One Sided Miniature Wargaming Discourse: WBTS via Vassal

The third cycle of 1862.

Supply for the Union is 11 carryforward plus 150 minus 5 (loss of Harper's Ferry). This is 156 for 70 personnel points. I'm not sure if they should be getting supply from Nashville, rules imply no, but I've seen a table that implies half rounded down, which would be 7).

Confederates carry forward 62 and get 60 from major city supply and 10 from seaports (New Berne is occupied, Pensacola and Norfolk closed by forts and Mobile and Jacksonville were successfully blockaded by the US navy). That is 132 for 30 personnel points.

The Union augment three 4-3s to 10-3s, convert militia to two 4-3s and four 3-3s, raise 20 new militia and a 2-4 cavalry. They are left with a mere 32 supply.

The Confederates augment three 3-3s to 10-3s, one 4-3 to a 10-3, convert two 4-2s to 4-3s and a 3-1 to a 3-3. They are left with 67 supply.

The Confederates produce 3 garrison in Charleston, three 4-3s in each of New Orleans, Little Rock and Charleston, four 10-3s Raleigh, Memphis and Richmond (two in the latter city) and an ironclad in New Orleans. A supply train goes to Richmond and there are 7 militia to deploy later. Lee was hoping for an Army HQ, but has to settle for taking command of one of the spare Corps HQs in Richmond. They have two ironclads still undergoing fitout (Norfolk and New Orleans).

The Union produce a 10-3 in each of Washington and Baltimore, a 3-3 in each of St Louis and Alton. An ironclad and River Flotilla appear in St Louis and there are 2 militia to deploy later. The ironclad is undergoing fitout in St Louis. The Union redeploy the Department of Mississippi from Alton to Cairo. The Army of the Potomac is created in Washington to be commanded by McClellan. Grant, Sumner and McClernand join the Union and are posted to St Louis, Cairo and Baltimore respectively. Crittenden is given command of Bank's Corp in Nashville. Halleck's army is renamed the Army of the Cumberland.

To their great relief The Union are not affected by militia demobilisation.

The Union supply requires 30 which leaves them with 2. Burnside in the mountains consumed two of his precious supplies (he has one left).

The Confederate supply was 23 which leaves them with 44. Both sides used 4 rail.

In Missouri the Union get militia in Rolla and in Kentucky in Paducah.

A partisan unit is created in Tennessee and a cadre in Virginia.

Week 37

Union start with the 3 chit. It will be Halleck and Thomas in the West and ...

The small division in Philadelphia was railed to Sharpsburg to block one of the remaining Shenandoah exits that threatened Maryland. The Union don't have the strength to take on the Confederates in the East.

In the West Thomas pulls back to Union City. The partisans in his rear and his reduced army mean discretion is a good strategy.

Halleck, with Crittenden, advance, crossing the Duck River and confronting Hardee in Pulaski.

Grant gets waylaid by Buell in St Louis, which leave Pope to face the Confederates in Missouri.

McDowell and Sumner go fishing on the Tennessee River.

Curtis does nothing in New Berne.

McClernand sits tight in Baltimore. McClellan decides holding in Washington is the best strategy. Heintzelman thinks he is in the best position and Burnside knows he has to fight his way out (he doesn't). But Keyes attacks. It is on the 131-161 column of CRT 2. He doesn't need supply, but Magruder does. Combat shifts to 201-250 column. The Confederates lose 2, the Union 1.

Halleck declines to attack, but Crittenden does. Its on the 161-200 column of CRT 2. Neither side needs supply and both lose 2 factors. Crittenden almost becomes a casualty.

Pope doesn't attack.

The Confederates order Polk to pull back, he does, a bit. Robert E Lee is told to go and deal with Keyes. Lee immediately pushed him back, capturing his supplies. However he fails to follow up his attack.

Magruder, Johnston and Bragg do nothing. A Hill however heads back to Richmond with his division. Beauregard sends a division to New Market, tightening the noose on Burnside. Longstreet has lots of options and has the initiative to try them, but decides to hold on until Burnside is eliminated.

In the West Huger decides to take the new 10 strength division from Memphis out to reinforce Hardee. Jackson growls he could have used that division, and contents himself with moving north of Humboldt.

Week 38

The Union get 1 free initiative.

The Confederates tell Huger to get on with it. Partisans are ordered to Union City to blow up Thomas' supply train.

Jackson decides to wait, as does Price and Polk over in Missouri. Hardee reckons he can hold out.

Van Dorn decides to try and man the fort protecting the Mississippi again and sends a weak, 4 point division down there.

Bruckner decides there is nothing to do in Charleston,

Lee does a march attack on Keyes and both sides lose one factor. Neither Magruder or A Hill come to his support. Lee decides not to attack.

Longstreet, Stuart and Beauregard hold their positions, confident they have Burnside locked up tight.

Confederate militia is raised in Pulaski.

The Union order Halleck to march attack Hardee. Both sides lose one.

Grant ignores Buell's entries to party and takes two small cavalry divisions and a small infantry division to join Pope in Rolla.

Sumner, McDowell and Thomas do nothing. Supplies are loaded on to a transport and sent to the fort at Island No. 10.

Keyes decides to retreat into Fortress Monroe.

Heintzelman stirs into action. McClernand sends his division to Washington. McClellan of course, calls for even more reinforcements.

Curtis sits in New Bern and does nothing.

Thomas could attack the partisans but doesn't. Crittenden however attacks Hardee again. The 161-200 column on CRT 2. No supply is consumed and both sides lose one, but the Confederates have to retreat.

Burnside attacks Stuart.111=130 column, CRT 2. Burnside uses his last supply. Union lose 2, the Confederates 1. No leader casualties.

Grant goes West.

Tennessee turning point?

The Peninsula.

The Valley

Week 39

The Union have the 1 chit.

The Confederates order Hardee to pull back behind the Tennessee River to Decatur and order Huger to send his division to join him and to return to Memphis. They were tempted to move the partisans, but now think there might be an issue with them having moved through a ZoC (checking the rules and noting that partisan units function as an infantry division, it should have stopped in the ZoC created by Thomas's crops, rather than move through it to stack with Thomas and destroy his supplies).

Polk and Price hold tight in Missouri, as do Floyd and Van Dorn in New Orleans and Bruckner in Charleston.

A Hill sends his division towards Fredericksburg, where it should meet up with Lee. Hill himself heads back to Raleigh. Lee heads to Fredericksburg, leaving Magruder to holder the line above Yorktown. The guys in the valley sit tight and watch the plight of the Yankees with a mix of horror and glee. Militia flocks to the flag in Richmond.

If Heintzelman goes to the rescue of Burnside, he's at risk of being trapped by Lee. He is ordered to retreat to Leesburg.

Elsewhere on the East coast Keyes and Curtis keep themselves occupied doing nothing.

Only Thomas stirs in Tennessee and rubs out the partisans.

McDowell takes his Kentucky militia to Cairo by paddle boat.

Grant and Pope ponder their options.

Burnside is still desperately planning to try and breakout, but lacks the initiative.

Week 40

Again the Union get the 1 free initiative chit. Going last in the final week of a cycle can have benefits.

The Confederates rail a big division up from Raleigh to Aquia Creek, getting ready for a spring offensive. Longstreet is ordered to start clearing the Union troops away from the top of the valley.

Lee moves north. Beauregard and Stuart prepare to accept Burnside's imminent surrender.

All the other Confederate commanders hold in place.

Longstreet attacks on the 251-400 column of CRT 3. Both sides use supply. The Confederates lose 2 points to the Union's 3. The Union elect to retreat. Longstreet doesn't follow.

Halleck is encouraged to continue moving south and moves to Florence while ordering Crittenden to take Athens using a forced march to clear the northern banks of the Tennessee of rebels. One strength point is lost.

Grant sits ideally by (there must be a good pub in Rolla), but in an unexpected spurt of energy Pope starts to clear bridge crossing points to guard against any Rebel surprises. McDowell and Sumner also seem to be pub bound in Cairo - hey guys, shouldn't you be getting that railroad repair unit moving?

Thomas and Banks also do nothing when there is so much for them to do!

Curtis and Keyes also do nothing. Come on guys, don't you know there is a war on?

Heintzelman, McClellan and McClernand do nothing, although to be fair there is not much for them to do yet...

But Burnside attacks. He must be the only man who still believes in the United States. 111-130 column on CRT 2. Both sides lose one strength point. Stuart comes within a whisker of being killed.