063/064 - Missionary Ridge (Historical)
More About This Scenario
The Battle of Missionary Ridge was a disaster for Bragg and the Army of Tennessee. But this scenario is far from a disaster for the Rebels. The terrain and setup are in our favor and the Federal army is tasked with dislodging us from some of the best defensive ground possible.
If you are looking for a good defensive setup - and a scenario you are unlikely to lose - then check this one out.
Analyzing the Numbers
These numbers seem pretty lopsided for the Federals. But 10,780 of the Federals arrive from the southwest and will play only a minimal part in the battle at best. Leaving the roughly 42,000 other infantrymen to battle the 33,623 Confederates on very difficult terrain.
The Federals also have a large number of small units on the map with under 200 men. These units will be a liability if left in a hex alone and so will likely be stacked with other units to form more powerful hexes. This means that the Federals will struggle to form a long line as their 42,000 men opposite Missionary Ridge will need to consolidate in order to maximize their impact. With almost no interior lines, this will be a challenge for them.
Combined, the Federals have more high-quality troops at Missionary Ridge than do the Confederates (22,668 vs. 17,960). While this is unfortunate, it does reflect the poor performance of many of the Rebel units in this battle.
Luckily for the Confederates, 850 Union artillerymen (34 Cannon) remain fixed during this scenario. While their gunfire can reach the Confederate lines, they are too far away to do any real damage. This leaves the active force at 106 guns for the Federals and 93 for the Rebels. The Rebels also enjoy having more movable units overall. But the Federals do have twice as much artillery ammunition and more powerful guns.
Did you know?
Although he is present at the battle, Grant plays no part in the Order of Battle and is merely an observer.
"Poor" Rebels
The Federals have twice as much infantry ammunition and more supply wagons in this scenario. But, luckily for us, this is not a long scenario. So another Union advantage is negated by the scenario design.
Bragg is at his worst in this battle with ratings of D's. This will often cause ripples in your command and control in relation to morale checks. Thomas and Sherman are more steady on the Federal side and this will trickle down to their subordinates more often. Because of that, the Yankees do have an advantage.
But, again, we are fortunate to have excellent leaders at the divisional levels. In a shorter battle like this, I don't believe even having the poorly rated Bragg will hurt you very much.
The Scenario Setup
Missionary Ridge was an incredibly strong natural position which was poorly defended by Bragg. The reasons are complicated and not the point here, but it is worth noting how few pre-made defenses the Rebels have at the start here. Luckily, the terrain is very much in the Rebel's favor and forces the Federals into an uphill battle.
Sherman's army is on the Federal left flank and Thomas with his army is on the right. The Federal reinforcements arrive starting at 3:20 PM (turn 16 of 27) from the southwest. They must cross Chattanooga Creek and then march north a few miles to even get near the real fighting. By using just a single small regiment or two you can sufficiently slow them down to make them a non-factor in the game.
The Rebel army is poorly situated in some areas but able to right themselves fairly quickly at the start. You will have no real reserves to use and this is a potential problem if the Federals do manage to score a breakthrough. Pulling back even just a regiment here and there to plug holes is a good idea.
Remember that dusk falls at turn 21 of 27. This will take the Union guns out of the battle but will also allow the Federals a final opportunity to rush forward in the dusk and potentially melee like crazy without fear of your own long-range guns. Beware any sort of dusk surprise attack.
Below is the battlefield map.
Personal Conclusion
Strong Rebel Advantage
Although it might seem that the battle is even based on the paper numbers - it really isn't an even battle at all. According to the Department of Records, the Rebels have won this 3x as often as the Federals! The battle is too short and the Confederate position too strong for the Federals to win here. Only a bad mistake by the Rebel player (or really bad luck) can turn this into a Union victory.
If you can find a Yankee willing to play this, enjoy!
Tactical Tips
1) Use the High Ground!
Elevation modifiers give you a 20% advantage when your units are above those of the enemy. When you are two-levels above them this is increased to 40%. It maxes out at that level. But this will make your men very hard to dislodge from any position along Missionary Ridge. When coupled with forest hexes your position becomes almost impenetrable.
2) Protect your artillery.
Your guns can cut the Yankees down as they move up Missionary Ridge with great violence. The Yankees will likely mass their men and charge in attempts to take out your guns in their initial attack. Be prepared for this and stack those artillery hexes with lots of infantry support.
3) You don't need to overstack your hexes.
Because of the modifiers you receive when you are defending from the high ground, you can often add 20 - 40% to your numbers during a melee. This means a stack with 500 men will defend with the strength of 600 or 700 (based on elevation changes). While a max stack of Yankees might be able to dislodge them with a full melee, the odds are less than 50%. And the Yankees will suffer terribly in their approach. Further, if they fail they will be disrupted and under your guns. This makes any attack by them very risky with little guarantee of a better than 50% chance for success. So keep your stacks to about 500 men and pull back a unit here and there as a reserve. Building stacks closer to 1,000 won't help you as the Yanks aren't likely to melee those stacks. It also forces you to commit more men and units to a smaller area and might open holes elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
This should be an easy Rebel victory. Your biggest concern should be an aggressive Union opponent who gets in a few good shots at the beginning and punches a hole in your line. Counterattacking is almost impossible. All you can do is try to contain any breakthroughs and keep hammering away at the Federals as best you can. The odds are in your favor though that you will come away from Missionary Ridge with a victory.