-
charlesonmission
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:55 am
- Location: USA (somewhere)
Banks6060 wrote:Alright, quickly: I typically have dragged turn files and dropped them directly into the game files in "explorer" mode. I can't find the game on my hard drive. Please, let me know how to best get this done!!
The userpath file creates a save folder I believe in your C:/Users folder.
I can't remember exactly, but it's best to remove the userpath file from your game folder and use C:/Games/Civil War II/CW2/Saves
I hope someone can clarify that so I don't steer you wrong.
[color="#008080"]SO FOR THE OBJECTIVES: [/color]
I have already made my objectives relatively clear in early strategy discussions, so I won't spend a lot of time discussing that topic other than what I want to point out in terms of what I will stay focused on when I look at this screen from turn to turn.
First, with the way I'm planning to play this game, it's very evident I'm not looking for this to be a quick conflict. I am not going to rely on a quick National Morale win by making a decisive thrust toward Richmond. I plan to capture vital economic and supply hubs in the deep south and so must stay focused on the progress of Victory Points. This is not to discount the importance of NM (It could certainly be in short supply very early in the game), but if things go according to plan, I will have enough strength in the east to keep Soundoff out of Washington while allowing for the Anaconda Plan to slowly take shape elsewhere.
Also very important, is foreign entry. We are playing with the "normal" option active and Soundoff has publicy decried any notion that Britain intervene in the war militarily, but I am not willing to risk the possibility of fighting any kind of war against Britain and on another front. I will make sure to keep foreign intervention decisions top of mind.
The next point, will be a bit of a digression:
So many of us gamers seem to revel in the chaos of "conflict resolution". I feel being a grand strategy (or operational strategy in this case) gamer can numb you to the idea that you are simulating REAL events and decisions that, in history, had REAL and in many cases, dire consequences for millions of REAL people. More and more, I've come to believe history's human impact deserves a little more respect from a gamer like me. Before the Civil War began, no one could have imagined that more than 600,000 American people would have to die before it came to an end. While perhaps historically, the lower and middle classes weren't treated quite as fairly by the power class, I will do everything I can to account for the "good of my people" when making decisions throughout the game. Bringing too many of "my people" home dead is something I definitely want to avoid.
Lastly, you can see that I have circled the CSA's military power as compared to mine here in Early April. Yes, yes I know it's not necessarily news that the CSA were technically better mobilized early in the war, but I was interested to see how much of an advantage the game designers had decided to give the Confederates. It seems pretty accurate to me. Obviously, that will be changing soon enough, but it's a reminder that I've got my work cut out if I want to get things going as swiftly and efficiently as I've planned.
WAITING....that is the worst part of the very beginning of this particularly brilliant game. During the first turn of play, the Union has little choice, but to hand initiative to the Confederates. I looked around at all of the commands I have on the map and every single one of them is locked in place for at least one turn. Happily, I found that the first pieces which I will be allowed to play with will be the Navy. More on that as it comes, of course.
As I flipped through the ledger, I came upon war production. There really wasn't much to do here, except I thought it might be good to invest in one extra line infantry replacement point. It is affordable and I know it can be "hit and miss" getting the AoP up to full strength by mid-July when it is unlocked (yes, that portion of the game we all know and love). Best to have some extra troops to use as gap fillers.
[color="#008080"]REGIONAL DECISIONS:[/color]
(You will refer to the images below) -- First, I should say these new "regional decisions" have made the early and "less active" portion of CW2 much more interesting. I know that loyalty, especially in many of the border areas of the country, will play an important role in this game so I've decided on a couple of things:
The first is a suspension of Habeus Corpus in the city of Baltimore. It's a hot spot for trouble early in the game and allowing it to become a cesspool for sussecionists just won't do. The entire line of supply which would feed my eastern army runs straight through Baltimore and while other routes could be found in the case of an emergency, keeping the rail lines in Baltimore safe is vital to the protection of Washington D.C., at least as I see it. I believe a loss of 3VP's is a fair price to pay for that security.
(I should also mention, I want to make sure Baltimore's production is as good as it can be).
So with that rather tyrannical decision and keeping "my people" in mind (not to mention politics), I decided to give another area of the country a little government sanctioned upgrade. Developing Rome, Indiana, right on the Ohio River will, at a modest cost of $5,000, boost the town's loyalty by 10 percent and give me 5 Victory Points.
Last but certainly not least was the decision to build one militia regiment. I noticed a very limited selection of production options for this opening turn, which naturally didn't surprise me. I was very tempted to begin building some artillery, but decided to save the resources and stick with one militia regiment in Cairo, IL where I will be building my large western invasion army. I want to ensure this town's security in the short term JUST in case Soundoff has the ability to send a cavalry raid there early in the game.
An aside: So often, I have been tempted to recruit primarily from the "volunteers" in order to really pinch pennies, but considering what poor troops they are and how long it may take for them to upgrade, I will stick to militia serving mainly as "home guard" troops as well as depot guards. You can see in the screenie the overview of the 1st Illinois Militia. Eventually, it will be a ragged group of some 450 pissed off Unionists who have terrible weapons and little training. Perhaps, though, for this particular game, I'll allow certain liberties for the 1st Illinois and follow the regiment closely throughout. We shall see!!
You will notice the lack of a decision on the blockade. In game terms, I would say that I'd like to let Soundoff make the first move and spend the NM and VP's. If I remember correctly, going with a Cotton Embargo as the CSA early in the game could be a bonus since it gave you much needed cash. I'm not quite so sure about the incentive of that decision in CW2. There are many other ways for the Confederates to raise cash early now with regional decisions. I'm just not sure what Soundoff will do. While I am very likely being a luddite by doing nothing, I can feel content knowing I will be a luddite with 15 more VP's, 1 more NM and $50,000 more.
In more narrative terms, I would call it an unwillingness by President Lincoln (in this case, me) to in any way recognize the right of the Confederate States of America to even exist. In THIS "Lincoln's" opinion, it would be in Britain's best interest to stay neutral anyway so any real effort spent trying to convince them of that is a waste. If British government leaders and diplomats make the poor decision to welcome southern enoys, well then it will be a whole different ball of wax.
I have already made my objectives relatively clear in early strategy discussions, so I won't spend a lot of time discussing that topic other than what I want to point out in terms of what I will stay focused on when I look at this screen from turn to turn.
First, with the way I'm planning to play this game, it's very evident I'm not looking for this to be a quick conflict. I am not going to rely on a quick National Morale win by making a decisive thrust toward Richmond. I plan to capture vital economic and supply hubs in the deep south and so must stay focused on the progress of Victory Points. This is not to discount the importance of NM (It could certainly be in short supply very early in the game), but if things go according to plan, I will have enough strength in the east to keep Soundoff out of Washington while allowing for the Anaconda Plan to slowly take shape elsewhere.
Also very important, is foreign entry. We are playing with the "normal" option active and Soundoff has publicy decried any notion that Britain intervene in the war militarily, but I am not willing to risk the possibility of fighting any kind of war against Britain and on another front. I will make sure to keep foreign intervention decisions top of mind.
The next point, will be a bit of a digression:
So many of us gamers seem to revel in the chaos of "conflict resolution". I feel being a grand strategy (or operational strategy in this case) gamer can numb you to the idea that you are simulating REAL events and decisions that, in history, had REAL and in many cases, dire consequences for millions of REAL people. More and more, I've come to believe history's human impact deserves a little more respect from a gamer like me. Before the Civil War began, no one could have imagined that more than 600,000 American people would have to die before it came to an end. While perhaps historically, the lower and middle classes weren't treated quite as fairly by the power class, I will do everything I can to account for the "good of my people" when making decisions throughout the game. Bringing too many of "my people" home dead is something I definitely want to avoid.
Lastly, you can see that I have circled the CSA's military power as compared to mine here in Early April. Yes, yes I know it's not necessarily news that the CSA were technically better mobilized early in the war, but I was interested to see how much of an advantage the game designers had decided to give the Confederates. It seems pretty accurate to me. Obviously, that will be changing soon enough, but it's a reminder that I've got my work cut out if I want to get things going as swiftly and efficiently as I've planned.
WAITING....that is the worst part of the very beginning of this particularly brilliant game. During the first turn of play, the Union has little choice, but to hand initiative to the Confederates. I looked around at all of the commands I have on the map and every single one of them is locked in place for at least one turn. Happily, I found that the first pieces which I will be allowed to play with will be the Navy. More on that as it comes, of course.
As I flipped through the ledger, I came upon war production. There really wasn't much to do here, except I thought it might be good to invest in one extra line infantry replacement point. It is affordable and I know it can be "hit and miss" getting the AoP up to full strength by mid-July when it is unlocked (yes, that portion of the game we all know and love). Best to have some extra troops to use as gap fillers.
[color="#008080"]REGIONAL DECISIONS:[/color]
(You will refer to the images below) -- First, I should say these new "regional decisions" have made the early and "less active" portion of CW2 much more interesting. I know that loyalty, especially in many of the border areas of the country, will play an important role in this game so I've decided on a couple of things:
The first is a suspension of Habeus Corpus in the city of Baltimore. It's a hot spot for trouble early in the game and allowing it to become a cesspool for sussecionists just won't do. The entire line of supply which would feed my eastern army runs straight through Baltimore and while other routes could be found in the case of an emergency, keeping the rail lines in Baltimore safe is vital to the protection of Washington D.C., at least as I see it. I believe a loss of 3VP's is a fair price to pay for that security.
(I should also mention, I want to make sure Baltimore's production is as good as it can be).
So with that rather tyrannical decision and keeping "my people" in mind (not to mention politics), I decided to give another area of the country a little government sanctioned upgrade. Developing Rome, Indiana, right on the Ohio River will, at a modest cost of $5,000, boost the town's loyalty by 10 percent and give me 5 Victory Points.
Last but certainly not least was the decision to build one militia regiment. I noticed a very limited selection of production options for this opening turn, which naturally didn't surprise me. I was very tempted to begin building some artillery, but decided to save the resources and stick with one militia regiment in Cairo, IL where I will be building my large western invasion army. I want to ensure this town's security in the short term JUST in case Soundoff has the ability to send a cavalry raid there early in the game.
An aside: So often, I have been tempted to recruit primarily from the "volunteers" in order to really pinch pennies, but considering what poor troops they are and how long it may take for them to upgrade, I will stick to militia serving mainly as "home guard" troops as well as depot guards. You can see in the screenie the overview of the 1st Illinois Militia. Eventually, it will be a ragged group of some 450 pissed off Unionists who have terrible weapons and little training. Perhaps, though, for this particular game, I'll allow certain liberties for the 1st Illinois and follow the regiment closely throughout. We shall see!!
You will notice the lack of a decision on the blockade. In game terms, I would say that I'd like to let Soundoff make the first move and spend the NM and VP's. If I remember correctly, going with a Cotton Embargo as the CSA early in the game could be a bonus since it gave you much needed cash. I'm not quite so sure about the incentive of that decision in CW2. There are many other ways for the Confederates to raise cash early now with regional decisions. I'm just not sure what Soundoff will do. While I am very likely being a luddite by doing nothing, I can feel content knowing I will be a luddite with 15 more VP's, 1 more NM and $50,000 more.
In more narrative terms, I would call it an unwillingness by President Lincoln (in this case, me) to in any way recognize the right of the Confederate States of America to even exist. In THIS "Lincoln's" opinion, it would be in Britain's best interest to stay neutral anyway so any real effort spent trying to convince them of that is a waste. If British government leaders and diplomats make the poor decision to welcome southern enoys, well then it will be a whole different ball of wax.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
Ignore it and maybe it will go away
Banks6060 wrote:
You will notice the lack of a decision on the blockade.
...
In more narrative terms, I would call it an unwillingness by President Lincoln (in this case, me) to in any way recognize the right of the Confederate States of America to even exist. In THIS "Lincoln's" opinion, it would be in Britain's best interest to stay neutral anyway so any real effort spent trying to convince them of that is a waste. If British government leaders and diplomats make the poor decision to welcome southern enoys, well then it will be a whole different ball of wax.
Am I understanding correctly that by not announcing a 'Port Closure', you are roleplaying the idea of Lincoln just ignoring Southern diplomatic efforts?
bugwar wrote:
Am I understanding correctly that by not announcing a 'Port Closure', you are roleplaying the idea of Lincoln just ignoring Southern diplomatic efforts?
There is a difference between what you refer to as "Southern diplomatic efforts" and "potential Southern diplomatic efforts". I am, obviously wary of the potential for the British to entertain Rebel enoys, but am roleplaying as if Britain has yet to do so and is (as I explained) not EXPECTED to. I'm roleplaying as if I don't know what's going to happen next (which I don't).
However, I of COURSE understand there is the potential that Soundoff could go with a Cotton Embargo (thus triggering a potential reaction from me in turn).
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
-
charlesonmission
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:55 am
- Location: USA (somewhere)
-
charlesonmission
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:55 am
- Location: USA (somewhere)
I know there are no surprises among you veteran players reading this humble offering, but I thoroughly enjoy creative writing
. I know there may be a couple of places where my history is off. I had to look a few things up, but did rely mainly on memory so I hope you can forgive me for any mistakes. I will be posting an update about my decisions as I made them for this turn. Things are already heating up for sure!![SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
Banks6060 wrote:I know there are no surprises among you veteran players reading this humble offering, but I thoroughly enjoy creative writing
Awesome!
"I am here already.", said the hedgehog to the hare.
I REALLY appreciate the comments about the newspaper!! I spent a considerable amount of time putting that together. It was a labor of love to be sure 
So to the nuts and bolts of the turn itself. I will warn you ahead of time about two things. First, from here on out, there will be derivations from history as I share this creative work. I am also really digging into some specifics this turn and will probably be going over some commonly known parts of this game, but I like being thorough and sharing my entire thought process. So, to start....the fight at Fort Sumter:
Looking at those battle results, I am reminded of "The Alamo". 75 brave artillerymen still left following the massive bombardment on April 10th and 11th managed to give more than 13-hundred Rebel troops all they could handle. Odds are, it would have been extremely difficult to storm Sumter and take it by force of arms. I suspect, in history, it was designed that way, being the fort sat out in the middle of the water. I can only imagine how complicated an operation it would take to storm Sumter and so could understand such a human toll. Soundoff sustained 27 percent losses. It's certainly nothing to shrug at.
For my own part, I have a hard time explaining how my unit sustained not one single hit while falling to capture during the fight. This may be a bug of some sort or just as I've seen many posters say "WAD"?? At any rate, I'm quite certain the fight would have lasted longer than one hour and I'm positive BOTH sides would have lost troops. All that aside, I believe Soundoff has captured some very valuable coastal artillery. There are already two forts in Charleston Harbor with heavy guns so Soundoff could probably leave Sumter empty for the time being and send his newly captured artillery elsewhere. Would he think to send it west?? I certainly hope not.
Overall, I fell President Lincoln would have at least been encouraged to know it was a pyric victory for the Confederates all the while saddened at the American blood spilled on both sides.
[color="#008080"]WEATHER[/color]
In my profession (broadcast news), there is one thing we know people always want to know about because it affects every single one of them every day. Weather can ruin plans in life and that goes triple with military operations. Triple again for military operations in the 19th century. I am very glad to see the weather related map filter and will definitely put it to good use as the first thing I consider each turn and if not the very first, certainly before moving troops around.
For the most part, weather across the continent is favorable, save for rain which has so oddly hit ONLY portions of the map which are "water". Rivers in the west and literally EVERY region along the coastal United and Confederate States of America, including the ocean boxes is drenched with wet and stormy weather. Of course, you can probably understand my confustion. Methinks, "How, over a vast area of land, could ONLY rivers be stormy?? And how could storms wrap all the way around the continent without penetrating further inland??". I suppose technically there is SOME penetration, very wet weather in the Carolinas, but virtually nowhere else on the coast to I see "rain" other than over the water. Have we run upon yet another WAD part of the game?? (Still not sure about WAD) It would appear so, unless it just takes some time to really get warmed up. Then again....weather CAN be very strange.
[color="#008080"]THE TOOLS OF WAR:[/color]
I should apologize. I neglected to mention in my last report that I had made the decision to print money. That is a terrible mistake which I will strive not to repeat. I decided to go ahead and take another 400-thousand dollars for the 4% inflation hike. It was really the only option for raising money which wasn't going to cost me NM or VP. For right now, I want to keep as much of both as possible. I doubt, in history, Lincoln would have immediately signed a new "war tax" into law in 1861 and I also doubt "war bonds" would have been an easy sell either so early in the conflict. Overall, my money situation should remain relatively stable. My economy can churn out 281 dollars per turn right now and I'm hoping that will continue to increase.
Conscript Companies: Let me tell you something. Playing as the Confederates last time, avoiding waste was paramount, especially in human capital. You have to make every man count because you have FAR less of them than the Union. I worry I'll run into the same problem of "making every man count" as the Union player, but because I will have so many. I will raise at least 48 conscript companies every turn. I've always been someone who believes there is such a thing as "having more of something than you know what to do with". Which can be seconded with regard to War Supply, each turn of which I gain 149 units.
Taking it all together, I maintain the hope I can resort mainly to calling up and paying volunteers in order to populate my various armies. If I CAN avoid a draft, I most certainly will, but as you kind readers would likely guess, I will consider that option if things are going poorly.
Additionally, I should mention my intention to develop industry to support my Navy which I plan to expand significantly in the coming year or two.
[color="#008080"]THE ORDERS:[/color]
There are plenty of things which take time in this particular game. Most of them are enjoyable endeavors, but one I developed a particular amount of dread for was "All the Generals" and what to do with them. This is where planning your opening moves really helps. My announced plan calls for ground advances toward Norfolk, VA in the east and toward Springfield, MO in the far west. Naturally, I will need at least decent leadership to carry out my designs in both locations.
Allow me to digress:
As I thought about how to assign generals, I decided it would be silly to send them somewhere they have no troops to command. So any general who can't leave Washington due to a lack of command will simply stay put. I envision a city teeming with opportunity for ambitious, glory seeking officers (like many were in the 19th Century) what with the army gathering in there. I'm sure leaving such an environment would not be done voluntarily.
Ok, we're back:
I've decided to redeploy my two most senior and promotable Generals (Lew Wallace and Erasmus Keyes) to St. Louis. They will probably see action very soon and while neither is my BEST commander, I think their 3-1-1 ratings could produce some victories and later promotions. The more 2-Star Generals I have the better. Seperately, I redeployed 2-Star Gen. Milroy to Cairo, IL along with Generals Morell and McCall.
In the east, I decided to appoint all other commanders based mainly on seniority. One General (Shields) was left with Oliver Hamilton to expand the entrenchments around Washington. Shields is technically my best General (3-1-2 with "Fort Defender") ability. It would stand to reason Shields would be put in charge of something like entrenchments. Howard has joined him as the overall commander of the stack.
Looking at the 8th U.S. Infantry, who are the "white men" mentioned "pain stakingly" digging trenches in the Union Journal News, you can tell they really are quite well trained. With their accrued experience, the unit of 750 regulars have a "Firepower" of 11/17. That is far from terrible and with a "Discipline" of 8, I think they could serve a greater purpose than trench digging when they are allowed to leave the capitol.
A group I can be certain to use and soon is the 1st U.S. Marines. Examining these troops was certainly eye opening. U.S. Marines seem to have been just about as bad ass relative to Regular Army troops as they are now. With two levels of experience gained, the unit has a Firepower of 14/19. That is incredible, considering early infantry averages around 10/16. You don't want to take these 600 Marines on in close combat either. They're "Assault" is 12/12...impressive. Lastly, "Discipline" is 11. These Marines are just downright tough as nails and I suspect I will favor them in my campaign at Norfolk.
Last are the 600 Germans I've ordered to board a train and rail south to Washington. Obviously, the group will have to get around the "Baltimore problem", but Gen. Schurz and his troops are expected at the capitol by April 29th. They are all seasoned, hard nosed fighting men who know how to handle themselves and can be counted on with confidence I believe. It may be interesting to see how these troopers handle a heads up fight with their counterparts further south. I will be interested to learn about Soundoff's Confederate Cavalry.
ABSOLUTELY LAST:
Yes, I know. I am skipping the "Blockade" decision once again. I can't help but think saving the money, morale and VP's is just worth it. I know Soundoff will be allowed to continue denying Europe cotton, but 16% Foreign Intervention is something I just can't say I'm all too troubled by. I have the edge in VP's right now while Soundoff holds the NM advantage. It means F.I. gain is canceled out for both of us. You may ask me "Don't you intend to blockade?" to which I would answer "Yes, of course. I'm just choosing not to tell the British about it"
So to the nuts and bolts of the turn itself. I will warn you ahead of time about two things. First, from here on out, there will be derivations from history as I share this creative work. I am also really digging into some specifics this turn and will probably be going over some commonly known parts of this game, but I like being thorough and sharing my entire thought process. So, to start....the fight at Fort Sumter:
Looking at those battle results, I am reminded of "The Alamo". 75 brave artillerymen still left following the massive bombardment on April 10th and 11th managed to give more than 13-hundred Rebel troops all they could handle. Odds are, it would have been extremely difficult to storm Sumter and take it by force of arms. I suspect, in history, it was designed that way, being the fort sat out in the middle of the water. I can only imagine how complicated an operation it would take to storm Sumter and so could understand such a human toll. Soundoff sustained 27 percent losses. It's certainly nothing to shrug at.
For my own part, I have a hard time explaining how my unit sustained not one single hit while falling to capture during the fight. This may be a bug of some sort or just as I've seen many posters say "WAD"?? At any rate, I'm quite certain the fight would have lasted longer than one hour and I'm positive BOTH sides would have lost troops. All that aside, I believe Soundoff has captured some very valuable coastal artillery. There are already two forts in Charleston Harbor with heavy guns so Soundoff could probably leave Sumter empty for the time being and send his newly captured artillery elsewhere. Would he think to send it west?? I certainly hope not.
Overall, I fell President Lincoln would have at least been encouraged to know it was a pyric victory for the Confederates all the while saddened at the American blood spilled on both sides.
[color="#008080"]WEATHER[/color]
In my profession (broadcast news), there is one thing we know people always want to know about because it affects every single one of them every day. Weather can ruin plans in life and that goes triple with military operations. Triple again for military operations in the 19th century. I am very glad to see the weather related map filter and will definitely put it to good use as the first thing I consider each turn and if not the very first, certainly before moving troops around.
For the most part, weather across the continent is favorable, save for rain which has so oddly hit ONLY portions of the map which are "water". Rivers in the west and literally EVERY region along the coastal United and Confederate States of America, including the ocean boxes is drenched with wet and stormy weather. Of course, you can probably understand my confustion. Methinks, "How, over a vast area of land, could ONLY rivers be stormy?? And how could storms wrap all the way around the continent without penetrating further inland??". I suppose technically there is SOME penetration, very wet weather in the Carolinas, but virtually nowhere else on the coast to I see "rain" other than over the water. Have we run upon yet another WAD part of the game?? (Still not sure about WAD) It would appear so, unless it just takes some time to really get warmed up. Then again....weather CAN be very strange.
[color="#008080"]THE TOOLS OF WAR:[/color]
I should apologize. I neglected to mention in my last report that I had made the decision to print money. That is a terrible mistake which I will strive not to repeat. I decided to go ahead and take another 400-thousand dollars for the 4% inflation hike. It was really the only option for raising money which wasn't going to cost me NM or VP. For right now, I want to keep as much of both as possible. I doubt, in history, Lincoln would have immediately signed a new "war tax" into law in 1861 and I also doubt "war bonds" would have been an easy sell either so early in the conflict. Overall, my money situation should remain relatively stable. My economy can churn out 281 dollars per turn right now and I'm hoping that will continue to increase.
Conscript Companies: Let me tell you something. Playing as the Confederates last time, avoiding waste was paramount, especially in human capital. You have to make every man count because you have FAR less of them than the Union. I worry I'll run into the same problem of "making every man count" as the Union player, but because I will have so many. I will raise at least 48 conscript companies every turn. I've always been someone who believes there is such a thing as "having more of something than you know what to do with". Which can be seconded with regard to War Supply, each turn of which I gain 149 units.
Taking it all together, I maintain the hope I can resort mainly to calling up and paying volunteers in order to populate my various armies. If I CAN avoid a draft, I most certainly will, but as you kind readers would likely guess, I will consider that option if things are going poorly.
Additionally, I should mention my intention to develop industry to support my Navy which I plan to expand significantly in the coming year or two.
[color="#008080"]THE ORDERS:[/color]
There are plenty of things which take time in this particular game. Most of them are enjoyable endeavors, but one I developed a particular amount of dread for was "All the Generals" and what to do with them. This is where planning your opening moves really helps. My announced plan calls for ground advances toward Norfolk, VA in the east and toward Springfield, MO in the far west. Naturally, I will need at least decent leadership to carry out my designs in both locations.
Allow me to digress:
As I thought about how to assign generals, I decided it would be silly to send them somewhere they have no troops to command. So any general who can't leave Washington due to a lack of command will simply stay put. I envision a city teeming with opportunity for ambitious, glory seeking officers (like many were in the 19th Century) what with the army gathering in there. I'm sure leaving such an environment would not be done voluntarily.
Ok, we're back:
I've decided to redeploy my two most senior and promotable Generals (Lew Wallace and Erasmus Keyes) to St. Louis. They will probably see action very soon and while neither is my BEST commander, I think their 3-1-1 ratings could produce some victories and later promotions. The more 2-Star Generals I have the better. Seperately, I redeployed 2-Star Gen. Milroy to Cairo, IL along with Generals Morell and McCall.
In the east, I decided to appoint all other commanders based mainly on seniority. One General (Shields) was left with Oliver Hamilton to expand the entrenchments around Washington. Shields is technically my best General (3-1-2 with "Fort Defender") ability. It would stand to reason Shields would be put in charge of something like entrenchments. Howard has joined him as the overall commander of the stack.
Looking at the 8th U.S. Infantry, who are the "white men" mentioned "pain stakingly" digging trenches in the Union Journal News, you can tell they really are quite well trained. With their accrued experience, the unit of 750 regulars have a "Firepower" of 11/17. That is far from terrible and with a "Discipline" of 8, I think they could serve a greater purpose than trench digging when they are allowed to leave the capitol.
A group I can be certain to use and soon is the 1st U.S. Marines. Examining these troops was certainly eye opening. U.S. Marines seem to have been just about as bad ass relative to Regular Army troops as they are now. With two levels of experience gained, the unit has a Firepower of 14/19. That is incredible, considering early infantry averages around 10/16. You don't want to take these 600 Marines on in close combat either. They're "Assault" is 12/12...impressive. Lastly, "Discipline" is 11. These Marines are just downright tough as nails and I suspect I will favor them in my campaign at Norfolk.
Last are the 600 Germans I've ordered to board a train and rail south to Washington. Obviously, the group will have to get around the "Baltimore problem", but Gen. Schurz and his troops are expected at the capitol by April 29th. They are all seasoned, hard nosed fighting men who know how to handle themselves and can be counted on with confidence I believe. It may be interesting to see how these troopers handle a heads up fight with their counterparts further south. I will be interested to learn about Soundoff's Confederate Cavalry.
ABSOLUTELY LAST:
Yes, I know. I am skipping the "Blockade" decision once again. I can't help but think saving the money, morale and VP's is just worth it. I know Soundoff will be allowed to continue denying Europe cotton, but 16% Foreign Intervention is something I just can't say I'm all too troubled by. I have the edge in VP's right now while Soundoff holds the NM advantage. It means F.I. gain is canceled out for both of us. You may ask me "Don't you intend to blockade?" to which I would answer "Yes, of course. I'm just choosing not to tell the British about it"
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
An Informed Populace
A most enjoyable and informative report. 
If I may suggest, hold off on future use of lavender text on grey background.
I find that low contrast lettering is more of a challenge to read, at least for myself.
If I may suggest, hold off on future use of lavender text on grey background.
I find that low contrast lettering is more of a challenge to read, at least for myself.
You got it bugwar!! Thank you for the feedback
I had to make a change to the "atrocities" article about Harper's Ferry and Fredericktown. I had completely forgotten to include Soundoff's capture of Norfolk. To think that WOULDN'T make national news....haha. I just could not allow that kind of omission.
I had to make a change to the "atrocities" article about Harper's Ferry and Fredericktown. I had completely forgotten to include Soundoff's capture of Norfolk. To think that WOULDN'T make national news....haha. I just could not allow that kind of omission.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
-
Eugene Carr
- Colonel
- Posts: 387
- Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:58 pm
- Location: Dundee, Scotland
bugwar, thank you very much! Eugene there had seen the first draft of this edition of UJN which included a mention about "few atrocities" committed in Fredericktown. I was basically making the announcement about the change in order to inform guys like him who might well notice it.
[color="#008080"]MORE NEWS:[/color]
Well here was a bit of a surprise. Action in the Gulf within the first couple of turns. I may not have mentioned how Soundoff and I had a discussion about how the naval boxes would be handled and as part of the reason for our decision, we agreed any automation involved might lead us (namely me)to neglect those units. This particular encounter is a reminder of that.
My ships only managed to score three hits before Soundoff's unit of blockade runners were able to escape the engagement. I am testing some ideas about how to deal with these pesky ships and I'm planning to try something, despite my low expectations. I think it could be more effective to place my Blockade Squadron to "offensive" posture so as to actively be pursuing the enemy. I know this could be a significant drain on the squadron's overall cohesion and depending upon whether it works, it could additionally leave them with little ammunition. However, "every little bit counts" and it will be a good thing if I can force Soundoff to more frequently pay for his cotton smugglers' repairs instead of profiting from their relative freedom.
As an after thought, I happened upon the rather obvious problem of southern cotton smuggling through Matagorda, TX. The revenue from those regional decisions can make for a nice little pile of extra money over the long term. Finding a way to blockade that city and it's port facilities will be rising on the priority list once I've managed to assemble enough force in the Gulf region.
[color="#008080"]THERE WENT THE VP LEAD:[/color]
So, it is certainly evident that losing Harper's Ferry and Norfolk have helped significantly shift the per turn VP advantage in Soundoff's direction. Currently, I'm still leading him, but it won't take long for the Confederate total to surpass my own. Soundoff will, at least for the foreseeable future, be gaining 9 Victory Points against my total each turn. At that rate, it will take two turns for my esteemed opponent to overtake me in VP's. Such an imbalance in victory points per turn could be disastrous if not in some way checked.
Say neither Norfolk nor Harper's Ferry are retaken before winter -- I estimate Soundoff will have accrued a 110 point VP lead. Additionally, it would virtually guarantee two Foreign Intervention points for him every turn during that time for a total of some 30 F.I. points not counting point revenue from events. Add to that, the current F.I. score of 15 (which was odd and will be discussed soon) and you're looking at a serious issue with the Brits.
You will notice my National Morale decreased from 86 to 85. Look to the right and you see why. It took a hit when word spread that Confederate troops had taken Gosport Naval Yard and the city surrounding it. I suspect I will have some ongoing issues with NM in the early game. I believe losing the loyalty of the people in Baltimore may have resulted in a further decrease in my National Morale last turn when the "Pratt Street Riot" event fired. I'm not sure though. Soundoff's NM has likely dropped a bit or soon will (I forget what it was last turn). Oddly enough, he has decided to institute an early draft of conscripts in Richmond. It would appear Soundoff is really hurting for manpower and taking advantage of high morale to swell the ranks of his own newly formed Virginia army quickly.
One thing I neglected to have copied into this screen was my resource stockpile prior to this turn's orders being issued. I managed to remember the numbers well enough, I think. I started Early May with around 1120 Money, 133 Conscripts, and 414 War Supply. What is shown was the total after completing my turn. You can see I've spent a great deal, primarily for gearing up McDowell's army in Alexandria. Details coming in a moment:
Lastly, I have highlighted something I have committed to keeping in mind. With a war on, I have yet to lose a soul in anger. Naturally, that will inevitably change for the worse and likely sooner rather than later.
[color="#008080"]RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY:[/color]
Well it appears the weather has figured itself out. The patterns displayed seem to make a little more sense this time around. Generally speaking, there is mud all across the Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, in the Northeast and Texas. I suppose I could envision some kind of tropical storm making landfall from the Gulf and into Texas before chugging inland and then curling back to the north and east toward the Great Lakes. Having worked in a Gulf Coast city for the better part of three years now I know how tropical weather moves and it can be quite dramatic.
At any rate, you can see there is plenty of muck in areas of the of country where I have planned various military operations. I earnestly hope the poor weather doesn't slow my efforts more than my own estimates. We shall see.
[color="#008080"]HARPER'S FOLLY??[/color]
So to begin in the Eastern Theater of Operations, we are presented with this very troubling move by Soundoff's militia troops through Harper's Ferry and into Fredericktown, Maryland.
An Aside:
It is times like these when the replay function of AACW will serve CW2 players very well. I have a hunch that Soundoff's troops may still be on the move and having that replay feature would allow me to guess in what direction that might be. As it is, I have no way of estimating and will be forced to examine what information the game gives me while keeping in mind the various key locations on the map. It is an issue Soundoff and I may be forced to discuss further since there is word of a new patch which would include the "return of the replay". We will play things out like this and hope it does not become an insurmountable problem.
It would stand to reason, assuming the newly formed Washington Brigade (made up of two well trained volunteer regiments from Pennsylvania) was formed in reaction to something like a Rebel incursion into Maryland. I don't think the unit's arrival is specifically hard wired to occur when southern troops enter the border state, but I suppose it's a possibility. Someone can educate me on that one. To my own knowledge, the Washington Brigade's arrival is a scheduled one.
Naturally, the troops will need a leader. The next highest in seniority is Brig. Gen. Thomas Wood. The 37 year old is quite the accomplished soldier. Having graduated 5th in a class of 41 cadets at West Point, Wood went on to win honors in the Mexican War at the Battle of Buena Vista. It was a great victory under then Major General Zachary Taylor. Wood was assigned to several cavalry outfits in the far west following the Mexican War until 1859 when Wood, at age 35, took leave for a long trip to Europe. (The brief officer histories are brilliant).
Considering my reaction to Soundoff's early thrust north, I remember the importance of Victory Points. Thus, I have decided react to my opponent's aggressive move in kind. As I mentioned a moment ago, there is a chance that group of soldiers is still on the move and I'd like to be able to catch them before they manage to leave the region. I never like to use rolling stock on troop movements unless it's absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, I find it a necessity in this situation. It will take Gens. Wood and Shurz three days to arrive and be assembled for action outside Fredericktown before possibly engaging the enemy militia. I am hopeful in finding them quickly and I'm counting on my German cavalrymen to keep the southern troops under constant pressure.
A further 10 days would be spent by the small army as it continued southwest to Harper's Ferry which, if all goes well should fall without too much trouble, and then on to Winchester where I hope they will end their long march. There is the potential for combat all along that path depending upon how Soundoff's militia troops move in reaction to any combat which might occur. If I manage to cause a lot of damage to these troops, I will consider it a solid "little victory".
[color="#008080"]BOOTS IN THE BOOTHEEL:[/color]
While the Anaconda Plan will take plenty of time to implement there is certainly never any time to waste and when I have a newly mustered volunteer regiment which is free to move, I will most certainly use it. Such is the case in Cairo, where our friends with the 1st Illinois Militia have finalized all proper work becoming a part of the United States War Department.
To lead my planned operation, I have chosen Brigadier General George Webb Morell. He managed to graduate top of his class at West Point before resigning from the army to get into railroad engineering. Obviously, with his former Commissioned rank still legitimate, Morell has returned and already has been given his first star while simultaneously being given his first opportunity for glory. The 46-year-old will be responsible for arranging ferry transport across the Mississippi River as well as administering the command of two gunboats stationed in Cairo. The U.S.S. Savannah and Ticonderoga (River) will provide support with their guns as Morell's troops cross the river. There is a chance Soundoff might advance some troops into the target region and it's always better to be safe than sorry. The gunboats will also be ordered to act defensively if approached by enemy river vessels.
After achieving a safe bridgehead on the southern bank, I hope to have Morell and the 1st Illinois Militia resting in Charleston, Missouri and within view of New Madrid, MO. Charleston is a natural forward operating base for the army I'm gathering in this theater. Morell will be ordered to make all efforts at securing the area surrounding the town, plus the road back to Cairo in order to allow for the transfer of supply. Essentially, it means I have placed Morell in "offensive" posture in order that he gains military control of the target region at as quickly a pace as possible. Morell will also be ordered to aggressively repel any enemy troops.
[color="#008080"]"RED PEOPLE ARE SCARY":[/color]
I know the Native forces are neutral, but as in history, I suspect it won't be too long before Soundoff has control of them and by the look at their numbers, I could have a little trouble on my hands if I'm not careful. I estimate there to be between 1,500 and 2,000 Indians gathered into war parties. If those troops manage to break out into the front range of Colorado or possibly swamp Santa Fe, I would likely be dealing with further VP loss and the threat of Money loss. It will be worth keeping this part of the country safe, there are Rangers ready to be called up. I will spend resources on this theater, however, while the natives remain neutral, I will spend elsewhere.
[color="#008080"]DEFINING TOP SECRET:[/color]
To the operation which I've had the most fun putting together. As you may have noticed, I'm playing this as closely to a "first run through" experience as possible. I already know a lot about this game, but there are some things I'm still a little fuzzy about. I include naval bombardment in that categorty (as I implied earlier). The Chesapeake Squadron, which includes the U.S.S. Cumberland, Pocahontas and Tecumseh, could probably do some significant damage, especially if they catch Soundoff's forces moving out in the open. I also hope to learn whether selecting the "bombard" option will automatically bombard any units which are stationary in the nearest available target city or structure. Lastly, I know from my lengthy experience with this game that Soundoff has some ships up the James River which he could use to attack. I believe there is a frigate and some brigs. I would certainly like to catch and either sink or capture them if I can although the guns of Ft. Monroe will probably prevent any sort of naval engagement on Soundoff's part.
Vice Admiral James Palmer, currently in command of the African Squadron made up of two frigates and two brigs, is the only naval officer I can utilize at this stage and so naturally, with the emphasis I'm placing on the re-capture of Norfolk, it would be wise to have him available for operations to that end. His ships will beef up the security around Fortress Monroe and be able to assist in the direct attack which I hope to launch soon.
In the meantime, former politician and southern militia leader turned Union Brig. General, Stephen Augustus Hurlburt has been assigned command of a very "hush hush" troops movement involving the 1st. U.S. Marine regiment. I am very eager to see how these troops fare in combat and I hope to really throw Soundoff for a loop in using them. The command will take all 15 days to travel to Salisbury, Deleware and could take quite a bit longer depending upon how the rainy weather slows them down as they make their way across Chesapeake Bay. Again, I figure it's best to get my plans moving as soon as possible. The move to Salisbury is designed to keep Hurlburt's command out of sight and in a position to threaten multiple locations. It's likely no surprise I am planning to use these troops for Norfolk's liberation, but I want to have them somewhere they can threaten other locations too. Salisbury seemed just about the right spot. From Salisbury, I can reach the Virginia tidewater, including Hampton Roads as well as Norfolk.
[color="#008080"]BITS AND PIECES:[/color]
As for the last bits and bites, I'll start by saying what all of you invariably know. At this point in the game, it's time to start buying replacements and fast. The Army of Northeastern Virginia is in need of some 420 replacement hits and it is strongly suggested by the makers of this game that around 10 percent of that amount in replacement elements be raised for each unit type to fill the need. You can see I've decided to spend heavily on replacements this turn, including on artillery. After the purchases, I will still have 67 line infantry replacement units available to be raised, 8 light artillery and 11 medium artillery units.
One thing I've noticed about CW2 is what I perceive to be a very accurate portrayal of what had to have been an emerging steam ship supremecy in the Union navy. Steam Frigates are cheaper to build than sailing frigates AND they are better in just about every way. Sadly, I only have the ability to build one of them for now and it will take quite awhile before she sees action. Additionally, I think it's appropriate to begin on an armored frigate. The U.S.S. Galena will be an excellent flagship and one which should have a better time against forts. That asset I won't have access to until this time in 1862. If the war is over by then it will surely not have been my doing.
Finally you arrive at some other reinforcements, including one I had not mentioned earlier. I am building a supply wagon in Tolono, IL. This unit will supplement whatever automatic troops pop up early in the western theater. I also have desigens on my western army being rather larger than it was in history so the more supply the better. Cavalry in the Washington area will be good to have. There will be plenty of chances to disrupt Soundoff's troops and I like having the ability to take advantage of those opportunities where I can. There is a group of militia being raised to quell the rebellious dissenters in Baltimore. Nathaniel Banks has been placed in charge of them and is also tasked with utilizing his political clout to expand recruitment efforts in the city. Lastly, the sharpshooters in West Virginia. I think they will help a lot with efforts to solidify my western flank in this theater. Sharpshooters are very good troops and their bonus to initiative will come in handy. Their effectiveness in that regard can often be overlooked in large battles, but I wager in smaller engagements I will learn just what kind of advantage having them can be.
And so at long last, that is all for this installment.
What might await Thomas Wood in Fredericktown and Harper's Ferry?? Or what about Morell in Charleston??
How might my navy do against Norfolk and the slippery Confederate blockade runners??
STAY TUNED!!
[color="#008080"]MORE NEWS:[/color]
Well here was a bit of a surprise. Action in the Gulf within the first couple of turns. I may not have mentioned how Soundoff and I had a discussion about how the naval boxes would be handled and as part of the reason for our decision, we agreed any automation involved might lead us (namely me)to neglect those units. This particular encounter is a reminder of that.
My ships only managed to score three hits before Soundoff's unit of blockade runners were able to escape the engagement. I am testing some ideas about how to deal with these pesky ships and I'm planning to try something, despite my low expectations. I think it could be more effective to place my Blockade Squadron to "offensive" posture so as to actively be pursuing the enemy. I know this could be a significant drain on the squadron's overall cohesion and depending upon whether it works, it could additionally leave them with little ammunition. However, "every little bit counts" and it will be a good thing if I can force Soundoff to more frequently pay for his cotton smugglers' repairs instead of profiting from their relative freedom.
As an after thought, I happened upon the rather obvious problem of southern cotton smuggling through Matagorda, TX. The revenue from those regional decisions can make for a nice little pile of extra money over the long term. Finding a way to blockade that city and it's port facilities will be rising on the priority list once I've managed to assemble enough force in the Gulf region.
[color="#008080"]THERE WENT THE VP LEAD:[/color]
So, it is certainly evident that losing Harper's Ferry and Norfolk have helped significantly shift the per turn VP advantage in Soundoff's direction. Currently, I'm still leading him, but it won't take long for the Confederate total to surpass my own. Soundoff will, at least for the foreseeable future, be gaining 9 Victory Points against my total each turn. At that rate, it will take two turns for my esteemed opponent to overtake me in VP's. Such an imbalance in victory points per turn could be disastrous if not in some way checked.
Say neither Norfolk nor Harper's Ferry are retaken before winter -- I estimate Soundoff will have accrued a 110 point VP lead. Additionally, it would virtually guarantee two Foreign Intervention points for him every turn during that time for a total of some 30 F.I. points not counting point revenue from events. Add to that, the current F.I. score of 15 (which was odd and will be discussed soon) and you're looking at a serious issue with the Brits.
You will notice my National Morale decreased from 86 to 85. Look to the right and you see why. It took a hit when word spread that Confederate troops had taken Gosport Naval Yard and the city surrounding it. I suspect I will have some ongoing issues with NM in the early game. I believe losing the loyalty of the people in Baltimore may have resulted in a further decrease in my National Morale last turn when the "Pratt Street Riot" event fired. I'm not sure though. Soundoff's NM has likely dropped a bit or soon will (I forget what it was last turn). Oddly enough, he has decided to institute an early draft of conscripts in Richmond. It would appear Soundoff is really hurting for manpower and taking advantage of high morale to swell the ranks of his own newly formed Virginia army quickly.
One thing I neglected to have copied into this screen was my resource stockpile prior to this turn's orders being issued. I managed to remember the numbers well enough, I think. I started Early May with around 1120 Money, 133 Conscripts, and 414 War Supply. What is shown was the total after completing my turn. You can see I've spent a great deal, primarily for gearing up McDowell's army in Alexandria. Details coming in a moment:
Lastly, I have highlighted something I have committed to keeping in mind. With a war on, I have yet to lose a soul in anger. Naturally, that will inevitably change for the worse and likely sooner rather than later.
[color="#008080"]RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY:[/color]
Well it appears the weather has figured itself out. The patterns displayed seem to make a little more sense this time around. Generally speaking, there is mud all across the Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, in the Northeast and Texas. I suppose I could envision some kind of tropical storm making landfall from the Gulf and into Texas before chugging inland and then curling back to the north and east toward the Great Lakes. Having worked in a Gulf Coast city for the better part of three years now I know how tropical weather moves and it can be quite dramatic.
At any rate, you can see there is plenty of muck in areas of the of country where I have planned various military operations. I earnestly hope the poor weather doesn't slow my efforts more than my own estimates. We shall see.
[color="#008080"]HARPER'S FOLLY??[/color]
So to begin in the Eastern Theater of Operations, we are presented with this very troubling move by Soundoff's militia troops through Harper's Ferry and into Fredericktown, Maryland.
An Aside:
It is times like these when the replay function of AACW will serve CW2 players very well. I have a hunch that Soundoff's troops may still be on the move and having that replay feature would allow me to guess in what direction that might be. As it is, I have no way of estimating and will be forced to examine what information the game gives me while keeping in mind the various key locations on the map. It is an issue Soundoff and I may be forced to discuss further since there is word of a new patch which would include the "return of the replay". We will play things out like this and hope it does not become an insurmountable problem.
It would stand to reason, assuming the newly formed Washington Brigade (made up of two well trained volunteer regiments from Pennsylvania) was formed in reaction to something like a Rebel incursion into Maryland. I don't think the unit's arrival is specifically hard wired to occur when southern troops enter the border state, but I suppose it's a possibility. Someone can educate me on that one. To my own knowledge, the Washington Brigade's arrival is a scheduled one.
Naturally, the troops will need a leader. The next highest in seniority is Brig. Gen. Thomas Wood. The 37 year old is quite the accomplished soldier. Having graduated 5th in a class of 41 cadets at West Point, Wood went on to win honors in the Mexican War at the Battle of Buena Vista. It was a great victory under then Major General Zachary Taylor. Wood was assigned to several cavalry outfits in the far west following the Mexican War until 1859 when Wood, at age 35, took leave for a long trip to Europe. (The brief officer histories are brilliant).
Considering my reaction to Soundoff's early thrust north, I remember the importance of Victory Points. Thus, I have decided react to my opponent's aggressive move in kind. As I mentioned a moment ago, there is a chance that group of soldiers is still on the move and I'd like to be able to catch them before they manage to leave the region. I never like to use rolling stock on troop movements unless it's absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, I find it a necessity in this situation. It will take Gens. Wood and Shurz three days to arrive and be assembled for action outside Fredericktown before possibly engaging the enemy militia. I am hopeful in finding them quickly and I'm counting on my German cavalrymen to keep the southern troops under constant pressure.
A further 10 days would be spent by the small army as it continued southwest to Harper's Ferry which, if all goes well should fall without too much trouble, and then on to Winchester where I hope they will end their long march. There is the potential for combat all along that path depending upon how Soundoff's militia troops move in reaction to any combat which might occur. If I manage to cause a lot of damage to these troops, I will consider it a solid "little victory".
[color="#008080"]BOOTS IN THE BOOTHEEL:[/color]
While the Anaconda Plan will take plenty of time to implement there is certainly never any time to waste and when I have a newly mustered volunteer regiment which is free to move, I will most certainly use it. Such is the case in Cairo, where our friends with the 1st Illinois Militia have finalized all proper work becoming a part of the United States War Department.
To lead my planned operation, I have chosen Brigadier General George Webb Morell. He managed to graduate top of his class at West Point before resigning from the army to get into railroad engineering. Obviously, with his former Commissioned rank still legitimate, Morell has returned and already has been given his first star while simultaneously being given his first opportunity for glory. The 46-year-old will be responsible for arranging ferry transport across the Mississippi River as well as administering the command of two gunboats stationed in Cairo. The U.S.S. Savannah and Ticonderoga (River) will provide support with their guns as Morell's troops cross the river. There is a chance Soundoff might advance some troops into the target region and it's always better to be safe than sorry. The gunboats will also be ordered to act defensively if approached by enemy river vessels.
After achieving a safe bridgehead on the southern bank, I hope to have Morell and the 1st Illinois Militia resting in Charleston, Missouri and within view of New Madrid, MO. Charleston is a natural forward operating base for the army I'm gathering in this theater. Morell will be ordered to make all efforts at securing the area surrounding the town, plus the road back to Cairo in order to allow for the transfer of supply. Essentially, it means I have placed Morell in "offensive" posture in order that he gains military control of the target region at as quickly a pace as possible. Morell will also be ordered to aggressively repel any enemy troops.
[color="#008080"]"RED PEOPLE ARE SCARY":[/color]
I know the Native forces are neutral, but as in history, I suspect it won't be too long before Soundoff has control of them and by the look at their numbers, I could have a little trouble on my hands if I'm not careful. I estimate there to be between 1,500 and 2,000 Indians gathered into war parties. If those troops manage to break out into the front range of Colorado or possibly swamp Santa Fe, I would likely be dealing with further VP loss and the threat of Money loss. It will be worth keeping this part of the country safe, there are Rangers ready to be called up. I will spend resources on this theater, however, while the natives remain neutral, I will spend elsewhere.
[color="#008080"]DEFINING TOP SECRET:[/color]
To the operation which I've had the most fun putting together. As you may have noticed, I'm playing this as closely to a "first run through" experience as possible. I already know a lot about this game, but there are some things I'm still a little fuzzy about. I include naval bombardment in that categorty (as I implied earlier). The Chesapeake Squadron, which includes the U.S.S. Cumberland, Pocahontas and Tecumseh, could probably do some significant damage, especially if they catch Soundoff's forces moving out in the open. I also hope to learn whether selecting the "bombard" option will automatically bombard any units which are stationary in the nearest available target city or structure. Lastly, I know from my lengthy experience with this game that Soundoff has some ships up the James River which he could use to attack. I believe there is a frigate and some brigs. I would certainly like to catch and either sink or capture them if I can although the guns of Ft. Monroe will probably prevent any sort of naval engagement on Soundoff's part.
Vice Admiral James Palmer, currently in command of the African Squadron made up of two frigates and two brigs, is the only naval officer I can utilize at this stage and so naturally, with the emphasis I'm placing on the re-capture of Norfolk, it would be wise to have him available for operations to that end. His ships will beef up the security around Fortress Monroe and be able to assist in the direct attack which I hope to launch soon.
In the meantime, former politician and southern militia leader turned Union Brig. General, Stephen Augustus Hurlburt has been assigned command of a very "hush hush" troops movement involving the 1st. U.S. Marine regiment. I am very eager to see how these troops fare in combat and I hope to really throw Soundoff for a loop in using them. The command will take all 15 days to travel to Salisbury, Deleware and could take quite a bit longer depending upon how the rainy weather slows them down as they make their way across Chesapeake Bay. Again, I figure it's best to get my plans moving as soon as possible. The move to Salisbury is designed to keep Hurlburt's command out of sight and in a position to threaten multiple locations. It's likely no surprise I am planning to use these troops for Norfolk's liberation, but I want to have them somewhere they can threaten other locations too. Salisbury seemed just about the right spot. From Salisbury, I can reach the Virginia tidewater, including Hampton Roads as well as Norfolk.
[color="#008080"]BITS AND PIECES:[/color]
As for the last bits and bites, I'll start by saying what all of you invariably know. At this point in the game, it's time to start buying replacements and fast. The Army of Northeastern Virginia is in need of some 420 replacement hits and it is strongly suggested by the makers of this game that around 10 percent of that amount in replacement elements be raised for each unit type to fill the need. You can see I've decided to spend heavily on replacements this turn, including on artillery. After the purchases, I will still have 67 line infantry replacement units available to be raised, 8 light artillery and 11 medium artillery units.
One thing I've noticed about CW2 is what I perceive to be a very accurate portrayal of what had to have been an emerging steam ship supremecy in the Union navy. Steam Frigates are cheaper to build than sailing frigates AND they are better in just about every way. Sadly, I only have the ability to build one of them for now and it will take quite awhile before she sees action. Additionally, I think it's appropriate to begin on an armored frigate. The U.S.S. Galena will be an excellent flagship and one which should have a better time against forts. That asset I won't have access to until this time in 1862. If the war is over by then it will surely not have been my doing.
Finally you arrive at some other reinforcements, including one I had not mentioned earlier. I am building a supply wagon in Tolono, IL. This unit will supplement whatever automatic troops pop up early in the western theater. I also have desigens on my western army being rather larger than it was in history so the more supply the better. Cavalry in the Washington area will be good to have. There will be plenty of chances to disrupt Soundoff's troops and I like having the ability to take advantage of those opportunities where I can. There is a group of militia being raised to quell the rebellious dissenters in Baltimore. Nathaniel Banks has been placed in charge of them and is also tasked with utilizing his political clout to expand recruitment efforts in the city. Lastly, the sharpshooters in West Virginia. I think they will help a lot with efforts to solidify my western flank in this theater. Sharpshooters are very good troops and their bonus to initiative will come in handy. Their effectiveness in that regard can often be overlooked in large battles, but I wager in smaller engagements I will learn just what kind of advantage having them can be.
And so at long last, that is all for this installment.
What might await Thomas Wood in Fredericktown and Harper's Ferry?? Or what about Morell in Charleston??
How might my navy do against Norfolk and the slippery Confederate blockade runners??
STAY TUNED!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
Falling behind a bit. I am working on my update for Late May currently and should have it posted soon!! I have realized, I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew with the UJN. It takes a considerable amount of time I just don't have to get that done along with the regular AAR, so I will continue publishing it, but much more sparingly.
Report coming.
Report coming.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
Banks6060 wrote:Falling behind a bit. I am working on my update for Late May currently and should have it posted soon!! I have realized, I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew with the UJN. It takes a considerable amount of time I just don't have to get that done along with the regular AAR, so I will continue publishing it, but much more sparingly.
Report coming.
You would think that after reading an AAR, that it would be a small thing to write one.
Turns out otherwise.
For me at least.
This will be a relatively brief report (most of my "weekday reports" will have to be) and it certainly is frustrating not to have the full time I desire to devote to this. First, we will start with Thomas Wood's very successful campaign to retake Harper's Ferry.
[color="#008080"]BATTLES OF HARPERS FERRY AND WINCHESTER:[/color]
One thing I see as an improvement in CW2 is the addition of a more detailed battle report. Being able to review each round of combat really helped me develop a better image of how it played out and why certain things resulted. I can say with confidence that in these particular battles, I don't have a hard time imagining how things went, EXCEPT that once again there was a battle where I lost not a single soul. That's hardly believable, but it's not something I am allowing myself to dwell upon.
Gen. Wood did as ordered and encountered the Rebel militia in Federicktown, of which the Washington Brigade and Shurz cavalry made short work. The fighting devastated the Winchester militia and sent them reeling back to Harper's Ferry. Wood continued south, where he was apparently unable to make contact with the battered milita regiment. Ordered to "take Winchester if practical", Wood marched on with some 2,400 troops and fell upon the city itself. The battle for the city lasted for several hours, but ended when Wood elected to call off the attack and let his command rest. It had been marching and fighting for 14 days.
May 15th went by without a shot fired on either side, but Wood somehow managed to capture some 400 rebel prisoners. Shurz troopers had apparently been very active during the long battle the day before and caught many of the inexperienced Confederate soldiers as they tried to flee the field.
[color="#008080"]OBJECTIVES:[/color]
Not a whole lot to say which is not already pointed out in the screenie. Foreign intervention has gone back up to 16 and Soundoff is poised to take the overall lead in Victory Points. So far, I have lost 90 brave souls to Soundoff's 1,000 or so. I certainly can't complain about that kind of imbalance in casualties.
You can also see the impact of Lincoln's call for volunteers and several other events which gave me several additional resources to play with in Late May. One rather alarming statistic is Soundoff's military power rating as compared to mine. It has jumped from 37, to 51 and now to 77. That is something I will have to make sure and keep in mind here in the early game.
The plan in the east is pretty simple and straight forward except there is some information not shown which I wanted to share. I had forgotten to change McDowell's posture to completely passive. I must say I was kicking myself for that mistake since it's valuable time lost collecting much needed replacement hits (and possibly full elements). I want to swell McDowell's ranks as much as possible in order to quickly ease my concern about defending Washington. I want to be able to confidently shift my focus west and I would like to do so sooner rather than later.
Wood's troops have become completely exhausted. Cohesion has tanked to a mere 29/76. The really good news is Wood gained two seniority points for his victories, plus some experience. The 26th Pennsylvania infantry and Shurz cavalry also gained one level of experience, making them even more deadly on the assault.
Aside from all that the decision about what to do with the Washington Brigade and Co. is basically a no brainer. Disengage and head back to Harper's Ferry. Wood will better secure that strategic city and will get much needed rest. It should take Wood's troops 8 days to reach their objective and I have ordered him to take residence in the town once he arrives. I loath to do so, but I have also elected to keep Wood's command in "defensive posture". I don't think, in reality, troops would have simply marched passively through territory they knew belonged primarily to enemy sympathizers. I think flankers would have been deployed and picket lines established with cavalry scouting ahead just to make sure their passage was safe.
[color="#008080"]THE WEST:[/color]
Very cut and dry, except I have begun raising the initial parts of what will be my western army in Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. Morell's troops made it into Charleston without any trouble, but have suffered some cohesion loss in the operation. I've gone ahead and ordered his troops to stay put there and continue to expand Union control of the region.
I have also elected to raise a mix of several regiments. I have ordered up infantry in Cairo, further north in Springfield (or near there), Evansville, IN as well as cavalry in Cincinnati and some artillery in Springfield, Illinois.
Other production included the purchase of many additional replacement points. I ordered a naval engineer to speed the construction of the U.S. Galena in Jersey City. Just down the road in Newark, I have ordered the construction of a transport flotilla, of which I will probably need plenty. I have yet to announce a blockade.
[color="#008080"]BATTLES OF HARPERS FERRY AND WINCHESTER:[/color]
One thing I see as an improvement in CW2 is the addition of a more detailed battle report. Being able to review each round of combat really helped me develop a better image of how it played out and why certain things resulted. I can say with confidence that in these particular battles, I don't have a hard time imagining how things went, EXCEPT that once again there was a battle where I lost not a single soul. That's hardly believable, but it's not something I am allowing myself to dwell upon.
Gen. Wood did as ordered and encountered the Rebel militia in Federicktown, of which the Washington Brigade and Shurz cavalry made short work. The fighting devastated the Winchester militia and sent them reeling back to Harper's Ferry. Wood continued south, where he was apparently unable to make contact with the battered milita regiment. Ordered to "take Winchester if practical", Wood marched on with some 2,400 troops and fell upon the city itself. The battle for the city lasted for several hours, but ended when Wood elected to call off the attack and let his command rest. It had been marching and fighting for 14 days.
May 15th went by without a shot fired on either side, but Wood somehow managed to capture some 400 rebel prisoners. Shurz troopers had apparently been very active during the long battle the day before and caught many of the inexperienced Confederate soldiers as they tried to flee the field.
[color="#008080"]OBJECTIVES:[/color]
Not a whole lot to say which is not already pointed out in the screenie. Foreign intervention has gone back up to 16 and Soundoff is poised to take the overall lead in Victory Points. So far, I have lost 90 brave souls to Soundoff's 1,000 or so. I certainly can't complain about that kind of imbalance in casualties.
You can also see the impact of Lincoln's call for volunteers and several other events which gave me several additional resources to play with in Late May. One rather alarming statistic is Soundoff's military power rating as compared to mine. It has jumped from 37, to 51 and now to 77. That is something I will have to make sure and keep in mind here in the early game.
The plan in the east is pretty simple and straight forward except there is some information not shown which I wanted to share. I had forgotten to change McDowell's posture to completely passive. I must say I was kicking myself for that mistake since it's valuable time lost collecting much needed replacement hits (and possibly full elements). I want to swell McDowell's ranks as much as possible in order to quickly ease my concern about defending Washington. I want to be able to confidently shift my focus west and I would like to do so sooner rather than later.
Wood's troops have become completely exhausted. Cohesion has tanked to a mere 29/76. The really good news is Wood gained two seniority points for his victories, plus some experience. The 26th Pennsylvania infantry and Shurz cavalry also gained one level of experience, making them even more deadly on the assault.
Aside from all that the decision about what to do with the Washington Brigade and Co. is basically a no brainer. Disengage and head back to Harper's Ferry. Wood will better secure that strategic city and will get much needed rest. It should take Wood's troops 8 days to reach their objective and I have ordered him to take residence in the town once he arrives. I loath to do so, but I have also elected to keep Wood's command in "defensive posture". I don't think, in reality, troops would have simply marched passively through territory they knew belonged primarily to enemy sympathizers. I think flankers would have been deployed and picket lines established with cavalry scouting ahead just to make sure their passage was safe.
[color="#008080"]THE WEST:[/color]
Very cut and dry, except I have begun raising the initial parts of what will be my western army in Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. Morell's troops made it into Charleston without any trouble, but have suffered some cohesion loss in the operation. I've gone ahead and ordered his troops to stay put there and continue to expand Union control of the region.
I have also elected to raise a mix of several regiments. I have ordered up infantry in Cairo, further north in Springfield (or near there), Evansville, IN as well as cavalry in Cincinnati and some artillery in Springfield, Illinois.
Other production included the purchase of many additional replacement points. I ordered a naval engineer to speed the construction of the U.S. Galena in Jersey City. Just down the road in Newark, I have ordered the construction of a transport flotilla, of which I will probably need plenty. I have yet to announce a blockade.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
[color="#008080"]MORE FIGHTING AROUND HARPERS:[/color]
Well, the result of this particular series of engagements certainly doesn't come as a surprise, but I must say I was a little shocked to see such a strong mobile Confederate force so early in the game. Having played on the CSA side, I remember a few small units available in Charleston, S.C., but I don't remember any Virginia troops being unlocked by late May. At any rate Harper's Ferry is again in Rebel hands and T. Wood's command is in far less than fighting shape. Good defensive terrain and moderate entrenchments are about all my troops had to their advantage.
I was, however encouraged to find the 27th Pennsylvania (I believe I referred to them as the 26th Penn. in my last report mistakenly) gained another level of experience during the course of the fighting. Also, I was pleased to hear Gen. Wood had received even further praise for his actions on the field. Wood is now just one point away from earning a promotion!!
[color="#008080"]REVVING UP THE MILITARY ENGINE:[/color]
There were a few things I felt were worth noting on this screen as I take you through my thought process during the Early June turn. The very first thing I noticed as I looked over the Objectives Screen was the rather dramatic change in Relative Military Power between myself and Soundoff. I know that number was at 77 during the Late May turn and now it has dropped to 66. I suspect much of my more recent naval investment and some of my production out west might be having an impact. That will certainly continue (more details on that to come, of course).
At this point, Soundoff has lost roughly 10 times the number of fighting men I have. Naturally this is bound to change as the game goes on, but I have absolutely no problem carrying such an advantage as far into the contest as possible. I doubt Soundoff is all too concerned, however I can imagine it's something he has doubtless noticed. I have also managed to capture 800 Confederate troops.
Foreign Intervention continues to bounce up and down and moved back in Soundoff's favor this last turn. I have also officially lost my advantage in overall Victory Points as well as per-turn VP's. I'm now quite certain it would take more than just Harper's Ferry and Winchester to bring that number back where I want it. Due to various events I also noticed my National Morale increased to 87.
[color="#008080"]STRUGGLE FOR HARPER'S FERRY:[/color]
It is obvious Soundoff values possession of Harper's Ferry quite highly. I suppose there are few questions as to why he would desire to keep the small river town under his government's control. There is a lot of supply generated by the city, enough to feed a sizeable army and it is essentially the northern gateway to Washington. If Soundoff can take a firm hold of Harper's Ferry, he can threaten vital rail lines in Maryland and southern Pennsylvania as well as the Capitol itself. I can say, with confidence, it would be worth putting up a good fight to keep Harper's under my own control.
With that in mind, I've decided to send the newly formed Maryland Volunteers under Gen. C.P. Stone from Washington to relieve Wood's tired troops. Sadly, Stone is inactive and will be unable to aggressively seek out Soundoff's force under Gustavus Smith, however I have a very distinct impression Soundoff may try to attack Wood's troops again. It means he is likely to still be in "offensive posture" when Stone's command arrives. Obviously, that would favor Stone's force, which outnumbers Smith's command and would benefit from defensive fire values and the benefits of defending hilly terrain.
What I expect to happen is for Soundoff to attack and brush away Wood's troops (hopefully back to Fredericktown) and for him to eventually attack Stone. There is the outside chance Soundoff calls the recapture of Harper's Ferry "well enough" and begins preparing his own defenses there with Johnson's army poised to reinforce.
With that last thought is where I arrived at the "rub". I want to fight hard for Harper's Ferry, but I know my troops, who lack any big guns whatsoever, will potentially be facing an army (Johnson's) with several dozen cannon. If I am to lock down this important town I will need to remedy this imbalance as soon as possible. There will be no opportunity for that this turn, but I'm confident there will be in the Late June turn.
Also, you can see McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia, which has swollen to more than 17,000 troops and 166 guns. It's quite obvious the "passive posture" helped attract replacement hits more rapidly this past turn and I wager (depending on how many full elements are added to the army) McDowell's force could number close to or over 25,000. If I'm in the proper position next turn and McDowell is active, I may attack Soundoff's army in Manassas. If for no other reason than to relieve pressure from the Southern threat at Harper's Ferry.
NOTE: You will notice I mess up Gen. C. Hamilton's name twice in this AAR entry. These are the types of mistakes I will attempt to avoid in the future, but certainly cannot promise to.
[color="#008080"]CAGING FLOYD IN WEST VIRGINIA:[/color]
Union forces are certainly gathering in the highlands of West Virginia and while I currently hold the advantage in numbers, I am in no position to make any serious offensive moves. My opponents troops under John B. Floyd in Clarksburg could cause a considerable amount of trouble if Soundoff chooses to use them aggressively.
The way I see it, Soundoff could send Floyd's force in any one of three possible directions.
1. Northeast toward Morgantown and my relatively disorganized defense force there. I'm sure my troops would put up a decent fight, but I fear their lack of a commander might lead to defeat.
2. Northwest toward Wheeling. This is where I have my most organized command under Gen. Blenker. I doubt Soundoff would make a move in this direction.
3. West to Parkersburg. This would be an interesting option for Soundoff if he REALLY decided to get aggressive. Taking Parkersburg could open the entire state of Ohio up to raiding Confederate cavalry. There are a lot of important rail lines in eastern Ohio which connect the eastern and western halves of the Union. If I can avoid them being constantly broken it will save me vital resources for their repair and defense.
Considering all of the possibilities, I have decided to ensure Soundoff's inability to cross the Ohio River near and north of Parkersburg by moving my gunboats into positions along the river, blocking all possible crossings. I have also ordered a regiment of West Virginia militia to secure the town itself. I want to raise another regiment of volunteers there to bolster the city's defense. This is a rather risky move, as Soundoff may indeed elect to attack and likely destroy those troops, however, I consider the risk worthwhile.
As you can see in the screenie, all other troops are ordered to remain in defensive posture save for Gen. Patterson's command, which will assume "passive posture" in order to quickly collect much needed replacements. Patterson's small army could nearly double in size if enough troops are added to its ranks over the next turn. We will see!
NOTE: You don't see it in the screenie, but I decided to move each of those two gunboat units one region to the north. After further reflection, I decided it was more likely for Soundoff to try and cross the river between Parkersburg and Wheeling if he tries at all. It seems to make more sense than crossing southwest of Parkersburg.
[color="#008080"]A LYON IN MISSOURI:[/color]
And so we move further west to Missouri. I don't show it in the screenshot, but I am well aware of the new Confederate army in Arkansas forming under Sterling Price. I suspect they will be in Missouri very soon, so moving ahead with my planned advance is certainly of utmost importance.
My blocking force in Lexington will be joined by Edwin Sumner in Early July (which I chose not to show). It means west central Missouri is relatively secure for the time being. There are going to be roughly 4,000 troops and 12 cannon in Lexington, once Sumner arrives with the 11th U.S. Regulars regiment. Citing my earlier announced Missouri strategy, it will be wise to use Sumner's force in concert with Lyon once I'm able to advance upon Springfield. Coordinating them will also be important in the interim.
Since Soundoff's main western army is so far away, I feel confident I can move out of St. Louis safely with Lyon's troops.
Lyon's army is a small one to be sure, but it is made up of slightly better volunteer troops, regular infantry, early cavalry and some 12 pound artillery. It is a relatively strong force considering the theater in which it is operating. I believe it also stacks up quite nicely against Soundoff's mainly militia army in Fayetteville, at least in quality. Soundoff's force is quite a bit larger. I estimate there to be roughly 6,000 to 7,000 men there presently.
Something I've not really tried (mainly out of paranoia) is marching an army anywhere in "Passive Posture". My memory of the rules dictates doing so to be a dependable way of keeping troops relatively fresh. As I look at the conditions in Union, MO (just west of St. Louis) I see a region completely under my control with little hint of immediate danger. It seems sensible to go ahead and march onward with all confidence in the safety of Lyon's force.
Another Aside:
There is a minor concern with the loyalty percentage (80% Confederate!!). I don't know if the game starts with such an imbalance, but it could make things difficult in the future. Soundoff will be able to raise a healthy number of partisans due to this loyalty advantage. However, I don't think he has already done so. I think it's more likely Soundoff is spending more of his resources on other things elsewhere.
It would have taken Lyon 16 days to reach Jefferson City. I choose not force march his men and settle with a more limited advance into Union, MO. I see no real immediate need for hurry. Soundoff's main army can't get to Jeff City this turn either.
Last but not least:
I certainly notice that lone militia regiment southwest toward Rolla. I don't want them to cause any amount of serious trouble, so I decide to detach Lyon's cavalry regiment and place Gen. Lew Wallace as its commander. Wallace's job will essentially be to deal with the militia and perhaps see what Soundoff may have hiding in the Ozarks. I don't know exactly how well early cavalry matches up against militia infantry, but I know once the fighting reaches close quarters, my troopers will have the advantage. Of course, that is assuming there is a fight. Soundoff could just as easily blow the Rolla depot and withdrawal. We will see.
NOTE: You also don't see it in the screenshot (I forgot a bunch on this one lol), but I have ordered a regiment of cavalry to scout southwest Missouri and (hopefully) get a good look at Price's army, currently in Arkansas. I have placed the regiment in "offensive posture" with the "probe" special order. Hopes are the troopers get into some action and are able to pass along detailed knowledge of Soundoff's western army before it is dealt with in pitched battle.
[color="#008080"]SURPRISE GATHERING IN DELEWARE:[/color]
Once more, with a mind to "get things going". I decide to assemble my forces for the operation to retake Norfolk. The plan calls for use of the Atlantic Fleet and a fair number of the volunteer brigades which have formed automatically in major cities all across the northern states. For now, the only land forces I have available are those under Hurlbut (which was joined last turn by Gen. C. Griffin and the 2nd Maryland Volunteers Brigade).
Finding a good place to assemble this rather secretive operation involves some consideration. There is Philadelphia, a nicely centralized city with a large port, but I think being a little closer to the front line would be beneficial. Wilmington, Deleware is large enough, it's connected to the main rail line up and down the eastern seaboard and it's not far from where Hurlbut's force is now.
It is also important to have the right kind of leaders to carry out the operation. The force will need a higher ranking General than Hurlbut if its to operate with minimal penalties, so it makes sense to send C. Hamilton (2 stars) to meet everyone in Deleware.
[color="#008080"]BIG SHIPS WITH BIG GUNS AND MORE IN THE WEST:[/color]
I continue raising more troops in the west, including a few ranger regiments in New Mexico. It's about time to begin strengthening my position in the Far West. I have also called for the construction of two additional armored frigates. They will both be built in Philadelphia. As I mentioned before, it will soon be time to begin building much more artillery.
..........................
So how will Stone's troops do at Harper's Ferry??
Will Floyd advance and cause further trouble in West Virginia??
Might there be a surprise waiting for Gen. Lyon in Missouri??
Stay tuned!!
Well, the result of this particular series of engagements certainly doesn't come as a surprise, but I must say I was a little shocked to see such a strong mobile Confederate force so early in the game. Having played on the CSA side, I remember a few small units available in Charleston, S.C., but I don't remember any Virginia troops being unlocked by late May. At any rate Harper's Ferry is again in Rebel hands and T. Wood's command is in far less than fighting shape. Good defensive terrain and moderate entrenchments are about all my troops had to their advantage.
I was, however encouraged to find the 27th Pennsylvania (I believe I referred to them as the 26th Penn. in my last report mistakenly) gained another level of experience during the course of the fighting. Also, I was pleased to hear Gen. Wood had received even further praise for his actions on the field. Wood is now just one point away from earning a promotion!!
[color="#008080"]REVVING UP THE MILITARY ENGINE:[/color]
There were a few things I felt were worth noting on this screen as I take you through my thought process during the Early June turn. The very first thing I noticed as I looked over the Objectives Screen was the rather dramatic change in Relative Military Power between myself and Soundoff. I know that number was at 77 during the Late May turn and now it has dropped to 66. I suspect much of my more recent naval investment and some of my production out west might be having an impact. That will certainly continue (more details on that to come, of course).
At this point, Soundoff has lost roughly 10 times the number of fighting men I have. Naturally this is bound to change as the game goes on, but I have absolutely no problem carrying such an advantage as far into the contest as possible. I doubt Soundoff is all too concerned, however I can imagine it's something he has doubtless noticed. I have also managed to capture 800 Confederate troops.
Foreign Intervention continues to bounce up and down and moved back in Soundoff's favor this last turn. I have also officially lost my advantage in overall Victory Points as well as per-turn VP's. I'm now quite certain it would take more than just Harper's Ferry and Winchester to bring that number back where I want it. Due to various events I also noticed my National Morale increased to 87.
[color="#008080"]STRUGGLE FOR HARPER'S FERRY:[/color]
It is obvious Soundoff values possession of Harper's Ferry quite highly. I suppose there are few questions as to why he would desire to keep the small river town under his government's control. There is a lot of supply generated by the city, enough to feed a sizeable army and it is essentially the northern gateway to Washington. If Soundoff can take a firm hold of Harper's Ferry, he can threaten vital rail lines in Maryland and southern Pennsylvania as well as the Capitol itself. I can say, with confidence, it would be worth putting up a good fight to keep Harper's under my own control.
With that in mind, I've decided to send the newly formed Maryland Volunteers under Gen. C.P. Stone from Washington to relieve Wood's tired troops. Sadly, Stone is inactive and will be unable to aggressively seek out Soundoff's force under Gustavus Smith, however I have a very distinct impression Soundoff may try to attack Wood's troops again. It means he is likely to still be in "offensive posture" when Stone's command arrives. Obviously, that would favor Stone's force, which outnumbers Smith's command and would benefit from defensive fire values and the benefits of defending hilly terrain.
What I expect to happen is for Soundoff to attack and brush away Wood's troops (hopefully back to Fredericktown) and for him to eventually attack Stone. There is the outside chance Soundoff calls the recapture of Harper's Ferry "well enough" and begins preparing his own defenses there with Johnson's army poised to reinforce.
With that last thought is where I arrived at the "rub". I want to fight hard for Harper's Ferry, but I know my troops, who lack any big guns whatsoever, will potentially be facing an army (Johnson's) with several dozen cannon. If I am to lock down this important town I will need to remedy this imbalance as soon as possible. There will be no opportunity for that this turn, but I'm confident there will be in the Late June turn.
Also, you can see McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia, which has swollen to more than 17,000 troops and 166 guns. It's quite obvious the "passive posture" helped attract replacement hits more rapidly this past turn and I wager (depending on how many full elements are added to the army) McDowell's force could number close to or over 25,000. If I'm in the proper position next turn and McDowell is active, I may attack Soundoff's army in Manassas. If for no other reason than to relieve pressure from the Southern threat at Harper's Ferry.
NOTE: You will notice I mess up Gen. C. Hamilton's name twice in this AAR entry. These are the types of mistakes I will attempt to avoid in the future, but certainly cannot promise to.
[color="#008080"]CAGING FLOYD IN WEST VIRGINIA:[/color]
Union forces are certainly gathering in the highlands of West Virginia and while I currently hold the advantage in numbers, I am in no position to make any serious offensive moves. My opponents troops under John B. Floyd in Clarksburg could cause a considerable amount of trouble if Soundoff chooses to use them aggressively.
The way I see it, Soundoff could send Floyd's force in any one of three possible directions.
1. Northeast toward Morgantown and my relatively disorganized defense force there. I'm sure my troops would put up a decent fight, but I fear their lack of a commander might lead to defeat.
2. Northwest toward Wheeling. This is where I have my most organized command under Gen. Blenker. I doubt Soundoff would make a move in this direction.
3. West to Parkersburg. This would be an interesting option for Soundoff if he REALLY decided to get aggressive. Taking Parkersburg could open the entire state of Ohio up to raiding Confederate cavalry. There are a lot of important rail lines in eastern Ohio which connect the eastern and western halves of the Union. If I can avoid them being constantly broken it will save me vital resources for their repair and defense.
Considering all of the possibilities, I have decided to ensure Soundoff's inability to cross the Ohio River near and north of Parkersburg by moving my gunboats into positions along the river, blocking all possible crossings. I have also ordered a regiment of West Virginia militia to secure the town itself. I want to raise another regiment of volunteers there to bolster the city's defense. This is a rather risky move, as Soundoff may indeed elect to attack and likely destroy those troops, however, I consider the risk worthwhile.
As you can see in the screenie, all other troops are ordered to remain in defensive posture save for Gen. Patterson's command, which will assume "passive posture" in order to quickly collect much needed replacements. Patterson's small army could nearly double in size if enough troops are added to its ranks over the next turn. We will see!
NOTE: You don't see it in the screenie, but I decided to move each of those two gunboat units one region to the north. After further reflection, I decided it was more likely for Soundoff to try and cross the river between Parkersburg and Wheeling if he tries at all. It seems to make more sense than crossing southwest of Parkersburg.
[color="#008080"]A LYON IN MISSOURI:[/color]
And so we move further west to Missouri. I don't show it in the screenshot, but I am well aware of the new Confederate army in Arkansas forming under Sterling Price. I suspect they will be in Missouri very soon, so moving ahead with my planned advance is certainly of utmost importance.
My blocking force in Lexington will be joined by Edwin Sumner in Early July (which I chose not to show). It means west central Missouri is relatively secure for the time being. There are going to be roughly 4,000 troops and 12 cannon in Lexington, once Sumner arrives with the 11th U.S. Regulars regiment. Citing my earlier announced Missouri strategy, it will be wise to use Sumner's force in concert with Lyon once I'm able to advance upon Springfield. Coordinating them will also be important in the interim.
Since Soundoff's main western army is so far away, I feel confident I can move out of St. Louis safely with Lyon's troops.
Lyon's army is a small one to be sure, but it is made up of slightly better volunteer troops, regular infantry, early cavalry and some 12 pound artillery. It is a relatively strong force considering the theater in which it is operating. I believe it also stacks up quite nicely against Soundoff's mainly militia army in Fayetteville, at least in quality. Soundoff's force is quite a bit larger. I estimate there to be roughly 6,000 to 7,000 men there presently.
Something I've not really tried (mainly out of paranoia) is marching an army anywhere in "Passive Posture". My memory of the rules dictates doing so to be a dependable way of keeping troops relatively fresh. As I look at the conditions in Union, MO (just west of St. Louis) I see a region completely under my control with little hint of immediate danger. It seems sensible to go ahead and march onward with all confidence in the safety of Lyon's force.
Another Aside:
There is a minor concern with the loyalty percentage (80% Confederate!!). I don't know if the game starts with such an imbalance, but it could make things difficult in the future. Soundoff will be able to raise a healthy number of partisans due to this loyalty advantage. However, I don't think he has already done so. I think it's more likely Soundoff is spending more of his resources on other things elsewhere.
It would have taken Lyon 16 days to reach Jefferson City. I choose not force march his men and settle with a more limited advance into Union, MO. I see no real immediate need for hurry. Soundoff's main army can't get to Jeff City this turn either.
Last but not least:
I certainly notice that lone militia regiment southwest toward Rolla. I don't want them to cause any amount of serious trouble, so I decide to detach Lyon's cavalry regiment and place Gen. Lew Wallace as its commander. Wallace's job will essentially be to deal with the militia and perhaps see what Soundoff may have hiding in the Ozarks. I don't know exactly how well early cavalry matches up against militia infantry, but I know once the fighting reaches close quarters, my troopers will have the advantage. Of course, that is assuming there is a fight. Soundoff could just as easily blow the Rolla depot and withdrawal. We will see.
NOTE: You also don't see it in the screenshot (I forgot a bunch on this one lol), but I have ordered a regiment of cavalry to scout southwest Missouri and (hopefully) get a good look at Price's army, currently in Arkansas. I have placed the regiment in "offensive posture" with the "probe" special order. Hopes are the troopers get into some action and are able to pass along detailed knowledge of Soundoff's western army before it is dealt with in pitched battle.
[color="#008080"]SURPRISE GATHERING IN DELEWARE:[/color]
Once more, with a mind to "get things going". I decide to assemble my forces for the operation to retake Norfolk. The plan calls for use of the Atlantic Fleet and a fair number of the volunteer brigades which have formed automatically in major cities all across the northern states. For now, the only land forces I have available are those under Hurlbut (which was joined last turn by Gen. C. Griffin and the 2nd Maryland Volunteers Brigade).
Finding a good place to assemble this rather secretive operation involves some consideration. There is Philadelphia, a nicely centralized city with a large port, but I think being a little closer to the front line would be beneficial. Wilmington, Deleware is large enough, it's connected to the main rail line up and down the eastern seaboard and it's not far from where Hurlbut's force is now.
It is also important to have the right kind of leaders to carry out the operation. The force will need a higher ranking General than Hurlbut if its to operate with minimal penalties, so it makes sense to send C. Hamilton (2 stars) to meet everyone in Deleware.
[color="#008080"]BIG SHIPS WITH BIG GUNS AND MORE IN THE WEST:[/color]
I continue raising more troops in the west, including a few ranger regiments in New Mexico. It's about time to begin strengthening my position in the Far West. I have also called for the construction of two additional armored frigates. They will both be built in Philadelphia. As I mentioned before, it will soon be time to begin building much more artillery.
..........................
So how will Stone's troops do at Harper's Ferry??
Will Floyd advance and cause further trouble in West Virginia??
Might there be a surprise waiting for Gen. Lyon in Missouri??
Stay tuned!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
Thanks fellas!! Next I share something I just managed to stumble upon recently. I don't know how many of you have seen it, but I may refer back to this map a time or two to illustrate what happens on the eastern front of the war. Pretty dang cool stuff here in my mind.
[color="#008080"]I SAVED IT AS "JUSTCOOL.jpg"[/color]
You can see Washington, Baltimore, the lower Shenandoah Valley, pretty much all of Northern Virginia PLUS the area near Norfolk. I know there will be significant engagements all around the area covered by this piece of art here in my game against Soundoff!! Very cool stuff!!
[color="#008080"]I SAVED IT AS "JUSTCOOL.jpg"[/color]
You can see Washington, Baltimore, the lower Shenandoah Valley, pretty much all of Northern Virginia PLUS the area near Norfolk. I know there will be significant engagements all around the area covered by this piece of art here in my game against Soundoff!! Very cool stuff!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
You're probably right Ace.
This is a notice:
We just went through a TERRIBLE ice storm here where I live and I neglected to take good care to unplug most of my electronics, including my home computer. Sure enough, my apartment lost power during the worst of the storm while my machine was still on. Now....I can't even turn it on.
I'm posting from a work computer right now.
If anyone has some insight on this situation, it would certainly be appreciated. I'm very afraid my motherboard might have been completely fried. Otherwise, it's safe to say this will cause a considerable delay and MAY be a "game ending" problem. I don't know yet.
Please pass along any information you have and I'll check back when I can.
Thanks everyone!!
This is a notice:
We just went through a TERRIBLE ice storm here where I live and I neglected to take good care to unplug most of my electronics, including my home computer. Sure enough, my apartment lost power during the worst of the storm while my machine was still on. Now....I can't even turn it on.
I'm posting from a work computer right now.
If anyone has some insight on this situation, it would certainly be appreciated. I'm very afraid my motherboard might have been completely fried. Otherwise, it's safe to say this will cause a considerable delay and MAY be a "game ending" problem. I don't know yet.
Please pass along any information you have and I'll check back when I can.
Thanks everyone!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Have you ever stopped to think and forgot to start??
Sorry for the accident. I hope your HDD is not damaged, not because of this AAR, but because of all those valuable data we all store on our computers.
Even if it is damaged, they can often repair it, but the price for data extraction can be really hefty.
It does not need to be the motherboard, maybe only power adapter in the computer is broken. That would be a lot cheaper to repair.
Even if it is damaged, they can often repair it, but the price for data extraction can be really hefty.
It does not need to be the motherboard, maybe only power adapter in the computer is broken. That would be a lot cheaper to repair.
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