Most lopsided victory

[Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck]

What was it? As either side.

 

My most one-sided victory was when I played as Confederacy (I almost never play as Union) inflicted 30,000 casualties while suffering 20,000 of my own. Not the most crushing victory - but still better than nothing.

[Costin]

42.000 Union dead vs 23.000 Confederates 

 

I effectively crushed half the entire army of the Potomac.

[michaelsmithern]

I crushed 68,238 Union soldiers in my last campaign(a week ago) while only losing around 10,000(sorry can't remember this one) and I remember thinking wow that's like 3/4 of the union army

 

Note: this was on the easiest difficulty, and I practically wiped out entire units with ease. If you are newer it may be hard to do, but the old timers should be able to do it no problem, the only trade off is it isn't very interesting, it's just bland and time-consuming...basically no challenge, but you get high numbers

[Taggart]

I crushed 68,238 Union soldiers in my last campaign(a week ago) while only losing around 10,000(sorry can't remember this one) and I remember thinking wow that's like 3/4 of the union army

 

Note: this was on the easiest difficulty, and I practically wiped out entire units with ease. If you are newer it may be hard to do, but the old timers should be able to do it no problem, the only trade off is it isn't very interesting, it's just bland and time-consuming...basically no challenge, but you get high numbers

 

That's the point though, isn't it? Just to see if you could actually do it.

[michaelsmithern]

That's the point though, isn't it? Just to see if you could actually do it.

Yeah you're right

[Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck]

I am amidst a stellar victory, playing as CSA:

1st phase - all VPs taken, 3,500 CSA casualties and 5,300 Union casualties

2nd phase - all VPs taken, 2,900 CSA casualties, 5,900 Union casualties

3rd phase - the VP taken, 2,600 CSA casualties, 10,000 Union casualties.

 

Could such casualties even be possible during the actual battle? In that battle during day 1 my ANV units completely devastated their AoP enemies with the AoP suffering almost as many losses as it did during the whole battle of Gettysburg from July 1 tp 3.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck

[David Fair]

The general metrics for an ACW lopsided victory in battlefield casualties is 2.5 to 1.  

This measure of success was achieved by the South at Fredericksburg and the North at Malvern Hill for example.

 

In all cases of lopsided victories the defender suffered the lower casualty number.

 

Defense was much more effective during the ACW because:

1) artillery could not be moved forward effectively

(generally the artillery horses were slaughtered on the advance - at Gettysburg for example the CSA lost 35% of their artillery horses; suffering more casualties than any of the combat arms (infantry 30%, cavalry and artillery 10%)).

2) defending troops usually had the benefit of cover

3) defending troops had the benefit of topography

 

John Bell Hood managed to give the Union a 3 to 1 battlefield result at the Battle of Franklin when he continued to order attacks despite his devastating losses.

 

So such casualties would not be possible unless John Bell Hood was the Northern commander and was attacking rather than defending.

 

The best case metrics for ACW casualties for the attacking side was about 1 to 1.  

 

Note that the benefit of attacking was that it held out the prospect of capturing large numbers of men.  

 

Grant achieved this result in 3 of his battles in each case the South surrendered its armies:

- Fort Donelson (12,000 prisoners)

- Vicksburg (29,000 prisoners)

- Appomattox (25,000 prisoners)

 

The game is designed to give the illusion that the South could have defeated the AoP by relentless attacks.   

 

Note that in the game's defense you can't take POW's so perhaps you could interpret some of the casualties as captures?

 

It is stunningly easy to steamroll the AI - which is why the AI boost was added.

[Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck]

My battle is over.

22,000 CSA losses to 37,000 Union losses. Casualties in some Union divisions reach 80%

 

In the phase with 2,500 to 10,000 casualties I had a huge numerical advantage (28,000 vs 17,000 and 5 to i advantage in artillery ) - and could use the firepower to the best (Lanchester's laws). I simply mowed down encircled enemy troops with methodical musket and artillery fire.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck