SHILOH 1862 AAR

[Curtis Lemay]

Conclusions:

OK, I admit that my opening moves by the Confederacy more closely resembled a surgical strike than the blundering mess that happened historically. But I’ll pass on trying to force that on the Confederate player. Otherwise, I think I finally got the scenario working about like I want it (and it took four false starts and revisions before I got there).

I do plan to make the revisions I mentioned about the VPs associated with the bridge capture and 3rd Division withdrawal. And the bug with crossing the river has to be fixed in TOAW’s cease fire process before the scenario can be played.

Can this system I developed for Shiloh work with other Civil War battles? Shiloh was special in that it was early in the war, before Minie Rifles were universal, and it was very heavily wooded, blunting the impact of ranged fire. But it’s almost irresistible to at least give it a try.

Happy Wargaming!

[larryfulkerson]

Excellent work Bob dude. I appreciate all your hard work and the
analysis that goes along with it. This scenario sounds like a winner
alright.

[gwgardner]

Thoroughly interesting and intrigueing. Thanks for all the analysis.

[rhinobones]

Enjoyed the AAR and complying analysis. Not common that TOAW fans are treated to such detailed information and views from under the hood. Thank you.


I have a bit of scenario design information regarding musket/rifle era warfare the you might be interested in reading.


Some years ago I played around with a Civil War era test scenario where I used the editor to make all units (sans engineers and HQs) ranged units. I used the artillery, heavy artillery and horse drawn artillery as is, but with range increased to about ten hexes. All other ranged units (infantry guns, mortars, para artillery) were converted into cavalry and infantry units with ranges around 4 hexes.


Infantry foot movement was adjusted so it took two turns in clear terrain to move thru the kill zone (infantry rifle range) before hand to hand combat was initiated. Of course this takes a custom icon set and lots of monkeying around with unit shell weight, lethality and range characteristics to get things to play right. Battle lines became 2 to 3 hexes apart with volleys fired by the attacker and return fire by the defender, i.e. in this case using artillery counter-battery fire disguised as defender rifle and artillery fire.


In my test scenarios I used a map of 100m hexes. Battle formations lined up 2 to 4 hexes (100m per hex) apart, maneuvered and fired until a weakness developed, then the big charge. Of course this was hot seat play and it was totally biased on what I wanted to see. But I think the principle is sound.


The map scales employed by TOAW have little need for “line of sight” considerations, but the scenario as I’ve described would be affected by line of sight direct fires. I think that some of the line of sight problems can be solved, or at least reduced, by intelligent map design.


I never carried this concept to a playable solution deserving of publishing. However, you seem to be the sort of fellow who enjoys taking TOAW to the limits. Should you ever be interested, you have my address.


Regards, RhinoBones

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: rhinobones

The map scales employed by TOAW have little need for “line of sight” considerations, but the scenario as I’ve described would be affected by line of sight direct fires. I think that some of the line of sight problems can be solved, or at least reduced, by intelligent map design.

Thanks for your comments. I actually have ambitions for some day adding a bit of line-of-sight direct fire to TOAW IV. It would only apply to these new scales below 2.5km/hex.

[Hyding]

The CSA's defeat on the second day was do in large part to them depleting their ammunition reserves.

Is their second day ammunition shortage modeled in any way?

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Narses

The CSA's defeat on the second day was do in large part to them depleting their ammunition reserves.

Is their second day ammunition shortage modeled in any way?

There is no ammo resupply at night.

[Nelson1805]

Coulld you tell me where did you find this Manpower Losses Chart? I do not know where to look for it at the end of the game. Thank you!

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Nelson1805



Coulld you tell me where did you find this Manpower Losses Chart? I do not know where to look for it at the end of the game. Thank you!

I didn't "find" it. I created it with Excel (see the attached shot). The loss data was compiled from each turn's inventory of each side. Then the data was used to create the chart in Excel.