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Kernstown 2.2

Started by MengJiao, January 05, 2022, 08:14:40 PM

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MengJiao


  There are three scenarios for 2nd Kernstown, covering Crook and the Army of Western Virginia's bungled encounter with Jubal Early and Co.  For July 20, there's Rutherford's farm and for July 23rd there's
more probing of defenses and for July 24, there's the whole big battle.  Here we look into the events of July 23rd starting with a glance at the command structure off the map ( efficiency will modify the chits for the Divisions, but not for the Artillery or the March order):


al_infierno

Cool stuff.  Keep em coming!

Do you play this game solitaire or with an opponent?  How solo-friendly would say it is?
A War of a Madman's Making - a text-based war planning and political survival RPG

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge.  War endures.  As well ask men what they think of stone.  War was always here.  Before man was, war waited for him.  The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.  That is the way it was and will be.  That way and not some other way.
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian


If they made nothing but WWII games, I'd be perfectly content.  Hypothetical matchups from alternate history 1980s, asymmetrical US-bashes-some-3rd world guerillas, or minor wars between Upper Bumblescum and outer Kaboomistan hold no appeal for me.
- Silent Disapproval Robot


I guess it's sort of nice that the word "tactical" seems to refer to some kind of seriousness during your moments of mental clarity.
- MengJiao

Gusington

Meng you're on fire lately with everything you're posting.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

al_infierno

He's pretty much carrying the Tabletop AARs board on his back  ;D
A War of a Madman's Making - a text-based war planning and political survival RPG

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge.  War endures.  As well ask men what they think of stone.  War was always here.  Before man was, war waited for him.  The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner.  That is the way it was and will be.  That way and not some other way.
- Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian


If they made nothing but WWII games, I'd be perfectly content.  Hypothetical matchups from alternate history 1980s, asymmetrical US-bashes-some-3rd world guerillas, or minor wars between Upper Bumblescum and outer Kaboomistan hold no appeal for me.
- Silent Disapproval Robot


I guess it's sort of nice that the word "tactical" seems to refer to some kind of seriousness during your moments of mental clarity.
- MengJiao

Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

MengJiao

#5
Quote from: al_infierno on January 05, 2022, 08:29:44 PM
Cool stuff.  Keep em coming!

Do you play this game solitaire or with an opponent?  How solo-friendly would say it is?

  I play solitaire.  For me there's a nice synergy between my traditionally not-so-great play and not-so-complete understanding of the rules (at all levels -- i had the wrong Johnson running the wrong Johnson's wrong troops in the scenario before this one) and not quite knowing the historical situation involved and putting in odds and ends (I beefed up the Confederate Cavalry for Kernstown 2.2 just to make things "interesting" early on).  Sometimes this results in interesting battles and sometimes not.  I think for most people Great Battles of the American Civil War is not that solo-friendly.  For me for the reasons noted above, its pretty ideal.

  Oh and PS: for me since I was a historian officially long ago in School (BA history, grad work archeology), these games are pretty educational.

MengJiao

Quote from: Gusington on January 05, 2022, 08:31:29 PM
Meng you're on fire lately with everything you're posting.

  Thanks!  I think the Civil War is a nice popular topic also and that helps with the energy of the give-and-take on the forum.

MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on January 05, 2022, 08:14:40 PM

  There are three scenarios for 2nd Kernstown, covering Crook and the Army of Western Virginia's bungled encounter with Jubal Early and Co.  For July 20, there's Rutherford's farm and for July 23rd there's
more probing of defenses and for July 24, there's the whole big battle.  Here we look into the events of July 23rd starting with a glance at the command structure off the map ( efficiency will modify the chits for the Divisions, but not for the Artillery or the March order):

  July 23rd 9 am.  The probe is going well.  Yep, there are Yankees north of Kernstown in some force.  Now at this point, the Federal commander, Crook, is imagining the Confederates are just going to probe and at that point that was true, but somewhere around 9:30, Early decided most of the Federal forces had left the valley so he would attack Crook since the numbers favored the Confederates.  Historically Early's attack on the 23rd didn't work out, but we will see.


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on January 06, 2022, 07:17:31 AM
Quote from: MengJiao on January 05, 2022, 08:14:40 PM

  There are three scenarios for 2nd Kernstown, covering Crook and the Army of Western Virginia's bungled encounter with Jubal Early and Co.  For July 20, there's Rutherford's farm and for July 23rd there's
more probing of defenses and for July 24, there's the whole big battle.  Here we look into the events of July 23rd starting with a glance at the command structure off the map ( efficiency will modify the chits for the Divisions, but not for the Artillery or the March order):

  July 23rd 9 am.  The probe is going well.  Yep, there are Yankees north of Kernstown in some force.  Now at this point, the Federal commander, Crook, is imagining the Confederates are just going to probe and at that point that was true, but somewhere around 9:30, Early decided most of the Federal forces had left the valley so he would attack Crook since the numbers favored the Confederates.  Historically Early's attack on the 23rd didn't work out, but we will see.

  Hmmm...well, I've stumbled into Crook's July 24 frame of mind.  Evidently this is the 24th in this scenario, however since Crook thought the 24th was a repeat of the cavalry probes of the 23rd, I've done the same erroneous responses that he did.  Anyway, it's say 9:15 and between the scenario VP restrictions and my confusion about what the scenario represents (its a early start for the disaster of the 24th), I'm very much in Crook's situation from the Federal point of view.  Maybe later I'll see what Early's viewpoint is.  At the moment, the Confederates have a clear run into Winchester on the Federal left where next turn Early's infantry will start arriving.  Here's the situation on the right (very much like what Crook actually blundered into on the 24th historically):


MengJiao

#9
Quote from: MengJiao on January 06, 2022, 12:47:08 PM

  Hmmm...well, I've stumbled into Crook's July 24 frame of mind.  Evidently this is the 24th in this scenario, however since Crook thought the 24th was a repeat of the cavalry probes of the 23rd, I've done the same erroneous responses that he did.  Anyway, it's say 9:15 and between the scenario VP restrictions and my confusion about what the scenario represents (its a early start for the disaster of the 24th), I'm very much in Crook's situation from the Federal point of view.  Maybe later I'll see what Early's viewpoint is.  At the moment, the Confederates have a clear run into Winchester on the Federal left where next turn Early's infantry will start arriving.  Here's the situation on the right (very much like what Crook actually blundered into on the 24th historically):

  11:30 or so.  Gordon's Division is moving to attack the apex of the Federal Line where Higgin's dismounted Bde with Spencer Carbines ajoins Wells' infantry.  At first glance it looks like the Federal line there is pretty weak, but they have a stonewall (a thin, gray line) and repeating carbines and they aready routed one Confederate regiment with some lucky rolls.  Elsewhere, Mulligan's division is moving up after recovering from getting charged in the flanks by Confederate cavarly:


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on January 07, 2022, 10:46:27 AM
Quote from: MengJiao on January 06, 2022, 12:47:08 PM

  Hmmm...well, I've stumbled into Crook's July 24 frame of mind.  Evidently this is the 24th in this scenario, however since Crook thought the 24th was a repeat of the cavalry probes of the 23rd, I've done the same erroneous responses that he did.  Anyway, it's say 9:15 and between the scenario VP restrictions and my confusion about what the scenario represents (its a early start for the disaster of the 24th), I'm very much in Crook's situation from the Federal point of view.  Maybe later I'll see what Early's viewpoint is.  At the moment, the Confederates have a clear run into Winchester on the Federal left where next turn Early's infantry will start arriving.  Here's the situation on the right (very much like what Crook actually blundered into on the 24th historically):

  11:30 or so.  Gordon's Division is moving to attack the apex of the Federal Line where Higgin's dismounted Bde with Spencer Carbines ajoins Wells' infantry.  At first glance it looks like the Federal line there is pretty weak, but they have a stonewall (a thin, gray line) and repeating carbines and they aready routed one Confederate regiment with some lucky rolls.  Elsewhere, Mulligan's division is moving up after recovering from getting charged in the flanks by Confederate cavarly:

  12:30 or so.  Wharton and Ramseur and Rodes will probably attack more toward Pritchard's hill (not on this photo).  Not so many breech-loading and/or repeating rifles there:


MengJiao

Quote from: MengJiao on January 10, 2022, 04:31:22 PM

  12:30 or so.  Wharton and Ramseur and Rodes will probably attack more toward Pritchard's hill (not on this photo).  Not so many breech-loading and/or repeating rifles there:

  1pm...Before the infantry could get there, the Confederate artillery, firing from higher ground, disrupted the defenders of the stone wall and the cavalry charged (lots of lucky chit pulls there)
The Federal artillery arrived and routed the Confederate cavalry.  The Federal artillery ran out of ammo and withdrew and now there's a big gap where there are no formed troops from either side (about 1200 routed men and horses running in all different directions though):


MengJiao

#12
Quote from: MengJiao on January 12, 2022, 02:11:02 PM


  1pm...Before the infantry could get there, the Confederate artillery, firing from higher ground, disrupted the defenders of the stone wall and the cavalry charged (lots of lucky chit pulls there)
The Federal artillery arrived and routed the Confederate cavalry.  The Federal artillery ran out of ammo and withdrew and now there's a big gap where there are no formed troops from either side (about 1200 routed men and horses running in all different directions though):

  2pm...After an extraordinarily brutal fight, both sides are slightly flanked by cavalry and running out of reserves and steam.  Technically this adds up to a marginal Confederate win, but considering that Crook's army historically completely fell apart, I'd say this amounts most unexpectedly to a slight Federal victory.  I think I bungled the Confederate attack by not deploying on a wider front and/or not letting the Yankees come far enough south to be enveloped: