PBEM AAR - It Ain't a Lost Cause Yet!

[Gil R.]

So, I take the 1st Corps and try to send it by rail into Bowling Green.

But I also sent that tiny CSA division -- the one I kept trying to send into Arkansas-Mississippi River -- into Paducah so as to cut rail supplies (for a turn, at least) and perhaps even attack the artillery or infantry brigade.

[Gil R.]

Back in Jackson, I decide to try to attack the enemy corps in Yazoo, figuring that if I go in by rail I might catch it before it escapes, and also figuring that I can destroy it with my superior numbers before the Union can reinforce it.

I know I swore off trying to fight in Union territory, but I like my odds here, if I can get there in time.

[Gil R.]

Originally, my plan was to use the 2nd Army to repair Jackson (which is still at less than 50% strength after the siege), but a new plan occurs to me: since the Union doesn't appear to be threatening, I take the 6th Division and its two brigades, which I had just stuck in there a turn earlier in order to strengthen its garrison, and give that an engineering command to repair the fortifications. Once they're strong enough, this division can rejoin the 2nd Army, or go elsewhere.

[Gil R.]

I do just one more thing this turn, which is to build a Plantation in Nashville, at the cost of 50 Labor and 50 Horses. I could have used my 100 Horses to produce another Raiders unit (I'll have one ready again next turn), but Tennessee's cities are almost out of building slots, and since Plantations take six months to complete it's best to start now, lest the governor demand a building I am unable to build.

I then hit "End Turn" and have a new Logistics upgrade. Regrettably, it's still not "Invalid Corps," which boosts the production of my Camps. But Nursing Corps is in some ways similar: rather than supplying new men, it protects the ones I have so that I don't lose them to disease. So, in the case of the Army of Northern Virginia over in Lynchburg (with its two Hospitals), if disease were to hit there, instead of losing 5000 men I would now just lose 2500 men. That's a fine upgrade to have...

[FFE]

Great AAR!

[jonreb31]

Can't wait to see how that battle in Kentucky turns out.

[Gil R.]

Thirty-secondth Turn

Rather amazingly, the Union force, despite having lost thousands of men and almost certainly being out of supply (or very close to it), won the battle in Tallahassee, and is now one turn away from taking the city, since its strength is down to 23%.

[Gil R.]

Not much other news. All three blockade-runners struck out trying to get the money shipments, which is annoying: three runners each had a 50% chance of success, and none made it.

[Gil R.]

Here's Florida now. The 8th Division was chased into Jackson, and one of its brigade lost its weapons.

But the Union is now down to 6000 men, so even though the 8th Division was just defeated I think it would be guaranteed if I were to attack again, since the Union force must have used up most or all of its remaining supplies, and is no longer being supplied by a Union fleet. So, I'll have to try attacking again.

[Gil R.]

So, the 8th Division heads right back, using rail movement. Even though it lost 1300 men in the battle, it received 1600 replacements this last turn, so it's actually a bit stronger than it was before the battle. Plus, I buy Richmond Muskets for the unit that loast its Minie Rifles, which makes it stronger.

This time, the Union should be defeated, since it's outnumbered and outsupplied, and once that happens its remaining brigades will soon be disbanded.

[Gil R.]

The Union fleet, unfortunately, got a away. I made a mistake sending my fleet only two sea zones, since the Union got the initiative role and was able to move away before I could pursue.

Now I pursue, hoping to crush the Union navy while I have a chance.

[Gil R.]

Here's where the Union fleet got to. The movement arrow shows where my fleet is supposed to head.

[Gil R.]

Here's the whole of Virginia. That dratted division in Abingdon still hasn't moved to Parkersburg to retake it for the CSA.

[Gil R.]

Here's Tennessee. Hood's corps failed to make it into Bowling Green, but that might be a blessing after all, since the Union is up to no good once again: it has sent two forces into Tuscumbia, and fortunately the 1st Corps is closer than it would have been had it made it into Bowling Green.

The Union's exact plans are unclear. I have to think that the army in Bowling Green has been staying there because it has siege engines and will be attacking Cumberland River once a larger force gets there. But why the forces in Tuscumbia weren't combined with the army in Hatchie is a bit of a mystery -- they could all have reached Cumberland River together, and I would have been unable to defend the province against them, being badly outnumbered. Perhaps the Union's plan is to have the forces get there separately, with those forces in Tuscumbia capturing more CSA land on the way. But maybe their target is Chattanooga and its railroad junction. Or perhaps even Selma and its valuable iron production are targets.

This screenshot shows some good news (my new Raiders unit in Chattanooga), and some very bad news (Philip Sherman is now heading the Union's large army, which means that my advantage in generals is now smaller).

Since I am outnumbered in the West, I would really like to shock the Union and send a corps from the Army of Northern Virginia by rail, but can't do that while the ANV is pinned down by the Army of the Potomac in Shenandoah. In a turn or two I might attack that army, which would permit free movement westward along the rail-line. But it's not yet time for that...

[Gil R.]

I first take the 4th Division in Paducah, where it's doing nothing all that useful now, and send it using forced march to Oxford, where it can cut off rail supply to the Union in Tuscumbia. (I manually tell it which path to take, since I want it to avoid the army in Hatchie.)

Speaking of Paducah, that Union artillery unit got past my forces, and must now be in Sherman's army.

[Gil R.]

Then I try to use the 1st Corps, 52000 strong, to attack those forces in Tuscumbia. I'm gambling that they are heading back into Tennessee, so by sending the corps this way it should bounce into them. And, if they happen to be heading to Selma, they'll be cornered there. The enemy might sneak by me if it enters the river province and then Pulaski, but obviously my corps can't be everywhere. I can always turn around to pursue, if necessary.

[Gil R.]

Not knowing where those Union forces will be, I send the Raiders after a more certain target -- the army in Bowling Green. (Unfortunately, at the end of the turn my choices aren't great, so I try economic damage in the province instead of going after the army itself.

[Gil R.]

Down in Mississippi, Jackson's 2nd Army didn't reach Yazoo quickly enough to do battle with the Union forces there, though its consolation prize was retaking the province for the CSA. This turn, it heads into Oxford, so it can help cut supply lines to the Union forces in Alabama, and can pursue them too. Plus, this gets it heading in the direction of Hood's corps, which can soon join that army. This would bring the strength of the 2nd Army up to around 110,000 men, which would stand a much better chance against Sherman's army.

Also, just in case Selma is a target I send the garrison of 3000 men from Montgomery, which is not at risk, to Selma.

[Gil R.]

Now that Jackson is no longer in danger, I decide not to keep the 6th Division there rebuilding its fortifications, which the garrisoning brigades can handle. So, I send it ot Oxford as well, so it can join the 2nd Army. (I did this instead of first sending the division to join up with the army and then sending the army on, since that would delay the army's movement into Oxford. Best to let the two brigades catch up, and not delay the movement of the whole army.

[Gil R.]

Since the Union has given me a breather AND since any turn now one of my cities or forts will be besieged AND since I need money to produce new units next turn, I do something I haven't done yet: I turn off all supply to all divisions/corps/armies, which has the effect of 1) saving all upkeep costs for a turn and 2) forcing the 6500 reinforcements to go to garrisons instead. So, my garrisons, some of which have been affected by previous sieges as well as disease over the past year, will become stronger, and next turn, as the screenshot shows, I'll have a lot more money than I would have had -- enough to buy another artillery unit.