Thursday, 24 August 2023

Preserved Starting Position July 1861



This Page is the starting position and type of all map units and other important information for both sides. It includes a summary of blockades, political points and developments, supply and personnel points and for each "on map" counter what they "contain" for the tabletop Volley and Bayonet brigade bases which will fight our battles. The Order of Battle is extended to include the factored in artillery. I have also listed all fortifications and how these will translate to the tabletop. 

I will  regularly produce an update and post to the top of the site as the "Living Order of Battle". 

Map Key 

A/B/C 1234 Map number and coordinate for unit grouping on War Between the States map (A is the West Theatre North map - B is the West South map including the Gulf coast from North West Florida to Galveston in Texas. I will include names of places on the map - confederate cities which attract supply points will be in bold and names in italics will be confederate sea ports. Supply points provided by cities and ports vary by month e.g. by season/harvest time. New Orleans, Richmond, Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta are major supply cities and increase in supply provision annually. 

Counter Key

Counters in War Between the States are in strength points that represent c. 1,000 men. Volley and Bayonet units/bases have strength points for each 500 men. 

I# Infantry counter and strength, C# Cavalry counter and strength, M# Militia counter and strength G# Garrison counter and strength, HQ Corps HQ, FA# Field Army and Supply Name***(#-#-#) Leader with Star Rating and Statistics (Initiative, Combat Span (****/***** only), Combat Value for Morale), RT River Transport, RF River Flotilla RI Iron Clad NT Naval Transport NF Naval Flotilla, SG Siege Gun, X2 Fort, X3 Fortress, ST# Supply Train and Supply (up to 10 points) DepName# Department and supply e.g. DepMiddle, Depot#/# Depot counter number and Supply (up to 99 points) 

Volley and Bayonet Bases "contained" within the counters at each location are described and using standard notation some examples 6-4  PT/NE DG (a 6 point green infantry base with dedicated artillery with morale 4 operating at 40 % exhaustion within a unit - the no elites designation is lost when promoted but the PT poorly trained designation remains for six months following recruitment), 4-5 (a veteran  brigade stand with morale 5 operating at 50 % exhaustion within a unit, Cav 2-4 PT (a two point green cavalry brigade stand), 2-5 SB-F PT (smoothbore field piece (probably a 12 lb Napoleon) newly recruited) and so on. 

Artillery is assigned to beginning/new units in sensible types and amounts based on the standard V&B Corps and those listed in the House Divided campaign order of battle. That Order of battle details some variations in units from the outset so some regular US units in Western union formations and a stiffer brigade in the confederate Army of the Shenandoah. Each division of 6-9 counter points (12-18 base points) will be assigned initial artillery and forces with multiple divisions and an on map HQ function may also receive Corps artillery as per standard V&B ACW corps by year and upgrades and promotions will occur/can be awarded  quarterly 3 March/6 June/9 September/13 December in accordance with the House Divided campaign rules. 

Finally for tabletop command and control purposes only I may include on an ad hoc basis one or two divisional leaders as appropriate for forces approaching divisional strength or more (c. 6/7,000 men - 6 counter points - 12 base points) where a counter commander is not present but for basic game purposes only. 

Fortifications X2, X3 special cases for Richmond, Virginia and Vicksburg

The War Between the States campaign rules allow a free upgrade of any x2 counter built in Washington or Richmond to a x3 fortress. Rather than have a chance role for the placement of fort (this seems silly when both capitals were fortified from the get go as a strategic imperative)  from July 1861 and with an expenditure of 30 supply points (the average cost for fort placement) both sides can place a fort counter. Washington and Richmond will then commence fortifications/works and siege artillery which translate to the tabletop in accordance with the schedule in the House Divided campaign rules. By 13/61 the counters will be upgraded to fortress counters to designate the advanced state of the works and artillery. I will keep a running tally in the Order of Battle of the State of those fortifications. 

In addition the confederate side has designated Vicksburg as "fortress Mississippi" and at no additional cost it will follow the schedule of fortifications and siege artillery from 8/61 in the House Divided Campaign rules up until 9/61 and receive a x2 counter. On payment of 50 supply points from turn 10 in full or across a number of turns (a below average cost of a fortress purchase attempt) Vicksburg will upgrade to a fortress and will continue to follow the "fortress Mississippi" fortification and siege artillery schedule. 

Fort Monroe  C3118  begins with an X3 counter on the map and and begins the game with 48 " (6" per side of "fort" sections under the Volley and Bayonet rules and 2 brigades of 2-5 SG-SB artillery. As a fortress in the War Between the States Rules can take up to 100 strength points of counters I think the suggested 24 " (6 " per side) is a little small. Equally for a fort to take ten points of counters (perhaps 5 bases at 4 strength points and 2 brigades of siege artillery and it the counters divisional artillery) it will need probably 12 " on each side initially. 

All other existing or built forts X2 counters (e.g. Memphis, Charleston) will have or create 24 " of field works and 2 SG-SB Artillery in two instalments (i.e complete after a quarter). Any newly built X3 counter will have the works upgraded to "Fort" sections in two instalments (i.e complete after a quarter) with 2 additional SG-R artillery brigades. X2 and X3 counters other than those in the campaign set up and Washington, Richmond and Vicksburg will be subject to payment costs in the War Between the States rules but I may dispense with the  "chance" rolls for placement. I am not sure I like the chance roll ? Surely if a side expends the resources it should be able to complete the works. Throwing away say 200 supply points for the confederacy because a 1 in 6 die roll fails to construct a fortress doesn't seem fair. I will probably just allow a build on the payment of the above average chance cost payment (1-4 on D6) - 40 for a fort and then 120 for a fortress. That seems sufficiently expensive for the confederacy to "dig in". Sieges generally were lost in each instance 

Beginning Strategic Turn July 1861 - Blockades - Supply 

B4026 Pensacola and C3119 Norfolk are blockaded due to union occupation of B4027 Fort Pickens and C3118 Fort Monroe respectively.

 

Union General Supply begins at 350 and increases by 150 to 500 for 7/61. Union receives 100 Personnel points for 7/61 Initial Call (use it or lose it this turn)

Confederate General Supply begins at 200. Supply from Richmond (10), Nashville (10), Memphis (5), Atlanta (5) and New Orleans (10), City Supply is at 0 for 7/61 and Import Supply at 1 (Brashear, New Orleans PortProctorsvilleCharlestonGalveston, Sabine City, Mobile, Savannah, Brunswick, Wilmington, Newbern, Morehead City and Jacksonville not blockaded - 13 points). Increase by 53 to 253. Confederates receive 80 Personnel points for 7/61 Initial Call (use it or lose it this turn). 

Political Points/Victory Conditions/Neutrality etc. 

Confederate  0 - Union 0 

No Victory/Political Appeals by either side 

(1) Kentucky Neutral

(2) Missouri Neutral 

(3) No Foreign Intervention

(4) No Emancipation Proclamation

(5) Neither side Occupies any Cities (Variant Political Rules 29.11/29.12) or the union the Lead and Salt Mines (Saltville/C0819) 

(6) Union has not cleared Mississippi

(7) Union has not cut Virginia/Tennessee Rail Link

(8) No combat points for either side and no destroyed or captured Forts

(9) No Paroles of Leaders

(10) No additional Volunteer Calls or Drafts 

Confederate Order of Battle 

Gulf Coast/Mississipi

B0153 Galveston M3 (6-4 PT NE

B2732 X2 (48 " field works and 2 x 2-5 SG-SB)

B2628 New Orleans G1, RT (2-4 PT NE) 

B3627 Fort Morgan, X2,  G1 (2-4 PT NE, 48 " field works and 2 x 2-5 SG-SB)

B4026 Pensacola (blockaded by Fort Pickens) M2 (4-4 PT NE) 

B3625 Mobile M2 (4-4 PT NE) 

B2317 Vicksburg Fortifications Projects (see above)

Trans Mississipi

B1705 Little Rock, DepTransMi, ST3, M3, M3 (2x 6-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-F PT or add DG to each base and have a divisional battery 1-5 SB-F PT 

A2014 Rolla, Price***2-1, C2, M4 (2 x 4-4 PT NE, 2 x Cav 2-5 PT, 2-5 SB-F PT)

Tennessee

B2802 Memphis, Polk***2-1, DepKen/Tenn, X2, ST2, I3, I3 C2, RT (2 x 6-4 PT NE, 2 x Cav 2-5 PT, 2-5 SB-H PT, 48 " Fieldworks 2 x 2-5 SG-SB) 

B4026 NashvilleM2 (4-4 PT NE) 

B3021 New Madrid, M2 (4-4 PT NE) 

Atlantic Coast/Carolinas 

C1145 Fort Pulaski, x2, G1 (2-4 PT NE, 48 " field works and 2 x 2-5 SG-SB)

C1641 Fort Sumter, x2, G1, I3, I3 (2-4 PT NE, 2 x 6-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-F PT, 48 " field works and 2 x 2-5 SG-SB)

C1640 Charleston, DepSCarol/Ga/Fla, 2 supply points 

C3527 Fort Hatteras & Clerk (Not made), G1 (2-4 PT NE)

C2024 RaleighDepSVirginia/NCarol, I3 (6-4 PT NE) 

Virginia

C1609 M2 (4-4 PT NE)

C1612 M2 (4-4 PT NE)

C2108 Winchester, J.Johnston****3-3-1I3, I3,I2,I2, (Jackson "Stonewall" Brigade 6-5, 6-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE, 2-5 SH-H PT) (I have swapped out an I4 and an I2 for 2 x I3's from the campaign set up in the Boardgame to accommodate the high morale 6-5 first stonewall brigade) 

C2409 Manassas Junction, Beauregard****3-3-1, 1stCorpsHQ, ST4, C1, I4, I3, I3, I2, I2, I2, I2, I2 (Stuart  Cavalry 2-5,  2 x 4-4 PT NE (I4), 2 x 6-4 PT NE (I3's) 5 x 4-4 PT NE (I2's), Corps Artillery 2-5 R-F , Divisional Artillery 2-5 SB-F PT, 2-5 SB-H PT

C4119 Norfolk (Blockaded) M4 (2 x 4-4 PT NE) 

C2108 Yorktown Magruder**3-1, I4 (2 x 4-4 PT NE, with Norfolk notionally 2-5 SB-F PT) 

C2516 Richmond DepNorthVirginia, Fortifications Projects (see above), M4, M4 (4 x 4-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-F PT) 

C2512 Aqua Creek M4  (2 x 4-4 PT NE) 

Confederate Production Spiral 

Completing :-

7/61 8 Militia Strength Points

8/61 15 Garrison Strength Points

9/61 15 Infantry Points, 6 Cavalry Strength Points 

10/61 1 River Flotilla 



Rail Transport Points 

7/61 - 10 Cap 


Union Order of Battle 

Gulf Coast 

B4017 Fort Pickens (Blockading Pensacola), M1, X2 (2-4 PT NE, 48" Field Works, 2 x 2-5 SG-SB)

Missouri  

A2712 St. Louis, Lyons**4-2DepMissouri, I3, C1, M4, M4, M4, RT, ST2 (6-5 (2nd US Infantry Regiment), 6 x 4-4 PT NE, Cavalry 2-5 (US Regular Cavalry), 2-5 SB-H PT, 2-5 SB-F PT) - The V&B campaign game gives the Union side 12 base points of regulars at the outset as  3 x 4-5 bases. I am going to give the Union side 2 x 6-5 bases and place one of these in the East and one in the West initially which accords with my understanding as to where the regulars were by July 1861. 

A1811 I3 Jefferson City (6-4 PT NE)

Ohio 

A5309 Cincinatti, McClellan*****1-5-2, DepOhio, M2, RT, ST2 (4-4 PT NE)

A3005 Springfield, M3, M3 (2x 6-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-F PT) 

A6004 Columbus, M3, M3 (2 x 6-4 PT NE 2-5 SB-H PT) 

A4506 Indianapolis, M3, M3, M2 (2 x 6-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-F PT)

Virginia/Middle 

C0612 Charleston (West Virginia), I4 (2 x 4-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-H PT together with next) 

C1311, I4 (2x 4-4 PT NE)

C2206 Harpers Ferry, I6, I6 (Bank's Command) (4 x 6-4 PT NE, 2-5 SB-F PT, 2-5 SB-H PT) 

C2608 Washington DC, McDowell***2-0, 1stCorpsHQ, I9, I6, I6, I3, M4, G1, ST6, Fortifications Project (see above) (6-5 (I3 - 1 st US Infantry), 3 x 6-4 PT NE, 2 x 6-4 PT NE, 2 x 6-4 PT NE, 2 x 4-4 PT NE, 2-5 PT NE, Corps Artillery 2-5 R-F, Divisional Artillery 2-5 SB-H, 2-5 SB-F  PT. Again "F" can be spread out as DG attributes to bases at the cost of 1 artillery point per 2 bases. 



C2609 Alexandria, I5 (6-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE) 

C2806 Baltimore, DepMiddle,  I1, M4, NT (2-5 PT NE, 2 x 4-4 PT NE) 

C2601 Harrisburg, M2, M2 (2 x 4-4 PT NE)

C3401 Philadelphia, DepEast, I1 (2-4 PT NE) 

C3118 Fort Monroe, Butler****0-4-0, Porter(1)(Naval Leader),  x3 (specialist works - see above), M3, M3, M3, G2, Supply Points 2, NF, NF (48 " Fort works (12" each side), 2 x 2-5 SG-SB), 3 x 6-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE)


Union Production Spiral 

Completing;

7/61 10 Militia Strength Points

8/61 20 Garrison Strength Points 

9/61 20 Infantry Strength Points, 1 River Flotilla 

10/61 5 Cavalry Strength Points, 1 Naval Flotilla 



Rail Transport Points 

7/61 - 25 Cap 

Next Step - Run Strategic Cycle for each side for 7/1861. 


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