No Rebs in Norfolk...

[plasticpanzers]

Rebs are no longer seize Norfolk. Even with a garrison of Union troops its ignored. Sent "the Beast" Butler
in with a few units and the USMC and 3 seperate tiny Reb forces (about 1-2 units) show up and move off after
a few months after making no impact. Even if left completly undefended the Rebs don't sieze it and therefore
loose the CSS Virginia and that free artillery that there to obtain.

[donagel]

In my experience with "easy" AI, they never seem to touch Norfolk, however on Lieutenant they usually do. They just took Norfolk in my current RC9 game.

[DrPostman]

They aren't suppose to lose the CSS Virginia. It shows up with Buchanan a turn or
two later in City Point or Richmond, I don't recall which, if Norfolk isn't taken.

[plasticpanzers]

Generally I don't know how you can get CSS Virginia unless you sieze Norfolk as it was anchored/burned there but even at Lt level
unless I send some Union troops to bust the railway in Suffolk there is still no attempt to take Norfolk by the Rebs.

[Captain_Orso]

They aren't suppose to lose the CSS Virginia. It shows up with Buchanan a turn or
two later in City Point or Richmond, I don't recall which, if Norfolk isn't taken.

Actually, I cannot find any such event. Either the CS captures Norfolk between May '61 and Feb '62 or it doesn't get the CSS Virginia.

If the CS does take Norfolk in that time period the construction of both the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor will be started at that time.

I can find no other event which could produce the CSS Virginia.

Generally I don't know how you can get CSS Virginia unless you sieze Norfolk as it was anchored/burned there but even at Lt level
unless I send some Union troops to bust the railway in Suffolk there is still no attempt to take Norfolk by the Rebs.

If the game were to depart from history and the South not take Norfolk, there is no reason that another ship, even an ironclad, could not be give the named CSS Virginia, but it would not be the historical CSS Virginia.

I've had the South put substantial efforts into retaking Norfolk. More often than not, too-little-too-late. But other times I could just barely hold on, and other times yet I've lost it.

I'm not sure why Athena waits so long early in the war to take and occupy Norfolk. From what I can see, Norfolk has the highest local-interest for the Southern AI of all locations in '61.

[DrPostman]

Hmm, I could have sworn I've seen it show up in City Point or Richmond with Buchanan.
Perhaps I'm confused with how it worked in an early beta.

[plasticpanzers]

It may well be that the South builds a ship named 'Virginia' other than the old Merrimac but it would not be the same ship with the
same specs. I do not see why the South would not take Norfolk right away as the benefits of seizing it (the 2 Arty and the Virginia)
outweigh ignoring it and leaving it a possible invasion route by the Union. It must be a bug somewhere where Athena does not see
it for the value it is (its technically invisible). I have seen this effect in other games.

A small 2nd point is that cavalry that storms a fort (like Sumter) alone should have a malus of 25% off its offensive strength due to
the horseholders unless they ride up the walls after crossing the bay on horseback