PBEM vs. kyle - April 1861 (USA)

[Henry D.]

Greetings!

I finally got around to starting the Union part of my PbEM AAR with kyle. Lazy cat that I am, I did NOT keep much of a record of the first few turns, so, for a summary of battles and skirmishes until August 1861, please see kyles AAR. J


However, a short summary of the game as it is:

Houserules: Just a few of them, mostly self-imposed on my part for personal flavor.

1.) Union will not try to prevent raiding by blocking EVERY river zone along the Missisippi-Ohio rivers (I have no qualms to do that against AI, but human vs. Human it just seems too gamey).

2.) Union will put McClellan in command of the largest army in the east and keep him until November 62.

3.) Union will NOT sneak through conferate batteries along the James river and ambush Richmond (that one was added after the very same exploit worked, much to my own astonishment, in my game against wyrmm.)

Apart from the above, it’s no holds barred.


Initial plans:

Recruitment: As volunteers and drafts are allowed from the start, I use them whenever possible (no bounties, full conscription). Emphasis on infantry brigades and militia in the border states first, since July expanding the brown water navy, merchant shipping and blockade fleets, too. Artillery and a few additional supply trains have been built to and some strong points been fortified (Harpers Ferry, Alexandria [there I built a depot, too], Washington and Cairo, Il. Springfield/MO will soon be fortified to secure it as a base for my ventures into Arkansas as well).

Finances: 8$ war bonds and exceptional taxes whenever possible, money printing only in case of emergency (though I already have printed once already, IIRC).

Industry: heavy investments in states with poor, medium and light investmentsin states with below average and average infrastructure. I doubt that’s efficent, but governments and efficency usually don’t go too well together, anyways...

Foreign policy: up until now a hardline stance, full blockades whenever possible (that hugely backfired in my game with wyrmm, where FI hovers at a whooping 70+ in early 1862 already, but in this game, as of now, the french and british are rather intimidated by the Unions firmness, FI less than 20).

Other: Leaders with the „recruitment officer“ trait will not be given field commands unless in emergency, instead they are sent to varous population centers to, well, recruit additional volunteers.

Events went almost historically, except that „sumter reinforcements“ has struck again. I had the bright idea to recall them back to Ft. Monroe ASAP, just to have them starve to death on the way somewhere along the North carolina coast...


Now, initial plans and how they went up until now:

1.) WIN! (Obviously I’m not quite through with this yet )


2.) Take control of Missouri ASAP and build up a force there strong enough to threaten Arkansas and support movements south along the Missisippi.

I was quite successful there, all cities in MO except the small town of Charleston are firmly under my control. Two divisions (one inf, one cav) under Lyon andhave been built and already taken Fayettecille/AR during the last turn, a third under Sumner is currently assembling at Springfield (those forces consist mainly of regulars formerly guarding the western territories plus a few newly raised brigades). An additional force of MO militias is strolling around to convert railroads to union control.
However, kyle has not put up much of a fight in the trans-mississippi yet, so another initial goal could not be achieved: To have Lyon gather enough recommendations to raise him to ** or even ***. Up to now, he only earned one measly new rank of seniority and still needs one more to get promoted... L


3.) North-west: gather enough troops to build at least one corps each at Cairo/IL and Louisville/KY, apart from that, respect Kentuckys „neutrality“ as long as possible. Build enough militias to garrision all towns and harbors in IL, IN and OH.

Well, that takes longer than expected, only one weak division at Cairo and two at Louisville, yet. North of the rivers everything is secured, but kyle hasn’t made any seroius attemps to raid there yet. Instead he has been busying himself with destroying virtually every railroad in Kentucky. Quite a nuisance, I’m sending single brigades as repair teams all over the state. Sadly, interception of his vandalizing savages is not an option, most times I can not even spot those sneaky bastards...

4.) Virginia/eastern coast: Flesh out the AotP to at least three corps with 2-3 divisions each, one corps each at Harpers Ferry, Alexandria and Fort Monroe. Build one cavalry division under direct control of the army for recon and a bit of raiding.

Regarding HP and Alexandria, that goal has just been achieved (and right in time to repel an assault by Jackson in case of HP). Troops for he third corps are currently assembling in Washington/DC. They will be shipped south soon and hopefully either make a slow advance along the peninsula or take the long way to Richmond along Norfolk-Suffolk-Petersburg, that’ll depend on what opposition they’re gonna face there. Anyways the wll be heavily supported by large naval forces under both Farragut and Dahlgren. As soon as more troops are available (after the second draft, I think) I’ll start harassing his entire eastern coast by what I call „harbor hopping“, but as of now, I just can’t think that big...

The eastern cavalry division has been formed , too (under Schurz, strength of about 180), but it has not achieved much yet. Last turn it set out on a round trip to wreak some havoc behind the gray lines, just to stumble into the entire southern army at Leesburg... L


5.) Navy: Build up the merchant fleet slowly to about 20 squadrons, have a patrol fleet of 4 brig, 4 frigate and 4 srteam frigate sqds under Palmer guard the shipping lines, upgrade blockade fleets by buliding 2 additional sqds every 6 month, and build something resembling a brown water fleet and flesh out blue water fleets for invasions..

In progress. Farraguts initial fleet should be sufficient for now, additional monitors and ironclads and one armored frigate are in production.

So much for introduction. I’ll add some screenshots soon.

Next installment will be late August 1861.

Questions, comments and suggestions are highly welcome and appreciated. But, please take note:

Kyle and myself agreed not to read each others AARs while in progress, so PLEASE MAKE SURE NOT TO TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT HIS PART OF THE GAME I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW! Thank You.

Regards, Henry

[Henry D.]

First, some situation maps. You'll notice that kyle is really fond of destroying railroads... leure:

Southern Missouri:
[ATTACH]990[/ATTACH]

Northern Missouri:
[ATTACH]991[/ATTACH]

Kentucky:
[ATTACH]992[/ATTACH]

Northern Virginia:
[ATTACH]993[/ATTACH]

[Henry D.]

Plans:


Trans-Mississippi:

Not much this turn, Lyons and Keyes are resting at newly conquered Favetteville and some additional militia from Springfield are on the way to support them. Artillery and Supply trains are on the way to fortify Springfield/MO, but I’m wondering if those trains would not be better employed by building a Depot in northern Arkansas. A couple of newly trained militia are send to the railhead southwest of rolla.


Kentucky:

Repairs, repairs, repairs. In the northeast we finally spotted some of the culprits responsible for the railroad carnage and dispatched two brigades to intercept them, but with little hope to succeed.


Northern Virginia:

Well, what else is Beauregard up to? He brought along one corps under J. Johnston (so much poor whipped Schurz and his troopers could tell us). We have lost track of Jackson.,who was repelled at the walls of Harpers Ferry just the turn before, but assume he went back to Winchester and is licking his wounds.

Does kyle want to unite him with the (southern) AotP in Loudon County and head north into rather undefended Pennsylvania? Does he plan a concentrated strike on HP? Alexandria, Washington/DC? All these towns are already fortified, but still, I’m worried.

But I’m also quite tempted, because by marching north he seems to have left his own rear, Manassas and Fredericksburg, open. Never having been a man to resist such temptations, I decide to send McDowells corps (convienently activated) minus one devision staying with Army HQ in Alexandria, to Manassas, with orders to assault the town at all costs. Likewise Schurz' battered Cavalry won’t get rested, but rather probe into Fredericksburg, either to get bloodied again or to take it by surprise.

Dealing with Beauregard, or rather slowing him, will be the task of two divisions from Milroy’s corps in Harpers Ferry, while Hooker with the main body of troops originally intended to be shipped to Ft. Monroe this turn, will be marching to Montogomery County to intercept the graybacks in case they attempt to slip into Washington, where Farraguts fleet has left the harbor and primed its guns to bombard any attacker of the Unions sacred capital into oblivion...

[ATTACH]995[/ATTACH]


Resolution:

Well, I’ll be damned! Kyle apparently didn’t have any plans for moving north. Instead he just tried to get back to Manassas, run into McDowell and was sent off the field! Manassas is ours, and fairly won. Worse for him, battered Schurz run into a force under McCulloch at Fredericksburg, but sent them packing, too. Both main confederate supply hubs in northern Viriginia are controlled by the Union for now, his AotP is almost cut off, with Winchester as its only precarious source of supply left.
Admittedly kyle drove Butler ignomously out of Yorktown, but the whole thing was only a faint in the first place (only Butler himself and his initial force of arty and supplies) and the beast was on its way home to Ft. Monroe anyways. Losses at Manassas were very small (7 to 739 casulties) and McDowells corps is still in good fighting condition, but sadly, it's no longer activated. Schurz on the other hand is in dire need of rest, losses were appalling (286 to 436) and the division is very disorganised. If kyle can scorunge together troops for a counter attack he might very well have to retreat. But until then, we're celebrating a nice little double victory.

[ATTACH]997[/ATTACH]


However, in Kentucky things do not look quite as good. We repaired a few railroads, but, as expected, failed to intercept the raiders spotted. However, this turn we identified no less then three gray raiding forces thorughout the state. This is gonna be turning into a real whack-a-mole. God, I HATE raiders!

[ATTACH]998[/ATTACH]

But, overall, late August has been a very successful fortnight for the boys in blue!

[Henry D.]

Plans


Virginia

Kyle claims to have moved Johnston’s corps to Leesburg by accident, it was just following its army HQ. But what the HQ alone was supposed to achieve there apart from destroying a rather insignificant railhead is beyond me.

Anyways, I doubt that I will be able to hold either Manassas or Fredericksburg against his available Forces (CSA AotP with J. Johnstons corps in Leesburg and Jacksons Corps in Winchester) without calling off my peninsular expedition entirely and beefing up both towns. I don’t think that would be worth the effort just yet, Norfolk and Williamsburg are too lightly defended and just too tempting. So I will reinforce neither McDowell nor Schurz, but instead burn both depots and railroads and prepare to retreat to Alexandria if necessary.
However, Milroy’s corps of two divisions (24.000) in Harpers Ferry is active and will probe up the Shenandoah aggressively in case kyle tries to take Manassas back with everything he has, including Jackson. If he chooses to ignore his precarious situation in Leesburg and takes Beauregard and Johnston to HP, I’m screwed, there’ll be only two rgts of Maryland militia left to guard the fort.

Those troops under Hamilton, Hooker and newly available reinforcements from up north that went to guard the Potomac last turn will head back to Washington to board Farraguts fleet in the next turn. By then they should be worth at least two full devisions with a number of additional militia for garrison purposes.


Kentucky

As last turn, repairs, repairs, repairs, plus a little bit of whack-a-raider by those brigades that have already finished repairing.


Trans-Mississippi

The small division under Morell (2 regts of „heavy“ regulars, 1 light and 2 militia inf) that is besieging Charleston/MO is active this turn and will try to storm it. There should be only one militia there.

We will NOT build a fort at Springfield/Mo (yet), instead both supply trains will be heading south, along with a third division under Sumner, destination Fayetteville, to build a depot there. Two new supply trains will be build in Missouri this very turn.


Resolution

Well, I’ll be damned again!

In the east, kyle acted much bolder than I anticipated. He did indeed vacate Winchester and had Jackson attack Manassas, so Winchester fell to Milroy. But he did NOT concentrate everything on Manassas, but made a two pronged attack on both Manassas and Alexandria! And he won them BOTH! Jackson drove McDowell out fairly easily by himself, while Johnston kicked his but once McD arrived in Alexandria. Now McD is sitting in Washington, compiling casualty lists and wondering what the hell happend.(The coward did not even put up much of fight, I had the very bright idea to put him into „passive“ stance:bonk . AotP HQs with one Division and support troops is besieged in Alexandria. Luckily there are tons of fresh troops in Washington (awaiting embarkation) and MCD is relatively fresh and active, so hopefully Alexandria can be relieved ASAP, but Hot Damn! Talk about making the best of a bad situation. General Kyle, I salute You!

Small consolation: Both depots and RR at Manassas and Fredericksburg are destroyed. With the loss of Winchester, too, he should have a hard time to get fresh ammo up north...


Kentucky & Missouri: Some RR repaired, some others newly wrecked, some raiders whacked and Charleston taken, but who cares, the pride of the Union is imperiled!

[ATTACH]999[/ATTACH]

The next turn might be interesting...

[Henry D.]

All right, time to fight the crickets and beg for replies:

Apart from my wife, anyone else reading this stuff?

Regards, Henry

[Aurelin]

I read it. I enjoy AARs.

[Ingtar]

I am reading and enjoying.

[gekkoguy82]

this is an idiotic question, but what does aar stand for??

[teufel0331]

yer doin' great -- have at 'em, yank!

[Aurelin]

this is an idiotic question, but what does aar stand for??

After Action Report.

Though most are done as they play.

[typhoon]

Compulsive late night reading. Great stuff please keep it up.

[Henry D.]

Thank You, Gentlemen, thank You.

Unfortunately I'm a bit hard pressed for time in RL at the moment, so large updates per each turn are not an option at present.

Just a little teaser: My big blow with McD.'s Avengers (more than 60.000) from Washington hit only empty air in Alexandria, they boldly marched on to Manassas, there to be beaten to pulp by Beauregard, Johnston and Jackson. (Casualties about 11.000 to 5.000). Also Kyle brought Holmes' corps up from the peninsular and evicted Schurz from Fredericksburg. Apart from me capturing Winchester, in the east it's back to square one for both sides.

In Kentucky raiders continue to be a nuisance, especially one small division under McCulloch in the eastern part of the state. We managed to liberate Lexington, but lost Bowling Green. I guess I will be forced to gather a real army and talk business there soon.

Trans-Miss. still is the Union's showpiece, Lyon marched south to Ft. Smith in hope of capturing it before winter, but ran into Price on the way and could not take it yet. Sumners Division with two supply wagons reached Fayetteville, a depot should be in business there, soon. However, I do think I'm putting much more effort into this department than it is worth at the moment. But then again, I gotta be successful somewhere, don' I?

Regards, Henry

[tagwyn]

Enjoying this report. Learning and watching. Tag

[FortyEighter]

Great AAR keep it up!

[Henry D.]

Another short update:

Lyon got reinforced at Ft. Smith by a full infantry div. under Sumner and my small western cav. div. under Keyes, tried to storm the town and was beaten by Price and the tribes under Stand Watie. Winter should be coming soon and 'm afraid, I'll have to return to Fayetteville to sit it out there. Lyon got congratulated nonetheless and will recieve his second star now, at least.

In Kentucky still whack-a-mole and I fear kyle is concentrating a real army under A.S. Johnston near Bowling Green. I'll have to concentrtate my forces there soon, with Halleck and Fremont as the only 3*s available... leure:

In the east not much to report, kyle sits tight at Manassas, hopefully his AotP is as battered as mine. I used my control over the Shenandoah Valley to send a division south to Charlottesville to wreck some havoc there and repay his RR mayhem in Kentucky in kind...

Hamilton's command with two divisions (including Hookers) and assorted militia finally boarded Farraguts fleet and is heading to Hampton Roads, hopefully they may be able to annoy kyle on the peninsular or around Norfolk very soon...


Next update will feature some screens again...

Regards, Henry

[GShock]

A mess to catch up only now, i ll have to start reading from the beginning but it's surely a worthy lesson. Wonderful AAR, congrats.

[Henry D.]

Another short update:

A lot has happened since the last one, but very little has changed.

In Trans-Miss. the initial attack on Ft. Smith was repelled by Sterling Price and a bunch of indnains wth Stand Watie. We crawled back to Fayetteville (wher we build a depot in the mean time and recuperated. Last turn (early dec) both Lyon's and Sumner's Divs were fully recovered and I couldn't resist, despite the weather, to give Ft. Smith another try. I should really have known better. We failed again and in the deep frozing Arkansa winter it'll take the survivors almost two turns to get home...
[ATTACH]1027[/ATTACH]
In Kentucky the mole pest ist mostly contained and RR south of Louisville operational and under Union control. We are gathering an Army of the Ohio in Bowling Green under the very unable command of J.C. Fremont with Grant as his only subordinate worth a damn. In Louisville a depot has already been established, another one will be build this turn in Bowling Green. Towns in eastern Kentucky remain under the control of the seceshers, their liberation will have to wait until spring (I swear I'm cured from winter campaigning in rough terrain ).
[ATTACH]1028[/ATTACH]
In the east, kyle has not taken any steps to drive me out of Winchester again, so we use it as a jumpoff point for a little bit of raiding of our own with single division forces and, during the last turn, destroyed the south' last ramaining rail line into Manassas at Culpeper. However, apart from making ourselves a nuisance, efeects will be small.
[ATTACH]1029[/ATTACH]
Last turn Jackson's Corps turned up south of Winchester and I thought he mitht try to evict me, but he dissaoeared as quickly as he came and now I'm worried were the hell he went...

My mighty naval invasion force was brought to Ft. Monroe, but, upon arrival, in no condition to fight. It's still mostly resting, a small probing force under Hamilton himself, mainly consisting of militia, took James City, though. However, This too is notmuch more than tickling kyle, all efforts in the east are isolated, a concentrated effort with all or even just most forces in Virginia is impossible due to our abyssmal strategic ratings...

Over all I have to begun industralising Arkansas (yeah, I'm confident he won't throw me out there) as well es experimenting with the loyalty ledger, declaring martial law in MO, AR and KY. If that will yield any positive effects remains to be seen (What is Your opinion, that feature seems to be rarely used by players?). I also made an effort to increase RR and river transport capacities to always have them at 100%.

Well, so much for that, it's christmas now and Santa has brought us a whole set of new political, financial and draft options to choose from. In one of his last turn mails kyle remarked that union forces were already multiplying like locusts, well, the locusts are in for a new reproduction spree...