PascalB entertainment...

[PascalB]

Hi everybody...
First of all, I wanna give all my apologies for my bad English...
Being from Belgium it's a really hard exercice coz I didnt practice it since school.
This AAR is a real challenge for me coz I'm not only a noobie in this game, but also in computer and programs mastery
My AAR's aim is trully not to show U my tactical mastery (or..not... :neener , but it's a real discussion area. I'll only show U how the things'll go and expose my ideas of strategy.
All your comments, ideas, reflexions and critics are welcome. I'm sure it'll be really interesting for me to read your posts all along this campaign.

[color="Red"]First, the settings :[/color]
I play USA side; difficulty at hard; attition and leader on historic; foreign intervention at normal; 1 redeployement; small delay before engaging battle.

[color="red"]My strategy for 1861 :[/color]
I'll show U some screens, it's better than too much sentences...
U'll maybe ask U why I'm so defensive in the eastern theatre. I have a little idea but it'll need some troops so I cant form a huge army. My plan is to make an amphibious corps to take all the coastal forts as possible.

[PascalB]

[SIZE="4"][color="Red"]Early April 1861:[/color][/size]

No movements at all. I just give order for militia and coastal garnisons to defend at all cost.

I buy militia replacements, hoping that Harper's Ferry troops 'll be reinforced before being crushed by confederate troops.

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Late April 1861 :[/size][/color]

Woot! Harper's Ferry was not smashed by the Rebs!
Fort Sumter felt into their hands, what a surprise

I buy some militia and artillery replacements for the coming turn, who'll see a massive call to arms.

Schurz and his cavalrymen appeared in New-York. I send the German between Harper's Ferry and Alexandria, to prevent any raids in my rear area from Virginia.

I sent some officers to strategic locations for a further concentration :
McCall --> Saint Louis (MO)
Nelson, Blenker, Howe --> Louisville (KY)
Wood , Asboth --> Salem (IL)
Morell, Hurlbut --> Grafton (WV)

[PascalB]

[color="red"][SIZE="3"]May 61 : USA goes with full mobilization![/size][/color]

Before resolving this turn's actions, I make all the strategic and economic manipulations...
I choose : Call to volunteers, Full mobilization , 8% war loans, exceptionnal taxes. That makes -7 NM, -150 VP and 3% inflation.

As replacements, I buy Light artillery and infantry for the Potomac army.

Constructions : 24 infantry brigades, 4 Sharpshooter units (i love them ), 17 militia units to secure my rears, 6 cavalry regiments for screening and 16 artillery batteries.

My pockets are really empty... 2 000 dollars left

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Early May 1861 :[/size][/color]

All is quiet on the Trans-Mississippi, Mississippi and Kentuky territories. I manage to concentrate all the upcoming troops.

On the eastern theater, hoping to disturb the Rebs defensive strategy, I try a quick attack. With the lonely free brigade I received, the 1st USMC and Shields, I plan an attack on Mannassas Depot.
It'll take less time for my Potomac Army than the Beauregard's troops to come on the rescue after the town has been taken. It's also a danger for the flanc of the Shenandoah's force.

Fingers crossed, I'll click on "next turn" button

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Late May 1861 :[/size][/color]

Struggle at Mannassas! Yihaa! The Rebs were rout after a few skirmish volleys and a fierce run through the fields!

After this great victory for the Union Press, I manage to help Shield's men. Scouts sending by Schurz and Shields report no ennemies near Mannassas at the moment. So German cavalrymen'll try to infiltrate Rebs lines and cut the rails to prevent a quick attack on Mannassas.

In Saint-Louis(MO), Lyon appeared with some guys. I immediately order him to rush against Missouri. Lyon and a militia brigade'll take Jefferson City, McCall with a cavalry regiment'll rush Rolla depot.
In Missouri, quickness'll be the main word for whole campaign. I have to be agressive and...lucky!

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Early June 1861 :[/size][/color]

Storm accros Missouri!
Lyon and McCall rush Missouri territory and take both objectives (Rolla and Jefferson City) without a fight! but, with no cohesion's loss, I cant stay inactive.
Orders are given to Lyon and one cavalry regiment : Run to Springfield and take the precious depot within!
McCall must protect and securise the railroad between Saint-Louis and Jefferson City. Some garnison units'll come this way to take position.

In Kentuky and Illinois, concentration goes by...quietly!
No moves at all except by trains... some garnison to move, for a protection of the depots.

In the east, no counterattack on Mannassas happened... This is really strange. Harper's Ferry and Mannassas stay secured.
Schurz broke the Shenandoah railroad and go further. He'll try to cut another railroad at Culpeper, to prevent any quick action coming from Charlottesville. It's a bit risky, but that'll be a good deal if this rail is broken.
At Grafton, a massive division (almost militia components) is forming for the rush to Covington. Patterson'll be soon dismissed so I'll have to find another leader for this area.
I need many cavalry regiments, for scouting, screening and forming a big division in the Potomac army. So I concentrate economic efforts on this stuff this turn.

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Late June 1861 :[/size][/color]

War in Kentuky!
This day, Confederation launched an offensive in neutral Kentuky!
My garnison stationed at Bowling Green was anihilated...


I'll try to find quickly the appropriate answer...

In Missouri, all is finished... Whole territory is in my hands. But I cant stop the rush, I cant let the Rebs prepare for a defensive fight in good positions. So Lyon has received the order to launch an attack on Arkansas; He'll reach Fayetteville in 28 days, but I sent a cavalry regiment to screen the town and take it if it's not well defended... Let's see if God is with me...

In western theater, all is quite again. Polk is no more a true danger. He took his objective and will probably stay in defense mode. I pursue my troop concentration in Louisville(KY) and Salem(IL). I want to try another big rush simultaneously against Colombus, Bowling Green and Lexington. The confederate army cant be everywhere at same time...I sent Mansfield to check Clarcksburg defense and a militia detachement to take control of Prestonburg. I want to cut rebs forces and attract them in some different points... "Divise to better crush your ennemy", a quite good strategy...

In the east, it's time to test another diversion attack. I plan to storm Covington.Morell, leading an almost militia division under Hurlbut command, rush this town, with the help of light infantry who'll keep the supply road open. Another try to attract some rebs forces in Virginia.
In Virginia, it's time to deploy the Potomac Army. All around Mannassas, Federal troops'll take positions. I keep divisional organization and avoid command penalities to grew up my chance to keep my defensive line.
Schurz come back home to resupply his cavalrymen.

My eyes're turned in the Arkansas for the next 30 days...

[Eugene Carr]

Dont worry Lyon wont overreach himself.

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Early July 1861 :[/size][/color]

Offensive in Virginia!
The Army of the Potomac has received an offensive order! Our general in chief wants to crush the Rebs line by a frontal assault. With similar losses, even with no territorial gains, we'll take it as a success. The objective is to blow the Rebs and to divise their forces.
Hooker, with Heintzelman, attacks Winchester, defended by Jackson. The ratio'll be 2,5vs1 I think.
Keyes has to attack Fredericksburg, but he'll certainly fail, because the crossing of the river'll cost lots of losses. I hope that Confederate troops'll suffer heavy losses too.
Milroy takes positions in Culpeper if possible. He's a true danger for Shenandoah Valley, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Petersburg or Richmond itself.

In Missoury, Lyon'll reach Fayetteville in 5 days. No CSA forces seems to counterattack on this town. I sent Wood with his division to take charleston(MO). It'll be the last town of Missoury to fall into my hands. In 9 days, all can be done for this state.

In Kentuky, all my forces'll be in place. Prestonburg is garnisoned by militia, Mansfield besiege Clarskburg and Blenker, with a whole division has received the order to anihilate the Lexington troops.

With Covington free of rebs units, that's an attack on the whole frontline that I launched! I wish the greys'll be really stunned for 1 or 2 turns...

I go with war loans (8%) and raise recruits with a 1000$ bonus. With that mass, I formed a new division in the Illinois and bought some supply wagons.

May God be with me...

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Late July 1861 :[/size][/color]

Lyon protected the Missouri!
Price made a little counterattack but was repulsed quickly.


Near the Mississippi, Wood decides to cross the river and attack Colombus who seems undergarrisoned. This little wing of federal armies makes a great advance. It's sounds really good.

In Kentuky, I have to finish the job. Mansfield attacks Clarksburg, and Blenker'll roll the Lexington militia.
Just take a look at bowling Green. Wood has done his job really well. All the rebs who took the town has left, and the depot they're building'll finish in 1 day, just at time for my militia to take the town without a fight!!! It's not Christmas...I looked at the calendar

In Virginia, all gone so well! I made a prey for Lord! Keyes besieges Fredericksburg, with Ruggles's troops inside; They didnt go out when I crossed the river. Keyes'll rush them inside so...
Hooker'll attack Winchester militia and Heintzelman'll take Strasburg depot.
I dont understand Athena's idea in this theater. Rebs launched a divisional raid under E.K.Smith, without real supply, and now he's lost inside the Union territory without a true strike force. And now Jackson with his troops took an initiative and left good positions to follow Smith's road. I think both formations'll make a come back move really quickly and with an "avoid combat" option.
Really good to me. I put cavalry to harrass them in their way back home.

[PascalB]

[color="Red"][SIZE="4"]Early August 1861 : [/size][/color]

Union strikes hard in all theaters!

In Kentuky, Clarksburg, Colombus and Lexington falls without a hard fight.
Bowling Green and his depot is besieged by a little Confederate force.
Banks with a new division'll run to breack this siege.

In Virginia, Strasburg Depot, Winchester and Fredericksburg were taken easily.
Keyes had to resist against Maggruder's try to repulse Union from Fredericksburg and relieve Ruggles's men. The fight was sudden and hard, but Federal troops kept the ground.
Jackson retreat toward the Shenandoah and is lost in the mountains... I think he's out for a month.
E.K.smith is also lost for two or three months and I cant say a good retreat path for him. Maybe I'll capture or destroy the whole force if i'm lucky. if U look the screenshot, U'll see that Bee's division is reduce to a power of 30! So this force seems to be out of cohesion.

In Arkansas, Lyon keeps the ground before to reinforce and try another run to Fort smith before winter.