Capturing New Orleans

[Injun]

I need some advice here. Opponet Athena

1. How big a force needed to capture New Orleans in 1861.
A. Ground forces
B Naval forces

2.Best way to reduce forst at the mouth of the Mississippi.
A. Fleet composition.

From looking at the map I have three forst to deal with in the New Orleans area, Pike, St.Phillp and, Jackson. I see Shieldsborro must be taken also. If ft. Pike falls, CSA investment of Shieldsborro with Artillery and made a fort could hamper occupation of NO.

This operation will have to be based from Ft. Pickens.

[Mangudai]

I usually send two divisions or three under-strength divisions which is overkill. One division could probably take the city. But there are lots of opportunities to employ troops is Louisiana so it's good to bring extra.

The CSA might have a river boat force with a couple ironclads. I send about half of my warships under Farragut. Overkill again, but worth it.

There is a way to sneak in through the Sabine River avoiding the forts altogether. If you run the forts, use two fleets. The warships in aggressive stance, the transports in passive stance. The transports may not get hit or lose cohesion.

[husky1943]

Sorry I didn't answer sooner, Injun.

Recently, (Oct 1863) I captured New Orleans, and this is what/how I did it.

I put together 22,000 men under Fremont. He had been whining forever about getting an army and giving Grant an Army before him had cost me quite a lot, so I organized an army in Baltimore (Ironically, naming itself the Army of the Potomac).

I had three organized divisions under different generals, and gave the stack about 4 extra generals. Plus, there was....
4 supply elements
both types of engineers
medical
signal
3 cavalry elements

Then this whole stack was put with Farragut and his massive (I mean, MASSIVE fleet).

I ran them up the Mississippi (didn't think of using the Sabine River, that's pretty sharp) and after 2 small naval battles, I landed the troops in NO (New Iberia?). Everyone was in bad shape, cohesion-wise, but I detached two of the divisions and they activated. I assaulted NO which fell very easily. Then I pulled the ships in, and reattached the two divisions. With all the extra elements, cohesion was regained pretty fast. Then, I detached the divisions again, and formed a couple more under the spare generals and took off in all directions, each with a supply element. So far, so good. I'll see how it goes over the long run.

[Krec]

sounds like a plan, when you run the ships down there you dont run by forts right? i mean you take the ocean and stay clear of the forts, corrrect? good read btw

Krec

[phantomfeather]

I need some advice here. Opponet Athena

1. How big a force needed to capture New Orleans in 1861.
A. Ground forces
B Naval forces

2.Best way to reduce forst at the mouth of the Mississippi.
A. Fleet composition.

From looking at the map I have three forst to deal with in the New Orleans area, Pike, St.Phillp and, Jackson. I see Shieldsborro must be taken also. If ft. Pike falls, CSA investment of Shieldsborro with Artillery and made a fort could hamper occupation of NO.

This operation will have to be based from Ft. Pickens.

I've taken New Orleans a couple of times against the AI, mostly, just to see if I could do it. Both times the AI hadn't protected New Orleans with much. I did an amphibious landing avoiding the forts (never thought about the Sabine either). Both times I took an Army along with a small Corps just so I could play havoc in Louisiana. Worked well & the AI didn't throw much at me.

Break a leg!!!

Update: Info that I forget to mention; I only took 1 fleet. But as I said I did an amphibious landing near New Orleans (New Iberia) in an area just east of N.O. (forgot the name).

[GraniteStater]

This is my routine now:

* Two fleets - one under Farragut for transporting men and running the forts at the mouth of the Mississippi, one under Dahlgren for bombarding. Each fleet's posture is set acording to its mission.

* I'm usually playing against history's clock, so to speak, so organizing the force and getting it under way is on a schedule. Lately, I've wanted to bring a whole buncha guys with me, so as to exploit the landing as much as I can.

* I usually launch from Baltimore and want a 3-star (with an Army), maybe two 2-star, and some divisional generals. Depending on who's active or not, I might have some 12 or 14 element Divisions - no matter, there's not a lot of opposition anyway, and flexibility in your force structure can be beneficial.

* Stop en route at the FL forts, regain cohesion, and then re-launch.

Will usually take some naval hits, but once past the forts, have not encountered serious opposition to the landing.

Once you have New Orleans, take Ft. Pike to ensure an open path for supplies and reinforcements. The seize Baton Rouge and possibly Port Hudson. Then take the forts at the mouth of the river.

[Chaplain Lovejoy]

Hmmm...looks like a good routine. I'll have to try it. Being of a more cautious type, I usually grab Galveston and the two forts at the mouth of the Mississippi first before striking at New Orleans proper.

[GraniteStater]

Haven't lost ground forces by steaming right through. I use Farragut for the Fort Running ability and put him on No Combat and No Bombard.

Dahlgren's fleet is on Bombard.

Seems to work OK. Then, in order of importance, grab Ft. Pike (communications), and Baton Rouge (denial of a recruitment center, especially nearby).