J&P Confederate 2nd Manassas

[PersonMcPerson]

I've hit a bit of a roadblock in my campaign - no matter what I do in 2nd Bull Run, the Union keeps just charging before my reinforcements arrive, which breaks my lines. I have four divisions in my first corps, each one four infantry brigades(+2000 men) and one artillery regiment, which isn't enough to plug the holes in my line that the charges create. Advice?

[PersonMcPerson]

Nevermind, I found a solution

[pandakraut]

While the battle can be done with only 4 divisions, it's highly recommended to go up to AO 9 so you have 5 divisions in your first corps for this battle.

Interesting approach though, did the AI go after your VP at any point? I thought if they captured it the battle ended, but I didn't try setting up behind the fords myself.

[PersonMcPerson]

No - they seemed entirely focused on my army itself, not so much the VP.

 

Kemper's Legion(it's a bit blurry - the one in the middle), thanks to their Whitworths, ended up getting over 5000 kills that battle, at the cost of 400 casualties.

[pandakraut]

Interesting. I'll do some tests and see if I can recreate and find a way to make the AI a bit less inept

[Gael]

 

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PersonMcPerson, this is what I wrote to another who was having difficulty with 2nd Manassas.  This solution still seems to work for me 6 years later.  I used to live in Manassas for 5 years and know the terrain of 1st and 2nd Manassas battlefields fairly well.

 

Posted November 22, 2017

Gmoney7447,

COL & BG levels: 

During the 1st moment of 2nd Manassas (or 2nd Bull Run for the Yanks), I always send cavalry units and all available skirmisher units into most all of the wooded areas of the map - skirmishers into the right/East side of the map can go to wooded or built-up areas in front of the CSA fortifications, but not into the little white banner locations on the railroad as those just get your troops shot up.  The skirmishers and cavalry on the middle and left/West - I send all I can get my hands on into the wooded areas - spread out - one skirmisher into Groveton, all others into wooded areas - one in the far left woods toward map bottom - two into woods south of Groveton, three spread north to south in the thin woods north of Groveton, and a couple others into wooded areas in middle and middle-south of the water-way.  Watch for any and all targets of opportunity to ambush - supply wagons to capture and send back to be used by CSA during the 1st day - and to wipe out Fed artillery units that are not escorted ( this can really play havoc with the other side's ability to conduct battle.  Be certain to remember you need to play "hide-and-seek" and to "run" when the Feds come chasing your skirmishers and cavalry.)  There is one artillery battalion that shows up SW of Groveton following 3 Yank brigades - I always stalk that battalion and wipe it out - no matter how long it takes and no matter how much cat-and-mouse I have to do.  Realize that supply wagons and artillery (and infantry) flow from East (crossing Bull Run) to far West and to north west.  When things work well I can capture 4-6 supply wagons and knock off about 2-4 artillery battalions during the first day.  Route those supply wagons SAFELY to your artillery units backing the fortifications at middle and ESPECIALLY the East.  These captured supply wagons are the ONLY way to keep my troops supplied with ammo and in the fight during the 1st day's heavy fighting in the East section of fortifications.

As CSA, I utilize the fortifications north of the tracks - mid-way between the unfinished railroad line and the woods, and on the bottom edge of the woods toward the West.  For the fortifications of middle and East, I put brigades into those with the white banner locations, and put another brigade behind each one in the fortifications - the fire of both are sufficient to turn away the Yanks.  When the first one gets worn down, put the 2nd into the fortifications and put the first in the rear position.  Although the Yanks take quite a beating, they can still eventually push your troops away from the fortifications - at that time position your troops up the hill and into the edge of the woods.  Move reserve troops of the West gradually to the East as those CSA of the East will be wearing down fairly fast once the serious mass attacks start rolling.

During the next day -- realize the actual terrain of Bull Run is uniquely formed - there is a portion starting a bit north of stone bridge and starting to turn West, where the Eastern bank of Bull Run forms a "cliff" about 15-25 feet higher than the West bank, and this runs almost all the way over to the Sudley Ford / Sudley Church area.  (Sudley Church is there, expanded, and still used by the local community.  I lived in the Manassas area for about 5 years.  )   There is criticism in some books about Stonewall's not pushing hard and attacking after Porter's attack was beaten back.  -- Realize, that he/you WANT to trap the whole Yank force against that cliff area - they can't take their artillery and supply wagons into Bull Run's water (the 3-4 foot banks are steep, and then up that cliff - it is there and it is real.  Jackson did not want Pope's Army to move away from Sudley Ford / Bull Run "cliff".  This is also why Pope's Army (and McDowell in 1st Manassas) was desperate to retreat everyone across the stone bridge area (E.P. Alexander was the engineer in charge of blowing up stone bridge during Johnston's retreat down to Richmond during the Spring of 1862 - it was rebuilt by the National Battlefield Park Service about 20 years ago so all can once again walk on it.)  During the retreat there was another of McClellan's Corps that had pulled up and stationed themselves between Cub Run and Bull Run East of the stone bridge area and would have provided covering fire.  This is why Longstreet's attack had to swing around Henry House Hill, sweep past stone bridge, and trap Pope's army against those cliffs, while Jackson had to hold his position around the Sudley Ford and Sudley Church area.  When the attack did not go thru the woods to the stone bridge, this is the moment the strategic movements of Jackson and Lee/Longstreet failed in this 2nd attempt to surround Pope's Army for either surrender or destruction. 

In your game, the strategy is the same - block Sudley Ford, have Longstreet swing around - taking Stone Bridge and the two northern fords, and then pull the noose tighter and tighter while destroying as much of Pope's Army as possible.  (Easy ....?  )

                             --Gael