I am sure this has been asked.....Sorry bear with me

[Groove74]

I am sure this has been asked, so I will start out by saying sorry for asking agin. I just Can't find the exact answer. I just built some ships to defend my coast, How do I get them from the ewinforcements to in the field, the north's navy is overwhelming. it show how many in the reserve pool but says none on map, what activates them?

[Skibear]

You build ships in the re-inforcement screen by clicking on the brig or frigate the number of times you require. The bottom number of the 3 should then show 1 or 2 or 3 etc...
The next turn they will start to build in a port and after a few turns you will get a message in the log saying they are finished.

The Union will usually be overwelming as they have more resources, build Brigs as blockade runners to bring supplies. Later you might be able to afford 2 or 3 steam frigates to form a raiding force to go into the shipping lanes and attack union transports.

[Groove74]

Ahh ok so it is basically a waiting game, If I unstand it right I order the ships/soldiers or whatever is needed and then I just wait for them to come on line Correct?

[Skibear]

yes, order the units and next turn there will be a red line in the log saying something like "99 new units created in various states" click on this line and it will tell you what units were created where.
Depending on the unit type over the next few turns the log will tell you when and where they are finished and you can go and collect them.

[Groove74]

cool, thanks so much

[Coffee Sergeant]

Most ships take a while to build, especially iron clads. I've seen 80+ day build times for those.

[Groove74]

wow 80 days.. ok that explaines alot. Whats the best tactic for getting a good defience against the Yank's Navy early on they seem to be everywhere?

[arsan]

wow 80 days.. ok that explaines alot. Whats the best tactic for getting a good defience against the Yank's Navy early on they seem to be everywhere?

Mmmm... stay out of water! well, at least out of salt water!
You CAN'T compete with the USA on the sea no matter what.
They begin with a huge fleet and you with barely none.
They have money and supplies to build tons of ships and you don't.
Its a lost cause... and you can spare the money and supplies it cost leure:

I recommend you ONLY build brigs when you can spare some money and send them (with the "evade combat" button pressed) to the blocade boxes to bring you money and supplies for your land armies as long as they don't get sunk.

You will get some free combat ships as events. Use them to raid or with hit a run tactics because you don't have the numbers for anything else.
You can hope to do something on the rivers. Use you gunboats to control rivers en impede land forces riverine movements and build some ironclads to reinforce the ones you get for free. Here you will be also the underdog, but with smaller odds.
On sea and rivers your forts will be the main deffense. But you will have to buy expensive heavy guns replacements to put their garrisons on full strength if you want them to take a heavy toll on attacking yankies leure:

Regards!

[Groove74]

I see well ok then I will shift my focus to stronger land force. thanks

[Jabberwock]

Its a lost cause... and you can spare the money and supplies it cost

If you are playing the AI, and are confident you can hold her off on land during 1861 with militia, cavalry, and irregulars: put everything you can spare into brigs. Start with the Deep South ones, they will get built in Mobile and New Orleans. Station them all in the Gulf Blockade as one big fleet, evade - defend/retreat if engaged. Make sure you send Semmes to join the fleet at the first opportunity. As more come online, rotate any squadrons that fall under 12 strength (or individual ships under 6) back to Mobile for R & R. You should be able to withstand any bombardment without losing ships if you get caught. If that happens, send the whole fleet to Mobile for a couple turns.

I recommend Mobile as a naval base over NO or Galveston. Travel to & from NO can often take an extra turn if delayed, and Galveston will not replenish ships as fast (too small).

The more you have, the more you can afford. By the end of 1861 you should have about a 400-450 point fleet, bringing in @50 extra WS/turn, plus a few $. You will have built every brig available by spring, and can start adding some serious artillery to your militia divisions, which should have trained up to mostly conscripts and regulars by now (or start some other economic development, maybe even throw some resources into an offensive fleet).

This is not a great PBEM strategy.

I wouldn't recommend building extra ironclads unless you are just swimming in $/WS, at which point you have almost won anyway.