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PostPosted: Sat Dec 11, 2021 6:23 pm 
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Location: Tennessee
The Wild West 1862 Challenge which began on July 4 has come to a close. For five plus months we have had eighty-eight participants battling it out over five scenarios. Three scenarios were chosen from Chickamauga and two from Shiloh. A total of ninety games were set up and sixty-four were completed and reported to me by the expiration of time yesterday. That 71% completion rate was a tick above the two-thirds I was hoping for!

The scenario results were as follows:

Scenario 1: Chickamauga: 099 - Escape from Kentucky
(What If, 38 Turns) Bragg has decided that the risk of fighting for Kentucky is too great. On his way back into Tennessee, Bragg senses the Union chasing him. He decides to turn and fight Buell's advancing Union army. Seek and destroy, no VP hexes!

Confederate Points: 24
Union Points: 8


Scenario 2: Chickamauga: 107 - On the Way to Nashville
(What If, 40 Turns) Braxton Bragg has turned his army north and is resolved to retake Nashville and liberate central Tennessee from the unlawful occupation by Union forces under the command of William Rosecrans. (This scenario has no victory hexes, and both sides are exactly equal in number)

Confederate Points: 9
Union Points: 9


Scenario 3: HPS/JTS Chickamauga: 009 - Equal force meeting at Perryville
(What If, 35 Turns) A meeting engagement of equal force at Perryville, including Kirby's Army of Kentucky. No VP Hexes.

Confederate Points: 13
Union Points: 8


Scenario 4: Shiloh: 047 - Surprise and Retake Fort Donelson
(What if) Union General U.S. Grant has successfully taken Fort Donelson. But due to extremely bad winter weather, his army has been unable to continue its march and has remained at Fort Donelson. Unbeknownst to Grant, the rebel army has managed to gather its strength and march towards the fort. Confederate General Albert S. Johnston has been given permission to try to catch Grant off guard and retake the fort. Johnston's first step is to reorganize his army earlier then he did historically, and place Breckinridge in command of the Reserve Corps. Also, all available forces have been ordered to rapidly march to a point south of Fort Donelson. The Union river fleet has been withdrawn to refit after its ordeal of just two weeks before. The rebel guns have been spiked and cannot be used to help Grant. The Union troops are in camp mode and are using the 400 log huts left by the Confederates. No real defense is in place due to the lack of a perceived threat. Newly arrived Brig. Gen. William T. Sherman is at Fort Henry (a.k.a. Fort Foote) and will soon be on his way to Fort Donelson, following the sounds of the cannon! Can Grant mobilize and man the earthen works before the Confederates complete their surprise? (Abatis around Fort Donelson has been partially removed by Union troops.)

Union Points: 12
Confederate Points: 6


HPS/JTS Shiloh: 097 - Van Dorn Arrives
(What If) Confederate General Albert S. Johnston sends his army into Jackson. He has ordered all forces to converge on Jackson, including General Van Dorn. Union General Grant also moves on Jackson, but Buell is held up in Nashville and will not arrive in time. Both sides are roughly equal in size and must outwit the other in order to claim victory.

Union Points: 14
Confederate Points: 10



The final tally is that the Federals have won two scenarios and the Confederates have won two scenarios. The fifth scenario ended in a tie.

The result of the Wild West 1862 Challenge is simply that... the war goes on! Neither side wins and the fighting continues into 1863.


I am fine with that. If anything it is only appropriate as we begin Wild West 1863 next month. If you want to help settle the score and enlist to finally put an end to the fighting in the west then check out https://www.acwgc.net/1863signup where you can sign up for another tour of duty in the western theater.

I know some will look at the result of this and think it is a failure that a tournament can end in a tie. I completely disagree. I believe it was the result of excellent scenario selection and an equal playing field. At the end of the day all anyone wants is a tournament which is winnable by either side and, obviously, that aspect of it succeeded perfectly.

I want to thank everyone who participated. It was a ton of fun to run the tournament and, thankfully, it went off without any major problems. I hope everyone enjoyed it and discovered a scenario or two that they hadn't played before and that they will revisit again in the future.

Wild West 1863 begins in a few weeks... get ready!

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Gen. Blake Strickler
Confederate General-in-Chief
El Presidente 2010 - 2012

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 11, 2021 7:04 pm 
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Thank-you very much for running the Tournament. I found it very enjoyable and I know some opponents also enjoyed the scenarios whether they won or lost.

I was a little surprised that Scenario 1 was so lopsided in points as it seemed a very balanced scenario (a similar 2:1 Win/Loss result as the USA win in Scenario 4). It looks that if the Confederates were able to get the upper hand in the battle they were able to do so convincingly. It was nice to see that in points overall the Confederacy led all the way.

I'm looking forward to the next round in the New Year.

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Paul Swanson
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First Division
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Army of Northern Virginia


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 11, 2021 7:45 pm 
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Quaama wrote:
Thank-you very much for running the Tournament. I found it very enjoyable and I know some opponents also enjoyed the scenarios whether they won or lost.


Thanks for the kind words, Paul!

I did try hard to choose quality scenarios where both sides had a chance.

I was surprised by Scenario #1's lopsided results as well. On paper it looked very even but the Johnny Rebs must have really wanted to regain the Kentucky bluegrass.

I was also surprised Scenario #4 was a comfortable Union victory as I viewed it as a more even matchup or one that favored the Rebs.

Interesting that the Rebs lost both Shiloh matches against Grant's men but beat up on Buell in the Chickamauga games.

The (real) Union Army of the Tennessee saved the tournament for the Federals. :mrgreen:

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