Winning in a tournament is defined as having more points than your opponent at the end of the battle. A minor victory is accomplished by having twice as many points as your opponent and a major is achieved by having four times as many points. Pure and simple right? Well yes, but achieving that goal is sometimes more subtle than it seems.
You can gain points by attacking your enemy or holding flags. Points are also earned by creating and holding flags that don't exist at the beginning of a battle. These are points that will accrue turn after turn to the side that last occupied that hex. Conceivably, you can win a battle by just flag sitting and never attack the enemy. Not likely, but possible. If your strategic plan in a battle is to sit on defense and wait for the enemy, you better have more points or be sitting on flags. If not, why would the enemy even attack you?
In a long battle you must be especially cognizant of where you create flags. Ideally you want to create them on ground that you are sure you can hold. Otherwise your enemy will accrue points for those flags and you may be forced to attack at a disadvantage in order to retrieve the points from those flags. Not a very attractive option.
For instance, if you are Yanks at Gettysburg, creating flags on day one, west of the town of Gettysburg is foolish. You will never hold those flags and your opponent will accrue points for them for the next day or so til they finally disappear. So try to choose where you create your flags. This should be in an area that your fairly certain you can hold. If you are going to create flags that you know you can't hold, make sure you gain enough points by routing or surrendering a unit to offset those points your opponent will gain from holding the flag. If you are attacking an area that you may not hold, try not to add to flag point totals by attacking existing flags.
The converse is true if you think you will hold an area. If you are certain you will hold an area, try to create flags by attacking, but not charging a unit at least twice so that a flag is created. These will be points for you when the enemy is forced to leave on subsequent turns.
Above all, choose where you will fight. Don't let yourself be forced into a fight you know will cost you points and/or create flags you know you can't hold. Better to retreat from a good position which is outflanked or otherwise compromised. You may get a better opportunity to attack or defend later. If it is a long battle, you will have time to recover. If it is a short one, you better make sure that you win almost everywhere you choose to attack. There won't be time to make up points later. So choose your attacking ground carefully.
Concentration of a larger part of your army against a smaller part of your enemies is such a cliche to be almost academic. (to be continued)
