Advice for a first time player please

[TC271]

Hi Everyone,

Rcently purchased this and is my first proper crack at playing this game - I admit I am a little scared by the complexity and amount there is to consider each turn but love the depth of the game and the fantastic quality of the artwork.


I have done all the tuturials and am now most of the wat through the Western heatre 1862-63 campaign and it has largely gone well....I think I actually get most of the combat and movement games mechanics pretty well my issue is that I cant help feeling I am sometimes not doing all I can be each turn WRT to decisions and the economy.

My general questions

1. My approach to recruiting is a bit dis-organised I generally just buy units every few turns until all my resources (conscripts seem to go first as the Union) are used and also top up my replacements pool now and then...should I be taking a more systematic approach to building up my forces...should I be incrementaly recuiting each turn?

2. How should I use cavalry - at the moment I am using single detachments to screen and scout ahead of my armies in passive mod with the remainder attached to corps and armies (in divisions if I have enough). This feels about right to me sometimes my cavalry screen gets into a fight with a large enemy stack and gets destroyed even when in passive mode - is this just them rolling badly on the 'evasion' roll?

3. Bragg has repeatedly declined battle and I have managed to take Corinth and Memphis - problem is the rebels love making 2-300 power detachments and raiding my rear area - whats the best counter to this should I be making lots of small deatchments of my own? (I tend to keep my corps fewer but strong). Whats the best way to defend captured rebel towns and cities without fragmenting own forces? Should I be building militia units for this purpose? (Rebs sent a 15000 strong corps deep into my territory and took Cairo - Pope is closing down on them and I dont think it really alters the strategic situation but its a real headache operationally!)

4. I have no idea what to do with all the regional decisions - there almost seem to be too many...any good guides to using these?

5. How do I take the reb forts that are in the swamp areas along the upper Mississippi? Marching over land takes weeks and leaves my forces with hardly any pwr - should I be using amphibious landings?

6. I have no idea what I am doing in the Western territories apart from playing whack a mole with indians and reb cavalry and pushing on as best i can towards VP locations with larger formations....would appreciate any insight into what my aims and stratergy should be in these areas!

I appreciate many of my problems are historic operational problems that faced the real commanders I would just appreciate any insights and hints. I think some proper help with the economy, recruiting and pregional decisions is needed you kind of get dumped into the game after the tutorials without much help on these matter....

Many thanks

[Philo32b]

Sorry, I haven't had the chance to plunge into CW2 yet to be able to give any specific advice, but there is an excellent strategy guide for the first civil war game. Much of the advice from that game carries over into many other AGEOD games, so I'm assuming it will be helpful for CW2 as well: http://www.ageod.net/aacwwiki/AACW_strategy_guide.

[GraniteStater]

Hi Everyone,

Rcently purchased this and is my first proper crack at playing this game - I admit I am a little scared by the complexity and amount there is to consider each turn but love the depth of the game and the fantastic quality of the artwork.


I have done all the tuturials and am now most of the wat through the Western heatre 1862-63 campaign and it has largely gone well....I think I actually get most of the combat and movement games mechanics pretty well my issue is that I cant help feeling I am sometimes not doing all I can be each turn WRT to decisions and the economy.

My general questions

1. My approach to recruiting is a bit dis-organised I generally just buy units every few turns until all my resources (conscripts seem to go first as the Union) are used and also top up my replacements pool now and then...should I be taking a more systematic approach to building up my forces...should I be incrementaly recuiting each turn?

I played AACW a lot. As the Yankees, I usually use the fall & winter of 61 to build my Navy. You'll probably want at least one more HQ by spring 62. About half a dozen Engs & Hosp units are good for starting builds with Support. As the North, build Arty, it's an advantage for the North, build 'em - especially 20 lbers for Corps Arty. Build some Cav, too. Infantry? Do you want lotsa 2 regiment brigades or the heavier brigades that take longer to build, but can have 6 lbers in them? You'll learn.

2. How should I use cavalry - at the moment I am using single detachments to screen and scout ahead of my armies in passive mod with the remainder attached to corps and armies (in divisions if I have enough). This feels about right to me sometimes my cavalry screen gets into a fight with a large enemy stack and gets destroyed even when in passive mode - is this just them rolling badly on the 'evasion' roll?

Sounds OK; well enough.

3. Bragg has repeatedly declined battle and I have managed to take Corinth and Memphis - problem is the rebels love making 2-300 power detachments and raiding my rear area - whats the best counter to this should I be making lots of small deatchments of my own? (I tend to keep my corps fewer but strong). Whats the best way to defend captured rebel towns and cities without fragmenting own forces? Should I be building militia units for this purpose? (Rebs sent a 15000 strong corps deep into my territory and took Cairo - Pope is closing down on them and I dont think it really alters the strategic situation but its a real headache operationally!)

Try to have a 100 PWR garrison with Arty for front-line rebel towns. Just a guess & feel. Again, you'll learn.

4. I have no idea what to do with all the regional decisions - there almost seem to be too many...any good guides to using these?

Nope. I'm learning, too.

5. How do I take the reb forts that are in the swamp areas along the upper Mississippi? Marching over land takes weeks and leaves my forces with hardly any pwr - should I be using amphibious landings?

That's an idea, using your naval superiority to land forces at times and places you desire...OTOH, troops get pooped, so watch yer terrain.

6. I have no idea what I am doing in the Western territories apart from playing whack a mole with indians and reb cavalry and pushing on as best i can towards VP locations with larger formations....would appreciate any insight into what my aims and stratergy should be in these areas!

Yep.

I appreciate many of my problems are historic operational problems that faced the real commanders I would just appreciate any insights and hints. I think some proper help with the economy, recruiting and pregional decisions is needed you kind of get dumped into the game after the tutorials without much help on these matter....

Try to build up as the USA & then crush the traitors. The South: most like to strike hard & early & often, to destroy Union morale. Pretty simple, really, but, as Sun-Tzu said, in war, all is simple, but even the simplest thing is difficult.

Have fun.

Many thanks

You're welcome.

...

[loki100]

about the regional decisions

There are two ways to use them. One is the simple question 'do I want this gain?'. So for example you need to raise loyalty in order to recruit in some regions.

The other is 'does it allow me to convert X to Y?'. If you look at them, most cost something - NM/EP/Cash and return something - NM/EP/Cash. So if you really need one of these items and have a surplus of another, then the decisions become a tool to convert those resources.

[Mickey3D]

1. My approach to recruiting is a bit dis-organised I generally just buy units every few turns until all my resources (conscripts seem to go first as the Union) are used and also top up my replacements pool now and then...should I be taking a more systematic approach to building up my forces...should I be incrementaly recuiting each turn?

I always keep a small amount of conscripts to be able to build replacement until the next drafting/call to volunteers. The concscript income you receive each turn should be considered when evaluating your need.

When building units I try to do it with an objective, E.g. : create a new division, build up an existing incomplete force, complete garrison, ...

2. How should I use cavalry - at the moment I am using single detachments to screen and scout ahead of my armies in passive mod with the remainder attached to corps and armies (in divisions if I have enough). This feels about right to me sometimes my cavalry screen gets into a fight with a large enemy stack and gets destroyed even when in passive mode - is this just them rolling badly on the 'evasion' roll?

Passive mode do not make your cavalry immune to interception especially if the ennemy has also cavalry.

I'm also extensively using the cavalery to destroy the ennemy railroads to hinder his ability to quickly move reinforcement to the places I want to target.

3. Bragg has repeatedly declined battle and I have managed to take Corinth and Memphis - problem is the rebels love making 2-300 power detachments and raiding my rear area - whats the best counter to this should I be making lots of small deatchments of my own? (I tend to keep my corps fewer but strong). Whats the best way to defend captured rebel towns and cities without fragmenting own forces? Should I be building militia units for this purpose? (Rebs sent a 15000 strong corps deep into my territory and took Cairo - Pope is closing down on them and I dont think it really alters the strategic situation but its a real headache operationally!)

General wisdom is to avoid entering a city with your troops. But against small raiding parties you should take advantage of the city bonus and so a small force can stand the ground against a larger one (rule of thumb 1:2 up to 1:3 ratio).

4. I have no idea what to do with all the regional decisions - there almost seem to be too many...any good guides to using these?

The most interesting for me are the decisions allowing to get new conscripts and the sale of coton for CSA. I would not spend resources to buy decisions bringing VP except if you are playing small scenarios where victory is dependent on VP.

5. How do I take the reb forts that are in the swamp areas along the upper Mississippi? Marching over land takes weeks and leaves my forces with hardly any pwr - should I be using amphibious landings?

You can try amphibious landing but avoid storming the fort in the turn you are landing except if you have an overhelming power advantage.

6. I have no idea what I am doing in the Western territories apart from playing whack a mole with indians and reb cavalry and pushing on as best i can towards VP locations with larger formations....would appreciate any insight into what my aims and stratergy should be in these areas!

At the moment I don't have a clear strategy either.

[TC271]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the advice - I have no played the Western Theatre scenerio (Can we have an Eastern Theatre scnerio please aGEOD -I am sill too chicken to try the full theatre campaign) a few moren times and have got a much better handle on it I think.

Lesson learnt:

1. Be a bit more agressive and worry less about line of communication - I was being too cautious and allowing the AI to set the agenda - I found if I press on towards the enemies VP locations the AI would be scambling to stop be and more willing to fight pitched battles (which i usually win particualry with Grant).

2. Use Pope's command and the Missisippi fleet to take the forts along the river using amphibious assaults works well - once the forts are taken you have an express route to Memphis and later Vicksburg

3. I now try and build in divisions if I can or to bring other formations up to scatch

4. Railroads and rivers are a fantastic boon to strategic mobility and have moving my Corps around in such a way has score some real coups for me - also cutting the opponants rail lines when cavalry is now a priority!

Have to admit I did not really know much about the Western theatre and through this game and my own reading I now feel I understand this part of the war much better!