"And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts"
Abraham Lincoln 4 July 1861 in a message to Congress
I am finally now starting the game and simultaneously painting like fury - if the guy from Warbases from Scotland ever reads this blog he will understand where all of his mdf has disapeared to.
Housekeeping
I was trying to think how I wanted to update the Blog as I did each strategic turn and move. I would like to preserve the starting Order of battle as a "post" and keep that for prosperity (in case I want to start again after some horrendous error or a lightning victory by one side or the other). I will create a summary of the main actions by either side as posts for each strategic cycle and turn. I will then create a "living position" and keep that at the top of the page.
So I will enjoy the tracking and book keeping as it will frame the story. In particular I am really looking forward to promoting the component Volley and Bayonet bases contained within the counters on the map and adding some chrome to the armies both through training, new equipments time in the field and battlefield results. There is a good system for this in the House Divided Volley and Bayonet captain which has gone through several iterations and been developed by the Volley and Bayonet community.
Legends then can be born on the tabletop and noted up. I love Shelby Foote's description in the PBS Ken Burns Civil War documentary of Jackson's appreciation that a battlefield reputation could grow and roll. You are allowed in Volley and Bayonet rules to apply battlefield promotions and confer shock status on chosen brigades. That can then leak back into my painting of bases and choice of flags and so on. I will try and home-brew a "Battle Honours" system.
I received a hefty package of Pendraken figures yesterday including Zoaves for both sides and mounted and dismounted cavalry. I also received a bunch of artillery models and I will be able to track the upgrade of artillery to include rifled and heavier pieces and units. As I go along I will try to name divisions if not brigades where I can identify these. Much to look forward to.
Strategic Cycle July 1861I have "talked" enough but it is how I settle out ideas and find how they work. I "test" things out loud. I will not be shy of stating that something isn't working and change a rule. I want to tell a story or relive some pieces of one in part - I cannot be in competition with myself. My aims are to model something impressive on the tabletop, enjoy the rich and compelling military, economic and political campaign on the map and to share all of that online so that I have a record. My aim is also to finish or at least get a decent ways into this and then have a pause or break for another smaller project.
I guess we can now start !
July 1861 is a little less complex as a strategic turn. While I will generate new supply points I will not need to "test" for supply chains and feed armies in the field. Units will have a full four game turns for July to get themselves into supply or arrange for it to come to them. The General Order of a Strategic Turn is
A Siege Phase on the map (none occurring this turn)
B Production Phase
C Supply and Consumption Phase (not this turn by exception); and
D Political Phase (there is a possibility of the Confederacy making a roll this turn with a 1 or 2 causing Missouri or Kentucky respectively to secede - this is very interesting - see below)
B Production Phase July 1861
(1) Supply Point Generation Segment
Union begins with 350 points and receives a further 150 points for the July game cycles. The total then is 500 points. The Union receives 100 Personnel points for 7/61 Initial Call.
Confederates begin with 200 SP and receive supply as follows - Richmond 10, Nashville 10, Memphis 5, Atlanta 5, New Orleans 10. Confederate cities are valued at 0 this turn but unblocked ports receive 1 point. There are 15 confederate ports (New Orleans also receives a port import supply) but Pensacola and Norfolk are blockaded as described in the summary by Forts Pickens and Fort Monroe respectively. The total then is 253 SP. The Confederates receive 80 Personnel Points for the 7/61 Initial Call.
(2) New Unit Initiation Segment
There are two ways to produce new units. Either side can simply create Infanty, Cavalry, Militia units etc. by paying the necessary costs in full in both supply and personnel points. A second option is to convert existing militia or garrison points into cavalry or infantry brigades by removing relevant counters on an unbesieged department and replacing on the production spiral with a counter of the appropriate value. This is a cheaper way to create regular units in terms of personnel points.
Union
Conversion
For the Union it costs no personnel points and 2 supply points to convert militia to regular infantry division/brigade counters. The relevant costs are 1 and 1 for garrison points. The counters appear after 4 cycles on the production spiral.
A5309 Cincinatti DepOhio remove M2 place I2 Production spiral 11/61 cost 4 SP
A2712 St Louis DepMissouri remove 2 x M4 place 2 x I4 spiral 11/61 cost 8 SP
C2806 Baltimore DepMiddle remove M4 place I4 spiral 11/61 cost 4 SP
Purchase
5 x C1 - cost 30 PP & 25 SP Spiral 12/61
Eleven Garrison Points - cost 11 PP & 11 SP spiral 9/61
5 x M2 - Cost 20 PP & 10 SP spiral 8/61
I4 and I3 - Cost 21 PP & 21 SP spiral 11/61
Confederate
Conversion
For the Confederates it costs no personnel points and 1 supply point and to create infantry from militia and 1 and 1 for garrison point. The counters appear after 4 cycles on the production spiral.
B1705 Little Rock remove 2 x M3 place 2 x I3 spiral 11/61 cost 6 SP
C2516 Richmond remove 2 x M4 place 2 x I4 Spiral 11/61 cost 8 SP
Purchase
5 x M2 - Cost 10 PP & 10 SP spiral 8/61
2 x G2, 2 x G3 - Cost 10 PP & 20 SP spiral 10/61
2 x RF - Cost 4 PP & 40 SP
2 x C1 - Cost 6 PP & 8 SP
4 x I3 - Cost 36 PP & 24 SP
Each side can remove an existing infantry or cavalry unit (one per department - not besieged) and replace it on the unit spiral with the additional points. This represents an organisation returning from the field to recruit and expand and is the cheapest way to add strength to an existing counter in terms of Personnel Points. I have decided that I will allow existing bases within a counter that have lost PT status to "top up" strength points without having to achieve PT status again or to suspend any current "clock" on that status if its still exists. PT status then is lost for time spent on the map. Where a counter expands such that additional bases are required to accommodate the new recruits then a fresh clock should start. I will need then a further number against every base on my roster within each counter which will be (1-5) after the PT status to track that clock. On "6" PT status is lost. The No Elite "NE" status goes with the conferring of Veteran status in accordance with the House Divided rules.
Union
I am conscious that I do not want to remove key Union brigades/divisions from the map until some matters are settled (e.g. not withdrawing regular counters in the West).
Cost infantry - 1 personnel point, 3 supply points, 4 time cycles
C3401 Philadelphia DepEast remove I1 - I10 to 11/61 production spiral - 9 PP & 27 SP
C2806 Baltimore DepMiddle remove I1 - I10 to 11/61 production spiral - 9 PP & 27 SP
Cost cavalry - 4 personnel point, 5 supply points, 5 time cycles
Confederate
Cost infantry - 1 personnel point, 2 supply points, 4 time cycles
B2802 Memphis DepKen/Tenn remove I3 - I10 to 11/61 production spiral - 7 PP & 14 SP
C2024 Raleigh DepSVirginia/NCarol remove I3 - I0 to 111/61 production spiral 7 PP & 14 SP
Cost cavalry - 1 personnel point 4 supply points, 2 time cycles
(4) Produced Unit Deployment Segment
Union
Total 10 Militia points - 2 x M2 Baltimore, and M2 on each of St. Louis, Cincinnati and Philadelphia
Confederate Total 10 Militia Points. M2 on Little Rock, Raleigh, Charleston, Richmond and Memphis
(5) Brigade Merge Segment
Both sides can merge existing brigades (one or two point infantry units or 1 point cavalry units) with division counters (I3 + or C2 +) located in the same hex. I think the brigade bases in this instance can simply sit separately with its existing PT status as a base or join and appropriate base of the same PT status. If this is not possible I will try and achieve a sensible result with the PT status being diluted on average in terms of its ageing or by some other appropriate averaging mechanic.
Confederate
C2108 Winchester - 2 x I2 merge with 2 x I3 to make 2 x I5
C2409 Manassas Junction I4 and 2 x I3 merge with 3 x I2 to make, I6 and 2 x I5
(6) Fort Production and Deployment Segment
It is difficult to plan the unit builds and leave enough for any crucial fortifications which are expensive so I will be spending in this section first and then heading back to items (2) and (3) in each strategic turn. There are some spends that are programmed in for Washington for the Union and Richmond and Vicksburg for the confederates (the latter commencing next turn). The question for both sides is if they begin fortifications elsewhere.
As the Union player I might be concerned that the Confederate player can earn political capital through the seizure of key border cities other than Washington. Cincinnati and Baltimore appear remote and secure at this stage stage but St Louis is accessible via the Mississippi. It feels like an abundance of caution however Missouri has been in turmoil for some time and Price the former state governor is lurking in Rolla having seized the state artillery and roused the Missouri militia. You can view my post on this deployment here and my description of Lyons command at St. Louis and the historic dust up at Wilson's Creek with Price on 10 August 1861 here which gave both sides a bloody nose but failed to finally decide the issue of Missouri. Neither side was able to defeat the other and Lyons died in the chaotic fighting.
There is also the potential for other Union cities to be occupied from 1/62 and connected by road or rail at the political expense of a point a turn. Prior to the decision on whether Kentucky will come out for the Union or not I cannot see any further Union cities immediately under any form of threat e.g. Pittsburg or Baltimore.
As the Confederates as a priority clearly an amount of resources should be applied to fortifications that will (a) protect major supply cities and (b) secure the Mississippi and deny free passage to the Union and the political capital that relates to that. The Confederates also need to make sure however that they do not waste their 80 personnel points this turn - these must all be spent before any further fortifications are built as these will be lost
Union
Pays 30 SP for fortification program (see Start Summary) on 2608 Washington - X2 placed (24 " of Field Works).
Pays 40 SP for a X2 fort at St.Louis- X2 placed (24 " of Field Works 2-5 SB-SG - further instalment of works will appear on October 1861)
Confederate
Pays 30 SP for fortification program (see Start Summary on 2516 Richmond) - X2 placed (24" of Field Works)
(7) Department Deployment Segment
Union
A3915 Evansville DepCumberland placed on map.
(8) Headquarters Deployment Segment
Union
Needs to Roll 1 on a D6 to place 1 x Army HQ counter - rolls 5 so no placement in 7/61
Confederate
Needs to roll 1 on D6 to place 1 x Army HQ counter - rolls 5 so no placement in 7/61
(9) New Historical Leaders
Union
Heintzleman**(2-1) (promotes to *** on 3/62) is placed on A3915 Evansville
Confederate
No new leaders on the schedule for 7/61
(10) Confederate Replacement Segment
Does not operate until 1862 but is a useful mechanic when it comes. Historically the North would just bleed a battalion or regiment until it was next to non-existent and then merge it with another unit or disband it altogether. Replacements were created as whole new fresh battalions a thousand strong. I guess with a complex system of mobilisation whole battalions could enlist and then retire at the same time when their "papers" expired. Equally a new battalion or regiment could be gathered in-State and drill before marching or being railed to the front. The confederates were much more careful with their regiments and cadres. Fresh troops would be combined as companies or single bunches into existing battalions or regiments. Men would have then the advantage of leadership from a backbone of veterans within a battlefield unit they joined. Further the Union from the outset at Winfield Scott's insistence would keep its regular forces entirely separate from newly raised militia units. In this way a new Union recruit sank or swam without the benefit of leadership from regular non-commissioned or junior officers. Not so the confederacy who parcelled out the veterans and officers to ensure that experienced men leavened their units throughout the war. By insisting on not diluting the professionalism of the 10,000 or so US regulars who joined the 100,000 new volunteers for the Union cause at the start of the war the Union missed a complete trick.
That's a little digression as well but in this mechanic the Confederates will be able to augment regular infantry unit with one or two garrison points which are initially cheap to raise. Brigades should be able to maintain their battlefield integrity somewhat.
(11) Militia Demobilisation
This does not apply for the July 1861 turn for either side but where it does each side rolls a D6 and on a result of 1 or 2 the militia points on the map are immediately reduced by 50 %. Looking ahead there is a potential demobilisation for the union side next month but for the confederates not until February 1862. There are far more frequent potential demobilisations for the union throughout the game than the confederates. This should cause however both sides to consider promotion Militia to more regular infantry units.
If a further incentive is needed I have decided that the in-campaign promotion of all newly recruitment units so that they lose their PT status at 6 months will not occur for Militia who will also be unable to progress beyond morale level "Green" i.e they will not be able to promote to veteran and lose their NE ("No Elite" status) which applies in close combat. Infantry will after 6 months lose their PT status and may also by virtue of the upgrade system (battlefield and training) progress to Veteran and lose their NE status.
C Supply and Consumption Phase
Does not take place in the first strategic turn of the campaign. Both sides used up all Personnel Points during the prior Phase which is good as the the rule is "use it or use it". The current Supply Point balance for the Union is 239 and for the confederates 91. Outside of the strategic turns supply points can be needed to initiate combat for certain size forces. We can cross that bridge when we come to it as the rules from the main game do not quite work - There is a concept of battlefield "intensity" which allows for the infliction of greater losses depending on the result on the combat tables. Clearly for large scale battles these will be gamed out using the Volley Bayonet rules on the tabletop. I will need to provide for the expenditure of supply and provide for some kind of detriment where a side is not able to provide that supply. A side could perhaps suffer a detriment in the recovery of losses after a battle or possibly some temporary battlefield handicap such as limited ammunition for artillery units or a strength point handicap for a percentage of units. Perhaps on a roll of 1 on a D6 at the beginning of a battle a brigade base could suffer low ammunition and lose a strength point for the battle only and possibly then the whole army could suffer a reduction of 10 % on the recovery of losses after the battle.
D Political Phase July 1861
The current political score for each side is 0. The only result that could be obtained by either side on the political tables in 1861 is for the confederacy. On a roll of 1 on a D6 Missouri will join the confederacy and on a 2 Kentucky. The political appeal would not cost the confederacy anything to make but a subsequent "appeal" would then cost political points (1 for the second attempt). Given the likelhood that over time the position of the Confederacy will deteriorate I think it is well worth the gamble and appealing on the political tables for either of those secondary results which would be a boost to the cause. There may not be a better chance to secure the secessasion of Kentucky and take the borders of the confederacy all the way North to the Ohio River.
Missouri and Kentucky are otherwise neutral at the start of the game and will not provide resource to either side until the take a side. For Missouri this can only occur through a victory/political roll on the tables. For Kentucky the situation is somewhat more complicated reflecting the historic position. If either side violates Kentucky's neutrality it will automatically join the other side. A Violation of neutrality occurs through boots on the ground. Either side can egress through the State using River Transport.
I am using the updated living rules version of the consequences of the States joining the Union or the Confederacy. In Kentucky much of the Eastern portion of the State was pro-union in any event so even if the State was to vote to secede Troops will be raised for either side but the majority of those going to successful side. A similar situation will occur in Missouri and I will describe the specific rules on cessation or re-accession to the Union if and when it occurs.
Historically Missouri remained with the Union - arguably at gunpoint to a degree and Kentucky invited the Union to expel confederate troops who invaded and occupied Columbus and Bowling Green early in the war. Despite this after the conclusion of the War Kentucky took on quite a rebel character or sympathy for the failed cause. Because of this it was said that Kentucky was the only State to declare secession after the end of hostilities.
The confederates kept a star in the flag for both neutral border states and had representatives from the States in government and had a large numbers of volunteer fighting for them and in particular in the Western theatre.
Confederate Appeal to to the Political Matrix - July 1861
1 - Mc
2 - Kc
3-6 No Result
Die Roll - 3 - No Result. Both Missouri and Kentucky remain neutral. Should either side place troops in either Kentucky each will receive Personnel points in accordance with the split set out in the relevant schedule for 5 or 6 strategic turns (broadly 2/3 to 1/3 in favour of the side that dies not violate neutrality). Missouri will remain neutral pending a further appeal to the matrix. The union would receive a bonus of c.80 Personnel Points from union loyalists in Kentucky if the confederacy violates neutrality and as such it would probably be sensible to wait for the Union to make that mistake at this stage.
I have now update the full summary of counters and brigade bases to take into the account all of the activity for the 7/61 strategic turn. The next stage is to do a chit draw for initiative and to carry out the first game turn proper (of 4) for 7/61. Years in the game have 13 sets cycles of 4 turns.
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