Union 1862 Campaign Question

[bk6583]

I didn't see an AAR for this scenario. I really have one question and that concerns the two Union forces that begin the game in Florida and just outside Savanah. What do I do with them? Move them inside the cities in the regions they occupy and hunker down? Move them into the two adjacent forts and hunker down? "Evacuate" them north and use them to supplement the forces in Virginia? I don't have a clue!

[beefcake]

Essentially these troops represent a part of the Anaconda plan, which involved cutting off port access to the South and slowly capturing strategic points and forts.

I don't have the game directly in front of me, but I'd say it depends on how powerful the units are. During early 1862, the Union captured Ft. Pulaski (which guards the harbor entrance for Savannah), as well as St. Augustine, FL. If the forces are strong enough, then I'd grab some real estate nearby and occupy it. If we're talking about 5000-10000 men, then I'd consider capturing as much as possible and bring reinforcements down to garrison the towns you're capturing.

In terms of strategic value, Florida was a sideshow. You could move your troops out of there and put them to use somewhere else, or you could use them to capture towns along the coast. I usually send two divisions+plus a several militia units to capture a town, then slowly carve up the rest of the Florida penninsula. Jacksonville makes a nice centralized point to keep your divisions until you know what your opponent is going to do. The AI reacts by sending a division or two to block my advance, but it takes several turns for the force to arrive. Even if we don't fight any battles, it draws troops away from the larger armies and forces the opponent to react to my moves.