War For The Union via Vassal December 1862

Winter returns.  Supply becomes an issue.  40,000 more militia are raised to help fight for the Union.

In a move that has the Confederates screaming for their lawyers, the Union determines it can send more men over seas and provided they are in small parcels, they can "live off the land" (as their is no chance of attrition for 5,000 men on the table).  The only thing stopping the Union is that they did not plan things out and therefore don't have troops in reach that can do serious damage.

Banks gets on with his conquest of Texas.

Hurlbut starts to move troops back towards Springfield to get them in supply.  The troops don't really matter, what this foray into Arkansas has done is tie up a valuable general.

McClernand starts moving reinforcements towards Grant who is camped outside Memphis.  More importantly Sherman opens the rail line through to Grant.

In a sneaky move, Reynolds slips 20,000 militia into Alexandria, cutting off Confederate supply to the forces across the Potomac.  Rosecrans digs in and waits Lee's next move.

Lee pulls back and sends Jackson and 30,000 mean to deal with the Union militia in Alexandria.  It is a 3:2 attack with a +5.  Jackson's luck fails him, the die roll is a 1.  Both sides lose 5,000 mean and gain a fatigue.  

Elsewhere things are fairly static, although troops are being rushed to defend the supply centres that are exposed on the Mississippi (Baton Rouge and Natchez).

In the East the Confederates are back behind the Potomac, with the Union threatening their supplies.

In the South Texas has been occupied,

but the Union may have missed the chance to sail up the Mississippi

In the west things seem to be finely balanced,

although the Confederates are tied to defending Memphis and Nashville

January Interphase

The Union commission a new squadrons of transports in St Louis (essential for creating River Depots) and call up 30,000 militia infantry and 10,000 militia cavalry.  McPherson and Meade receive commissions, but McClernand is sent home. Two squadrons of ships appear at Philadelphia, included one that is an ironclad.

Twenty five precent of Confederate veterans will retire if supply capacity is less that 109.  It is 112 - but if the Union had got its act together and seized Baton Rouge...

The Confederates give Taylor a commission, but remove two divisional level commanders (one of whom was charged with taking troops to Baton Rouge - whoops!)

The blockade of Norfolk is broken.

The Confederates conduct a further recruitment.  They currently have 440,000 infantry and 35,000 cavalry (not counting state militia).  They are able to recruit an additional 25,000 men some of which go to Baton Rouge - phew!!

Confederacy have 12 resource points.