Overwhelmed by this game, need guidance...?

[WilliamBrown]

I've read all the instructions and decided to play the Battle of Bull Run, which I've studied historically.

My first experience of this game was just feeling overwhelmed by the number of troops you control and how big the map is. SHAREit

It was very tempting and easy to simply circle all my troops on the righ SHAREitt side of the field and direct the entire group toward my enemy.  Within a few minutes I had taken over a major objective point. I tried this with some other targets and it worked also.

I realize this is a very stupid and unsophisticated way to play, just pointing and clicking like a video game, so I am hoping some videos or tutorials can help me really understand the right way to play this game.

AppvnAre there any such tutorials or guidance for me?

Thanks.

Edited November 29, 2020 by WilliamBrown

[MarkShot]

If you have access to Steam you will find both written guides and references to videos.  Or just do a YouTube search.

If you are a war gamer, I think the camp is the harder portion ... it you have done linear combat before.

[pandakraut]

A useful beginner guide: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1274743463

If you like following along campaigns, there are a variety available on youtube.

Col Kelly, Aetius, History Guy Gaming, Benjamin Magnus Games, Fiasco_Games, Something Compass, Hibob Warbob, and myself are some channels to lookup. Note that campaigns older than 2018 may be on older versions of the game or have some outdated mechanics information, but any of these will still be useful in terms of how to manage your army.

[Gael]

William,

I still play the campaigns and the historical battles after 4 years.

"1st Manassas" or "1st Bull Run":

What works for me on the Confederate side is to initially defend at the Stone Bridge and the ford just north of there with your initial force.  Send two  skirmish units up the woods near Sudley Ford at the north of the map to make the Federal forces slow down and deploy, and then retreat each separately to the left and to the right into woods far away where after an interlude they can be used to attack and charge artillery batteries after the Federal brigades have passed. 

As additional troops arrive, build a defensive line just inside the water on the Henry House Hill.  Do not send them over to Mathews Hill where they get chewed up just as in the historical battle.

At this point, pull back the defenders of stone bridge and the nearby ford to Henry House Hill and defend behind the water barrier (which in actuality is a 10 foot wide ditch covered with tall grass).

When JEB Stuart arrives I usually send him to the left to work with the initial skirmisher unit to attack batteries and to possible knock off a cavalry unit or two.  Only on rare occasion do I send him in a charge into Federal brigade's flank or rear which must already be occupied in an infantry fight or have retreated in a disrupted mode (blinking blue - light blue - blue - etc.).  His small cavalry unit is too small in this battle to really damage a brigade without being repulsed with loss.

I usually send Stonewall Jackson and 4 of his regiments and one artillery battery to the left flank behind the water barrier (near the Stone House - used as a military hospital where they sawed off limbs and threw them onto piles outside the windows === the Sudley Church is also still there (enlarged), and was used as a military hospital for both big battles, with planks placed on top of the pews for the troops to be laid upon) to slow down or stop the Federal brigades.  The last Virginia regiment and Brockenbrough's brigade I send to extend the Confederate right flank to hold the ford.

You will now be on the defensive at about a 2:1 ratio against you, until BG Johnston can arrive with his 5 brigades - sending Holmes' brigade to the right to shore up the defense, and directing the other four to the left attempting to turn and destroy the Federal right flank.

trivia: Stone Bridge was blown up in 1862 by E.P. Alexander - later Longstreet's Chief of Artillery - and was rebuilt about 20 years ago by the National Park Service.

 

Here is something I posted awhile back, as to where one can look for insights on various battles and trivia:

Posted April 25, 2019

Donkey Kong,

I suggest you go to this topic below where I entered several notes in response to stated difficulties in philosophy, strategy, and army build - discussing primarily 2nd Manassas and some info regarding 1st Manassas (Bull Run for the Yanks).  The insights offered may be of value to you.  As to memorizing the keys --- I just used the mouse and it is easy and quick for me. 

A number of my notes are posted throughout the forum, just write "Gael" in the SEARCH box and see if any of the topics may be of use or interest to you.

I used to live for 5 years in Manassas, VA, about 10 minutes drive from the two battlefields located on top of each other, and checked different aspects and books about them.

Good luck and enjoy the game,

     --Gael