Out of tiredness trying to get something out of modding WIA's graphics, I tried my hands at the AWI last night. I thought it would be nice to add to the already more than full list of AAR's for Wars in America, and share the story of my latest triumph.
Here it goes.
Saratag... Sarotaga... Sora... Sa... Oh whatever, that little clearing in the woods of America where His Majesty's proud soldiers got a well rounded beating sometimes ago.
Anyhow. I'm playing with pretty much all sliders in the middle. Enemy FOW advantage to low, historical attrition for both I and Athena, and activation is set to huge penalty but you can still move around dragging your misery.
May 1777.
The plans for this year are quite simple. Leaving from Montréal and New York, I am ordered to take Albany and secure the ways from Canada to the Hudson, as well as strike south and size Philadelphia. By December, the rebellion should be crushed, its leaders hanging high, and myself out of that far away land full of republican peasantry and bloodthirsty Savages, and back in the warmth and good spirit of my dear England.
But for now, I have absolutely no clue as to where the rebel forces are, nor what they intend to do for the coming campaign. I can only be sure they will jump at any opportunity to strike my forces wherever isolated. I will have to divide my troops carefully then if I want to be able to carry on all of my objectives, while keeping them from being crushed by concentrated American farm boys scum.
I am going to opt for a very straightforward strategy. In New York, I'm splitting up Howe's command. He himself will lead half of his army right into Philadelphia, hoping to find it unprepared for an early advance. Meanwhile, Cornwallis will take the other half of the New York expeditionary force and head up the Hudson to besiege West Point, both an objective and a lock on the way north to Albany and the junction with Burgoyne forces later on.
In Montréal however, rain prevents much movement on his part, and I am forced to give very shy orders. I am planning to send him, in command of much of the British regulars and the artillery, down the Champlain valley to assault Fort Ticonderoga, and then Albany. Von Riedesel will take the rest of the troops, mostly German companies, and board transports on the St Lawrence River to strike at Albany by the Mohawk valley, taking Fort Stanwix on his way. I'll give him Simon Fraser as an aide-de-camp, there is only so much you can expect from those Germans.
Burgoyne's artillery and supply train will go down Lake Champlain on boats, in order to avoid him being even more bogged down in his progression toward his objective.
And finally, Butler's rangers are moving down along the St Lawrence. I expect them to be in position to launch deep raids in the American backcountry next month. If the weather permits...