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New game

For the first turns, please read here:

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=16772


End July 61

Virginia: Johnston pushed back Patterson at Harper's Ferry.

McDowell advanced on Manassas. beauregard retreated before any battle






Missouri:

Lyon is advancing to Springfield

Early august 61

The CSA strategy is very different than in the last game. If McDowell has captured Manassas, Beauregard has made a turning move by the Shenendoah valley and is now assieging Washington....

And that's why computers have a "trash can" or "recycle bin", huh?

Late August 61

CSA invaded Kentucky last turn. I seized Lexington and protected Louisville. Zollicoffer is located at Bowling Green.

I raced to Paducah and won here over McCulloch force






Contrary to the last game, Ft Pickens is under CSA pressure



In Virginia, McDowell hurled back to Washington but no battle has yet occured.

In the same time, Bee is leading a raid in West Virginia

Early September 61

McDowell forced Beauregard to retreat. Unfortunatly, Union is yet losing 3 NM by turn as a sizeable Confederate force is threatening Washington... (events)




In Kentucky, Polk has pushed Hulburt back in Illinois

Late September 61:

Union has forced Beauregard back to Virginia. The Confederate mood is yet to deep raid, as K. Smith is camping outside Pittsburgh





AS Johnston ssems in this game much more concerned with the Columbus -Paducah_ Ft Donelson aera




In Missouri, after Lyon's death, Union is trying to conquer Rolla and Lexington, but Confederates seem to have the same aims here...

The Confederate offensive againts Washington has reduced my NM level. i'm under 90.

And CSA isn't yet on defensive. beauregard has launched a new offensive in pennsylvania this time. The control of Harper's ferry is essential for Union to close the invasion door. I failed until now and Union can't expect CSA AI to remain passive in Virginia each game.

Magruder's force is holding firmly manassas too, barring the Richmond path.




The war is yet raging in Missouri. Fremont won over van Dorn at Rolla, but the primary news is the coming of AS Johnston in this theater. Will he march on Saint Louis? jefferson City? or Lexington, where Watie's Indians have just saved the city this turn from union onslaught?

Late October 61

Virginia:

Banks has had its glorious day ( and has now a seniority of 2) by beating Beauregard. Interestingly, the CSA army is rather small ( attrition) and short on supply.

BTW, K. Smith leaved the Pittsburg siege since the last turn for an unknow destination.









In the Western theater, i toyed with the idea to send Grant on Ft Donelson or Paducah, but first, the Confederates are keeping some garrison here and the Union force is yet underorganized and armed. I've begun contruction of river ironclad at Cairo ( a SVF feature, these ironclads will not be built in the Great Lakes ) and the last game has cured me from the "Forward" syndrom...

I'm building a depot at Louisville ( rmember in SVF 2 supply units are needed) to prepare the spring advance.

In missouri, Johnston assaulted the large Saint-Louis garrison and lost. he inflicted to my forces more losses but was forced to retreat.

Winter is coming. Normally, the AI should become more cautious, but winter offensives aren't totally excluded ( SVF is randomizing a bit AI behaviour in winter).






In any case, comparing to the last game, AI is globally following the same patterns with a large variation in Virginia, being this time more aggressive. In the reality, Beauregard and Jackson advocated offensive in the North from 1861, and the path followed by the AI in the game is corresponding to Lee's moves in 1862 and 1863. The possibility of an offensive action by the South , without any much of the long range raids in the vanilla, is just forcing Union to need to protect MD and PA. I definitly have to capture Harper's Ferry soon.

Early November 61

Ungloriously, fremont abandoned the siege of Rolla, being out of supply. No Confederate moves here, except a Watie 's raid




In Virginia, Beauregard retreated South. Mc Clellan Army is growing turn after turn

Late November 61

With winter, operations are now very rare; i push banks toward Harper's ferry, where the big Longstreet division is awaiting him. Beauregard moved farther South in the Valley





Jackson has made hs appearence in Kentucky, Bragg at Ft Pickens







In Missouri, Johnston is retreating toward Springfield

Early december 61

Longstreet force was too strong for Banks troops. I suspected it but in any case, I decided I had to do something to seize harper's ferry and I was hoping Banks seniority to be lowered in case of defeat. banks lost but only marginally, remaining immensely popular. I have to create an Army for him...




For the rest, a very calm turn.
My naval mobilization is beginning to give results ( naval construction is slower in SVF): 2 new blockade squadrons, 4 river ironclad and the first monitor

After several very quiet winter turns, the situation in early February 62 is almost the same; AS Johnston is yet around Rolla in Missouri, Polk is now stationed at Humbolt in Kentucky, Jackson seems to come back into Virginia.


My first amhibious operation has started against Saint Augustine in Florida.

In Virginia, Beauregard is waiting at harper's ferry. Banks has been named at the head of the small Army of Western Virginia, exchanging command with Fremont. Butler is leading he so called Army of the James, formed at Ft Monroe.

Relieving Fremont of command should reduce his seniority... that's 1 less idiot you have to put up with.

Ft marion is in Union hands!



In Missouri, Curtis was beaten by Floyd...yes, Floyd...

Clovis wrote:In Missouri, Curtis was beaten by Floyd...yes, Floyd...

Well, Rommel lost to Montgomery, so stranger things have happened.

enf91 wrote:Well, Rommel lost to Montgomery, so stranger things have happened.

Floyd...More inept than Banks...

Early March 62

In Virginia, I created last turn Corps ( same rule as in vanilla version°. mcClellan will come back to The Baltimore_Washington aera with the largest part of the Army. In the same time, McDowell will try to capture Manassas




Grant will leave Cairo to capture Ft Henry and Ft Donelson, which seem lightly defended

In Missouri, Halleck and Curtis will advance on Rolla



Winter isn't achived, but all my frces have now some wagons to help.

I've built new naval transports to reinforce my amphibious operations in the future.

Late March 62


McDowell captured Manassas, weakly defended.

Confederates are pushing some troops against Ft Monroe




On the Kentucky front, Grant will assault FtHenry and Donelson this turn, while Buell is marching ( slowly) on Bowling Greene

Confederates are more active in Missouri, with AS Johnston, Van Dorn and Floyd, who has begun the siege of Jefferson City. Halleck will give assault to Rolla this turn.





Florida expedition is a success, even if Florida isn't deprived of Confederate forces, whose exact composition is yet unknow. I've launched supply depot construction here.

Late april 62

Once again, Confederates are pushing North in Eastern theater




Confederates are reacting against Union foothold in Florida




Last, Halleck attack on Rolla was thwarted by Hindman's survenance

Late May 62


Virginia :

The Army of the Potomac tried to intercept the advancing Confederates but the latter didn't moved this turn...I'm preparing the built of Fortificayions at Washington.Loring has come to Manassas and seems to go to Alexandria



Missouri:

A Johnston assaulted Ft Leavenworth in Kansas (!) and died. Will the AI be able to rebuild an Army?





Kentucky was the most dispute aera this turn.


Buell was beaten at Bowling Green by Polk, coming here in the same time. Buell had alarge adavantage in men but a very low cohesion.

In the same time, Grant is assieging Nashville, garrsoned by Forrest. But Jackson has cut the Buell's line of operation to Louisville.


Confederates have yet other forces in the columbus/paducah aera

Clovis wrote:In the same time, Grant is assieging Nashville, garrsoned by Forrest. But Jackson has cut the Buell's line of operation to Louisville.

So Buell's screwed then? Paging Gen. Burgoyne...
>>OK, the screenshot finally loaded. How does Buell, with superior combat stats, a bigger army, and a terrain advantage LOSE to Polk? Man, he's terrible.

enf91 wrote:So Buell's screwed then? Paging Gen. Burgoyne...
>>OK, the screenshot finally loaded. How does Buell, with superior combat stats, a bigger army, and a terrain advantage LOSE to Polk? Man, he's terrible.

Cohesion. Was low after the march as railroads couldn't be used....

enf91 wrote:How does Buell, with superior combat stats, a bigger army, and a terrain advantage LOSE to Polk?

If you look at the black scale at the bottom of the battle report, it's tipped way in favor of Polk. Despite having fewer troops, Polk has a big advantage in strength, probably due to better cohesion.

Early June 62

Kentucky:

Buell, low on supply and cohesion, falls back to Louisville. I create here 2 Corps under Rosecran and Wallace commands. In the same time, While Grant is yet assieging Nashville, and my cavalry is cutting railroads supply lines, CSA makes some effort to recapture Ft Henry, and Jackson marches back to Lexington.




Missouri: another full of surprise turn. Pope corps captured Rolla, but was then threatened by Hindman's force who finished by retreating when large Union reinforcements joined Pope. I gave Sigel small corps ( one division) the task to screen Jefferson City.



Virginia: McClellan slow move was yet unable to cach Confederates who hammered the isolated Fremont's Corps, losing in seniority. The AI isn't howewer running deep in Northern territory.






In Florida,
good news this turn:

- Butler has annihilated Bushrod Johnston group
- Butler has died







last, not only this turn produced some seniority change but Union gets too the possibility to use draft ( event date is slighty randomized in SVF)

Burnside promotable! So he has decent combat stats without screwing everyone on cohesion. I wish abilities were randomized somewhat...
Jackson looks weak and low on supplies. Whack him! If you can catch the bugger...

Late June 62:

Loring made a raid against Baltimore, but was fortunatly repulsed.

McClellan finally catched beauragrad. The Battle of Franklin was the biggest of the war so far and resulted in an Union defeat. losses are raising







Buell is ressuplying at Louisville. His Army is now divided in 2 corps, led by Rosecrans and Wallace. Grant is pursuing the Nashville siege.

In missouri, Halleck has capturd Rolla.

Early August 62

Confederates remain concerned about Baltimore, as the whole main eastern Army led a new offensive here. Beauregard smashed The combined Keyes and Sumner corps during the march.







Banks must face a new and unexpected rebel advance on Grafton



Buell has captured at last Bowling Green, the CSA concentrating at Ft Donelson:

Time to draw some conclusions

1) AI suffers always of bad organization skill and poor choices in industrailization. Btter than before at naval affairs, which soesn't say much as AI is yet unable to plan really naval construction and operations.

2) Balance will be alterd slighty in the next SVF version. Union is a bit short and Confederates have slighty too much men.

3) My last researches will result in a sensible reduction for artillery costs. armies had much more artillery than in SVF

4) Confederate AI has at least almost discarded any deep raids, focusing on close objectives. All in all, the CSA AI has put a rather creditable defense. I've done a few more events to calm down it about Eastern Kentucky and Kansas; in any case, I'm rather happy with the AI behaviour, especially in Virginia, where Confederates incursions in MD or PA are backed up by small outfit garrisonning the rear.

I don't know if I will continue this AAR as I want to test the new version. But I believe this game would have led me well into 1863 yera at least to take a real advantage as Union over CSA, and with more plausability to 1864. Not so bad considering AI is playing the weaker side.