Tips for Stones River as CSA

[Ranborn]

For some reason I am really struggling with this battle. The union is completly fortified all around the peaks, which is borderline impossible to break through. While I manage to break the Unions right, it simply takes too long for my troops to march up, completely exhausting them while doing so. I also hate how your corps are spread out all over the map without knowing beforehand where each division will end up, which makes controlling your units needlessly frustrating. The commanders of the second and third corps also spawn at the same point in the center, making melee engagement for the third corps unwinnable. I am fielding 61000 men (mostly infantry) and 136 guns against ~55000 men and 144 guns.

I have tried the battle like 5 times and only managed to get both points once. Although both were mine, the game went to the second day, making me capture them again, WTF! All while losing >20k men and only getting ~8000 as the reward. Strategy tips are appreciated (playing on normal).

[Chernov]

I was able to win it in the first day, albeit I ran the clock down and then went probably an hour, hour and a half past the end (just didn't click "finish" and the game didn't auto-end it for me).

Focus (if you can) on killing or capturing their supply wagons and counter-battery their artillery one battery a time. Then focus all your artillery on one enemy brigade at a time on the edge of the rampart. When they break, send all your men in, shoot up the remaining enemy guns and get flanking fire on the other men on the rampart.

Battle never went to the second day for me as the CSA, only the Union, won it on the first try.

[Jac]

Just completed it with my best result so far on normal difficulty after a fair bit of trial and error.

It may seem a bit gamey but I played it through without a care first off to see where the enemy were and where my troops would spawn. I then adjusted my army set-up accordingly.

Launched my attack on the far end of the US line and rolled up using a melee cavalry division and five infanty brigades with two supporting battalions of artillery (both 24pdrs). As that was happeneing, send a two brigade force of my best men running to the top of the map.

(As you say - it is virtually impossible to fight your way to the top in time to secure the objectives)

Second phase was an all infantry spawn in the centre - I four brigades on each side to flank the wooded area and take that, while also trying to cut off the retreating US forces making their way up there. I also withdrew my cavalry division and got them to join with the two elite brigades racing for the top of the map.

Third phase - I continued to push my now fairly knackered elites to the top objective, along with my cavalry. They got there before the US troops and I had them positioned in the tree line to fight off US attacks. Meanwhile all infantry on the other side of the river crossed over, along with supporting artillery. As I had taken the top objective, the federals had abandoned their defensive works closest to the river crossing in order to attack my troops at the objective. My newly arrived brigades therefore took position in the woods behind the lower objective and waited for the arty to come up. It was then a case of shelling and pushing the union out of the lower objective while holding on at the top.

Battle ended on the first day (haven't won when it's gone to second day) End result was ~13000 lost for me vs ~36000 lost for the USA, not perfect at all but it worked.

[Ranborn]

Alright, I finally managed to win it. As you already said, you can extend the timer, if you have captured no objectives at the end. I cut of the entire Union right early in the match, which significantly lowered the amount of troops they had at the walls. Made sure to rout every one of them using my cavalry, as well as capturing supply with them. I was able to completely surround and overwhelm them with numbers. Still lost almost 16k to the Union 36k, while getting 9300 men as reward. The battles are just not worth it in terms of rewards...

[Detail]

I took all the objectives as CSA but took a defeat, there must have been some gamery criteria in there because I captured everything and in the end routed the Federals.

Couple observations, your point in correct I attacked from the Federal right and pushed them all back to Nashville. Captuiring Wilinkson is pretty straighforward and you just keep extending your line and pushing forward. By the time you get to Nashville the Union is well entrenched and it takes a horrible loss of life to finally knock them off. On new years day I find I again have to take Nashville which I was somehow teleported off overnight. I regain that but it takes massed charges by both infantry and calvary to rout them off the fortifications in the woods to the north of the pike. I had sent my calvary and the western forces to take the other Nashville objective so once you get them out of the woods you have them in a crossfire and can decimate whats left.

My observations fortifcations means some advantage, but the cover bonus they are getting is way too high. It should be reduced somewhat. Still seeing routs of the federal troops to my rear. Both Braggs and Rosecrants armies are decimated at the end of the battle. I'm not sure it's worth it to be that agressive with you needed your army in the next battle. I tend to not think so, win the battle lose the war?

[uhamster9]

You need to keep 50% of your forces alive to win or draw Stones River as CSA. Once you cross that threshold, you'll only get a defeat. If you already failed it in the first day, try again in the second day. The casualties are counted separately.

[Detail]

Originally posted by uhamster9:

You need to keep 50% of your forces alive to win or draw Stones River as CSA. Once you cross that threshold, you'll only get a defeat. If you already failed it in the first day, try again in the second day. The casualties are counted separately.

Point well taken, but if your going to assualt the heights your going to take hugh casulties. I tried to wittle therm down at range and your lucky to kill 1 or 2 in a volley.

[uhamster9]

Originally posted by rpovio:

Originally posted by uhamster9:

You need to keep 50% of your forces alive to win or draw Stones River as CSA. Once you cross that threshold, you'll only get a defeat. If you already failed it in the first day, try again in the second day. The casualties are counted separately.

Point well taken, but if your going to assualt the heights your going to take hugh casulties. I tried to wittle therm down at range and your lucky to kill 1 or 2 in a volley.

The trick is to use mass infantry melee assault. Melee calculation in this game heavily favours the side with more brigades, not more men. Gather 3 infantry brigades and charge the fortification at the same time. When they're engaged in melee, detach all their skirmishers. Now you have 6 brigades fighting one, and even fortification melee bonus and damage reduction won't save them.

(Better yet, use 3~4 shock cav brigades)

[Detail]

Originally posted by uhamster9:

Originally posted by rpovio:

Point well taken, but if your going to assualt the heights your going to take hugh casulties. I tried to wittle therm down at range and your lucky to kill 1 or 2 in a volley.

The trick is to use mass infantry melee assault. Melee calculation in this game heavily favours the side with more brigades, not more men. Gather 3 infantry brigades and charge the fortification at the same time. When they're engaged in melee, detach all their skirmishers. Now you have 6 brigades fighting one, and even fortification melee bonus and damage reduction won't save them.

(Better yet, use 3~4 shock cav brigades)

Exactly what I ended up having to do. It doesn't work initially because they have support from the rear. Took 2 or three efforts to dislodge them off the fortifications, but it is the only strategy that will break them

[GerthQuake]

Originally posted by rpovio:

Originally posted by uhamster9:

The trick is to use mass infantry melee assault. Melee calculation in this game heavily favours the side with more brigades, not more men. Gather 3 infantry brigades and charge the fortification at the same time. When they're engaged in melee, detach all their skirmishers. Now you have 6 brigades fighting one, and even fortification melee bonus and damage reduction won't save them.

(Better yet, use 3~4 shock cav brigades)

Exactly what I ended up having to do. It doesn't work initially because they have support from the rear. Took 2 or three efforts to dislodge them off the fortifications, but it is the only strategy that will break them

Often in this war it is but a mere moment of combat that decided the victor. Remember when assaulting fortifications or breastworks that your objective isnt to destroy the enemy in place, it's to Dislodge them from their strong position. A bayonet charge from 2 or more brigades seems to be enough to dislodge most Federal Units. Once dislodged they "float down the river" to a weaker position, or route completely. Giving you the opportunity to occupy their prevous position.

Never underestimate a single charge, it could make all the difference.

[76561198345797500]

I got 9.6 casualties and killed 45000...(Hard mode) its not as hard as union

[uhamster9]

Originally posted by fhs1206:

I got 9.6 casualties and killed 45000...(Hard mode) its not as hard as union

CSA is harder now after the hotfix; if you're up for a challenge you should try it again :)