Any Union player ever manage to capture New Orleans?

[davekinva]

From the South, via a phib campaign. . . if yes, any tips or tricks on how to do it?

I can take the two forts easily, but after that, I never can get moving again, no matter the quality of my AC/leaders present.

[madgamer2]

Taking the town is not really necessary using navel units till late in the war. I let him have his supply in most coastal cities and put 2 cruisers each in NO and Mobile Bay. When you get a good 4+ navel commander. this will keep the river ports closed to trade if you have a strong force confronting his raiders. You will have to keep the 4 cruiser fleet full but with all the production you have that is not a problem. I have at least 3 cruisers in each city other than those two.

Madgamer

[heroldje]

The two forts are very easy to take.  Just send 4 regular infantry to take one.  Then send 3 back, and take the other one with 4. Support with all the cruisers you can. Once those two forts are down, N.O is a sitting duck.  I actually took it w/o losing a single man (the confederates withdrew from an attacking force of about 5 inf and 1 cannon)

[davekinva]

Yeah, I have no trouble with the forts.  It's just that after the forts are taken, nothing I seem to do ever gets me able to go into New Orleans.
 
Might need to dedicate an AC down there in my next game, see if that works.
 
(Of course, I do realize that once you've taken the forts and plopped down HA or a ship in the delta, you've closed the Mississippi, so taking New Orleans is wholly optional at that point.  Still, it'd be nice to be able to do it).

[tedhealy]

Yeah, you need an AC and depot down there if you want to make progress after taking the forts.  I've gotten into the habit of using 3 ACs in the West as USA 61-63 or so.  Grant going down the river, Buell (or whoever has better stats) going through KY/TN to Knoxville/Chattanooga, and Lyon at first in MO/AR area, then once I take the forts, in New Orleans area pushing up the river and/or towards Mobile.  

[oldspec4]

I've taken N.O. from the north by land w/ Grant in mid '63 as part of my splitting the South strategy.  It has a high political value and is a good jump point to Mobile, Atlanta, and points east. 

[tran505]

Ditto. Grant took N.O. yesterday for me by driving straight down the Mississippi.

-P

[JAMiAM]

The problem is that neither of the forts are connected by road, and they each only face the same river region. This forces an additional amphibious invasion, either of New Orleans itself, or St James which is across the Mississippi from New Orleans, and connected by road. Either of those can be bloody propositions if Baton Rouge is fortified to level 2 and bristling with Heavy Artillery.

Alternately, you could land at Lafayette which connects to St James by road, and take it that way, so you don't have to use and lose so many ships.

[tran505]

As an epilog.... After taking New Orleans I sent Grant East to Washington to take command there. He fought one battle and then came down with "swamp fever" probably from some rebel Louisiana mosquito, and went home to Galena for 6 months to recoup. You just have to smile!