Charleston units

[Blind Sniper]

Hi all,

surely is a silly question, but how do you use Charleston units in your first turn? (playing CSA)

Do you send them to Kentucky, Virginia, Missouri or what?

I use the militia brigade to attack the Ft Sutmer and I'm hesitant how to use the other units...

Thanks

[Spharv2]

Depends on your strategy. I usually rail them straight to Harper's Ferry to reinforce the militia I captured it with on turn 1, since that's usually the first place the AI will attack. Get a general up there from the first batch that appears in Richmond, and your chances of holding onto the Ferry are fairly good.

Or, if you plan on being ofensive in the West, you can take them to Nashville and use them to grab Bowling Green ASAP. Just a matter of where you think you need the extra force early to do the most good.

[Blind Sniper]

Depends on your strategy. I usually rail them straight to Harper's Ferry to reinforce the militia I captured it with on turn 1, since that's usually the first place the AI will attack. Get a general up there from the first batch that appears in Richmond, and your chances of holding onto the Ferry are fairly good.

Thanks again Spharv2
I'm playing against human opponent and therefore I believe that I can't hold Harper's Ferry, but in all probabily I do wrong...

Or, if you plan on being ofensive in the West, you can take them to Nashville and use them to grab Bowling Green ASAP. Just a matter of where you think you need the extra force early to do the most good.

But if I take Bowling Green the Kentucky joins with the Blue...is it a good idea?

[patryn8]

I usually rail them to Cairo, on the MS River. Establish a strong position there and it will be a royal pain for the USA in the West. In a PBEM game Cairo is an excellent staging area and control point for the USA's assualt into the CSA. Plus hold the position long enough and you have time to get units positioned along the MS River and in forts Donnelson and Island 10.

[Spharv2]

Thanks again Spharv2
I'm playing against human opponent and therefore I believe that I can't hold Harper's Ferry, but in all probabily I do wrong...

I think that force should be able to hold (barring of course, bad battle results or generalship) against most anything the Union player has free to throw at it at least until Johnston's Valley army is ready to go. It's not really a big enough force to do much with offensively in the East, but it's good enough to be a nice blocker.

But if I take Bowling Green the Kentucky joins with the Blue...is it a good idea?

True, it's a toss up what to do with KY. I usually wait, especially against another person. The suggestion to go for Cairo is a good one if you can get the forces there quick enough. Like Patryn said, it can really screw up the US plans for the area since that move threatens St. Louis and Illinois, plus gives you control of that critical river junction, and removes the best place for the US to stage their attacks south. Don't be too worried about holding it though, since it can also be a trap for you if the Union lets you have it and sweeps in behind you from Eastern KY. Just remember that your point in Kentucky is more to stall the Union than to stop them cold. Your opponent has to play a pretty poor game to let you enjoy any kind of free reign in KY.

[cobraII]

i take out the cav unit in the charleston force and rail it all the way up and to grafton west virginia and i so far have captured it each time and destroywed railroad and depot its nice to keep the forces under patterson from recieving replacements for a while, the rest of the force i send it to where ever i think I will need it most

[Daxil]

Im usually send some of that force to Polk and then head into trans Miss. Otherwise in PBEM you'll usually be pushed out of MO in 1861. You can also use them to capture the Federal forts, which are ripe for the taking early on.

[Banks6060]

I will often begin beefing up my coastal garrisons with most of them. Can't remember exactly what units are in that force...but I'll usually send some of them up to Wilmington and keep some of them in Charleston...that's after I use some of them to take Ft. Sumter of course.

I think the move against Cairo is certainly a gutsy call...but in the end...the Union player SHOULD always manage to push you out, or trap you in Illinois with no supply...so I feel that focusing on Island 10 and Henry and Donelson is the more worthwhile use of force along the Trans-Mississippi theatre in most instances.

[Doomwalker]

I use the cavalry unit to raid Dover Delaware, destroy the depot/cut the rail then take care of the rest of the peninsula. Usually you can have them their in the second turn.
The remaining units go wherever I want to defend.

[Blind Sniper]

Again, thanks to all for replies,

I usually rail them to Cairo, on the MS River. Establish a strong position there and it will be a royal pain for the USA in the West. In a PBEM game Cairo is an excellent staging area and control point for the USA's assualt into the CSA. Plus hold the position long enough and you have time to get units positioned along the MS River and in forts Donnelson and Island 10.

I'm thinking to do just a raid to destroy the depot and railroad, I'm not sure if try to hold it...

I think that force should be able to hold (barring of course, bad battle results or generalship) against most anything the Union player has free to throw at it at least until Johnston's Valley army is ready to go. It's not really a big enough force to do much with offensively in the East, but it's good enough to be a nice blocker.

I'll try another time because my units are moving to Chattanooga, anyhow I like this option.

True, it's a toss up what to do with KY. I usually wait, especially against another person.

Yes, in this game I prefer to wait.

i take out the cav unit in the charleston force and rail it all the way up and to grafton west virginia and i so far have captured it each time and destroywed railroad and depot

Already done!

Im usually send some of that force to Polk and then head into trans Miss. Otherwise in PBEM you'll usually be pushed out of MO in 1861. You can also use them to capture the Federal forts, which are ripe for the taking early on.

I will often begin beefing up my coastal garrisons with most of them. Can't remember exactly what units are in that force...but I'll usually send some of them up to Wilmington and keep some of them in Charleston...that's after I use some of them to take Ft. Sumter of course.

I think the move against Cairo is certainly a gutsy call...but in the end...the Union player SHOULD always manage to push you out, or trap you in Illinois with no supply...so I feel that focusing on Island 10 and Henry and Donelson is the more worthwhile use of force along the Trans-Mississippi theatre in most instances.

I use the cavalry unit to raid Dover Delaware, destroy the depot/cut the rail then take care of the rest of the peninsula. Usually you can have them their in the second turn.

Good ideas, indeed. I still have some doubt, at the moment I think to use them in Kentucky