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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [American Civil War] >> Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865 >> RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet!

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:27:04 AM

Gil R.

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So here's what I do about it. I send my fleet right back, but in case the Union fleet has decided to flee I deliberately tell my fleet to overshoot Apalache Bay. Since it's set on "Intercept" and "Seek Battle" it will fight that fleet as soon as it's in range.

If I can trounce this fleet again that'll be a very welcome development. And while it's bad to dream too large too soon, it does occur to me that if the Union doesn't realize I've taken on superior armaments I might soon be able to pick a fight with the other Union fleet, the one near Virginia, and do some serious damage there. I'll watch that fleet carefully to make sure it doesn't go into a port for a turn -- a possible signal that it's rearming itself.

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< Message edited by Gil R. -- 11/27/2006 10:32:36 AM >

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:32:28 AM

Gil R.

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Now on to the western theater. In southern Mississippi, my defeated corps can be seen in Biloxi, waiting to pounce again.

Also worth noting is that Natchez has just one more turn of unrest, and so far none of my buildings there have been destroyed.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:36:21 AM

Gil R.

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Here are my forces in Biloxi. The 4th Division is what's left of the division that began the war in Virginia after I removed its best brigades to replace brigades in the corps itself that were captured by the enemy. The 4th Division can now be used to retake lost territory, or can soon be stuck into the 2nd Army when then 4th Corps goes in.

Instead of attacking this turn I'm going to gamble that Jackson can survive for at least another turn. This will allow me to bulk up this corps with reinforcements and some new weapons and attributes for the brigades, so it doesn't get beaten up in its own territory again.

Therefore, I put this corps on "Normal" supply priority, to ensure that reinforcements end up here and not in some unimportant Texas garrison.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:39:27 AM

Gil R.

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One reason I can gamble on Jackson is that there isn't much of value there. Losing the Capitol or Plantation would be very bad indeed, but the war effort could survive the fall of Jackson, since Jackson itself produces just 3 Horses and 5 Labor, and the rest of the state isn't all that productive. Of course, losing any state would strain my resources, but it's not the same as losing Georgia.

So rather than rushing right back in, I'll wait a turn (and hope that disease doesn't hit the troops in Biloxi, which would seal Jackson's fate).

On the left, it shows that I'm due two new upgrades, and not too far away from two more.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:44:06 AM

Gil R.

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And here's the Nation Screen after I tinker with the supply levels of my various western divisions. I will be completely reliant on my runners for income until those divisions are reinforced and resupplied sufficiently that I can put them back on the lower supply priority settings, which are far less costly. I'd actually be taking in a good amount of Money and Labor each turn if not for the need to boost supply levels because of the constant possibility of combat. (At least things are quiet in Virginia. If the Union were to attack and defeat the Army of Northern Virginia even once I would be unable to resupply and reinforce all of the divisions in need of supplies or fresh troops.)

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:46:08 AM

Gil R.

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Back to that 4th Division. I decide to send it and its two brigades by rail to Aberdeen, where it will be in a better position to retake CSA territory or cut off rail supply, or join up with the 2nd Army (which I just moved to Tuscaloosa).

The 4th Corps stays behind in Biloxi.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:48:58 AM

Gil R.

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I've gone a bit out of order. Here's the northern half of Mississippi. The really big news is that that giant Union army finally left Hatchie and is in Oxford -- what I have been fearing would happen. The forces in Jackson are now in direct rail supply, meaning that my attempts to deprive them of supplies have failed. If I defeat the Union in Jackson now it will be because of superior brigades and officers, not reduction of supplies.

The presence of the enemy in Oxford is my reason for moving the 2nd Army to Tuscaloosa -- after setting it on "Avoid Battle," of course.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:50:39 AM

Gil R.

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And here's that move. I forgot to mention that I removed Stonewall Jackson, who long ago was promoted to 4-star rank, from the 1st Corps in Cumberland River and sent him to Tuscaloosa to meet up with the 2nd Army, which he is destined to command.

It might still be a while before that army has more than two brigades in it, though...

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:53:39 AM

Gil R.

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In Tennessee, as can be seen, my gamble of sending that small division from Pulaski into Hatchie was successful, so I retook that province and am cutting off rail supply to the Union. But I don't for a second expect that the giant Union army will let me keep the province, so this is a temporary victory. (At least depriving the Union forces in Mississippi of rail supplies for a turn will perhaps force the Union to spend more money by using a higher setting for resupply.)

Over in Bowling Green can be seen the force I just chased out of Cumberland River.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 10:57:10 AM

Gil R.

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I need to have more forces down south, where the main action will be, so I use the railroad to send one of the three divisions in the 1st Corps to Tuscumbia. Depending on where the Union is stationed, I'll either use it to reinforce my control of Hatchie or send it south to join up with the 2nd Army. The division probably can't get down to Jackson in time to help save the city, since it would need to travel by rail, and the Union controls Oxford, so it would have to move two provinces by foot before hopping aboard rail cars. And since this is winter the winter movement rules are in effect, and there is about a 50% chance it wouldn't budge because of inclement weather.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 11:00:52 AM

Gil R.

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Deciding to roll the dice, I next send the two remaining divisions in the 1st Corps from Cumberland River into Bowling Green. I realize I'd be fighting in an enemy province, but there's no fort there to give an extra defensive bonus, and I'm positive that my force is much larger and better. Remember, at least one of the brigades in that Union force is siege artillery, meaning that it has even fewer infantrymen than might be supposed.

My plan is to do some damage to this army and then return to Cumberland River to add some enginners before heading into Lower Tennessee River to besiege Fort Henry. If I can take that fort I'll control that province, and be in a much better position to cut the Union's supply lines in the future.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 11:02:26 AM

Gil R.

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So here's how things look after all of my moves.

I wonder how all those forces look to the Union in Hatchie -- is fog of war inflating them, or showing them to be the nearly empty containers all but one of them are?

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 11:07:18 AM

Gil R.

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Before ending the turn, I spend some resources. Most importantly, I spend 120 Horses to get the "Scouts" attribute for two brigades in the 4th Corps in Biloxi. I may well have lost that recent battle because of failing a scouting check, so these attributes could make a difference. I also buy Minie Rifles for one of the brigades that lost its weapons, but four other brigades need non-improvised weapons and I can't afford them.

I also build another Railroad Station and Mint, since I have extra Labor and Iron

After hitting "End Turn" I get my upgrades. Unfortunately, I didn't get the most desperately needed logistics upgrade, "Invalid Corps" (which increases the productivity of Camps). However, I did get to choose "Extended Service," which will let me brigades become larger. Of course, too many of my brigades are currently depleted, but eventually I'll be able to expand some of them in size.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 11:08:21 AM

Gil R.

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These training upgrades are all desirable, but I pick "Wheel Training" because it would be most frequently used.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 11:09:48 AM

Gil R.

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Next, I can't resist having my Partisans attack the Union's supplies in Jackson. That danger of destruction is quite high, but so too is the amount of supplies that is vulnerable, and their chance of success is extremely good.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/27/2006 11:11:23 AM

Gil R.

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And last of all, I appoint A.P. Hill to replace Sibley as corps commander. He has great ratings (literally), plus can teach the special ability "Blasted" (+50% damage when charging artillery, which might negate the Union's artillery advantage a little).

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 2:58:17 AM

Gil R.

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Twenty-Eighth Turn

Man, I wish the Union would stop messing with me. These AAR's are becoming twice as long as they used to be, now that so much is going on with so many units in so many places. Anyway, like Sisyphus it's time to start posting about my most recent turn...

First, the excellent news is that Jackson held on for an additional turn, as I was hoping. It's now at 37% defenses, which means that it will almost certainly fall next turn. This means that I'll have to try attacking again, even though, as will be seen below, the 4th Corps isn't in the best possible shape...

And in Florida the siege continues, but with little effect.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:03:28 AM

Gil R.

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Then some rather shocking news. My 1st Corps was defeated in Bowling Green, even though I'm almost certain that it outnumbered the enemy force and was clearly superior to it, and the USA suffered most of the casualties. I'd love to know what the heck happened...

Nothing too interesting in the Economic Report.

Last turn, there were no goods for the blockade-runners, and this turn there's only a stash of 55 Iron. Here's to hoping that the coming turns will provide much more, since it's painful not getting the resources I need.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:07:13 AM

Gil R.

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And here's more very bad news -- instead of striking the Army of Northern Virginia or some other force I don't care about at the moment, disease hits the 4th Corps in Biloxi, just before I need it to make a last-ditch attempt to relieve Jackson. The only bright side is that since most of its units were at Inspired Disposition they were only lowered to Normal or Low Disposition, meaning that it's still a force capable of fighting.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:09:45 AM

Gil R.

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And some more bad news is that the failed expedition into Bowling Green led to the death of another corps commander, Albert S. Johnston.

(The brighter ones among you will have noticed that the only generals who seem to be dying are 3-star generals, while those of lower rank live to fight another day. That was recently adjusted, so that in quick combat other generals will have a better chance of being killed, while 3-stars will have less of a chance. Unfortunately, the version of the game jchastain and I are playing doesn't have that change patched in, since the patch in question is incompatible with our save-game files and we'd be unable to continue this PBEM game.)

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:12:25 AM

Gil R.

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Rather annoyingly, that battle in Bowling Green cost me some Lorenzs. Those cost 60 Money, and I can't even replace them until my diplomatic level with the Other Europeans improves another level. This just sucks, since Lorenzs are excellent guns, especially for sharpshooters.

But at least the 15th Division now has "Great" staff logistics...

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:13:58 AM

Gil R.

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Going around the map, in Virginia things are unchanged. That small brigade failed to leave Abingdon for Grafton due to winter movement constraints, so I still haven't been able to convert that province and get more resources from it.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:16:23 AM

Gil R.

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In Florida, the Union force is down to about 8500 (though fog of war is exaggerating its size somewhat).

And better still, the Union fleet encountered my fleet and was chased a province away, leaving the Union's corps out of sea supply.

If I can destroy that fleet the corps will dwindle away.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:18:00 AM

Gil R.

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So, I send my fleet into Apalache Bay, keeping it on "Intercept" (which means, as I failed to point out earlier, that it can attack a fleet in an adjacent sea zone).

This will keep that Union corps from being supplied for yet another turn.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:24:55 AM

Gil R.

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On to the western theater, starting with Tennessee.

The 1st Corps was forced to retreat to Cumberland River, and I think I'll keep it there until I figure out how best to use it. As can be seen, the Union sent a division into Hatchie (peeling it off from the giant force in Oxford), so their rail-lines are now secured. (I had previously claimed Hatchie with the tiny division that is now sitting in the Tennessee-Mississippi River province. Luckily, it successfully avoided battle when the larger division showed up.) So, I might move the 1st Corps into Hatchie and try to trounce that brigade, but since the 1st Corps was just defeated by the force in Bowling Green I'm not sure it would succeed. Furthermore, if I attack the division in Hatchie there's the danger of the larger force in Oxford reinforcing it, which would lead to a pretty nasty defeat. Another thing I could do would be to take the two divisions in the corps and send one into Paducah and the other into Lower Tennessee River, thus once again cutting off rail supply. Decisions, decisions.

So this turn the 1st Corps goes nowhere, until I have a better idea of where it's needed most.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:28:46 AM

Gil R.

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And here's southern Mississippi, showing where the 4th Corps is located. Note that the siege report claims there are just under 58,000 Union troops in Jackson and 6600 defenders, which means that when combined with the 4th Corps there would be just 6000 more Union soldiers there -- not too great a disparity to overcome.

Preparing for battle, I purchase Brigade Artillery for the Tramp Brigade (which is a high-quality unit) and Richmond Muskets for one of the units that lost its weapons in the recent defeat. This is all I can afford, but it makes the corps stronger.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:32:15 AM

Gil R.

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Here's the rest of Mississippi (not to mention Alabama). The scouting report claims that there are 202,568 Union forces in Jackson, but the siege report just said otherwise.

My goal this turn is to make that final attempt to save Jackson, while maneuvering other forces so that they're either cutting off supplies or positioned to reinforce that action. Plus, it's high time that the 2nd Army begin to get some meat on its bones.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:34:47 AM

Gil R.

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So, first I send the one-brigade 14th Division from Tennessee-Mississippi River into Arkansas-Mississippi River, hoping to reclaim it for the CSA.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:36:00 AM

Gil R.

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Next, the two-brigade 4th Division heads into Yazoo, so as to reclaim the province and cut off rail supplies.

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RE: PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet! - 11/28/2006 3:37:03 AM

Gil R.

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And after this, Hill leads the 3rd Division into Tuscaloosa, where it joins the 2nd Army.

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