I do hope that this game is not a “race the clock” challenge. The OP stated that he took the objective, did not suffer overwhelming casualties and drove the Union off. But he did not win the scenario. It did not make sense to him. Several replies told him that even though he took the objective, kept losses down and drove off the enemy…he apparently didn’t do it all quickly enough. In addition, he was told that this was “highly historical”, and that even though the Union was driven from the field that first day, they actually won. Its unclear if this last was meant that they still won the battle for McPherson’s ridge, or the three day battle as a whole. Either meaning is rather bogus for the McPherson’s ridge reference; and at best misleading as a reference to the total battle outcome as a position that this scenario has to be accomplished racing some arbitrarily set time limit.
What the Confederates did or did not accomplish on July 1 certainly encompasses much more than the contest for McPherson’s ridge. The eventual outcome of the three day battle, by a tremendous margin, encompasses more than the McPherson ridge engagement. A speedy completion of this scenario will not answer the questions about Lee’s failure to immediately follow up on the gains made July 1. Although much is still hotly debated (what civil war/Gettysburg buff doesn’t love a good debate), it is in the past, done, over…its history. Are not these scenarios a new moment in time? Are they not waiting for us, the player, to shape them-and in so doing shape the remainder of the scenarios..and thus shape the eventual outcome of the battle itself?
To say taking McPherson’s ridge quicker, or in a certain way, is needed to be successful in that scenario, and further that it is “highly historical”…means exactly what? That in the actual battle, if the Confederates had taken that ridge sooner, they could have just rolled over the Union army from that point on? I would love to debate that one. This sim, hopefully, gives us a chance to re-spin the wheels of fate and chance once again in one of the world’s greatest and dramatic battles. Scenario by scenario, each having an honest as possible influence on the other-we move on towards an outcome. Although played within a historical framework, success in one scenario should not be denied capriciously. For the rest still lay ahead to be played out…history to be made anew.
If you reread the OP’s question, he said he was given a defeat, not just denied a level of victory. I think he has a very valid point and question. And he still hasn’t had it answered. I would like to know that answer also.