Wars in America: A 'how-to' AAR

loki100 said:

{as an edit/comment here - looking at the image again - I should have left a smallish garrison in Mont Royal and moved Montcalm to block the route to Trois Rivieres - having read this AAR I now realise that corps with Lord Howe is in no way capable of fighting}

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That would have been catastrophic, and I was afraid you would, but then I still supposed you would not because :

- You tend to play very cautiously to "gain time"
- My column could have looked like it was "surprised" by winter, as winter just arrived in that province.
- The column looked strong enough from your point of view to be able to win such a battle - even though "winter" hits at the beginning of the next turn process would have actually weakened it considerably
- There was a small chance you would lose Montréal doing this, if my order had been a "coordinated" move toward Montréal : Lord Howe would have been stopped but the force in Trois-Rivières would have arrived in Montréal no problem.

Winter 1760 – 1761 (November – February) – The Ice March

I am trying to rush Lord Howe’s corps to Trois-Rivières. My objective is to reach it as soon as possible, so next year I can be active (almost) the full year and not lose 2 months to move into position.

This is January :



In December, I am caught by winter. This is bad, but some more effort is needed :



My troops are not in a good state at this point :




In January, my troops finally reach Trois-Rivières. Here is a summing-up of the army at that point :



Moving Lord Howe’s corps in force might have been an error, as my force is now weakened and actually don’t reinforce much.
Worse, my supply output is not enough to allow my elements to recover strength :



Also in the North, I organize my fleet to be able to blockade the French port in winter :



My fleet is blocked by ice, but I calculated it should hold long enough.

In the South, now, not much more action :

November : my troops moves in the March to liberate Edenton.



More than one month, because the Cherokees attacked the most isolated place in the South.

In January, my troops arrive :



They’ll rest !

February : NOTHING. Even in the South they carry on resting.

Interesting...so, Lord Howe's force was actually too big?!

Had you brought a slightly smaller force, do you think that would have fared better?

The more I read, the more I want...and the more I desire a better computer capable of playing this game...

Curse you!

The I read, the more I want to see a French victory

I like to push for the weaker side , when I'm not on the strong side.

March – May 1761 – Grinding the French !

In March 1761, I try to trap Loki100.
I noticed that Loki100 has a tendancy to put Montcalm INSIDE the structure in Montréal. I am going to use this fact to “surprise” siege him :


Lord Howe and 5000 men (I took the best units - the "low strength units" will remain in Trois-Rivieres) will rush to Montréal and set a siege while there is no one to defend the province. This is a risky move, so Lord Howe will be in defensive posture (not very useful as he will switch to offensive anyway when he enters enemy territory) and will defend and retreat (ROE) if he meets anything. “Defend and retreat” means he will destroy small groups before he thinks of retreating, but if he meets Montcalm himself he will cut his loses.

I used Lord Howe to reduce the length of the march, but once arrived, Murray and his outstanding defense stats will kick in :

He will use another route, so will arrive first, and he has no less than 6 in defense !

I also move escorted supplies in the province between Montréal and Trois-Rivières :



Why am I taking this risk ? Well, my move on Montréal can have two results :

- Either the move is successful, and my troops will need supply to do the siege. In which case I will build a depot in Joliette (that’s the name in the province) – remember that units can draw supplies from adjacent provinces – most probable case.
- Or the move is not successful, my army will retreat in Joliette – and at least my troops will be able to fortify to stop the French while being sheltered (the following turn), without losing “one turn of fortify” when moving to Trois-Rivières.
I need to build more depot anyway, as I saturated Trois-Rivieres (3 depots) and STILL don’t have enough supplies.

Then April… well, I just destroyed the savefile while manipulating it to do the screenshoots. I am sorry. Long story short :
- Loki100 ordered Montcalm out of the structure, so Lord Howe preferred NOT to fight at all and retreated to Joliette, no loss in strength but the force is exhausted by the march. I am building a depot, but I am under stress : will Montcalm try to follow up ?
- Lord Howe and Roger rangers are sent to Fort saint Frédérick to fetch reinforcements; Murray will lead the troops in defense. I need his 6 in defense.

In May, my army is now well-retrenched in Joliette, so I can afford to move to Quebec with the second part of my army :



The second army is not in a very good state, but I don’t believe the enemy forces are strong enough to try to break such a siege. Yet again, I hope Loki100 will not sortie his troops just before I arrive.

Troops are arriving :



Supplies… Joliette will become a large city soon…

Also, in the South, English marshes are taken back by the English :



I remember it is the last combat in the Deep South… I never caught the Cherokees.

loki100 said:

oh ... and no - thats not the last action in the South, nor the last we'll see of my brave Cherokees

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That sounds rather promising and I fear it will need to be as things are looking rather grim for France at present. There does appear to still be the odd chance to harm the British forces but they seem well positioned to deal you a grevious blow. Still, I suppose a recovery is still possible, as such I'm eagerly waiting to see how things turn out.

Sounds pretty dire for New France. Loki, I'm afraid that even your brave (and pyromaniac) Cherokee won't be able to materially affect the outcome now...

But I am always open to surprises.

loki100 said:

As you can see the English horde lurks at Trois Rivieres but quite a few of those units are not much of a threat (except to small cute kittens of course).

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Ever since reading about Fluffy I've begun looking at small, cute kittens in a rather different way.

loki100 said:

Dismal Swamp falls ... and burns as well

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So it has become an even more dismal place? Surprised they managed to burn it, I would have thought it too soggy.

From what I can tell you seem to be in a good position to at the very least menace some British forces and hopefully defeat a few. It is just a pity you cannot more a bit more freely.

Bonne chance, à la victoire!!!!

loki100 said:

1761 ... the year of victories

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Yours or Narwhal's?

I'm impressed with your can-do attitude and overall positivity (well, apart from the 'Can't win anymore' comment). If anyone could march on New York and put it to the torch, it would be your plucky bands of natives and that hodgepodge of forces you're throwing across Lake Ontario - if you can torch a swamp, how hard could burning New York be?

Must admit I'm a little puzzled by your comment about scoffing Popes passing through Canada...

I wonder...what is the OOB of the French forces?

Yop, I am back Saturday.

I ll use the opportunity to spell check everything. I really write horribly.

As you might have noticed, I am kind of dyslexic, even in French. I swap words, or letters, for other. For instance, I swapped systematically "Montcalm for Montréal" in an earlier post.

I am a bit ashamed at the number of mistakes I did and I would like to thank the readers again for the effort they make deciphering what I wrote. In any case, I started the "post-after-post" sweep and I will soon finish correcting 1755

[Edit : I really thought "decipher" was written "decifer"]

Just to ask for help. I'm taking the french side in a pbem game. But Montcalm was killed right in 1756 by a little group of indian his 7000 troops attacked while going toward Crown Point. How can I win without my only 3 stars leader and the best general of the scenario.