Round 2: McClellan is back! Oh nooo! vs Marquo (CSA)

[TulliusDetritus]

I can't believe it [:@] Now the Irish Brigade (an elite unit with MANY elements) has been ANNIHILATED when they were sent to Manassas to reinforce McDowell [:@][:@] WT..??? [:@][:@][:@]

It is as if McDowell was surrounded (despite a 95% MC)!! Whilst we are at it, if the enemy can block any of my units whilst my "surrounded" big army can't do anything, hell, supply should not pass either!! [:@][:@] On last turn the same with two brigades! But the Irish Brigade is an irreplaceable unit! I want somebody's head!! [:@]

Rant over [:)]

[Ace1_slith]

What posture where your reinforcements?

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Ace1

What posture where your reinforcements?

Blue or green posture, I can't remember [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

I'm curently at work and won't be doing a lot: 24 december dinner and 25 december lunch. HAHA, bring the food and booze

If we except the Irish Brigade massacre, ordeal [:(] it's been a very successful turn. Way too successful on my book. Manassas is in Union hands. Both Huger the Ghost and then Beauregard (he came back, as predicted) brutally attacked McDowell. We trashed the lot of them. The Shenandoah Valley is now open and should soon fall in my hands too.

In Cairo area, I assembled a force under Halleck (with forces from Saint Louis joined en route by other forces) with follow orders (the enemy leader north of Cairo). They engaged them, lost, I knew they had zero chances to defeat the enemy BUT now that enemy force is NOT a threat anymore. And that's what matters. That bought me one turn, and I just needed that. Now I can pour a lot of regular brigades into Cairo area.

And in Missouri he he, Springfield was assaulted and captured. You have to be stubborn here [8D]

Yes, the Union is too strong. I prefer much more what happened on the first game. I had less men (but didn't you say that's what happened in the real thing when war started?), but by concentrating forces (and recruiting lots of regular brigades in the Potomac Area) I could more or less manage to survive.

If I well understood, the Rebels were still in Harper's Ferry by 1864. I really doubt this can happen on the game.

[Ace1_slith]

Harper's Ferry swithched hands frequently up to 63, but most of the time it was in Union hands.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Ace1

Harper's Ferry swithched hands frequently up to 63, but most of the time it was in Union hands.

Yes, but in end the Union had to kick the rebels out on 1864. Goes to show that was not a walk in the park. And I am about to control the whole Valley before the end of 1861. I can't see a McArthuresque "I shall return". I'm afraid there won't be anyone to kick out on 1862.. 63... 64... [8D]

[TulliusDetritus]

I will soon upload some screenshots. Late september IIRC (I'm at work). We were finally kicked out of Manassas. We came back and they threw us again [:D] The thing is I am er... stubborn so I am planning to keep sending big armies there until the winter arrives.

As predicted, the whole Shenandoah Valley fell in my hands. I would love to end the year with these gains (Missouri + West Virginia + Shenandoah Valley). That's why I have to be stubborn and keep pouring troops into Manassas. To keep the big fat rebel stack busy that is [;)] If he pays attention to Manassas he won't be counter-attacking in the Valley. In theory!

Cairo is besieged, Grant withdrew to Metropolis. But the forces I gathered north of Cairo should take care of the enemy. So even if they manage to grab Cairo I am pretty certain I will easily recapture the place.

In Missouri, Marquo is sort of following my stubborn strategy. His defeated leader Price was ordered to advance to Springfield again (in my hands, remember). 1:1 but if I were him I would try to dislodge the Union force (just like I dislodged the Confederacy) [8D]

And in the "Far West" (Kansas and beyond), he is pouring countless hordes.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Yes, the Union is too strong. I prefer much more what happened on the first game. I had less men (but didn't you say that's what happened in the real thing when war started?), but by concentrating forces (and recruiting lots of regular brigades in the Potomac Area) I could more or less manage to survive.

Actually, the changes that were made shouldn't make alot of difference by fall of 1861. Union can build by then a few more units than before, but not a ton more.

I think your success in VA has more to do with what looks like a deliberate choice by Marquo; he committed alot of resources early to Cairo area. As CSA, you can choose to go entirely the other way; with KY neutral, you can make all your builds in VA, and just do minimal builds in TN, since the only areas open are New Madrid and Island 10, places that require Union Naval superiority which isn't there in early 1861.

His expedition in Illinois is costing him dearly elsewhere; that's my take

[Ol Choctaw]

I just finished a game as the Union vs. the AI. I was doing my best to take it slow and let it respond to my moves.

I thought I was way behind in troops. The only trouble was that when I leisurely laid siege to Richmond in the winter of 61 and waited to the CSA to respond. They didn’t. It surrendered early Feb 62. It turned out that I had 7 times the manpower. It was not blowing money on the weird and unnecessary either.

It is not so much the Union being overpowered as it is the South is much underpowered. Halving the resources from Richmond early on, or for ever, is too much with the other changes made.

A human may do a better job of concentrating his forces at key moments or locations but in the end they will just be swamped, and I don’t mean in 64.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Ol Choctaw

I just finished a game as the Union vs. the AI. I was doing my best to take it slow and let it respond to my moves.

I thought I was way behind in troops. The only trouble was that when I leisurely laid siege to Richmond in the winter of 61 and waited to the CSA to respond. They didn’t. It surrendered early Feb 62. It turned out that I had 7 times the manpower. It was not blowing money on the weird and unnecessary either.

It is not so much the Union being overpowered as it is the South is much underpowered. Halving the resources from Richmond early on, or for ever, is too much with the other changes made.

A human may do a better job of concentrating his forces at key moments or locations but in the end they will just be swamped, and I don’t mean in 64.

I do think the last changes were a bit of an overcorrection; a move in the right direction, for sure, but a bit of an overcorrect

Eventually, the CSA should get swamped. It takes awhile to move, but once moved, I wonder if there is a snowball effect, since the US can use any production it takes away from the South, even the recruits.

I would recommend a handful of changes:
1. Un-Blockade Richmond. As others have said, Tredegar works doesn't care if there is a blockade
2. Add $1 to per turn take for each Plantation. One thing about the Plantations, they are mostly placed far inland where it's difficult for the Union to get to them. (Don't add $1 to the Farmlands, though)
3. CSA is short of early 2* leaders. Auto-promote Hardee, Bragg, and Van Dorn. This was not done before for balance purposes, but I can see no reason not to do so now. All 3 were early Corps commanders prior to any battle experience

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
His expedition in Illinois is costing him dearly elsewhere; that's my take

That might well be the case [:)]

Still, I am pretty certain he is weaker. In Illinois he has basically assembled circa 600 CV (vs around 300 on the other game: McCulloch). But he has just a small force in Missouri (vs a quite large force on the other game). So not so big a difference in the end I would say. Perhaps he has committed an extra 200 CV worth this time. I don't think they would have made a difference in the Potomac area.

ORIGINAL: Ol Choctaw

It is not so much the Union being overpowered as it is the South is much underpowered. Halving the resources from Richmond early on, or for ever, is too much with the other changes made.

I see, thank you [:)]

[Ol Choctaw]

In the last version the South was adjusted downward and the North strengthened.

We don’t need to do that again. We didn’t need that last time.

The South was just about in the right place but the North was a bit weak. Now the North is about where it should be. It might even need to be strengthened a bit more but the South is much too weak now.

That is what I meant by the North not being over powered…

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Late October 1861[/center]

I haven't done a lot during these holidays [:)]

Soooo.

In the Potomac the Valley finally fell in our hands. McDowell was thrown out of Manassas but as I have said I will keep sending some forces there, to make sure Beauregard stays there.

Anyways, Manassas is still in our hands. A single brigade that is not supposed to resist an enemy assault though [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

In Cairo (or Illinois, Mississippi) I have finally assembled > 800 CV forces = 31.000 men [8D]

They will be thrown to the enemy. Lyon, finally recovered, will lead the forces. I don't think the Confederacy can stop that one (it's a huge force that is).

Grant had been defeated and is now in Metropolis. The place was in Rebel hands, but somehow, when Grant -defeated at Cairo- moved to that region the city fell in our hands.

And finally most of the Gunboats I had ordered to build are ready. We are still waiting for the Ironclads though.

[TulliusDetritus]

And Missouri is basically in my hands now. Well, let's see what Price can accomplish! As I had said, Marquo ordered the guy to go back to Springfield. Maybe he is going to try some sort of assault. We will see [:)]

A regular brigade will soon arrive to reinforce Sumner's force.

I am also chasing the rebel guys who had stormed Jefferson (recaptured, and the enemy was trashed).

[TulliusDetritus]

And in Kansas Marquo is quite active. His hordes have invaded Kansas. He has two leaders here. I have none. And I don't plan to have any [8D]

Let's see if we manage to contain him.

[TulliusDetritus]

Same thing in New Mexico. He is on the move too [8D]

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Early November 1861[/center]

Well, in the end he's gathered quite many forces in the Mississippi theater [8D] So not sure I have enough forces here. In any case, Lyon made it to Cairo. No battle. Given that the city is still in my hands then in theory this force (which will be reinforced) should be well supplied (lots of supplies in Cairo).

Another enemy force advanced towards Saint Louis but stopped south of the city. I don't think that is a serious threat.

In the Potomac area, McClellan advanced towards Manassas. He was defeated by a huge mega-horde (42.000 men) and er... back to Alexandria [:D]

Whatever:

1) Beauregard did not move
2) Manassas is still in Union hands

And Hamilton (Manassas gap, Clarke region) was assaulted. He was defeated but we're obviously staying.

I have two cavalry units which infiltrated enemy lines. They will try to create a big mess ie destroying rail lines. One is sent to Frederickburg itself.

I'm thinking about capturing Falmouth: his right flank that is.

[TulliusDetritus]

So in Cairo Lyon made it to Cairo. But as you can see, Marquo poured many hordes into that place too. The only good thing is that the city is in my hands. Halleck (in the north) should release troops for Lyon.

We will see.

[TulliusDetritus]

In Missouri the rebel scum built a depot SE of Springfield. Which means Marquo plans to stay close to Springfield. In the east, the Western Volunteers were chasing the enemies who had captured Jefferson. They defeated this mob again and now are ordered to assault and torch this very new depot.

I don't think it's going to work at all but oh well, these are my orders. So let's see if we can have a good laugh [:D]