Shall I really left troops inside a City/Fortification?

[Granatenwerfer]

Hello,

I play as CSA. To defend Manassas I left 8 elements, 2 Generals and 2 supply wagons inside the city (posture defend/defend). They were entrenched only - no fortification of the city. To my big surprise the USA moved a big army stack (PWR >800) onto Manassas, but without attacking, sieging only. In the next turn my troopers surrendered without fighting.
I did not have expected that a garrison just surrendered without fighting - even they were good supplied and with plenty of ammo.

I set back the game to the turn before. But this time I set my troopers inside Manassas to defend/hold at all costs. In the next turn they did not surrender. Instead a breach occurred. Another turn later all my troopers surrendered, again without fighting.

Now I ask me how to stop the blue wave. It is my very first game. I assume selecting the CSA for a newbie player like me is a special challenge. My central question is whether it even makes sense to leave troops in a city, even if the city has fortifications? Isn't a city a death trap then?

Thank you very much.

[psanick]

Keep in mind that I'm not an AGEOD veteran like others here on the forum, but I do have some experience. It's exactly what you said. Cities are death traps. It's best to always leave your troops outside the cities, leave them in the region. First reason is this problem you are facing. The second is that the troops becomes entrenched in the region. And finally, if you suffer an attack there is the possibility of retreating your troops and not losing them completely. With that in mind, especially when playing with the CSA, it is interesting to defend in depth, always leaving troops on escape routes to become entrenched, to make the Union bleed in continuous attacks on defensive positions.

[Granatenwerfer]

What do you do with your outside of a city entrenched troops during winter and harsh weather? Maybe ordering some of the troops inside the warm city to avoid attrition, leaving a small stack outside to remain the entrenchment level?

I appreciate your opinion very much!

[Majorc28]

Garrisoning inside a city or Fort with a small force is okay. (1-2units) It can slow down a larger army for a turn or so. But the idea is to relieve the besieged with another army. Placing large forces into a no escape siege situation is risky.

In the winter trying to place your troops away from frontlines where they can sit in cities is part of the strategy.

[psanick]

It's like Majorc28 said.
Another thing is that troops with supply wagons can withstand attrition in bad weather. Those who suffer the damage are the wagons like this.

[Stratman]

What do you do with your outside of a city entrenched troops during winter and harsh weather? Maybe ordering some of the troops inside the warm city to avoid attrition, leaving a small stack outside to remain the entrenchment level?

Hi there!

Troops in the regions with structures (cities, depots) don't get penalties from attrition because of winter and harsh weather even if they are located outside the city.
And yes! Placing large forces inside a city is very risky.

[Xeja1]

Cities are death traps, as they were irl, but putting troops in cities has a use value:

It delays the enemy as they have to assault the city, this might buy you one or maybe two turns if you are lucky (remember each turn is 15 days). One month of delay is a big win for the South.

Putting troops in a city with a port is even better, as the troops can evacuate via the port if it looks like they will be overwhelmed.

Cities function as flypaper, they redirect and delay the enemy advance.

[pgr]

Hello,

I play as CSA. To defend Manassas I left 8 elements, 2 Generals and 2 supply wagons inside the city (posture defend/defend). They were entrenched only - no fortification of the city. To my big surprise the USA moved a big army stack (PWR >800) onto Manassas, but without attacking, sieging only. In the next turn my troopers surrendered without fighting.

Please see this old Orso post for a break down of how siege combat works.

http://www.ageod-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=52007

Basically, siege warfare is a simplified combat that occurs on day zero. Artillery units generate siege points. Positive value for the attacker, negative value for the defender. The sum of the siege roll value (SVR) is compared to the average discipline of the defending side's elements. If the SVR is greater than the average defending discipline, than the defender surrenders. The exception is if the defenders have full supply wagons, then there is a 90% chance the defender won't surrender

So of your 8 elements, how many were artillery? You likely didn't have enough to offset the Union artillery, and bad luck, you hit the 10% that your supply wagons don't save.

Bottom line, if you want to garrison a structure to withstand a siege, have a supply wagon, relatively good quality units, and artillery. That said, most everyone is right. Sticking units in structures is a good way to get them trapped. But if you have a good reason to do it (protecting a vital rear area from raids, temporarily holding a location with minimal force iot attack elsewhere etc.) being inside an breached structure does give defenders significant protection and frontage advantages if the attacker assaults. You better have a plan on how to relieve the garrison though, or else you will eventually loose the siege.