I've had the US Civil War from GMT out in my living room for three months now. It's a great game, which I was introduced to through the Consim World Forum's 2017 Staff Game, and I bit the bullet this year to purchase my own copy. I've had it set up since May now and much as I love how the game is progressing, I would like to have some space back in my living room again, so it's coming down for now. The draft set-up for where I am will be uploaded onto the Files from the Front page. I suck at TUSCW as you'll note, but it's still a fun learning experience.
1861 Campaign Game; Summer 1861
The Confederacy started off the campaign laying down the hull of an ironclad in Vicksburg. McClellan starts off the war as expected, with a victory at Philippi, and Polk in Tennessee solves the "Kentucky question", leaving Memphis for Columbus and seizing the town uncontested. Violation of the State's neutrality automatically sends it into Union favor.
In the Trans-Mississippi (TM), Price begins constructing a fort in Springfield, Missouri.
In the Shenandoah Valley, Joseph E. Johnston (JEJ) strikes Patterson at Harpers Ferry and evicts him without loss, securing the town.
As the Union forces move to consolidate their territory and respond to the Confederate advances, McDowell takes Alexandria and McClellan consolidates control of West Virginia. JEJ in turn leaves Harpers Ferry and joins up with Beauregard, aiming to retake Alexandria. McDowell's diversion attempt is a sorry affair (on a modified DR of 1). The die rolls are lukewarm on the exchange, and both sides trade casualties in the first major battle of the war. 1SP is lost to both sides and McDowell retains possession of Alexandria. In turn, he receives emergency reinforcements out of Baltimore.
Along the Kentucky and Tennessee border, Nathaniel Lyon moves to disrupt Polk's efforts to establish a foothold in Columbus. In a brilliant stroke of combined arms, Lyon takes control of Columbus, with support from River Flotillas out of Cairo. Polk abandons the unfinished fort at Columbus and retires south of the border to Union City.
Lyon pushes his luck and pursues Polk south. He moves near Memphis as Polk continues to retire and extend the Union supply line.
Summer Continued
In Vicksburg, the CSS Mississippi is completed and a second Ironclad hull is laid down in the city's harbor. To the north, at Memphis, Albert Sydney Johnston (ASJ) reinforces and relieves Polk, attacking Curtis, who has replaced Lyon. Curtis, unprepared for the counter-strike, fails to avoid. He suffers losses in the exchange with the army out of Memphis and falls back to the TN-KY border.
Hardee to the east in Central Tennessee, crosses the border into Kentucky. He takes Bowling Green and begins to entrench. Halleck begins a slow march on the city from the Union border.
In the Shenandoah, Stuart's cavalry runs interference allowing a diversionary force to enter Maryland -- it's an ad hoc force unled by a confederate general. In response to this excursion, Burnside, who was prepping a naval invasion of Hatteras Inlet, moves to Harrisburg.
At Washington's urging, McClellan, replacing McDowell, advances out of Alexandria. Meeting JEJ at Manassas Junction, both armies again do battle without any significant outcome.
As summer nears its end, Halleck's slow moving army reaches Bowling Green. Hardee, outnumbered and dug in, fails to rise to the occasion and whip the slow-moving Halleck. Halleck's force of 40,000 men barrels into the Confederate positions, clobbering them. (Hardee rolled a natural 1 on the defense). As Hardee retreats, Nashville is threatened.
ASJ tries to distract union forces on the western end of the state, keeping the fight in Kentucky. He retakes Columbus and Curtis, outnumbered and out-led, is forced back to Paduca.
ASJ's gains to the West do not deter Halleck or the Union high command, who for now are willing to sacrifice successes on the Mississippi. Propelled by the success at Bowling Green, Halleck pursues Hardee south, into Tennessee. He defeats Hardee again on the capitol's outskirts and sends him back to Murfreesboro. Halleck secures Nashville. It's an early blow to the Confederacy, and a much needed feather in the Union cap.
The loss of the capitol forces the Confederates to respond. ASJ abandons his gains in Kentucky and races east to try and take the capitol from the North. It's a disaster that Halleck meet's with a brilliant defense. ASJ retires on Clarksville. To make matters worse, Curtis rallies in Paduca and moves back into Tennessee, threatening ASJ from a second front.
In the TM, Price launches an excursion that reaches as far north as Warsaw, MO. The Maryland excursion in the Eastern theater meanwhile comes to an end. The 15,000 unled marauders, threatened by Burnside, slip past Patterson and retire to Harpers Ferry.
To the east, with pressure off from the marauding confederate forces, Burnside joins a naval contingent out of Baltimore and takes Hatteras.
Fall 1861:
With new forces raised and commanders in the field, Bragg arrives in Pensacola and attempts an assault of Fort Pickens, held by a Union-loyal garrison. The assault peters out in a stalemate, and Bragg resolves to maintain the siege works in Pensacola.
On the East Coast, the Union forces under Burnside begin securing Pamlico Sound. Burnside manages to take New Bern, cutting off the Confederate forces in Fort Macon.
In Tennessee, Buell arrives to take overall command of Curtis's forces, and together they make another advance into the state from Kentucky. With support from Pope, their overwhelming numbers (7 to 3) at Humboldt send Polk reeling back on Memphis. Curtis then intercepts ASJ at Clarksville to try and eliminate his force. Curtis bungles the assault and not only fails the attack, but allows ASJ to slip back to the west. Buell however takes a shot at ASJ and has much better success. ASJ's forces sustain heavy losses and retreats south to Corinth to rally and reorganize his depleted force.
In Vicksburg, as the fall months come to a close, the CSS Louisiana is completed and moves north to join her sister ship in the harbor at Memphis.
Winter 1861:
Arriving in North Carolina to check the Union advance, Magruder raises a local force of 10,000 men and moves to retake the town. In a bloody exchange, both Magruder and Burnside's forces suffer significant losses, but Magruder manages to wrangle the town from Union control, sending Burnside back onto Beaufort, caught between Magruder and Fort Macon. Additional naval forces are diverted to Pamlico Sound and sent to reinforce Burnside. With additional troops, Burnside counterattacks. Unable to avoid, Magruder's remaining force is overrun and the Union again takes control of New Bern. To prevent further advance into North Carolina, Stuart's cavalry is sent racing south to Goldsboro.
In the TM, the Union advance on Confederate strongholds slowly materializes. With their forward positions in Springfield secure, the militia in Fayetteville begin entrenching for an eventual clash south of the Arkansas border. Fremont, reinforced from Rolla, finally begins a move on Springfield.
In Tennessee, further disaster befalls the forces under ASJ. From New Madrid, Grant crosses the Mississippi and reinforces Buell. Together, at Grand Junction, they again hit the forces of ASJ in the largest battle of the war. With 20,000 casualties between both sides, the Union manage to eek out a victory, yet again demoralizing the troops under ASJ.
Spring 1862:
In the TM, Hindman arrives in Springfield with additional reinforcements. His arrival is just in time as Fremont finally reaches the Confederate held stronghold in Missouri. In a battle to storm the fort, Fremont's efforts come close but ultimately fail. Hindman holds Springfield another day.
In Tennessee, ASJ takes on the offensive from Corinth. Aiming to retake Grand Junction, he strikes Buell and manages to force a retreat. Curtis, moving down the Cumberland and Tennessee, tries to put himself between ASJ/Polk to the west and Hardee/Bragg to the east. He takes Shiloh at a loss. The Union forces under Buell meanwhile move back to McKenzie. Despite this set back, helped by Curtis's advance, Buell receives sufficient reinforcements from Kentucky to dispatch Rosecrans to the eastern side of the state.
Meanwhile, Halleck maintains his foothold in Nashville, constantly entrenching, while Morgan and Hardee maintain defensive works to the south in Murfreesboro. Rosecrans takes Sparta and continues the advance towards the Tennessee Valley, threatening Knoxville for the first time. Bragg, newly arrived north from the western edge of Florida, crosses the mountains near Chattanooga and races to intercept Rosecrans before he can take Knoxville.
As for the Eastern theater, it begins to look a little more lively. With little more than posturing in the first year of the war, Jackson and Lee elect to push their advantageous positions. A surprise strike on Alexandria is unfortunately met with mix results and no conclusive resolution. Holding their lines, the Union high command in Washington agrees to a new approach: Disruption, spreading the rebels thin beyond hope. (As we shall see, this works marvels certain places better than others). Starting in the East, McDowell tries to sneak past Lee & Jackson. Somewhat unexpectedly, he beats back an attempt to disrupt his advance into the Valley with skill and cuts off Longstreet, isolating him in Harpers Ferry. McClellan then advances on Manassas Junction and fortifies it. With little choice, Longstreet executes the same maneuver as McDowell. Longstreet sneaks past him, moves down the Valley, and occupies a strong position placing himself between McDowell and McClellan. For the Union counter-punch, Banks moves in from the very north of the Valley out of Cumberland. He seizes Harpers Ferry and then Strasburg.
Meanwhile, the Union disruption campaign kicks off to the very south. (It will soon lead to the first conclusive campaign of the war). With Naval support from Farragut, Sigel and a force of 15,000 men sail from the port of Baltimore south, to Florida. They seize Jacksonville, but not without a significant fight to open up the campaign. More will certainly come of this expedition.
Summer 1862:
A busy period in the war. Bragg takes command. With ASJ out of the picture, a new overall commander in Tennessee provides budding hope to the rebel forces in the region. Willing to leave Corinth exposed to Curtis's advance, Bragg moves north to strike Grant. Superior in local force, Bragg forces Grant to retreat to McKenzie without engaging him. Unsupported, Curtis decides to abandon his advance south until his flanks are covered. He falls back on Union city. Bragg meanwhile sets his eye on McKenzie and takes it from Grant at a loss.
E.K. Smith takes over command in Knoxville, keeping Rosecrans at bay. Seeking an opportunity to disrupt the Union's efforts to press the advance, Morgan departs Hardee's position with a force of cavalry and advances into Kentucky, aiming to surprise the garrison there at Bowling Green. His efforts to take the town fail, but he does threaten to cut off Rosecrans's advance on Knoxville. With little choice, Rosecrans abandons his campaign for Knoxville and moves towards Bowling Green.
Along the Mississippi, smaller forces begin to shuffle, which will soon cause an avalanche along the river. From New Madrid, a small force under George Thomas gathers and moves into the TM. Turning south, they march on Osceola, held by Taylor & Price. Thomas's first attack fails to take the port there, but it costs Taylor casualties he can't afford. With little choice, Taylor & Price abandon Osceola (soon occupied by Thomas) and cross the Mississippi, into the river fort north of Memphis. The last anchor before the Union can take the town. Porter is now given his chance to test the Union river flotilla. With Thomas in Osceola, both Union Commanders join forces to take Polk's river fort. Sailing down river, Porter engages the Confederate Naval batteries on the river. While at first it seems they may hold out, the guns are overcome and destroyed. Thomas storms the fortifications, supported by the river flotilla and takes it in short order. The Memphis defenses grow a little weaker. The city greets what's left of Polk's command (along with Price and Taylor) and together they prepare to defend the city.
In the East, the Union efforts to seize the Shenandoah reach their high water mark. Fightin' Joe Hooker and Nathaniel Banks move to take Staunton at the southern end of the Valley. Pemberton, outnumbered and dug in, braces for assault. Fumbling the attack, the Union forces fail to make headway against Pemberton's entrenchments. For now, he holds the town, and Beauregard comes to his aid, reinforcing the rebel position. Following up Hooker and Banks, McDowell tries to take the Valley and cut it off from Lee, but finds his position checked by Beauregard.
Undisturbed by the number of Union forces barreling into the Valley, Lee & Jackson batter away at McClellan at Manassas Junction. In the second battle of Manassas, both sides exchange mass casualties as the Confederates overcome the Union defensive works there. Longstreet takes over fortification there, establishing a rare Rebel fort. With Longstreet thus covering east of the Valley, Lee and Jackson turn to the West and aim to shut McDowell, Banks, and Hooker into the Valley. Positioned along the Blue Ridge, McDowell prepares to protect Banks and Hooker from a blindside blow, but his efforts fail. Unentrenched, the Union defense bottoms out while Lee & Jackson strike perfect blows destroying the Union army under McDowell (they rolled natural boxcars with +6 DR modifier). The Battle of the Blue Ridge is so successful that it destroys McDowell's force and puts an end to the Valley campaign, forcing Banks and Hooker to retire into W. Maryland, pursued by Lee and Jackson. In short order, they regain Strasburg and threaten to even retake Harpers Ferry.
In Florida, the new campaign gets under way as Sigel seeks to secure the state. A force of roughly 5,000 men take Fernandina while the rest of the men under Sigel move on Olustee. To the West, Breckenridge arrives and begins raising a force to meet the Union commander before he can take the state capitol.
Summer Continued
A reversal of fortunes to close out the summer of 1862. Thomas, supported by Buell, continues the offensive down the banks of the Mississippi. Aiming to take Memphis, and supported by Porter, the Union forces take the city and eject the naval and army contingents that survive the battle. Both forces, the army led by Polk and Price, retreat south, into Mississippi. To make matters worse, Halleck, the hedgehog of Nashville, is relieved of command there, and Grant and Sherman take over command of central Tennessee. Immediately, they probe Hardee's position for weakeness and find only that. They take Murfreesboro with ease and continue South towards the Mississippi border, a broken force under Hardee the only force in their way. EK Smith still holds Knoxville and Rosecrans covers the eastern flank of Grant's advance. Bragg, ever undeterred, vacates McKenzie, held & entrenched by Van Dorn, and tries to retake Memphis. Supported by scratch forces from the south, Bragg and Forrest retake Memphis, forcing Thomas and Buell to cross the Mississippi and retire to Osceola.
To make matters even worse for the Union, Lee & Jackson crown the end of the Valley campaign off by retaking Harpers Ferry. WV many be permanently lost, but Virginia remains firmly in rebel hands.
A heartbreaking counter offensive in the East and West for the Union in the summer of 1862.
Still, two campaigns finally begin to show promise, and one comes to a swift close.
In the TM, Hunter & Blunt arrive to replace Fremont. With overwhelming numerical superiority, they storm the fortifications at Springfield, securing the last confederate stronghold in the middle states. Hindman retreats on Fayetteville.
In Florida, Breckenridge attempts to put an end to Sigel's Florida campaign. Outside Olustee, he strikes Sigel and sends him back to Jacksonville. As a final act, thinking the state is safe from being overrun, he fortifies the position he gained. Sigel, undeterred, first takes Baldwin and counterattacks. The result for Breckenridge is disastrous. Without any reserves in the state, he commits his entire force to the battle outside Olustee and finds himself shortly overrun. The Confederate Army of Florida ceases to exist and Breckenridge is displaced. Florida is lost to Sigel, and it's only a matter of a few weeks before his conquering army marches into Tallahassee, marking the first victorious campaign of the war. Florida falls to the Union.
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This concludes the first playthrough portion of TUSCW for now. I shall return soon (after enjoying the additional space in my living room for a while.