Campaign Peninsula - CyberRanger vs Arckon (Union AAR)

arckon

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This is the opening situation for the Union.


General CyberRanger is one of the best Generals in service at the moment so this choice could be quite important.



The Historical Choice. Strong presence North of Chickahominy River needed to protect the forward supply base. General Fitz John Porter's powerful V Corps should be able to handle any initial Rebel attack in this direction, at least until reinforcements can arrive. Remembering the near disaster at Seven Pines several weeks before, it is recognized that weakening the lines south of the river is very risky.
Historically this was the start of the Rebels push of the Union back towards Washington. To choose the Historical option or not?



As an option to better secure the right flank, IV Corps can march from the far left across the army's rear to join the V Corps. Unfortunately, any movement north to join Porter will be observed by the Rebels and may prompt an attack south of the river.
This option may force CyberRanger to attack V Corps early or could give him the perfect opportunity to turn the flank in the south. What to do?



An even riskier option VI Corps joining IV Corps in the movement. Sending two complete corps north will secure the right flank but will leave the remainder of the army south of the river isolated, possibly provoking a direct Rebel offensive If that occurs, it would take most of the day to get the soldiers, wagons, and artillery of IV and VI Corps back across the river and into action.
The final choice what would your choice be?


Next post will contain my choice.

As with CyberRangers AAR please hold any discussion in the following thread in main area See Here . We will not be visiting that thread.
 

arckon

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The Decision is Made

Ok so following on from last post what choice did I make.

I finally decided on moving the IV Corp over to help support the V Corp.



Reasons:
1/ CyberRanger is a better General than myself. I have 2 losses to him and well rumour has it Mr Lincoln is looking to make some changes. Therefore to a degree I need to try the slightly unexpected and I need a victory.

2/ Historical option: I think where ever he decided to attack I would have a hard time of it.

3/ The other option was move the VI Corp in addition to the IV Corp: well hello there CyberRanger here are the Keys to the Whitehouse. Not an option.

4/ If an attack by CyberRanger in the South does not go as expected he will need to reinforce from the right flank. This would leave V Corp in a stronger position with less opposition and good chance to attack from the right.
Also an unsuccessfull attack in the south would leave Richmond more vulnerable.
Therefore I am hoping he will focus his efforts on my right flank and V Corp.

5/ As mentioned in previous post when he see's IV Corp moving to the right(which he will) it may cause him to attack V Corp earlier than he wanted to. It may also cause him to attack from the south, if CyberRanger does this I will have to decide what to do based on the situation at the time.


Feel free to discuss any aspect of the AAR Here . Will not be visiting this thread now that AAR has begun.

My opponents AAR thread can be visited Here to enable you to compare strategies.
 
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november

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Grabbing the popcorn and opening a beer.

EDIT: OOPS. I'll take my beer over to the thread you suggested for discussions. Tear up those Rebs!
 
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arckon

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Turns 1 - 5

Breaking remaining AAR into 5 turn blocks that way if there are turns where there is not a lot happening we can give a general overview.

Ok,I play these blind. Have only played Oak Grove and Savage Station Scenarios from this previously. Never a Campaign and now looking at my first turn everything changed.
IV Corp is already in position and I do not have to move them as I believed I did from the Campaign Screen, hence the edit of my last post.
From the looks of things though it was the right decision as CyberRanger appears to be concentrating on the right flank and V Corp.


Turn 1
Here is my intention



however a lot of V Corp and all of IV Corp are fixed at the moment with a few being released in the next few turns.


Turn 2
This map will give good impression of what I face.Rectangles with F in are all the fixed units. Circles are bridge crossing points on river, X are destroyed bridges.
The area around Oakgrove / Goldings Plain I think is safe for now though CyberRanger is not moving any of the troops closest to there at the moment. As you can see the real crossing points for CyberRanger are north of the 2 destroyed bridges in the NW and he has forces entering my side of the river from the direct Nth.
Having only few active troops at the moment it is showing that my thinking of having CyberRanger attack early is now not good. Also due to the few troops I am not going to contest those 2 bridges.



Turn 3
CyberRanger is closing in quickly. My closest threat is from the N & NE.

There is a threat nearly as close coming from the West also.


Turn 5
Just movement in turn 4 nothing of note.

The first screenshot shows V Corps defense.


This second screenshot shows again how quickly CyberRanger is closing in. You can also see the destruction next turn of one of my cavalry units big points for CyberRanger. There demise was due to me changing my mind on there use back at beginning of turn 3 and as a result they and another cav unit off screen are gonna's.


IV Corp is released. Naglee and Wessels units will deploy to the right of V Corp (although I am extremely worried this is not enough) as there is movement to the N/NE with troops, cav and arty. CyberRanger I think looking to position to my east for some enfilade fire and a flanking attack.
The rest of IV Corp I will position in the circled area of screenshot 1 to use as a reserve to either rotate with V Corp, or deploy to the right flank if support from a flanking attack is needed there.
Also on my westerly defense I would like to get some skirmishers into the forest just in front of the abatis to try and slow the coming attack a bit. However I do not think I can move the rest of V Corps in quickly enough to achieve this.


Feel free to discuss any aspect of the AAR Here. We will not be visiting this thread now that the AAR has begun.

My opponents AAR thread can be visited Here to enable you to compare strategies.
 
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arckon

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Turn 6 - 10

Turn 6

Not a lot happening this turn just movement and I decided to begin moving units around Beavers Dam in to defensive skirmish positions (screenshot).


This should allow some extra time for the V Corps units to get into positions.

You can also see a routed unit at Mechanicsville. Poor sods have been moving back to Beavers Dam since T1 but couldn't quite make it. Those Rebs better capture them and not slaughter them......because if they slaughter them, well....well.....it could just throw me into a rare Ned Flanders style rage and CyberRanger had better bo diddlydiddly watch out if that happens.


Turn 7

I am going to lose a lot more Cav units as CyberRanger moves 900 cav and some arty down toward that east flank I was worried about.


Hopefully his infantry are 2 - 3 turns behind. You can see the far extreme of V Corps arriving (although they were meant to cut back towards the west) and far bottom right IV Corps arriving. Hopefully I can force the cav and arty back before any troops arrive. I really wanted to set up more of a defense on the east flank and was hoping to do so in the forest to the north and east of CyberRangers cav, I do not think I will have time now though.

Side note: he massacred my boys from the turn earlier at Mechanicsville and left 1 solitary man to arrive back to tell of the horrific tale, 1 man, 1, there is something ruthlessly twisted to that.


Turn 8

Well the 200 odd cavalry CyberRanger wiped out that turn already leaves him only a few hundred points shy of a minor victory.
The battle hasn't even really started yet, not good.


IV Corp now arriving.


What he does with those Cavalry units next turn will determine where I start to position them all. I am hoping he will retreat but with a point advantage he may risk advancing them one more turn. Next couple of turns will be quite interesting.


Turn 9

CyberRanger retreated the Cav and Arty as I stated last turn was hoping he would.

Pictured below is what I am guessing is going to happen.


Area A is going to attack around the Beaver Dam area, it will launch first a few turns before the main attack. Possibly hoping to cause me to start drawing forces from the East to reinforce which I do not intend to do. While CyberRanger will be happy if it succeeds will not be worried if does not.

Area B: there is a lot of troops there most hidden. The line is what I am assuming the forces will march, with intentions to attack on mass somewhere from the East or North/East. Possibility of going further than the line attacking unprotected area a bit further South. The Cavalry scouts I have out should make me aware of this if this is the intention.

Area C: this is Slocums troops from VI Corps and have just been released this turn. Two thirds of them I have started moving out toward that unprotected area just mentioned. The other third of the troops will stay put for now as they can be seen by CyberRanger. Hopefully with me not even changing there facing he should not be aware of me moving any of Slocums troops. All other units in this southern area are still fixed.

Area D: here I have about faced some of IV Corps troops to move them into the forest area of before mentioned unprotected area.


Turn 10

Just movement this turn. I think CyberRanger may be taking an even longer route north then east than previous map showed.
I must say am not a big fan of the defense. CyberRanger is playing this well as it appears he is moving a lot of his troops around to the east, north east. Problem is I can not leave the northern approach unprotected and by moving troops to cover the eastern approach he is stretching my lines too thin, which will only make his job easier when he attacks.


Feel free to discuss any aspect of the AAR Here . Will not be visiting this thread now that AAR has begun.

My opponents AAR thread can be visited Here to enable you to compare strategies.
 

arckon

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Turn 11 - 15

TURN 11

Mostly just movement this turn.

CyberRangers last 3 emails have said 'marching...marching' 'marching...marching' 'We may see some action in a few turns'.

Laugh; that last one has me going now. On defence he has me behaving like those ducks in a shooting gallery, takes a shot the duck goes the other way, takes a shot the duck goes the other way. I feel like that is what I am doing every few turns as I change my mind yet again as to where to move. Well one of those IV Corps groups I about faced the other turn I have about faced again and have them marching towards where V Corps defensive line ends as they will continue on that defensive line.

In the next couple of turns I will show some screenshots of defensive line as most troops will be in position hopefully within 2 turns.


TURN 12

CyberRanger starts to move troops and arty in for attack. It is two pronged. First from the west Beaver Dam area (pic 1) and from the north (pic 2). I am not quite in position in the north so we will see what happens.






TURN 13
Not a lot happening this turn. CyberRanger continues to move into attack positions and a few pot shots taken here and there.

I still have units scrambling into position up north (re image 2, previous post) due to my side show ally duck shoot troop movement indecisions of earlier. Will take more than 2 turns (probably another 2 - 3 from this point) to get them into posi as I stated in my post for turn 11.

Screenie below shows all that tempting arty for me to attack but I will resist.

Also that screenie shows near the top (and lets here a big cheer from all the Yankee players out there); 800 Rebs have routed already. Can not remember when I have seen Rebs rout so early or easily especially considering only pot shots have been fired. I doubt such happenings will continue the rest of the battle but it brought a mighty cheer from Warrens New Yorkers and the Penn Res Arty units that witnessed it. It is being rumoured thru the ranks that just the roar of the cheer may be enough to cause a few more Reb units to rout next turn.




TURN 14

Well as is the want of the Yanks I had a 700 odd unit rout this turn. CyberRanger has begun the attack just nth of Beavers Creek/ nth est of Mechanicsville. From the nth there are 2 strong forced moving into fighting range, and fighting will probably begin from next turn on. Screenies next turn as the engagements become clearer. I will not be in position properly in the North which bodes very badly for me.


TURN 15

Lots more of my units routed that turn, they are hopeless at the moment. General Headquarters is sending a message to the front line men more on that in a moment.

First image shows situation up Nth where my troops are still not in position, but some reinforcements moving in fast.


Second image the situation around Beaver Dam Creek just east of Mechanicsville.


Final image is the lone survivor of the Mechanicsville battle. He has reported to G HQ and according to his report General CyberRanger on 3 occasions requested they surrender. They refused so as to bide some time for the other units to get into position. Thanks to General Arckons undeciveness not all troops are in position as above. G HQ have sent messages to the front line troops of this to bolster there resolve in the face of the enemy and to ensure General CyberRanger when (not if) captured will be treated with the respect he deserves.


Next post in 5 turns time I fear there is going to be much blood spilled.

Feel free to discuss any aspect of the AAR Here . Will not be visiting this thread now that AAR has begun.

My opponents AAR thread can be visited Here to enable you to compare strategies.
 

arckon

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TURN 16

Ok as you can see things are not looking real good for me up N/NE.
First screen is Nth in the centre and second is NE.






TURN 17

It is getting worse. Really only the NE which is the problem and as mentioned in above posts this is completely due to my indecision and changing plan on the fly. The cav and arty spotted by my cav in the far east were not enough to warrant me diverting some troops from my original plan over to an eastern front as well. It only served to spread all my efforts too thinly. Any games in the future I would rather lose on picking the wrong area to mount a defence in but have a strong defence, than defend everywhere and not really have a defence at all. My initial plan at start of battle would have seen CyberRanger having a much more difficult time of it in the NE. I don’t doubt he would have prevailed but it would be at a greater cost of men and time
Lesson learnt: Stick to your original defensive plan formulated at start of battle unless some completely different and definite strategy by your opponent surfaces.





TURN 18

I am gone. I can see a downhill slide from here. It looks like we will not be capturing CyberRanger this battle. There are many battles in the future to come before the war is over though.




TURN 19

Well everything has gone to hell. Have a look at the difference between screenie from T18 to T19. CyberRanger has given me an excellent lesson in meleeing to expose the flank and surround to completely eliminate the unit. Coming turns will just be an exercise in CyberRanger mopping up and slowly eliminating every unit on the board. I have not even mounted a strategic withdraw; it looks like a panicked/unorganised rout to me. With this being a campaign I will now be behind 2 or 3 eight balls with little way of preventing his march on Washington, as I will have little left in the way of troops in the coming battles ahead.




TURN 20

Well do not know what to say this turn I think I will just let the 2 screenshots show my shame. More next turn on my plans for my next defence. Yes believe it or not I do have one, although a lot will depend on how much I lose from the now retreating units. Next turn I will lose some arty and many thousand more retreating units.





Feel free to discuss any aspect of the AAR Here . Will not be visiting this thread now that AAR has begun.

My opponents AAR thread can be visited Here to enable you to compare strategies.
 

arckon

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TURN 21

All I can do is try to retreat back to the area directly behind Boatswain Creek and mount a defence from that area.


TURN 22 – 25

My poor men can not retreat fast enough. CyberRanger every turn is slowly closing a pocket in around them. Every turn 3 – 5 units of hundreds of men are surrendering in melee attacks as they have no where to retreat to. The first screenie is taken from turn 23 and the final one showing quite literally the remnants of V Corps.





Finally I submit a termination bid. With most of V and a significant amount of IV Corp eliminated I do not like my chances for the rest of this Campaign.

Feel free to discuss any aspect of the AAR http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33046. Will not be visiting this thread now that AAR has begun.

My opponents AAR thread can be visited http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33042 to enable you to compare strategies.

So ends this AAR with a Major (major) Victory to the Confederates. Superbly executed again by CyberRanger. I will be back, and back again, as these games are just too much fun not to keep playing.
 
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