Soundoff vs. Banks (CSA Banks)

[Banks6060]

Well I apologize for the delay but on we go!

[color="Red"]Turn 23, Early March, 1862:[/color]

Lee takes Command!! (Now call me crazy, but I was sure that this wasn't suppose to happen until June. I must say...it is a VERY pleasant surprise to me. It will make this year fun .)

Grant defeats garisson at Lynchburg!! (As I thought. Soundoff opted to take the oh so easy target of an undefended Lynchburg. I gathered some great intel on what Grant's got to play with.)

Union army presses south into Culpepper!! (A very good strategic move by Soundoff here. He's been stealing the initiative from me at just about every turn. I had though he might wait one more turn to advance...looks like I was wrong.)

Thousands of Yankees storm Ft. Gadsden!! (The Gulf fort falls. An interesting move for sure. What's Soundoff up to??)

Van Dorn's army finds refuge!! (At long last...after nearly a month's march across hills and mountains and nearly half it's manpower gone...Van Dorn and the Army of Arkansas are met with much needed supply.)

Orders for the east:



Alright. First of all, Culpepper. Great move by Soundoff, but it presents an opportunity for me. I like the fact that Soundoff's army has moved out of its trenches in Mannassas...it will be much easier for me to attack it successfully with Lee and company. Grant did just what I wanted him to do (the further I can keep him away from Northern Virginia the better. I will only be worried about him if he seriously threatens either Richmond...or the rails leading there from the Carolinas.)

So, I will concentrate the Army of Northern Virginia in The Wilderness and reorganize there under cover. I have a little trap I hope to set for Soundoff this turn. My plan is leave Fredricksburg very lightly defended with newly arrived J.E.B Stuart's cavalry. I want to make it look like I was thinking though.....that it's a plausible defensive position. So I'm leaving Stuart in the trenches.

I'll back up for a moment. My goal for the coming Spring and Summer campaigns...is to get Soundoff to move the Army of the Potomac. As long as I've got him out in the open...I can defeat him decisively with my far superior Generalship.

So, as a means to that end...I want Soundoff to think I've made a mistake in Fredricksburg...leaving it too lightly defended as a direct route to Richmond. As a Union player...it's very hard to turn down a direct route to Richmond as opposed to an indirect route south and west toward Charlottesville. So...again....the army will concentrate...and leave Fredricksburg as the bait.

What I hope to have happen...is for Soundoff to advance into Fredricksburg on attack posture with either Hamilton or McDowell's Corps...next turn...I plan to beat him back there with my heavily reinforced army and be waiting for him....defeat his army...and open the road to Washington.

This plan relies heavily on there being good weather next turn.

Meanwhile, Soundoff has placed Grant in a rather precarious position. I believe he may have gotten greedy with the attack on Lynchburg. So I hope to trap him. I'm sending Johnson south to cut off his path of retreat. Huger is railed over from Norfolk to set up around Burkeville.

In the West:



I think things might quiet down again in Kentucky, but I'm not betting on it. I know Soundoff's Full Mobilization has probably produced at least another few divisions in this theater. I've ordered the Army of Kentucky to concentrate at Bowling Green. Altogether I should have somewhere around 27,000 fighting men and 140 or so cannon. Soundoff will have to fight hard to earn Kentucky.

Winder's cavalry division will run up the rails to the north to re-establish military control along the line and to keep an eye on Thomas in Louisville.

Forrest is ordered to attack across the Ohio River and observe the positions at Cairo.

In the Gulf:



A I mentioned...Soundoff took Ft. Gadsden this turn. I asked myself...what on earth is he doing?? Then I took some time to look at the map and realized what it was. He's positioning himself for a drive up the river into Georgia...with Columbus as his target. Hopefully he delays at least a turn so I can get a proper defense in place. Currently I have E. Johnston's small force rushing back to Savannah and then to Columbus by rail...also some newly built coastal batteries will arive in the town this turn.

Hopefully I'm right here. If not...then I'll surely put Florida in danger of being completely cut-off.

In the Far West:



The Army of Arkansas...tired and hungry will withdrawal to Ft. Smith this turn and begin the long road to recovery. I don't suspect I'll see much of Shields and company this year, but I'll be ready if Soundoff makes a move for Arkansas. If nothing else...Van Dorn will be able to reinforce the Mississippi Valley theater of operations.

Watie remains in the trenches at Feyetteville.

And a note...something I failed to mention the last few turns:



Since I have hardly any Conscripts...I've been heavily beefing up my rail transport capacity the last three turns. This will help alot during the campaign season...

SO

Will Lee and the Army be blocked in The Wilderness?? Will Grant push further into Virginia?? Will Wood make a move for Columbus, GA?? Stay tuned....

[Banks6060]

[color="Red"]Turn 24, Late March, 1862:[/color]

Sherman advances on Lexington!! (Soundoff has shifted his troops in the east, moving Sherman out of the supply depot near Covington to positions in Lexington, VA.)

Confederate Congress presses thousands into service!! (100 additional and much needed conscript companies. All will be used for replacements...also much needed.)

Longstreet promoted for action against enemy raiders!! (Union cavalry tries to break the rails in The Wilderness but after an attack led personally by Lee's "Old Warhorse", they are annihilated. Actually Soundoff's cavalry just happened to run into the entire AoNV in The Wilderness and Longstreet got the congratulatory credit for destroying them.)

McClellan crosses the Ohio!! (Soundoff has moved out with McClellan...crossing the Ohio near Evansville. General Thomas appears to be joining him.)

Lee forms the Army!! (The Army of Northern Virginia is fully concentrated and organized. It will consist of 2 Corps under Generals Longstreet and Jackson. Each Corps consists of 4 divisions and 3 reserve artillery batteries. Each division contains between 3 and 5 brigades. All told there are approximately 53,000 total fighting men and 200 cannon in The Wilderness. A third "reserve" Corps will be formed under Joe Johnson and consist 3 divisions or Approximately 14,500 troops and about 60 guns.)

Union reinforcements arrive in the Gulf!! (T. Wood has been joined by Butler and his small command. Between the two of them I'd say Soundoff has around 12,000 troops. At least enough to take most of the Gulf ports by storm. I'm hoping my coastal guns will provide a significant hinderance to his operations.)

Orders for the coming turn...first in the east:



Well I didn't quite get my wish for good weather. But muddy weather will have to do. What I had really hoped to do with Lee and the AoNV was spring my trap in Fredricksburg first and then continue my advance on into Culpepper with an extended 2 region march and be in a good position to threaten his AoP's position at Aquia and at the same time threaten Washington. However, I will only be able to make the 9 day march to Fredricksburg.

Here's to hoping that Soundoff decides to take the bait. What I really hope is that he thinks I'm trying to protect Charlottesville and that vital link between Banks and Grant. I hope he predicted that I would move the army to Charlottesville or not move it at all. I hope he thinks leaving only a cavalry division to protect the most direct route to Richmond was a mistake and tries to take advantage of it. I hope for alot of things in the coming turn, but what I hope for above all is to get his army out of their trenches and into the field where Lee can destroy it!

Meanwhile Johnson is suffering from some relatively pressing supply concerns. He will have to withdrawal. With Huger covering the rail junction at Burkeville, Johnson's new task will simply be to stay between Grant and Banks as long as he can. I also predict Soundoff will move Sherman east into Staunton and so Johnson will first march his command north to intercept Sherman's move and then counter march back to Lovingston, VA to meet with General Whiting and his division...bringing Johnson's total strength to just under 14,500. Johnson will NOT repair the rails north of Lynchburg...I want to deny any and all supply routes Soundoff might be hoping to use for grant.

Orders in the West:



Fair weather across most of Kentucky and Soundoff has decided to advance with McClellan. There are another 2 divisions in transports either heading to meet McClelland or possibly moving to attack one of my heavily entrenched positions in western Kentucky.

The Army of Kentucky has been organized into 2 Corps. One under Polk, the other under General Forney (Who was teleported this turn.). There are 5 divisions total plus Winder's cavalry, around 27,000 fighting men and 150 guns. I will move the army out of Bowling Green to meet what I believe will be Soundoff's main thrust into Kentucky by McClellan. I will advance conservatively to start...I don't know yet which direction Soundoff plans to advance...I assume he plans to take the landing at Henderson, but I could be wrong. So I've ordered the army to a good position to both address McClelland and still be in range to protect Bowling Green.

Forrest is ordered to leave his position in Paducah. He will be sent to Princeton, KY to push the enemy scouts out and act as flankers for the main army. Winder will do the same...he will move his cavalry division back to Bowling Green, tearing up the tracks before he leaves. I will not attempt to repair the line running between Louisville and Bowling Green to keep Johnston's eastern flank secure for the time being. I don't anticipate an advance from Helleck in Louisville.

I've also ordered a small fleet of gunboats to block the flow of supply and troops transport across the Ohio River between Evansville and Henderson Landing.

In the Gulf:



As I mentioned, Butler has now joined T. Wood in the Florida pan-handle. I'm not sure of Soundoff's intentions, but I have to protect the vital rail intersection at Columbus, GA so I'm continuing E. Johnston's rail movement there. He will be joined by Beauregard, who will take command of the town's defence.

Nothing much going on in the Far West worth noting. Van Dorn's still licking his wounds and most of the theater is still snowed in.

SO

Will Lee find and defeat Banks's army at Fredricksburg?? Will Johnston be attacked by McClellan or Thomas?? What are Butler's intentions in the Gulf?? Stay tuned....

[Banks6060]

[color="Red"]Turn 25, Early April, 1862:[/color]

Grant withdraws from Lynchburg!! (You won't see it on the map, but Grant has left his trenches and through the replay feature I have learned that he's moving west out of town. He also destroyed the depot.)

Yankees everywhere, Union army tops 100,000!! (Sensational of course, but Soundoff was BUSY during the winter months. It appears the Army of the Potomac consists of 5 total Corps...some 6000+ pwr. He's definitely got Lee outnumbered about 2 to 1.)

Butler leaves Florida!! (Now it's just T. Wood...again. Where oh where have you gone Butler.)

McClellan takes Paducah!! (Well once again, Soundoff makes a move I wasn't anticipating quite so soon, but it looks as though Columbus, KY may be lost. More in a moment.)

Since I love flare. Let's profile the Army of Northern Virginia for everyone .



I've placed an additional divison under the command of Jackson. He's the hammer to Longstreet's anvil. And I plan to use both this turn. With that...to my orders!!

In the east:



Alright. Time to start making Soundoff react to me. The beginning of April has blessed us with very favorable weather in Central Virginia so I plan to use this to my advantage.

First, I observed this turn that Grant was moving out of Lynchburg to the west to join Sherman near Liberty, VA. It appears Soundoff had hoped to be able to destroy the Lynchburg depot and then join up with Sherman all in last turn's move, but it seems that didn't happen. So I've got a turn here without Grant to worry about. So I've decided to go on the offensive.

I've ordered Lee with Jackson and Longstreet to advance rapidly south, down the Penninsula to attack Milroy at Hampton Roads and secure Richmond from this direction. It's a risky move leaving almost 90,000 Union troops with an open road to Richmond from the North...but I need to get Soundoff moving in the open where I can get at him. And where he won't have trenches to hide behind. So I hope to both knock Milroy back AND tempt a move south by Banks and the AoP.

Johnson and the Reserve will march east to Louisa, VA and set up a defense there. It is both out of sight of any of Soundoff's forces and a good central location for a defense if Banks advances south. Also...Lee should be able to get back and support Johnson within a few days if the good weather holds up.

Huger will march to Lynchburg to keep Grant busy. He will retreat if attacked.

J.E.B Stuart is sent north into Culpepper in passive mode so as to avoid being engaged by McDowell and Hamilton. I hope to be able to cut the rails there and prevent any rapid movement by my much stronger opponent.

Here's to hoping for a swift victory at Hampton Roads...and for continued good weather...and a little luck.

In the West:



Well, Foster's Corps now sits in Paducah with McClellan and Pope not far behind. Thomas is in Evansville, I assume, trying to pose a continued threat to central Kentucky. Helleck and Buell command a strong position at Louisville. Altogether, Soundoff's western forces outnumber me by a rather small margin, but his army in the field outnumbers mine considerably.

To counter Soundoff's move, I'm going to remain conservative and set the Army up between McClelland and Fts. Henry and Donelson. If Columbus, KY is taken by land. I'll be able to counter with the army and Soundoff will still have my brown water fleet to deal with if he wants to utilize the river.

My two Corps will straddle the Tennessee River. Foster in Henry, TN...Polk outside the forts. Hindeman's division will be a nice addition to the army should Johnston need it.

The coastal guns will be railed over to the forts in preparation for the inevitable push by either Foster or Pope in Columbus. Pemberton will defend and retreat...hopefully in the direction of the main army so he can bolster its strength.

In the Gulf:



Well as I mentioned, Butler's gone again. No idea where he went off to. But I assume Soundoff's preparing something for New Orleans. I've ordered more heavy artillery replacements to get Fts. Jackson and St. Phillip up to full strength.

In Ft. Gadsden, Soundoff has quite a bit of cavalry...I assume he's planning to use these to do some raiding. I've sent two cavalry regiments to counter.

Again....not much going in the Far West...

SO

Will Lee's gambit work?? Will McClellan attack Columbus?? Where will Butler turn up?? Stay tuned....

[slimey.rock]

Hey, great AAR!
I'm glad you profiled the AoNV. It gives a really good sense of how you've distributed your forces.
Anyways, keep up the good work and good luck!

[Banks6060]

@slimey--thank you for appreciating that little project . It was indeed a labor of love. I probably could have been more detailed, but figured what I gave was substantial. Thanks again!

ON to the game

[color="Red"]Turn 26, Late April, 1862:[/color]

April 20th
[SIZE="4"]Federal troops push through Columbus defenses!![/size]




(As expected. Soundoff attacks the Columbus, KY entrenchments with Foster's Corps of his Army of the Tennessee. A good start for McClellan. I had Pemberton set on Defend and Retreat. Looks like he probably stayed about a round too long. I'll take 500 more dead yanks though.)

April 28th
[SIZE="5"]Lee defeats Milroy at Hampton Roads!![/size]



This battle didn't get started until pretty late in the afternoon. Lee advanced with Jackson's Corps in the lead. Striking hard at Hooker's division positioned on the Federal right and center. The earthworks were hard to break and significant casualties were taken by both Withers and Walker's troops. But ultimately Hooker's tired troops were forced to withdrawal. Jackson was able to push his advantage and by nightfall and captured all Union works. Milroy retreated south and west toward Ft. Monroe.

Hamilton advances!! (Soundoff sent Hamilton's Corps on a march through Charlottesville...taking control of much of the O&A railroad. I am slightly distraught...since I had predicted he might make this move and thought first to prevent it. But you live and you learn I suppose. Bad news is...Grant's a 3-star now...and he's got enough for 3 Corps and an army. More in a moment.)

Military Balloons introduced in Richmond!! (Another of many scripted events worth noting.)

Confederate Congress passes Partisan Ranger Act!! (That's 20 more much needed conscript companies. Cha Ching.)

Orders for this turn, In the East:



Starting in the eastern sector. With Hamilton's advance into central Virginia, the Army of the Potomac has been left with only 4 Corps and comparable strength to my AoNV. However, Grant now has enough strength to create a second seperate army if Soundoff so wishes.

The good news...rain has swamped much of the theater and should protect me from any swift attacks this turn.

The goals, at least for this turn...1. Delay Grant for as long as possible and 2. Defeat the Army of the Potomac in the field.

To this end, I am going to leave Johnson and the Reseve Corps in place to protect Richmond. I will be very happy if Soundoff choses to move Banks's army into Fredricksburg...especially if he only moves part of it. I will then next turn have Lee in a position to attack it with Johnson in support.

Lee is ordered to attack Milroy one last time and head north to West Point, a favorable position to repel an advance into Fredricksburg...and react by rail to Grant.

Stuart and the cavalry blow the rails in Culpepper...efectively severing the link between Washington and Grant (Though it is certainly severed in many other places.) Stuart will move back into the Wilderness and protect the rails there.

In western Virginia:



again, the goal here is to delay Grant. Huger, already well positioned in Lynchburg will march north and defend the moutains between Grant and the Corps of Hamilton and Franklin. Bushrod Johnston will once again be called east from Knoxville. He will march behind the federal positions and capture Covington to threaten Grants depot. Should I manage to be in a position to destroy the depot...It will put a severe damper on Grant's ability to operate in western Virginia...I'm hoping Soundoff considers it a real threat and withdraws to cover his supply base.

In the West:



Alright, it looks like things are heating up rather quickly in the west. McClellan has taken Columbus and gained a toe-hold in western Kentucky. I certainly hope to foil this move. I got the Army in a good position to counter this move and plan to attack.

Foster has done nothing but march and fight for the past two turns and by now his troops will more than likely be quite tired. The Army of Kentucky is ordered to advance. Forney will lead the Left Wing of the army and spearhead the attack. Polk will follow and support Forney's attack. I hope to catch Foster's tired troops catching their breath...and also hope to catch Pope on an inactive turn...thereby avoiding a large engagement with him marching to the guns.

Just in case a major engagement happens...I've ordered the army to cautiously attack. If Johnston feels his advance will only lead to his army's destruction...he will withdrawl.

I fully expect Thomas and Helleck to make their moves this turn, but I'll have to deal with them later.

In the field, Soundoff outnumbers me by a good 2 to 1...and I've noticed several of the troops that were formerly in Missouri have been attached to McClellan's army. So I'm bringing Van Dorn's Amry of Arkansas over to reinforce western Kentucky and Tennessee. Pemberton's division will hopefully be assimilated into the army in some way next turn.

Not much going on in the Gulf or the Far West...Some railroad purchases this turn. Hoping for some more good luck here...it's getting tight!!

Will Banks and the AoP move south?? Will Johnston's assault on Covington fail?? Will A.S. Johnston's army be victorious against McClellan?? Stay tuned...

[Major Tom]

Banks -

As always, compelling reading. I am full of admiration for your strategy and movements in NoVa. Congrats on the victory over Milroy in Hampton. It's too bad you weren't able to inflict serious casualties, so a tactical win but not a strategic one. Obviously, all is not going according to plan, but you've effectively prevented Soundoff from linking up with Grant.

I'll echo the earlier comment and commend you for the excellent OOB of the Army of NoVa. Nicely drawn.

One question regarding game mechanics -- you spoke of sending a coastal battery to Columbus, Georgia to protect against amphibious invasion of Georgia. Will that coastal battery be operational? I thought artillery had to be in a fort or entrenched to level 4+ (was 5+ but changed in a patch) in order ot bombard ships. Do you have a garrison entrenched to level 4 that you can add the coastal battery to?

[jokeon]

I wonder how many companies you are getting each turn? I expect you are being out produced by the Union to a large extent.

Also, how many units you have in play, I usually look at the replacements screen for this.

Also, are any of your power concentrations causing the stored supply levels to sink. I tried playing the late scenario as the Confederates and the armies starved...

[Major Tom]

I take back what I said about Lee's victory over Milroy being merely tactical and not strategic. I misread it at first and thought Milroy had already retreated successfully to Fort Monroe, and with Lee heading back up the Peninsula Milroy would be free to re-invest Hampton.

Now I see that Milroy is still in the smae region as Lee, so you have another crack at him on the way out. He's bound to be worse off than you on cohesion, and I assume he's no longer entrenched (actually, I'm not sure how that works - clearly he retreted so he should no longer be in trenches even though he hasn't left the region). So, you should be able to damage him in a big way unless he's lucky enough to evade you.

[Banks6060]

@ Maj.-- Regarding Columbus, GA...yes I had a garrison in town that was already dug in to level 4...enough to use the coastal guns. It's funny too, because I remember seeing that and going "phew".

And then on my strategy in Northern Virginia...I'm flyin' by the seat of my pants right now. I just need Soundoff to start moving his troops out in the open where I can get at them. And hopefully keeping them spread out. As you'll see in my next post...he's got his Corps pretty thinly spread across NoVA. I'll hopefully be able to take advantage of it.

@ Jokeon-- You're absolutely right man. I'm probably getting a third of the number of conscripts per turn that Soundoff is getting...if not less. I will be very happy when the July volunteer round comes along.

[Jim-NC]

First - Good luck in VA.

Second - What about your sea strategy (if any?) I have been following your posts, and have not seen anything on your blockade runners and/or commerce raiders.

[Banks6060]

@ Jim--Thanks . And as far as naval strategy. I've really just been buying brigs when I can and placing them in the blockade boxes. I'm currently working with 1 in the Atlantic box and 6 in the Gulf box. I'm not doing much Commerce raiding...I'm going to let the Alabama event fire and just use it to disrupt Union shipping. There's no way for me to put a significant dent in Soundoff's ocean supply capacity. Appreciate you reading along man .

ON to the game!

[color="Red"]Turn 27, Early May, 1862:[/color]

May 5th
[SIZE="4"]Johnston thrown back in Kentucky!![/size]



Well this was rather dissapointing....considering the only reason I lost was because, once again, I overlooked something. When I moved to attack with Forney...I had originally thought Polk would follow up and MTG. But...it turns out the battle took place ONE DAY before Polk arrived in the region that would allow him to MTG. So Forney was forced to fight alone...and you can see what resulted. Repulsed. Glad to have bloodied Foster that much more though.

May 2nd
[SIZE="4"]Lee, Jackson route Union troops at Battle of James City!![/size] (Like Maj. already pointed out, I got another crack at Milroy's force as I left the Penninsula. Apparently Longstreet didn't participate in the battle...only Jackson and Lee...but it was enough to cause another 4,000 yankee casualties. Jackson only lost 800 troops. A bit of good news for sure.)

J.E.B Stuart foolishly stands before entire Union Corps!! (I did not intend to Stuart to engage anyone this turn, but apparently he saw fit to stand his ground when Whipple and 24,000 yankees arrived in Culpepper. Oy. he lost about 2,000 troopers. Bad news.)

Dixie!! (A much needed boost to National Morale. +3. I'm now up by 6. Also up by a little more than 200 VP's.)

To orders in the east:



Well here's the good news. Soundoff's got his army/armies spread all to hell and gone. The bad news...as you'll see in the upper left hand corner of the screenie...the AoNV is too fricken tired to go on the offensive. SO, for this turn, I will be forced to react to Soundoff and...(the thing I dreaded most)...allow Grant to take command of an army or join the AoP.

Johnson and the Reserve Corps are ordered back to Richmond to stop the direct attack that could come from Grant, Hamilton and Franklin. Lee and the main army (now reinforced to nearly 60,000) will take Johnson's old position outside Tollersville, VA. It is a central region for both attack and defense. From Tollersville...Lee will be able to attack in just aboy EVERY direction next turn if need be.

Huger will fix the rails at Lynchburg and head back to Burkeville where I expect Hamilton and Franklin might also strike...if they're active. Grant might also.

This is certainly a troubling situation...I had hoped Lee's army would be in good enough shape to attack this turn...but that doesn't look to be the case.

In western VA:



Bushrod Johnston is also going to continue trying to make himself a headache. I woudl assault the Union supply depot...but it has a full division guarding it. So instead I will interrupt it's flow of supplies to Grant via Lexington, VA. Hopefully Soundoff will react westward to my move.

In the west:



Thomas inches ever closer to Nashville...but he doesn't have any supply wagons...so he'll need to get to a source soon...and mud will slow any further advance south and east. With that said...I believe for at least the current turn...Nashville is safe along with Johnston's eastern flank. The army is concentrated...and though I'm risking a very bloody engagement...I will attack and hopefully drive McClellan back to Paducah.

It's a gamble for sure....but here are the Pros:
1. Despite last turns defeat...I can still muster around 1800 points against Foster's 600.
2. The weather is fair and the ground clear...and I'll have the advantage in artillery.
3. Johnston is a "surpriser".

Cons:
1. Pope could MTG with his fresh Corps
2. Pope could already be on his way to the battlefield as I march to the attack.
3. Foster is now dug-in to level 2 trenches.
4. Soundoff may pull another "ole" and eject himself from Western Kentucky altogether and leave me out of position to defend Nashville.

So every part of logic says this attack is probably a bad idea...and will probably fail...but I have this feeling Pope is still inactive...and that Soundoff won't risk evacuating Paducah and cutting off his line of retreat to Illinois. So I will sally forward.

A quick picture of the Gulf Coast....not much action going:



Soundoff's got some additional forces in Ft. Pulaski...with some artillery in transports headed....somewhere. There is also a force moving along the coast that contains some regulars...cavalry and some artillery. Don't know where they're headed either.

SO

Will Grant attack?? Will Johnston once again be thrown back in Columbus?? Will Thomas move toward Nashville?? Stay tuned....

[biggp07]

WOW!!! I am at the edge of my seat for this! I have been watching from its beginning and I can hardly wait for the next turn to be posted!!! This is an incredible AAR thread and I so look forward to each new posting!

Good luck Banks on your gamble with A S Johnston in Kentucky! The bold decisions are the ones that determine true greatness and make the difference in winning or loss! So I am watching with great anticipation!

I have learned so much from this AAR. And I love this game!

[orca]

I also wanted to post my appreciation for this AAR. Together with Soundoff's it makes a spectacular read.

[jokeon]

Great AAR, always leave a cliff hanger.
On a question of tactics, I usually play against the AI and tend to keep a lot of independent cavalry, scouting, fixing rails, gaining control, denying the enemy free movement. Is it the danger of seeing them hoovered up by a cavalry division playing a real player that stops this?

[Banks6060]

@bigp07--High praise and I thank you. Quite honestly, it's posts like that that help me forge ahead with writing this AAR. I really appreciate the compliment. I hope I can keep you interested as the struggle continues .

@orca--Thanks to you too man! And welcome to the AAR. I hope you find some entertainment in the ongoing battle between Soundoff and I. I certainly hope you're having as much fun reading it as I am playing it. Credit to Soundoff for being a perfect opponent for an hisorically based AAR.

@jokeon--Quite frankly, I've lost alot of my cavalry in both theaters. For several reasons that include being attacked by large infantry formations as well as trying to intercept enemy cavalry and being led back to large infantry formations.

Typically I try to cover the flanks of my army with cavalry regiments to prevent small raiding forces from cutting my armies' communications, but it is certainly costly.

[Banks6060]

[color="Black"][SIZE="5"]The Second Battle of Columbus, May 5th, 1862[/size][/color]



The initial engagement. Forney's Corps, led by the brigades of Zollicoffer and Floyd run headlong into Shields waiting troops. A spirited firefight erupts and the two raw Confederate brigades are sent reeling. Polk's Corps begins to arrive.



Floyd and Zollicoffer regroup with A.P. Stewart's division and resume the attack against Shields on the Union right. Shields, with the help of highly accurate artillery and musketry fire holds for nearly 45 minutes before his division begins to break. Meanwhile Polk's first division under Bragg arrives on the field and begins pressing Mansfield, who called up only 2 of his brigades to defend the approaches to town. Mansfield makes a hasty retreat toward the works around Columbus as soon as he receives word that at least 3 more Confederate divisions are headed in his direction.



The Union troops set up their defence within their entrenchments as Johnston and the Confederate army take the next hour or so to get situated.

Once in place, Johnston orders an attack on Mansfield's dug-in troops by Polk's two strongest divisions under Bragg and Mouton. Bragg's troops make some headway in their advance, but take heavy losses in the "angle" of the Union line. many of Bragg's soldiers are forced to take fire from several directions.

Mouton nearly achieves a breakthrough on the far Union left, but is routed when Mansfield orders his reserve brigade forward in a counter attack.

Johnston prepares to take a stab at the other Union flank with Forney's Corps.



Forney once again orders Floyd and Zollicoffer to lead the attack. Their advance is intended to pin the Union troops down in the trenches while A.P. Stewart's division flanks them through the woods to their right. However Foster, the overall Union commander, has noticed this weakness in his line and orders Shields to bring up his reserve along with the reserve artillery in a position to flank Floyd's advance and counter attack Stewart.

Enfalading artillery fire from the woodline devastates Floyd's troops as well as Zollicoffer's and they are pinned before the Union works for quite some time. Stewart advances into the woods but is surprised to find an entire Union brigade advancing toward him. A heavy volley and subsequent charge sends the Confederates reeling.

Meanwhile Bragg's division remains locked in a deadly firefight with Mansfield in the Union center. His troops stand bravely before heavy musket fire and double shot cannister fire from artillery. It is not long before Bragg calls for a retreat.



Word reaches A.S. Johnston that Pope is on his way with as many as 20,000 fresh Union troops. At first he withdraws from the Columbus works and sets up his own defensive position but is convinced by his Generals to retreat back to Henry, TN.

[SIZE="4"]Aftermath:[/size]

Johnston came into the fight with approximately 31,000 effective fighting men and some 147 guns. Union General Foster, commanding his Corps of McClellan's army of the Tennessee fielded close to 13,000 troops altogether and around 70 field pieces.

In all, Johnston's Army of Kentucky took a bloody beating...taking a total of 6,100 casualties. (488 killed, 3,928 wounded, 1,684 missing).

Foster's battered and tired Corps...after a month of fighting fared much better in the 2nd battle for the city. Losing around 2,700 casualties. (243 killed, 2,457 wounded).

Johnston is forced to stay on the defensive with a badly bloodied and tired army. Foster is certainly no better off, but McClellan's Army of the Tennessee remains in far better shape with two fresh Corps under Pope and Thomas still concentrating in Western Kentucky.

[Jim-NC]

Ouch, that will leave a mark on your defensive plans. But as had been said, no risk, no reward.

[Banks6060]

@Jim--Indeed. I'll be posting the battle resolution screen and I must admit I was rather puzzled as to how badly I got beat there. I think Pope MTG'd and it just isn't reflected on the report...but anyhoo...

On we go!!

[color="Red"]Turn 28, Late May, 1862:[/color]

[SIZE="5"]Johnston repulsed in 2nd Battle of Columbus!![/size]



(Even with the advantage in artillery, it appears the 12lber's relatively low chance to hit offensively was not enough to overcome Foster's six batteries of 12lb cannon...which have a defensive fire rating of 30. (possibly more for Union 12lbr's.) Much of Forney's Corps as well as Bragg's division of Polk's Corps were torn to shreds by Foster's artillery.

I also think my cohesion was a factor. I had hoped that with a 2 to 1 advantage in PWR I'd be able to make up for it. But that was not the case. 13 of my elements routed. All in all...a risky move that didn't pay off. Tis the cost of war. We will soldier on however. I still have a good sized Army of Kentucky in the field...certainly enough to counter McClellan.

A note on the battle...while processing the turn...I could swear I saw Pope MTG to the battle...but it doesn't show in the resolution screen so I suppose it may not have happened. This was the bloodiest battle of the war so far.)

Grant forms new army in Virginia!! (I was notified of this via e-mail from Soundoff. A very honorable thing for him to do. I certainly wish I'd done the same thing for him earlier. Grant now has enough troops to make a push. It may be time to start thinking MUCH more defensively in this theater of the war.)

CSS Alabama launched in England!! (not a huge deal...but of some historical importance.)

Butler lands in the pan-handle!! (Some more rather indecisive action from Soundoff. He doesn't go directly for Pensacola...which I find rather odd.)

Union raid at Bowling Green thwarted!! (Soundoff tried to sneak McCook and a small cavalry detachment to take Bowling Green. It didn't work, but other circumstances have prompted me to give up the city.)

William Quantrill answers the call!! (He's arrived to terrorize the Missouri countryside ).

Orders in the east:



Well, Grant's got an army now. The good news...he won't be able to take over Banks's army due to what would probably be a pretty severe loss of NM. So...dealing with two seperate armies is better, IMHO, than dealing with one very large one. SO...now the objective is to try and keep as many of Banks's Corps from transferring over to Grant's army while at the same time denying Banks any further ground...namely Fredricksburg. Banks has concentrated 3 Corps in Aquia...and I suspect a crossing is imminent.

The only move I'm very concerned that Soundoff might make is a flanking march with Grant to take Petersburg. If I lose that rail hub. Lee's army will starve in a matter of a month...maybe more. I think the only thing stopping Soundoff from making that move is the fact that it would open Grant up to being completely cut-off.

Then again...Soundoff could be hoping for the big NM hit, arguably more worrisome for me, that would result from him taking Richmond. Here's the kicker...The bonuses for Grant's Corps commanders won't kick in for another turn...so I wager Soundoff will keep Grant where he is for now. But if I'm wrong...and Grant is able to get to Petersburg...or even to the region between Petersburg and Richmond in one turn of marching...then I'll be in dire straights.

SO...

I've ordered Johnson and the Reserve to take a position that would threaten Grant's new supply depot at Amherst. It's also a position that, were Grant to move NEXT turn...in the direction of Petersburg, would allow me to shuffle Johnson and stay between Grant and the vital rail junction there.

Jackson's Corps is ordered to march north to Fredricksburg and defend against any advances Banks may be planning and then return to Tollersville.

Huger is ordered to continue to Burkeville and set up a defense there. If he is approached by Grant's army...Huger will retreat.

Magruder will set up defenses at Hampton. Bushrod Johnson is no longer a threat to Grant's supply line and will be ejected from the theater next turn. He is needed in west.

Speaking of the west:



Well after the loss at Columbus...it's time to start thinking much more defensively. Johnston's army has lost nearly a third of it's original strength in just the past month. He now has around 23,500 troops...badly in need of some rest. Forrest dug some relatively defensible works and so Johnston will order Forney's Corps to occupy them while Polk's Corps is sent south and west to extend the army's line and cut-off any further advance into Western Tennesse by McClellan.

Helleck is on his way to Bowling Green with an entire division...more than enough to deal with the small garrison there. So I will abandon the city and withdrawl to Nashville...where Van Dorn and his army will arrive this turn. Altogether...Van Dorn and the newly created District of Central Tennessee should be able to field around 7,500 troops. Enough for now.

Bushrod Johnson will still be headed back from the east. And Hindeman remains dug in at the Forts with around 5,500 troops. So still plenty of manpower available in the west.

In the Gulf:



Butler pops up once again...this time east of Pensacola. Odd...so I will send Beauregard from Columbus, GA to Pensacola in a position to threaten Fort Pickens and make Soundoff think twice about going any further north. I must say...I'm rather puzzled as to the point of Soundoff's coastal operations thus far...but they're certainly causing me to take notice.

SO

Will Grant move for Petersburg?? Will Banks cross the Rappohannock?? Can Johnston's army recover before it is attacked?? Stay tuned...

[MVDH]

Hey Banks:

Very cool battle report for that 2nd Battle of Columbus! Read just like a real Civil War battle! Love your work on this AAR!

Your AAR with Soundoff has inspired me to start my own PBEM game tonight!

Keep up the good work my friend!

Mark

[Banks6060]

@MVDH--Thank you . I'm glad you enjoyed it. And right on about the new PBEM. I appreciate you reading along man.

AND NOW.....

[color="Red"]Turn 29, Early June, 1862:[/color]

Beauregard holds off Union assaulte in Florida!! (This was an encouraging fight. It was fortunate I'd decided to rail Beauregard over there because a couple of days after her arrived, Soundoff attacked with another coastal division under General Hunter. Casualties were pretty light. Bory lost around 800....Hunter closer to 1300. Good result.)

Grant's army swells!! (So now Soundoff has 3 Corps under Grant's direct command in the NVA. Grant also has a reserve of 3 divisions. So there are at least 5100 points under Grant now. Not great.)

Sibley advances into the desert!! (I attacked with Sibley toward Tuscon. But for some reason he wasn't able to engage the defenders.)

Orders for Turn 29, starting in the east:



So Grant has about as many troops as I do. This is rather good news because as many a military students would tell you...when you're on the attack...you should have at least 2 to 1 odds. I'll take Lee vs. Grant at 1 to 1 odds any day. The problem is if Banks moves south. Then I might be in some trouble.

So I'm going to remain on the defensive for now. I've ordered Johnson to extend the army's line south and west to cover the approaches to Petersburg. Jackson will form the center of the line and so is ordered to take Johnson's spot in the line this turn. Longstreet will hold and become the far right of the army's new line. I will begin digging in as fast as I can. After looking at the Objectives screen and seeing the casualties tally FAR in Soundoff's favor (49,000 for me, 30,000 for him.)...I thought it was about time to let him do the dying for awhile.

Huger will join Johnson and the reserve. Magruder will hold in Hampton. And finally J.E.B Stuart and the cavalry will take up Huger's old position in Burkeville. I know Grant has Phil Kearney in his stack and having Stuart in the area to counter him is rather important.

Overall, I think this will be the turn that Soundoff makes his move for Petersburg with Grant. I hope to catch him in the open and defeat his army in a major battle and thereby stall any further advance.

In the West:



Pretty much the same story in the west. Only I'm going to rail Van Dorn north to join Winder and hopefully catch Helleck attacking. I don't think Soundoff believes there is much strength near Nashville.

I will continue to dig-in with the Army of Kentucky whose strength is slowly but surely being rebuilt. McClellan will have a considerable advantage in number, but hopefully will be forced to find a way AROUND my army and not through it.

In the Gulf:



It was lucky I sent Bory where I did. this is a good situation...I've got an entire Union division sitting in the open with no choice but to attack or try and withdrawl across the river. Despite how much I wish I could attack in this situation, Bory's little force just isn't strong enough to defeat Hunter. So I'm going to sit back and see what happens.

Butler has his command in Milton...about 300 more points worth.

SO

Will Grant finally make his move for Petersburg?? Will McClellan attack the Forts?? Will Beauregard be trapped in Pensacola?? Stay tuned...

[Banks6060]

[color="Red"]Turn 30, Late June, 1862:[/color]

[SIZE="5"]SOUTHERN ARMIES STALL UNION ADVANCE!![/size]

[SIZE="3"]Lee holds in bloodbath at Appomattox!![/size]



(It was the bloodiest battle to date and while I managed to push Grant back...it was at a very high price. Interesting it doesn't show on the after battle report that Hamilton's Union Corps MTG'd as well as Jackson's Corps on my side. But what you can see is the devastation brought upon E.K. Smith's division, which was all but annihilated in the battle. I managed to gain 3 NM from this battle, but it appears Soundoff may have gained some NM from it as well (both sides claiming victory). Overall I'm happy for the strategic victory I've scored with this battle. I guessed right that Soundoff would make his move for Petersburg this turn and I'm fortunate for sure.)

[SIZE="3"]Van Dorn intercepts Union army in Tennessee, sends Helleck reeling!![/size] (A rather small battle, but exactly the result I had hoped for. I was counting on the fact that Soundoff probably didn't think there was any support in the area of Nashville. Turns out I was right about this as well. Soundoff's small army lost around 1,300 troops while mine lost only around 500.)

[SIZE="2"]Sibley scores victory in Arizona!![/size] (Of course I'm not about to deny the far, far west. Sibley gets a win which further secures Texas from any land-based attack.)

Union forces move into deep south!! Butler, Hunter and now a third division are in place in the Florida pan-handle and by all accounts, appear to be headed for Montgomery, AL. Troubling, but I think I know a way to deal with it.)

Union cavalry penetrates deep into southern territory!! (Phil Kearny's Union cavalry division made it all the way to Garysburg, NC in the last turn and I'm sure hopes to blow the rails and the depot. I will have to address this threat.)

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[slimey.rock]

Congratulations Banks! A lot of us observers saw this fight brewing, but had no idea who had the advantage. Glad to hear everything went swell on the other fronts too.

I have also noticed the lack of MTG on battle reports. I'm not sure if I've ever seen evidence of MTG from a battle report.

[Jim-NC]

The big clue on after battle reports is if a different general shows up as the leader. For example, one time Bonham's corps was attacked, and Jackson MTG'd to his aide. On the after battle report, it showed Jackson's picture (but I knew he was not in that area, and had MTG'd). That was a great clue that he took over the battle (after his MTG).

[Banks6060]

Regarding the MTG's that aren't being reported...Hamilton's Union Corps was devastated by the battle at Appomatox (I know this by my current intel)...yet you don't see he or any of the division commanders in his Corps on the ABR.

Jackson, I know, MTG'd because it says so in the message log. But it appears he had a very small role in the fighting because his Corps came away relatively unscathed. Johnson's Reserve Corps on the other hand was decimated by the attack...namely Smith's division.

I envision that Smith did a vast majority of the fighting before his two fellow Reserve division came up in support during the battle. Huger also participated, but apparently retreated after only a few rounds.

I remember while processing the turn, the battle animation slider was flying back and forth with each round, signifying that several forces were advancing and retreating. It was a very tight fight and I think it just turned out that I got lucky.

[Banks6060]

[color="Red"]Turn 30 Continued...[/color]

To orders in the East:



Alright, the situation is alright, but certainly not what I would prefer. Grant was beaten back at Annapolis, but Lee's Reserve Corps has been reduced by over half as a result of the fighting. Nearly 15,000 men of the Reserve went into the fight, now a little under 7,000 of them remain. Kirby Smith's division consists of two batteries of 12bler's that managed to make it through the action.

As I collected intelligence this turn I discovered two things about Grant's army.

1. It's in some supply trouble.

2. It's not formed quite as I thought an army should be. If you'll look at the intel...Grant has almost an entire Corps under his command. I hope Soundoff realizes these four divisions will never commit to battle as long as Grant's Corps are fighting. I hope to use this to my advantage this turn, among other things including a hunch I have that Soundoff may very well have another go at elbowing around my left flank.

So, I'll hope to catch him again....this time with my entire army on the field. Lee, Jackson and Longstreet will all take 6 days to march and ride to Appomatox, where they will hopefully meet Grant's full army in the field and defeat it in detail.

Huger will hold in Burkeville while Johnson's Reserve Corps makes its way back to Richmond to rest.

Stuart is ordered to deal with Kearny in North Carolina. He'll hop on the train and should be in Garysburg in 3 days, Hopefully in time to catch Kearney trying to assault the depot.

Magruder is rather exposed there in Hampton, but Soundoff hasn't significant enough forces to effectively cut him off....so Magruder will stay and dig-in for now. But it's a situation worth watching.

Last Note: I've been rather puzzled by Soundoff's lack of using the 3 very strong Corps at Aquia landing. I have a feeling they may be getting into the action very soon.

In the West:



Well I've managed to set up a pretty solid defensive line in the west. McClellan will have a hard time breaking through my western Tennessee line formed by the rebuilding Army of Kentucky. Van Dorn and Winder hold in Southern Kentucky.

I'm ordering some transports up to Henry, TN. Just to put them somewhere they may be of further use.

My river fleet outside Columbus will retire, more than likely under fire. If Soundoff send anyone after Island Number 10....I will know about it...it takes a LONG time to get there by land. The only way Soundoff will be able to flank my army is by way of Island Number 10 and then down the river. This is the option I see him taking. Either that or he makes a move against a much better defended Henry and Donelson.

Overall I'm encouraged to have been able to hold as much ground as I have in the west. Kentucky seceeding was certainly helpful, but the fact that the forts and Island 10 remain in my hands is pretty good news.

In the Gulf:



Soundoff is trying to either cut-off Beauregard...or march on Montgomery i think. I can only think of one place where I could attack and throw a wrench in his entire operation. Ft. Pickens. So, it's "fix bayonets" for Bory and the Boys this turn. If I can take the fort, I'll be able to set up good defenses, be in supply, and have enough strength to withstand a counter attack. Only problem is that it would be pretty easy to trap ME in the fort. (i.e. naval blockade.) So this is pretty risky, but hopefully I can take the fort and get out before Soundoff realizes any of the above.

I've got cavalry joining in Alabama along with Bushrod Johnson, who will hopefully arrive from Virginia this turn.

Some action in Government this turn as well:



VOLUNTEERS!! Thank God it's Late June. This is VERY good news for me (bad news at the same time...it's late June for Soundoff too ) so I plan to use it to my full advantage. 8% bonds are collected and around 300 conscript companies are raised by paying each around 2,000 dollars. I've also selected the Embargo. HOPEFULLY I'm able to get some really lucky rolls this turn and get back into positive territory. The Brits would be a VERY welcome ally right now.

I've also ordered the construction of the south's first 20lb Artillery battery. Also more supplies are ordered for the Army of Northern Virginia.

Last but not least, I buy more rail and river transport capacity and invest in a little industrialization. I do this because if i'm forced to leave Virginia at any point, I'll need the Carolinas producing enough to feed Lee's army.

SO

will Grant take another shot at Petersburg?? Will Island Number 10 be attacked?? Will Beauregard's gamble pay off? Stay tuned...

[nemethand]

[color="Red"]Turn 30 Continued...[/color]

As I collected intelligence this turn I discovered two things about Grant's army.

1. It's in some supply trouble.

Banks,
excellent AAR!

One question: I really wonder on what basis do you draw this conclusion?
Is it because all the rails are cut and few depots are nearby, or do you also know something more valuable?

Thx in advance, András

[Banks6060]

@nemethand--thank you. And I discovered the supply situation by looking using the supply filter.

Well I'm really sorry for the dealy. RL kicked in and kept me pretty busy these last few days so I'll spare you the headlines this time around. I'm pretty sure everyone is up to speed on what transpired in the last turn.

So straight to orders, starting in the east:



Well, things are certainly not looking UP in this theater right now, but there are a few things that I think I could exploit this turn. If you'll take a look at the screenie, you'll notice that Grant's supply line relies totally on road transport and not rail. His depot south of Charlottesville isn't sitting on a rail line at all, which makes Grant's army vulnerable. This, I believe, is Soundoff's weakness in the east.

Soundoff advanced into Fredricksburg last turn like I thought he might. McDowell and Dix, both decent Corps commanders and far more effective if they are under Grant's command. I fully expect Soundoff to make a mad dash at Richmond this turn to try and end the game.

There are several options that were presented to me this turn.

1. I could withdrawal to my trenches along the Richmond/Petersburg line and allow Soundoff to surround Lee's army and cut it off from the rest of the south.

2. I could defend intercept the attack I could easily see coming from Hamilton at Petersburg.

3. I could intercept McDowell and Dix (and possibly Grant's) attack on Richmond.

4. Or I could do all but one of the above plus take out Grant's supply depot and possibly force Soundoff to abandon his campaign against Petersburg.

Obviously the 4th option was the most attractive.

SO...Lee will take one last gamble to save the south and attack. The army will first be ordered to force march into Buckingham, VA (thereby serving as a stop gap for any move that Soundoff hopes to make toward Richmond with Grant.) Then he will turn west and advance on Grant's depot. Yes, Grant's troops will be dug in, but I have him outmatched by a little more than 2 to 1...possibly even 4 to 1 since Franklin's entire Corps (the one that fought at Appomattox) is sitting INSIDE the depot. If I can catch Grant's much smaller force in the field, I think I can beat him....then defeat Franklin's tired Corps and take the depot.

Longstreet will then be ordered to counter march east to Tollersville in time to stop the inevitable advance of McDowell and Dix there. This will put him in a position to receive support from both Jackson and Johnson.

Huger is also ordered to rail north to Richmond to join Johnson.

All in all, this could very well be one of the last turns of the game. Or the gamble to save Lee from a slow and agonizing war of attrition. I'm sacrificing Petersburg with this plan, because I know Richmond (with it's NM impact) is far more important a city to protect. IF Soundoff opts to take Petersburg with Hamilton...and my plan works...Hamilton will be left without a line of supply or communication to Washington and should be easy to defeat on the turnaround.

Stuart and his cavalry will try and intercept Kearny's troopers somewhere between Lynchburg and Garysburg and then continue north to join the rest of the army at Grant's depot.

OVERALL: This is about as bold and as complicated a move as it gets for me fellas. I've lost about 20,000 more troops than Soundoff has, but there are some things I feel are worth the sacrifice. And if all goes well, I SHOULD be able to beat back Grant...then McDowell and Dix...and then defeat Hamilton in future turns. Here's to hoping.

In the West:



Not much going on in this theater. Soundoff isn't making a move for Island Number 10 and it appears he may be waiting to see what affect Hooker's invasion of Mississippi may have on the Army of Kentucky's position in western Tennessee. I expect the move with Hooker was to serve two purposes...to screw up my supply line....and to attract some strength away from the main front.

He achieved both in a way. He'll take out the depot I expect...but I'm only going to send my cavalry to counter him. Hooker's division is pretty well weakened from all the marching and fighting, so for now...the cavalry under Forrest will have to do.

Back to the main front. I will continue to hold the line in western and northern Tennessee and let Soundoff make his move with either McClellan or Helleck.

In the Gulf:



Beauregard's attack was utterly repulsed. I had hoped the fort would be far weaker (according to my intel there weren't many troops stationed there.) Now he has himself in a very bad situation. His only hope survival is to sail back up the river and land in Pensacola, a move I fully expect to be countered by Soundoff's rather large naval task force at Fort Pickens.

I will counter Hooker with another move. Two Ironclads currently based near New Orleans will be sent to cut Hooker's path of retreat. If I can trap him in Mississippi then I can destroy him. I don't expect this will be totally effective, but it's worth a try for sure.

SO

Will Lee's campaign save the south?? Will Hooker be trapped?? Will Beauregard survive?? Stay tuned....

[MVDH]

General Banks!

What a bold and audacious plan! Brilliant conception, worthy of Lee himself. When his back was to the wall and he could Lee would always attack first, defend second. Good luck. If you should succeed and drive the Union forces out of Virginia Davis should make you the Souths first Field Marshall!

Mark

[Banks6060]

@MVDH--Thank you for your enthusiastic support sir! But as you now know, things didn't quite turn out the way I'd hoped. This war certainly is not over my friend. The south is still in very good fighting shape across the board. And I will certainly give Soundoff my worst as he attempts to advance deeper into my territory.

On to the next turn!

Turn 32, Late July, 1862:

[SIZE="5"]LEE DEFEATED AT AMHERST, LONGSTREET BLAMED!![/size]

(What a dissappointment. The last chance I had to use the army offensively and luck would not favor me. Lee advanced as planned, but the quick reaction by McDowell's Corps and the steadfast resolve of Franklin's veterans inside the depot helped earn Soundoff an impressive victory. This will undoubtedly end my attempts at attacking in Virginia. I simply no longer have the strength to carry out such bloody engagements. I had hoped the blood letting would be worth it (with the seizure of the Amherst depot) but good activation rolls and hard nosed defense won the day for the Yankees.

Longstreet's Corps was badly beaten in the fighting. Apparently Hoke's division did a majority of the fighting and payed dearly for it. Hoke's division alone suffered probably the worst casualty rate of the war, other than possibly Kirby Smith's division at Appomattox. Hoke, at the start of the fighting commanded nearly 7,500 troops. His division suffered just under 7,000 casualties. A sad day for the Confederacy. I was honestly quite perplexed at Jackson's apparent lack of involvement in the fighting. I feel that had he played a more active role in the final assault on Franklin...I might have carried the field.)

[SIZE="3"]France refuses to recognize Southern independence!![/size] (That's another -9 FI that I could badly have used. Pile it on .)

Lincoln, Davis agree on prisoner exchange!! (An event worth noting. I've not managed to take that many northern prisoners of yet, but Soundoff has plenty of mine. Perhaps I can arrange for a trade and earn some extra conscript companies.)

Steel Foundry built in Charleston!! (Good news. That's +10 ammo and +2 WS there. I'll need all I can get if Lee is kicked out of Virginia.)

Beauregard trapped in Florida Pan-handle!! (My gambit has backfired completely. This has been a very poor turn for the Confederacy.)

Study finds effective new advancements in trenchworks!! (Level 5 entrenchments from here on into the winter. I'll need to dig hard and fast, especially in the east.)

On to orders. In the East:



Lee gives his "it's all my fault" speech almost exactly one year earlier than history would have him tell it. July 9th, 1862...the end of southern hopes at forstalling Grant's invasion of Virginia. As many may have noted by my strategy thus far, I'm a very aggressive player. Especially with an army with commanders such as Lee, Longstreet and Jackson. Problem is...I'm facing Grant...and no matter how bad Soundoff's Corps commanders' base stats are, they're drastically improved with Grant in command.

So it is time to dig in deep and let Grant's army break against my fortifications. The main issue facing Lee's army will be keeping it supplied. I've counted up all the production in Virginia and it is about 100 supply points per turn short of fufilling the army's needs. So an open supply route to the Carolinas will be crucial.

The good news. Grant's army is spread all over central Virginia, at least 2 Corps of which (possibly three if you count Whipple) are worn from fighting at Amherst. This limits threats for much of the remainder of July. The only real threat I have to concern myself with is Hamilton. Soundoff is a cautious (albeit very calculating and very good) player. I think he will focus mainly on concentrating Grant's army for the final push on Richmond. However I have to honor Hamilton and will act in accordance.

Some shuffling of troops first. With General Hoke in disgrace over the loss of his entire division, he is replaced by General R.H. Anderson who takes command of the division, which now only holds approximately 600 fighting men in 3 very small brigades. General Hood also takes command of a division in Jackson's Corps. G.W. Smith is promoted to Corps command and sent west to join the Army of Kentucky. General W.H.F Lee takes command of Smith's old division. So now the army consists of 3 Corps, each with 4 divisions.

Johnston will quickly rail to Garysburg, NC to stop a possible quick strike there by Hamilton or possibly Kearney's cavalry division. Jackson will be railed south to Petersburg where he will be accompanied by engineers and begin digging in as deep as he can. Longstreet will march east to Richmond and take up Johnson's defenses and finally, Lee and the HQ will cross the James and set up in a position to link the Richmond/Petersburg line.

Stuart and the cavalry will set up defenses between Johnson and Jackson.

Magruder's division will likely come into play quite soon. With Whipple and Dix in perfect positions to march overland and cut him off, it may be time to evacuate the Penninsula. For now, however, it will be important to keep as many troops as far away from Richmond as possible. (i.e. Milroy's 20,000 or so troops in Fort Monroe.)

In the West:



Again, not much action in the western theater of the war. McClellan is likely taking a heavy toll on his army's activation rolls and so probably won't be moving anytime soon. Meanwhile, G.W. Smith was teleported west this turn to form a new "Corps" under the official command of A.S. Johnston thereby linking my entire defensive line in western Tennessee.

I expect Johnston's army will be furiously digging their trenches, but there may be a chance for some offensive action in the West before winter.

I'm sending a cavalry detachment north to scout Buell's force in Louisville. Current intel shows that he's only got some artillery posted there...possibly a small contingent of infantry. Van Dorn is strong, with over 7,400 troops he could make a push into northern Kentucky by early autumn and threaten McClellan's left flank and possibly force Soundoff to shift some troops from the east. (Though with the upcoming draft I doubt it.)

In the Gulf:



Beauregard's troop ships are stopped dead in their tracks by Soundoff's fleet. Which I expected might happen. So he remains trapped outside Ft. Pickens with a very tired and hungry command. His only hope is to sneak past Butler in a small firefight and retreat east.

Hunter's division seizes Pensacola in some rather bloody fighting. Bushrod Johnson's command is in place to protect Montgomery, AL from the Federals.

Hooker, to my utter astonishment, didn't move at all. Either it took 15 days to destroy the depot (which i doubt) or Soundoff wanted to rest him. I expect Soundoff to make one of two moves with Hooker either this turn or next. I think he will try and take Mobile by land, but it's a long haul from Mississippi...if he forced marched he might make it, but would arrive too tired to break my defenses I think. Holmes 7,000 troops in New Orleans are placed on stand-by to intercept this move. If it doesn't happen this turn, and Hooker stays where he is, then I'll bet it happens next turn.

Forrest will also wait and see what Hooker does. An advance north to Corinth isn't out of the question, but I wager it would be suicidal for Soundoff to choose this course of action.

Some action in governance:



First, a quick look at the objectives screen doesn't paint a pretty picture. The loss at Amherst cost me and so Soundoff now has the advantage in NM. Something which I need to regain if I have any hope of foreign intervention (which I plan to pursue with even greater diligence as the game moves forward.) I've now lost 30,000 more troops than Soundoff. Casualties my young nation can ill afford. Victory Points are still in my favor, but Soundoff's starting to catch up.

I'm continuing my investments in the Carolinas. I need all the production in these two states as I can get. Lee's army may be defending this territory before too long and will need plenty of food and bullets. Also some additional rail investment.

I opted for Measured taxes this time around, costing me 1 NM (not good), but necessary for the replacements Lee's army will need to survive the summer and fall campaigns.

Last but certainly not least. Some reinforcements. Soundoff appears to be kicking his Gulf operations up a notch so I will counter with some naval investment of my own. Ironclads are hearty foes for any fleet and having 5 of them in the Gulf will make Soudoff's efforts there much more costly.

SO

Will Hamilton strike?? What will scouts find in Louisville?? Will Hooker advance on Mobile?? Stay tuned....

[Banks6060]

Breaking some bad news in this post. Commentary will certainly follow. Perhaps some input from some of you viewers about whether or not I should throw in the towel.

[SIZE="4"]Jackson abandons Petersburg, Lee cornered in Virginia!![/size]

(Just one of the unluckiest things to have ever happened to me in ANY game I've ever played. I have to be completely honest and say that I actually had a nice little fist wrattling after I saw this. Jackson, as I'd mentioned in my last post, was ordered to rail to Petersburg and defend against the inevitable attack from Hamilton. Turns out Hamilton arrived about a day before Jackson...I would assume by way of forced march. Since Jackson's MC of the region didn't quite match up...I'm guessing he auto-switched to attack posture (which Hamilton would also have been in)...and opted not to take the field.

Jackson engaged and then promptly retreated north. Leaving Grant and Hamilton in sole command of Petersburg and in perfect position to cut-off Lee's supply line and his ability to effectively defend Richmond.

This display of artificial cowardice by Jackson astounded me...his attack stat was a very hearty 6 I believe, which matched against Hamilton's attack stat, would have easily been enough to defeat him in the field. The only problem may have been his Corp's cohesion compared to Hamilton's...which may have been why he saw it best to withdrawal. Regardless....a killer blow to my hopes of putting up a defense in Virginia.)

I would post a screenie of the strategic situation, but apparently image-shack is on the outs today. So I'll explain it as best I can.

Longstreet's Corps was heavily reinforced and now sits at an impressive 23,500 or so troops...up almost 10,000 from last turn. Overall a very quick recovery from Amherst. He is entrenched to level 4 in Richmond.

Jackson, after having retreated, now defends the region just north of Petersburg with Lee's HQ in tow. Jackson can field approximately 28,000 troops and 125 guns and is dug in to level 4 there.

Johnson made it safely to Garysburg, NC and has been slightly reinforced to around 18,000 troops and 99 cannon (including three new 10lber batteries brought forward this turn.)

Stuart defends the approaches to Garysburg.

Magruder remains in Hampton with around 6,600 troops...heavily entrenched.

On the Union side...

Grant has 36,000 troops in Petersburg under he and Hamilton.

Franklin, Whipple, and McDowell, still recovering from Amherst are spread between the Amherst depot and Tollersville, VA. Probably a total of about 55,000 or so troops...and lastly Dix, with a Corps of roughly 20,000 sits in Fredricksburg.

Of course Milroy remains in Ft. Monroe with his command of roughtly 10 to 12,000 troops.

Grant and Hamilton are completely isolated from the rest of the Union army, but have rail access back to Burkeville, I would presume to prevent me cutting him off completely.

So...

As you can see...I still have a very strong number of troops with which to defend. Soundoff is far from having me outnumbered 2 to 1 (about 40 or 50,000 troops short of it.)

I've run the numbers...and unless I'm mistaken...It will cost me 2 NM to move my capitol to Atlanta and another 10 NM if Richmond is taken. 12 NM that will be very sorely missed. Not to mention it would give Soundoff a HUGE advantage in NM that would see his troops' cohesion shoot through the roof. By doing this I'll also be handing over 65 $$, 20WS, 137 Food, and 45 ammo per turn (just in Richmond, add that to Petersburg and it gets even worse.)

Virginia may well be lost my friends...

Perhaps a quick poll on whether or not I should throw in the towel (which will have SOME bearing on my own decision, but not a hefty amount ).

What shall it be gentlemen??