Establishing Bridgeheads

[AJ]

I have been working hard on this one. I love the challenge of battlefields with rivers, bridges give you the opportunity for outflanking movements and surprise attacks on LOP'S, however they can also spell disaster.  I just fought Marengo, and early on, used the northern bridge to sneak Bessieres Corps behind the Allies left, so threatening his left and his northern LOP, which much later, I took. Now this was an easy bridge, it wasn't defended and my Corps got over using a march order before deploying.

The screen shots attached are of Hanau, a much more difficult situation.  The first 2 show an uneventful establishment of a Bridgehead over the eastern bridge, with enemy threatening to my right.  My most successful tactic has been to detach 2 Artillery units with a Cavalry regiment supporting each one, giving them simple march orders across the bridge (be careful to make the order is deep enough for the rear unit to fully clear the bridge exit). I also have 2 detached Infantry regiments close on their heels. Now I order the whole Corps over, If the enemy threatens, I individually control the Bridgehead detachment until the Corps arrives over the bridge and then "Rally all Units" and Hey Presto.  If I have an enemy presence directly over the bridge, I deploy artillery on my side of the river and bombard them until they rout, then cross.

The next 2 screen shots are of the central bridge at Hanau, and a right royal pileup it was, nobody would cross.  This is a typical example, of what some weeks ago, many of us thought was a bug.  In fact, I had not given a deep enough march order to the lead detached Cavalry regiment (although my Corps had a deep deployment order), he stopped right by the exit from the bridge.  AI didn't move him so the whole Corps sat there, that's screen shot 4.  The point is, you have to switch to F3 to see the problem, I gave him another march order away from the bridge and the Corps came over and dutifully deployed.

I guess what I'm trying to get over, is make sure your lead units have an order deep enough to make them clear the exit from the bridge, keep your Artillery adequately supported and throw in a couple of Infantry regiments, if you do, bridges are no problem.

This all said, when we get Divisional Command, this will be a hell of a lot easier, just give an order to Defend to a well balanced Division, and send him over.

[Gunner24]

This is a typical example, of what some weeks ago, many of us thought was a bug.  In fact, I had not given a deep enough march order to the lead detached Cavalry regiment (although my Corps had a deep deployment order), he stopped right by the exit from the bridge.  AI didn't move him so the whole Corps sat there

Very good, so this could be why there is sometimes a "pile up" trying to cross the bridge.....it makes sense, when I tried to cross to the other side, but close, there was a major hold up, when moving over and well away from the bridge it was ok.

[AJ]

It seems to be the answer mate.  I would never have discovered it if I wouldn't have gone to F3 to survey the scene.