USA played by Athena, the veteran AI
CSA played by Jarkko, the still very newbie human
After my Far West AAR game I decided to take on a full campaign. After a few horrible experiences I decided I am not quite fully prepared for that. The 1862 West scenario seemed as the logical step. Launched the scenario once but got butt-whooped immediatly, so decided to re-launch. Thus on Monday evening this week I began this new AAR scenario. I am now at turn 7, and 18 turns remain.
As can be seen, a strategic defense would be enough for CSA vicotry. Then again, New Orleans will get stormed sooner or later, so I can't just sit idle and wait for a potential crushing defeat. Instead I decided to press on towards Lexington KY through the wilderness in east TN-KY area, in west make serious push towards St.Louis MO, and in center push for Nashville TN while grinding federal troops with a series of surgical strikes. In and around New Orleans I wanted a solid defense that could win as much time as possible, but I would eventually blow up the depot before risking to lose it, and then make a slow fighting withdrawal northwards through the swamps. I again decided to not use cavary that aggressively as the AI can't handle it very well, altough I did intend to use Stand Watie and Forrest behind enemy lines.
Late February, 1862
To accomplish my goals, I needed to shuffle around the commands in Army of Mississippi and Army of the West quite a lot. At start of the scenario AoW has no commander capable of forming a corps (altough Price is quite close to promotion), while AoM has four corps, ie way too many corps for an efficient army. In addition AoM has one of the best defensive leaders, Beauregard, as second in command to A.S.Johnston. Forrest has a nifty raiding force at use, but he is unable to fully lead the division.
B.Johnson was sent as 2nd-in-command to Forrest. Beauregard was given a large corps (including the elite Orphan brigade) and the task to get to Nashville through Pulaski (as I wanted him to use railmovement this was quite some finetuning before I got his corps *just* big enough to use all my rail-capacity for the turn). Polk was ear-marked for a transfer to Army of West to take a corps command there, while Braxton Bragg I sent on to New Orleans to organise the defense (and use his drilling methods to make the militia I intended to recruit there to become a formidable speed-bump for Union assaulters).
Hardee was given command of the other corps in AoM, as I wanted a supriser in command, with Breckinridge 2nd-in-command (and thus his "Good Army Administrator" skill affecting the whole stack. Both AoM Corps had a sharpshooter element in them to help with the iniative. In addition with the Army commander Johnston (who is also a supriser) working closely together with Hardee I did hope two suprisers should mean lots of first firing vs the superior (both in strength and leadership) Union forces. Army HQ and Hardee did stay put for now and see where the Union forces would advance.
In the east Smith formed a division and was sent through the snow towards Huntsville. My intention was to reinforce his meager force with new militia, but for now it was important to get the supplywagon moving through the difficult terrain. Floyd was ordered to take the Tennesee militia from Chattanooga to a blocking postion at Winchester and thus cover a secondary supplyroute to Nashville and Beauregard.
A cavalry battallion was sent to both Columbus TN and Decaturville TN to capture the towns and scout ahead. Forrest's division however did stay put, as I didn't want his coefficency to get to poo in snow.
In Far West I decided to stay put and wait for the spring and Polk. Stand Watie and the indians however were sent to capture the lonely towns and villages on the prairie.
The southern river-boats were ordered to patrol the mouth of Mississippi, while the northern ones were ordered to Isle 10 area. The brigs were sent to blockade box to bring in money and supplies.
I spent quite some time looking at what replacements the different brigades could be using, and ended up drafting more conscripts to be able to buy all the replacement types I decided I need. In addition a whole lot of militia was built for garrisoning duties and to be trained to regular infantry eventually.
Completing this first turn took me about four hours in all, and I didn't hit end turn on Monday yet, as I wanted to be sure I had everything as I wanted to have them.
Early March 1862
Beauregard was slowed more than I had hoped, and didn't quite make it to Nashville in time (1 day away from Nashville). The cavalry battallions encountered resistance, but I did recieve a lot of information. New indian elements formed in Far West.
Forrest (with B.Johnson as 2nd-in-command now) was ordered to engage the US cavalry force across the stream. AoM with Hardee's Corps was ordered to Decarturville where I wanted to test how well my suprisers would work in tandem. Beauregard was given assault orders, and thus he would storm Nashville immderiatly when getting there. Polk transfered to Far West and formed the Corps under Army of West; however the Federals had a stonger force right next to Fayetteville so I decided to dig in and wait for the onslaught.
More replacements and militia were recruited, as well as a couple 6lbs batteries to Lousiana.
Beauregard assaults Nashville
Beauregard is kicked out from Nashville
Grant teaches Army of Mississippi a lesson
Late March 1862
Things didn't go exactly as I planned... Beauregard was pushed to SW of Nashville, with Sherman closing in from west. Beauregard was ordered to swiftly move across the stream to south, and take a defensive position north of Pulaski. The captured wagon and artillery on the other hand were pushed to the east of Nashville, and they were ordered to march as fast as they could to north of Winchester, where Floyd was ordered to move with his blocking force.
AoM was ordered to dig in in the woods SW of Decaturville. Apparently my suprise idea didn't work quite as well as I had thought... With Breckinridge in the Corps I was quite happy at the cohesion rating for the troops, the troops in Hardee's corps had nearly full cohesion even after the movement back and forth and the battle.
Forrest was ordered to get to Paducah. With most terrain wet and moisty swamp Forrest had some real issues to get a clean run through the Federal lines.
Stand Watie continued to burn stuff in Far West. Federals however didn't attack Army of West as I had expected, perhaps Stand Watie running rampart behind them had some effect in this?
In the east, Smiths division arrived to Huntsville, but in bad shape. Militia regiments were sent along the railroads to join his division while Smith did let his troops rest.
In New Orleans Braxton Bragg proved to be invaluable. He trained the militia to regulars/conscripts as fast as they kept coming to the city from the surrounding lands. WHF Lee was sent down to NO to form a division under Bragg's command.
I recruited more artillery and more replacements. I was starting to get pretty low on money and conscripts alike. Suprisinly WS was not an issue at all so far, most likely as I had focused so heavily on militia.
Grant is halted with style
Early April 1862
Grant was stopped in his tracks totally. What was interesting was that the cohesion of AoM troops was still good. I had a tickle in my guts Grant was not in such good shape. Still, I decided to stay put, as there were several large Union stacks in the neigbourhood.
NE of Savannah a single Union supplywagon was standing. I ordered a lone cavalry battallion from Savannah to attack it and try to bring it home (attack with retreat orders). Beauregard was sitting tight on his butt north of Pulaski, waiting for cohesion to get up to acceptable levels.
In Far West I decided it is time to push for Springfield MO. The union army between Springfield and Fayette had been standing there all spring, I decided to check out if they were in fighting form. Besides, Arkansas and Texas militia had now firmly garrisoned the depots and villages in Far West, so Van Dorn and Polk had more freedom to move about.
Money and conscripts have run dry. Bought one single line infantry replacement, and that was all I could afford.
Late April
Nothing much happened, except the cavalry battallion from Savannah did indeed capture the lone supply-wagon. At Decaturville another lone wagon was noticed, so Hardee was ordered to move there and back, hopefully snatching the wagon.
Smith's Division in the east (at Huntsville) was back at full cohesion, and he had recieved three new militia regiments. The division was ordered forward through Kentucky to Lexington.
My hope was that this would act as a diversion so that Beauregard would have a chance to retake Nashville. Beauregard was ordered to cross the stream and cautiously close on Nashville.
In Far West Union troops did withdraw before battle, so AoW got a free ride to besiege Springfield MO. Stand Watie continued burning stuff in North. Athena didn't seem to be interested at all at chasing him. While in Illinois Forrest had a full corps chasing him; despite that CSA cavalry succeeded to blow up the depot and railroads at Salem.
When I said nothing much happened, I might have slightly misled. A humongous Union amphibious force appaeared at mouth of Mississippi. The fleet avoided both forts and my meager fleet, so things didn't look too good. Bragg ordered his troops to blow up the depot and rails, and brace for impact.
The Confederation was mobilised in front of this new threat. Exceptional taxes were raised, and new paper money was put into circulation. New replacements were built, new troops were ordered to be raised.
Early May 1862
The lone wagon at Decaturville was captured by CSA troops. It is wonder why Union wants to send the wagons towards CSA alone without any protection.
In Far West the siege of Springfield was a fast one. The depot fell to CSA before the Union troops arrived. Neither side was willing to attack (Polk messed up his orders so he changed to defensive stance, and Van Dorn was defensive as he was not active the previous turn; apparently the Union troops were in defensive posture too). The depot was mine, and cohesion of the troops (having spent two weeks idling around in defensive posture) was full: Now it was time to kick the Union force in the area.
Union troops did not land to NO as I had expected. Still, situation remained tight. However, more troops arrived to Bragg in NO, including two more artillery batteries.
With Smith closing on Lexington, I decided it is time for Beauregard to make a new rush for Nashville. If, as I did hope, USA would react to Smith's incursion by send a corps his way, it should be quite possible to enter Nashville again.
Forrest wasvery low on cohesion, and was ordered to move inside Rome IN. I would need him to cause maximum mayhem, so I couldn't afford to lose him due to too fast movement.
Grants HQ was at Savannah alone, altough Sherman was in next province. I decided to attack Savannah, with any of luck I would be able to maim Grant seriously before his subordinates marched to the sound of guns.
More replacements were ordered, as I was pretty sure there would be lots of losses this turn with all the attacks I launched at same time.
Beauregard attacks Nashville
Battle of Savannah
Rousseau arrives to Nashville and attempts to push Beauregard out
...to be continued...
