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J & P Rebalance Mod by JonnyH13 and Pandakraut 05/06/2023 1.28.4


JonnyH13

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Malvern Hill update:

This will be a win for the Union...

Last night, I started the battle; my general strategy of pulling back enticing the CSA brigades into open ground was working.. my first set of reinforcements had arrived when I was interrupted.. I thought I had hit pause.. but no.. CSA brigades directly engaged some of the Union brigades in melee, all the CSA brigades were routed but this resulted in entirely unnecessary casualties for the Union. I played the rest of the battle through for a easy draw, that should have been an easy win with less Union casualties.

Infantry totals Union 20,502 vs CSA 35,935

Fortunately, I had a save prior to the interruption last night, and started from there over coffee this morning.

As things stand now...

The Union right flank is anchored by the river just south of the bridge. part of the right flank of the Union line sits behind the creek backed by the Union batteries. The Union left flank has 'refused the line' on that side and is anchored in the woods also backed by batteries. The entire line forms a capital L which has been turned 90 degrees clockwise.

The final Union reinforcements have arrived and are almost in position behind the current Union line with two brigades sent to the woods on the left flank to strengthen that flank. One Union brigade was sent to the right flank objective to repel any attempts a river crossing in that area. The last three Union batteries are already in position.

Two skirmisher brigades are sliding to the extreme left of the Union line to find CSA brigades on the left flank; it appears that many CSA brigades spotted on that side have re-positioned more toward the center.

Meanwhile.. two cavalry brigades and one skirmisher brigade are operating in the CSA rear. Thus far:

Captured 2 supply wagons
Delayed CSA General Jackson from reaching the lines
Forced 2 CSA batteries out of limber

I fully expect to capture at least two more supply wagons (one is being targeted now)

Expected future action:

Union left flank will begin to slowly turn 'like a gate' against the CSA right flank while the Union right continues to hold and inflict heavy casualties on CSA brigades. 

Note:

Unlikely to report again until next week.. getting ready for a three day conference

 

 

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As I said.. I will finish Malvern Hill  after the conference.

Before I head out, some thoughts on the current version:

Cavalry is much more usable in my opinion, they can generally out run infantry and skirmishers now; they can be deployed in their traditional roles as scouts and flankers. As such they can turn the tide of battle when carefully managed.

Limber speed of artillery seems to me to be faster than when I last played about six months ago. This allows quicker support of Inf. in regards to repositioning batteries.

Even small skirmisher units are effective both as scouts and flankers.

 

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10 hours ago, BCH said:

As I said.. I will finish Malvern Hill  after the conference.

Before I head out, some thoughts on the current version:

Cavalry is much more usable in my opinion, they can generally out run infantry and skirmishers now; they can be deployed in their traditional roles as scouts and flankers. As such they can turn the tide of battle when carefully managed.

Limber speed of artillery seems to me to be faster than when I last played about six months ago. This allows quicker support of Inf. in regards to repositioning batteries.

Even small skirmisher units are effective both as scouts and flankers.

 

Hopefully, I will play Gaines early next week.

Must admit I only use small numbers of cavalry. I do prefer infantry. I like to use skirmishes for flanking. Even small units concern infantry brigades and artillery.

If possible I do like my artillery close to my infantry. Not only to support them. But for protection against enemy cavalry.

As using Apple IMAC, I don’t have the various mods been introduced.

Best wishes

 

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1 hour ago, drhay53 said:

what does the "removeReset" option do in ConfigFile.csv?

This is a testing option to stops phase resets from occurring. For example, at Shiloh on day 2 all units would remain where they were at the end of day 1 rather than getting reset to new lines. Seems great, just what everyone has always wanted, but there is a catch. If the map resizes on the phase change and your units are outside the new map you lose access to them for the battle. If a unit's day 1 position is at the same spot as the spawn point of a day 2 unit then they will start the phase in melee. At Chancellorsville, Jackson's corps is already on the field and without the reset there is no flanking attack, etc.

There are a few battles where we think it might be safe enough to enable this option, but overall it mostly just adds more memorization for the player to avoid frustration and opportunities to abuse the spawn locations. A good example would be Potomac fort where you could setup most of your units in a perfect defensive position prior to the second phase before capturing the fort.

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Ok thanks.

I haven't played in quite a long time but I'm really enjoying your video series using the mod and explaining it and how you play. I wish you were going past shiloh ;) I know it's a time sink though so I understand.

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17 minutes ago, drhay53 said:

I haven't played in quite a long time but I'm really enjoying your video series using the mod and explaining it and how you play. I wish you were going past shiloh ;) I know it's a time sink though so I understand.

Good to hear that the series is helpful. I might go a bit further, maybe through Malvern Hill or Antietam. Past that point I'm expecting the army to be strong enough that the rest of the campaign is a foregone conclusion given the current balance in the mod.

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12 minutes ago, pandakraut said:

Good to hear that the series is helpful. I might go a bit further, maybe through Malvern Hill or Antietam. Past that point I'm expecting the army to be strong enough that the rest of the campaign is a foregone conclusion given the current balance in the mod.

What usually happens to me is that I get so far into the game that I'm managing several 2-3 full corps and it just pulls all the fun out of it for me. I end up hating managing battles with that many units, and also hating all the time spent in the camp trying to make things "perfect". I don't think I've ever actually ended up completing a campaign on any difficulty, despite several hundred hours in the game. 

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1 hour ago, drhay53 said:

What usually happens to me is that I get so far into the game that I'm managing several 2-3 full corps and it just pulls all the fun out of it for me. I end up hating managing battles with that many units, and also hating all the time spent in the camp trying to make things "perfect". I don't think I've ever actually ended up completing a campaign on any difficulty, despite several hundred hours in the game. 

Up through about Chickamauga is usually where I have fun. Past that I've only bothered once or twice.

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Yeah, Campaign, especially the Union one gets very monotonous after Chickamauga, although 9 times out of 10 I find Gettysburg battle quite boring also. That 1 time was in my last play through when CSA pushed hard towards the northern flag on the ridge and massed all they had there... that was a hard fight thru the woods. Also, during the attack on the Little Round Top AI proved quite resilient and even achieved some footholds on the Big Round Top but it was essentially a battle of attrition witch I could easily win. But hey, that's the name of the game.

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I think for me it's about Fredericksburg where I stop having fun as Union. The amount of micro required to push through the woods and/or up the hill with so many units just sucks all the fun out for me.

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On 5/17/2018 at 10:55 PM, pandakraut said:

Big brigades are overrated :) I've gone all the way past Chickamauga using nothing bigger than veteran units at 1.1k and rookies at 1.3k on Legendary and most of the army is at the Veteran size. May have had to bulk up slightly for Cold Harbor and those last few battles of storming fortifications, got distracted by learning how to mod the game though. With the current strength of artillery in the mod you'd probably have to go slightly larger since you'll take more casualties before you can kill them off.

I’m currently playing as Union on MG level.

On Gaines Mill almost all Reb brigades on 2950 men with 3 stars. Looks impressive. But I like to flank them with my max 2000 strong brigades or skirmishers. The large Reb brigades take some time to change their facing. Also, due to the 3 stars. They stay and take the damage. By the time they have changed their facing I have whittled down the brigade. Once facing me. I just withdraw before the can open fire 😏.

They then decided to go back to their original facing. So I advance and fire off more volleys ! Love it 😬.

Best wishes 

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Report from the Malvern Hill battlefield...

The divisions of the Union's I Corp, despite being greatly out-numbered, managed to hold the south side of the creek to which they withdrew from their entrenchments at Malvern Hill north. Union batteries decimated the Confederate Infantry brigades as they came in line.  CSA brigades began to try and push the left flank of the Union line, only to be flanked themselves by Union reinforcements coming out of the woods on the Unions far left. Additional Union batteries with the reinforcements enfiladed CSA brigades and forced them back.

Union cavalry brigades and a skirmisher unit continued to spot and harass the Confederate rear; this greatly delayed CSA batteries from engaging in the main battle. The few CSA batteries that joined the main battle were destroyed by a battery of 20pdr Parrotts with support from a veteran Ordinance battery.

The Union left flank with the additional reinforcements advanced and turned like a gate forcing the CSA brigades to be enfiladed by one or the other Union flank as they turned to meet various threats. The Union right flank repelled numerous last minute charges; many CSA brigades were completely destroyed trying to cross the creek.

The Union skirmisher brigade supported by mounted Inf. regained the original position while the other Union cavalry brigade harassed and routed demoralized CSA brigades. The Confederates made no attempt to re-take the original position.

The CSA infantry brigades suffered a bit over 74% casualties. The Union casualties were estimated to be around 55% for the infantry brigades. 

A costly victory for the Union, but I Corp, 1st and 2nd veteran divisions came out of the battle at  from over 1/2 to around 3/4 strength. Some Union brigades will not likely return due to high casualties and some skirmisher units are MIA. All Union batteries survived the battle.

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On 5/15/2019 at 9:05 AM, drhay53 said:

I think for me it's about Fredericksburg where I stop having fun as Union. The amount of micro required to push through the woods and/or up the hill with so many units just sucks all the fun out for me.

I slow the game down to the absolute lowest speed and pause often. I just need to remember to slow it down again to the bottom after pausing as the speed goes to default after a pause.

You are right about the micro management; you just can not trust your own AI to do what you know is correct. Half my officers in any given battle would have been cashiered for doing something foolish.

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Kettle Run - Union victory.

Inf. losses 1,522 Union vs. 7,377 CSA

Thoroughfare Gap - Union victory

Inf. losses 1,128 Union vs. 7,995 CSA

As satisfying as those victories and others are, while out-numbered at least 2:1 in every battle thus far, the rewards for victory are rather paltry.

Captured weapons have been minimal throughout this campaign despite inflicting large losses on the CSA AI forces.

I am now at end game for the  2nd Battle of Bull Run. CSA casualties are extremely high, but I just can not quite keep Union casualties below the threshold needed for a win vs. a draw. I have a single CSA battery holding things up, and I have been unable to knock it out even with focused counter-battery fire. CSA will never regain the objective, but that CSA battery is pushing my casualties over the limit.

I expect that I will need to re-start the battle from the beginning; a draw just will not cut it at MG lvl, particularly with Antietam on the  horizon.

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27 minutes ago, BCH said:

Captured weapons have been minimal throughout this campaign despite inflicting large losses on the CSA AI forces.

On MG or higher you only capture weapons from 10% of the men killed. Capturing a unit gets you a 25% recovery rate.

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43 minutes ago, pandakraut said:

On MG or higher you only capture weapons from 10% of the men killed. Capturing a unit gets you a 25% recovery rate.

That explains a bit..

Are the weapon types randomized?

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40 minutes ago, pandakraut said:

The weapon each AI unit is equipped with is randomized to some extent.

Kettle Run - Union victory.

Inf. losses 1,522 Union vs. 7,377 CSA

Thoroughfare Gap - Union victory

Inf. losses 1,128 Union vs. 7,995 CSA

 

so in theory, I should have seen 737 inf/skirmisher weapons captured for Kettle Run and 799 weapons captured for the Gap. These weapons would have randomized at the unit level but not randomized in regard to the capture. i.e. Enfields would have come from the unit carrying Enfields, Farmers from another unit.

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11 minutes ago, BCH said:

Kettle Run - Union victory.

Inf. losses 1,522 Union vs. 7,377 CSA

Thoroughfare Gap - Union victory

Inf. losses 1,128 Union vs. 7,995 CSA

 

so in theory, I should have seen 737 inf/skirmisher weapons captured for Kettle Run and 799 weapons captured for the Gap. These weapons would have randomized at the unit level but not randomized in regard to the capture. i.e. Enfields would have come from the unit carrying Enfields, Farmers from another unit.

Numbers should be close to that.

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Early reports are trickling in from Sharpsburg..

Union Corps were out-numbered more than 2:1 in the battle to take Sharpsburg; after crossing Antietam Creek, the Union Corps battled for hours around Dunkard Church inflicting heavy casualties on the Rebel forces. Several Confederate counter-attacks were blunted but at the cost of heavy Union casualties. While a small Union force was sent to reconnoiter Sharpsburg itself, the initial Union brigades seized the Dunkard Church area and with additional Union reinforcements pushed the Rebel brigades that were left back into their earthworks along a sunken road.

The Union line was able to conduct flanking attacks on the entrenchments with support from Union batteries; long range Union batteries knocked out Rebel batteries one by one.

The recon force sent to Sharpsburg initially took the town but was pushed out by Confederate reinforcements, fortunately they were able to form a defensive line and kept the Rebels bottled up in Sharpsburg. As the Rebels were pushed out of their entrenchments, the Union continued to flank the Rebel forces while pounding the center with artillery fire. Essentially the CSA brigades were surrounded on three sides as they were pushed back.

Sharpsburg was retaken and held. The Stone Bridge was still held by greatly depleted Rebel forces; but that force poses no  threat.

Rebel losses  were around 80+% while the Union lost in excess of 60% of their effective force.

Elsewhere, reports indicate that a second battle at Bull Run was inconclusive; but it is reported the Rebels took a beating.

 

 

 

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Dispatch from the Union commander at Iuka: Slightly out -numbered by the Rebels, Stop; Took our objective, Stop; Our casualties 770, Rebel casualties in excess of 5,300, Stop; Enemy has fled the field, Stop.

Report from Perryville Crossroads:

Out-numbered at least two to one by Confederate brigades on all side; we held the area around the Widow Bottoms Farm. Our casualties are around 1,300 infantry and it is estimated that the Rebels lost around 10,000 infantry, and at least two full batteries. The crossroads are firmly in Union hands.

Grim news as we approach Fredricksburg; early reconnaissance indicates a large CSA presence with strong earthworks. We have pulled together 24,858 Infantry, but many brigades are not much more than raw recruits.  Union sympathizers are estimating at least 63,000 Confederate Infantry.

 

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Jefferson Davis' traitorous government is stunned to the core.

The Union has pulled off a shockingly major victory at Fredricksburg.

Union Forces                 vs.                  CSA Forces
Inf.   24,585                    vs.                 63,327
Cav.   1,050                    vs.                    5,008
Art.     3,982/163 guns vs.                    4,482/189 guns

 

Union losses                 vs.                  CSA losses
Inf.       7,644                  vs.                  29,896
Cav.         311                 vs.                     3,064
Art.           687/20          vs.                     1,401/58

 

Put me down as being absolutely astounded with this outcome..

I took Fredricksburg with minimal losses by taking all Union forces to cross the single bridge on the southside. Once all Union brigades and batteries were in place, I pushed north to the objective.

Prospect Hill:

2 Cavalry, 2 skirmishers, two batteries, and two Inf. brigades were sent to eastern most woods (NE of the objective on the CSA right flank); they tied up CSA cavalry units and provided a distraction.

5+ brigades,  2 skirmishers, and 6-7 batteries were sent to the hill which is adjacent to the angle formed by the CSA left flank. One skirmisher moved toward that angle and remained hidden, but spotted for the batteries; all infantry brigades held back and were also not spotted in the early part of the battle.

I Corp, 1st and 2nd divisions, plus part of the 3rd division were sent to the area of the river north of the CSA left flank. A Union skirmisher armed with sniper rifles, spotted for I Corp 1/2 batteries. Again infantry stayed out of range and were also not spotted.

The Union reserves which only amounted to two divisions total were sent to the Union left center to prevent flanking attacks on what is a rather spread out Union line.

Union batteries bombard the entrenched CSA brigades on the CSA left flank (none of which I could actually see, but the Union guns were racking up kills). In the woods, NE of the CSA right, the small Union contingent pushes the CSA cavalry back; eventually, two Union Inf. brigades from the reserves are sent to keep that small Union force from being flanked.

CSA brigades start to attack the Union center (mostly on the previously mentioned hill); they are basically running into an L shaped ambush with the Union reserves that were positioned left center of the Union line. More CSA brigades started appearing in the open. I push the Union snipers closer to the CSA left flank entrenchments, the entrenchments have been abandoned. I then rushed I Corp 1st and 2nd divisions along with their supporting batteries past the abandoned CSA entrenchments.

The entire CSA left flank and portions of their center had moved into open ground to attack the Union forces on the hill and center; I Corp 1st and 2nd, face one CSA brigade; two Union brigades charge and destroy it.  I Corp 1st and 2nd have now enfilade  fire to the rear of most CSA brigades. Union forces simply roll up the entire CSA line, and take Prospect Hill.

 

Marye's Heights

I had to keep reminding myself, that I did not need to take the Heights. I set up to have Union artillery bombard the CSA right flank on the Heights. I made an attempt to turn that flank but withdrew to minimize casualties, when it was obvious that I did not have the forces to do it. Union forces simply held in position on the edge of Fredricksburg. There was an attempted CSA counter attack against the town, but it was driven off with heavy CSA casualties.

 

Telegraph Hill

When this objective came up, I sent a cavalry unit, two skirmisher units, and a 500 man inf brigade in that direction. One skirmisher unit was sent the long way around to the rear of the objective; the cavalry unit was sent to the front, as far south as possible. One skirmisher unit probed the CSA line, which unfortunately covered the entire front.  The Union skirmisher drew off a CSA brigade which allowed the cavalry to sneak into the woods far south of the objective. The 500 man Inf. brigade reached the far south, but was engaged in melee; that proved fortuitous, as CSA brigades then ignored the objective which was seized by the Union skirmisher brigade and cavalry brigade.

(Note: that 500 man Union brigade was only armed with Farmer Muskets; it was engaged in melee by a two star CSA brigade almost three times it size. It never routed until the very end, and provided the necessary distraction away from the objective.)

 

The rest is now history.. major loss for the Confederates.

 

Still astounded!

Edited by BCH
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