Yes, I know. It's been covered enough in the past, but really, it just is too much to bear:
Turn #73/100 of a perversely tricky custom scenario on HPS Gettysburg called "Longstreets foot Cavalry".
Fair enough, my opponent HAS played a very clever game and I, it must be said, have turned in a shockingly poor performance. But quite apart from getting to grips with the finer points of the operational situation and my opponents crafty manuevering...I've had the feeling all along that nothing I do is going to make the slightest bit of difference anyway BECAUSE once again, some conspiracy at the design stage has left us with two wholly unequal sides with which to contest the issue.
My enemy is hitting my centre. I've calculated that about 8,000 - 9,000 Reb Infanry with strong artillery support are hitting a line of a similar number of Union Infantry, also supported by artillery. My growing sense of frustration reached a peak on the last turn when watching the Reb replay I noted these fire results along the frontage of line in question:
Reb; 11,24,3,6,1,37,18,3,24,36,23,21,15,8,11,15,8,4,9,4,5,3 = total 279 casualties inflicted plus 1 wounded officer.
Union; 0,0,0,0,1,1,0,F,2,0,0,F,0,F,0,F,0,F,F,F,F,F,F,F,1,0,0 = total 5 casualties inflicted plus fatigue results against Artillery moving and unlimbering.
Now, I tell you that any game that produces lop sided results of this nature is going to be basically unwinnable for the side getting the thin end of it. I don't want to hear about how the Union wins games through extra supply and more artillery? I don't think I've ever seen a game where that was the case...goodness knows I've played enough to know a reasonable amount about how the game usually plays out.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the field more headaches reveal themselves. A lone Reb Cavalry detachment of about 60 men, after overunning one Gun section has been surrounded by a Union force of 4 Infantry Regiments, 2 Cavalry detachments and 1 Gun section totalling more than 800 men. But of course, the Reb unit has managed to un-disrupt itself, without the aid of a leader, and melee my weakest unit out of the way. So, yet another turn wasted while I finally move to surround it again and finish it off. How many Reb players have had this happen to them at the hands of Union Cavalry?
It goes on and on. No wonder most of my Reb opponents insist on turn based play. I don't blame them.
Well, upon seeing the latest replay...I was ready to throw the mouse through the monitor screen. I studied the results page and considered a termination bid. I'll no doubt cool off and return to the file and play out my reponse. After all...I owe it to my opponent out of respect for him. But sometimes, I wonder why anyone in the Blue bothers to be honest...
Brigadier-General Jim Wilkes.
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, XX Corps.
AoC. U.S.A.
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