Full Campaign: Gray Fox (Union) vs Mickey3D (CSA) - The CSA point of view

[Damius]

I take my off to you and Gray Fox, both AAR's are very nice to read and very detailed.
As a new player I also like the decision making process on both sides, the reasons for doing or not doing things, the doubts etc. Learned alot on the way aswell...Thanks and I root for you!

[Mickey3D]

@Congoblue and Damius : thanks a lot for your support and welcome on the forum. Don't hesitate to ask question.

GF has started the college so I think he is pretty busy at the moment.

[pgr]

Thanks for the updates!

As an aside, could you post the date when you have the turn number (July 1863 for example...) I have a hard time keeping track.

It seems like the man has too much in NC to effectively withdraw quickly. Now that he is out of supply...it will be interesting what the turn to turn effects will be on his strength. You would think that he will start loosing strength pretty rapidly...

[Mickey3D]

As an aside, could you post the date when you have the turn number (July 1863 for example...) I have a hard time keeping track.

Very good point and sorry for the inconvenience, I'll change the headers in the future posts.

Turn 47 is Early March 1863

[Gray Fox]

Super AAR! Thanks so much!

[Mickey3D]

I'm just reading a mail from GF : as he is back in college, he can't find enough time to continue the game.

I will post later the .trn file of the last turn so everyone can have a look at the position.

[veji1]

I'm just reading a mail from GF : as he is back in college, he can't find enough time to continue the game.

I will post later the .trn file of the last turn so everyone can have a look at the position.

I score this as a TKO for you. you had him in a deadend. Not saying you were going to crush and capture his whole army, but that he was cornered without enough supply to continue attacking from there. He would have had to retreat to the coast and relocate most of his troops for offensive operations elsewhere. Since his strategy neglected the west and transmississippi, he had no other way to put you in harms way fast enough. he was going to find himself in a early 62 type of front in late 63 / early 64. This was historically the dream scenario for the CSA : have the union make no headway in 2/3 years leading it to stop the war and agree to a white peace;

Well played ! And interesting game as well.

[Mickey3D]

Thanks Veji1. I'll try to have a look at Union side later this week-end and post an analysis.

[Mickey3D]

The last .trn file is attached to this post for people who would like to have a look and analyze our relative position.

[ATTACH]30493[/ATTACH]

[Mickey3D]

A few comments regarding the game :

- GF gave me a very challenging game, full of situation twist.

- When you detect a 9141 power points stack you can't help feeling some nervousness and lose faith in your future...

- Knowing in advance the strategy of GF gave me some advantage : I tried to play as usual as long as I did not detect Grant in the East (around turn 15) but nevertheless it removed some incertitude that can lead you to do error. Maybe, without this knowledge, I would have move one or two divisions one or two turns later to the East and GF could have force me to retreat on the Rapahannock ? Against an unaware player, this strategy might bring some strategic surprise (but the move of the capital to New-York is a warning).

- The retreat of my fleet to Williamsburg (despite it should not be possible) was, in retrospect, beneficial : I moved it early to Fort Morgan so it was ready when GF landed in the South.

- Virginia alone can supply a huge force (more or less 20 divisions) : I don't know if this is historical ?

[Mickey3D]

I had a look at the Union side :

[ATTACH]30552[/ATTACH]

McDowell, Grant, Howard and Rosecrans are missing supply and there is neither supply left in any of the stockades nor in Edenton depot. There is 286 points in Suffolk and 203 in Norfolk.

BUT... out of curiosity I run the turn and the flow is not cut so the Union's army received the needed supply to avoid any hits :

[ATTACH]30553[/ATTACH]

I scratch my head to understand why and I think this is due to the fact Edenton is no more under blockade following the move of one unit of brigs to the Chowan river last turn. So, if I'm right, oversea supply is going to Edenton and from there to Henderson and Halifax using riverine transport.

[Jim-NC]

Remember that supply moves in 3 waves, and thus even without supplies in the general area, during wave 1, Edenton can pull a lot of supply that can then move 5 regions, then 5 more regions. This would allow all the union forces to get supply.

[cmdrsam]

Sorry to see this go. Enjoyed it from both side. I tried to download game save but its in php format. Really just was curious on your division make up.

[Mickey3D]

Remember that supply moves in 3 waves, and thus even without supplies in the general area, during wave 1, Edenton can pull a lot of supply that can then move 5 regions, then 5 more regions. This would allow all the union forces to get supply.

Yes but I was hoping to cut the land supply path from Edenton with my fleet in the Chowan River and the river supply path by blockading Edenton harbor. But the harbor was no more blockaded following a move I made last turn.

[Mickey3D]

Sorry to see this go. Enjoyed it from both side. I tried to download game save but its in php format. Really just was curious on your division make up.

Thanks a lot.

I'm able to download the file as a .zip ?!? Have you tried to download the .php and then rename it to .zip ? Let me know if it doesn't work.

[Mickey3D]

Really just was curious on your division make up.

The base template for my divisions composition is the following : 1 SharpShooter, 10 infantry, 2 cavalry, 4 artillery elements.

Sometimes I did not have the needed regiment(s) so some divisions may differ.

[cmdrsam]

Got it to work. Renamed file. Now to look it over. Always felt I had to fill out corps to make them effective. But you have alot of half corps it seems like. Any industry builds? Doesnt look like it. Im sure ill have other questions.

[Mickey3D]

But you have alot of half corps it seems like.

You can't have filled out corps if you want to avoid flank movement by the Union : you must stretch a little bit your forces and take advantage of the MSG (March to the Sound of Gun) to concentrate them at the right place.

The CSA player must be "agile" to change his organization in order to answer to Union threats. The Union must multiply the threats (and coordinate them in time) to bring the South to a break point.

Any industry builds? Doesnt look like it.

Yes, two times : arsenals and iron works.