The central position in attack: Gettysburg Day 1

[jonnymacbrown]

JULY 1, 1863: SOUTHERN STRATEGIC CONCEPTS.

It’s very important to keep certain concepts in mind on the first day. The Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) have strategic and positional advantage THE WHOLE FIRST DAY. Only on day one do the road networks work for you and it’s very important to use the roads in attack.

Heth’s Approach. There’s no hurry here. Advance slowly and methodically with the object to secure an artillery concentration on Herr’s ridge. Leave two rifled cannon to the rear with one or two regiments of Archer in case some fool Union cavalry commander want’s to ride. You must take every precaution to keep the Cashtown Road open! Archer should protect the left, Pettigrew in the center and with Brockenbraugh supported by Davis occupy the woods to the right. In the center on the road, set up lots of guns (the howatzer is good here) and make it impossible for any Union units to survive on McPhereson’s Ridge. Wait for Pender. Do not attack the Federales piece-meal here. Buford’s cavalry armed with carbines are, alone, almost a match for Heth’s whole division and when supported by Federal 1st Division, you are outnumbered and outgunned. Stay put on Herr’s Ridge and wait upon the rest of Confederate III Corps.

Pender. Behind Herr’s Ridge Pender should move south and, still on Herr’s and behind the stream take the best artillery locations. Some good ones are in those woods near where Doubleday comes on. You may get in a fight there. Just hold on, even give ground, and try to put some guns in place to cover the ground between McP’s and Seminary ridge. Resist the temptation to move north with elements of III Corps. Confederate II Corps will soon be coming from that direction. If you move Pender or Heth there, you lose leverage for the decisive attack. Wait for Anderson.

Rhodes: Ramsur & Iverson- with Daniel in reserve, should advance down the road they come on. There is no hurry as the attack must wait for Anderson. Lee’s big mistake at Gettysburg was never using Anderson. Get some guns, organize and attack only when Anderson comes on. O’Niell and Doles hold the center road they come on and support the left of the attack. Early is too weak to do anything alone. The fact that one division of XI Corps must cover the road against them is enough. Your attack should aim at taking the wood just north of the Railroad Cut. This wood is the key to the whole McPhereson’s Ridge position.

Anderson can come on like a panzer battalion. Just before Anderson comes, the position should look fairly stable. IT IS NOT. The Union player will feel good since his losses are light and he may even forget that he must hold and fight for McPhereson’s. He may then make a strategic mistake and pull back to the Seminary Ridge too soon. That can’t be held long. Anytime an opponent gives you key real estate free of charge, it’s usually a mistake. Just knowing the right way to take advantage of mistakes comes from experience. However the enemy chooses to fight here, THE PARAMOUNT PRINCIPLE IS A COORDINATED ASSAULT WITH THE WHOLE OF III CORPS, supported by Rodes, to take Cemetery Ridge on day one.

WHEN ANDERSON ENTERS THE EQUILIBRIUM IS ALTERED for the rest of Day One. Federal III Corps is too far away to help and XII Corps is far away to the east. THE CASHTOWN ROAD LEADS ANDERSON DIRECTLY AND RAPIDLY TO THE DECISIVE POINT! The situation is then SUDDENLY thrown out of balance and there’s nothing the Union player can do about it. Rodes, Heth, Pender and Anderson must be used remorselessly and relentlessly. You can shatter the union line, the CRUX being the wood at the RR cut. If the Union player has already fallen back to the Seminary Ridge, even better, as that position is less defensible. Melee your way savagely straight to Cemetery with everything you’ve got. Cemetery Hill is the objective. Take it, defend it and separate Federal XII and XI Corps from III Corps and I Corps. Expand the breach with the remainder of II Corps and I Corps in the morning. Your positional advantage should be too strong to overcome. Jonny

[-72-]

Was wondering which title and scenario you were using Jonny? I'd recently (well within the past couple of years ... if that = "recent) payed out the 3 day historical scenario in Campaign Gettysburg twice pbem. It sounded like yours might have been a little different version or scenario; which is all good. :)

[jonnymacbrown]

"Was wondering which title and scenario you were using Jonny?"

I've always played BGG as the map is so good and the combat system accurate, and IMO it still can't be beat. However, I find it hard to understand that the reinforcement schedules in HPS are very different or different at all. Harry Heth comes marching down the Pike, followed by Pender and Anderson. The times of arrival are well known. How can it be any different? jonny :conf:

[jonnymacbrown]

"Was wondering which title and scenario you were using Jonny?"

To elaborate a bit further: There can be only one historical scenario; and that is the one I'm talking about. Isn't that the one most everyone plays? The game starts with Heth's Division moving up the Pike, followed by Pender at c. noon if my memory serves me right, and then Anderson comes on c. 4pm. I don't think there is any question about the arrival times, nor the order of march. Anyway, that's what this short article is about. jonny

[Kingmaker]

JULY 1, 1863: SOUTHERN STRATEGIC CONCEPTS.

It’s very important to keep certain concepts in mind on the first day. The Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) have strategic and positional advantage THE WHOLE FIRST DAY. Only on day one do the road networks work for you and it’s very important to use the roads in attack.

Heth’s Approach. There’s no hurry here. Advance slowly and methodically with the object to secure an artillery concentration on Herr’s ridge. Leave two rifled cannon to the rear with one or two regiments of Archer in case some fool Union cavalry commander want’s to ride. You must take every precaution to keep the Cashtown Road open! Archer should protect the left, Pettigrew in the center and with Brockenbraugh supported by Davis occupy the woods to the right. In the center on the road, set up lots of guns (the howatzer is good here) and make it impossible for any Union units to survive on McPhereson’s Ridge. Wait for Pender. Do not attack the Federales piece-meal here. Buford’s cavalry armed with carbines are, alone, almost a match for Heth’s whole division and when supported by Federal 1st Division, you are outnumbered and outgunned. Stay put on Herr’s Ridge and wait upon the rest of Confederate III Corps.

Pender. Behind Herr’s Ridge Pender should move south and, still on Herr’s and behind the stream take the best artillery locations. Some good ones are in those woods near where Doubleday comes on. You may get in a fight there. Just hold on, even give ground, and try to put some guns in place to cover the ground between McP’s and Seminary ridge. Resist the temptation to move north with elements of III Corps. Confederate II Corps will soon be coming from that direction. If you move Pender or Heth there, you lose leverage for the decisive attack. Wait for Anderson.

Rhodes: Ramsur & Iverson- with Daniel in reserve, should advance down the road they come on. There is no hurry as the attack must wait for Anderson. Lee’s big mistake at Gettysburg was never using Anderson. Get some guns, organize and attack only when Anderson comes on. O’Niell and Doles hold the center road they come on and support the left of the attack. Early is too weak to do anything alone. The fact that one division of XI Corps must cover the road against them is enough. Your attack should aim at taking the wood just north of the Railroad Cut. This wood is the key to the whole McPhereson’s Ridge position.

Anderson can come on like a panzer battalion. Just before Anderson comes, the position should look fairly stable. IT IS NOT. The Union player will feel good since his losses are light and he may even forget that he must hold and fight for McPhereson’s. He may then make a strategic mistake and pull back to the Seminary Ridge too soon. That can’t be held long. Anytime an opponent gives you key real estate free of charge, it’s usually a mistake. Just knowing the right way to take advantage of mistakes comes from experience. However the enemy chooses to fight here, THE PARAMOUNT PRINCIPLE IS A COORDINATED ASSAULT WITH THE WHOLE OF III CORPS, supported by Rodes, to take Cemetery Ridge on day one.

WHEN ANDERSON ENTERS THE EQUILIBRIUM IS ALTERED for the rest of Day One. Federal III Corps is too far away to help and XII Corps is far away to the east. THE CASHTOWN ROAD LEADS ANDERSON DIRECTLY AND RAPIDLY TO THE DECISIVE POINT! The situation is then SUDDENLY thrown out of balance and there’s nothing the Union player can do about it. Rodes, Heth, Pender and Anderson must be used remorselessly and relentlessly. You can shatter the union line, the CRUX being the wood at the RR cut. If the Union player has already fallen back to the Seminary Ridge, even better, as that position is less defensible. Melee your way savagely straight to Cemetery with everything you’ve got. Cemetery Hill is the objective. Take it, defend it and separate Federal XII and XI Corps from III Corps and I Corps. Expand the breach with the remainder of II Corps and I Corps in the morning. Your positional advantage should be too strong to overcome. Jonny

HiHi

An interesting perspective there Jonny, which may well have worked in Real life, but I'm not too sure it would work in game terms against a 'uman being'; it is afterall, a 3 day Battle.

However, they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating so do you want to give it a go? I'll play the bad guys and you can see if your thoughts pan out (I wouldn't hold you to your plan should it go pear shaped).

Like you I only play JTs Battleground, so hows this for a set up, G'burg historical, all optional rules on (negotiable) except ADF (I wont play with that on).

Drop me a line if interested.

All the Best
Peter

[jonnymacbrown]

"but I'm not too sure it would work in game terms against a 'uman being'; it is afterall, a 3 day Battle."

Thanks for the offer of a test, but I was forced to buy Vista a few years ago and all my BG games no longer work including BGG. I don't have any HPS ACW titles. However, the general precepts I present here should work against a human being. It is a 3 day battle but if the Confederate player can't take Cemetery Ridge by the start of day 2 it's all over. The Rebel player really needs to try and win it on day 1 and to do that he needs to:
a) Avoid moving north with Heth's Division. Stay on the road with Pettigrew and Davis and establish artillery on Herr's Ridge. The strong central position on the road leading to Cemetery Ridge is one where the Rebel player can't go wrong.
b) Avoid the RR cut and take the woods to the north of it with II Corps. Once those woods are taken, McPhereson's Ridge is indefensible. When McPhereson's Ridge falls the Union player may only fall back to Cemetery Ridge, taking hits all the way.
c) Aim to take the Cemetery Ridge at the end of day1 or on the morning of day 2 with the whole of III & II Corps attack. Once that high ground is taken, the Union player cannot win: His army is irrevocably split asunder. jonny:smoke:

[Kingmaker]

HiHi

Thanks for the offer of a test, but I was forced to buy Vista a few years ago and all my BG games no longer work including BGG.

Jonny a "Just in Case", BG games do play OK on Vista, I have it myself, at least my Matrix BG game does.

If you are interested, what may get it going for you is making use of the 'Compatability' function in Vista, for any Game/program go to it's 'Properties', click on the 'Compatability' tab and set it to Win 98SE or XP and you should be in.

All the Best
Peter

[FM WarB]

Jonny "Reb" has been reliving his greatest victory vs FM WarBilly Yank....

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

If you guys get a game going, I'd sure like to see an AAR with screenshots. Even if it is only a comment or two or just a grrrrr in frustation, would be cool to follow along.

[jonnymacbrown]

"If you are interested, what may get it going for you is making use of the 'Compatability' function in Vista, for any Game/program go to it's 'Properties', click on the 'Compatability' tab and set it to Win 98SE or XP and you should be in."

Thanks! That's good news. I'll give it a try! jonny ;)

---

"However, they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating so do you want to give it a go? I'll play the bad guys and you can see if your thoughts pan out (I wouldn't hold you to your plan should it go pear shaped)."

In addition, I really wouldn't and couldn't play you having given you a detained and written plan of my attack, now could I? That's a tough proposition. jonny