CSA Narrative AAR: Yellowhammer vs. Sedgwick

[John Sedgwick]

Why do you ask that, tagwyn? I must say I'm a wee bit offended on my opponent's behalf, as I believe he's fully competent, if not exactly a brilliant strategist - but then, neither am I. He may currently be losing, but not by a wide margin - if I played more aggressively, I might have beat him by now, but I get the sense we're both very cautious players, which naturally suits the Rebel side better than the Union. I have noticed a tendency to ignore the 3-1 rule in some of his attacks, but other than that, I'm not sure I would've performed any better playing the Union, since I prefer defending to attacking.

[John Sedgwick]

The game is delayed this weekend as Yellowhammer is volunteering for a festival, so I'm taking this opportunity to collect my thoughts. Despite losing Fredericksburg, I'm happier now with the situation in Virginia than I was before. I had planned on sending most of my new divisions to the east, but assuming the bluebellies don't make any more headway there next turn, I think I will keep my new recruits in Kentucky and try to defend Virginia on the cheap, as it were, by assigning powerful reserves to the AoNV and AoP and loading them on trains to ensure they will MTSG in any adjacent regions. Unfortunately that means my coastal defenses are practically nonexistent - frankly I'm surprised he hasn't tried to establish any beachheads yet, but I suspect he will try a major landing this year since his overland campaign and attacks on the peninsula have fared so poorly to date. If I'm right, I'd hazard a guess he'll try to capture or blockade Savannah, Charleston, and Wilmington and push inland from one of those ports either towards Atlanta or (more likely) in support of an overland offensive against Richmond - either that or he'll use Fort Pickens as a staging ground to threaten New Orleans and/or Mobile, for which I'm better prepared.

I'm not quite as happy with the situation in Kentucky. Sadly I've tipped my hand by reinforcing Polk so heavily, so any withdrawal-counterattack plan is now out of the question. Assuming he noticed the arrival of extra supply wagons, chances are he will have guessed that I am planning a major offensive here; I'm hoping he's expecting a direct route, although by now he's well aware of my predeliction for attacking by river. In any case, he must realize my defenses in the rear are now relatively weak, so by trying to cut him off I expose myself to the same risk even more so. I can foresee five possible developments or some combination thereof: 1, he will reinforce Thomas and Keyes near Lexington in response to the direct threat from Polk's Corps, which is the ideal outcome since it means he'll eat through his supplies more quickly if I succeed in cutting him off; 2, he will reinforce Buell in Cincinatti, in which case I may try a direct attack on Lexington or simply call off the operation; 3, he will reinforce Fremont and perhas cross the Ohio to threaten Louisville from the west (unlikely); 4, he will dispatch forces to Evansville to threaten Bowling Green, in which case I will call off the operation and pull back to my defensive positions; 5, he will reinforce Cairo, IL perhaps in preparation for a push down the Mississippi, in which case I will call off the operation and send the Ohio Fleet back to the confluent.

In any case, patience is a virtue, as so much now depends on the weather (particularly on the river - the exit point for Cincinnati harbour is currently frozen), and on how quickly I can bring the Ohio Fleet back up to strength (took some hits from winter weather in addition to loss of cohesion), as well as gathering accurate intelligence and severing the rails to Cincinatti.

[JKM]

Have just posted on your opponents thread about how much I'm enjoying your contest.
couldn't imagine two more different styles, both of game AND AAR !
as someone who's had only a couple of GC's aginst the AI thus far it's been illuminating to see you two go at it, warts and all.
perhaps the poster from a couple of days ago has forgotten the mistakes they made when they were learning !
Personally I get more from people pointing out mistakes in a supportive way , which is what happens 99% of the time in these forums.

[John Sedgwick]

Thanks JKM! It has certainly been a learning experience for us both. Things I've learned so far: don't try to swat raiders AND reinforce regions under threat in the same turn with cavalry on offensive posture (that's how I lost Jackson's cavalry to enemy pursuit at 2nd Manassas); don't send large raids over long distances by river unless you can expect minimal resistance (almost lost Jackson that way again - 2nd Wheeling raid was a successful exception); pillage ability only works on ungarrisoned depots; leaders must be activated to destroy depots; how to build forts (didn't realize you needed individual artillery batteries, I kept adding artillery to my fort defender divisions); how MTSG chance is calculated. Some very valuable lessons - can't wait for my next PBEM game to put them into practice from day one...

[John Sedgwick]

Late February, 1863, is greeted with joy by loyal southerners! Longstreet's views having been thought better of, great results were obtained at the Battle of Hanover, where Beauregard's Army of of the Potomac arrived quickly by rail to crush the Federal offensive. E. P. Alexander's artillery played a crucial role in the defense, and he is now considered for promotion.


Forney resists yet another Yankee advance on the peninsula at the Battle of Williamsburg. Heartened by these victories, Jefferson Davis tempers the mood of jubilation by declaring a national day of prayer and fasting, to give thanks to the Lord for our battlefield successes. Deo Vindice!


Holmes' small corps is ordered to Albemarle, while Lee's Army of Northern Virginia will join Jackson in Culpepper to prepare for offensive operations in the spring, with the aim of retaking the Shenandoah Valley. Confident that the situation in Virginia has stabilized, militia units hitherto preparing trenches behind the Pamunkey River are instead ordered to assemble near Goldsboro, NC, to act as a reserve coastal defense. Word is received from southern sympathizers in Maryland that U. S. Grant leads an independent command in Baltimore, which suggests that the Yankees may be preparing for a seaborne invasion.


The Federals are thinly spread in Kentucky as the snow melts, but despite Polk's insistence on seizing the initiative, A. S. Johnston decides the time is not yet ripe for offensive operations, as the rivers are still partially frozen and the roads are muddy. Federal forces repair the railway to Lexington, but Kentucky militia attempt to sever the line once again.

[John Sedgwick]

Early March, 1863: W. T. Sherman leads a determined assault on the city of Clarksburg. The brave defenders resist to the last man, but to no avail. The entire Confederacy honours their valour even as they mourn their loss.


With the fall of Clarksburg, the Kentucky State Guards are in dire straits, and are not expected to slip the Federal noose, but A. S. Johnston hopes to return the favour and then some in an amphibious assault on Cincinnati, supported by Buchanan's Ohio Fleet. G. W. Smith is ordered to secure their line of retreat in Dearborn, IN, should the assault fail. Depending on how the operation turns out, Polk and Smith will either dig in and hopefully cut off any attempt by the Yankees to withdraw, or if the attack fares poorly, destroy the depot and skedaddle to Louisville. E. K. Smith and Cleburne's divisions will reinforce Stevenson and Withers in Louisville and Mercer, respectively.

[John Sedgwick]

Late March, 1863: soldiers of the Army of Tennessee are told they are crossing the Kentucky River to mount an assault on Lexington. Even divisional commanders are kept in the dark as to their true destination until after their troops board ships bound for Cincinnati, Ohio. The amphibious assault is a stunning success with minimal loss of life, and could not have been more perfectly timed, as Johnston's army takes possession of a Federal fort still under construction.


Polk is applauded for his strategic masterstroke in Kentucky, and follows up with an advance on Dayton to destroy the depot before reuniting with Johnston's army to dig in around Cincinnati. Buchanan's ironclads remain in Blackford Creek, while gunboats patrol the rest of the Ohio in an attempt to prevent the enemy from crossing the river.


In the east, Jackson is ordered to advance on Page, VA, while Stuart leads a large force of cavalry up the Shenandoah Valley for a possible attack on Harper's Ferry. Lee's army is already running into logistical difficulties, so supplies are sent to Charlottesville to build a depot there.


In other news, the tightening of the Federal blockade combined with the commandeering of rolling stock causes severe shortages on the homefront, leading to bread riots in Richmond. Jefferson Davis himself tries to calm the crowd, but order is restored only by the threat of violence.

[John Sedgwick]

Early April, 1863: Polk defeats Buell yet again outside Dayton, OH. His troops destroy the depot and tear up the rails before returning to Cincinnati.


The Yankees howl and claw at their kennels like panicked dogs in a building set ablaze, but to no avail.


In one fell swoop, the Army of Tennessee has bagged two Union corps in Kentucky. Despite the recently built depot in Lexington, A. S. Johnston estimates that unless they are relieved, they will melt away for lack of supply within two months, or else be destroyed trying to break free of their prison.


Intelligence is received from our Indian allies in West Virginia that Milroy's force in Grafton is relatively weak. Stuart takes this opportunity to launch a large cavalry raid to destroy the depot.

[John Sedgwick]

Late April, 1863: Lee spreads his army too thin in Virginia, and pays dearly for this mistake at the Battle of Albemarle, in which Holmes and Zellicoffer are badly wounded. Privately, Lee admits full responsibility for the debacle, but publicly it is Holmes who takes the blame.


Forced to abandon his entrenched position in Culpepper to aid Holmes' corps, Lee now finds his position untenable, and races to Charlottesville to protect the depot currently under construction, where A. P. Hill's division is ordered to join him in a forced march from Louisa. In spite of this setback, Stuart and Jackson are ordered to converge on Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley, although supply shortages may place the entire operation in jeopardy unless they can quickly take Harper's Ferry in May.


On the peninsula, Longstreet's timely reinforcement of Forney's corps ensures yet another victory at Williamsburg.


Polk, supported by the Army of Tennessee, defeats a Union army led by Grant at Dayton, OH, before returning to Cincinnati.


Thomas and Keyes assemble near Lexington, likely preparing for another attack on Mercer, KY. Polk's tired troops race downriver to reinforce E. K. Smith and prevent a bluebelly breakout, as Johnston is determined that Kentucky must be their graveyard. A Federal scouting party under Grierson manages to ford the river near Louisville, preventing reinforcements from reaching E. K. Smith by rail.


In other news, the government introduces legislation intended to increase production of food and other agricultural goods sorely needed by the army, shifting the focus away from cotton and other cash crops.

[John Sedgwick]

Hmm, looking at the screenshots again, it only just sunk in that Holmes' entire corps was routed at Albemarle, probably because I had him set to "hold at all cost." An embarassing blunder on my part. If Yellowhammer aggressively exploits his advantage, I am in serious trouble in Virginia. Now I wish I had called off Jackson's Valley Campaign (which was my initial reaction to this defeat) and sent him to Charlottesville instead. If Charlottesville falls, and it expect it will, he'll have a clear shot at Richmond without having to cross any rivers. Funny how the tide of war can turn so quickly on a single mistake...

[Mickey3D]

Looking at your screenshots it seems that most of your corps don't have supply wagon. You should add at least one as it will provide a bonus in battle and allow supply to be moved to your force (as long as it is not too far away from a supply source).

[John Sedgwick]

Hmm, no, I believe they all have supply wagons - two in some cases for offensive operations.

[moni kerr]

Lee got whupped by McClellan.

[John Sedgwick]

Early May, 1863: Hooker defeats Lee at the Battle of Charlottesville. Only the wounded Zollicoffer remains in the besieged city, but his tiny garrison cannot possibly resist the inevitable assault; they are ordered to destroy the newly constructed depot, but it may already be too late.


A. P. Hill arrives a day too late to assist Lee, and they are forced to retreat to Culpepper, narrowly avoiding a second engagement. The Army of Northern Virginia is in dire straits, and Lee is left with no alternative but to go on the offensive; Jackson's corps is ordered join him in a forced march to assault the depot in Manassas. Misreading his orders, Stuart's cavalry lingers in Grafton five days longer than expected, though Jackson succeeded in taking Winchester without a fight; Stuart now rides for Alexandria in an attempt to sever the lines of communication between Federal armies near Richmond and their bases in the north.


Polk reinforces E. K. Smith in Mercer, KY, but the expected attack never comes. Federal raiding parties under Grierson and Sheridan apparently tried to cut the railway between Louisville and Bowling Green, but their attempts are thwarted by reinforcements from the Army of Mississippi. Abel Streight slips by our forces in Mercer and makes his way to Barren, KY. The Yankees may be trying to extract their forces piecemeal from Lexington via the Green River, so Polk sends Cleburne to reinforce McLaws' position in Bowling Green and clear the railway, though he may be delayed if Sheridan tears up the track.

[John Sedgwick]

I actually forgot to order Zollicoffer to destroy the depot in Charlottesville before I sent the turn, but I figure its a moot point since he probably won't have time anyway, so I added that to the narrative.

I detached a regiment of cavalry to destroy the depot in Grafton, but I must've forgot to deselect the order for JEB Stuart. I've been really sloppy lately, but JEB moves so freakin' fast that it's no big deal.

Lee got whupped by McClellan.

I know, I know... is right. So embarassing! I think when they write the alternative history of this conflict, they'll be praising McClellan for his genius and wondering how the South managed to win despite Lee's ineptitude. oke:

[John Sedgwick]

Late May, 1863: Whipple is routed by the Army of Northern Virginia at Manassas. Stuart and Forrest are congratulated for a stunning series of of victories at Alexandria; they are recommended for promotion and will assume command of the Confederate cavalry corps.


Much to his chagrin, Lee is in no position to exploit the initiative against the north, and withdraws to Charlottesville in another forced march. Unfortunately much of the railway in that region is under Federal control, but Lee is relying on the Yankees to turn their attention to securing their rear. Stuart's exhausted cavalry is dangerously low on supply and munitions, so they are ordered to merge with Jackson's corps on the march. The recently captured fort battery must be abandoned as it would only slow them down.


Grierson and Sleight return to Lexington after destroying the railway to Bowling Green. A. S. Johnston is wary of the Federal forces slowly gathering strength in the vicinity of Cincinnati, but he is confident that with the aid of G. W. Smith's corps he can repulse an attack from the north or west. Having recovered from his wounds, Holmes redeploys to Kentucky to command a corps in Louisville, where he is to be joined by Cleburne's division; he commandeers rolling stock so he may rush to the aid of Polk's corps should the Yankees attempt another breakout.


In other news, the Confederate Congress approves a new design for the nation's flag, incorporating the battle flag emblazoned on a white field, which is nicknamed "The Stainless Banner."

[John Sedgwick]

Early June, 1863, is a busy month for A. S. Johnston's Army of Tennessee, repelling two Federal attacks on Dearborn and Clermont in as many days. Had this offensive been better coordinated, they might have succeeded in relieving Thomas' and Keyes' stranded corps, but Confederate forces were able to use the railway to rapidly reinforce both positions. Despite this strategic victory, G. W. Smith is castigated for a tactical blunder resulting in the loss of two regiments.


Keyes and Thomas assail Polk's position in Mercer, KY, but the timely arrival of Holmes' corps soon sends them packing, killing or capturing four Federal regiments in the process; in addition, the fleeing enemy kindly donates 2,000 rifles to the Confederate cause.


A. S. Johnston toys with the idea of bringing the hammer down on Thomas and Keyes to smash them against Polk's anvil, but he would first like to tighten the noose and take control of the railroad in Boone, KY, if possible. Unfortunately, Armstrong's cavalry was delayed and McCulloch was unable to secure the railway by himself, so he is sent north to keep an eye on Grant while Armstrong takes his place. In any case, Johnston currently lacks sufficient strength to deliver the coup de grace, so Cleburne's division is sent upriver to reinforce Smith's weakened corps.


Lee beat a hasty retreat to Charlottesville as the Union Army of the Potomac scrambled to retake Manassas. Jackson and Stuart advance on Culpepper and Albemarle, respectively, to reestablish defensive positions in those regions; engineers are dispatched from Richmond to aid Stuart's corps in this task. B. Bee's decimated division is sent down the Shenandoah Valley to rendezvous with a field hospital detached from Longstreet's corps. Jefferson Davis, heeding the advice of Longstreet, instructs Lee to draft a plan for a limited strategic offensive in the direction of Loudon, VA, fighting on the tactical defensive.

[John Sedgwick]

Late June, 1863: Jackson and Stuart are turned back at Culpepper and Albemarle, respectively. Lee kicks himself for trying to do one too many things at once, as the railway through Albemarle should have taken priority, whereas Culpepper was a purely secondary consideration. Unless the Yankees fritter away their forces on the offensive, he will have great difficulty in dislodging them from their mutually supporting positions while they retain control of the line from Albemarle to Manassas, Petersburg being the sole possible exception. He takes two weeks to rest his forces while he reconsiders his options.

Fremont destroys the depot in New Albany and withdraws to Evansville. Thomas and Keyes destroy the depot in Lexington and retreat to Clarksburg, most likely trying to cross the river and join Rousseau in Ironton. A. S. Johnston had long foreseen this eventuality, but dragged his feet in preparing for it, and is now paying the price for his inactivity as they have forced his hand. Fortunately Polk is more responsive, and calls on Cleburne in Dearborn and Van Dorn in Floyd to join him in a three pronged assault on Clarksburg by river. Buchanan is confident his gunboat patrols can prevent a crossing, but Hindman's division is ordered to take Ironton just in case. Johnston and Smith will destroy the depot in Cincinnati and withdraw to Boone, KY.

[John Sedgwick]

Battle rages for two days outside Clarksburg, KY. Polk's initial assault is poorly coordinated and repulsed with heavy losses, but on the second day, Keyes is put to flight and four Federal regiments are annihilated, taking 700 prisoners and 1,000 rifles from the enemy. Polk, Cleburne, and E. K. Smith are congratulated for their victory.


Time is running out for Thomas and Keyes. Cavalry pickets are sent into the Kentucky hinterlands to cut off their retreat southward. E. K. Smith's command remains in Clarksburg, while Polk and Holmes move into the vicinity of Maysville and Lexington, respectively, to support the Army of Tennessee should Grant mount a last ditch attempt to relieve them. Once they have been destroyed, A. S. Johnston and J. E. Johnston will draw up plans to deal with the remnants of the Army of the Ohio, and possibly take the Federal forts at Evansville and Cairo so that Buchanan's fleet may safely return to the Ohio Confluent.


The situation in Virgina has stabilized, but Lee is by no means happy. He must secure the railroad in Albemarle before winter or his position in Charlottesville will remain vulnerable. With this mind, he orders Stuart to raid Harper's Ferry and generally wreak havoc in the north. If McClellan weakens his positions in Culpepper and Albemarle, Jackson and Johnson will attack the latter, leaving token forces in Louisa and Nelson, while Lee remains in Charlottesville with a small reserve to protect the depot. Johnson's corps will be transferred to the Army of Northern Virginia for the duration, so that if they succeed in taking the railway, they may come to Lee's aid should Meade try to flank their position by attacking Charlottesville. Beauregard expresses reservations, and wonders what Couch is up to in Westmoreland given that Butler appears to be drawing down on the Peninsula, but his concerns are brushed aside.

[John Sedgwick]

Late July, 1863: Polk gives conflicting orders to his subordinates, resulting in E. K. Smith's embarassing defeat outside Clarksburg and subsequent retreat to Boone, KY. Despite their imprisonment, Thomas and Keyes continue to cause no end of consternation to their wardens.


The U.S. Navy finally makes an appearance, as a fleet consisting of four ironclads and a large number of gunboats and transports under Admiral Porter blows one of our patrols out of the water, thereby gaining naval superiority on the Ohio. However, rather than attempt an immediate extraction by river, it appears as though Thomas and Keyes are headed for the depot in Prestonburg, through the mountains to the south. Polk's corps is ordered to intercept them, while Hindman's division, outnumbered 2 to 1 near Ironton, is ordered to evacuate to Prestonburg by river. All remaining gunboats east of Cincinnati gather on the Levisa and Sandy Rivers to make one last stand and guard the crossings to Floyd, KY, while Buchanan's ironclads return to Louisville for repairs.


In the east, Stuart takes Winchester and Harper's Ferry without a fight, under orders to burn the depot and withdraw to the Shenandoah Valley. Lee coordinates an attack on Albemarle by Jackson's and Johnson's corps, expecting the Federals to reinforce Manassas and Alexandria in response to Stuart's raid. Forney's corps moves north to Hanover leaving only Magruder's division on the peninsula, while Longstreet's corps is shifted west to Louisa.

[John Sedgwick]

McClellan is not fooled by Stuart's distraction, and Hooker defeats Lee in a bloodbath at Albemarle.


The situation in Virginia is a relatively stable yet deeply unsatisfactory stalemate. Lee considers his next move while his forces recuperate, but for once, he is at a loss. Stuart will try to shake things up yet again in Alexandria.


Polk prevents an attempted breakout in Morgan, KY, after a forced march.


Nothing short of a miracle will save Thomas and Keyes at this point. A. S. Johnston is astonished that they have managed to stay in supply for so long, when even Polk's corps is already experiencing supply problems. Johnston expects the next attempt at relief to come at Clarksburg, so Polk's corps is ordered to preclude this possibility, while Hindman's division takes his place in Mason, KY. Jefferson Davis, mindful of the political situation in the North, urges his old friend Polk to destroy Thomas and Keyes as quickly as possible; Lincoln remains popular among soldiers, but among civilians the so-called "Peace Democrats" are already eyeing the 1864 election, and Davis writes Polk to say that he "should like to make a campaign contribution of some 30,000, payable in dead Yankees."

[John Sedgwick]

Late August, 1863: Stuart crushes the garrison in Alexandria, taking 700 prisoners and 1,000 rifles. Stuart, Morgan and Walker are congratulated for their victory.


Stuart's next target is Harper's Ferry, where he is to be joined by a scouting party led by Hampton along with three new batteries of horse artillery. The bulk of Johnson's corps is transferred to Longstreet's; Johnson is ordered to join Forney near Hanover, and will eventually take over the defense of this region when Forney assumes command of an army in Missouri currently preparing for next year's campaigning season.


Keyes is outmanoeuvred in Kentucky and forced to retreat from Clarksburg, while Thomas retreats into the mountains of Letcher, KY, forcing Hindman's division to withdraw to Prestonburg in turn. Polk's corps is resupplied, and goes on the offensive in another forced march to crush Keyes and intercept Thomas yet again, while the rest of the Army of Tennessee concentrates in Harrison, KY. Porter is presumably operating in the Sandy Confluent; he will no doubt try to extract Thomas by the Levisa River, but a small patrol will sortie from Prestonburg in an attempt to prevent this. Sumner's small corps apparently tried to launch a probing attack on McLaws' position in Bowling Green, but was delayed. Stevenson's division leaves Louisville to reinforce Bowling Green, while Doles' division is detached from G. W. Smith's corps to take his place. J. E. Johnston is concerned that a buildup of supplies for Fremont's army in Cairo, IL, may presage offensive operations in this area, and dispatches cavalry to rectify a worrisome lack of intelligence on Federal forces.


In other news, bread riots erupt in Mobile, AL, while the French ask for and receive concessions in Mexico in exchange for their willingness to reconsider intervention on our behalf. Both events have a negative impact on national morale.

[gchristie]

Am enjoying your AAR very much. Appreciate all the screenshots as well.

It is giving me a hankering to take up the game again, though I had been waiting for the "final" legacy patch to be released.

Best of luck to you.

[John Sedgwick]

Early September, 1863, brings victory for the Confederacy! The better part of the Army of the Ohio finally surrenders after a series of horrendous battles in Kentucky in which the Army of Tennessee conquers peace for Dixie. The following month, Britain recognizes the legitimacy of the Confederate government and offers to act as a neutral arbiter in a negotiated settlement, which the demoralized Union accepts. At the peace talks, Jefferson Davis agrees to relinquish claims to Missouri in exchange for the cession of Kentucky and repatriation of West Virginia, setting the stage for a bitter revanchism in the diminished Union for many years to come.

[John Sedgwick]

Thanks gchristie! I had a great time, but alas all good things must come to an end. Already looking forward to my next PBEM game

[JKM]

congratulations..nice work in KY , and you battled hard in Virginia..did you think perhaps YH was getting an edge in that theatre , or was your riposte
underway?
thanks for the excellent AAR .

[John Sedgwick]

Thanks JKM! I think he was slowly but surely gaining ground in Virginia, but at a net loss of NM in the long run. However, if he hadn't been so distracted in Kentucky (i.e. if Grant had stayed in the east), he might well have taken Richmond before winter, but it's hard to say - again, it probably would've been very costly for him in NM while I had those mutually supporting corps with "move by rail" orders. I certainly had no riposte underway - Stuart would've made a mighty fine nuisance but couldn't have held anything in the rear. I was pretty stymied while he straddled the railway in Albemarle.

[Longshanks]

Which turn was the pivotable one in which you gained the upper hand, never to relinquish it, would you say?

[John Sedgwick]

It was without question the Battle of Fort Clermont, Late March, 1863, which sealed the fate of two Union corps and gave me the upper hand for the rest of the game. Once he realized the danger he was in, he had to spend an entire campaigning season just trying to break them out of Kentucky, transferring an entire army from the east in order to so, which forced the cancellation of any amphibious operations he had planned.

[Ol' Choctaw]

Congratulations on your win.

The both of you played an honorable game.

You managed to seize the intuitive with your invasion of Kentucky and he was mostly responding to you.

I can’t tell much of what happened in Missouri. I saw you went on the offensive there at the end and captured a city.

I had thought he had you at a disadvantage with his sea raiders. It is lucky he didn’t send them all to one strategic location and disrupt your supply or ship production.

It was interesting and seemed to see-saw a time or two.

Again, Congrats.