Call to Arms

[Raindem]

October 1779

The French ground force under Rochambeau has grown to 5 regiments (about 4,000 men). We will be using them in 1780. I just haven’t decided exactly where yet. I have a general concept in mind on how I want to use them. But I’ll share that at a later time (Loose Lips Sinks Ships).

[Zovs]

Cool deal...

[Raindem]

November 1779

Spain has declared war on Britain! De Galvez has arrived in Cuba with a small fleet. We are under no illusions here. Spain is not a friend to our cause. They are merely fulfilling their obligation to France. And, of course, they sense an opportunity to regain territory lost to Britain in the 7 Years War.

In the western campaign, Brodhead has captured the first of his objectives, Boonesboro. Hand and his soldiers were supposed to have already left Ft. Pitt, but it was decided to let them winter there. They will set out for the Great Lakes region in early Spring.

[Raindem]

December 1779

I am starting to form some ideas for 1780’s campaign season. It should be clear to me by now that a massive assault on a strongly held British position, like Boston or New York, is not going to work. They are just too strong in these set-piece engagements. And I doubt they will leave their strongholds to engage me in the interior.

So... the plan is to hit the Tories in several places and see if the battle of attrition can’t be turned our way for a change. By going with numerous, but small, local attacks I’m hoping the British tactical advantages can be partly nullified. If any of these attacks encounter strong resistance we'll quickly back off and melt into the woods. Call it guerilla tactics, but on a large scale. If any of the attacks shows promise, I have large reserves stationed all over the continent that can be called upon. We will need to do a lot of troop movement over the next several months to get everyone into position. No down time for us this Winter.

[Raindem]

January 1780

As usual, no fighting in January. I don't recall if I mentioned this, but there is actually a cease fire every January to simulate the dead of Winter.

I’m going to skip the situation map this year because I’m reorganizing many of my troops for a push in the Spring and I don’t want to reveal to my wily opponent where I am massing. But I can guarantee this… there will be fighting.

[Raindem]

February 1780

Hand’s army set off from Ft. Pitt a couple months ago and has reached the south shore of Lake Erie. With Passamaquoddy scouts in the lead, the plan is to skirt the shoreline all the way up to Detroit. A surprise attack, unfortunately, is out of the question. We have entered Six Nations territory and I’m sure our presence will soon be discovered.

[Raindem]

March 1780

We are close enough to the campaign season that I can reveal a little bit of the Patriots’ plans. As previously stated, we are going to hit the British in numerous places, but not concentrate in any single one. It won’t be a battle of attrition. If an attack is not going well in one sector I’ll pull back, knowing the British do not have the speed to chase me down. Somewhere on this continent, an attack will succeed and that is where we push to break the stalemate.

In detail…

1. The western expedition will continue on its current trajectory. Brodhead has captured Booneboro and Blue Licks, and is currently investing Vicennes. Hand will proceed up the west coast of Lake Erie until he reaches Detroit.

2. Patriot forces at Boston had a little success last year with pinprick raids (limited attacks with artillery support, and then pulling back). They will continue the same. It is important to stay out of the reach of the British fleet.

3. In New Jersey, Wayne will move up to the mouth of the Hudson and conduct the same type of low risk attacks we are doing at Boston (although he doesn't have as many cannon.)

4. In the north, Green will move against Ticonderoga. But that’s as far as he will go. We’ve given up on invading Canada.

5. In the south, Gates will head to the coast in North Carolina with the Hillsboro Brigade to see if any gains can be made there.

6. The French are preparing for a landing in the south somewhere. The fleet has been bombarding some possible targets.

The only large group of Continentals that don't have an assignment yet are the Virginians. We will hold them in reserve. They are in a position to support Wayne to the north or Gates to the south. They can also serve as a defensive reaction force in case the British try anything funny while all this is going on.

This plan is not as aggressive as it seems. As stated, none of the attacks are going to be pressed that hard. I will be doing a lot of swinging, but probably not landing too many punches. The plan recognizes the fact that, even at this late stage, I still can’t beat the British in a massed open-field encounter.

[cathar1244]

Your comments prompted me to read a bit about General Gates. I'm mildly surprised the United States Army never had any installations named for him.

Cheers

[Raindem]

He was a rising star and a top competitor for Washington's job if it ever became vacant. But he was somewhat disgraced at Camden and quietly faded away after that.

In my opinion, Gates received too much credit for his victories and too much blame for his defeats. He was never as good or bad as people thought.

[StuccoFresco]

Seems a solid strategy, but won't you suffer too many losses attacking everywhere? Aren't the English able to inflict more losses?

Or will you be able to replenish losses fast enough?

[Raindem]

The majority of my losses have occurred when the British counterattack. I'm counting on my ability to pull back after a couple rounds.

[Raindem]

April 1780

The 5-year anniversary of the Revolution sees a flurry of Patriot activity. In the west, Brodhead captured Vicennes and Hand has engaged the Miami Indians outside of Detroit. In the north, Green has starting moving his veteran Tryon County Militia up towards Ticonderoga. Newly mobilized New Jersey militia will join them just as soon as they can arrange some transportation up the Hudson. River. In the east (New England), Heath and Lafayette are inching their artillery closer to the British lines. And in the south, Gates has started marching on New Bern.

We have settled on St. Augustine as the entry point for the French Expeditionary Force. It has numerous advantages. It is close to the French home base and about as far from the British fleet as you can get. It is not of such high value that the enemy would go all in defending it. And with the planned Spanish landing on the Gulf coast, the two armies would be in a position to support each other.

With this in mind, the French fleet emerged from its harbor in the West Indies and bombarded St. Augustine. If the bombardment is successful, and the British don’t reinforce, then next month we will follow up with an assault.

[Raindem]

May 1780

At Detroit, Hand has encircled the defenders. Most of the enemy’s Indian allies were chased over to the north shore of Lake Erie. A few remain in the city, along with the British Loyalist garrison.

In the north, our campaign is developing slower than anticipated. The New Jersey militia has reached Albany and is stocking up for the trek northward. Greene and our Army Corps of Engineers have been trying to gather up adequate shipping to transport the army up Lake George without having to resort to overland travel.

In New England and New York, we continue to creep towards the British lines. I have taken so many casualties trying to attack this sector that I’m a little gun shy.

Gates decided to turn back towards Hillsboro after it was discovered that the British reinforced New Bern. Based on what flashed up in the replay, I have detected 7 Foot Regiments, 2 Dragoons, and an HQ (Cornwallis maybe?). Our North Carolina army cannot hope to match that. But, I suppose, the fact that we got them to divert troops there is a beneficial result of the operation.

Lincoln has surrounded Augusta. It will be interesting to see if the British try to defend this, being so far from a port.

And the main event occurred all the way down at St. Augustine. The French fleet delivered 2 more rounds of bombardment before supporting a landing by embarked troops. The defenders were driven out of their position but only about half of my assault force made it a shore. But this is still significant. For the first time since the 7 Years War, French army soldiers have set foot on the North American continent.

[Raindem]

June 1780

The British made a surprise assault on Portsmouth. Like my attack on St. Augustine last month, several units were stuck at sea due to an early turn ending. But unlike my attack, the Redcoats were not able to put anyone ashore. Layfayette rushed several militia to reinforce.

Ian put it well in his email when he said the game is on a “knife edge” right now, as both sides jockey for position.

[cathar1244]

I note the counters use the color yellow for the numbers -- any readability issues when units get the colored stripe along the bottom of the counter?

Cheers

[Raindem]

No readability issues. The program automatically changes the font color when there is a yellow band.

July 1780

At Boston, the British made some strong attacks against my left flank, weakened as it were by the reinforcements sent to Portsmouth last month. Several Patriot units were eliminated (including Lafayette’s HQ) and Lexington and Concord were recaptured. There’s nothing I can do about this except pull back a few miles and reestablish my lines. Boston is what it is. The war will not be won or lost here.

The battle for Detroit is in full swing. The outcome is still uncertain.

The French expeditionary force is fully ashore now at St. Augustine. But the Loyalists, in the course of their retreat to Savannah, have destroyed every bridge along the East Florida coast. Rochambeau failed to include engineering units in his army so their progress has been very slow. Morgan will sail down from Virginia with a company of bridge builders to help get things moving again.

[cathar1244]

But the Loyalists, in the course of their retreat to Savannah, have destroyed every bridge along the East Florida coast. Rochambeau failed to include engineering units in his army so their progress has been very slow. Morgan will sail down from Virginia with a company of bridge builders to help get things moving again.

Interesting to consider how long it would have taken in that war to alert Morgan as to the need for craftsmen, laborers, and material. I know Napoleon, just a few years on, used optical telegraph to rapidly communicate across France. In colonial America, a ship voyage was probably the fastest method of message transmission between coastal locations.

Cheers

[Raindem]

Sea communications were used when no other method was possible, or when a ship was already heading that direction for another reason. Post rider was the preferred method of communication, and it was surprisingly fast. During the Battle of New York, Washington was communicating with the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. In one case, he had asked the Congress if he should burn the town during his retreat. He received the answer (no) just a few days later. Not as quick as email, but it was fast enough to prevent New York from being laid in ashes.

So within the scale of the scenario's month long turns, a post rider would have been sent to Virginia to organize an expedition. They would have sailed down the coastline to St. Augustine (along with any return communication). In our game it took me 2 months to get engineers landed at St. Augustine. I think it would have been about the same in real life.

[Raindem]

August 1780

At Boston, British General Fraser (there are probably others. That’s who I have identified so far) has pushed further out than at any previous point in the war. A Hessian Dragoon Rgt is only about 20 miles from Springfield. This appears to be in response to my successful chipping away at the fringes of the British empire in North America. Still, the situation there is dire, if not desperate. Lafayette is gone (KIA, POW, who knows?). Heath is stabilizing the right wing as it falls back from Providence. And General Wayne is coming up from New Jersey to help solidify the west wing.

[Raindem]

September 1780

De Galvez embarked from Cuba for an expedition to Mobile with around 1,500 soldiers and 32 cannon. The initial landing was repulsed. Rochambeau sent reinforcements and the town was ultimately captured.

General Hand’s attack on Detroit has stalled. At first, it looked like we were going to take it in the first month. But I became impatient and pressed the attack when I should have rested. A militia battalion was lost and now we need to pause while reinforcements are brought in from Pennsylvania.