Fernandina FL missing its port

[DarkHorse2]

See the following link:
https://ironbrigader.com/2020/10/26/the ... arch-1862/

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Fernandino_MissingPort.jpg (49.62 KiB) Viewed 238 times

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CSA_MajorPortsWithRail.jpg (51.67 KiB) Viewed 238 times

[BiteNibbleChomp]

There's not space on the map for two ports in that part of Florida (yes there's the hexes there, but they will restrict movement a bit), nor was the state industrially significant enough to justify having two there. And out of Fernandina and Jacksonville, the latter was a fair bit larger and thus IMO the better candidate for the port.

I also find it worth noting that wikipedia mentions Jacksonville as being a key Confederate port, whereas Fernandina's page does not:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernandina_Beach,_Florida
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacksonville,_Florida
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_i ... _Civil_War

- BNC

[DarkHorse2]

I guess you can do whatever you want.

I made the good faith effort in trying to bring it to your attention.

All I can say is that you don't have a problem littering the North with excess ports.

NorthernPorts.jpg (84.78 KiB) Viewed 210 times

One of the primary reasons for building the Florida Railroad linking Cedar Key and Fernandina was due to the port facilities at both of these locations. The Union needs to occupy both Jacksonville & Fernandina to shut down the associated blockade runners.

Additionally, having a historical port at both location gives the Confederacy a little more flexibility in how to defend and make use of Gunboats / Naval at those locations.

March 4, 1862 - Federals occupy nearly deserted Fernandina. Gen. Horatio Wright sets up headquarters.

March 7, 1862 - Jacksonville Light Infantry abandons Fort Steele at the mouth of the St. Johns River.

March 11, 1862 - Union forces capture mostly empty Jacksonville, which was abandoned about a week later.

Oct. 1, 1862 - Jacksonville captured, then abandoned, by Union troops.

March 1863 - Jacksonville occupied a third time by two regiments of black troops, later reinforced by white troops from Connecticut and Maine. Led by white troops, Federals sack and burn a third of the city.

Feb. 7, 1864 - Federal troops occupy Jacksonville for fourth and final time.

[BiteNibbleChomp]

My point about there not being space is less about the hexes on the map - clearly Florida doesn't lack those - but rather what the hexes are used for. Having two ports in Florida means there's effectively two "safe" positions for Confederate ships to operate from in a naval battle in the area, rather than just the one, due to the defensive values ports provide (the implication being those ports are protected by forts &c). Places like Wilmington only have a single port each, so having two ports in Florida will effectively make the CS navy more capable in a naval battle fought around Florida than it would at Wilmington - which doesn't make a lot of sense IMO.

Long Island Sound is a different situation - the ports there were major shipbuilding centres and heavily defended, both things Florida was not. It's also extremely rare that a naval battle will ever be fought in that part of the map, so there's less of an issue having additional coastal hexes filled with ports.

- BNC