Ft. Craig - saving the Union units from starvation.

[DrPostman]

What strategy do you use to save those units? This game (vs Athena)
it seems the weather was against me in getting supply units to them.
The one supply there died, and I barely saved the infantry and cannon
unit by sending mounted infantry units to them. It's like they are
destined to not join a supply chain until they die! I usually run a
supply line from Southern California to the rest of the West. Running
down from Denver never seems to get enough to them in time. I just
wondered if there were other ideas. I spend all my development RGDs
out West trying to improve conditions for supplies to flow from Southern
California. BTW, I also hit on the idea of sending a transport with an
escort to get the guys out of Oregon and send them to Southern
California. Seems like a faster and less depleting way to get them
there.

[GraniteStater]

In 1861, you can move stacks from one box to another (and the Rockies detour) by using G/G as you move.

Build Wagons for New Mex, yup. Gonna need 'em. Build 'em in LA & take the Western Army (all the guys) under Carleton and Canby thru the AZ boxes and crush the Rebs.

[Cardinal Ape]

It sounds like you must have had some really bad weather. The units should have enough supply to last until they get unlocked. Around the same time they get unlocked a supply unit in Ft. Union will become unlocked as well. That supply should hold you over until a depot can be purchased in Santa Fe with an RGD card in January of '62. Be careful when developing Santa Fe prior to this or it will become too civilized for the play of the depot RGD, 25 is the cutoff. I can't remember if it is equal to or less than. But even so supply will always be a bit thin until the Cali line can be linked to Santa Fe.

If you do build any new units in the area then you would have to build some new wagons too. Though some of those CSA forts in the region might have some supplies you can capture.

When the units in Fort Craig first appear I take them out of the fort and put them on offensive posture and hope that the enemy unlocks them through combat. It is a false hope; I've never seen it work. But still I do it because I know as the CSA it is fairly easy to besiege Fort Craig into starvation.

I also send a transport to pick up those units up in Oregon, it works really well. Those experienced heavy infantry are too good to be so far from the fight. There is also a single railroad line in California that is hard to spot.

[DrPostman]

In 1861, you can move stacks from one box to another (and the Rockies detour) by using G/G as you move.

Really? I didn't know. Have to try that!

I'd also forgotten about that small bit of rail in California. Thanks Ape!

[ArmChairGeneral]

GraniteStater,

Is that a special rule, or is it just that they won't make it between boxes because of cohesion loss if you aren't in Passive Posture?

[GraniteStater]

The latter, in my experience. They can make it (mostly), but the boys appreciate route step quite a bit.

Wow, never saw the rail & never even thought of a TP. Now the boys get a holiday cruise for two, four nights, five days.

And I still don't think of, or use, RGDs that much.

[DrPostman]

The latter, in my experience. They can make it (mostly), but the boys appreciate route step quite a bit.

Wow, never saw the rail & never even thought of a TP. Now the boys get a holiday cruise for two, four nights, five days.

And I still don't think of, or use, RGDs that much.

Really? Not even the Unionists or Partisans? I play hell with Athena in
Eastern TN and KY with them.

BTW, Bill The Cat RULZ.

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[GraniteStater]

I couldn't agree more.

[ArmChairGeneral]

re: RGDs

I use partisans and their attendant cards (Destroy Depot, whoo hoo!) a lot, and I get a lot of mileage out of the Outpost, Sea Mine and Submarine cards. I sometimes Develop or Clear in the FW or in and around Fayetteville just to get wider/faster supply flow. And Draft and Requisition of course, as well as Defensive Works and Cotton Bales and some Demonstrations now and then (I usually don't bother with Habeus much as the Union, though.) Heck, now I think on it I use RGDs a lot. Plenty of the cards are not that beneficial or simply can't be played anywhere useful, but the good ones are cool. When the game came out they said they were just for flavor, but I think that was just because they didn't want anyone to expect too much out of them since it was the most noticeable change vs. AACW. I find them to be a pretty useful part of my bag of tricks, they go well beyond "just flavor."

[Captain_Orso]

Supply moves from one location, where there is a lot of it, to another without out a lot of it, which has enough pull, usually--and especially overland--to forts, stockades and depots.

To supply New Mexico you first need a reliable supply head, which can provide an abundance of supplies. There are two, from which to choose, San Francisco and Fort Leavenworth--Denver is not a supply head, because it too must pull it's supplies from somewhere, and that over a long overland line.

Which ever you chose, you will have to work at improving that supply line, because what you start with is very meager.


Fort Leavenworth

As a supply head, it has good potential. It has a harbor and a rail line, so it should maintain an abundance of supplies in summer and winter, but it needs a large depot--I don't recall if it starts with one--. Regardless, of with what it starts, it needs to be enlarged to at the very least level 2. I would not hesitate to put in a level 3, and depending on how many units you intend on sending into New Mexico, maybe even level 4. This is easily and fairly cheaply achieved through using flatboats to build-up the depot--remember, Leavenworth has a harbor--.

Then you need to insure that there is a continuous line of stockades no more than two regions apart from each other going from Leavenworth westward. If you look at the map you will discover that there is a gap already just west of Leavenworth, but that can be filled rather quickly.

Next you will discover that above New Mexico, although there is a line of stockades, at least 4 regions do not even have a trail. That needs to be fixed.

West of Leavenworth, until you hit New Mexico around Santa Fe there are no roads. I don't think there is much of a chance, even under the best of circumstances of completing a road all the way from Leavenworth to New Mexico until the end of the war, let alone by the time you need it. The best you can do is improve roads around Santa Fe so that your forces can move from one town to the next quicker, although the enemy's too.


San Francisco

If you pull up google maps and look at the western US you will see that the distance from about Saint Louis to Santa Fe is about the same as from San Francisco, if you measure along the paths supplies would travel. In the game however, you have a much better chance at improving the path between San Francisco to New Mexico by build a road into New Mexico and putting depots in each OMB region, which will give you a supply line which will provide enough supplies for any force you might station there, because it takes the same amount of time and cost to improve the OMB's (Off Map Boxes) of western New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California as any of the numerous regions between Santa Fe and Leavenworth, IF you can gain control of these regions and maintain it.

I've done this a couple of times against Athena and been able to provide enough supplies to easily sustain a corps in New Mexico in the middle of winter. It's expensive and takes until the end of '62, but after that you could steam-roll over anything the South might be able to throw against you in western Texas, remember, they have to pull supplies over only stockades, which can be destroyed by attacks.

The question is, is it worth the cost? Also, if you are playing against a human opponent, he should be able to recognize what you are up to, and attempt to thwart your efforts. It's not difficult to cause a played improvement or build-road RGD to become invalid and canceled, and even if you take control of the region again, you have to start all over again improving or building, and that is precious time lost.


So, in short, the advantage of the Fort Leavenworth supply line is that it is fairly quickly and cheaply brought up to par. The disadvantage is that it is long and easily attacked.

The advantages of the Southern California supply line are that it can be defended more easily, and can move far more supplies from a source which the South can practically not touch. The disadvantage, is that it is costly and takes a long time to complete*.

* There is also a Southern California supply line light in that you only build trails from California to New Mexico; depots are still mandatory though.


Those are the choices I know of. Take your pick.

[GraniteStater]

I just built a Depot at the box above Tucson. Build some Wagons in LA, take 'em witcha. Build Depots when in doubt. Now, to be fair, my philosophy is Extreme Supply Paranoia, but that's me.

[Straight Arrow]

Those are the choices I know of. Take your pick.

This is the best description of possible Far West supply routes I have ever seen - very clear - very understandable.

Thanks, Le Capitaine Ours.

[DrPostman]

When the game came out they said they were just for flavor, but I think that was just because they didn't want anyone to expect too much out of them since it was the most noticeable change vs. AACW. I find them to be a pretty useful part of my bag of tricks, they go well beyond "just flavor."

For the Union those sailors help in putting them into a division you've already sent
out, and for conducting coastal raids on all those unprotected small towns the CSA
has along it's coasts. I have 2 sailor units rampaging throughout Florida right now.

The advantages of the Southern California supply line are that it can be defended more easily, and can move far more supplies from a source which the South can practically not touch. The disadvantage, is that it is costly and takes a long time to complete*.
* There is also a Southern California supply line light in that you only build trails from California to New Mexico; depots are still mandatory though.
Those are the choices I know of. Take your pick.

That's the rout I always go. It just seems that most of the time it's difficult
to get supplies to those Union troops in Ft. Craig. One thing I try to do is
build supply units in MO and CA and send them off with evade on the first
turn I'm able to.

[Cardinal Ape]

One thing I try to do is build supply units in MO and CA and send them off with evade on the first turn I'm able to.

If I plan to have some action in the far west then I like to peel off one or two of the free supply wagons from the Virginia front. I put them on the transport(s) that are already headed to pick up the troops in Oregon.

[DrPostman]

If I plan to have some action in the far west then I like to peel off one or two of the free supply wagons from the Virginia front. I put them on the transport(s) that are already headed to pick up the troops in Oregon.

That's a pretty good idea.