Mon May 04, 2009 7:38 pm
Here was my plan:
STRATEGY
Grant to fix and destroy Johnston. Buell to hold Nashville and Louisville then take Chattanooga. Pope to hold Cairo and St. Louis and take MS River Forts Island 10 and Pillow. Curtis to fix and destroy Van Dorn then take Little Rock. Butler to divert forces from Northern fronts and take Gulf Forts (Jackson, St. Phillip, Pike, Gaines, Morgan) and either New Orleans or Mobile plus Galveston.
Do not take CSA towns unless plan to Garrison.
PRIMARY
Garrison (with Division-sized Army or Corps) and Defend: Nashville 20, Saint Louis 20, Cairo 20, Louisville 20.
Take: Memphis 10, New Orleans 10, Mobile 10, Vicksburg 10, Chattanooga 10, Little Rock 10.
Destroy Johnston Army.
SECONDARY
Destroy Van Dorn Army.
Destroy Montgomery AL Army HQ.
Take and destroy Forts (move guns to Cairo or Pickens or NOLA / Mobile): Island 10, Pillow, Jackson, St. Phillip, Pike, Gaines, Morgan.
Defend USA Depots (San Francisco CA, Council Bluffs IA, Des Moines IA, Dubuque IA, Lexington MO, Springfield MO, Rolla MO, St. Louis MO, Milwaukee WI, Rock Island IL, Chicago IL, Springfield IL, Toledo IL, Salem IL, Cairo IL, Nashville TN, Clarksville TN, Bowling Green KY, Louisville KY, Indianapolis IN, Vincennes IN).
Take or destroy CSA Depots (Houston TX, New Orleans LA, Fayetteville AR, Fort Smith AR, Little Rock AR, Madison AR, Memphis TN, Pulaski TN, Knoxville TN, Corinth MS, Vicksburg MS, Jackson MS, Meridian MS, Mobile AL).
Pacify Cherokees and Creeks IT.
COLOSSAL FAIL!
I garrisoned my strategic cities. PASS.
I took Memphis - too late. PASS. I lost almost every battle (tactical defense is very strong - just like the 'Professor' noted): the other cities in the line (Little Rock - Memphis - Corinth - Chattanooga) weren't really even threatened. FAIL.
Destroy Johnston Army. Technically PASS. I wanted to destroy the CSA primary army but only destroyed the HQ unit. Maybe Runyan can let us know if his main CSA Army was hurting... Mostly FAIL.
Take and destroy Forts (move guns to Cairo or Pickens or NOLA / Mobile): Island 10, Pillow, Jackson, St. Phillip, Pike, Gaines, Morgan. Tok Island 10, Pillow, Jackson, and St. Phillip. Captured several Coastal Arty and Fort Batteries. Mostly PASS.
The rest - Mostly PASS.
However - I got beat badly. Runyan placed his forces well - I wasn't able to move them until too late. I didn't focus correctly on the Gulf Front - wasted time by raiding Texas and Florida - I didn't realize that the force wouldn't be supplied. I also didn't build forward Depots to Supply my main USA Army - I expected to capture Corinth and make it a base - I should have built a Depot system at Paducah KY / Columbus KY / Humboldt TN. My forces didn't get replacements as they should have (had I been a better player).
Then there is the fact that Runyan is a great player - that didn't help my situation. At least I'll always have the satisfaction of knowing I had him worried in the first game...
Thanks again to Manstein for hosting and posting the AAR.