Top Five Priorities for First Year of War

[Longshanks]

(I would have said top 5 "events" but that's a game term.)

Here's my list of the Top Five Priorities that one must attend to when playing the first year of the war. These are items that involve the other player, not things like "what should I build?" (although you may disagree if you please). These apply to either player, as well.

Here's my list:

1. Take/Hold Manassas in 1861. It's worth 10 NM for or against the Union. '[Nuff said.
2. First Naval Invasion. A Union player who does not use his best asset is doomed to a hard go on the battlefield. Launch a naval invasion almost anywhere and the CSA player must react - if he doesn't, do it again and again until he does. Take a major port, and there is an immediate lowering of CSA morale, plus you get leader XP.
3. Island #10 / Fort Henry/Donelson. Ok, I lumped these. Sue me. These forts control access to two key rivers. The Union doesn't HAVE to have them, but things go smoother if he does and get delayed if he doesn't. As the Union player, take them before they get defended. As the CSA, don't let them fall until the price to keep them is too high.
4. Northern Papers Offensive. Yeah, technically this bleeds over into the second year, but the event fires at the very end of year one. It's worth 10 Union NM, or 20 if it's not performed. That's a lot of battlefield wins. As the Union, you simply MUST comply with this. As the CSA, you simply MUST stop him from doing so.
5. Losses. In short inflict them, while keeping yours down. For the Union this means less loss of NM and VP. For the CSA, it means that you preserve your army while you delay and frustrate the Union with your "force in being."

What's yours?!?

[FENRIS]

I would add one : take control of Missouri ? for both side it can or secure the West (CSA) or make a great advance in 61 (Union)

[Jim-NC]

My addition - Don't lose your capital. A lot of players don't seem to know how important their capital is, and it is not always defended very well in the beginnng (50 NM hit if you lose it).

[willgamer]

All of the above plus:

North- avoid giving away Harper's Ferry/ South- grab it if available on the cheap
- starting with Hampton Roads, naval blockade all the way up the James to Richmond/ South- ?
- invade Norfolk, or if defended, invade Suffolk and starve Norfolk/ South- make it expensive
- In the far west, grab Rolla/ South- keep Rolla
- between Island #10 and forts Henry/Donnaldson, imho, Island #10 is more important... sort of the Manasses of the west/ South- keep it

[soloswolf]

As the CSA: Chosing which rivers you are going to try and hold early on, and sticking to it as much as the situation allows. The biggest decision in these is the Ohio vs the Cumberland. In my experience, KY's resources are not worth extending yourself for. In VA, things are a little more clear cut, as you are typically defending behind minor rivers, but there is the allure of trying to maintain a Potomac line. Generally, you cannot hold that line for line against a human, and as with KY, the resources of the Shenadoah are often not worth the risk involved in extending your field forces into western VA.

In summary, I'd say my top CSA choices would be (In no particular order):

1) Ohio vs Cumberland
2) Potomac or refused line in VA
3) Maintaining East-West Rails from VA to TN
4) Readying LA for invasion
5) Prepping the Memphis/Corinth corridor to maintain western TN/northern MS.

[FENRIS]

What do you consider a good defence of fort H D or island 10 ? 1 division ? (sorry for my strange english :blink

[Longshanks]

What do you consider a good defence of fort H D or island 10 ? 1 division ? (sorry for my strange english :blink

Usually one division is good enough to stop a "free take" of a fort. Minimum is: at least one solid Infantry unit, a 20lb or bigger artillery, a supply unit (in case you get besieged) and entrenchment of 3+

[Leibst]

What do you consider a good defence of fort H D or island 10 ? 1 division ? (sorry for my strange english :blink

Not so much as a complete Div but a nearly Army.

[FENRIS]

Not so much as a complete Div but a nearly Army.

inside the fort or outside ?

[Chuske]

Returning to the priorities, if you're after or defending Forts H & D or Island No 10 then Paducah seems key to me. If CSA fortifies it with naval guns and entrenched troops it costly to take back and hard to outflank as the naval guns make it hard to get supplies and ships past. So as either side its possesion is very helpful.

[Longshanks]

inside the fort or outside ?

Outside if you can resist your opponent's forces, inside if you can't. Keep at least one unit each place and move everyone when circumstances change.

[Longshanks]

Returning to the priorities, if you're after or defending Forts H & D or Island No 10 then Paducah seems key to me. If CSA fortifies it with naval guns and entrenched troops it costly to take back and hard to outflank as the naval guns make it hard to get supplies and ships past. So as either side its possesion is very helpful.

It seems unlikely to me that the CSA would fortify Paducah instead of defending the two forts. A fortified Paducah is great, but does not protect the Cumberland. If Nashville falls, Tennessee is open to the Union.

[Chuske]

It seems unlikely to me that the CSA would fortify Paducah instead of defending the two forts. A fortified Paducah is great, but does not protect the Cumberland. If Nashville falls, Tennessee is open to the Union.

Well what happened in my last game was my CSA opponent fortified Bowling Green, Clarksville, Columbus, Paducah (with coast art) and built a strong riverine navy. My river Ironclad fleet in Cairo was nullified by guns at Paducah. When I attacked Forts H&D I quickly got surrounded by CSA navy and units from Nashville attacked my beiseiging forces. With river supply cut I had to launch a suicide naval attack past the Paducah guns to contest the river long enough to get my troops out. Attempts to assault or surround Bowling Green resulted in heavy losses. With river domination I could easily attacked the forts and supplied the attacking forces.

Your comments suggest I missed something?

[Longshanks]

Can't say that you did since I wasn't staring at the same situation you were. However, if faced with such a formidable line, just trace along the front until you get to "the end". That's where you move. If it isn't on a river, so be it. The Union can produce more units, and eventually they'll flank the CSA. In a worse case scenario, send 2-3 divisions to Texas with your navy and then move into Louisiana towards Vicksburg and New Orleans. That'll get his attention. BTW, that's being done in one of the tournament games, with a much smaller force!

[shi4stone823]

These are great suggestions for a new player like me.
I have a question in general strategy in the East> if the Union is going to defensive posture in VA/MD, and focus his resource in the West and amphi landings, how to counter this strategy? CSA just won't dare to shift too many force from the East, besides, the train capacity might not allow large strategic redeployment. And if I choose to go on offensive to force the Union into action in the East, what targets can I threat to attack in MD? A fortified DC is not possible to take, but the rest of Cities just don't seem worthy for any raid, no NM boost at all, unless one goes deep into PA.
In summary, I had feeling that the value of MD is not well represented in game term, and offers no incentive for the CSA player to carry out any operation like what had ended up in Gettysburg '63 (in the ACW boardgame For the people, if CSA can cut off DC from the rest of MD, the Union lose alot of reinforcement, a very good incentive for CSA to raid north with a wide flank movement)

[Jim-NC]

Other than taking Washington, there is absolutely no incentive for the CSA player to march north. I believe that is a weakness with the game. Historically, I can just imagine if 2 or 3 divisions of CSA troops made it to Chicago, or maybe Indianapolis. In game terms, nothing happens, in fact, the union player can almost ignore an attack like that, as there is no penalties to do so. But it is what it is.

[FENRIS]

Other than taking Washington, there is absolutely no incentive for the CSA player to march north. I believe that is a weakness with the game. Historically, I can just imagine if 2 or 3 divisions of CSA troops made it to Chicago, or maybe Indianapolis. In game terms, nothing happens, in fact, the union player can almost ignore an attack like that, as there is no penalties to do so. But it is what it is.

yes, I was thinking in a great offensive CSA toward Ohio (Louisville, Cincinnati) to Michigan but I'm afraid that cost most than the reward.

[Chuske]

Longshanks would you say that as US building a strong river navy is a priority for you?

Other than taking Washington, there is absolutely no incentive for the CSA player to march north. I believe that is a weakness with the game. Historically, I can just imagine if 2 or 3 divisions of CSA troops made it to Chicago, or maybe Indianapolis. In game terms, nothing happens, in fact, the union player can almost ignore an attack like that, as there is no penalties to do so. But it is what it is.

Sounds like great suggestions for a patch or AACW2 if we ever tempt AGEOD to make a sequel. Shelby Foote's book suggested that a Southern victory in Northern territory (during Antietam campaign) would have convinced Britain & France to mediate with a view to permanent separation of CSA and USA. How true that is I don't know, but a NM and FI boost for a big battle won by Rebs in US territory would add even more interest to an already excellent game.

[shi4stone823]

Is it possible to mod some kind of event to boost CSA moral and FI, which is triggered by, let's say, capture of Baltimore or other major city like Pittsburgh, and etc. or a +5 NM victory in MD or PA.

Longshanks would you say that as US building a strong river navy is a priority for you?



Sounds like great suggestions for a patch or AACW2 if we ever tempt AGEOD to make a sequel. Shelby Foote's book suggested that a Southern victory in Northern territory (during Antietam campaign) would have convinced Britain & France to mediate with a view to permanent separation of CSA and USA. How true that is I don't know, but a NM and FI boost for a big battle won by Rebs in US territory would add even more interest to an already excellent game.

[shi4stone823]

Or can we modify the NM penalty/bonus for some objective cities?

[Longshanks]

I'm not convinced the politics of the CSA would have permitted an occupation of anything north of the Ohio River. We're entering much speculative ground here, but the bottom line is that Jeff Davis said no to a proposal from Johnston/Beauregard early in the war, with the argument that the South was fighting a defensive war, not a war of aggression. So, I think there ought to be PENALTIES for the CSA crossing the Ohio with more than, say, 5 or 6 elements. The penalty might be a flood of free state militia, a "reaction force," an outpouring of Union conscripts or even a *reduction* of FI ("The British are alarmed to hear that the Confederates have embarked on a war of conquest to spread slavery northwards!"). Maryland is a different matter (and to some extent, Delaware). These were "Southern" states as far as the CSA leadership was concerned. Confederate activities there, or in the nearby counties in Pennsylvania, might still be considered acts of liberation by the CSA and possibly even by foreign observers. However, the benefits of "liberating" Baltimore and Annapolis are enough in themselves without adding more I think.

[shi4stone823]

These historical notes are good food for thought. But can you elaborate a bit more on this_

. However, the benefits of "liberating" Baltimore and Annapolis are enough in themselves without adding more I think.

[FENRIS]

Salut ! and what about fort Pickens ? I think CSA must take this place because it look like a very good beach head for the Federals (as CSA is one of my obsession)

[Longshanks]

These historical notes are good food for thought. But can you elaborate a bit more on this_

Baltimore is a friendly city, a VP city, a major port ($$$) and will begin producing for the CSA right away. It also isolates Washington, cutting it off from both supplies and reinforcements. Annapolis gives the CSA yet another port, and conscripts as well. Essentially, taking these two cities brings Maryland completely back into the Confederate fold - if they can hold it. If they DO hold it, Washington is likely to fall as well, and that's 50 NM unless the Union moves the capitol which is its own penalty. So .... with all that in mind, there's no need for additional awards, except perhaps allowing the CSA to build units in Maryland (I can't recall at the moment if that's already allowed).