Gettysburg Campaign I

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A new Confederate opponent has been found and once again I'll be chronicling my trials and tribulations as I try to repulse the invasion of Pennsylvania.

We agreed to skip the Brandy Station battle and I was presented with the knowledge that the ANV was on the move to my right and I was presented with a choice of how to deploy the AoP. I chose the historical option of screening the fords and deploying the majority of the army back a medium distance capable of moving to reinforce wherever the crossing came.

On the first turn we spotted nothing but a few cavalry units approaching the main fords where they were shot at by my screen. However on the second turn a regiment under Cadmus Wilcox came strolling across the Waterloo Bridge and right into my cavalry screen there without getting a chance to deploy into line. Made pretty targets for my cavalry troopers but unfortunately only one of the units fired. More Rebel infantry deployed on there side of the Rappahannock and took shots at my cavalry. On my turn I decided to pull back the smaller cavalry units to form a "just in case" line and left the bigger units to fire on that infantry column, where we caused some hurt. Elsewhere we roused everyone from their campfires and coffee and got them in column and on a road where possible, ready to move. I've not done much more then that as I'm going to have to take a turn or two to make sure that northern move is the main one. Right now it is just dawn so visibility is limited to 4 hexes so I can't see much over the river. Got to figure that the rest of a Reb division and probably a full Corps are shaking out beyond that bridge. Here is a screenshot of the action around Waterloo Bridge.
 
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Well full daylight is upon us and there can be no doubt about the direction of the ANV's march. A long line of infantry is pouring across those two northern fords and I can see a long line of guns marching up. I've pulled my cavalry screen back to where hopefully the artillery posted on the ridge top behind them can help. Buford's cavalry division is also about to deploy to try and slow down the Rebels until the AoP can get reinforcements marched up that way. Meanwhile I've sent my other cavarly division southward with the idea in mind that they will cross to the Rebel side of the Rappahannock and see what kind of trouble they can cause.
 
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Well the Rebels are slowly building up across the river so my cavalry has not been punished too badly....yet. However because I hit the ALT key instead of the CTRL key I advanced some infantry across next to some of his cavalry patrols so I decided to reinforce and damage some of his horse. This is going to be interesting to see how it turns out.
 
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The ANV continues to build up on "my" side of the river. Looks like they are going to get across and consolidate before pushing my cavalry. Hopefully that will give my infantry time to arrive. Usually the ANV pushes Union cavalry hard, to gain the ground and to cause casualties to my horse because the point differential favors it. See the screen shot for what the ANV build up looks like. Meanwhile I've pushed my infantry forward on "his" side of the river to see what kind of trouble I can stir up. It's my infantry against his horse there so I'll take that favorable exchange rate and see what happens. I've got another infantry brigade or two and a cavalry division headed there so it's going to be a bumpy, but fun ride. See the screen shot of my build up in the next post.
 
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Well the Rebel infantry pushed forward this time and it certainly cost me some troopers. He meleed some of Buford's boys in the woods and it cost me 80 cavalrymen to his 15 infantry. However it did cost him a dead brigadier general so at least one brigade won't be as well led as before. I expanded my cross river foray to include some high ground where I can move some artillery and shoot up some of that Rebel cavalry that is watching me. He is picking on some of my smaller cavalry units at a downstream ford and Merritt is taking his brigade and guns to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. If I can get enough infantry up north to block the Rebel advance okay I'm halfway toying with the idea of sending Slocum's Corps across the river when it arrives just to see what would happen. There are some VP hexes in the Rebel rear so he just couldn't ignore that.
 

CyberRanger

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....I'm halfway toying with the idea of sending Slocum's Corps across the river when it arrives just to see what would happen. There are some VP hexes in the Rebel rear so he just couldn't ignore that.
very interesting. I like how you are trying to grab some initiative instead of allowing the Rebels to operate at will.
 
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Rebel infantry continues to push my cavalry along the northern portion of the map (see screen shot) but more ominous is the amount of troops and guns I see marching on the road to the north that I don't have covered. Fortunately the first of my infantry has reached Warrenton and is moving that way as fast as there feet can carry them Meanwhile I'm continuing to push back in the center of the map (see second screen shot) as we had a nasty little cavarly charge that cost him over a hundred troopers. My main concern now is how jammed up the roads are for my infantry to move northward. Having to send supply wagons on out of the way roads or just pull them off the roads altogether so the infantry and guns can pass. I've also managed to get a lot of my brigades jumbled up in my haste to get them up north. Going to play hell sorting them all out to maintain command and control when they arrive.
 
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Action continues to be hot near Beverly Ford as it seems like half the replay is spent watching more Rebel cavalry headed there. That is fine with me though as it means they aren't screening the other fords nor scouting for the main body of infantry. Also, there doesn't seem to be any infantry headed for that area so if I can hang on I will send Slocum's Corps there as nothing will help more then having a fight between my infantry and his cavalry. The point differential is better for me and it cuts down on the amount of horse he'll have for later in the campaign. Up north where his infantry is I've left most of Buford's division poised along his right flank as he doesn't seem inclined to push there. However Devin's brigade has limbered their guns and sent them packing and started falling back as I don't know for sure where his lead elements are and I don't want them cut off. Hancock's 2nd Corps is almost there but I've really jumbled up brigades in the rush to get up there and it is going to take a bit of work to get everyone sorted out and in line.
 
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Action is starting to heat up in the woods around Ruffans Run. I've managed to isolate some of his cavalry with my cavalry and some of the infantry in the northern portion of the woods and a new fight has broken out in the southern portion of those same woods. In the north I've had to pull Devin's brigade out completely to avoid being cut off and it looks like I timed it perfectly. My first infantry have also made an appearance nearby and I expect that my infantry and his will be clashing in a turn or two. Here's a screen shot of the fighting near Ruffans Run.
 
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Well the cavalry fight is winding down near Ruffans Run but I do have one large unit along with Grumble Jones isolated that I'm hoping to kill off. Meanwhile, as the screen shot shows, the infantry action is about to get underway at the Great Run area.
 
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Rebel infantry continue their strong push through the Great Run and I'm experiencing routing problems there. Nothing there yet to back them up so I'm starting to sweat that one. Paul's brigade from 1st Corps is on the way but I'm concerned that may not be enough. I've begun setting up the AoP artillery reserve on high ground behind the passes so that they will be in good position to support once the rest of the infantry gets there. Further south the Rebs are pushing Buford's cavalry but I've got infantry ready to deploy next turn and we should start slowing them down there. My cavalry has finally wiped out Jones and that big regiment in the woods and just as time as more Rebel cavalry is showing up.
 
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Turn 24 is in the books. Cavalry fight continues around Ruffans Run. More Rebel cavalry arriving and I'm forced to go on the defensive for the time being. 5th Corps has made it up to relieve the last of Buford's tired troopers but they are going to have a hard fight on their hands as there are a lot of Confederate's headed across that ford. In the Great Run Gap the Rebels are pushing hard and we are having to give ground. Had to pull the guns out this turn so that will hurt for the next. Have decided to send Baxter's Brigade from 1st Corps to reinforce along with Paul's brigade. The artillery reserve is setting up gun positions in the rear so as to be in place when they infantry retreats towards them. 1st Corps holds the northern road and the Rebels have not yet pushed there. Cutler's brigade and the Iron Brigade will have to do the job for now as the critical sector is in front of Hancock's 2nd Corps. I've included a screen shot of the lines at Great Run and a snapshot of the victory screen.
 
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Well I really can't say that the fight is for Great Run any more as I've basically retreated out of the gap and are trying to establish a line on the ridges beyond. Fortunately Paul and Baxter's brigades are going to be in position to hold one shoulder and other reinforcements are almost in place to hold the other. Hopefully I'll be able to withdraw 2nd Corps through them and give them a chance to reorganize and rest. Meade's 5th Corps is doing some great fighting holding the Rebels from expanding there line from the fords. We've got the ridges and it is awful hard for the Rebels to melee me off those heights. Kudos to Buford's horsey guys for buying the time needed to get infantry up there. I now see at least a Rebel infantry division headed for Ruffan's Run so it's time to pull back beyond the river again. We've destroyed a lot of Rebel cavarly and tied up the rest and now we've drawn some of the Rebel infantry there also. I'll pull back and leave Doubleday's division to hold the ford and send the cavalry further downstream to see if we can try again. Here's a screenshot of my new positions around Great Run.
 

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Thanks for the updates Mark. I love keeping up with your campaign. Could you post a pic of the jump map? Helpful in seeing the overall situation from the Yank viewpoint.
 
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The situation is getting better for 2nd Corps as we are putting a little distance between us and the Rebels, plus the site of Sickle's Corps showing up in support has to be making him think a little. At Ruffan's Run I'm trying to get the heck out of Dodge as there is a lot of infantry coming down that road, maybe a couple of divisions worth. Meade's 5th Corps is holding their own and giving the Rebels something to think about. I've attached the jump map as requested.
 
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