Fighting passing units

[Jacek]

Recently I witnessed a battle (sorry, no screenie) whose results TOTALLY puzzled me and I need help.

My two stacks - Beauregard (700 strength) and Jackson (300 strength) were in DEFENSIVE posture outside Alexandria. Hooker with his 1000 strength stack started his move, in OFFENSIVE posture, from Manassas to Washington right through my two stacks. Basically he was moving to Washington through my territory. A battle ensues. I REPLAYED the battle three times and in each engagement it was Jackson who got engaged each time and took the beating. Beaureagrad was always only supporting him and suffered minimal losses( I checked the battle log each time)

Was it due to:
- higer strategic/offensive ranking of Jackson himself
- higer detection value of Jackson stack

In a nutshell, what factor decides which stack is picked when there are several stacks in the same (here defensive) posture and an enemy stack is just passing to another region in offensive posture?

BTW, in one of the replays of the battle I set Beauregard to OFFENSIVE and Jackson to DEFENSIVE. Once again it was Jackson who got engaged (high losses), Beauregard was supporting him and suffered minimal losses.

Found nothing about it in the manual.

Thx

[Pocus]

I think the battle code checked who was the easiest target, as this was Hooker who had the initiative here (he is moving in offensive, you are waiting). And thus, Hooker choose to hammer on Jackson.

[Jacek]

Thanks, Pocus. It would seem Hooker went for an easier prey, though I didn't know the battle code could check for easier target. Nevertheless, probably Hooker thrashed Jackson before Beauregard could come to help. Talk about passive Union AI (I played on low agressiveness, small FOW bonus).

BTW, does that mean when I make a similar manouver the battle code will also work in my favour (ie. CSA passing from Alexandria to Annapolis and thrashing some weak Union AI stack outside Washington)?