minipol wrote:ArmChairGeneral discussed 2 options already. But you have a 3rd. It's like in chess. If an opponent threatens a piece or a side, you can create your own threat.
You could assemble your forces to move on Washington as well.
It might trigger some Union troops to retreat back to Alexandria/Washington.
However it's risky.
If possible a retreat from the valley to Mannassas might achieve both. Stop the Union's advance & supply, and threaten Alexandria and Washington.
A move on D.C. might work, but I noticed that the Union AI doesn't seem to care much about protecting its own territory so much as its moves southward. If you gain D.C. in an assault, but the Union takes advantage by taking Richmond, it's still more of a loss for CSA than for the USA. Check vs checkmate.
My take on that situation would be to pull Johnston back to let those new recruits in Staunton get up to speed, then regroup either there or further south, maybe New Market. For PGT I'd get him and any other forces you can to build a new front south of the Rapidan. The river crossings will hurt any Union attacks in that region, and may cause a Fredricksburg type suicide assault. I've had game where the Union AI has lost upwards of 80k men trying to push through on a southward Richmond offensive.
As ArmchairGeneral stated, an attack towards Alexandria could relieve pressure, but I wouldn't do it with anything more than a diversion force. Plus you'll be likely to lose a lot of troops trying to take a city that you can't hold any way. With the South it's all about keeping troops in the field. Losing cities isn't half as calamitous as losing men. Sooner or later the numbers game is going to play out in central Virginia along the Rapidan/Rappahannock line. Best to confront that wall of blue units with armed Southern steel. Then again, that's human vs AI. A human player would be smart to push further west and/or make naval landings south and east of Richmond/Petersburg.
