On Battlefields of Yore ...

[Jabberwock]

This thread is for an open (to both sides) AAR between Banks6060 (USA) and myself (CSA). We will be discussing our strategies with each other here, hoping to use our insights to expand on runyan's excellent strategy 101 thread. With that in mind, we're probably going to arrange this topically, rather than temporally, and we may move it over to the strategy forum at some point. We're playing the April '61 scenario, currently at turn 9. Commentary from other AACW (or WIA or NCP) players is welcome in this thread.

We're playing 1.10d (to start), no mods, with 1 redeploy each, normal penalties for inactive, and standard generals.

[Jabberwock]

A summary of the action from the southern point-of-view, hopefully without giving away too much:

East:

I sent raiders to create distractions, build speedbumps on the northern "reinforcement highway" (more on that later), and keep Patterson's force from getting to Grafton or Washington. Then I put my corps in a line, and swept forward to keep my manuever room in Virginia. The Washington brigade took Manassas, I countered with a scratch force under Magruder, and got pounded by the concentrated Union Army before I could reinforce.

With four large union divisions at Manassas, I reasoned that there was only one left at Washington (under N. Banks corps). I had Bonham in Stafford, Jackson in Winchester, and Holmes on the way from Norfolk, where there had been an amphibious threat. I gambled that with clear weather, a daring strike would make it to Washington before any of the army at Manassas. Turned out, Banks had two large divisions, he swept through Alexandria and Stafford on his way to Manassas, and Bonham left the field before either Jackson or Holmes could come up in support. Holmes got smashed up, as the entire federal horde was able to march to the guns. Jackson wisely stopped short in Montgomery.

The remainder of Holmes' corps regrouped with Bonham's corps under Joe Johnston at Fredericksburg, while Beauregard was sent west. I'm now trying to form a line around the rivers. I've set up a battery at Westmoreland, just as several brigs and transports moved into the Rappahannock, so I've pushed Johnston, with half the army back into Stafford. Holmes is in Culpeper, with Bonham still in Fredericksburg as reserve. Jackson is still hunting Patterson's NVA (now under Mansfield), in the area around Harpers Ferry. Huger holds Norfolk. Burnside has several brigades threatening to land at Wilmington. Ruggles took Ft Pickens (eventually), then headed for Nashville. The Sumter reinforcements keep their foothold in Charleston harbor, I can't spare much to go after them right now. I did evacuate the fort batteries before they showed up.

West:

Polk took Cairo, burning the depot, and eventually returning to Donelson. Raiders pushed up through Kentucky and into the northwestern states. Militia followed, tearing up all the railroads throughout the Kentucky. On turn 8, a worn out militia regiment "accidentally" attacked Louisville while trying to destroy rail there. They were wiped out, and the good citizens of Kentucky reacted with horror to this evidence of northern aggression. Kentucky is on my side, for the moment. Small divisions under B. Johnson and Zollicoffer promptly occupied Paducah and Bowling Green, while the Lexington militia burned the depot and took off. Sidney Johnston and Beauregard have reinforced Bowling Green, in opposition to two union divisions at Louisville, now pushing tentatively down the rails, repairing track as they go. Polk, Ruggles, and Johnson have started building my Cumberland-Mississippi line (with batteries in several locations). I have a small force at Charleston, MO; which may be enough to slow down any assault there from Cairo.

I burned the depot at Rolla, falling back to Springfield. Now there are two divisions formed there (Lyons and Sumner). Price is holding at Springfield. Cavalry in Kansas has successfully destroyed two union cavalry regiments near Lawrence. McCulloch reinforces at Dallas with light troops, watching for a move out of New Mexico.

Raiders:

Too much of a good thing. Banks has managed to protect most of his depots. So far I've taken out Sioux City and Warren, PA. I've lost several regiments trying to hit other depots. He mostly let local forces fill in behind my initial sweeps through his towns. Banks is the first opponent that I've seen take this mostly passive approach, and it seems to be working. Accordingly, I've mostly switched targets to hit rail lines away from undefended towns. I have managed to slow the reinforcements highway, with breaks at Wilmington, DE, Philadelphia, and Newark (a militia regiment that went up the coast, stopping to say "Hi" to MarkShot) - however, this was not enough to keep major reinforcements from reaching Washington; I've created and maintained a barrier to the NVA escaping, but have not been able to catch them yet; I've thoroughly trashed the B & O railroad to Grafton; and I've created a temporary barrier to east-west movement in Ohio, west of Cleveland.

Naval:

I've built large numbers of brigs, and managed to do some damage to the Gulf Blockade Squadron. Ruggles stayed an extra turn at Ft. Pickens with the local artillery in his division, and may have sunk the USS Brookyln and/or St Louis. Huger did substantial damage to Dahlgren's flotilla in the James River, but was not able to drive it off. Norfolk, Suffolk, Williamsburg, and Hampton are all blockaded. Several of the Atlantic Blockade squadron have been pulled in to the brown water areas near Norfolk. Farragut was able to slip by the guns of Fort Fisher. We'll see if he's as lucky when he leaves.

Fighting at Cape Girardeau has been a draw so far, but my river fleet has been able to support land forces, keeping the enemy from reinforcing Paducah, and helping Polk and some raiders escape from Illinois.

[Banks6060]

In the East:

Well you saw a pretty good synopsis by Jabber there. Major action in the east has gone quite well for the Union at this point. All three of the larger battles south of Washington have swung my way. Quite frankly it's been a pleasant surprise. The last of the engagements, in Stafford, wound up with the Rebs routing and suffering over 6,000 casualties to my 2,000. I was able to fight each of Jabber's Corps seperately...he just didn't seem to get the rolls on MTG...AND the movement timing appeared to be different than intended. He, of course, could tell you better than I.


Rewinding a bit....I'd never used the Washington brigade against Mannassas before, so I figured I'd give it a try this time around. I had initially hoped to use that brigade to cut the rails in Mannassas and then use another force to cut the rails leading to the Shennendoah....both splitting Jabber's eastern armies and allowing mine to march into Mannassas and set up a defense before he could arrive with Beauregard. It didn't quite work...but It turned out that we arrived on about the same day, my force outnumbered his by quite a lot and I was able to push him out.

I was able to assemble two large divisions in Washington under Banks before too much damage was done to the main reinforcement highway and somewhat surprised Jabber with that force following the initial fight in Mannassas. Banks was activated each of the last 3 turns, as was Milroy so much of my success has been owed to MTG and good die rolls. As well as a little quick organization on my part .

One point I did want to mention for anyone out there playing PBEM as the Union. buy a militia replacement at the start...it'll usually save Harper's Ferry. I've only had it NOT work once. Every other time the garrison manages to hold out against the inevitable Reb attack there by drawing those early replacements.

Mansfield has been retreating like a madman in the face of superior power and generalship. Patterson originally commanded the Shennendoah force, in Harper's Ferry, now Mansfield and Keyes are controlling it in a joint effort. They marginally outnumber Jackson's force in the valley...I think...but they have yet to go toe to toe.


In the West:

Jabber's raids have done a very effective job of slowing any advance in Kentucky thus far. Every mile of railroad seems to have been torched by raiding rebel cav and militia.

Ruggles DID in fact sink both of those ships...in an oversight on my part. I neglected to move them out of the area before the fort was taken.

I countered Jabber's siezure of Cairo with Lyon's force plus a few additional brigades...I was able to secure things there in just a few turns and have already started building a new supply depot with transports

Missouri is quiet...similar to Kentucky in that Jabber's raids have ruined its infrastructure. He has done an excellent job of raiding, especially in the west. I would be lying if I said I hadn't used some resources on reaction and repair troops that could have been used elsewhere.


Overall:

after getting over the panic one might experience when seeing droves of rebel cavalry and militia pouring into the north, I pretty much decided that chasing down all of Jabber's raiders was a lost cause. I knew that if his troops took any undefended towns and moved on...especially in and north of Pennsylvania...and anywhere north of the Ohio river...partisans would just take it back for me automatically and garrison the town from there forward. After realizing this I focused on bulking up the defenses at each of my supply depots as best I could. As Jabber already pointed out...I've been relatively patient in dealing with his raiders. I must admit he has been a master of evasion. At times I think I've got a raiding unit's movement pegged, but find out it did nothing of what I expected.

He would be incorrect in assuming I've left his raiders completely alone...I have certainly committed some troops to chasing them...I just decided the priority at the time was my depots.

One encouraging result in the west was a battle in Quincy, Illinois...where Jabber had gathered various raiders into a ragtag assault force just north of St. Louis...fighting was apparently VERY tight for a couple of rounds before reinforcements finally destroyed the rebel attackers. If nothing else, I was happy that I wouldn't have to deal with the raiding units I'd destroyed.

In conclusion...Jabber has done very well in raiding and distracting some attention from the main objectives I've laid out, but I don't think it will have been exactly what he'd hoped...which of course I hope to show him in future turns.

[Jabberwock]

So let's look at the map. I'll do a terrain and features analysis first, followed by a grand regional analysis. The first three items in order of importance as I see it, skipping over the obvious category of objective cities:

1. Depots - Depot ownership determines where substantial forces can go. If I can destroy enough of Bank's depots, he will have to spend too much on wagons, transports, and garrisons. If I can destroy forward depots when he's in my territory, he faces starvation. If he can destroy or take my depots, I have a big problem defending the areas where they were. Banks has done an excellent job protecting his depots. It's clear I'll have to throw substantial forces at the depots if I want to take any more. So far, he's taken Manassas, and is entrenched there with almost his entire eastern army. I can't do anything about it. I can't hold the northern Shenandoah Valley in the long term as long as he is there, and I have trouble creating a threat to Washington. More on that in the regional analysis.

I generally try to protect all depots with fortifications inside and out. Even if I only have a single militia regiment inside, if that helps me hold a depot one extra turn at the cost of that regiment, it is almost always worth it. My opponent's style determines how deep behind the lines I require that kind of security.

2. Railroads - The Civil War was the first railroad war. Railroads, even more than physical geography, defined interior lines. The Federals could apply pressure at different points faster than the Confederates could react, largely because of their rail and naval superiority. They had virtual interior lines. Destroying railroads limits the movements of main forces, reinforcements, and supplies. Rail raids can be used to isolate individual targets, such as depots or forces.

Banks was able to fill out two divisions at Washington, because I had only interrupted the "reinforcement highway" line at Philadelphia. Now I've temporarily broken it in three places, Newark, Philly, and Wilmington. Those points are spaced approximately 50 miles apart. There is a working rail region between each break, but it can't be used on the main line because of breaks on either side. This makes the whole line temporarily almost useless. All the breaks are all junctions, making it less easy to get around them.

Both sides are vulnerable to east/west interruptions. I try to use a general checkerboard pattern when deciding which regions are initial targets.

Certain areas act as shields for the rest of the south. Every rail region and depot throughout those areas should be torched at the first opportunity. Some of the rail that is pulled up goes towards southern resources. Rebuilding it comes from northern resources. The rebels don't need rail through those areas. The yankees do.

3. Water - Water is either a barrier or a highway, depending on how it's used. If a river, bay, or coast is well stocked with enemy gunboats or brigs; or enemy shore batteries, forts, and other entrenched positions are built along the banks; then water is a barrier. Otherwise, it should generally be regarded as a highway similar to a railroad. There are two main uses for it as a highway, large scale amphibious assaults, and amphibious raiding. From my experience, most players just don't see it as a raiding highway. There is a predominant mentality of armies-for-land / boats-for-water, and almost never the twain shall meet. The Civil War was the first large-scale amphibious war. It is generally faster to travel over water than land, and causes less cohesion and attrition loss. It is also much safer to travel over water than land, until an enemy battery or fort is reached. It is usually easy to determine where those are. Traveling over water is also a good way to lose land-based pursuit forces.

[Banks6060]

In addition I would like to add some points about the map.

Depots:

These are far more vital to southern operations than for Union use, especially deeper into friendly territory. As the Union, you must protect your depots, naturally, but many of the depots already sit on cities of size 3+ and thus push supplies and ammo forward automatically. This is not necessarily true for far western Union cities...of which most are less than size 3 and need the depot in order to remain a working part of your supply line. Efforts to defend your supply network must always take priority for either north or south.

Southern cities, even ones with depots are almost all level 2 and below. Destroying a depot in the south wreaks far more havoc on southern operations across the map than the north.

Railroads:

Again, far more valuable for the south than for the north. The main highway in the east is essentially the only area of Union territory that can be effectively cut. Harrisburg, along with the county just southwest of it, Wilmington, Philly, and Anapolis are some of the major intersections that can be cut and render supplies and reinforcement transfer useless. I find it wise to always post units that can quickly repair rails in each of these areas. However there is little need to over spend in these areas as naval transport from all major northern cities to rally points South is usually still possible and quite viable...the only drawback being slightly lower cohesion upon arrival and organization.

Jabber's raids in the Ohio valley states and north, while effective, seem fruitless for there are railroads in nearly every single region. I have yet to see the benefit of this particular part of his overall plan. While it has certainly required my attention...(Mostly defending depots) Transport in the west has been relatively unabated.

Conversly, in the South, the most vulnerable supply and transport connections are the line that lead south from Petersburg, to Garysburg, Goldsboro, Wilmington...(the line which most supplies from the Carolinas and Georgia runs through). Secondly, the rail junction at Lexington, NC. then the obvious line which leads east/west from Virginia to Knoxville and on into the west. In fact, one could even contend that every rail line in the south be considered solid gold real-estate.

Water:

I could not have put it better myself. So far, Jabber has managed to expertly use the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers for raider transport. There are a number of points where I have some shore emplacements constructed to bar him from using them in this way from here on out, but we'll see how these work out.

[Banks6060]

Just a quick note about something Jabber mentioned in the commentary thread. I would like to opine briefly on my somewhat unpopular doctrine of keeping your armies as close together as possible.

As I've learned more and more about this game, I've found that MTG is not always a guarantee...often times a great gamble....especially for the Union. MTG is calculated using several factors including activation status, terrain, weather, leader strat rating...BUT in MOST instances, the common denominator that has determined a successful MTG has been a leader's activation status. At least that I've found.

In the case of the Union, especially in the east, it's lead me to conclude that seperating the army over more than two regions only invites defeat in detail. With regularity, especially when McClellan takes things over, Union generals will be rendered inactive. So dividing your corps across a wide front is ill advised.

Another reason is punch. The Union is expected to advance and take ground. With so many inactive leaders, I feel the best strategy is to accumulate the most strength possible in one place to mitigate the penalties of inactivity should combat occur. Punch...Worry less about being out-flanked and more about winning battles where they occur and if not, causing southern armies as many casualties as possible.

So far it has worked well for me, things may well change, we will certainly see.

[Banks6060]

The coastal war and the Union

In our game, I am allowing Jabber to see a bit of my overall strategy on the coast. I won't unveil too much here, but I think he's probably starting to see how it may unfold in the future.

One thing I wanted to point out here to start.

The coastal War as a Promotion Operation

Thus far I've used General Burnside in a couple of operations against forts outside Wilmington, NC. In both instances he's won convincing victories with relatively little loss. He's now earned a promotion to 2-stars. While not the greatest of Union Generals on the map...I believe he is among the top echelon. With a Strat and Def. rating of 3...it certainly makes him more valuable than some of the current commanders and a nice candidate to lead a corps.

With all of this in mind, I come full circle to the reason for using a commander like Burnside on coastal operations. To gain him a promotion. Which can be repeated for some of those early Generals that you wish to see leading Corps and Armies rather than brigades and divisions. I've noted this particular strategy before. The key idea is that the Union will invariably be successful in the campaign for the east coast...leading to a double bonus...1. getting your best generals promoted...and 2. earning VP's and hurting your CSA opponent's economy.

In summation. Using the coastal war as a promotion machine can make things that much easier in the long run and goes a long way toward getting those good generals commanding Corps and Armies faster.

[Jabberwock]

I couldn't agree more. When I was arguing with one of my GC CinC's about what generals to use for what commands, this was definitely one reason why. Generals used to command any high-risk operations should be promotable, and near the top of the seniority list.

BTW, Burnside doesn't start with a 3 rating for defense. Defense is the first stat to get improved by earning experience.

[Banks6060]

I couldn't agree more. When I was arguing with one of my GC CinC's about what generals to use for what commands, this was definitely one reason why. Generals used to command any high-risk operations should be promotable, and near the top of the seniority list.

BTW, Burnside doesn't start with a 3 rating for defense. Defense is the first stat to get improved by earning experience.

AH! My mistake. Thank you sir . I suppose that'll give you a little free intel on him then.

[Jabberwock]

Getting caught up on the action, we're at turn 15, early November.

East:

Holding along the Rappahannock-Rapidan line. The latest configuration has the Union with about 2000 points at Stafford under Banks and Milroy, and another 900 or so under Hamilton at Manassas. McDowell is at Stafford. I've abandoned Harper's Ferry, and now configured my forces to hold off any serious move by McDowell's army towards Richmond. Bonham holds Fredericksburg with a strong corps, Jackson, Johnston and Holmes are all currently at Culpeper, with Polk playing free safety in the Carolinas and Holmes or Jackson preparing for strong safety in VA.

Banks sent a light brigade (3rd PA) to Williamsburg, which fought my light brigade there to a standstill. Since I still had ammunition and they didn't, I counterattacked, throwing in a new cavalry regiment from Richmond to finish the job. The cavalry got wiped out instead, and my brigade was fought to a standstill again.

I pulled Johnson out of Stafford to reinforce Fredericksburg and secure the weaker end of the line at Culpeper. He was no longer a credible threat to Washington, sharing the same region with twice as many Union troops. That meant having to pull the river battery out of Westmoreland as well. Unfortunately, that was the turn that The Rappahanock fleet and the 3rd PA decided to make their respective escapes. With only the Tappahannock batteries firing, there were survivors from both groups.

Jackson & Kirby Smith never did catch Mansfield & Keyes. More troops kept joining Keyes division until they would have had enough to beat off an attack by Jackson's tired troops. That force has now formed a corps under McClellan, and is picking its way through the snow and broken rails west of Annapolis. I've managed to keep that area disrupted up to Harrisburg. The highway has been repaired, but I'm in the process of putting a pothole in at Medea. The B&O was getting repaired, it is completely gone again.


Huger still holds Norfolk, and is threatening fleets that try to move through Hampton Roads or the James Estuary. The Philadelphia Brigade just joined Butler at Fort Monroe, so I expect some sort of move against Norfolk or up the James Peninsula this winter. I also spotted an artillery moving south along the coast as I was escaping New Jersey. Something is forming up at the tip of the Delaware Peninsula.

A cavalry division (~8 rgts + 1 horse arty?) under Schurz and Miles swung around Holmes' flank in September, took Garysburg, NC (destroying the rail and depot) in October, and escaped by riverine move to Hampton Roads. Burnside took Fort Fisher, formed a division, reboarded tranports, moved west and took Fort Caswell. Naval defenses at Wilmington and Fisher were almost totally ineffective. The Fort Caswell troops put up a valiant fight. I believe Burnside's division is only ~300 points at full strength. According to emails, he has earned a promotion. I'm sure that division (even if he personally moves on) will continue to make trouble either in this area or further along the coast. One of the Atlantic Blockade squadrons has pushed into the Cape Fear River (which did cause a fight with the Wilmington batteries), so I'm thinking a landing at Southport, Lumberton, or Carthage may be a possibility. Another Squadron is in the St John's River (East Florida) but I don't think they're an immediate threat. Banks is probably looking at the possibility of another hit and run at Jacksonville. I'll send a few more troops down there just in case. Those squadrons took damage from batteries at Wilmington and St Augustine, but not a tremendous amount like Huger can unleash.

West:

I abandoned Lexington. Hurlbut is there with a division. McCall had repaired rail as far as Hard, but wisely pulled back to Louisville before Beauregard could stomp on him. Bory holds Bowling Green, and is being reinforced. Grant just showed up in Louisville, and probably has about 1500 points to command.

Rail east of the Green River remains completely broken except at Louisville. Raiders continue to operate throughout the west, but now Banks is repairing almost as fast as I can break things. Rail interdiction around St Louis has been cleaned up, but replaced with damage at and around Chicago.

Four cavalry brigades snuck through to Columbus a month ago, while another raider tried to sneak past Beauregard into Gallatin, and two more tried to cross the Ohio River from Evansville to Henderson. Banks found that Gallatin was fortified, and I was just moving a brigade in to take over for the militia regiment at Henderson, so he got repulsed there. I've managed to keep the other four brigades bottled up and retreating. They were able to break rail lines at Columbus and Henry (which I don't think they ever held for long enough to get supplies) but now are stuck in Graves, with bad weather, hunger, and rebels closing in.

I'm fortifying several areas around the Tennessee, Cumberland, and Ohio confluents; and bringing batteries on line. A raid-in-force at Kinsale knocked some Union militia who were trying to entrench there back into Cairo. That further limits the options available to the enemy raiders. Fremont holds Cairo, with divisions under Shields and Sumner. Bushrod Johnson, Zollicoffer, Stewart, and somebody else (not saying who, I don't think he's been spotted yet), are preparing defenses.

I think Foote is just about ready to come out of Cairo with the USS Ozark, which has been building there (another couple ironclads in Chicago). Batteries at Charleston were having too much fun beating up just gunboats. The CSS Arkansas just unlocked, that should make things interesting.

Price destroyed the depot at Springfield, and had been bouncing around between Springfield and Fayetteville, trying to draw some forces into a trap in that area. It didn't work, but now he has some artillery, and can probably hold Springfield, maybe for the rest of the winter before food runs out. VanDorn, Watie, and McCulloch have all formed divisions. VanDorn and Watie just hit Jefferson City, and McCulloch (6 Rangers, 1 infantry, 1 cavalry, 1 lt. artillery) knocked three U.S. Regular Army rgts. out of their trenches in New Mexico, capturing Tuscon. He should be able to mop up easily, if reinforcements from Nebraska (2 militia, 1 or 2 cav, 1 artillery last time a raider went through) aren't already almost there. Those reinforcements haven't made an effort to retake anything, and they're not headed downstream; so they're headed to Tuscon, reinforcing further west, or they were hoping that I hadn't seen them and would run a raider into them.

Naval:

Brig building continues, but has slowed, due to the needs for artillery. The New York and New England squadrons, with a transport, are in the James River. They're not in great shape, but were strong enough to drive off the CSS Virginia and VA gunboat squad last month. I was trying to get them to move around, giving Huger a target. There is a stronger fleet in Hampton Roads, along with the survivors of the Rappahanock debacle. Three damaged Steam Frigates remain off Reaves point, and Farragut's fleet hovers around Fort Creswell. The Atlantic Squadrons in the Cape Fear and St. John's rivers have both had encounters with some batteries, but nothing substantial yet. The Gulf Squadron is stubbornly hanging on, and the blockade is still at 25% (4 squadrons left in the Atlantic, plus the 1 in the Gulf). Too bad naval replacements don't cost anything.

Overall:

Still raiding, but it's getting harder. We had a very dry year, but now we are making up for it. I'm holding in the west, but have to keep reinforcing aganst the threats from Louisville, Cairo, and Lexington. I'm not doing so well in the east. I have to figure out a way to counter the heavy punches I'm taking from cavalry and amphibious attacks. I've done some damage to Bank's navy, but haven't managed to sink any more ships. He's getting the activation rolls he needs, and I'm not. My economy is awful, but his is just as bad. I usually only take options to keep up, after I've seen my opponent take a few. I think we've both used them all this year. No chance for intervention any time soon, that's still deep in the negatives. My NM is 105, his is back up to 87. Casualties are 34K to 26K in his favor, pretty low for one of my games, but casualties are low in the GC as well.

[Banks6060]

Yeah I'd noticed the little brigades fortifying along the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers Jabber . It's a very interesting strategy. Makes a blitz move down the Tennessee a little less viable since supply will be blocked once artillery arrives and the troops have dug their trenches deep enough.

For the readers:

Jabber's got several single brigades lined up along the Ohio River right now...I can only anticipate he's got more headed to garrison the Tennessee at least down to the Confluent with Henry and Donelson. He's got about 150 or so power waiting for me at the two forts there. That was at last glance of course.

Island Number 10 was very weak at last glance, but has surely been reinforced. Getting to it by river will be costly. Jab's got several artillery batteries pointed out over the water all along the Mississippi. I'd have to weather a storm of three seperate "gun emplacements" were I to run straight down the Mississippi from Cairo with Foote and an invasion force.

I see Beauregard in Bowling Green, but only notice there's one division under Winder with him (bout 400 power) unless I'm reading my intel wrong....which I find rather interesting. facing Grant with close to 1500 (who's still being reinforced) in Louisville, with only one division under Bory makes me wonder what Jab's got up his sleeve. Kinda sends a tingle up ma skirt .

Hurlbut holds Lexington. No intel on Knoxville as of yet.

Jab's still doin' a hell of a job with his raiding. He knows how to keep his nose to the grind-stone there. But I have managed to keep up. I've just about reached a point where I'm fixing rails as fast as he's tearin' em up.

In the East:

Hats off to Jab for getting Johnson out of Stafford when I moved Banks and Co. over there. His ZOC points were ramping up his MC in the region and it wouldn't have been long before my troops would have automatically attacked him. So I compensated by moving Banks's larger Corps to the area with McDowell's HQ. Now the beef of the army sits snug in the plains around Aquia Landing. He's got his army lined opposite the Rappohannock from me. Jackson and Holmes look strong in Culpepper.

NOTE* the harbor at Aquia Landing in Stafford County is pretty critical for my army. It allows them to draw supplies via river rather than rail...the rails in the east are in shambles right now. Can't say the same for Hamilton in Mannassas though. Good thing the depot's fully stocked and still intact.

Coastal war started early with Burnside. I don't think Jab's quite got his nose on my strategy yet to my surprise...but I'll see if I can't clue him in in the coming turns. .

Navy:

Gotta do something about the Gulf blockade. He's got droves of runners and there's only one squadron holding things down there.

Economy:

I HAVE managed to notice that Jab's elected to print money on at least one occassion in recent turns. He's down on dollars...but I think he's doin' ok on Manpower and WS.

[Jabberwock]

Here's a great example of why I wanted to do this AAR this way. The setup:

In Late December 1861 I decided to take Full Mobilization immediately, so I'd have troops in the field, rather than waiting for potential troops. (I'll still wait as long as I can before calling for volunteers, but that's not my main topic for this post.) Amongst the troops I raised were three brigades of conscripts (2 regiments each) in Florida. These were intended to join the anti-amphibious reserves I'm building. Two were raised in Jacksonville, one in Saint Augustine. I've also been setting up small batteries in the area, a militia with a 6lb entrenched in each location ... nothing special about Florida, this is how I usually do for the entire south. I can afford to place and lose little batteries here and there, if it puts a big dent in amphibious operations.

Banks has had a Blockade squadron with transports sitting in the St. Johns River since early November. They don't want to move too much, because the battery at St Augustine was active the turn they showed up. (That battery was not active for a couple turns after, they were recovering - but he didn't know that.) I reckoned it was a matter of time before another fleet showed up with troops trying to use this group as camouflage.

The main topic:

Lets talk about red band troops. In the GC, I've been talking (snapping, yelling, whatever ...) a lot about mustering - same thing. Handling red band troops properly requires some micromanagement, very little thought, but a lot of discipline. These guys need to stay inside the city where they are raised, they need to stay in green/green posture, and they need to be separated from each other. One brigade = one stack. This is one of those technical game issues that is difficult to express in the period language we're trying to use over there. But why am I so fussy about this?

Troops in green/green get out of red band status and recover cohesion faster. If they are attacked and they are in a city, they automatically switch to blue/red, so putting them with other troops for defense should not be a consideration. Unless you use a selective replacements strategy, any troops inside friendly cities should generally stay in green/green. Take a look, switch posture for some of these guys, and check the tooltip for the number of days till they are ready. Move them outside the city, and check again. You will see some big differences.

Why do they all need to be separated? Troops coming out of red band status automatically switch to blue/green posture. This applies to the entire stack. Even similar troops are not always raised in the same amount of time. The game engine is clever but not brilliant when it comes to stacking new troops. It usually puts troops with similar build times together. So, what's a day or two difference? If brigade one finishes on day 12, and the stack switches to blue/green, brigade two - originally scheduled for day 14 - doesn't finish this turn. If brigade one finishes on day 6, and brigade two - originally scheduled to finish on day 8, doesn't finish until day 10 ... then it probably won't reach full cohesion this turn. There is a dramatic difference between troops available and cohesion on the last day of red band status, compared with the first day of normal status.

Every day, every bit of cohesion, matters ... for every brigade, every regiment. You may not use it in battle right away. You may not use it on the march right away. You may not even have enemy troops nearby to see it as a deterrent. Having the potential to use it is still important.

Let's look at Jacksonville, Florida again. Those brigades I raised were using mustering discipline. They were separated. They each normally take 16 days to build. In early January, they each had one day left to finish mustering, one regiment of one brigade had trained up to regular infantry. Tom Meagher's Irish Brigade had just showed up in the St. Johns. My battery volunteers had just trained from conscript to line infantry. Quoting Banks, "Game on". I sent my only two frigate squadrons into the St. Johns.

In Late January, Meagher amphibiously assaulted Jacksonville, starting on day five. Five elite regiments (3000 men), capably led, but a little tired from previous action along the coast vs. two line regiments, three conscripts, and a light arty (5000 men), most understrength. The battery had level 3 trenches, the new troops had level 1 trenches.

On arrival, total combat strength was 40 (mine) to 85 (his). The battery routed, and began retreating toward Palatka. Casualties were 900 (mine) to 1200 (his) including one regiment. Most (75%) of mine came from the 2nd Georgia, the battery volunteers.

By day six, combat strength was 31 to 10. Casualties were 200 to 1700, two more regiments gone.

On day seven, strength was 10 to 0. The last 200 Irishmen, with no retreat possible, surrendered.

OK, there were a number of different reasons I won this one. I got lucky is one of those reasons. Pryor's 2nd FL regiment fought like pit dogs, earning 143 experience (4 stars, almost 5). I haven't seen fighting like that since the 3rd PA beat me at Williamsburg. Luck happens when it's given opportunities. Using a disciplined approach to mustering made a contribution to the opportunity.

Then next eight days were spent recovering cohesion. Perry's Brigade will rest for one more turn, then move out. Pryor's will stay a little longer, helping to dig new trenches and reset the batteries, before they consider whether to move on. The 2nd GA will likely be recovering in Palatka for a while.

Strategic update to follow soon.

[veji1]

brilliant piece of advice, and nice victory...

[Jabberwock]

BTW - Frigate Squadron #1 arrived in the St John's on day 5, Plymouth Squadron on day 9. Both Banks and I are unsure if they had any effect in keeping Meagher from retreating.

[Banks6060]

also wanted to add that frontage limits seem to have played a major role in the disaster at Jacksonville as well. After taking a closer look at all the battle reports it's almost as if each of the Irish brigades regiments went in one at a time, and were dismantled in turn.

Attacking in the swamp, despite a 2 to 1 advantage in power...not advisable it turns out. 3 or 4 to 1 probably better. I will certainly note that .

And what a great point on mustering discipline by Jabber. My compliments man.

P.S. I'll be getting drunk tonight, then watching my DVR'd version of the prez. debate tonight...I'll get you a new turn by tommorrow morning .

[Banks6060]

And a quick note on naval strategy as requested by Injun a couple of weeks ago.

First of all, it doesn't really matter how strong your blue water blockade is if you have a strong brown water blockade. That's the basic idea I have discovered (with Jabber's help). I know it's frustrating when you build tons of blockade squadrons, plop them in the blockade box...and then watch as your percentage goes nowhere. And note that this applies for BOTH blockade boxes. You could have NOTHING in terms of a blockade in the gulf and be blockading every east coast city and your % in both blockade boxes will be very close if not exactly the same.

You MUST make an effort to put in place a strong brown water blockade as the Union. It has a dual effect that can be quite detrimental to the south.

1. It helps bring up your blockade percentage, which prevents the south from receiving as much supply from their runners.

2. It HALFS all WS production for each city that is blockaded.

Initial targets....as have been put into practice by me thus far.

Norfolk: This is the CSA's biggest and most important port. Blockading it is typically considered a priority as it contributes significantly to your blue water blockade %

Jacksonville: This should be blockaded within the first months of the game because there are no forts guarding entry to the St. Johns and so if you accompany a blockade squadron with a transport...you should have enough supply to blockade for at least 6 months.

Savannah: It's guarding fort (I forget the name) is easily taken and ONCE taken opens up supply routes inland and into the river outside the port. two blockade squadrons are usually sufficient for keeping this port locked up.

Wilmington: typically, with the two guarding forts...one with a land connection, Wilmington requires some very nifty and time consuming operations using land and naval in concert so it's a good idea to at least have ONE full strength or close to full strength division along with a blockade squadron or two, transports, a few steam frigates and perhaps some old school frigates or brigs. Wilmington is a tough nut to crack.

Charleston: This one's a bitch. You're not going to make ANY progress with Charleston without the help of many troops and ships. This is an operation that, like with history, probably won't be successful until later in the game. As far as my strategy for it...I'll leave that for later. If you manage to blockade or take it...watch your BW blockade % go WAY up.

[Jabberwock]

also wanted to add that frontage limits seem to have played a major role in the disaster at Jacksonville as well. After taking a closer look at all the battle reports it's almost as if each of the Irish brigades regiments went in one at a time, and were dismantled in turn.

Attacking in the swamp, despite a 2 to 1 advantage in power...not advisable it turns out. 3 or 4 to 1 probably better. I will certainly note that .

Without seeing the battle report, Pryor's other regiment (3rd FL) made a contribution. Perry's brigade was hardly involved. So yes, it looks like the 2nd Florida, the one upgraded regiment, was able to take on most of the opposition on very limited frontage. Definitely a good thing to note.

[Jabberwock]

I've been avoiding confronting coastal forts for the past year. So have my opponents. Banks has certainly taught me a lesson on taking forts. It's been very successful in getting promotions done for Burnside and Hooker.

I certainly don't have as many front line troops as I'd like, because a bunch of them are going to batteries and mobile reserves in order to protect the coast. I'm forming divisions, but too many of them are spread out away from where I'd like to have them. I didn't like having to spend the resources on the extra frigate squadron either. The good news is I don't need to send supplies very from where they are produced.

Banks' trouble is, with my active coastal defenses (lots of little batteries), it's still costing him ships (I think). I've got the four frigates and the James River Fleet to try pushing his tired ships around in front of batteries. I believe I took out at least the New England Squadron in clearing the James River, which lifted the blockades of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Williamsburg.

Eventually, I'll have built up enough reserves to take on his amphib divisions at the beaches. Right now I've got a division swooping in behind his forces to take forts back (so far just Fisher), relieving the the blockades. I don't think he can hold those forts long term without committing more resources, but neither can I.

More details:

Hooker's division is sitting at Savannah with Farragut's fleet - my relief division (which was inactive last turn) marched past them (Hooker was resting after the assault) and is now beseiging Pulaski.

There's another Union division at Caswell with a bunch of ships. I have a strong brigade plus artillery batteries at Southport, more troops at Wilmington.

I haven't been able to free up enough forces to take Sumter again, because I have to keep some guarding Charleston. I have been seiging Sumter, with just enough troops to deter a sortie.

I've got one division holding Norfolk, and another just moved to James City, confronting Butler (who has the Philadelphia Brigade and a few other troops now in addition to the garrison) at Monroe, and hopefully I'll be able to control Hampton Roads eventually.

Schurz's Cavalry division has been resting at Westmoreland since their raid into NC ... I'm trying to figure if, when, and where he's going to jump next. I had to abandon my Potomac/Upper Chesapeake batteries, but that was expected.

I do have a free reserve under Jackson, something for him to worry about.

In order to accomplish all this, and still have enough troops to credibly hold the Rappahanock-Rapidan line, I've had to almost completely abandon the north end of the Shenandoah Valley. Fortunately, I had time to do a pretty thorough wrecking job there (including the depots), and he hasn't been able to move any serious forces in yet, because I keep raiding further north and east, and his available troops have been tied up in coastal operations.

[Banks6060]

And a look from my point of view.

Coastal operations do continue and they've born about as much fruit as I could expect. I can't complain about the promotions I've earned with Burnside and Hooker. I've seized Savannah and with Mansfield (only a couple points away from a promotion) now present in that area, I will hopefully force Jabber to commit at least a corps to another front. (perhaps bring Jackson out of hiding.) Bad part about concentrating my coastal forces is it gives Jabber a better idea what I'm doing. Good part...as I touched on a moment ago...it pulls troops and possibly his best general away from Richmond.

The AoP still sits across the Rappahannock/Rapidan line from Jabber's two main forces. Counting up total power, I have Jabber outgunned along that line by about 3-2...slim odds considering he's snug in level 4 or 5 trenches behind a long river defense line.

In the west, I hold most of northern and Eastern Kentucky...the main cities anyway...Louisville and Lexington. Grant is in winter quarters across the Ohio from Evansville. I have the army of Tennessee scouted out in extreme northern Tennesse...(they're in that city just ONE region SW of Bowling Green...can't remember the name of it.). Jabber has a tiny "Corps" is Bowling Green as bait for the main army which is also in good position to support forts Henry and Donelson by rail.

McClernand and Sumner with two understrength divisions now have a strong hold in the Missouri bootheel, but Jabber just brought a large cavalry brigade into Charleston, MO. Likely headed to cause trouble in my rear areas. An entire division is digging in at Island #10. Jabber has also sent Bushrod Johnston to cause problems around Cairo. It's likely he'll just wait until his MC gets high enough for me to be forced into an attack. But I've got reinforcements on the way (which Jabber should be able to see .

Jabber's also made some considerable gains in the far far west. He recently took Leavenworth, KS with Gen. McCulloch and a small division.

It's still pretty tight, and with Jabber's full mobilization in January...I know he'll be bringing at least 50 or 60 new companies in some form or fashion to frontline areas. I'd expect to see a considerably larger army in the east by March as well as in the west....he's probably raised at least another 4 or 5 divisions worth of troops....plus more dreaded cavalry for raiding.

[tagwyn]

Banks/Jabber: Please include relevant dates into your excellent AAR. This makes it all much clearer.. What is Grant doing? t

[Banks6060]

Grant's just sitting tight right now. I had the operation on the bootheel to keep my river transports busy. Now anyone that tries to run that gauntlet is likely to never see the light of day again. Recently lost 2 ironclads runnin' those guns.

And I'll try to give a time...but as Jabber mentioned...this thing isn't really suppose to be as chronological as it is just a look back at our respective strategies and how they panned out.