Analysis of the Russian Guard corps that defeated me in game 1 of the Jan 2021 Tournament. 

That's a lot of Superior troops!

This is Richard Stubb's army I fought here. 

This was the first game I can recall where I fought a SMALLER army than my own. I was able to force expensive parts of his army into being out of line, such as the Super Medium Artillery unit that was masked by deploying on the reverse slope, and one of the Grenadier units that got charged and stopped across the bridge. His Cavalry was decisive when it rattled the 95th Rifles and routed a Highlander unit. 

 

If I'd formed the Rifles into square and held the line with the Highlanders, I may have been able to hold him off but would have lost once he got into close combat. I needed to get my Heavy Shock Dragoons into combat and not stuck in the rear, though they would have probably blunted his charge though need a 2nd cavalry unit in support.

With my current plan for new army idea, I'd have to defeat his infantry by fire and lengthen his line, and hold of the heavy cavalry by charging or threatening mine until his is spent. And I'm going to lose all my cavalry doing it. And I have to it behind hills or his overwhelming artillery will shoot me to pieces. 

It would be to late to change plan, but I know I am facing another Russian Guard Corps in the future, I think I need to go on the attack and force him on the defensive, probably with a Bombardment attack.