Unfortunately, I did not save any screenshots from earlier turns, so a text description will summarize the results of the first few turns.
Turn One, July 1861. Erik moves quickly in Missouri and West Virginia, securing all the population centers in both of these border states, aligning them with the Union. In my few games against the AI, the Union never completely secured both of those two states, allowing me to contest at least one of them. Needless to say, I was a little surprised. Another departure from the AI's typical first turn opening moves was the fact that Erik has chosen a low political cost style of play. He has not started the draft and is relying on an all-volunteer army. Joe Johnston, along with Jackson and Smith, move into Charleston and drive out the Yankees, but since the state is already aligned with the Union, it will require that I capture all of its population centers before I can "flip" it.
I start building artillery, both field and heavy, at about half of my production centers, a gunboat each in New Orleans and Memphis, and the rest of my production goes to supplies. Even though I plan on fighting a defensive war, I still need plenty to feed my army, field new recruits, convert militia to mounted, and embark on my fortification building. The Confederacy has be very careful in planning their production.
Turn Two, August 1861. Erik doesn't invade Kentucky. In at least half the games against the AI, I've found the Union AI will hit Kentucky on the second turn. I don't know if Erik is lacking in leader initiative, is unprepared to move in force, is worried about the political fallout, or some combination of the above. Whatever the reason, I decide to move to the border with as many of my leaders and spare units as possible. Polk forms up an army in Humbolt, while Bragg and assorted forces move into regions along the Tennessee-Kentucky border. I need to be prepared to move in next turn, if he doesn't, and to contest the state if he does. AS Johnston is is appointed to Theater Commander, leaving one Army Commander slot open, which should be filled in the next couple of turns, when Bragg is promoted enough to lead an army.
Turn Three, September 1861. Erik sends McDowell out from Fort Monroe and attacks New Kent, threatening Richmond. Beauregard and the Army of Northern Virginia, camping at Gordonsville react into the battle and give him a bloody nose. In my turn, I still have enough forces that have movement left, and mildly superior forces, so I decide to try and storm his defenses. I didn't realize that the forces in Washington DC can potentially react to the attack, and...[see next month]
In the West, I find that Erik still hasn't moved into Kentucky, so I strike. Using cavalry, and proper movement sequencing, I am able to reach all the population centers with the sole exception of Lebanon, this turn. I then rail in those leaders who did not have initiative to shore up the defenses at Bowling Green, Louisville, and Lexington. Polk's Army moves into Paducah, and with one of the Administrative Leaders, builds a fort and depot. More forts are built along the Ohio River to guard the crossings. Three Heavy Artillery units are moved into Paducah to cause Erik some grief as this region sits at the confluence of several navigable rivers and can interdict his riverine movement. I also ensure that there is a substantial army guarding it, since it is the linchpin to the defense of Kentucky. It's loss would allow his forces to outflank me along the Mississippi, Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio Rivers. In my opinion, Paducah is one of the ten most important regions in the game, at least for the Confederates.
Turn Four, October 1861.
I find that Erik has reacted into Ft Monroe with a division of troops. I get the better of the battle in terms of attrition, but am forced to retreat. Being pig-headed, with even more of a percieved advantage this turn, I order another assault. I did some cavalry scouting of Washington DC, but made the noob mistake of thinking that the lack of revealed leaders with initiative makes a difference *this turn*. Since Erik's force check for initiative at the beginning of his *next turn* he will be likely to have at least some of his leaders with initiative and be able to once again react into Fort Monroe. Indeed, during Erik's next reaction phase, in November, he again sends forces over from Washington DC and beats back the assault. This time though the losses are still slightly in my favor, I lose one of my precious heavy artillery units. Time to stop this foolhardiness, and reevaluate my situation.
In the meantime, however, Joe Johnston is called back into West Virginia to drive back a Union attack against Charleston. I hate having one of my Army Commanders exposed in such a backwater, but if it keeps Erik's attention away from Richmond and other places, I suppose it's worth it. Being stranded without any movement though, I feel it's a good idea to build a depot there, to maximize the chances of me being able to fight my way back out, should his forces move into Franklin, from either Parkersburg or Grafton. Especially since Beauregard is on the other side of Virginia assaulting Fort Monroe and will be hard pressed to pull Joe's fat out of the fire, should he get trapped.
I've been building forts throughout Virginia, and have one in each of my front line regions. Though this is expensive in terms of supply, it allows me to more easily hold the regions against overruns, with fewer forces. This, in turn, should allow my superior initiative to make it easier to keep my reserves (generally the ANV) ready to react into any region that the Union moves into, in force.
Cavalry scouting and raiding by Stuart and Hampton is beginning to cause some headaches for the Union, and will continue over the next several turns.
In Kentucky, I find that the gamble to move in has paid off. Though I lost 40 PP, I more than made that up with capturing most of the state in the first turn, and I did not trigger the 20% chance of it becoming a permanent Union state. I take Lebanon, which should make the state Confederate aligned, though for some reason, it doesn't do so when Erik next opens his turn. By my next turn, however, it does.
My artillery in Paducah is already starting to cause Erik some losses, and he has pulled his river transport fleet and gunboats further up the Ohio River. It looks like he's getting ready for something...
I lose my first commerce raider, but have more in the pipeline. They may cost a naval leader and 30 supplies, but they have a good payback in terms of PP's and supplies lost by the Union, and every cruiser out chasing down my raiders is one fewer that is bombarding my coastal forts. Hopefully, by the time he gets full control of the seas, I will have my coastline bristling with fortified heavy artillery.
Turn Five, November 1861. Beauregard finally decides to not attack anything and pulls back so that his forces can become unspotted. This grants significant bonuses when they show up in a battle, and since winter is now upon us, I figure it's best to sit back in a central location and be ready to react to any potential Union thrusts.
Erik is probing my lines in the East with cavalry and moving forces into West Virginia. Obviously Lincoln is displeased that the state is not fully under the boot of the Union.
In the West, Erik launches a small probing attack against Louisville, which Van Dorn and Bragg easily brush aside. A depot is then built in Louisville, where Bragg forms up the fourth Confederate army. From this position, he's hoping to be able to react into either Lexington, or Bowling Green, should the Union get initiative and move into Kentucky. So far, his leaders in the West have had little luck with their initiative rolls.
Turn Six, December 1861.
Things are fairly quiet in the East, with more Union forces moving into West Virginia. Both sides are actively raiding and scouting with cavalry. The Confederates are getting the better results though as Stuart and Hampton launch a series of spectacular raids at Harpers Ferry destroying tracks, capturing and destroying supplies. Stuart's raid goes even further on, into Frederick.
In Kentucky, Erik decides to order Hamilton to invade Louisville, and stirs up a hornet's nest. Bragg is waiting for him there, and pulls in forces from both Lexington and Bowling Green. The 2nd Battle of Louisville ends in a Union defeat. AS Johnston is so elated at the news of Bragg's victory, that he overindulged himself at the finest "Gentleman's Club" in Memphis, caught a case of some disease best left undisclosed, and will be spending the next 11 months undergoing antimony and sulfa treatments.
This required a shuffling of command with Cooper going to the West as TC, and Joe Johnston getting appointed to TC in the East. Luckily, this way when Lee comes in, he will have an open army slot to fill, instead of having to pay the political costs of dismissing a general. Since winter is here, I hoping that I can make do with one fewer army until he arrives.
Then again, I see that McDowell's been dismissed and Grant is in charge of an army now. Things could get interesting should Erik have better luck with initiative. Then again, it is the dead of winter...
