<b>March 1863 – Turns 47 & 48</b>
Last turn because of Athena moving apparently the entire AoP under Beauregard out of the Richmond defenses to protect Petersburg the situation, shown below, has set the Union up with an opportunity to take Richmond.
McDowell has Richmond besieged even though he has only a medium size Corps of 16,000. Beauregard could easily overpower it but I had made other moves that are apparently distracting Athena from the critical defense of Richmond. Beau also has a river to cross to return to the aid of Richmond. Meanwhile the Union has the perfect storm. The AoP based out of Fredericksburg gets initiative so the remaining two Corps, and in particular Banks huge 25,000 man Corps, along with Rosescran’s HQ force can move on Richmond in assault mode. My Amphibious operation has Steven’s Corps in the James River with 15,000 men to act as a distraction. I plan to use him to hold Lee, in Suffolk, by landing there. This will be somewhat dangerous since Lee just might be able to defeat a landing force twice his size. Meanwhile McClellan’s AoNEVa will push more men down the rail corridor to Burkeville t increase the pressure there. I have also gotten a cavalry brigade across the railroad south of Petersburg. If my moves are successful I will cut all railroads into Virginia and Richmond.
Then the actual execution of Turn 47 takes place. Beauregard apparently loses his nerve and does nothing. Worse Lee apparently moves out of Suffolk leaving it to its fate. Joe Johnston’s AoNV turns out to be but a shadow, run off by a cavalry force. The CSA fleet comes out to challenge the Union navy and is promptly sent to the bottom by Farragut. Suffolk is lost without a fight. Richmond is assaulted by Banks with 49,000 men to Steven’s 11,000 (probably some troops got in but no major force). Steven holds Richmond but loses most of his command, some 9400 casualties.
The later part of March finds the Union in firm control of everything except Petersburg. I have the whole AoP is concentrated besiege and assault Richmond. The AoNEVa controls the railroad through Lynchburg to Burkeville and is pushing more troops down it. Likewise, troops from all over the North are shoved down the rails to cover the supply lines to the AoP so it can stay in Richmond. The amphibious fleet that landed Steven moves back to Ft. Monroe to ferry Butler’s command into the fight. Farragut takes his ironclad fleet up the James to Richmond.
Athena apparently decides Richmond can’t be saved. Instead Jackson’s large Corps of 25,000 is sent to retake Suffolk easily driving Steven out but causes no serious problem since he can retreat southwest ward. Meanwhile the AoP overruns the Richmond defense with ease.
This is probably a death blow to the Confederacy but since the actual manpower loses were light the south will be able to fight on for some time. This also highlight the problem most AI’s have in these games. Once the options for movements are opened up, in Virginia by the move down the valley and in the West by taking Memphis-Corinth-Nashville corridor, it can’t come up with the complex strategies needed to regain the initiative. Against a human player I would have never gotten away with many of these moves. They would have struck at my supply lines and forced me back.
LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)