Assaults: The Guide to Success

[Hancock the Superb]

Assaults have a tendancy to be the trickiest of maneuvers on a Civil War battlefield. Executed perfectly, a sight to behold awaits; brigade after brigade steping off and marching towards the enemy line, which first staggers, then crumbles, leading to victory with the precision of a surgeon. An attack misguided, however, results with a carpet of bodies and regiment after regiment streaming back in defeat.

This guide does not tell the commander how to attack. It is merely a series of posts that offers general guidelines to formulate a successful attack. Not all of the advantages listed below are neccessary to ensure a successful attack; and furthermore, the use of every suggestion will not necessitate a victory. Remember, you are the general in the field, it is ultimately your decision to make the attack or not.

Good luck, and wish you many victories.

[Hancock the Superb]

Commandment #1:

You must believe your assault can succeed. If you don't believe it can, it is foolish to waste lives in the attempt. Find somewhere else to throw your troops into the fray.

[Hancock the Superb]

Tip #2:

The successful use of artillery before the attack will increase your chances of success. Before attacking, engage in counter-battery fire to reduce the number of enemy cannon; extraneous artillery should shell the position of attack. During the attack, switch targets to enemy infantry, preferably the supports to the first line near the point of attack.

[Hancock the Superb]

Principle #3:

Numerical superiority at the point of attack often leads to success. The greater number of troops put at the point of attack increases the effectiveness of the attack.

[Hancock the Superb]

Commandment #4:

Attacks should be measured in chances of success.

[Hancock the Superb]

Rule of Thumb #5:

The ratio of attackers to defenders at the point of attack heavily influences the success of an attack. In general, a one to one ratio has a 33% chance. Two attackers per defender increases the chances to 60%. Three to one increases to 75%, and four to one is 85%. There is no 100% chance for success despite complete numeric superiority.

[Hancock the Superb]

Key Term #6:

Point of attack - the place you are attempting to break the enemy's defensive line, no larger than three regiments in width.

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Principle #7:

The are three stages to an assault. The build-up, where you move troops from their starting locations into firing range at the point of attack and the resulting firefight. The break-through, where enemy regiments retreat and you advance through the point of attack, while supports are being brought up. And the break-out, where local enemy counter-attacks are defeated by supports, the breach in the line is widened, and the defender abandons the line of defense.

[Hancock the Superb]

Tip #8:

The most successful attacks are often set up in two waves. The first wave should be composed of two or more lines, one brigade in line of battle in each spaced 200 to 300 yards apart. They should all move at the same time towards the point of attack; as each brigade reaches the firing line, it moves through the currently firing troops, reliving the previous line of incuring casualties. The second (support) wave should be at least one line, positioned either to the right or left of the first wave, which advances about the time of the break-through; this line will deal with enemy counter-attacks.

[Hancock the Superb]

Rule of Thumb #9:

In a successful attack, the attacker should suffer fewer casualties than the defender. Although casualties will pile up during the build-up phase, attacking units should be able to dish out more casualties during the break-out, where they will overwhelm portions of the defender's line and engulf unsupported units.