How to take new orleans

[mjw]

Its July 1861 and I'm in the process of building up an army or 2. I am interested in taking New Orleans. but there seems to be several ways. One is passing through the two forts at the mouth of the mississippi, the second is the fort at the big lake (please don't make me spell it) and the third is overland.

I am wondering...if I "run" the forst with my fleet and take N.O., can I supply my force if the forts are still in enemy hands? Should I take the forts and then N.O.?

I have farragut standing by with about 10 ships(combat) and some trasnports that will carry about a division sized force. is this enough?

This would also apply to Charleston I guess. Should I take out the forts or "run them"?

[LSSpam]

Its July 1861 and I'm in the process of building up an army or 2. I am interested in taking New Orleans. but there seems to be several ways. One is passing through the two forts at the mouth of the mississippi, the second is the fort at the big lake (please don't make me spell it) and the third is overland.

I am wondering...if I "run" the forst with my fleet and take N.O., can I supply my force if the forts are still in enemy hands? Should I take the forts and then N.O.?

I have farragut standing by with about 10 ships(combat) and some trasnports that will carry about a division sized force. is this enough?

This would also apply to Charleston I guess. Should I take out the forts or "run them"?

I'm assuming you're playing the AI? Might not be. I've seen 12,000 men in New Orleans before with the AI. Against a human it generally depends on the situation (obviously).


As far as running it, I launch my invasion near Fort Pike rather then running up the Mississippi. My normal invasion practice is to send a supply wagon or two with the invasion force, "run" the fort, invade the city itself, and then use the actual invasion forces to clear the fort(s) from the port itself. Usually a brigade is sufficient to clear an unreinforced coastal fort.

I'm probably a poor person to ask. I don't completely understand Naval resupply, so I'm posting in this thread as much for your benefit as mine.

Namely my question is, do forts affect the ability to resupply by Harbor?

For instant, assuming Mobile, if I take Mobile, do the two forts in Mobile bay reduce (or stop) the amount of supplies Mobile's Harbor "pulls"? I assumed they did, hence clearing the fort.

To go a step further, which Forts clear New Orleans? In otherwords, can I clear only Pike and leave the 2 river forts alone?

[Jim-NC]

New Orleans will also generate supply on it's own. The amount will depend on when you take the city (if there has been any investment or not). Forts will block supply (see the page on the WIKI below). So you need to have a clear path back to the ocean. The page also explains how much general supply you will receive from the city.

http://www.ageod.net/aacwwiki/Supply

AS for Ft. Pike, IIRC there is no rivers/sea connector to NO. Therefore, the supply will have to land at Ft. Pike, than travel overland to NO. It would be better to take out the 2 forts at the end of the Mississippi.

As for what size force to take it? Usually Athena (the AI) and/or a human will have a division stored in GA/AL/MI to defeat coastal invasions, and they know that NO is a high value target. As I usually play the CSA, I do not have any experience with attacking it.

[bburns9]

I play the Union against the AI frequently (trying different strategies/approaches) and for New Orleans, I usually send 2 full divisions + an infantry brigade w/arty (Garrison)+2 cav units (scouting) + a naval engineer (to assist with refiting the ships in my Gulf Blockade box). I run a fleet with Farragut past the two forts on passive (green ROE) + evade combat. You'll take some hits, but your forces are still plenty strong enough to assault NO (provided 1 is active). Once NO is taken, I then take Ft. Pike to establish a supply line (you can get ocean supply into Pike and then 1 region overland to NO). I use the cavalry to get out front and see what the AI may throw my way before I go and take out the two forts at the Miss. mouth. Once those are clear, you can repair and resupply your gulf blockade in NO.

BB

[KCDennis]

I'm not sure to what extent forts block supply by sea. Playing as the Union I've taken New Orleans, Mobile, Charleston and Savannah and never took any of the adjacent forts. Supply has poured in to all four cities without any problems. I am only using them to supply a division or two, so perhaps it's more of a factor if you're trying to move larger qunatities. I don't use them to harbor my fleets because of damage from the forts.

[enf91]

I don't think that's so much supply pouring in as much as the cities being so big they're essentially self-sustaining.

[Gray_Lensman]

deleted

[enf91]

Dennis didn't say they were under siege. He just said the river approaches were still held by Rebel forts.