WBTS via Vassal - Weeks 5 to 8

On to the next cycle and I find the Vassal chart for Union builds is different to that for 1st Edition. The supply cost to build a Garrison strength point is 3, the same cost as for Infantry and not the 2 it used to be and still is for the Confederates.  I am assuming this is a mistake.  Handy as it means the Union have an extra 50 supply points.  A careful reading of Don Johnson's WTBS Units PDF supports this assumption, but I note the cost for the Confederates to build a Naval Base has changed.

The Union have 62 (the leftover 12 plus the bonus 50) plus 125 minus 5 (for the loss of Harper's Ferry).  Total 182.  They have 90 personnel points.  The builds are to convert 8 militia from Washington and 6 from Cincinnati to 8-3 and 6-3 infantry divisions, raise two 2-4 cavalry divisions, 20 militia, 24 garrison and one naval transport.  This leaves them with 46 supply.

The Confederates have 111 plus 6 (from seaports) plus 40 (city supply).  Total 157.  They have 70 personnel points.  They augment a 3-3 to a 10-3, convert a 4-2 to a 4-3, raise 20 militia and 20 garrison.  That leaves them with 78 supply.

Union reinforcements are 12 militia (which will be deployed in the coming turns), 20 garrison which are deployed  as follows: 10 St Louis, 5 Washington and 5 Baltimore.  A River Transport is launched on the East Coast.  General Butler's brain goes into overdrive at the prospects of what this river transportation can be used for.

The Confederates receive 24 militia and 15 garrison.  The garrison is distributed between Richmond, Charleston and Memphis.

Both Beauregard and McDowell undertake brigade merge to bolster their divisions.

Hardee starts to build a fort spending 20 supply points for good foundations at Island No. 10.

The Confederates deploy a Department to Mobile, AL.

In what might be a war winning outcome, the Union create three Corps HQs.  One goes to Lyon while the other two go to the Departments in St Louis and Washington.  Next, Union leader pick...

Banks goes to St Louis as commander of the 3rd Corps and Burnside goes to Washington as commander of the 4th Corps.

After this good news, the North brace themselves for militia demobilisation.

There are seven states with militia.  None of them demobilise.  Wow.  (There was a one in three chance for each state).

Next is the supply phase and both sides want to build depots.  The Union builds depots in Washington, Baltimore and St Louis.  The Confederates build depots in Richmond and Memphis.

Confederate supply consumption is 24, but requires no rail.  Beauregard is isolated and not adjacent to his supply wagon.  There are three other Confederate units in north Virginia that are also isolated and without supply...  The Confederates in Romeny and Harper's Ferry succumb (4 SP in total).

Beauregard has a lucky escape!

Union supply is 28 and requires a little bit of rail.

The Confederates put 10 supply into each of their depots, the Union put 5.  The Union are a bit tight on resources.  The Confederates broadcast their remaining supply to the supply wagons in New Madrid and Union City on the Mississippi.

In Kentucky Confederate "friendly" militia appear in Columbus while Union "friendly" militia appears in Lexington.

In Missouri pro Confederate militia muster in New Madrid.

Week 5

The Confederates stick with the 2 chit while the Union get given the 1 chit.

Beauregard is ordered to fall back on Johnston.  Learning about the loading of supplies on Union warships in Baltimore, the Confederates decide to move some of the Charleston garrison to Fort Sumter.

Johnston awaits Beauregard's arrival.  Van Dorn gets off the train in Mobile to take up his new duties in the Department of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, or as he prefers to call it, The Gulf. Hardee with his two divisions crosses the mighty river with the aid of a temporary ferry and to join Polk in New Madrid.  Polk doesn't wait and marches to Cape Giradeau to threaten Cairo.  In an amazing display of cooperation Price starts to march to join Polk and Hardee, stopping on the way to cut the rail line to Ironton.  Magruder sits put, even though he is needed in Richmond.

Militia are is raised in Union City and New Market.

McDowell is ordered to Manassas and forcefully breaks the railway line there.  Burnside orders a new uniform. McClellan goes to Columbus to review the militia there, but he sends his supply wagon to Sharpsburg, MD.  Banks waits in St Louis although he really should go and collect reinforcements. Supplies are sent to Cairo by river transport.  Lyons marches down along the banks of the Mississippi to confront Price.  The new river transport on the east coast sails to Washington, the crew wave to General Butler as they sail past.  Porter and the replenished naval flotilla from Baltimore sail to the rebel held Fort Hatteras and pummel the garrison to oblivion.  Sadly they have no troops to follow up this victory.  The other Union naval flotilla breaks off from blockading Brunswick and repeats Porter's success by blasting the the garrison of the fort protecting Savannah to kingdom come.

The Eastern Theatre of operations.

Action at Cape Hatteras.

Lyon's attacks!  Price tells his cavalry to retreat.  His militia lose half their strength (2SP) and retreat. Lyons loses 1SP and hold his position on the river, satisfied that Price is now isolated.

The Western Theatre with the fight for Missouri and the Mississippi.

The Union raise militia in Illinois and Washington.

Week 6

The Confederates remain with 2 free initiatives, but the this time the Union get none.

Johnston is order to pick up the isolated militia in the mountains and hopefully later head to Staunton. Beauregard is left to face McDowell.  The lack of Union initiative gives him a chance to at least hold the front for now.

Using a temporary ferry Polk crosses the Mississippi to the North of Cairo, cutting the railway line. However to do so required him to force march a militia unit and it took a casualty.

Price stays put, prepared for another attack from Lyons.  Hardee, annoyed that Polk is taking all the glory, stays put as well.  Van Dorn decides to order a new uniform to go with his Department of the Gulf.  Magruder, who probably knows full well he has nothing to fear from Butler, decides to stay put all the same.

Polk attacks!  It's on the 71-90 column of CRT 2.  He wins a great victory forcing the Union to retreat, capturing Cairo and its supplies.  Both sides lost one SP.  The Union garrison slip across the river and hope that Lyons will come to their rescue.

The Confederates raise more militia in Union City, New Market, Mobile, Pensacola and Savannah.

Lyons marches to Cape Giradeau to join the troops who retreated from Cairo, Banks stays put ready to defend St Louis.  McClellan continues with his troop inspection in Columbus.  Burnside and McDowell do nothing.  And Butler...

Lyon attacks!  Across the river.  Polk thinks about putting his supply wagon into the fight, but decides not.  The 161-200 column on CRT 4 will give Lyons an assured victory.  Lyon uses supply and the rebels are forced to retreat, losing 1SP to the Union's 2.  Lyon recaptures Cairo and its supply dump.

The Union again raise militia in Illinois and Washington.  But oh dear, it seems I am missing four 2-2 militia counters.  I think that is because I have accidentally clicked delete or deliberately clicked delete in order to remove the unit as a casualty.  Maybe some militia did disband after all...

Week 7

The Confederates remain with 2 free initiatives, but again the Union get none.

Johnston completes his move to Saunton.  Beauregard is ordered to pull back towards New Market.

Magruder is happy watching Butler.  Van Dorn does a spot of fishing.

Hardee retreats back across the Mississippi to Island No. 10 and Polk force marches after him, losing another SP.

Only Price remains in the field.

The Confederates raise militia in Memphis and Richmond.

Burnside looks on, but McDowell moves to the Aqua Creek performing an attack from march to drive the rebel militia from that place.

At this rate McDowell could well be in reach of Butler.

Now that would be interesting.

Porter sails to Florida.  McClelland does nothing.

Banks rails to St Joseph to belatedly gather reinforcements.

Lyons force marches to New Madrid, losing one SP on the way.

Lyons takes another Missouri town for the Union.

The remaining Union Militia are raised in Washington.

Week 8

The Confederates remain with 2 free initiatives, but the Union at least get one this time.

Beauregard is ordered to move to Saunton so he can get back on a supply distribution path.

Johnston and Magruder do nothing.

Van Dorn moves to Pensacola with the Alabama militia.

Price is ordered back to Rola to also get on a supply path.  He has to force march and loses one SP.

Polk sulks and Hardee just wants to get on with building a fort.

Banks is ordered to bring the militia in St Joseph back to St Louis.

Porter rounds Florida and is poised to enter the Gulf.

McClelland is happy in Columbus, OH, and maybe it is a good thing as the Union might not have the capacity to train the militia he has collected.  Burnside does bugger all and as for Butler, don't ask.

Both Lyons and McDowell take a well earned rest.

Casualties 

During the second month of the war the Confederates lost 12 strength points and the Union 4.