You have made a breach during the siege of Fort Pickens for a total of 23 breach(es)

[MarkCSA]

I am not kidding you.

Since mid 1861, I've had a siege force (with 3 Siege Artillery) bombing the bejeezus out of Fort Pickens, but I am not scoring hits against the defenders, just making breeches. The defenders are also not running out of supplies, I take it they are being supplied over the sea.

Any advice on taking the Fort? (Apart from direct assault, of course, which would be suicidal).

[GrudgeBringer]

I have seen somewhere that Pickens is one of those forts that you just Are NOT going to get.

Unless you just need Pickens, Ft Monroe is a MONSTER to have on your side early on and is VERY takable (I assauted it with Jacksons Corps fairly early). It closes the side door for invasion around that area.

I could be wrong about Fickens but I have seen another Ft do the same thing as Pickens.

Ft. Laramie has breaches all uver it and it WILL not fall!!

[lenny]

In my just finished first CSA campain (on normal) I assaulted it early 1863 with IIRC 3 divisions. The union had reinforced it with a strong brigade and Union strength was about 350+fort garrison.

[Coffee Sergeant]

Putting a fleet in Pensacola Bay should cut off their supply line.

[arsan]

Putting a fleet in Pensacola Bay should cut off their supply line.

Until Farragut arrives with a huge fleet...
I would say assaulting must be the "best" option for the south...
Its doable, as last week CSA Ai managed to take Ft Pickens from me with a surpise assault by Bragg and about 10-15.000 men, lossing just 1.000 guys for my 3.000 leure: leure:
I only had the the standard garrison, though... and some bad luck on the die rolls it seems
Regards!

[MarkCSA]

Putting a fleet in Pensacola Bay should cut off their supply line.

And get my fleet shot to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.........

[MarkCSA]

I've just posted this in a separte thread, but anybody got any good ideas on how to clear out the Shipping box? I got CS$ and War supply up the ying yang, so I should be able to put together a decent fleet.

[arsan]

I dont think there can be "real" combat on the boxes.
They are just an abstraction representing the whole world shipping lanes.
You can raid and make the USA lose money/ws but no sink transports there.
Probably with a big raiding fleet you can give better than you recieve against the escort USA fleet when they found yo, but it will always be abstract "bombard" combat.
For real combat you will need to search and engage USA fleest on the map.
Like using your decent fleet to blocade Ft Pickens and wait for the USA main Fleet to come
Good luck!
Regards

[W.Barksdale]

I've just posted this in a separte thread, but anybody got any good ideas on how to clear out the Shipping box? I got CS$ and War supply up the ying yang, so I should be able to put together a decent fleet.

Don't bother. All the resources you will spend on it are better used elsewhere.

[Coffee Sergeant]

And get my fleet shot to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.........

You can move ironclads there - the Union can't. They can take a beating, if you have enough you should be able to fend them off. Is this PBEM or AI?

[Southerner]

Any advice on taking the Fort?

Yes. After smashing Sumter in the opening turn, move by rail all those troops (except calvary) over to the Fort adjacent to Pickens. Use them in an all out assault on Pickens as early in '61 as you can. Teleport an officer too. If any other spare militia send them along.


The fort has fallen for me every time I have done this,(A1 game) and saved me from endless problems latter on. I ,on purpose, did not take it early and it gave me a load of problems latter in that game. It was used as an invasion point which took a terrible toll in Georgia and Florida before I could concentrate troops to squash the outbreaks.

You let those doodlers dig in at Pickens like an Alabama tick and you will...well...you already see what happens...


BTW...After the ex-Sumter campaign troops recover from their massive losses in taking Pickens they come in mighty handy to move up into the western theater to help return Kentucky and Missouri to their natural allegances.

[soloswolf]

You're biggest issue with assaulting the fort is frontage, and that regardless of how many men you bring, it will be a meatgrinder.

Whatever you do, make sure you have what it takes to storm it in your first try.

[Brochgale]

To all that it concerns! What settings were you using when you took Pickens?I gave up trying on hard settings - just a bleepin meatgrider?

[MarkCSA]

Thanks for the advice, gentlemen.

Seems an all out assault is no longer needed, as I have just mauled a 60k force near Norfolk in 1863 and a 70k force north of Richmond in 1864 into the ground (encircle, destroy) on Hard.

/does Rebel Yell and cries Victory!

P.S. I think encircled forces near the sea should be denied supplies....... if I can reach the Fort/Forces, surely I can shoot Supply Ships out of the water.

[soloswolf]

Congrats on the field victories.

What about runners coming in at night to supply the fort? If you don't control the sea, I think they could get in.

[Southerner]

To all that it concerns! What settings were you using when you took Pickens?I gave up trying on hard settings - just a bleepin meatgrider?

I'm still playing at the default settings..whatever level the game installs at.