Opening moves of 'The US Civil War' campaign [GMT, 2021]

[@robfrank1130]

Immensely enjoyable play through. Cheers.

[@WiseGuyHistory]

Thanks Rob!

[@Willwhite5809]

Johnston does have the special option to support Beauregard

[@simonambler3967]

when you move your 1 Sp from Columbus to Grafton it actually costs +1mp to cross the ferry. You can do it becasue you have 12mp's but the ferries cost an extra one per rule 5.4.2. may matter at a future move.

[@WiseGuyHistory]

Thanks Simon. I note that later, but may have forgotten to mention or count it early.

[@im2yz4u17]

What I would love to see is a game like this but for the whole of the U.S. with perhaps Spanish/Mexican and other foreign power involvement. Perhaps the premise might be a large scale war of west versus east with additional allies versus enemies. Would be fun.

[@jeroenkoopman3368]

Dont forget that a defender if entrenched or fortified doesn't also receive a terrain benefit.

[@djtrifaro]

Confederate militia cannot entrench in west Virginia on turn 1

[@WiseGuyHistory]

Ah I didn't realise that was a special Turn 1 rule, thanks Daniel!

[@simonambler3967]

Can you point me to that rule? I cannot find it.

[@mmccarthyaz]

@@simonambler3967 It's in S1. The 1861 Scenario on page 32.

[@gordomg]

28:00 when calculating BPs for Border States, you gave yourself 3 BP for Charleston in WV. You are only allowed BPs for Kentucky and Missouri, never for WV.

[@eric1752]

Thank you for the playthrough of this wonderful game.

[@simonambler3967]

Johnston could intercept the Manassas junction attack with +2+2 chance which would change the battle result significantly giving 1 or 2 extra SP's + and extra +2 battle DRM. If he intercepts McDowell is toast

[@Mopar66VC]

Great Video - Thanks a lot. I have not played yet but trying to learn and this helps a lot! Just a question, around 44:48 your union moves are everywhere but east. As the difference in action dice was four, I thought you have to do a 'march on Richmond move' with the union? Not trying to point out mistakes, just trying to understand the rules and wanted to clarify if you overlooked it or that rule is not required in this circumstance.

[@WiseGuyHistory]

Yes I think you're right, it's an easy rule to forget and I've done it a few times by mistake!

[@Mopar66VC]

@@WiseGuyHistory Thanks - all good. I suspect there will be many, many rules I will forget

[@przemekbozek]

Thanks for the material, looking at this game again it looks like it will be way more solo-friendly than For the People (CDG) so I'm even more tempted to give it a try :)

[@WiseGuyHistory]

I agree 100%; as I've said before, I think they under-rated the solitaire suitability on this one. I'm really enjoying the solo experience.

[@simonambler3967]

Do you have to do "On to Richmond" on turn 2 with the +4 initiative response of the union. I think McClelland has to attack

[@WiseGuyHistory]

I may have overlooked that too, yes.

[@biggestcanefan00]

Any chance you’ll come back to this game with another video?

[@WiseGuyHistory]

I'd say the chances are very high, I love this game, I'm just on a gaming hiatus at the moment.

[@iamspamus8784]

Good video. I think I am a bit more defensive than you. I definitely leave more units sitting around (ie. Grafton, St. Loius.). Interesting.

[@joearnold6881]

Haven’t touched the game in a long time so forgive me if if I’m misremembering… Why would McClellan have to move on turn 2 when promoted? West Virginia is part of the Eastern Theater. So long as he’s got any strength points and is in LOC to a primary supply source (which he is), the spot he’s in is a valid space to place his promoted side. you can just flip him over. McDowell gets demoted, yes, but he’s not “r/w” (replaced with) McLellan. The (T) transfer McLellan has is optional. You can _choose_ to use it to put him in the space with the general he shares a box with in the turn track. You don’t have to. You can just forfeit the transfer.

[@WiseGuyHistory]

This was my first game, and it was so long ago, I can't even remember the details. Likely I made a mistake.

[@simonambler3967]

I really like your Polk move. Gives the Rebs flexibility in the Trans Mississippi and new leaders coming soon to the West anyway

[@WiseGuyHistory]

Yeah I did that in my first playthrough and it really unsettled the Union. It effectively divides their (Union) attention and forces inaction.

[@Khornishman]

Isn't there a limit of 3 SPs max when making that river crossing over the navigable river from D.C. to Alexandria?

[@WiseGuyHistory]

Quite possibly, I may have missed that sorry.

[@ronaldvader1592]

Evansville is not in Illinois

[@lesliedavis775]

The gameplay demonstrated in this video feels significantly misaligned with my knowledge of Civil War history. Commanders in 1861 had very little information about enemy strength and dispositions. So, it feels dubious to imagine that the war in West Virginia (or anywhere on the map) can be credibly simulated by calculating movement points and combat odds this precisely when virtually no credible intelligence or decent maps had been developed by either side. I could provide many examples of historical anomalies, but let me just share just one observation, In July 1861, the Confederates made the war's first attempt to use rail movement to reinforce their force at Manassas for the Bull Run battle. The operation involved moving 10,000 men a distance of 20 miles on some of the nations most well-maintained track bed. The result was a humiliating comic fiasco. It took the trains 4-5 days to accomplish the move. Many troops failed to arrive until the day after the battle! In contrast to the railroad transfer disaster, Jackson's "foot cavalry" marched the same distance in two days. Admittedly, this was the first attempt to reinforce by rail, but the rail line in question was in Eastern Virginia, near Washington and Richmond. When I compare this historical event with the game's effortless railroad move from Columbus to Wheeling, I feel I'm watching a bad movie. Perhaps, you misread the rules?

[@lesliedavis775]

Since I took a potshot on the historical accuracy of how the railroad is represented in this video, here's an excerpt from an article that provides more perspective on the plausibility of Union forces using the B&O railroad during the 1861 campaign in West Virginia. "In the Spring of 1861, Col. Thomas J. Jackson attacked portions of the B&O Railroad that dipped into the Shenandoah Valley. Jackson devastated the rail line by destroying rails, burning freight cars, and sequestering locomotives to replenish supplies for the Confederacy. By the end of 1861, 23 B&O railroad bridges were burned, 102 miles of telegraph wire had been cut down, 36.5 miles of track was torn up or destroyed, 42 locomotives were burned, 14 locomotives were captured, and 386 rail cars were stolen or destroyed. This resulted in the B&O being shut down for ten months. Restoration of the railroad continued until March of 1862, and still, the line was subjected to numerous raids, skirmishes, and battles. This resulted in the garrisoning of Union troops along the railroad to prevent any further damage to the line, as well as keep supplies in Union hands." Article Link. www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/baltimore-and-ohio-railroad-civil-war