gracchus

As always, much love to the modders. I've loved the many evolutions of the game and the mods have lent it much greater lifespan. I am not the most talented player but I know my way around a Harper's Ferry 1855. I'm running the 1.27.1a mod on a Major General Union campaign. I've had some good luck (I only took 4,000 causalities at Malvern Hill) and worked through some unexpected surprises (CSA chewed up my flanking maneuver at Fredericksburg). I know what usually works for me as a player but I've loved the way the mods have made me adapt (good bye 1000 man skirmisher juggernauts). I have, however, stalled at Stones River. I usually like to pull back and make the CSA attack over open ground where I have better sight and shorter internal lines of support. Nope, got overrun 2 or three times. I tried defending the trees in the south and have been torn apart in the center. Put my best corp in the south? No dice. Of course, the only time I pulled off a successful initial phase, fought off a CSA charge in the middle that almost broke me, and was in the process of mopping up, my game crashed...my joy evaporated. I know there is no one strategy and much depends on your particular set up but I'd appreciate any words of wisdom for Stones River. When I've gone to look through the approach by other people, I can't seem to find anyone playing 1.27 and making videos. I fear the time has past. I'd appreciate any help. Also, I know this is a bit early, but I can't wait to see if you guys end up making mods for Ultimate General: American Revolution https://www.ug1775.com/

Along the lines of what dixiePig has mentioned about The Historical Officers, I was thinking about historical units. I know you get Forrest's Cavalry and the Iron Brigade W and you can always name a unit what you'd like. I wish there was a way to spend reputation or money to acquire actual units that had some resemblance to the perks you'd associate with them. Maybe after Bull Run you could use 7 reputation to acquire The Stonewall Brigade, 2 Star Unit, with -25% fire damage morale received, plus the melee/speed perk. I know that's asking a lot. Given what I've read through this thread, I'm not even sure it's possible. That said, given the miracles worked by Johnny and Panda with game play mechanics, I'm reluctant to think anything is impossible. respectfully, gracchus

Observations about 1.27.1 New Union MG campaign. Love the feel so far. The ability to knock out the CSA unit in town and get them to route was a pleasant surprise. The AI seems to be a bit more logical about their breaking point. All serious pluses that make melee more palatable to me, a guy who would prefer to get cover and shoot all day. Curious how people are spending their career points in the new version. I went heavy on experience points, a hold over from 1.24 when perks were all that mattered, but find myself curious about using more economy or logistics. 10 units at 1st Bull Run has appeal to me but economy seems to knock down the price of officers as well. I have an urge to go back and set up my career to favor the economy points and get better officers from the start. What's anyone else doing?

Thank you much.

Panda, do you still post game play videos anywhere? If not, do you know of anyone playing 1.26 and posting videos?

Love a good history lesson! Thanks for the reply and tips. I can't even count the number of times positioning has killed me in this game. Yet, I still love it and the mods just keep extending my enjoyment.

Much appreciated. I just get rolled during the mass charge on Part 1. I've tried to balance my deployment but end up with unexpected distributions that kill me in part 2. That is, if I've survived part 1 intact. I'm indebted for the advice and will take it to heat. The "hammer and anvil" strategy reminds me of Phil Caputo's A Rumor of War about his experiences in Vietnam. He makes a number of references to it as the standard Marine procedure.

As always, thank you for both the tips and the quick response. If you're not a game developer in your paid work, you should consider it.

I'm back in familiar territory. I'm playing a Union campaign on MG, 1.26 mod) and Shiloh has proven to be my undoing. I've built up with good results with heavy emphasis on experience and a second campaign with heavy logistics/economy focus. I've also blended the approaches. I've got 4 2 star INF (1100-1500) with 2 BG spread in my 3 divisions, 5 artillery (4 are 1*), and 2 1* Cav (1 shock, 1 carbine). I've watched the 1.24 video by Pandakraut about the legendary campaign (AO is very different now and changes that ability to set up camp) and I'm stuck. Also, what is the rhyme and reason around how your units deploy at Shiloh? 3 divisions, not where I expect them, I'm sure I'm just missing something. I'm not looking for "the secret," I know it's about how you play more than anything else, just hoping for suggestions.

For reference, fighting the Union Campaign on MG. In 1.25 I was a skirmisher heavy army on either side. Once you hit 3 stars, those units were unstoppable. I tried the skirmisher heavy approach with 1.26 and found that the charging of larger AI units was almost unstoppable in the early missions. Thinking I was smart, always mistake 1, I rolled into distress call with 4 skirmisher units at 750 with a mix of 1841s and 1855s to compliment a pair of artillery and my infantry. The infantry had no stopping power, 1 star at best that early, and questionable weapons to say the least. Needless to say, I got rolled. 2000+ man CSA mobs, 1 and 2 stars but equipped with charge bonuses, didn't notice the volley or two I could get off when they were in range and I was falling back. Even the tried and true crescent moon formation in the SW woods couldn't save me. I had to restart (went heavy training backstory) and bake some 1500 man infantry units of 1 star to make anything work. I had 1 skirmisher unit that picked away at the units to the NW from cover of the woods. Not really effective. At Bull Run, new skirmishers were almost useless. I need the new infantry units to face down the 12k man disadvantage I was at to start the battle. Grains of salt, I'm not the best player but I enjoy playing. I've beaten both campaigns on MG in vanilla (oh the days of the OP artillery) and in the 1.25 mod (love my light infantry). I like to watch the YouTube videos Pandakraut puts out when I'm looking for inspiration. I feel competent at what I do but also love the new challenges of being beaten by the game with the new mods. I've found a use for melee cavalry in the new mod, though it's not cost effective until later. Right now I'm staring at the Shiloh challenge. Only outnumbered by 11k or so, but I also know that this battle is a deployment puzzle for me (I haven't memorized how 2nd and 3rd divisions get split on the initial phases) and will grind down my best units. In the end, and belatedly in short, I was a huge skirmisher guy in 1.25 but have really struggled to employ a similar strategy in 1.26.

Antietam and that bridge give me nightmares.

BCH, the pictures are incredible. I compliment both your clarity and eye for composition. Gettysburg has always been awe-inspiring for me. Thank you for sharing.

I wouldn't call it regularly winning, but I got a win, absolutely a pyrrhic victory. It destroyed my army, nearly 2/3rds gone, and I've been unable to rebuilt it well. I can't get a satisfactory result at Seven Pines now, back to the start. As for Shiloh, I brought 18 brigades, 4 artillery, 4 skirmishers, and 10 infantry. I made a stand at the river on the first map, had a 1000 man musket unit in the farm and 2 artillery units cover the river. I was able to hold out until the opening of the map, bailed on the east side quickly, and the lack of ammo killed me. When my third division showed up, I was able to fight a delaying action. Waited to move back to Pittsburg Landing until ordered to do so. The fortifications were ok but had to spend time counter charging 5000 man Confederate units. It was very much an attempt to pull off a Pandakraut defense. Final tally saw my 43,000 men, about 20,000 from the AI I believe, defeat a CSA force of about 53,000. I found myself in camp with 7,300 men left. It hurt me a great deal on many levels. Not worth winning.

You are correct, I messed up the install. Fixed it now. Thank you for the response. Also wanted to express my thanks for all the great work represented here. This was a great game even in vanilla. It had flaws but I loved it. Now, however, the game is incredible. I've enjoyed adapting to the new perks and changes in artillery. It's easily my favorite game. Thank you again.

Did the guns go back to the original names in the 1.25.1a update? I was looking through these posts and didn't see a clear answer. Also, the skirmishers don't seem to be able to use infantry weapons anymore. There is also the possibility that I installed the mod wrong.