031 - Antietam (Historical)
More About This Scenario
The bloodiest single day in American history. The High Tide of the Confederacy. Lee's greatest battle. The accolades for this battle are such that you almost can't help but want to play it. You know... until you realize you are fighting more Yankees than you could possibly kill. Like a zombie horde, the Yankees at Antietam are coming right for you.
This scenario must favor the Federals with such lopsided numbers, right? Not necessarily. The fact that we have won here as much as we have must reflects just how difficult it is for the Federals to beat us here despite their advantages. What is it that makes this scenario so difficult for the Yankees?
That will take some explaining. Let's look at the numbers and begin to break this giant battle down some.
Analyzing the Numbers
The numbers to the left are very interesting to look at. A few things should really jump out at you.
1) The Federals have more than twice as many infantrymen and more than four times as many cavalrymen as the Confederates.
2) The Confederate infantry is rated over a full point higher than the Federal infantry.
3) Both sides have over 200 artillery pieces.
Infantry
Yes, the Confederates are badly outnumbered in the infantry column. But we will discuss later why this isn't nearly as disturbing as it appears at first glance.
The Federals have just 12 more regiments then the Confederates but have nearly 40,000 additional men! Their average infantry regiment is more than twice our size. They have 66 units with more than 100 men while we have just 5 such units. The numbers are chilling.
With quality, the Federals have a respectable 27 units of high-quality. But we have 121 such units! All our units are rated at least a "C" in quality at Antietam.
Cavalry
The cavalry situation at Antietam is very peculiar for a number of reasons. We will get into these later in this paper. Do not worry about the Federal cavalry though. They are FIXED throughout the battle and it is unlikely they will be able to play any part in the fighting. Thank goodness for that.
Artillery
Antietam battlefield is one of the most brutal in any of the WDS games when it comes to artillery dominating the area. The Federal guns are well-positioned across the Antietam Creek to make your life miserable. The Yankees have tons of ammo and they can fire as much as they want for as long as they want. Your biggest problem at Antietam is not the enemy infantry, it is the enemy artillery.
The only silver-lining is that the Federals have just 52 batteries on the field. 47 of these have at least four guns though. This means each battery will be very powerful and very dangerous to approach directly or to even engage long-range with your own artillery.
Did you know?
After being wounded multiple times in the fighting along the Sunken Road, Confederate Colonel John B. Gordon told the physicians that, “You think I am going to die; but I am going to get well.” Gordon would survive a total of eight wounds during the war.
Fire at Will
Both sides have plenty of small arms ammunition for a one-day battle. This is especially true for the Army of Northern Virginia. You should fire every chance you get and never let up. You have enough supplies to last you for the entire battle - and then some.
Did you know?
Stephen D. Lee began the Civil War as an aide to Pierre Beauregard at Fort Sumter. He then commanded artillery units in the Army of Northern Virginia through the Battle of Antietam. After the battle, he would be sent west to support Joseph Johnston in Mississippi. He would serve in the cavalry and infantry branches and lead a corps in the final year of the war.
Depleted Leadership
It can be difficult to remember who commands what in this scenario as there are many divisions and brigades under alternate leaders. Heavy losses dating back to the Seven Days Campaign had greatly crippled the command staffs of both armies. At Antietam, for example, Jackson's Wing is missing two of four division commanders, while also having many brigades under replacement leaders.
Partially because of this, the Confederate ratings for Command and Leadership are a bit lower than you might expect. But there are still many quality leaders at Antietam. The foursome of Lee, Longstreet, Jackson, and Stuart usually ensure that you your units will receive at least one or two bonus morale points per turn.
The Scenario Setup
The Antietam scenario is complex from the Setup standpoint. There are numerous Releases, variable Releases, and reinforcements in the scenario to know about.
The map on the bottom left will show you the Release times of the various units. Note the percentages included with the Federal Cavalry Division and Porter's Corps. It is unlikely they will release on time. The map on the bottom right shows the arrival location and times of the reinforcements (all Confederate). Click on the Maps to expand them.
As you can see from the Releases, the Federal army is committed to the battle in a very piecemeal fashion. The biggest threat at dawn is on the Confederate left from Hooker and Mansfield. As the day progresses the pressure will come from other directions. Most notable is the FIXED status of Porter's Fifth Corps and Pleasonton's Cavalry Division. These have no chance of joining the battle until 4 PM at the earliest. This is turn 34 of 40. Unless the Fifth Corps releases at once they will miss the entire battle. Because of the cavalry's greater speed they can ride into Sharpsburg in just three turns from their release point. This isn't enough time to do much strategically, but more than enough time to launch some charges and cause havoc all over the place if they arrive in time. But that's a big "IF". All you can do is not worry about it and let fate roll the die.
Below is a very detailed outline of the releases, reinforcements and numbers of the two armies.
Numerous things can be learned by studying the charts above.
1) The Confederates actually have an equal number of available men for the first few hours of gameplay.
2) By noon the Federals will be large enough to begin causing major problems for the Confederate player.
3) By late afternoon, the Federal dominance in numbers is extreme.
Note:
If you want to disturb your opponent while playing this scenario, simply note the time and use this sheet for reference. Then subtract their casualties from the numbers above and tell them EXACTLY how many men they have on the field. Be sure to subtract 25 men for every cannon destroyed. This will surely puzzle them and may give you a bit of a psychological edge.
Personal Conclusion
Slight Union Advantage
This battle should be much harder than it is. Thankfully, George B. McClellan's caution has continued to pay dividends for the Southern Cause. In this scenario the Federal army is released piecemeal and they will always be struggling to get their men into position throughout the day.
But the Union artillery and numbers can't wholly be discounted. They are very dangerous. A veteran player will be extremely hard to beat in this battle. A methodical Union approach to wear down your numbers will eventually pay dividends. But most people aren't that patient. Expect a bloodbath from the start. The second half of the battle will be the hardest battle you may ever fight depending on how aggressive your opponent is. Just be prepared.
Tactical Tips
1) Blast the Hell out of Hooker! (and Mansfield?)
For a few brief hours in the morning, you have a commanding advantage in numbers, artillery, and maneuverability. Use this to put a brutal beatdown on Hooker and take him permanently out of the battle if he attacks. A veteran opponent may hold off with Hooker and await help to arrive from Mansfield or Sumner before advancing. But if Hooker does advance by himself, make him wish he hadn't! Bring up as many guns as you can squeeze in and don't hold back.
Mansfield's 12th Corps is the next large Federal unit you need to worry about. Luckily, they represent the smallest and weakest Union corps on the field. If they move to reinforce Hooker then just keep pounding away. They may also try to outflank you nearer the Potomac River. This move will put more pressure on you and is arguably the best move they can make. Your best chance to stop them, or slow them down, will be utilizing your artillery to try and rout the untrained units of the 12th Corps before they can do you much damage.
2) Strength in Numbers.
You should look to concentrate your army north of Sharpsburg (in my opinion). Your army is simply too small to defend all of the area around Sharpsburg successfully. You have a few hours in the morning to reposition without enemy interference. Build a line with a strong front and interior lines to shift men to where most needed. By doing this you also create a longer distance for the Yanks to travel before they can strike you and less time for them to maneuver once they do. By setting up part of your line in the town of Sharpsburg (if possible) you also force the Yankees to fight a street battle which will slow them down greatly as they continue attempt to rush forward in the second part of the battle. There is a lot of good ground north of Sharpsburg, and in Sharpsburg, to utilize and defend.
3) Delay the Sixth Corps!
You need to delay the Sixth Corps as much as you possibly can from joining the battle. The Sixth Corps is a beast of a corps with massive regiments and good quality. They can obliterate your chances of success once they begin to enter the battle. If you can delay or prevent the arrival of the 16,000 men from the Sixth Corps, you are then “just” facing a total of roughly 48,000 Federals (excluding the FIXED Cavalry Division and V Corps). You can absolutely beat those odds!
How can you delay them from so far away? Easy. But you must march immediately to intercept them. Because the Union Ninth Corps is FIXED in place you have a brief window of opportunity to flank the Union army. On the very first turn you should start sending Kemper’s Brigade towards Snavely’s Ford in column formation. Keep marching over the ford and then turn east over hills and fields to eventually reach the Hawk’s Hill Road. Be sure to avoid the Union long range artillery as much as possible (ending each turn out of their line of sight is ideal) and do NOT get close enough to their cavalry unit at (73, 68) to trigger their release. By doing all of that Kemper’s Brigade can easily reach a blocking position in the Hawks Hill area by 8:20 AM.
You should also use all or part of Fitz Lee’s Cavalry Brigade in this effort to delay the Sixth Corps. Fitz Lee’s Cavalry are released at 5:20 AM. You need to immediately move them south through Sharpsburg and towards Snavely’s Ford following in the wake of Kemper’s Brigade.
Why do you need both infantry and cavalry? At 9 AM the Kanawha Division is released and they contain five cavalry units with 727 men. Sending one lone brigade would stretch them too thin to resist the pursuit of the Federal cavalry and the advance of the Sixth Corps. I recommend using Kemper to delay and fight the Federal cavalry which will likely be in pursuit over Hawk’s Hill Road, while the cavalrymen ride east to get in front of the VI Corps. The cavalry can easily delay the Sixth Corps if they choose to march due west through the woods and forests around Hawk’s Hill. The other option for the Sixth Corps is the longer march north and then west. This route is easier for them as your cavalry can do little in the open field to slow them down. You can definitely annoy them but not stop them. This longer route does channel them over the crowded Middle Bridge as opposed to the Lower Bridge on Burnside’s front (wasting some time).
Anything you can do, at all, to delay the arrival of the Sixth Corps is a victory! They are released at 10 AM and can reach either Snavely’s Ford, the Lower Bridge, or the Middle Bridge by 12 PM if they march unopposed – this is at turn 22 of 40. It would take them three or four more turn to bring up the rest of the Corps and deploy so they may have 15 turns left to engage you west of the Antietam Creek if they are left to march freely west. Just imagine if you could delay them for just 5 turns! This would force them to rush into battle with less time to deploy carefully or to spend time maneuvering to their best advantage. If you delay them beyond five turns… that is pure icing on the cake as you lessen their usefulness with each passing turn.
For Kemper’s Brigade it is likely a one-way trip to a Union prison camp, but they will go down fighting like the Spartans at Thermopylae (fittingly Kemper fields 337 men!). Fitz Lee’s units, however many you send, will probably also meet the same sad but honorable fate. Those who are about to die, we salute you! If the strategy works, you will really improve your chances of success at Antietam.
Final Thoughts
What a fun scenario! Sure, it is really hard to win against a patient and skilled opponent, but it is still fun. Play this at least once. Try to bag their guns whenever you can and if you can follow my advice to block their VI Corps you will increase your chances for victory.