Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:29 pm
Turn2 Comments:
Virginia:
Meade, Sedwick, and a Cav Corps(cant remember who is in command) will hit Lee at Fredricksburgh. We see 3 strong divs. but our forces outnumber him 3-1 if they all fight and Meade is the best I got. The weather and the terrain are fair/dry.
Reynolds has retreated south of Norfolk and will re-org his disheartened troops back to Norfolk where we have a further 10,000 men dug in but inactive/locked until attacked. At least we can use their trenches, so we march and hope to get in position prior to the onslaught. I reason, that our chance to hold at Norfolk is minimal but we will hopefully render Lee's best Corps a bloody-nose and weaken them so as to perhaps allow the AofP a chance to run for Richmond and maybe beyond. Thats the plan at least.
We also have sent some weak reinforcement divisions(I have unorganized brigades/regs. at Norfolk that could be added to these divisions) from Washington to Norfolk aboard some transports and moved some of our fleet towards Norfolk in case we will need to blocade Norfolk should it fall.
Tennessee:
We send JebStuart to scout and capture the rail line at Decatarville, Rosecrans' army move southward following the rebs.
Mississippi:
Ord marches southward, we send one weak division ahead in an attempt to take Meridian as we suspect it is thinly held and would help trap the AofMiss if we can.
I decided to send Sherman's strong Corp to attempt to wipe-out Gardiner Corps, this was a long-hard decision as I could have assaulted Vicksburg immediately or attempted to sweep thru Jackson and try to envelop the whole AofM. McPherson's Corps marches to take Jackson, Grant sits as support and guards a depot to be built at Port Gibson (S. of Vicksburg). Butler will leave a brigade at NewOrleans and march northward. Banks sits at Baton Rouge but will soon take over command at N.O. where he will also be able to recruit additional conscripts. We will move some gunboats/transports into Port Gibson where we will need a depot.
West/Ark:
I see the rebs gathering forces at Ft. Smith.
Turn2 battles:
My Norfolk defense works as hoped for, even better actually, as Longsteet attacks solo (Jackson resting likely) and is entrenched and holds his position but Longsteet does maintain his advance into the region.
Sherman does dislodge Gardiner, but is unable to continue chasing him and allows him to retreat back to Clinton while Sherman remains in the region to the east.
McPherson does take Jackson but is immediately engaged by JJ and his equal strength force. McP holds his own, but I now sure do wish Sherman was there where we could have done serious damage to the AofMiss. Also, our fleet takes a pounding moving from the river region outside of Vicksburg into the adjacent Pt. Gibson port, didnt expect this.
Meade, Sedwick do well and dislodge Lee and capture Freddyburg, with depot intact.
Lee remains in the region but we notice his forces lost dozens in the pursuit so they are in retreat mode. Pleasonton cav. Corps engaged JebStuart at Abermale immediately preceeding our attack at FreddyVille, so did Jeb not able to support Lee, and Lee without adequate cav, provide Meade with this moderate victory and bloody Lee with 92 hits during the retreat? I think so!
Turn3 Comments:
Virginia:
Lee is bloodied and retreating, we have not gained >95control of the region so we put Meade to offensive and see if we can hit Lee again. Hooker's Army stack will move thru Freddy and southward toward Ricmond, perhaps we will engage Lee multiple times.
At Norfolk, we have 2 newly arrived understrength div. arrived on transports. We put our best cohesive units from Reynolds 2 smashed-but-intact division into the new arrivals with the loose brigades/regs/arty at Norfolk under Reynolds. We embark the 2 smashed divisions in the transports and sail them back to Baltimore (we dont want to give extra victory/morale points to the rebs here). Reynolds now commands 2 divs. without penalty, about 10K men with almost 100 arty within his level 6 entrenchments. This will bloody Jackson/Longstreet if they choose to continue. I move some fleet elements to ensure a blocade should Norfolk fall.
Tennesee:
More advancing as the weather improves, I send Sheridan southward, across the river to scout Chattanooga.
Miss:
Looks like Vicksburg is about to be abandoned, I missed a chance to bloody the AofMiss at Jackson but will attempt to hold it.
Sherman with Banks in reserver and hopefully will assist moves against Gardiner again, I move gunboats to block any escape westward over the Miss.
Ord continues to march towards Meridian, we should take it this turn.
West/Ark:
Curtis decides to march along the north bank of the Ark river towards Little Rock, perhaps i can assault those forces directly and have my supply trace back towards Memphis, I also sail a weak div., a supply wagon and some transports from Memphis towards LittleRock to provide supply and block any reinforcements by river.
Turn3 battles:
Meade does bloody Lee and his retreat takes him to the region NE of Richmond so perhaps Hooker/Meade forced Lee to retreat there and not back to Richmond.
Norfolk falls in a serious of bloody battles and we lose some arty and a supply wagon, we leave Norfolk intact except for the rail but we do bloody Jackson/Longstreet plenty.
We do lose 2morale points but I think Reynolds has done well enough.
McP fights off JJ again at Jackson, and Banks/Sherman really do poorly in not destroying Gardiner at Port Hudson. Gardiner has retreated northward to Natchez.