AAR Jon Pyle (Union) vs Joel Billings (Confederate) - Confederate POV

[Erik Rutins]

Incredible - Lincoln gets another term by the slimmest of margins, well done Jon!

[ph4n]

After following this AAR I can't wait to play this game mysalf... [8D]

Btw, how does a turn flow with PBEM?

[chadandpia]

I have enjoyed reading all the various AAR's for all the different matrix games over the years that I have enjoyed playing but I have to say that this AAR in particular is the first one that has ever convinced me that I must buy this game on the very day it releases! [:)]

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: ph4n

After following this AAR I can't wait to play this game mysalf... [8D]

Btw, how does a turn flow with PBEM?

Following is a list of the phases of each turn. The annotation of (Automatic) means that the phase is completely computer controlled.

Union Player loads save

I. Initial Turn
Political and Victory Phase (Automatic)
Economic Activity Phase (Automatic)
Partisan Generation Phase (Automatic)

II. Union Turn
Pre-Movement Logistics Phase (Automatic)
Union Reaction Phase
Union Combat Phase (Automatic)
Union Attrition Phase (Automatic)
Union Movement Phase
Union Post-Movement Logistics Phase (Automatic)
Union Production Phase
Union Reinforcement Phase (Automatic)

Union Player saves game, sends it to Confederate Player

III. Confederate Turn
Pre-Movement Logistics Phase (Automatic)
Confederate Reaction Phase
Confederate Combat Phase (Automatic)
Confederate Attrition Phase (Automatic)
Confederate Movement Phase
Confederate Post-Movement Logistics Phase (Automatic)
Confederate Production Phase
Confederate Reinforcement Phase (Automatic)

Confederate Player saves game, sends it to Union Player

Repeat

[PyleDriver]

Well the war turned grim after the election. Beauregard is looking to secure Richmond and forced 2 divisions out of New Kent. Losses were light 1700 for me and 80 for the CSA. Theres bad news agian, none of my AC's got initiative. Schoepf a division commander under Sheridian was the only one and overran Fort Smith AR, 2pp's wow...lol...The score is now 1009 for the Union, 998 for the CSA...The clock is ticking on me. CSA recrutments are going to drop badly soon. I need to encounter some big battles...I have my thinking cap turned now, I need to pull a rabbit out it...lol...Spies are everywhere so you'll have to wait to see what happens next. Jacksons army is missing now which makes this a huge turn for me. My bet is he's in VA now...

[8D]
Jon

[GShock]

Yes Chadan, Pyle and Joel did an outstanding marketing job with this AAR which is technically one of the best i ever saw.

You know what...that most certainly they enjoyed doing it a lot and eheheheh i wouldn't be surprised to learn that they willingly hid the most important part of their information to prevent the other from knowing their plans.

Good job, good job indeed!

PS the turning point of the war, the re-election of Lincoln is very finely simulated in this game. It's the historical reason why Lee took the offensive and went to Gettysburgh.

[ratters72]

Just a quick question on PBEM (my knowledge here is limited).  I've heard in other games with PBEM it's possible to cheat in the way that you can keep running your turn until you get the desired results.  Does WBtS combat this in some manner?  Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere.

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: ratters72

Just a quick question on PBEM (my knowledge here is limited).  I've heard in other games with PBEM it's possible to cheat in the way that you can keep running your turn until you get the desired results.  Does WBtS combat this in some manner?  Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere.

Yes, there is a load count system that tracks how many times your opponent has reloaded his turn. If your opponent is doing this often, it's a sign that he is cheating. You can always save off a turn in progress, but you can only load any one save one time, and must always load the most recent save or the system increases the load count. Same method used in WaW/AWD.

[Grotius]

Wonderful AAR! This game is a must-buy for me, too.

I must have missed the rules about political points. Does a certain score automatically end the game? Also, what happens if Lincoln isn't re-elected -- game over?

[Joel Billings]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

Wonderful AAR! This game is a must-buy for me, too.

I must have missed the rules about political points. Does a certain score automatically end the game? Also, what happens if Lincoln isn't re-elected -- game over?

Normally a Lincoln loss means a Confederate victory (level depends on points). A Lincoln win means either a Union win of some kind or a Confederate Marginal victory, depending on if the Confederacy can survive until June 1865.


15.4 The Election of 1864
During the Political and Victory Phase of the Initial Turn in November 1864, the US
Presidential Election is resolved. If the Union player has 1000 or more political points, Abraham Lincoln is re-elected President. Otherwise, Lincoln is defeated by a Democratic Party "peace" candidate. If Lincoln loses the election, the Union player immediately loses 100 political points and then loses an additional 100 political points during the Political and Victory Phase of each following month. If Lincoln wins the election, the Confederate player immediately loses 100 political points and then loses an additional 100 political points during the Political and Victory Phase of each following month. If Richmond, VA (Confederate Capital), is Union controlled in any month, to include November 1864, after Lincoln wins the election, the Confederate player loses an additional 100 political points, for a total of 200 per month, during the Political and Victory Phase.

16.0 Victory Conditions
If during the Political and Victory Phase of the Initial Turn of each month, either player has been reduced to zero political points, the game ends and the other player is declared the winner. If Lincoln loses the election of 1864 and the game has not yet ended, the game will end after the Political and Victory phase of the April 1865 turn. If Lincoln wins the election of 1864 and the game has not yet ended, the game will end after the Political and Victory phase of the July 1865 turn. If the game ends due to one of these time limits, the Confederate player is declared the victor. The level of victory depends on the Political Points of the winning player at the moment that loser reaches zero Political Points or the game ends due to a time limit.
Union Victory Level:
1200+ Decisive, 1000+ Substantive, otherwise Marginal.
Confederate Victory Level:
1000+ Decisive, 800+ Substantive, otherwise Marginal.

[PyleDriver]

November brought tough choices for Lincoln. Sherman was recalled to VA to head up the rebuilt AotP in Manassas with orders to engage Beauregard at any cost. Grant moved his army to the outskirts of Atlanta, with his eyes on hurting Lee's army. Sheridian was ordered back to MS to put the west on there heals agian, and flush Stonewall out of hiding. Leon after rebuilding the army in Washington is missing agian...This is going to get good guys. It took me a night's sleep and most of the day to get this move ready...I need to break this open, I have the power, I just need the initiative.

[8D]
Jon

[GShock]

Pyle, this is psychologic warfare!

[PyleDriver]

Early reports are out, the CSA has done many scouting raids to find Union movements and locations. Lyon's whereabouts was not found, but they have an idea by the build up of troops, and supply depots...A note on the game. At this point the CSA's rail system relies on 1 rail line which can transport only 12 units from east to west through Atlanta (thats why Grants pressing a battle there, their population, and factories play in also). The Union can move 56 units from east to west. Plus with my huge naval transport system, I can move that many almost anywhere along the coast. This is a cat and mouse game, hidden movement and suprise are the essence of this game. Can't forget proper leadership and initiatve also...I have the CSA outnumbered 2 to 1 on the frontlines. I need some major battles soon, to break them. The CSA can't replace their losses at this stage of the war...

[8D]
Jon

[chadandpia]

Go Rebs! [:'(]

<--- on the edge of my seat waiting to see if the CSA can pull this one out!

[PyleDriver]

Chad this may be hard to believe, this is only my 4th game playing as the Union. I've played nearly 70 games, AI and PBEM. I live in Texas, but I hate to loose. This is Joel's and my 2nd game, I was the CSA before and I said there was still a few problems in combat results (mainly overruns). I lost in a hard fought one. But with him playing as the CSA, he has seen those problems now, and equations have been changed (during our AAR) by Gary. We have worked on this game so much, it wasn't just thrown together to be tossed to the public. This engine, interface, what ever you call it works alot better with this game than AWD, not putting down AWD, it's just that good. There so many more options and results that can happen in WBTS...Long live the CSA, but not in this game...lol...

[8D]
Jon

[Joel Billings]

In November I was unable to spot Lyon, however I identified a very large army of over 70,000 men in Norfolk. This force, along with Sherman's 90,000+ in Manassas threatens most of Virginia. With Grant next to Atlanta, and Sheridan next to Jackson, there's pressure all along the line. The Union manpower edge seems overwhelming, but I've still got some excellent leaders with the potential to overcome the odds. Even so, I'm glad it's winter.

Confederate Polititcal points are 1006. I will lose 700 more during the next 7 months and gain 56 points (assuming no change in major leaders). That means the Union has to knock me down another 362 PPs. The game could go either way.

[PyleDriver]

December brought a huge break for the Union. Leon was in Norfolk VA and got initiative and is moving on the fortified city of Petersburg just south of Richmond, with a 70,000+ army. To make things worse Sherman also got initiative and is attacking Fredricksburg VA just north of Richmond with 80,000+ army. My scouting raids show that Stonewall is in command in Petersburg, Beauregard is unspotted, but I'm sure he's in Richmond waiting. I may loose these 2 battles, but hurting the Southern armys is foremost at this point. I have alot more troops on the way, they dont. Sherman also sent a corps (Mower) to Wilmington via sea invasion to keep pressure there, and not have troops move northward. 14 crusiers under Stringham have moved into the harbor to help this attack. Lee is still in Atlanta watching Grant sit on his case of whiskey, I need him to get off it sometime soon. Sheridan was resupplied and reenforced in Tupelo MS and is looking to break open the west, I'm sure Johnston has moved and is the AC there now and has his reserves in Natchez MS...It doesn't get better than this guys...

[8D]
Jon

[Joel Billings]

Jackson had moved to Petersburg in anticipation of an expected attack from Norfolk. He has been reinforced there by a few units from nearby areas, although not all units had initiative. Jackson's assembled a force close to 60,000 men. Beauregard moved out of Richmond and came to the support of Early's forces in Fredericksburg (and Beauregard has initiative so he should be able to rush his troops forward). Beauregzrd has a total of close to 50,000 men and hopes to take advantage of the Wilderness area to counter Sherman. In Wilmington, Kirby Smith hopes to hold on.

[PyleDriver]

Early battle reports are in. Sherman confident after the battle for Columbia, went agianst Beauregard and committed his entire army. The battle was close, but Beauregard retired his army back to Richmond. This placed Sherman just outside of Richmond now. Leon hit a "Stonewall" in Petersburg and fell back to Norfolk. Kirby Smith repulsed the attack on Wilmington once agian. A Union division (Deitzler) snuck into Franklin WV and overcame the local militia. Lincoln is delighted, results were much better than exspected...With both of us getting SV's, and the land grab, the CSA lost 9 pp's (plus the 100). Only 353 to go...lol...The big loss is in manpower for the CSA, losses were 1.5 to 1 (UvsC). At that rate the South won't last long...All the Union heavy artillery is now in Norfolk (140 guns) with one of the Unions best Artillery leaders (Hunt). Jackson has spotted them and the newspapers reported this. So much for suprise, Petersburg will be a battle of attrition...A note, when attacking cities, more units will be commited by both sides, just what I'm looking for.

[8D]
Jon

[PyleDriver]

Some more notes on the game. The South is spread thin now. They can't replace their losses like the Union. Sheridian is poised to put MS out of the war and drive on New Orleans. When Grant gets moving Atlanta will fall, and the focus will be on VA, it already is...lol...I need Richmond and Joel knows it. I've played as the CSA to many times, and know what he's up agianst now, to many areas to guard and not enough troops. The battle in Columbia saved my ass...lol...The attacks on VA have started, soon the CSA won't replace artillery in the battlefield because they need to supply the troops they have. Stalin said artillery is the god of war, and I have a 2.5 to 1 advantage now and more on the way. I stopped naval production 3 years ago, to produce artillery and supply. My Cavalry is grown to 1.5 to 1 also, so we are going to the wire on this game...Photo finish...lol...Richmond is the war now, or all the other areas...Joels call now...

[8D]
Jon