1st Bull Run - pleasant surprise

[Duck]

Playing 1st Bull Run, the AI was the most responsive I have ever seen. Upon being confronted with superior numbers, CSA retreated to west side of Bull Run and formed new line of battle guarding a couple fords (every other time, no less than 20 campaigns, the CSA digs in and then gets pinned against the river and shot to pieces).

Well that's nice, I guess I will flank them. Sent two divisions to an unguarded ford, and left remainder under friendly AI set to defend.
Half way through flanking march, CSA assaulted a now much smaller force, even capturing a brigade under friendly AI.

I mean they still lost because I eventually caught their flank...

But what a nice change.

[grognerd]

AI tried to defeat in detail?

usually defeats itself in detail, sending one brigade at a time to attack

[Duck]

Originally posted by grognerd:

AI tried to defeat in detail?

usually defeats itself in detail, sending one brigade at a time to attack

yeah i know what you mean, it was very out of the ordinary. i dont know what i did different this time. it was the Beauregard, same as always. I guess the difference was i divided my force in the face of the enemy, but that was precipitated by the AI retreating across the river. The retreating across the river is the part I cant figure out what triggered it.

[Mr. Breeze]

Originally posted by grognerd:

AI tried to defeat in detail?

usually defeats itself in detail, sending one brigade at a time to attack

Yes, artillery first,

[grognerd]

Originally posted by mr.breeze144:

Originally posted by grognerd:

AI tried to defeat in detail?

usually defeats itself in detail, sending one brigade at a time to attack

Yes, artillery first,

does that if you have a battery attached to an infantry division, giving the division movement orders, the horse-drawn caisson/limber always arrives first

edit: aaaaaaaand... it just happened at Culpeper CH. Holme's Battery strolled right into Patterson's 1st Division & "we'lltakethosethankyouverymuch"

[Mr. Breeze]

Originally posted by grognerd:

Originally posted by mr.breeze144:

Yes, artillery first,

does that if you have a battery attached to an infantry division, giving the division movement orders, the horse-drawn caisson/limber always arrives first

edit: aaaaaaaand... it just happened at Culpeper CH. Holme's Battery strolled right into Patterson's 1st Division & "we'lltakethosethankyouverymuch"

That's what I mean. Sometimes an entire division... or corps will march down the road right into your defenses like they're not even there

[Duck]

Originally posted by mr.breeze144:

Originally posted by grognerd:

does that if you have a battery attached to an infantry division, giving the division movement orders, the horse-drawn caisson/limber always arrives first

edit: aaaaaaaand... it just happened at Culpeper CH. Holme's Battery strolled right into Patterson's 1st Division & "we'lltakethosethankyouverymuch"

That's what I mean. Sometimes an entire division... or corps will march down the road right into your defenses like they're not even there

hey what level are you all playing on? I have noticed that AI is almost suicidal on very hard, and is less stupid on regular hard

[rchasey]

Originally posted by Duck:

Originally posted by mr.breeze144:

That's what I mean. Sometimes an entire division... or corps will march down the road right into your defenses like they're not even there

hey what level are you all playing on? I have noticed that AI is almost suicidal on very hard, and is less stupid on regular hard

Interesting to hear, since I default to very hard usually. I also see the AI suiciding its lead units a lot before they actually organize a coordinated assault/defense. If that's the case maybe I should start doing campaigns on regular hard instead.

[Wonko]

Originally posted by grognerd:

Originally posted by mr.breeze144:

Yes, artillery first,

does that if you have a battery attached to an infantry division, giving the division movement orders, the horse-drawn caisson/limber always arrives first

edit: aaaaaaaand... it just happened at Culpeper CH. Holme's Battery strolled right into Patterson's 1st Division & "we'lltakethosethankyouverymuch"

Yeah, I very much wanted to have smoothbore guns organic to each infantry division, but that just flat doesn't work if you want to only issue division-level commands in battle, it tries to put the guns right up on the line and they usually beat the infantry there. So I guess I'm going to be doing just 3x infantry brigades per division and add a 5-6 battery division to each corps :(

[Mr. Breeze]

Originally posted by rchasey:

Originally posted by Duck:

hey what level are you all playing on? I have noticed that AI is almost suicidal on very hard, and is less stupid on regular hard

Interesting to hear, since I default to very hard usually. I also see the AI suiciding its lead units a lot before they actually organize a coordinated assault/defense. If that's the case maybe I should start doing campaigns on regular hard instead.

I'm playing on hard level right now

[Legionary Guard]

Originally posted by mr.breeze144:

Originally posted by grognerd:

does that if you have a battery attached to an infantry division, giving the division movement orders, the horse-drawn caisson/limber always arrives first

edit: aaaaaaaand... it just happened at Culpeper CH. Holme's Battery strolled right into Patterson's 1st Division & "we'lltakethosethankyouverymuch"

That's what I mean. Sometimes an entire division... or corps will march down the road right into your defenses like they're not even there

My theory is that the AI has to abide by the same order delay the player has to. So the AI gives a movement order; then when a unit makes contact the AI general tries giving a halt order, but because the courier has to physically ride to the division and tell them to stop and retreat, the lead brigade/division is already wiped out by the time the order gets there.

[grognerd]

btw... it's the Battle of Manassas

who the hell names a non-naval battle after a body of water?

[Duck]

Originally posted by grognerd:

btw... it's the Battle of Manassas

who the hell names a non-naval battle after a body of water?

lol thats funny
i suggest you go cool your heels at antietam :D

[grognerd]

Sharpsburg

[Duck]

Originally posted by grognerd:

Sharpsburg

wilson's creek?

[Mr. Breeze]

Originally posted by grognerd:

btw... it's the Battle of Manassas

who the hell names a non-naval battle after a body of water?

Hmmm... like why don't Yankees call Shiloh "The Battle of the Tennessee River"?