Rail Destruction Raid

[AndrewKurtz]

It would be great if cavalry on a raid could destroy rail in more than one region. For example, if they started in a region that is hostile and had the destroy rail option selected, if they moved into another hostile region with rail, they would then destroy that rail as well.

What would be BEST is if the rail option was a three option toggle. None, This Region, All Regions.

[boudi]

How many times for destroy 30 miles of railroad ???

I think that one region by turn is enough, no ?

[Spharv2]

How many times for destroy 30 miles of railroad ???

I think that one region by turn is enough, no ?

Well, you're not tearing up the entire region's rail lines. You burn a selected bridge, or loosen a few rails here and there so the next train to pass derails. At least this is the way it was done early in the war. Wholesale destruction rarely happened early on, mainly because you planned to be using that rail line as soon as your forces reclaimed the region. It got more intense later in the war, but the rail breaking they're modelling here is less "Sherman in Georgia" than "Forrest in Kentucky and Tennessee".

[AndrewKurtz]

Well, you're not tearing up the entire region's rail lines. You burn a selected bridge, or loosen a few rails here and there so the next train to pass derails. At least this is the way it was done early in the war. Wholesale destruction rarely happened early on, mainly because you planned to be using that rail line as soon as your forces reclaimed the region. It got more intense later in the war, but the rail breaking they're modelling here is less "Sherman in Georgia" than "Forrest in Kentucky and Tennessee".

My understanding is that in 1-2 weeks, Forrest destroyed enough key rail in several "regions" that he completely stopped Grant's ability to move south to support initial Sherman's attack on Vicksburg. Perhaps that is properly reflected in the game. My thinking was that, if it takes five days to destroy rail and then 2 days to move to the next region, why waste the next 8 days sitting around waiting to destroy rail next turn? It's a raid. Destroy it and then keep moving?

[boudi]

When cavalry unit want to destoy a part of railroad, they burn the rail on a hot fire (they use the crossbeam for it, crossbeam, i hope that is the right word in english... ) and when the rail is red, maybe white, because hot, they bend the rail around a tree.
A lot if time....

But so, a too strong cavalry unit for destroy railroads can be a little dangerous. 3 Cav. Rgt. could destroy all the Pennsylvannia railroad during one turn...

[Mangudai]

When cavalry unit want to destoy a part of railroad, they burn the rail on a hot fire (they use the crossbeam for it, crossbeam, i hope that is the right word in english... ) and when the rail is red, maybe white, because hot, they bend the rail around a tree.
A lot if time....

But so, a too strong cavalry unit for destroy railroads can be a little dangerous. 3 Cav. Rgt. could destroy all the Pennsylvannia railroad during one turn...

That's a good description of what Spharv2 called "Sherman in Georgia".

[anarchyintheuk]

The reverse is also true . . . units can only repair one region a turn. It balances out imo.

[KillCalvalry]

I can't tell how easy or hard it is for Raiders to destroy a railway. Some have said no way a Cav unit could tear up all that rail. Others have said it was very doable.

Only one way to setlle this: Let's get 50 guys together on this forum, bring some hand tools, and we can go out by the old C&NW tracks off Parker Rd. near here and run some tests, what do you say?

I'll bring the beer.

[gekkoguy82]

Only one way to setlle this: Let's get 50 guys together on this forum, bring some hand tools, and we can go out by the old C&NW tracks off Parker Rd. near here and run some tests, what do you say?

I'll bring the beer.

amen brother, i'm in

[gekkoguy82]

this would be a perfect test for an episode of mythbusters, methinks

[AndrewKurtz]

The reverse is also true . . . units can only repair one region a turn. It balances out imo.

Good point. I hadn't thought of that.

[Spharv2]

I can't tell how easy or hard it is for Raiders to destroy a railway. Some have said no way a Cav unit could tear up all that rail. Others have said it was very doable.

Only one way to setlle this: Let's get 50 guys together on this forum, bring some hand tools, and we can go out by the old C&NW tracks off Parker Rd. near here and run some tests, what do you say?

I'll bring the beer.

hehe...Get about 5 people, a crowbar and a sledge, then go out and go for it. Save the beer for after though, otherwise you compromise the test. For a well built, older track, you'll probably be able to get a rail off in 15-20 minutes. When I lived in Virginia, we went out to the abandoned tracks near the farmhouse and got some crossties to use as a garden border. It's not easy to get the rail up, but not too terribly difficult either.

[Mangudai]

Sherman's Memoirs talk about destroying rail and also repairing rail. Although it's hard to find those passages from the table of contents.
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/union-generals/sherman/memoirs/general-sherman-memoirs.htm

Shermans army utterly destroyed some railroads by heating the rails and twisting them around trees. This damage was effectively permanent because the south could not replace the rails or unbend them. This method takes a lot of manpower and a lot of time, and you have to destroy many miles because there is extra rail on sidetracks and secondary spurs to replace some losses.

Most rail damage could be quickly repaired. For example the Rebs tried to interfere with Shermans supply trains coming to Atlanta from Chatanooga, but the Feds were able to repair them.

I imagine most rail sabotage was intended to derail the first locomotive that came by. A few men with levers can loosen one end of a track pretty fast. Another method is to use explosives. Explosives might ruin a few sections of rail, but replacements can usually be found nearby on sidetracks and secondary spurs.

Derailment was a major threat. Trains were used very differently in wartime than they were in peace. Typically one engine would only pull 2 or 3 cars in disputed territory because the risks were so great.

[AndrewKurtz]

Shermans army utterly destroyed some railroads by heating the rails and twisting them around trees. \

Anyone have info one what Forrest and Morgan did?

[Jabberwock]

Anyone have info one what Forrest and Morgan did?

I know on one raid Morgan's troops pushed flaming rail cars into a tunnel, causing a cave-in that took months to repair.

[McNaughton]

Burn one tiny rail bridge over a trickle of a creek and you have effectively cut a rail line.

As it is, a rail line is either 100% operational, or 100% unoperational. A sole Cavalry Regiment COULD cut an entire rail line, even though their damage could be more easily repaired than what an entire Infantry Corps could do in the same amount of time.

[Brochgale]

When cavalry unit want to destoy a part of railroad, they burn the rail on a hot fire (they use the crossbeam for it, crossbeam, i hope that is the right word in english... ) and when the rail is red, maybe white, because hot, they bend the rail around a tree.
A lot if time....

But so, a too strong cavalry unit for destroy railroads can be a little dangerous. 3 Cav. Rgt. could destroy all the Pennsylvannia railroad during one turn...

With Stuart, Forest, Mosby etc I could destroy the whole Yankee rail network and not just Pennsylvania - but then it would not be much of a game?

[jhdeerslayer]

I already feel most of my time as Union in a PBEM game is repairing RR's non-stop. Kind of a pain actually and takes away from actually playing the game. That never has felt quite right to me.