Fake Insertions as a USA Naval Strategy

[Chaplain Lovejoy]

Years ago, I read David Hackworth's book About Face, which included tales of his experiences as a commander in Vietnam. One tactic he used was "fake insertions." These involved sending empty helicopters out to landing zones to trick the enemy into thinking that troops had been off-loaded in certain locations when in fact none had been. I wonder if something like this would be useful as a USA naval strategy. To wit: run a transport fleet up and down the CSA coastline to keep the CSA player madly shifting troops around to meet a perceived threat. Might tie up a lot of his rail capacity in so doing, not to mention troop strength.

Fleet could carry a small number of troops and/or a division commander for the CSA detection value to "see." Anyone think this is a viable idea? I haven't tried it. Just something that popped into my head.

[Banks6060]

gamey as hell, but could be possible. Although I think you'd have to at least have a brigade with the leader.

[Jabberwock]

Absolutely! In the GC, the turn before we amphibed into South Carolina, transports "showed the colors" off the coasts of North Carolina and Georgia. Don't know if it actually caused any alarm, but I had a couple extra transports. It definitely would work better with skeleton divisions (one leader, one regiment) on board, but I didn't have any available at the time.

I don't think this is gamey at all. Misinformation was one reason the rebs got caught with their pants down at New Orleans.

[nilam]

You Yankee"s have all the advantages already without coming up with devious ideas like that--nice one!

Got any good ideas for us Rebs?????

[Jabberwock]

Got any good ideas for us Rebs?????

Always. Some small mobile batteries along the coast, at the mouths of rivers. Use 1 regiment + 1 6lb for most, the 2 regiments with a 6lb brigades for important ones. Upgrades are nice. Some good places:

James City, VA
Norfolk, VA (in addition to original forces)
Columbia, NC
Wilmington, NC (in addition to original forces)
Georgetown, SC
Brunswick, GA
St Augustine, FL
Berwick, LA
Pierre, LA
Beaumont, TX
Galveston, TX

I was in doubt about the viability of this not knowing that it cost resources to repair ships. Now that we know, even without details, this is definitely worth it.

They're enough to force the enemy to commit major resources to any amphib landing. Two or three reserve divs at central locations (maybe Wilmington, NC; Augusta, GA; Meridian, MS) to smash any landing. This is a good assignment for militia leaders and fast movers. I use them as training divisions if they aren't actively being used.

If the enemy takes forts, wait until he moves on, take them back, and get all the artillery out. Leave the forts empty. I know it can take a few turns to move fort batteries, even by water. Those guns can go to strategic locations, Norfolk, Wilmington, Richmond, New Orleans, Nashville, Donelson, Paducah, Vicksburg, Mobile, Corinth. No reason to let the Union capture them again. Silly to have locked guns, if you ask me.

[nilam]

Wow Jabber (and Hello)

How long have you been playing this great challenge-and how do you know
all this stuff (its not in the manual).
I thought fort batteries were fixed and how do you get upgrades?

i wish you would answer my thread i need a general like you on my team
even if you look like Lincoln.

UP THE SOUTH

[Jabberwock]

Hello Nilam,

I've been doing this for 17 months, with a three-month break last winter. I read the forum, wiki, strategy guides, and history books, I experiment, and I have a semi-encyclopedic memory.

Fort batteries are fixed until after they are attacked or captured. They still move slowly after that, so put them in cities on the railroads, that way you can move them around. Upgrades come with time, I find that sitting still in or near a big city seems to help. Volunteers will turn into conscripts, conscripts to line infantry, 6lbs to 10lb Parrotts, etc.

Write a specific question in your thread without using '2' for 'to' (it bugs me), and I'll see if I can contribute something for you. My last avatar looked like Sydney Johnston, I switch sides.

[teufel0331]

gamey as hell, but could be possible. Although I think you'd have to at least have a brigade with the leader.

yeah -- definitely not gamey, though it might drive a helluva lot of poor would-be jeff davis' to distraction.

'feints' are a basic component of any commander's repertoire

[tagwyn]

misinformation/false info was one of the Primary reasons USSR survived the onslaught in WWII. Reds were very good at this, even in 19r41. t