The US Civil War turns 8 and 9

Played turns 8,9, and 10 of The US Civil War on the 11th and am late writing it up.  I also forgot to take pictures of the turn 10 ending, so leaving that for the next writeup (should be July 8th, game is set for the 7th)

Recap of turn 7.

In the East Lee is staring down Grant.

In the West Bragg is holding Nashville.

In the far West the Union has an open path everywhere, just no way to get it supplied...

End of Turn 8, the North is falling behind schedule.

In the East the Union Naval Assault a fort and move inland.  Lee continues to stare down Grant.

In the West a Union force tried to take two resource hexes, they made it to the hexes and needed to hold them till turn end to destroy them (or move with a leader - but they did not have the MP left to do so).  Bragg leave Nashville to its fate and strikes!  He destroys all the US forces in the area and saves the resources (and Atlanta).

In the Far West the CSA has a token force and the US moves to take some CSA territory.

End of Turn 9, the US is starting to make up the VP deficit.

In the East Lee moves the CANV to the naval assault area and takes back all but the fort.  Confederates had the last move of the turn so a new force can be put in place if needed plus Richmond was already sacked once so it's value is much less now.

In the West Bragg moves to Bowling Green and the USA forces move to block him.  I believe they also took one of the CSA forts on the Mississippi (off to the left)

In the Far West the Union forces continue to march.

Things get much worse for the CSA in turn 10...

ASL scanerio DB002 Sochaczew from Dispatches from the Bunker

Played this scenario with Tycho on May 7th and finished it up on May 28th after communications problems forced us to stop playing early.  It is an early war scenario taking place in Poland, the Germans are attempting to get offboard and capture buildings for a total of 100 cvp.  If they take 50 cvp in losses they lose automatically as well.

Start of game.  Germans start to the right of the red line while the Poles start to the left of the blue line.  Hip units in the building to the top left, top middle, and bottom middle.  The German arty spotter is in the bottom area.

During German turn 1 the 37L opens fire and misses twice (firing out of +2 smoke and turning cause that even with a Rate shot)

End of German turn 1 and already he has two Malfed MA, without even trying IF shots too.

Polish Arty would be responsive and accurate throughout the game.

Pour it on boys!

End of Allied turn 1, the Germans manage to Malf another MA.

German half of turn 2.  It starts off with my two MTR crews both being killed.  One of my ATRs gets revenge by killing a tank and then my AT gun goes for an IF shot and...

I roll a 10 breaking it.  Couldn't be I had it placed badly, no...

In the Allied half of turn 2 there is a LOT of shooting...

End of Allied turn 2.

End of German turn 3.  The MG in V8 got a UK on the tank on the road and down south the Arty is continuing to do a fine job.  the 10-2 kill stack (10-2, 2HMG, and 2 457 squad in a fortified stone building) open fire and do squat.

End of Allied turn 3.  The front line building defenses are crumbling and I should withdraw - but don't...

End of German turn 4, his 150mm arty barrage does squat and my cleverly placed 457 fires and does squat!  (It would have been more clever if I had NOT shot with him, he was upstairs and I think the Germans would have gone right on by)

End of Allied turn 4, front line troops are broken or surrendered...

Oh hell, I can't spell and left the caps lock on!  Germans place a smoke barrage and my guy in the building can't see to fire OR run away!  He ends up dead in CC, Germans rolled a 5 for ambush and I grin and roll a 5 too...  My next to last leader and a 457 squad gone in a puff of smoke.

End of German turn 5.

End of Allied turn 5.  The line is holding.  The 10-2 and the HMGs make a strong defense in the north and the Arty is bottling up the south.

The German ATR fires and IFT shot at my 10-2 and HMG stack.

He rolls snakes!  I roll RS and select the leader and a squad, they both suffer a 2-4 shot and Tycho roll a 3 modified down to -1 and both die.  The remaining squad turns into a HS from the two MC checks.  (I later check and find that only 20L ATRs can use ITT)

I tell Tycho I fail my PMC and Tycho gives me a good long distance slap over Skype reminding me that I am most likely going to win based on points.  I deserved it after the bad luck he put up with in regards to his tanks (but thinking back I made an incredible number of sniper checks with a SAN of 5)

After that I start playing smart, falling back whenever possible.  At the start of German turn 8 (last turn) we count up that Tycho is roughly 30 cvp short of victory and would need to catch all the buildings (with two HIP guys in the one) and a bunch of other Polish troops holding the others.  The buildings alone would not be enough and only two tanks could get offboard for exit VP so at this point we called the game. 

The US Civil War turns 4 through seven

Played TUSCW turns 4 through 7 yesterday.  The CSA has managed to put a halt to the depredations of the northern aggressors...

First off the situation at the start of turn 4.  The CANV under Joseph Johnston has run away from the north and is just Northwest of Staunton.  In addition another force that attacked DC last turn was chased north when attacked by Pope upon the failure of the DC assault.

In the West AS Johnston is holding with very depleted forces (sent East for the most part) and in the TM the Union has captured Little Rock.

End of Turn 4.  The USA has 14 VPs, 5 ahead of the Progress of War (POW) chart.  If they keep up this pace it will be all over by Christmas of 62...

In the East all the forces north of Richmond are destroyed (see the leaders up there in the "dead" pile).  Although Staunton is held by Militia.

In the West Grant captures Memphis and destroys the fort and industry there, he then skeedadles back up the river when Johnston threatens to move into Indiana.

In the TM Jackson and some helpful cavalry destroy the Yankee threat and retake Springfield.

End of turn 5.  The USA is now at 15 VP with a schedule of 12, the CSA is starting to swing the war to their favor.

In the East Lee replaces Johnston (who in this reality died around Staunton) and Jackson is recalled to the East.  General Grant is also brought to the East to prop things up.  After a number of back and forth battles Lee retreats to Petersburg while Grant takes Richmond (second time it fell this game).

In the West the Union lands at Clarksville while AS Johnston defends Nashville.  The fort at Memphis is rebuilt and now manned to repulse a naval assault.

In the TM things come to a stop for now.  The CSA sent it's commander East and did not reinforce the area.  The USA was busy with other matters this turn.

End of turn 6.  Hard to see but the US VP track is at 12 while the benchmark is at 15, the USA is now 3 VP behind schedule.  Lincoln is getting upset and the voters are getting ugly.  Jeff Davis is being talked of in glowing terms after nearly a year of invective being thrown his way.

In the East Lee and Grant chase each other back and forth (both can intercept or avoid battle on a 5 or higher on 2 dice which makes it hard to pin them down).  Lee's fearsome reputation lets him chase away the other USA forces as well.  Part of this is due to Richmond having fallen - Lee is not tied down to defending the capitol for fear of losing the VP points there since most are gone for good.

In the West Bragg Replaces AS Johnston, while not as good as Johnston by any stretch he is good enough.  Longstreet moves to Memphis to add to the defense of the fort.

Still no action in the TM.

End of turn 7.  US VP at 13 and standard is 18, they are now 5 behind schedule.

In the East the CANV moves north and entrenches after more dancing around northern Virginia.  They are on a supply line so will be able to take in reinforcements if the USA increases their forces in the area.

In the West Bragg is caught between two sizable forces.  He has been fighting with Buell but has only gotten about even results.  He is tied down to Nashville - he can not leave it with enough force to beat Buell without leaving Nashville under threat from Hooker (of the pain, the pain...).  He is also in a position to receive reinforcement and while he can not leave Nashville uncovered the Union can not leave Clarksville uncovered since they need the landing there for supply.  CSA cavalry general Morgan makes a dash for Columbus and grabs it from Union control.  For now...

The USA moves out in the TM, retaking Springfield and destroying the CSA forces in the area.  The question now is when and where to push them back again?  The troops are going to be needed in the East and the West.

Both my opponent and I really like this game.  It has a good feel to it, the North is able to push the South and stretch them but they have to worry about supply and Lee is a slippery little bugger, nearly impossible to pin down without a large blocking force (you need one as large as the army you are trying to block in order to keep them from Avoiding combat).  Grant is Lee's equal in the this regard so both forces are dancing back and forth to a good position or trying to attack and use a campaign card for a bonus.  In the West Bragg is currently tied to Nashville to keep the VPs of that space (3 of them) out of Union hands but if he does not win a battle he will eventually have to withdraw are be defeated and forced to surrender after losing a battle and being surrounded.

Second game of The US Civil War turns one through three.

Lawrence and I started our second game of The US Civil War today and managed to complete 3 full turns.  Only a couple of times checking the rules and play flowed more smoothly than our last game.

The situation at the start of the game.  Pretty standard...

End of turn 1

In the east Little Mac takes a good hunk of West Virginia.  Near DC McDowell chases off Beuregard(?) but is then chased back to DC by the combined remnants of Beuragard's forces when J Johnston counter attacks.

Things are quite in the West while in the far West Lyon is a Lion and kicks the Rebs out of Missouri.

End of turn 2.

In the East J Johnston with the help of Jeb Stuart's cavalry take Harrisburg.  McDowell makes a dash out of DC to take Richmond and McClellan cuts supply for the CANV.  At one point during the turn I think Little Mac got the Rebs to withrdraw from next to DC - so he crowed about that as a great victory.

Who needs Lyon?  Custis whips Price in the far West.

End of Turn 3.  The USA is ahead of schedule by 3 points, capturing 10 VP and with 1 Confederate VP left from left turn, the glory is fading fast...

J Johnstone proves a near master of retreat, falling back time and again from US forces, but he misses a roll and suffers a loss in battle.  The once powerful CANV is down to 3sp.  The south gathers forces in Petersburg and chases the Yankee devils back to DC,  he then attacks DC and both players roll a 6, TIE!  Forces then come in from the West (not from DC as my picture shows) and whip him yet again.  He is forced to retreat North!  Not looking good for next turn.

In the far West Custis continues his assault.  Price retreats (the south made great retreat rolls throughout the game, lousy combat rolls most of the time).  Battle is joined in Little Rock and Price is forced to retreat yet again.

Things are looking quite bad for my Confederates this time, a major change from last game.  The south has lost almost all of the battles this game - but on the plus side has managed to retreat masterfully, only missing one of those that I can remember and without that the CANV would have been totally destroyed.  Next turn is winter of 1862 so Kentucky is now US controlled and there are no reinforcements.  The US is going to have to do something about Kirby Smith so he may be able to escape if the Confederates go first (most likely not) while J Johnston and friends are very good at avoiding battle and are on friendly soil.  In the West the south (me) has the advantage of seeing where the North will start move forces for the upcoming campaign - we are outnumbered but may be able to hold the North.  Finally in the Far West, things are looking grim but Morgan's cavalry will need to be dealt with and Custis will only be able to get one more sp to him (then again that is all he has needed up till now anyway).  So for the winter it is holding off the North till reinforcements arrive.  For the North it is choosing where to assault next.