Rookie needs General's advise!

[mantrain]

I thought I did everything I needed to do, invaded Humbolt, 50,000 troops, Grant as AC, plenty of scouting(sheridan); heavy and light Art. Mclleelen there as T.C.,and all units have initiative. when I go to attack, I watch the Conf. reaction phase move whole armies into the region, and I am faced with more than 60,000 committed Rebs: a blood-bath. Wow this is tough.
Also, how can I view the detailed combat report later on? It flashes for a moment, is gone, so I can't see details. I go to combat screen, and there are very few details available for me to analyse the battle and learn from.

also why can I not due shore/port bombardments against Conf portsm except at New Orleans? I try and move my cruisers, gunships anywhere on Conf. atlantic coastal ports, and I always get the message "cannot move there."

THanks!

[loborugger]

That is tough.  My advice would be to not allow the forces to get that built up, ie, get it earlier.

However, in your case where everyone is already built up.  I would suggest building a second large force somewhere in Cent Kentucky, under Lyons, or Sherman, or another good AC.  Wait until both Grant and this other group have initiative, and go at the same time, i.e. make him split his reserves. 

If you cant force your opponent to split his reserves somewhere else - be it elsewhere in the theater or out east or amphip assaults in the Gulf, I think you are going to throwing yourself against a wall 10 times outta 10. 

Good luck and let us know how you resolve it. 

Oh, BTW, I am pretty amateur.. maybe more of a Capt or Major.  Maybe one of the real gurus has a better strategy.

As for the results, you need to adjust your settings.  There is also a pause button on top of the little screen and next to it is a button that looks like a sheet of paper.  Click on that to get the details.

Cruisers and Ironclads can only enter Major River (deep) sections... ie, Mississippi up to Memphis, Mobile Bay, and a few other spots.  Gunboats and transports are good for anything except minor rivers.
 

[Treefrog]

Loborugger has it right.

It is helpful to spread the CSA out over a broad front and from the very outset of the game continuously attack him. Attack critical areas sooner rather than later. The worst that happens is you lose some factors; you have plenty of factors.

CSA leadership combined with interior lines during the reaction phase will often defeat any single thrust. If you proceed on multiple lines of attack, he will probably successfully defend the one region he really wants, but will have less success in the other regions. The Union doesn't care which regions are captured, it's job is to subtract human and supply resources from the CSA equation with a minimal garrision requirement.

If you attack many regions (and never with as many as 20 Union factors which could provide the CSA with a victory that gives him political points) and damage a few factors in each, the attrition will wear him down.

CSA "damaged" regular units are either combined to build a single regular unit or rebuilt with a precious militia conscript. CSA militia units are outright destroyed if a casualty. The CSA with full territory typically gets about 7 conscipts per turn. If you kill that many per turn, his force doesn't grow, does it. By drafting, your force grows very large very soon.

I humor myself by keeping track of the number of destroyed and damaged units to which add the number of militia that rises up and then subtract the casualties. This gives me a rough idea of his total force. I subtract what I can see in scouted areas, assign an estimate for what I suspect is in garrison or white blank square adjacent areas and arrive at a number for the unseen CSA reserve.

[mantrain]

Both of your threads are very hulpful, however, I am not sure what is meant by a "factor,?" what is a factor? thanks!

[Treefrog]

To me a factor is a unit, whether it be infantry or mounted, regular or militia. It is an old board game turn used by an old board gamer.

[jimkehn]

Treefrog....isn't easier to just to pull up the data in the game to see how many units you have and how many he has?? Of course this doesn't tell you where the enemy is...just how many he is.

[Treefrog]

Jim,

It is easier, but not as accurate.

My recollection is that somewhere in the rules it says that when you read your opponent's strength chart from the tab above the map you get information which is anywhere from 50 to 150% of his actual strength.

My system is cumbersome I know. Frankly, I'm probably far too anal and should strongly consider getting a real life. On the other hand, having an accurate assessment helps with my style of play which calls for attacks across as broad a front as possible coupled with generating tons of troops to throw into attrition mills.

[Tony Brooks]

Have just finsihed my 3rd full game and actually won in June 1865 (Turn 48). Feeling quite chuffed although it was 'easy' level, against the AI and without fog of war.

Followed most of the comments in the various posts e.g. amphibious invasions, didnt invade Kentucky waited for the CSA etc. Of note, unlike my second game (which I lost) I found it harder to move down the Mississipi getting stuck at Paducah. Kentucky taken quite easliy. After getting past Paducah the move on Vicksburg was easy although didnt occur until 1864. Got Atlanta as well and then moved an army commander/army up to the eastern campaign.

Unlike my second game, eventually got Manassas and Fredricksburg on the first attempt. Did this though waiting until I outnumbred and had two army commanders with initiative attacking in two seperate locations.

What did I learn; keep an eye on the points, I didnt go below 1000. I went for black emancipation ASAP. I didnt promote or change an army or theater commander once set from the beginning (other than replacing Scott when he died) until the very last turn when I promoted McClennan in the east to a 4 star to ensure I got initiative before the game ended on me.

Of interest, Richmond was a tough nut. I attacked with a superiority of 85,000 to 50,000 and was beaten. Only when I attacked with 3 major armies all at the same and at 3 different locations time did I win at Richmond and then it was close despite a superiority of 120,000 US to 50,000 CSA. Clearly the odds on taking Richmonst are stacked against the US.

Tony

[paullus99]

Richmond is also a level 2 fort - I've bled down quite a few armies in attempts to take it at a run. I find careful preparation, lots of artillery, scouting, scouting, scouting, plus raiding, is absolutely necessary. Very much like Mobile, the AI will do just about anything to hold it - even at the expense of other areas of the map.
 
In the West - Mobile is the AI's Richmond. Once New Orleans falls or you make a serious run at Mobile, the AI starts stacking units in anticipation of your assault - again, at the expense of other areas. I find the Atlanta campaign to be a snap, since Atlanta seems to have a much lower priority for units than those other two areas I already mentioned.

[GShock]

Bide your time. You must do the possible to attack simultaneously in different places so that the AI can't converge their reinforcements all against you in one place and eventually lose some ground on at least one of your attacks.
The point here is that:

a: CSA has a limited rail capability. Units delivered in a place to be repaired can't come to another place, not all of them...and when you dmg a unit you seriously screw CSA manpower capability for next recruitment turn.

b: hold the river with gunboats and reinforcements from the cumberland can't join against you in humboldt and vice versa.

c: units that reacted in a turn will have limited movement capability in the next turn. Use probe attacks to have these move and then launch full strike elsewhere next turn.

d: move your AC in winter when he's harder to get initiative and open new fronts. You have a superior rail capability to move around not only the AC but also some of the troops with him.