Updates April 1 2012 (No April Fools here!)
Games are now in Round 2 and Round 3. In the following summaries, all data is presented in the order USA v CSA
Blindsniper (USA) v GraniteStater (CSA) (Round 2)
Stats (USA v CSA) as of Dec 1861
NM = 108 v 94
VP = 656 v 733
Losses = 15,535 v 34,399
VP from cities = 40 v 46
Stats as of start of E Jun 62
NM = 116 v 93
VP = 1036 v 1167
Losses = 30,852 v 59,754
VP from cities = 41 v 45
Summary as of L Jun 1862: Granitestater came out aggressive, had some minor setbacks and is now primarily on his heels - but hardly defeated. Union had taken the Shenandoah and Manassas in Virginia, as well as most of the lower peninsula by the end of 1861, and also all of Kentucky. In Missouri, the Union owned all cities down to and including Fayetteville by then as well. There was no naval action during 1861.
...In 1862 the main Virginia line is along the Rappanhannock, but the Union has flanked the Confederate line by taking the greater Shenandoah regions all the way down to those adjacent to Charlottesville. There, Kearny and Keyes have fought Stonewall in a series of exciting fights - once as many as FIVE battles in one turn!
Naval Action:
The Union landed in Onslow NC (the region between Wilmington and Morehead City), where it has established a beachhead, watched by RE Lee in Wilmington.
Recently, the federals have marched north from Ft Pickens, unopposed, to take Milton, Sparta and last turn Montgomery Alabama. Hays' division leads this incursion.
There is no action in Louisiana or Texas.
Kentucky/Tennessee:
In June, Foster's men had moved through the Cumberland to take Knoxville.
The Rebels have Joe Johnston in Nashville, but his rails South are interdicted by Butterfield's men. The Union holds Fort Donelson, Island #10, all of Kentucky, and Grant is leading a move South, currently in Humboldt resisted only by a small garrison which is doomed to fall. Sid Johnston is in Corinth and Ruggles is in Memphis. The union also marched down the West bank of the Mississippi, and has taken Edmonds Arkansas, and Sigel has a weak garrison currently besieged in Madison.
Far West:
The Union has taken all cities down to Ft. Smith which is currently held by Forney. The Union still holds Arizona.
FelixZ (USA) v Rudolf (CSA) (Round 2)
Stats (USA v CSA) as of Dec 1861
NM = 97 v 106
VP = 678 v 721
Losses = 11,025 v 19,050
VP from cities = 39 v 47
Stats as of L Feb 1862
NM = 99 v 97
VP = 915 v 940
Losses = 13,440 v 27,176
VP from cities = 42 v 44
Summary: Situation as of Dec 1861. Union holds the Shenandoah and Manassas in Virginia, as well as most of the lower peninsula (yes, just like the above game). Also, the Union holds all of Kentucky, however Grant has also take Fort Henry, Henry TN, and Humboldt TN with nothing apparently in front of those elements. In Missouri, Sumner's attacks on Price at Fayetteville keep getting repelled. There has been no naval action.
Situation as of L Feb 1862. In Virginia, the Union has McDowell in Culpeper now, but otherwise the line is still the Rappahannock.
There have been no naval invasions.
Kentucky/Tennessee:
Newspaper Headline from the last turn of December: "Grant's 38,000 Takes Nashville from Johnston's 11,000! Heavy Rebel Losses! Union Generals Commended! +3 USA NM" That was a big battle, and definitely set the rebels on their heels. Thomas now occupies Nashville, and there appear to be no forces south of there, but the Union has not yet been able to take advantage.
Grant has moved to Corinth. Union forces have moved down the central railway from Paducah to Corinth and hold all regions along that rail. Hardee abandoned Corinth in early Feb to join Van Dorn in Memphis where the Rebels appear to be ready to make a stand. The rebs also still hold Island #10.
Far West: Price still holds Fayetteville.
Durk (USA) v Altaris (CSA) (Round 3)
Summary: Each side was allowed to pick their preference, and Durk deferred to Altaris who picked the CSA. Both players are 1-1 - both won with the CSA. Both players are aggressive and I expect this game to be a run to the finish without any timeouts!
Stats as of E Mar 1862
NM = 69 v 116
VP = 624 v 1151
Losses = 64,694 v 34,652
VP from cities = 37 v 49
Virginia: The CSA holds the F'burg-Manassas-Winchester line. Butler has moved north to New Kent and Charles City, but recently Stonewall moved in behind at Will'burg to cut the retreat path to Ft. Monroe. McDowell was badly beaten by Johnston in Loudon in August (2 NM), then hit Manassas in November, followed by an attack from Grant in the following turn, and then again in L Dec, and again in Jan. Beauregard held against all four, losing quite a few men in the third battle. However, the union lost many more overall on these frontal assaults, and several NM points. There were also battles between Hooker and Stonewall/Johnston at H's Ferry and Loudon which added to the carnage and to CSA NM, although Hooker's attacks (along with Butler's move up the peninsula) precipitated the CSA withdrawal from those areas as he gained 1 NM back.
Naval Actions: The Union went after Wilmington in late summer: "Union Defeated at the Shore of Wilmington! Longstreet Strikes them Twice! +4 CSA NM" was one headline. Humphreys got his shots in too, destroying three of Longstreet's regiments, but by E Oct, Humphreys was pushed back to Ft. Fisher which he besieged. He made one last attempt to take Wilmington, now held by Ruggles, in L Oct but failed. He was then pulled out.
The next attack was an assault on New Orleans in L Jan 62. Here are the newspaper headlines:
"UNION DEFEATED AT NEW ORLEANS! Heavy Losses as Humphreys is Turned Away on the Riverbanks! +4 CSA NM" Humphreys division was entirely eliminated and the General was killed. Grim stuff.
Kentucky/Tennessee: I neglected to note how KY got in the war, but by E Sep the headlines read:
"Union Holds Bowling Green against Counterattack!
Foote Defeats Rebel Gunboats off Cairo!
Polk Invests Paducah!" and the next turn:
"Polk Stops Sumner at Ft Henry! McClernand's Force Eliminated! Polk Commended! +1 CSA NM
Confederates Breach Paducah but Don't Attack!"
Morell tried to take Nashville by coup in L Sept but failed.
As of E Mar 62, the rebs hold along the Cumberland, Ft. Henry and all of West Kentucky's Jackson Purchase. Lyon, however, has flanked the position and sits in Carthage Tennessee.
Far West: Price in Fayetteville, Nelson in Springfield.
Seraphim (USA) v Pat Cleburne (CSA) (Round 3)
Stats as of E Dec 1861
NM = 87 v 115
VP = 655 v 782
Losses = 9,630 v 13,230
VP from cities = 41 v 45
Summary: The players agreed on which side to play. This is a marquee matchup, as both players are 2-0 in play so far. I expect this game to be very competitive down to the wire. Seraphim has jumped off to a great start, holding all of Texas, Bowling Green, Ft. Henry, and threatening New Orleans already!
Situation as of E Dec 1861:
Virginia: The Southerners hold the F'burg- Manassas -Winchester line on a quiet front.
Naval Actions:
Seraphim invaded Texas with a good-sized force under Milroy in L Jul 61 and caught the rebs off-guard. He was joined by Sumner from the Arizona area and by November, all Texas cities except Milam were in Union hands. These are worth 3 VPs/turn, so that's a 6 VP/turn reversal (3 off the CSA's count, and 3 onto the USA's count).
The Union also sailed Farragut up to New Orleans in October, where he still sits in the water blockading the city. Hooker landed at Ft. Jackson at the mouth of the Mississippi in L Nov, and took it by storm.
Kentucky/Tennessee: Kentucky joined the Confederacy at the end of the E Sept turn, and players began moving in at the end of the month. Here's a newspaper headline:
"Grant Catches Johnston at Gallatin!
Special to Harper's Weekly by Uriah Samuel Abercrombie, Reporter
...Oct 10, 1861...Gen. Grant's Forces have not taken a direct route to either Bowling Green or Nashville. Instead they split the difference by moving to Gallatin to split the two cities. The move was via Clarksville, which further isolated access to Kentucky.
Grant arrived at Gallatin in time to catch Sidney Johnston's forces moving north to reinforce Bowling Green. Grant's 12,000 men jumped into nearly 5,000 confederates, destroying nearly a quarter of their force. Johnston withdrew to the north and Bowling Green. Will Grant be able to keep the rebels split? Will he move north to destroy the rebel forces, or turn south to take the prize of Nashville from Gen. Bragg's men? The nation waits, amazed."
The next turn Grant moved to Bowling Green, took it, and moved on to Clarksville. Sidney Johnston repaired to Nashville, where he currently sits. In November, Grant moved from Clarksville to take Ft Henry/Donelson, which was defended only with the garrison. Grant remains there for the moment, with 3 stars on each shoulder.
Far West: Price is holed up in Fayetteville where he made his stand. The Union's Wallace is in Springfield.
Conversations
As I previously said, reading the players' "take" on the situation is part of my fun! Here are some recent comments (but not so recent as to give anything away).
First, Altaris' closing comments from his Round 2 game against Pat Cleburne:
My strategy is based off of a fundamental fact of ACW... attacking just ain't worth it! Even lvl 3 or 4 trenches are just too costly to attack, you have to hit them with 4:1 odds to really guarantee success. Pat's been very smart with his approaches, bringing 2500-3000 CP worth of troops when he approaches (for example he brought roughly this amount before breaking out towards VA from his beach-head at Suffolk, same when driving down into western TN). He's playing the USA's strength - maneuverability.
In hindsight, I should've guarded the southern side of the James much more effectively. Maybe even just having 1 Corps at Suffolk under an Army HQ based at Norfolk would do. That way there would be mutually supportive defense in marshes, with 2 stacks of 750-1000 CP, that could probably hold anything off. That's a lot to commit in a somewhat backwater though.
I've enjoyed this game, learned a lot. I've gotten to be a pretty good defensive player, but not quite up to par with the better vets at AGEOD (which is understandable, I've only been playing about 6 months). But I learn quickly - I fully expect to incorporate some of Pat's strategies next time I play the USA.
I think this one is lost for the CSA now, my only hope is that I can somehow starve that big Lyon/Grant/Sumner force, but I don't think that's going to be feasible. We'll see, it's my best shot. Had I not lost at Manassas early on, might've had a better shot, since he was going to take a big -10 NM hit if I had held it til October. That was the first time I've ever had my big 18 CP stack in pre-division era get driven back by *anything* - must beware the giant 100 CP superstack! [that Pat had assembled.]
Sounds like some fun matches.
Or how Tallahassee (no offense) is worth the same as Savannah or Wilmington. 
