The Blockade & Raiders

[paullus99]

Okay, just started playing yesterday, but I hoped I could pick people's brains regarding the best tactics for the Union Blockade & dealing with CS Raiders?

How many cruisers are needed to shut down a port (or at least guarantee a pretty high percentage)?

And how the heck do you chase down raiders? I'm getting creamed....

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Okay, just started playing yesterday, but I hoped I could pick people's brains regarding the best tactics for the Union Blockade & dealing with CS Raiders?

How many cruisers are needed to shut down a port (or at least guarantee a pretty high percentage)?

And how the heck do you chase down raiders? I'm getting creamed....

It depends on your naval commanders. For the smaller ports, I'd say 4 ships (2 with an island base/depot). For the larger ones, more. I had a dozen cruisers in the North Atlantic involved shutting down 4-5 raiders. The total number will probably be about 20 cruisers in the second year to run a blockage and chase raiders. I try to have at least one invasion every turn that I have an available corps (24-25 shipping to transport) in Baltimore/DC. I prefer to invade from Baltimore with surprise rather than from DC. My experience is that even if I'm repulsed, I'll probably come out ahead in the casualty exchange if the defenders have to react over any distance. The area across the bay from Mobile is usually weakly garrisoned and you can block Mobile with a heavy artillery in a fort there, so take it early. It's also easy to blockade the Mississippi with a fort and heavy artillery in the delta, so don't be afraid to take some casualties there.

[Erik Rutins]

Regarding the Confederate raiders, my best advice is to start early. From the very first turn, send a good naval commander (at least skill 3) and a Cruiser out there, then keep sending cruisers to make sure that you never have fewer than the number of raiders and ideally have one or two more. When you have a spare skill 4 naval commander, send him there.

If the raiders don't get a chance to build up an experience lead early, they are easier to keep under control. If you let it develop to the point that you have say Semmes with an Experience 3 Raider and a few other experienced raiders, you'll have a heck of a time getting that rabbit back in the hat.

Regards,

- Erik

[Toby42]

I remember reading an article that in the Civil War, Confederate Raiders decimated the Union Merchant Fleet!!

[morleron1225]

Actually, they didn't so much sink ships, though Semmes and the Alabama did that very successfully, as drive Union merchant shipping insurance rates through the roof. This led to a lot of Union ships bing sold to English and other neutral interests. By the end of the war, IIRC, some 80% of Union shipping had been sold, a blow from which the U.S. Merchant Marine never fully recovered, the effects being felt for many years following the war.

Just my $.02,
Ron

[kennonlightfoot]

My observation on the effectiveness of CSA Raiders is that about four of them tend to produce about the same political point damage as larger numbers of them.  Which means you have to reduce them to almost zero before you will have any significant gain.  The supply points lost to raiders is so small relative to your normal production as to be of no consequence.  My opinion is that Union Cruisers are better used for blockading than countering raiders.  Later in the war when you start taking ports freeing up cruisers you can send them to counter raiders.

[silber]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Okay, just started playing yesterday, but I hoped I could pick people's brains regarding the best tactics for the Union Blockade & dealing with CS Raiders?

How many cruisers are needed to shut down a port (or at least guarantee a pretty high percentage)?

And how the heck do you chase down raiders? I'm getting creamed....

The number of cruisers (or gunboats, or ironclads) needed to shut down a port depend on the leader's command rating, and is also higher for the ports in those areas where there are two ports (I think.) The best way to distribute the blockade is as follows:

During the Confederate supply phase, a pop-up window shows the blockade percentages. Move your mouse over it so that it doesn't go away.
This can give you an idea of which ports need more raiders, and which might have too many.

As to chasing down raiders -- take a good Naval leader (Naval 3 or 4), give him three or so cruisers, and send him to AO2 where the raiders lurk. If you put a strong force there early, you have a good chance of knocking off raiders as they appear, and it makes it difficult for the Confederacy to develop a large pool. If they start building more up, add another cruiser or two.

If you are using CSCs, once you get two naval leaders with command ratings of 7 or higher, you can devote one of them to hunting down cruisers, and attach a couple of lesser leaders to him. (I like to keep one high-command rating leader for leading my ironclads for fort-busting.)

[silber]

ORIGINAL: herwin

I try to have at least one invasion every turn that I have an available corps (24-25 shipping to transport) in Baltimore/DC. I prefer to invade from Baltimore with surprise rather than from DC. My experience is that even if I'm repulsed, I'll probably come out ahead in the casualty exchange if the defenders have to react over any distance.

Do you keep your AC in Baltimore then?

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: silber

ORIGINAL: herwin

I try to have at least one invasion every turn that I have an available corps (24-25 shipping to transport) in Baltimore/DC. I prefer to invade from Baltimore with surprise rather than from DC. My experience is that even if I'm repulsed, I'll probably come out ahead in the casualty exchange if the defenders have to react over any distance.

Do you keep your AC in Baltimore then?

As long as the Rebels are in Manassas, I keep my AC in charge of invasions in Baltimore and the TC in Washington. Once I hold Manassas, that AC moves to Washington. That means my invasion forces are unscouted.