Camp Gettysburg & routing

[Palantir]

Hello, :D

My CG game still hasn't arrived- bloody swollen Eastern Rivers! :mad:

Anyway, I've read a LOT of comments about "routing" units and it seems to be an important aspect of the game.

Can someone comment about this aspect and then give some tactical notes on how to counter it / use it or prevent/correct it?

BTW- is it best to try out certain scenarios or get into a PBEM with someone who will make it a learning scenario?

Thanks.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Routing is an aspect that you will have to take into consideration, especially when commanding Union troops with their lower quality rating. The computer will make a quality check for each unit each turn and it weighs the units quality factor, fatigue, and whether it is aleady disrupted to determine if a unit routs. If it routs off it goes into your rear. Besides the loss of the unit it will also disrupt any unit it happens to pass through in its skedaddle to the rear. To counter this you need reserves in place so you can rotate fresh units into the line and disrupted units out. If you are using the flank morale modifier optional rule then a unit with freindly units on both flanks will be less likely to rout. Routing units will also cause an additional check on the units adjacent though so there is some inherent danger in that also. There is an optional rout limiting rule that will decrease the chances of additional units routing from the first. I think in some situations it is called for and in some it is not. The only real way to stop routing is the use of reserves and even then your going to have some units rout before you can rotate them.

[Palantir]

What seems to be the "historical" way to use the "rout rule?"

It makes some sense that unrouted flanking friendly units would help maintain discipline in a unit. And also that the % chance of each "next" unit to rout would be less as you go down the line.

Are there leader units & do they modify a units chance to rout?

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Yes, there are leader units in the game. All the brigade commanders on up are present. Having your units in command range of their brigade commander will help prevent routing as is having your brigade commander in range of his division commander and on up the chain of command.
I normally play with the rout limiting turned off and flank morale modifier turned on. I just think having rout limiting turned off at this particular battle was producing unhistorical results. I've been reading a lot on the Battle of Gettysburg lately and there was nothing like the routing seen in Rich and I's game. I would advocate turning it on in this scenario. This is an optional rule that you will have to get a feel for. Personally I think there are battles where it is appropriate and some where it isn't.

[Palantir]

Thanks! :)

[Tom Bridges]

To expand on Palantir's "historical" question....what was the historical deployment doctrine for Civil War infantry?

Would a brigade deploy all their regiments in the line and rely on the division to maintain reserves? Or would each brigade keep one or two of their own regiments in reserve for their own portion of the line?

I ask because of the implications for command and control. If reserves are the essential answer to routs, then if a brigade has all their people in the line and one unit routs, the only available replacement must obviously come from the division reserve. This would quickly result in random intermingling of troops from the division reserve with the line brigades, resulting in major command and control problems as the division reserve troops were sent helter-skelter all over the field to replace various routed units.

This leads me to think that proper command practices demand that each brigade maintain its own reserve. If each brigade consists of 3/4 regiments this means that only 2/3 regiments would commonly be placed on the line, with the balance held in reserve. If you are attempting to maintain a continuous line this means that each brigade could only cover 2/3 hexes. And therefore each division only 6/8 hexes.

I usually find my troops MUCH more spread out than this. Sorry to be so long-winded but this leads me to my final question...what is the typical deployment frontage for a brigade/division and how does everyone go about maintaining their reserves?

Tom

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

I'd recommend that you keep your reserves from the brigade. This way you can keep your brigade together and within command radius of your brigade commander. Of course the situation is going to dictate just how much your going to be able to do this. In some cases you might be able to put a brigade in as a second line but in some cases to protect a flank you may have to forego a reserve altogether and hope for the best.

[rahamy]

Certainly depends on the situation. In an ideal situation I'll do something like the following.

If you are starting to see routs, normally that means fatigue is beginning to mount also, and some units will be disrupted after the rout. So, I would cycle the whole command out of the line and plug in a fresh brigade. The relieved brigade would reform, and then stand by to be the next reserve for that section of the line.

In cases where the line is thinner you can fill gaps one regiment at a time, compressing existing regiments on themselves, so that the gap is always in the same place and new troops coming into the line will be beside their own units.

Then of course there's the situation that normally occurs...you are under an assault and gaps start appearing all over the place, and you just have to plug in what you have when you have it! Worry about regrouping once the assault has been beaten back! :D