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Victoria - AAR : The Civil War (End)
In March, the complete anihilation of the Western front is achieved, the US thus suffering its worst defeat ever, the frontline completely broken, the majority of the country being open to conquest. However, riots everywhere and the insane pressure applied in Virginia prevent us to launch a huge occupation operation. Moreover, a newly-elected anti-military government cripples our war effort by preventing us to extend conscription still further.
Except for a few units, all the armies of the Western Front are sent East. The Second Regular Army is sent Directly to Manassas while the NG and the IInd and IIIrd Conscript army are sent to Cleveland in order to shorten the front and divert forces from Maryland.
On March 8th 1863, the last two divisions we were ever able to recruit are deployed in Fredericksburg and sent to Manassas. Lee's extraordinary performance at containing the overwhelming Maryland Army is felt to be decisive for the later course of the war.
Dauterive arrives from the west on March 16th and joins the bloodbath in Cleveland. Jackson is still Fighting rebels in Missouri, along with a handful of depleted Union units. On April 2nd 1863, one year after the Conscription act was passed, the US army, though completely desorganized still manages to fight efficiently.
The battle of Cleveland is of course a success, our forces being more then three times superior. As the Norfolk Garrison established control over the aera, Dauterive takes all the available units on a chase to Pittsburgh, leaving only the Norfolk Garrison behind him to secure Cleveland
On April 18th 1863, The battle of Manassas is still going on. Despite the destruction of many US divisions, the US seems willing to throw everything it has in this battle, as if it had infinite manpower. Lee's incredible resistance proves very costly. Divisions have been pulled back from as far as Missouri, and several units have already vanished in the fires of war.
On April 24th, The bloodshed in Manassas comes to an end with the retreat of the remaining Confederate troops to Staunton and Fredericksburg. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the entire Army of Virginia have ceased to exist, and the remains of the IInd Regular Army and of the fresh troops of March consist in only a few hundred shellshocked, wounded men. Though the Western front has been closed, the Eastern front is falling appart, leaving the gate to Richmond wide open.
As the collapse of the Eastern front sucks US divisions from the Northern border, Lee, now without a command, is sent to assist Dauterive's Army of the West in taking Buffalo. US troops starts pouring into Norfolk, threatening Richmond and the CS capitol. The more or less valid IInd Regular Army, replenished with new men, marches towards them, while the Volunteer Regiment of Kentucky and a couple of disorganized units are sent to Manassas, in a desperate effort to isolate more US troops and stop the decomposition of the Confederate Army in Virginia.
Lee marches into Buffalo, looking grim. Though he has six divisions and Billings only four, his army consists mainly of exhausted veterans from the Lake Campaign and not one division has its ranks complete.
On the other side of the front, the Norfolk Battle is a victory, but new US forces gathered in Manassas refuse to leave Confederate grounds. Both the retreating US troops and the victorious IInd Regular Army also arrive and join the Second Battle of Manassas, where the disorganised US troops are finally overwhelmed.
On August 7th 1863, the CSA seems to have the upper hand.
However, riots just behind the frontlines prevent any offensive from the Confederacy. On August 5th, a large offensive lead by the US General Meade, threatens to isolate Lee and Dauterive's Army of the West.
They immediately retreat to save their supply lines and support the Norfolk Garrison. In Manassas, the routed US forces are retreating to Washington, chased by the IInd Regular Army, while the second half of the army stands in Manassas to reestablish Confederate control. Sudden reinforcements in Washington, and the fear of an early conter attack cutting back the Second Regular army leads to the canceling of the assault.
In Pittsburgh, the battle has turned into a ridiculous butchery. As Lee calls for more and more units from the central front and from the west, Meade's Battalion starts to plummet and falls appart. On September 7th, Jackson abandons Buffalo and joins the battle. Two days latter, Missouri officially joins the confederacy.
The Battle of Pittsburgh continues, under the general supervision of Twigs on the Confederate side and Meade on the Union's. Most of the US forces being pinned down there, the US have neglected the defense of Frederick in Maryland. An attack is immediately planned.
After the destruction of most of their forces, including Meade's own division, the survivors of Pittsburgh retreat. The victorious forces of the Confederacy launch a huge assault on the heavily fortified province of wheeling, hoping to conquer the second half of West Virginia and its mountains.
The battle ends with a costly victory, but Pittsburgh being defenceless, the US army jumps on the opportunity to seize control of one of its industrial centers. While the IInd Conscript Army occupies Wheeling, all the armies of the Western front march back there. In the west, Jackson still kills rebels and tries to prevent the remainig US west forces to regain ground. These tiny remains of an army are still without orders from their government since October 23, 1862.
Despite our efforts, Pittsburgh falls into the hands of the Union. We make a hasty retreat to Cleveland, both to heal our wounds and to prevent any further advance. However, the 1864 elections in the United States saw McClellan elected as President of the United States. The new president made a peace offer to the Confederate Military Command.
The US ambassador met General Lee, general Dauterive and general Johnson in Cleveland, where he proposed what was presented as an "honorable peace", basically a return to the 1861 borders with Missouri and Kentucky under Confederate control. The CSA government demanded all border states and, unsurprisingly, the United States would not submit. The war went on.
The US uses the momentum of its success to attack the army in Wheeling. This is a stupid decision because this province is heavily defended, easily defendable, and because it forces the Union army to leave Pittsburgh empty. We jump on this opportunity to take it back. Seing this, the US invaders make a hasty retreat to Pittsburgh, where they overwhelm the small Confederate attacking force, but are soon joined by the vast Army of the West.
More divisions from the east attack us in Pittsburgh, and we are forced to retreat to the secure province of Wheeling. There, the Eastern theater as a whole comes to a stop. What follows is a long and useless series of ambushes and skirmishes, but the real battle now happens in the West, where Jackson is still gaining provinces, crushing revolts and containing the shreds of the US army.
The theocracy of Deseret, under Confederate control, decided to officially join the Confederation on May 25th.
Finally, on September 12th 1864, on the brink of disintegration, the United States recognized its defeat and the legitimity of the CS claims on the western territories.
It was now time for the Confederacy to acknowledge its bankrupcy, starts to heal its wounds and prepare its administration for its glorious destiny. After the European intervention in Mexico, the Confederate Army liberates Mexico and includes it in the CS sphere of influence, but the United States, to counter this, also agree to a military alliance with the country.
At the end of 1869, after the expiration of the peace treaty, the Union foolishly calls for another war against the Confederacy, with mexican support. Though Mexico never did as much as moving troops to Texas, the United States found its army crushed and almost its entire territory occupied by Confederate troops, only the North-East being under siege. The peace treaty was much harsher this time, as West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and most of Mishigan were annexed to the Confederacy, definitely splitting the US territory, the Confederate Army dwarfing its ennemy.
A long period of peace was now to follow in North America. After the purchase of Cuba, Jamaica and other islands in the caribbean from the United Kingdom and Spain, the Confederacy, now rapidly extending its industry, invaded and annexed Guatemala, Honduars, Nicaragua, El Salvador, in the end, every country in Central America between Mexico and Columbia. We then decided to build the Panama channel, bought Belize from the UK and increased the size of our armies, creating great and efficient public services for Health and Safety Measures at Work. We thus managed to regain our status as one of the most important power on Earth.
The final situation is 1936.
Hellkeeper, 01/09/2010 à 15h10
Victoria - AAR : The Civil War 2
At sea, the small CS Navy retreats from US waters on January 1st. Out of their mind, US commanders send the Army of Louisville back, an order equivalent to a death sentence, as Jackson now holds the province and has a huge numerical superiority.
A third Conscript army is deployed and sent to Charleston, under the name of IInd Conscript Army (the previous 2ndCA having been incorporated into the Army of the West). Meanwhile, the horrible assault on Louisville turns into a complete slaughter, as hopeless waves of Union soldiers are dropped into the firestorm. Part of the army of Paducah is sent there in order to support the exhausted troops under General Dauterive from the Army of the West, who took control of the battle, Jackson having been wounded.
On 19th February, the Norfolk Garrison from Lexington and the IInd Conscript Army are ordered to take Cincinnati. In Kentucky, incompetent Union command, refusing to retreat, leads to the complete anihilation of the army of Louisville and its support. Dauterive takes the city.
On 11th March, the three broken divisions in Lousville are routed and the Army of the West remains in Lousville, establishing Confederate rule over the ruins of the city. The bloody Battle of Louisville, despite a short interruption in Winter 1861, lasted for seven months.
On April 1st 1862, the government passed the Conscription Act. Ten new divisions were drafted, causing unrest in the entire Nation. The new soldiers are sent to all armies in order to strengthen the frontline, and two expeditionary corps are sent to take control of Oklahoma and Missouri.
Spring saw the Split Operation being resumed, now being executed with all available forces. We would try and conquer Evansville and Cincinnati and proceed Northward from here, without diluting our army or overstretching our supply lines.
The battle of Cincinnati ends. Once again, we stand victorious, as the Army of the West and the IInd Reserve Army, under Jackson, attack Evansville. The Norfolk garrison, now in Cincinnati, marches to Indianapolis, as we hope to encircle the US army of the Western Front there or in Cairo. The NG is intercepted and has to fight its way into the city. The Encirclement plan vanishes and the Ist Conscript Army, in paducah, is sent to Cairo to delay yankee reinforcements in Indianapolis.
On May 9th, Kentucky officially declares its secession from the United States and enters the Confederation. 10 000 enthusiast soldiers join the Volunteer Regiment of Kentucky and join the Battle of Evansville.
To my dismay, the counter-attack comes from the East, as armies marching through Colombus or descending through Ft Wayne make their way to the Norfolk Garrison, now fighting 1vs2. On may 18th, they are called back to the secure aera of Cincinatti, while Jackson secures Evansville.
The Ist Conscript Army reaches Cairo. Dauterive and the Army of the West join them. Fleeing units find their way to Evansville and are sent back to Cairo. West of this, the two reserve divisions deployed south of Missouri are finalizing the occupation of Springfield and Rolla
In June, the 2CA and NG are sent to Colombus, where only small Northern army stands. However, massive reinforcements after the outbreak of the battle prompt us to abandon the fight and come back to Cincinnati. June also sees our victory in Cairo. Our Expeditionary corps in Oklahoma, their task completed, are sent to nearby US states to disorganise the administration and disrupt any drafting attempt of the US in these states. The Missouri occupation plan is thwarted by a counter-attack in St Louis. The Reserve division there retreats as Dauterive, marching from Cairo, replaces it on the battlefield.
Colombus is taken. All remaining troops in Evansville and Cincinnati ordered to take Indianapolis to extend the front line north and separate the two fronts. Thus starts Jackson's "Lake Campaign". However, we notice a large concentration of US forces in Maryland and we fear a massive counter attack in Virginia that would endanger our whole strategy.
The Battle of Indianapolis is short-lived, as Confederate forces, five times greater than Lieutenant York's army brush resistance aside. The division routed from St Louis is sent to Jefferson City where they join forces from Springfield. Meanwhile, the Ist Conscript Army, in Cairo is under heavy attack. Our goal is to take Kansas City and Jefferson City, thus encircling the three US divisions in St Louis where Dauterive's Army of the West would destroy them entirely.
Four new regiments are created, forming the Second Regular Army, the first regular army implictly being the Army of Northern Virginia. They are ordered to Attack Cleveland, as this would complete our grand plan by dividing the Union. The East Front shows no sign of evolution right now. After a bit more than a year, the war has seen the Confederation expanding greatly, and the Union being threatened, as more and more divisions are unable to get clear orders from Washington.
In Mid-August, the US sends large reinforcments to Cleveland, which leads us to direct the IIRA on Toledo instead. The Western Front sees Jackson's IInd Reserve Army called back from Indianapolis to break US resistance in Cairo. He then chases them to Kansas City, thus giving us hope to complete the encirclment of St Louis where Dauterive is pinning down all the remaining armies of Missouri.
Both operations are complete success. The Confederate forces of Missouri are sent to St Louis while Jackson prevents any breakthrough. Toledo falls quickly, but has to be quickly reinforced as a medium-size counter attack is organized by the United States.
On September 28th, the encirclement of St Louis is complete. The US Missouri army is anihilated and the few survivors are taken prisonners.
The Norfolk Garrison is sent to Detroit to complete the splitting of the US while the 2ndRA protects their back.
After the successful breakthrough of the Confederate Army in Missouri, Jackson organizes the second phase of the Lake Campaign : Dauterive is to occupy Davenport while he himself takes control of Des Moines, then proceeds to take Chicago. At the same time, the Norfolk garrison is to take Lansing. This would create a huge pocket, Isolating what remains of the Western front.
While Dauterive's Army of the West marches to Chicago, thus cutting any retreat, Jackson's IInd Reserve Army, in Des Moines and the Ist Conscript Army in Cairo, launch a great assault on Spingfield. Feeling the trap, the army in Ft Wayne tries to break through Dauterive's lines. Their assault is a failure and they retreat inside the pocket. On January 29th, 1863, Chicago falls under Confederate control. The Norfolk garrison in Lansing effectively prevents any retreat through the lakes, the US armies in Springfield and Ft Wayne are doomed. All the Armies of the western front are sent in Springfield while the six divisions in Indianapolis march towards Ft Wayne, soon joined by the Norfolk garrison (now very very far away from Norfolk).
In the West, the two Expeditionary corps are still expanding the Confederate territories and smashing occasional union loyalists. However, Unionists also take arms against the right to possess human beings in the occupied territories of the north. The Confederacy is actually on the brink of self-destruction, its economy, army and civilian population exhausted. Feeling this, the US government decides to launch a huge attack in Northern Virginia, 12 divisions from Maryland attacking Lee's 4. Despite brilliant command, support from the fleet, entrenchment and use of heavy artillery, the ANV is suffering terrifying losses and fighting 1vs3. The various armies in Staunton are amalgamated in a single Staunton army and sent to Manassas to help.
Hellkeeper, 31/08/2010 à 13h24
Victoria - AAR : The Civil War 1
Of all the military challenges Vicky has to offer, I have always found the Civil War on the Confederate side and Wold War I as Serbia to be the most interesting and involving. In both cases, being desperatly outnumbered, technically backward and without any hope of direct help makes shere survival a challenge.
The war starts on day 1, July 4th, 1861. Some POPs are converted to soldiers, all the armies are reinforced, a new division is set up and a four volunteer divisions are created and immediately mobilized. I will need all the forces I can gather and I won't even try to save the Southern economy, as the imports of clothes, weapons and food will be enormous. The economy is basically doomed.
Because the Union always starts with a massive assault on Manassas, the Army of Northern Virginia and all armies in the East are gathered in Staunton, save for the Army of the Shenandoah which is sent to Charleston, as its mountains and forests make it an easily defendable position. If the Union reaches this province before we do, it will be almost impossible to dislodge its troops, and the Confederacy has not enough men to suffer the heavy casualties that a regular assault would surely cost.
All the armies of the West are gathered in Bowling Green and amalgamated as the "Army of the West". Our great plan is to push through Kentucky to the canadian border or the great lakes, and thus break the communication lines of the ennemy, divide his territory and isolate the western part.
Two problems however: pushing north will stretch our supply lines to almost unsustainable level and open a new front on each side. The United States having what amounts to three times the confederate population and a larger army from the beginning will have plenty of time to crush our attacks and prevent us from advancing. At least three phases of the Confederate plan are based on major incompetence in the US military HQ.
Lee is intercepted by Major Baker's troops but quickly retreats to Staunton. The Army of the Shenandoah arrives in Charleston exactly one day before a Union army does and benefits from the topology. After a small skirmish, the ennemy retreat with heavy casualties.
Meanwhile, the Army of the West is split, and the three divisions are ordered to attack the remaining provinces of Kentucky. No ennemy division is visible west of us, but we fear it's only a matter of time before they arrive.
In yellow, the limits of Kentucky state, which I want to rally to the CSA.
Union forces spotted in Cairo, just north-west of us, attack Colonel Watts' division in Louisville. More soldiers from the east are threatening to attack us in Lexington, and we are outnumbered in both provinces. The Norfolk Garrison is detached from the Army in Staunton and sent to Charleston where another attack takes time to be crushed. We need them to cross the mountains, support the Lexington garrison from the incoming attack, and then help in Louisville.
Meanwhile, we receive a communication from general Lee. Troops from Maryland have been shifting west continuously, to try and stop our advance in Kentucky and West Virginia, leaving only a tiny garrison in Manassas. He has decided to use his overwhelming superiority to take it back, leaving only the Army of Virginia behind.
On September 13th, the 4 conscript divisions recruited in summer are deployed, divided between the First Conscript Army in Bowling Green and the Second Conscript Army in Lynchburg. Both are immediately sent to the front to assist in the battles of Louisville and Lexington.
Lee's army crashes into the Manassas Defense Force on September 22nd and routes them in 8 days. In the West, the Siege of Louisville turns into a bloodbath, as the Ist Conscript Army arrives to support Watts' division. The Paducah army establishes control over Paducah and plans an attack on Cairo, hoping to cut the armies in Louisville from their supply, but new US troops, pulled back from the West, are menacing our flank and any movement is canceled.
Lee chases the Manassas garrison up to Washington, hoping to seize the capital in a matter of days, as the Army of Virginia is ordered to take position in Manassas, covering his only supply line. Seing this, the US command starts gathering troops in Maryland.
In Kentucky, things look grim. The Paducah army is ordered to reach Louisville, in order both to assist in the liberation of the city, and to avoid the assault from Cairo of a Northern corps twice as large. They will never make it however, as the US detachment attacks them a week after they left their entrenchments.
As the battles in Lexington and Louisville are draining our men and energy, we detach commander Chilton and his Texas cavalry from the Army of the Shenandoah and send them to Louisville through Lexington, leaving Charleston defended by only one division. However, hysterical gathering of all union forces in Washington to counter Lee's assault have weakened the army of Cincinnati, which is now retreating through Colombus. Lee's audacious chase of the routed army of Manassas is a complete success for now.
In Louisville, stubborn US resistance seems to be paying off. A constant stream of fresh troops from the west pours into Kentucky and Watts' losses now represent half his initial strenght, and the battle of Lexington still delays all eastern reinforecements. Help planned for Paducah won't be ready until November 4th, and without a victory in Lexington, there is no way for us to hold on this long.
Finally, good news. The hopeless Union resistance has been crushed in Lexington, and the various corps are divided into four groups : one to Louisville, one to Cincinnati, chasing the demoralised US forces, two in Lexington to secure the province.
A new infantry division is deployed in Memphis and ordered to join the Army of Paducah. On November 7th, increasing foes starts overpowering the Army of Northern Virginia. Despite his resistance, Lee has to retreat.
The battle in Paducah is hopeless. Whatever is left of our troops there fall back to Bowling Green and the new division is ordered to hold its position in the fortress near Memphis, at least denying any further push in Confederate territory. A few miles away, the Siege of Louisville proves a disaster and the divisions there are also ordered back to Bowling Green.
The end of the Washington battle sees troops from the East walking back towards Kentucky. Partly because of this and partly because of bad weather conditions in the end of November, the assault of Cincinnati is canceled. However, the newly promoted commander Jackson, at the head of the newly deployed IInd Reserve Army, decides to use this relatively calm situation to attack the exhausted Louisville garrison.
On the East coast, the Confederate navy launches its three commerce raiders and our new secret weapon, the CSS Virginia, hoping to damage the US navy and prevent it from supporting ground forces from the coast. An old-fashion sailing fleet under Admiral Farragut is this found in Chesapeake bay and the battle begins.
New armies are deployed in Memphis and an assault planned to get the Yankees out of Kentucky. While they cross the border, Jackson falls upon the Louisville Garrison, completely taken by surprise. The reorganized armies in Bowling Green are gathered and sent to Paducah too.
Paducah secured, the reformed Army of the West, composed of the four divisions from Bowling Green (including the IInd Conscript Army), are ordered to take the Louisville Army from behind and thus force them to leave Kentucky under Confederate control. This is a complete success.
Hellkeeper, 30/08/2010 à 20h48