Crampton's gap

[emcdunna]

Any tips for this annoying little skirmish? You only get 9 units (5 of which you dont get for an hour) to take a point at the top of a hill, guarded by camping triple star infantry with arty support....

You cant flank it, and you only have 3 hours so a slow grind literally wont work at all.

I mean unless if you had 9 super charged infantry units and took a LOT of casualties (too many to justify fighting the battle) i dont see how you beat this one

[emcdunna]

BTW I am trying to play Union on Major general while playing and winning every battle, so I dont necessarily wanna skip it for this psuedo challenge I have undertaken

[cromagnonman2k]

I formed my first division in the woods on my side of the creek, and brought up my ridles artillery to pound the Rebs with case shot. When my second division arrived, I sent them around the left (which was unguarded) and swept the secesh line from left to right. Now the next battle, Turner's Gap, was a bloodbath; I think I lost more men than any previous battle.

[emcdunna]

I've noticed that the ai tends to want to rush/charge you if you have a lot fewer infantry unit's than them. Like if you take a bunch of arty, it can even be an advantage just because the ai will rush your lines

[cromagnonman2k]

I did break off skirmishers from all brigades and alternate them in the line

[[TFM]bobcat]

They shouldnt charge if you have your units bunched together and even if they do the bunched up units will beat even 3 star units in melee with ease because the games makes it so that more units in melee is always better. Beyond that, what Cro said, wait for reinforcements to attack and then send everyone left where there is a small gap between the enemy and the edge, exploit that gap, flank the enemy, force them out into the open near the objective and then mow them down with concentrated fir while your guys are in cover and take the objective at the end. I also recommend have 2 units of cav to chase down pesky skirms and, if an opportunity presents itself, run down any CSA brigades that rout and drift to the back of the map away from their comrades

[emcdunna]

Originally posted by TFMbobcat:

They shouldnt charge if you have your units bunched together and even if they do the bunched up units will beat even 3 star units in melee with ease because the games makes it so that more units in melee is always better. Beyond that, what Cro said, wait for reinforcements to attack and then send everyone left where there is a small gap between the enemy and the edge, exploit that gap, flank the enemy, force them out into the open near the objective and then mow them down with concentrated fir while your guys are in cover and take the objective at the end. I also recommend have 2 units of cav to chase down pesky skirms and, if an opportunity presents itself, run down any CSA brigades that rout and drift to the back of the map away from their comrades

I beat it, I had to use 7 units of 2 star infantry with M1855s, and both of my skirmishers with the sniper rifles.

Basically, I couldnt use my normal strategy of assaulting with cheap M1842 armed dudes.

Like seriously, the cost difference between 1 star guy with an M1842 and a 2 star with a M1855 is about 4 - 5 times as much to replace losses.... So its way more cost effective to use musket men...

Anyway skirmishers got 800+ kills each, just let them pelt the enemy all game (and helped with long ranged flanking volleys to route enemies). My infantry just had to grind up the hill slowly. I had to lose about 4000 expensive men, killing 8000 ish. Would have been more cost effective (and helpful) to use my lower level men and levelling them up.

[CrashToDesktop]

For me, I usually face units smaller than 1000 men and Veterancy 1 and 2. No Vet 3 units at all. Just kill off the enemy good enough in the previous battles and it's made a lot easier.

Least on BG difficulty, haven't done it on harder ones.

[[TFM]bobcat]

Originally posted by The Soldier:

For me, I usually face units smaller than 1000 men and Veterancy 1 and 2. No Vet 3 units at all. Just kill off the enemy good enough in the previous battles and it's made a lot easier.

Least on BG difficulty, haven't done it on harder ones.

yeah... MG is very different from BG

[Solar Maximus]

You can flank them easily. I've never lost this battle on MG. Played it maybe 15 times. I've used several different setups. Doesn't seem to matter which one I choose. To be honest, this is one battle where the ai is quite easily outmaneuvered. To me this battle is a given that I will win, it's just about how nice of a win, and how small I can keep my losses.

I actually double flank them, both to the left and right. I send a couple of the initial units to the right, nice and slow. Stop at the creek at the far right flank. Do not engage. Recondition. The others go to the extreme left, but at the full run, till they must climb up the steep incline, then go to a walk. In most battle attempts I stop them, let them regain condition, but they are poised to climb the last little section to be directly east of the flag. Normally they can reach directly east of the flag by the time reinforcements arrive, plus have nearly full condition. If you have enough force here the ai will not charge.

Reinforcements then arrive. I send one to the right flank woods, but up close to the central open passage in order to get the attention of the ai and also fire a few volleys towards the flag area. Once engaged, I then send the initial two flank units across the creek at the far right flank. Run up the hill and curl around them to the rear little woods just to the northwest of the flag. Not too close. Keep things to a face off. Command their attention, make the ai use a couple of units. If they try to mass up against the right flank units, just back off somewhat.

Flash back to the reinforcements arriving...I send two units to the central woods by the flag area, but to the eastwards side of the woods. In a little while they will unite with the far left flank. I keep my General with this group. These either face off the ai, or engage in a few volleys, but command the attention of the ai in the least. Make them respect you.

All the rest of the reinforcements go to the far left flank up the hill. We now have three fronts, with the left flank and the central guys being the primary force. If you have positioned troops well enough, the ai will actually be shufflng troops around trying to decide its best defensive position. It will have troops facing several directions. Many flank attacks will present themselves as the battle soon unfolds.

Usually I make a full on rush from the left flank units and push the ai uppermost flank into the flag area. As the ai turns, the central woods guys get flank attacks. After the upper ai flank routs, use your friendly left flank units to the engage the central ai in either a flank attack, or combine with the central guys to concentrate fire on the central ai. Things will move very quickly now. Then I push forwards hard with both the left flank and central guys straight towards the flag area. My force will combine to make a shallow semicircle, with the flag in the center of the circle.

All the while my right flank harries and makes short frontal attacks, then backs off. Repeat as needed. Keep part of the ai force occupied. If the ai west flank tries to turn and help the flag area, bingo, they expose their flank to my right flank guys. There will come a moment when it at all comes together and the ai will be routed entirely from the flag area. Sometimes they go north, passing by the jaws of my right flank. Sometimes to the south, and essentually becoming non-threats. The battle will end around this time.

I use no artillery, no cavalry, and I don't detach any skirmishers from their parent brigades unless the ai charges. When the ai is in rout I focus fire on their artillery near the flag. I use just basic, straight forwards "positional tactics". At the worst...the ai sometimes charges my central guys. This is the only scenario when I will detach the central skirmishers, and in combination, I detach a couple of left flank skirmishers, then counterattack the charging ai en mass with a counter-charge. The ai will quickly rout. When this happens, I start the "hard full on" assault combining the units and make the semicircle.

Because of how I force the ai to position its force, flanking attacks abound. Somebody gets flank attacks no matter what, and eventually the whole left and central force unites in a strong coordinated full on frontal attack that drives the ai from the flag in a mass rout. One key element is to get my units up on the high ground to the east of the flag, while also having high condition. So I don't try to mass up at that location too early, and allow my reinforments to join the fun.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124386746