068: Gaps to Manassas
More About This Scenario
The Gaps to Manassas scenario is an enjoyable alternative to the historical "big battles" on the Antietam title. It has a bit of the "meeting engagement" style to it, but also accelerates the action by starting the armies close enough together to get the battle started in just a few hours.
Why else should I play this?
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From the Confederates standpoint, we have numerous advantages. These will be outlined below. But while the battle has "even numbers," it isn't totally even.
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The Federals have to fight Lee, Longstreet, Jackson, and Stuart, with Pope, Sigel, Banks, and McDowell. Amusing.
So, what makes this a standout scenario (with just a bit of a Confederate advantage)?
Let's check out the statistics and then return to that question at the end.
Analyzing the Numbers
The Confederates have nearly every advantage possible in this battle. The only notable disadvantage is in the category of cavalry. Otherwise, we have more infantry, better quality men, more guns, and simply a better army.
Notice the Federals have just 11 infantry units accounting for 18% of their total infantry force! Target the large units and wear them down to cut the effective number of Union soldiers down significantly.
The Rebels have a 1-point quality advantage on average with their infantry. They also have 37 additional regiments on the field and 101 high-quality units compared to just 33 for the Federals.
The Federals do have twice as many cavalrymen as the Confederates but only four additional regiments. The Federals have many large cavalry units which, if captured or greatly damaged, can cost them hundreds of victory points.
With artillery, the Confederates have 20 additional cannons, 500 additional rounds of ammunition, and 30 more movable units. We dominate in this category.
Did you know?
For some reason, the Confederate OOB has some odd quirks in it for this scenario. Cadmus Wilcox is in the scenario twice - as a divisional commander and as a brigade commander. Starke's Brigade is also on the map twice - once as a brigade in Jackson's Division and again as a brigade in Ewell's Division.
Ammo and Leaders
With more than twice the amount of small arms ammunition, and twice as many wagons, the Confederates have a huge advantage in this two-day scenario. You can fire all day long and never worry about running out of ammunition before the Yankees do.
With commanders, you have advantages with both Command and Leadership. You'd think they'd be higher but they are still better than the Yankees. At the top is where you have the greatest advantage. Lee, Jackson, Longstreet, and Stuart and far better than Pope, Sigel, Banks, and McDowell.
Did you know?
Another scenario oddity - Brig. Gen. Charles Winder commands Jackson's Division in this battle. The fictional battle occurs on August 25, 1862. Winder was killed in action at Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862. Jackson wrote in his official reports about his death, "Richly endowed with those qualities of mind and person which fit an officer for command and which attract the admiration and excite the enthusiasm of troops, he was rapidly rising to the front rank of his profession. His loss has been severely felt."
The Scenario Setup
This large battlefield covers the whole area around the Bull Run Mountains. The Federals approach from three different directions against AP Hill's Division in the center, while the rest of Lee's army arrives from the south. Pay special attention to the creeks which divide the northern half of the battlefield between the I Corps and the II Corps. The objective hexes in this scenario are all but worthless, the winner here will have to outkill their opponent. Both armies pour onto the field within the first few hours of gametime.
There are numerous different entry hexes for each side. To show them all precisely would be too crowded and so I opted to show you an approximation of their entry points and the total number of men arriving from each area.
Below is a very detailed outline of the reinforcements and numbers of the two armies.
Numerous things can be learned by studying the chart above.
1) The Confederates have an early advantage in numbers which will shrink as the first day progresses. By late morning the Federals will have the advantage for good (but a slight one).
2) Many of the Federals best troops are the last to arrive with the 3rd Corps.
3) Both armies are fully on the field by turn 31.
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
Heavy Rebel Advantage
This battle masquerades as an even force match with two armies of equal size. But once you examine the numbers, this scenario is hardly fair at all. That's not to say the Federals don't stand a chance here, but in order to win they need to clobber AP Hill's Division and/or Jackson's Division before Longstreet's men can arrive to turn the tide of battle. The Federal army cannot fight this entire scenario like a traditional "Union-style" slugging match. They don't have the manpower, quality, or artillery, to do that. But they don't know that. Let the Yankees think they are playing just another long stand-up battle and then wear them down hour-after-hour until they can't take it anymore. Their inferior quality will show long before your own men begin to tire. They will break.
Tactical Tips
1) Attack Sigel's First Corps.
Sigel's First Corps is separated from the rest of the army by both distance and creeks. If he moves south towards Aldie and the Confederates, then turn all you can upon him and crush his corps. His corps is the smallest of the Union's three and also has the fewest artillery pieces. If you can destroy Sigel's corps than it is likely your Yankee opponent will have little choice left but to surrender.
2) Be Careful with Stuart.
The Yankee cavalry here begins the battle coming at you from three different directions. Stuart's men are in a central location and can go in any direction. But Stuart's boys are outnumbered and the Yankee units are larger and well-armed. Don't assume that Stuart's guys can just bully them around the map. If your opponent knows how to use cavalry, then he may be able to isolate and bag lone Confederate units. Losing chunks of points in that manner will make victory much harder down the road.
3) Duke it Out!
Play this battle like the Yankees usually do - stand up and fight out in the open if they want to. You have every advantage in regard to infantry and can outslug them all day long. Their limited small arms ammunition will also severely limit their capabilities after their wagons begin to run dry. They won't be able to stand-up to you indefinitely.
Final Thoughts
This "equal force battle" favors our side a lot. This is a good one to play if you are looking for a challenging game with a Rebel slant to it.