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TheDoctorKing
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King (CSA) vs. McClellan (USA) AAR

Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:23 am

I'm counting on my opponent, of course, to refrain from reading this until after the game is over.


King (CSA) vs. McClellan (USA) AAR
1862 Western Campaign
2011 tournament

I’m in an unusual position, playing a one-map campaign as the CSA. The CSA faces some unique strategic problems. I have very little in the way of transportation or production capacity and I have to defend against a wide variety of threats coming from several directions. I don’t even have a complete supply network to start the game. On the other hand, I have excellent infantry in respectable quantities.

My overall strategy will be defensive. I can win if I hold what I start with, so I have no need to take the strategic offensive and don’t intend to. I have learned an important lesson about the power of fortifications in this game from my last PBEM with Andatiep. My first priority will be to build fortified positions in strategic spots – most likely New Orleans, Mobile, Memphis, Corinth, and perhaps Chattanooga. I’m also looking at Decatur for a fort. Next, I will spend resources to keep my internal lines of communications open and keep supplies moving. I intend to garrison all of my depots and establish a new chain of depots across central Mississippi and Alabama to connect the two halves of my position. Third, I want to establish a mobile field force in the eastern half of my region that can defend Chattanooga/Knoxville, move to Mobile in case of amphibious attack, and threaten eastern Kentucky if the Yankees leave it unprotected.

I start with two large field forces, The Army of the West in Fayetteville, Arkansas, about 650 strength points, and the Army of the Mississippi, in Corinth, about 2,200 strength points. I have a small force under Kirby Smith in Knoxville and another under Forrest in Madison TN, each about 125 strength points. Other than that, there are a few scattered (and locked) militia garrisons and fixed guns in a few forts. I have a small river navy on the Mississippi, nothing to compare with the Yankees, although there are two ironclads under construction at Memphis and New Orleans. Building more ships is not going to be a priority for me.

Early February, 1862
Morale 100, resources 200$, 75 conscripts, 50 WS. I send respectable garrisons – a brigade each – to New Orleans and Decatur. I send smaller forces to garrison the depots at Fort Smith, Arkansas and Jackson, Mississippi. Forrest forms a division and moves up to cautiously assault Paducah – if it is uninhabited as the recon suggests, he will be able to burn the depot. If he finds a bunch of federal troops, he should be able to dematerialize. I send First Corps of the Army of the Mississippi to Memphis with the army’s extra artillery and the intention of building a fort. I may wait for some 6-pounders to be built or I may start construction at once, depending on how aggressive the Yankees appear to be. They are welcome to send Grant by himself to Corinth to attack me; somehow I doubt they will.
Stewart King

"There is no substitute for victory"

Depends on how you define victory.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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