual attack by two of Early's divisions (Gordon and Rodes). Is that the one where you lost because you just defended ? Curious to know since I didn't test that eventuality, I attacked as ordered by the game and captured the VP rather easily.

Also : The confederate losses for Cold Harbor are much higer than 1500 : 5000 at least compared to the 12500 suffered by the Union. Yours stats for rebs only account for the three days of intense fighting for the rebs and the two weeks of global fighting for the Union.

[Koro]

Originally posted by Col_Kelly:

This attack is nothing but an option on the first scenario. You can sit it out if you want. If you talk of the second scenario with Magnolia Grove it actually reflects an actual attack by two of Early's divisions (Gordon and Rodes). Is that the one where you lost because you just defended ? Curious to know since I didn't test that eventuality, I attacked as ordered by the game and captured the VP rather easily.

Also : The confederate losses for Cold Harbor are much higer than 1500 : 5000 at least compared to the 12500 suffered by the Union. Yours stats for rebs only account for the three days of intense fighting for the rebs and the two weeks of global fighting for the Union.

The battle does end as the description says if you don't capture 1 of the Union points in that scenario to force them to retreat, as they did historically.

[Cerberus]

http://www.historynet.com/cold-harbor

Might be incomplete on the battle, but I see nothing about Gordon, Rodes, or Early by name. Wanted to read up on the counter attack.

[[BRE] Tancred]

"[Crittenden] occupied a doglegged position with an angle that was parallel to the Shady Grove Road, separated from the V Corps by a marsh known as Magnolia Swamp. Two divisions of Early's Corps—Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes on the left, Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon on the right—used this area as their avenue of approach for an attack that began at 7 p.m. Warren later described this attack as a "feeler", and despite some initial successes, aided by the poor battle management of Crittenden, both Confederate probes were repulsed"

Taken from wikipedia. Not the best source but I don't see them just making it up. It's true that the rebels failed however.

[Cerberus]

Thanks

[[BRE] Tancred]

Another failed rebel offensive happened against Sheridan's cavalry and that seems to represent the very first scenario of the battle as CSA.

[geblack]

Easiest way I found to beat the historic battle on major general on the confederate side was to defend on the first dy. Take the yanks outpost to the north on the second day. Protect your center north/north on the third day. Reserve your cavalry and use them for cleanup, capture of old cold harbor/magnolia woods on the fourth day. Let the yanks deplete their forces banging against your reinforced battlements in the center and south. Chase them up as they retreat toward their captured outposts.