Storming of Bristol

[Waldorf]

This one hasn't quite reached Lutter levels of frustration for me yet, but I can see it has the potential to get there!

I've tried a number of different approaches, but I think what advice I'm looking for boils down to "is the secret to get behind the Heavy Fortifications eventually, and if so at what point?". The *only* side I've managed to convincingly hold is the south against the Cornish. This can even be done by not deploying in the southernmost forts outside the town walls. The commanded shot and crossfire of artillery is enough for the southern wall to never fall.

Everywhere else though eventually crumbles and I usually end up falling back within the town but invariably too late. Is this won by abandoning the outer defences pretty quickly or is there another secret to success? I once managed to take out three artillery emplacements with a somewhat suicidal cavalry charge, but the cavalry then get pinned down and filleted.

Is there a turn at which this battle resolves earlier than Turn 20 under certain conditions? I don't think I've ever managed to hold much longer than 14.

Any advice gratefully received!

[rbodleyscott]

You aren't supposed to actually win, you are supposed to cause as many Royalist routs as possible before eventually losing. The victory conditions will decide if you have done enough to be allowed to march out with full military honours.

Essentially concentrate your fire as much as possible rather than spreading it evenly across the attackers. You are trying to make as many of the Royalist units rout as possible.

That's about it really...

[Waldorf]

Ah. Have I misread the victory conditions then? I assumed I was aiming for the usual +25% or flat "opposition at 60%". I could swear that's what the conditiond say, but I've been wrong before!

If the thresholds are "hidden", could you spill the beans? By PM if necessary!

[shawkhan2]

You are on the strategic defensive but need to make at least one local attack tactically.

I withdrew from the light fortifications as they are simply deathtraps and attacked to the right.

With your light guns, cavalry and a couple commanded shot you can completely destroy the enemy to the NE.(right flank)

Use your pikemen to counterattack, keep your commanded shot and clubmen in built-up areas and it can be done.


Sitting tight and waiting passively to be destroyed is not the way to win.

When I last played this one, I tried attacking in different directions until I found the best one.

[JosephM]

Hello All,

This map makes me want to cry (sorry Richard). The condition is that 25% of the enemy are routed before you lose 40% I think. But I've played it about 25 times now and can't seem to do it. I've managed to rout 25% of the enemy (probably 28%) during the battle itself, but because a few enemy units rallied when I approached the victory condition I'd end up losing. I think I need to try focusing more on one wing, perhaps going all out on the left or right.

So far I've tried moving pikemen into position on the right to hold the walls, but I think I am still to focused on holding a wide front than focusing on casualties. I could probably rout 40% of the enemy before I lose 65%, but that elusive 25% is too high. I've had to take a break and I've managed to get a few missions further into the 1st BA2 Soviet campaign, but I'll no doubt be back on P&S this weekend. I think I'll try Shawkhan's strategy and I may leave a scant force of Commanded Shot on the left hand side wall and retreat them at the first sign of danger (but hopefully eliminating the dragoons first as they are easy kills), then move all pikemen and horse to the right and crush their right flank.

[Waldorf]

Right - looks like I *did* misread the victory conditions.

Will try attacking to the right and see how that goes.

Climbing over our walls *does* seem counter-intuitive, but so be it!

[KateMicucci]

The victory conditions give you a hint of how to win. Route 25% of the enemy. The Royalists have conveniently divided themselves into 4 parts.

I won easily by gathering most of my men and attacking one quarter of the Royalists.

That was after several failed attempts to defend conventionally.

[Waldorf]

Yes that's how I managed it too.

Have had a relatively good run since then, eight battles down and only two to go.

[Jonathan4290]

Just though I'd share my strategy for winning this one since it seems everyone agrees this one appears pretty tough. First of all, all directions in my description are based off the Cornish forces being the south (the grey units facing the small part of the city).

Basically, I won this pretty easily by launching a major sortie against the eastern Royalist forces in order to completely annihilate that side while the other fronts fall back to the heavy fortifications of the city. The northern and western Royalist forces have too many superior units and numbers, and the southern Cornish forces are easily held back and will give you a few rout points by coming too close to your entrenched units there.

What does this mean in practical terms? To annihilate the eastern Royalist forces swiftly and without loss, you're going to need maximum firepower and shock. I'd suggest putting 2 x med arty on the walls, 4 x light arty on the right protected by the river, 4-5 x commanded shot, 2 x pike, and ALL your cav. I put arty up front followed by commanded shot to get to the flanks to not get in way of arty LOS, then pikes and cav to actually do the shock combat. Keep in mind your cav have carbines and aren't exactly slouches in firepower either. You should be able to completely annihilate this force by turn 8-9. The strategy works because the Royalist cav don't actually start moving until turn 10ish, and Royalist forces do not support other fronts.

Defensively, I put 3 x commanded shot in the south against the Cornish forces with 1 x light arty to the left of them and 1 x light arty and 1 x commanded shot to the right on the peninsula to provide some crossfire. The rest of the light arty is spread along the walls to the north and west to slow the Royalist forces from just ploughing in. The rest of your commanded shot go along the walls until the Royalist pike and shot are within charging distance at which point you should retreat them back to the city's heavy fortifications. They won't hold indefinitely but when the enemy units are killing 0-1 men on shot or 0-2 on melee combat per turn, you'll have eliminated the eastern force and probably smashed up the southern Cornish forces enough to get some chain routs.

When your sortie/attack force does crush its opposition, you can turn it against other Royalist forces but just make sure it doesn't enter the battle piecemeal. You'll have a huge combined arms force aimed at the heavily engaged northern Royalist forces' left flank; use it properly! I turned my epic 4 x light arty battery to provide a murderous barrage against the southern Cornish forces.

I ended up routing like 45% of the Royalists by the end to my 38% and had only suffered 7% casualties when I had crossed the threshold of routing 25% of the enemy. Final note: the scenario actually goes to turn 20 so keep in mind you'll need to ensure the enemy doesn't rally enough forces to force a stalemate/loss.