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Playing a PBEM game as CSA I am steadily meeting Union cavalry far into my own territory. If I don't rembember wrong these units does carry only 2 rounds supply as default.
For fast movement, and these guys are moving fast, they do not drag a supply train with them, I am sure.
What I can't figure out are how this is possible without the unit being totally "depleted" because of attrition and loss of cohesion. My units does at best have a 4 rounds of supply with them (Texas Rangers) but these units moral drops dramatically when travelling long distance.
I've experienced that a unit totally disappears the moment supply is up. I can't beleive that my opponent are sacrificing his units just for scouting and railroad sabotage??
Any clues?

I have also seen the AI sacrificihg a lot of cavalry units this way, which is both annoying (because I have to garrison cities deep in my territory), and probably damages the AI strategy in the long run.

When you capture a town, whether garrisoned or not, you also capture a measure of supply as well.
The AI will often send cavalry raids deep into your territory to disrupt your supply lines, damage rail lines, and generally cause trouble.

This forces you to spend resources garrisoning towns, and particularly depots, in your rear areas of you don't want these guys running around indefinitely.
You will also need to send cavalry after them to force them to fight, because they can evade slower units.

It's an effective strategy for the CSA to tie up larger Union forces with a few cavalry units.

Thanks for your answers. I am actually fighting another person, so I can't blame the AI. I just can't figure out how the cavalry unit can penetrate as deep without loosing the unit in lack of supply. I would have...It looks as if is not a sacrifice either. Thats why I am feeling I'm missing out on something .

By the way, is it possible to cheat your opponent in some way in ACW in a PBEM game by editing files or using some other tricks?

Serpent77 wrote:By the way, is it possible to cheat your opponent in some way in ACW in a PBEM game by editing files or using some other tricks?

It has crossed my mind I must admit, but I really hope not

It's possible for raiding forces to pick up supplies along the way, e.g if they are able to capture a small town or a depot or suchlike.

Rafiki wrote:It's possible for raiding forces to pick up supplies along the way, e.g if they are able to capture a small town or a depot or suchlike.

Sure, that is taken into consideration already.

Tordenskjold wrote:Sure, that is taken into consideration already.

OK, just got a different impression since you said:

Tordenskjold wrote:I just can't figure out how the cavalry unit can penetrate as deep without loosing the unit in lack of supply.

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Gray_Lensman wrote:Keep in mind, during the Civil War there were several Cavalry raids by both sides that were way over several hundred miles in penetration. So the ability of Cavalry units to penetrate that deep is quite historical.

Regards

Still, the Union cavalry in the game only carries 4 supplies, using 2 each turn. That gives only one turn to go into a territory to be able to return.
It seems some units are way over that, without extra supplies, not conquering anything and seems to have no other reason for being able to.
Otherwise, it seems we can go on forever discussing this, maybe we might end it here and wait for someone else to do the same experience.

Serpent77 wrote:By the way, is it possible to cheat your opponent in some way in ACW in a PBEM game by editing files or using some other tricks?

Yes, incredibly easy to do if you are the host. Just look at your opponents ORD and react accordingly. You could also change their orders but they would probably notice.

Tordenskjold wrote:Still, the Union cavalry in the game only carries 4 supplies, using 2 each turn. That gives only one turn to go into a territory to be able to return.
It seems some units are way over that, without extra supplies, not conquering anything and seems to have no other reason for being able to.
Otherwise, it seems we can go on forever discussing this, maybe we might end it here and wait for someone else to do the same experience.

All units able to forage, so if the areas being raided are not "pillaged" there is supply available, usually enough for 1 Cav regiment in good weather.

Note that the cohesion of these raiders drops rather quickly, though, making them fairly easy to beat once you catch them....

Also, check those lone ports you can find along big rivers. The ones without any other structure on the region (no city, depot or fort. Just an isolated port) so they are usually ungarrisoned.
This ports can store little amounts of supply, but more that enough to resupply a pesky cavalry regiment doing deep raiding.
I have even seen the AI use them to resupply
For example you have one left of Island 10 (New madrid), another north of Paducah... there are a lot on the big western rivers...

Cheers!

And on some parts of the map you can send the cavalry partially via river or railroad on transport.

Sometimes the cavalry does capture some supply on the way.

turska wrote:And on some parts of the map you can send the cavalry partially via river or railroad on transport.

Sometimes the cavalry does capture some supply on the way.

I think that is the secret - he's using river transport once he's taken the forts so he drop cav units deep in the heart of Dixie, then combined with the earlier notes about small supply sources he's giving you fits. Not a bad strategy overall, now just use it on him.

chainsaw wrote:I think that is the secret - he's using river transport once he's taken the forts so he drop cav units deep in the heart of Dixie, then combined with the earlier notes about small supply sources he's giving you fits. Not a bad strategy overall, now just use it on him.

Just be glad there was no Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway back then or you could send river transports from the Ohio River directly to Mobile using those two rivers.

I know that there is a few cavalery generals for the union that came with a cavalery brigade and some usefull capacity especially in raid... like forager and so on they can even let a cavalery brigade survive for months during the good season in the back of the CSA army... And they have enough firepower to take militia garnisoned cities