American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

<b>September 1862 – Turn 35 & 36</b>

Since Grant won’t attack I break him up into three forces and order all to assault Memphis. Memphis finally falls and I capture the 500 militia defenders. Apparently having Foote’s fleet downstream from Island 10 cuts off its supply because Van Dorn and the AoT move out of the region toward Grant. Grant sends on Corps and some miscellaneous units to intercept. The AoT turns around and reenters Island 10’s works. My past experience has been Island 10, which is a level 1 fort, is very difficult to take. I plan to try to combine starvation with siege and see how that works.

Out East Jackson again attacks Ft. Monroe followed by E.K. Smith taking over and also attacking. I don’t know why Athena has become obsessed with Ft. Monroe but it is the main cause of the heavy casualties the South has taken during the summer fighting. They usually lose 5,000 per attack and cause only 500.

Down south in Pensacola I tried to have Berry’s regenerated force take Escambia on the other side of the bay. The reason I would like it is it’s a level 3 Port which I could use to rest my Blockade Fleets in the Gulf. Right now they must sail to the Florida Keys to resupply and refit which takes two turns. Unfortunately they ran into Breckinridge with 13,000 men there driving them back. This area seems to be another Athena obsession. At various times 20 to 30 thousand troops have been in this area. If these had been at Memphis I probably couldn’t have taken it. But remember I am fighting Athena at her weakest setting.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>October 1862 – Turns 37 & 38</b>

Winter is coming but hasn’t hit hard yet. I will be mainly trying to consolidate my gains and clear my rear of things like Island 10. I am having an Indian problem with attacks out west against Ft. Laramie and Ft. Smith.

In the West I move two Corps toward Island 10 with the intent of besieging it but before they reach amazingly the AoT packs up and takes a boat trip north, then east past Cairo’s guns, and then turns south down the Tennessee to McNairy just north of Corinth. It is difficult to tell if they suffered any damage from this or how they actually did it without running into my gunboats. I assumed Athena’s intent was to link this army up with the rather large force, about 12,000, gathered in Corinth so they could threaten my rail links and maybe drive me back. Instead the AoT climbs back in their boats, somehow avoids two fleets I was sending to blockade the river, and steams north again but this time moves over a river leading to Bowling Green disembarking just NW of it in Muhlenburg, KY. This puts a sizable (but unknown) force near the import supply dump of Bowling Green and my railroad. They can break it either at Bowling Green or Clarksville. Much depends on how quickly I can move troops in by rail. If they fail to take one of these objectives they will starve since I will cut them off this time by river and at the end of October the region is hit by bilizzards.

Way down south in Pensacola Berry moves his force against the besieger s of Ft. Pickens wiping them out. He returns to Milton to rest and A. Johnston attacks with almost equal force, 11,000 men, but is defeated.

In Virginia I have occupied most of central Virginia and have my army of over 30,000 posed to take Richmond. I just have the minor problem of Gen. McClellan is in command and no one will advance. There is a large force in Richmond so it will take a coordinate offensive to even besiege it. I just got a game event saying McClellan has been removed from command and replaced by Burnside but so far I can’t see any change. I may send a replacement so I can see what the VP cost will be. If I can’t remove him I may create a new army and split the force. Here is the situation in Virginia at the end of October:



McClellan’s army headquartered in Fredericksburg has three Corps spread out north of Richmond. The South has a large army in Richmond and a smaller force down the Peninsula under Jackson. There is a very small force out near Lynchburg in the western part. Cavalry raids have already cut the railroads below Richmond but I can’t tell if they are affecting supply.

LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>November 1862 – Turns 39 & 40</b>

In the far west I left the various raiders to freeze to death. In Tennessee I sent a force to drive off the remains of the AoT but the AoT seems to be a regular globe trotter. They jump on their transports and sail up stream and around to near the mouth of the Tennessee River. I try again to stop them by blockading the river just below them and sending another fleet to attack them in the river. They land in Kentucky, march across Kentucky to the Tennessee River, somehow reload into transports and sail back into Tennessee. An amazing force they are. I will blockade the mouth of the Tennessee and send another fleet down it to force them to disembark again. At least they won’t be behind my lines. I will put a permanent blockade on the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers from now on.

Grant moves on Corinth with two Corps. No battle takes place but the city and a rather large Rebel force under Cheatham are besieged. I plan to move more troops in and further cut them off by taking regions to their south. Starvation should force them out.

In Virginia little happens. I am slowly moving toward Roanoke and then see if I can move east on the rail lines to the south of Richmond and further isolate it. Mac still won’t move. He did get initiative but none of his Corps did. I check his replacement cost. I would lose 5 Morale and 263 VP if I do. Considering all I would get in his place is Rosencrant it probably not worth it. I am going next take a look at forming a second army in Virginia.

Down in Pensacola A. Johnston again tries and fails to drive away Berry with severe loses. I am sending reinforcements since this is turning into a great diversion.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>December 1862 – Turn 41 & 42</b>

The year ends on an upswing with Grant’s army taking Corinth and driving the Rebels out of Kentucky and western Tennessee. I will post a separate summary of the overall strategic situation. I made Rosecrans the commander of the newly organized Army of the Potomac which cost me 4 Morale Points and 263 Victory Points. I plan to use my two remaining Army HQ’s to give Banks and Buell armies. This will get most of the deadwood out of the way. McClellan and his army HQ have been sent into western Virginia to help organize a drive along the railroad toward Petersburg.

In the Virginia theatre I built a fort in Washington partially to see how much it costs, a lot (four artillery units plus two supply wagons which amounts to about $150,000, 60 conscript companies, and 50 War Supplies). My forces in central Virginia continued pushing SW taking Lynchburg. This will put me on the rail line so I can supply a drive Eastward to Petersburg. Athena’s response was to bring Jackson’s Corps back toward Richmond leaving E. K. Smith facing Ft. Monroe. Whether Athena will remain passive or try to break up the pincher aimed at Richmond is yet to be seen. Rosescran’s new army has 50,000 men in it but the question is will he get initiative to it?

Way down South in Pensacola we still have a standoff but Berry’s army is now up to 15,000 and I will probably send more in spring. For now he has failed to get initiative so just sits. If I thought I had enough Armies I would put Banks down there and make him a commander.

Out West Grant keeps things moving, sending two Corps, 25,000 men, against Corinth. In a series for battles over four days the garrison under Cheatham with 10,000 men is destroyed to the last man. These will be heavy loses to the South that will be hard to compensate for. Sheridan and a cavalry brigade try to extend my grip on western Tennessee by driving south to take Grenada but are repulsed. Buell has more success in central Tennessee pushing south to Decatur and Winchester exposing Chattanooga to possible attack. The only Rebel army I know of in the west now, the AoT, which has been making boat trips all over the west, finally falls back to Tuscumbia Alabama after I blockaded the Tennessee River. They are still cut off from supply there since I control the railroad on either side.

At the end of the year drafts became available so I decided to take advantage of my Morale and VP advantage to call up as large a force as possible. I made a call for Full Mobilization costing me 4 MP and also Exceptional Taxes for another 2 MP plus 1% inflation. This will give me plenty of conscript companies and lots of money for raising more expensive type units like artillery. I used it to buy 3 support units, 2 Supply, 2 River Ironclads, 8 artillery, 1 Coastal gun, 2 Cavalry, 2 Sharpshooter, and 25 Regular Infantry. This should give me at least 50,000 fresh infantry plus support units. I will be able to follow up with a Call for Volunteers to further increase the force in a few turns. This should give me what I need for the drive on Richmond and Vicksburg.

Athena’s response was to do likewise by a call for Full Mobilization and issuing 5% War Bonds. She also made an immediate call for Volunteers. The South’s problem is whether they have money to turn them into useful forces.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>End of 1862 – Strategic Summary</b>

First some game status numbers. These are from Late December before my taxes, draft and purchase so that these won’t throw off the values.
Victory wise I have 115 Morale Points to Athena’s 94 with Foreign Intervention falling to 26. This is the most important measure of success in the game since the MP level affects conscription rates and Foreign Intervention can turn the game around. For comparison the game started with the Union at 85 MP to 100 with a FI of 2. At one time the FI had risen as high as 34.

The Union is still behind on Victory Points, 1538 vs 1773, but the more critical thing is control of cities contributing to VP each turn. The Union started with 38 vs 48 but it is now 49 vs 44 so the VP margin should start to steadily decrease. It is only as bad as it is because I promoted Rosescran.

Another critical measure is the relative losses, 50,000 vs. 74,000 (actually jumped to 85,000 after loss of Corinth). The game gives you little idea of your overall force sizes, your own or the enemies, so the next best measure that it does give is the body count. For the South even would have been bad and having 50% greater is really bad.

The status of transportation is 506 Railroad, 312 River Transport, and 169 Ocean Transport. The numbers aren’t real meaningful but I am near my target of 600 Railroad and 300 River. I don’t know if these are the best levels but someone claims this will give the Union more than enough capacity to move supplies and troops which are the main concerns here.

Money levels are over one million which gives me plenty to fund expensive upgrades like artillery and ironclads. Manpower wise my per turn conscript gain is 59 companies. These are the troops used to replace loses and provide manpower for artillery and ships. Since they don’t require drafts to raise they are critical in maintaining the armies. This is up from 39 per turn at the beginning of the war. And finally War Supplies are now over 2000 which makes this more than enough for any building I can afford.

Now for the strategic situation: I control most of Virginia in the east and threaten to cut off Richmond. Athena will have to do something to prevent this since starvation is the only way I can reduce the Richmond fortifications. I doubt I can get enough men together to assault it without starvation first reducing the garrison. In the West Grant has secured the critical parts of Tennessee but in terms of how this compares to the actual war I am about where the Union was at the end of 1862. But the reduced forces of the South along with my threat to Richmond make Grant’s situation much better. He may be hard to stop once he gets moving with clear weather.

And way down south in Pensacola I hope to open a third front. Pensacola would be a nice base to moving against Mobile, Montgomery and maybe even Atlanta. The main problem is lack of a general to lead it.

While I have no “feelâ€

<b>January 1863 – Turns 43 & 44</b>

Mostly sparing as I wait for my new troops to show up and winter to go away. In the far West some Indian and Partisan fights which I mostly won. In Tennessee I continue tightening my grip on the state. Rousseau’s Corps moves against Tuscumbia putting it under siege. The CSA AoT quickly abandons it leaving probably just a militia unit holding it. A small rebel army under Cleburne occupied Chattanooga to stop me from crossing the river then they crossed the river retaking Jackson, Al on the north side.

In Virginia we traded cities. A Rebel force moved up an retook Lynchburg while a Union Corps from Mac’s army took Burkeville between Lynchburg and Petersburg. I am trying to build up depot supply lines to both armies in Virginia. Athena pulled back from Ft. Monroe so I am considering putting together an amphibious force to take the eastern coast, probably Norfolk first.

Since I am in the middle of reorganizing my armies and waiting on spring for serious campaigning I thought I would go over the games military organization.
When the war began in 1
861 all the Union could form was divisions or brigade groups. These were commanded by a one star General and with a second in command to give them 4 Command Points. This low CP was due to the lack of a command chain which halved everyone’s CP value. Since an average brigade (Unit) required about 2 CP (1-4 CP) to command it without penalty most brigade groups had serious command penalties.

A division could have up to 16 elements (18 with bonuses) or about four brigades and only required 4 CP. Usually a two leader pair, one in command and one adding its CP as second in command, could command a division without penalty. The division is really the basic unit of formation in the game. While Units sort of represent brigades they vary from one to four elements which are more or less regiments. And the individual elements represent a wide range of combat types from infantry regiments to artillery as well as specialty formations like skirmishers and sharpshooters. It seems in the AGEOD forums the recommended components of a division is:

1 Leader (if not part of larger formation will need second leader)
11 Infantry Regiments
1 Sharpshooter
1 Cavalry
4 Artillery

If you have bonuses that allow 18 elements you can add two more to this. This organization gives the division a nice balance of firepower, special abilities like sharpshooter and cavalry for recon, and ranged fire power from artillery. The four battery organization is apparently critical because of frontage restrictions which I don’t really understand the rules of but in many situations having more than four does not improve your firepower.

Starting in early 1862 you get to form Corps and Armies using them. The Corps is your primary combat formation with the Army being used to coordinate multi-Corps attacks. A Corps is commanded by a two star leader and can contain four divisions without penalty. By adding a second leader with special abilities (there are many of these) or a signal unit (there are many support formations like medical, recon, etc.) you can add a fifth division without penalty.
Topping all this off is the Army HQ which can have a number of Corps, either in the same region or scattered across large areas of the map (size of the area depends on the commander’s ability). The Army allows the Corps to synchronize movements for combined attacks, give bonuses depending on the leader, and march to the sound of guns if adjacent regions are attacked.

The Army HQ’s are limited in number which creates a problem for the Union and their lousy commanders. The Corps are limited only by the number of two and three star generals available to form them. I don’t know how many there are. Divisions are currently capped at 60.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>February 1863 – Turn 45 & 46</b>

February was an interesting turn. I didn’t start out to accomplish that much, just position my forces and wait for decent weather but CSA moves changed things along with some unanticipated moves by my forces.

In Virginia, Joe Johnson and the ANV shifted from Lynchburg toward Burkesville. I moved to retake Lynchburg leaving Joe stuck between the two forces in Franklin. Meanwhile I considered moving on Richmond but didn’t have any forces with initiative so backed off on the move. But apparently I must have left at least the order to move because McDowell’s Corps jumped into the Richmond area toward the end of February. This turned out to be a pure luck stroke since if he had entered in Turn 45 he would have run into some very large armies. But toward the end of February the largest force, Beauregard and the AoP moved to Henrico to counter by Burkeville move, so Richmond is now besieged.

Meanwhile I put together a two division amphibious fleet along with a bombardment fleet and sailed down past Norfolk into the James. This would leave me in position to land in either Warwick, cutting off Norfolk, or James City on the Peninsula. This will be a major decision since there isn’t much again from striking at the Peninsula side but there is little chance of defeat. Warwick on the other hand will cut off Norfolk and allow me to take it but is guarded by R. E. Lee with K. Smith’s Corps. I have a rather large force but not the caliber of leader to oppose Lee. The Richmond situation though changes things since it might be to my advantage to keep Lee from moving back to Richmond.

In the West there were no major moves on my part but I shifted Rousseau’s Corps to Decatur to secure it. He arrived just in time to defeat Cleburne’s force trying to retake it. This left Cleburne badly beat up and out of position to cover Chattanooga. It looks like the weather cleared for March so the West may heat up.

I also got a lot of game events that gave me various benefits. Congress formed the National Bank which got me $100,000 which is always handy. They also passed National Conscription which got me 200 conscript companies along with a -5 Morale. And, most frightening to the Rebels, I got the Lightning Mule Brigade. If I ever find it I will give you the stats for this terror.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>March 1863 – Turns 47 & 48</b>

Last turn because of Athena moving apparently the entire AoP under Beauregard out of the Richmond defenses to protect Petersburg the situation, shown below, has set the Union up with an opportunity to take Richmond.



McDowell has Richmond besieged even though he has only a medium size Corps of 16,000. Beauregard could easily overpower it but I had made other moves that are apparently distracting Athena from the critical defense of Richmond. Beau also has a river to cross to return to the aid of Richmond. Meanwhile the Union has the perfect storm. The AoP based out of Fredericksburg gets initiative so the remaining two Corps, and in particular Banks huge 25,000 man Corps, along with Rosescran’s HQ force can move on Richmond in assault mode. My Amphibious operation has Steven’s Corps in the James River with 15,000 men to act as a distraction. I plan to use him to hold Lee, in Suffolk, by landing there. This will be somewhat dangerous since Lee just might be able to defeat a landing force twice his size. Meanwhile McClellan’s AoNEVa will push more men down the rail corridor to Burkeville t increase the pressure there. I have also gotten a cavalry brigade across the railroad south of Petersburg. If my moves are successful I will cut all railroads into Virginia and Richmond.

Then the actual execution of Turn 47 takes place. Beauregard apparently loses his nerve and does nothing. Worse Lee apparently moves out of Suffolk leaving it to its fate. Joe Johnston’s AoNV turns out to be but a shadow, run off by a cavalry force. The CSA fleet comes out to challenge the Union navy and is promptly sent to the bottom by Farragut. Suffolk is lost without a fight. Richmond is assaulted by Banks with 49,000 men to Steven’s 11,000 (probably some troops got in but no major force). Steven holds Richmond but loses most of his command, some 9400 casualties.

The later part of March finds the Union in firm control of everything except Petersburg. I have the whole AoP is concentrated besiege and assault Richmond. The AoNEVa controls the railroad through Lynchburg to Burkeville and is pushing more troops down it. Likewise, troops from all over the North are shoved down the rails to cover the supply lines to the AoP so it can stay in Richmond. The amphibious fleet that landed Steven moves back to Ft. Monroe to ferry Butler’s command into the fight. Farragut takes his ironclad fleet up the James to Richmond.

Athena apparently decides Richmond can’t be saved. Instead Jackson’s large Corps of 25,000 is sent to retake Suffolk easily driving Steven out but causes no serious problem since he can retreat southwest ward. Meanwhile the AoP overruns the Richmond defense with ease.

This is probably a death blow to the Confederacy but since the actual manpower loses were light the south will be able to fight on for some time. This also highlight the problem most AI’s have in these games. Once the options for movements are opened up, in Virginia by the move down the valley and in the West by taking Memphis-Corinth-Nashville corridor, it can’t come up with the complex strategies needed to regain the initiative. Against a human player I would have never gotten away with many of these moves. They would have struck at my supply lines and forced me back.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>Spring 1863 (April-May-June) - Turns 49-64</b>

I am playing the game out just to see what happens during the end game since I have little feel for what causes a game victory.
The day of major battles seems to have passed for the time being. Most of my movements are to consolidate my early successes. Athena can’t seem to put together a coherent strategy so most battles are between Corps size units trying to break supply lines or hold minor cities.

In Virginia I continue expanding my hold on the state. This leads to a series of battles in and around Petersburg as I try to gain control of the railroad net and cut off Norfolk. I send a small force down the Peninsula to put it firmly in my hands. McClellan’s AofNEVa moves down the western rail lines then links up with the Petersburg position slowly forcing the Southern armies back into North Carolina. Meanwhile the AoP concentrates its forces on Petersburg driving back Magruder and Beauregard. One Southern army falls back on Norfolk while my forces slowly isolate it there.

In the West there are two offensives under way. One lead by Buell and his Army of the West toward Chattanooga and the other by Grant and his AoT toward Vicksburg. Buell has slowly consolidated his hold on Tennessee and extended it to the rail line running parallel to the Tennessee River. This isolates Chattanooga from support from the western forces. Buell isn’t much on initiative but finally manages to get Chattanooga besieged and the rail lines to the city cut.

Grant has a bigger job since he must insure Corinth is under Union control while pushing south toward Jackson, MS. Athena has A. Johnston and the AoT threatening Corinth and the rails that have to supply the drive south. Unfortunately I have pushed cavalry deep behind him cutting all supply off and the AoT starts falling back south without much of a fight. Grant meanwhile pushes a Corps under Wallace all the way to Jackson with supporting units trying to open the rail line to supply him. The Johnston’s AoT finally moves westward to try to cut the rail line and is stopped short by a mere division size force. This mostly demonstrates how much a force can be weakened when cut off from supply and a place to reform. Johnston still has an army of some 19,000 but without the threat to Corinth Grant is rapidly shifting the AoT along the railroad to drive him back. Wallace’s Corps ignores Johnston and moves to besiege Vicksburg.

Down south in Pensacola I finally built up the forces enough to take Escambia, a size 3 port. I will build this into a major base for supporting my Blockade Fleets in the Gulf. Fresh troops reached it in June with more on the way. I intend to form an army there where they can threaten Montgomery and Atlanta from the south.

With the end of Spring both sides call for Volunteers to rebuild their armies. But the South has taken a beating during these three months losing some 40,000 men to the Union’s 19,000. The South gave up 50 Morale Points when it lost Richmond which has now expanded to 169 versus the South’s 58 National Morale. The lesson learned for the South is don’t lose Richmond. Not only due to the Morale Point loss but the lack of a good defensive line south of the James River.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>Summer 1863 (July – August – September) Turns 55-60</b>

The summer campaign has been one of dominos falling as my armies consolidate their gains and push out along the railroads. Athena, not surprisingly, has a problem handling multiple threats and spreads her armies to thin to stop anything. The result are a lot of small Corps size battles which usually result in the CSA forces being isolated and destroyed.

In July I made Meade commander of the Army of the South and started reinforcing it for a drive on Montgomery, Al. In August the city is besieged and in September it falls.

In Virginia the AoP makes a drive for Norfolk quickly blockading and besieging it in July. It takes all of August and into September to reduce it and complete its capture driving the remains of Joe Johnston’s ANV into Edenton. Edenton is a trap with the Atlantic surrounding it except for access through Virginia which is already cut by McClellan’s AoNEV which has been clearing and occupying these regions. Joe tries to breakout northwestward leaving Jackson’s Corps behind in Edenton. In a four day series of assaults Jackson’s Corps is destroyed, Edenton occupied, and Joe isolated.

Out west Grant’s AoT drives south through Louisiana taking Jackson then Vicksburg. Turning east he takes Meridian and in the process destroys A. Johnston’s AoM. From Meridian Grant prepares for a drive on Mobile and link up with the AoS.

The other Western army under Buell besieged Chattanooga and the regions surrounding it. In August Chattanooga falls and they start clearing the railroads to Atlanta.

With the capture of Vicksburg, Norfolk, Montgomery, Chattanooga and Meridian the South has been pushed close to defeat. The Union National Morale has reached 183 just 2 points from victory. However the way this game works National Morale tends to return to 100v100 whenever neither side is obtaining more points. To force a victory and end to the war I must offset this shift and gain the additional 2 points. Atlanta, which is now the capital of the Confederacy, would be a sure thing to end the war if it is captured quickly. Mobile will also be a potential war ender.

So obviously, the Fall campaign will be aimed at ending the war quickly by taking one or both of those objectives. Hopefully within the first month before the South has time for the Union Morale to fall. It doesn’t look like this game will last long enough to find out what happens around November 1864 to force the end of the war.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<b>October 1863 – Turns 61 and 62 – End of the War</b>

Not surprising the first turn of October was used getting enough forces to advance on Mobile and Atlanta to take them by assault during the second turn. The AoS also advanced taking Columbus. The Rebel ANV was almost destroyed as it retreated south to North Carolina.

And, the game declared a Union victory due to the Union National Morale of 203 exceeding the ceiling of 185. Since the game ended due to moral victory it didn’t use Victory Points to determine degree of victory which wouldn’t have looked as good since VP was just 2663 to 2311.


LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

Kennon
Great after action reporting!! Thank you.[:D]

Any comparisons with War Between the States? Preferences?

General Tony Best
Army of Georgia

Kennon,

Sir, Well done. I suspect this game is much better played against a live opponent than Athena as she makes too many dumb mistakes. I agree on the corps sized battle being the majority of the fights. I always hope for a massive struggle but never get it.


Field Lt. Clay Livingston
1/4/I
AoG

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by crlcw21</i>
<br />Kennon,

Sir, Well done. I suspect this game is much better played against a live opponent than Athena as she makes too many dumb mistakes. I agree on the corps sized battle being the majority of the fights. I always hope for a massive struggle but never get it.


Field Lt. Clay Livingston
1/4/I
AoG
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Athena can give you quite a tough fight in the first year or two of the war, especially if you use the higher settings. However, once the Union breaks the line of the Tennessee River the AI has to much to handle. I suspect playing the South against the AI would probably work out better since my understanding is that the Union does have the edge in this game.

LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by tony best</i>
<br />Kennon
Great after action reporting!! Thank you.[:D]

Any comparisons with War Between the States? Preferences?

General Tony Best
Army of Georgia
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

War between the States is a much faster paced and easier to comprehend game. You can learn it quickly and with one month turns finsh games in a reasonable time so it makes a good PBEM game. The flip side of simplistic design, few regions, and one month turns is that after about a dozen games it gets repetitive. For the Union find you have a solid strategy for taking Kentucky and moving south and you just keep repeating it. For the South you learn what defenses work best and use them.

AACW on the other hand has so much detail that it may take years even to discover all the things you can do much less understand how they interact. There are whole areas of the game I barely touched on and have little understanding of. For example:

Leaders have speical abilities, there are over fifty, which you can take advantage of by placing them in the best groupings to use them.

You can set up certain units for ambushes.

There is a complex system of determining whether units can hide, detect other units, and pass through enemy territory to raid.

The supply system is very complex and very difficult to comprehend. It is affected by rail, river and sea transport. It is further modified by distance, weather, terrain, and enemy presence. The presence of depots and wagons further modify it.

There is a complex blockade and naval raiding system.

There are Partisans.

There is a political system that I never tried to affect.

There is also entrenchment and fortification system that is affected by how long a unit remains in a region, it's leaders, presence of artillery, engineers, etc.

There are over twenty military formation types as well as over twenty naval unit types.

And this is just things I know I don't know about. My feeling is that AACW is a game you can play for years and still be learning.



LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)