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October 1757 - a lot actually happens (none of it very nice though)

Well in keeping with the logic of the North American campaigning season, its early Autumn when it all comes together. This was one busy, and disastrous month (but only one disaster was unexpected) ... combined with a glimmer of hope.

So lets summarise it all:



My two forts north of Duquesne fall (fortunately the last man out remembered the set them on fire). I lose that small but vital plantation at Pontoosuck, and the slightly more important fort at Carillion (its a strategic province, hence all the doom and gloom wailing messages).

And my landing at Beaufort works. So I now have one of the coastal ports down there.

So on to the details:



So that ends Venango, looks like the usual English massacre as strangely they took no losses, I can only guess my men were cooking a particularly delicious Daube at the time.



and that ends Carillion. They attacked about 10 times before it fell, note the usual attempt to kill my gallant officers, there seems to be no end to their criminality.



I attacked Cumberland with relatively cautious assault orders (you can order your troops to break off early if it seems likely not to succeed). So that wasn't too bad, even if there were more regulars there than I'd expected.



This was the unexpected one. I ran straight into those regular battalions while moving down to Beaufort ... I forgot to set the evade while moving stance. This usefully shows how powerful that order usually is, but I could have done without the rather pointless losses.



Now this was a surprise. If you remember a while back (unknown to me) Narwhal sent a force to take Vincennes, hoping it was unprotected. Well winter is coming and we are both effectively without much supply so it'll be a race to see who starves first.



This shows the wider corridor from Cumberland-Duquesne to Niagara. I'm going to have one more go at Cumberland - it will at the least really muck up Narwhal's ability to move in/out of this region.



and in the south, my forces are gathering (there are more regulars on the way too).

If you look at the Couriers de Ligneris you'll see an odd effect. Some commanders, mostly my irregular ones, have a personal unit (that can't be detached and doesn't normally show up). While in WiA unlike RoP you don't usually have units 'inside' the commander, there are a few. Sometimes makes it hard to work out the actual strength of a force.
 
My two forts north of Duquesne fall (fortunately the last man out remembered the set them on fire). I lose that small but vital plantation at Pontoosuck, and the slightly more important fort at Carillion (its a strategic province, hence all the doom and gloom wailing messages).
So it was you ?

I was really convinced it was due to the Cherokee leaders in the stack.

Excellent move from you, as it made me lose one or maybe two years in the area. I thought I could use Fort LeBoeuf to attack Détroit in '58. Fort Venango was going to burn anyway, though.

(just taken out the other parts that had copied over ... hope this is ok)
 
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So it was you ?

I was really convinced it was due to the Cherokee leaders in the stack.

Excellent move from you, as it made me lose one or maybe two years in the area. I thought I could use Fort LeBoeuf to attack Détroit in '58. Fort Venango was going to burn anyway, though.

I assume it was me, its not the only place I burn when you drive me out (I think I've been reading too many histories of the Great Patriotic War?). But then don't forget the Cherokees are really on my side in any case - just they don't realise it yet.

OK, the burning of the forts up there was a good move.
And if you take Fort Cumberland, that will be great! Will you keep it, or burn it?

I pull the same stunt in a few other places. It creates a huge gap that regulars can't really manouvre over (their org is so low on arrival that they are incredibly vulnerable). While Narwhal can rebuild them, it costs him a lot in supply (I think each is 4 wagons?), so that makes it harder for him to sustain operations at the edge of his reach (such as keeping Louisbourg under siege over winter).

If Cumberland falls, it burns. I can't hold it with a group of Couriers and its a waste to convert them into a fixed garrison. With that link in the chain gone, those forces around Duquesne are stuck - can't really move back to the coast and can't really advance. What is so frustrating is now knowing I could have done that without any problem in 1755.
 
loki100 said:
I assume it was me, its not the only place I burn when you drive me out (I think I've been reading too many histories of the Great Patriotic War?). But then don't forget the Cherokees are really on my side in any case - just they don't realise it yet.
Yes, it is you. But back then, I thought it was the Cherokee leaders on your payroll : "I have very strict written orders that we should burn that fort. They are also very confidential - I cannot show them. They are written by Loudoun in Cheroqueese anyway. Yes, it is a written langage, Colonel. Now, dismiss."

This is all very peripheral. What will be decisive is the fate of Louisbourg and the battles for the Champlain.
 
September 1757 – Offensive on the Champlain

It is time for the full offensive :

Massiveattack.jpg


My columns are divided in 3 for practical reasons : they have different objectives or start at a different places.

- Georges Washington (3600 men in 24 elements of untrained provincials) will assault Fort Frederick after by-passing Fort Carillon. Even if he fails, we will block reinforcement from helping Carillon
- Murray (6500 men : 8 elements of Highlanders, 4 elements of regulars, 31 elements of trained provincials, 4 elements of untrained provincials) will start a siege of Fort Carillon, but not assault immediately. They will wait for Webb to limit the command malus.
- Webb, in Fort George ( 1500 men : 4 elements of regulars, 4 elements of Light Infantry and 4 elements of Battoement will go to Fort Carillon to assault – they will receive Murray’s help.
I clicked the wrong unit, and Lawrence will actually join up Murray instead of Washington – it is a mistake in the pic.
By the way, the promotion of Lawrence upset Webb, who had higher seniority :

Upset.jpg


I received a new commander in my new Fort William Henry, and he is now active :

Munro.jpg


Not the best guy around, but useful for defense.

In the South, well… the French carry on being French.

Sigh.jpg


My cavalry smashed some Indians, though :

Indianvictory.jpg


Finally, in the wild West, I decide to rush the things a little south of the Erié, with a project to assault all the structure until I reach the shores :

VenangoLeboeuf.jpg


I will build also a new fort Niagara :

Fort-1.jpg
 
October 1757 – Exploitation on the Champlain, retreat on the Erié

On the Champlain, it did NOT turn at all as I expected… but it still turned well.

Washington was “blocked” by the Carillon’s fortifications (there are complex rules about how an army or a fort can block the way of an enemy army – I won’t get too much into for now). Washington stopped his movement, and since he was in assault posture, he proceeded to assault the structure. 3 times. Here is the third battle :

FirstWashington.jpg


Washington assaulted a fourth time, but as Murray had arrived, Murray took command of the assault :

MurrayFollowssuit.jpg


Then, Washington’s force cohesion was too low for assault, and Murray was in defensive order, so no more assault… until Webb arrived with his assault posture :
FinalAssault.jpg


This was the last battle. Fort Carillon is captured, with the supply wagons. Unfortunately, Webb died leading the assault, wanting to prove he could be just as good as Lawrence

So here is the list of the officers KIA so far :

Memoryof.jpg


It does not include those officers that were sacked. I included peaceful Indian leaders that were murdered.

I am now going to exploit by taking the city just North of Carillon. No risk of failure in my opinion :

Complex.jpg


I am a bit worried about the future supply situation in the area, as there is no depot and few structures. With the help of the supplies I just captured, Washington will build a depot (I guess it will be part of the “training”), while some light infantry, not needed, will go back to Albany.

On the Ontario, my force failed a force march I ordered next turn and will only reach Niagara this turn.

Clearingtheway.jpg


Niagara is occupied by French forces but I am confident.

More in the South, the French failed in a raid of Fort Cumberland, once again :

RaidatCumberland.jpg



My offensive to the Erié was a success... or was it ?

Razingforts.jpg


I took both forts, but unfortunately they both were destroyed. It looks like it was Loki100’s order that I could not have a fort intact to help me push toward Detroit. I blame my Cherokees who made sure the victory was a little too much complete.
In any case, I am in a serious situation, it is October, so net turn will probably be very cold, and I am several month away from Duquesne with an exhausted army. I order the immediate retreat, and hope my people go as fast as possible…
This was a brilliant move by Loki.


Well, since there is no more threatening fort around Duquesne, I decide to raze the very last French Indian village in range of Duquesne.

To prevent any accusation of war crime, this operation will be 100% organized and executed by Indians…

Shawneesgoingdown.jpg


In the South, Loki100 get serious will a transport force and a landing on my coast.

South.jpg


The battle I mention is this one : no element destroyed, but quite serious nonetheless.

StoppedsomeINdians.jpg


I am quite inactive in the South (waiting for cohesion to recover and for my cavalry to arrive), but it is going to change. Indians in the Carolinas disappeared as they had appeared !
 
Are the 4 gun and 4 supply elements fully consumed in constructing a fort?
 
November 1757 – General Logistics calls in

My assault on Fort Saint Frédéric went smoothly. It took me no less than four assault to take the place but I received no significant losses. Here is two examples :

FirstAssault.jpg

FourthAssault.jpg


This campaign covered my generals in glory :

Goodnews.jpg


I will now have a new three star leader (Murray). Outstanding !

Unfortunately, I went deep in the French lines too quickly, and winter is now there. I thus have a “supply situation”. Let me try to explain it :

2011-07-31_171134.jpg


My only solution to have a real fighting force for 1758 is to retreat along Albany, with a first stop in Fort Carillon :

Retreat-1.jpg


Generally speaking, it is better to take the “moving in winter hits” in BoA if you can reach a place where your fore will recover 100% of its force, rather than wait it out somewhere safe with a force at 50%. Of course, if you lose elements moving in winter, it was not worth it after all : )
This is NOT true in other AGEOD games.

The situation is ever worse near Duquesne, as my force is surprised by winter :

Oupsie.jpg


The full supply wagon comes from a supply I sent from Duquesne to rendez-vous with the force to hold a little longer. Good move.

Yet, 2 month of supply, that’s exactly the time needed to join Duquesne… for now. As my troops will be even more exhausted as they are already next turn, you can be sure that it will take one or two or more extra days… which means I will be out of supply.

There is nothing better to do unfortunately. We will see.

At least, the Shawnees were destroyed.

Shawnees.jpg


My Indians than wintered.

I am building a fort in Niagara :

Fortbuilding.jpg



The cost will be that unit of supply wagons (4 elements) and that unit of guns (4 elements).

In the South, no snow, but French transports giving the French some mobility :

TransportSouth.jpg


My small army is going to garrison in Charleston, first because it is the largest city around, but also because I have bateau there, so I will be able to move the army quickly where it is needed - as long it is needed on a coast or on the riverline.

I am going to chase that transport – I will send a small and fast fleet (6 brigs, 2 frigates), led by Holburne. The rest of the fleet won’t come. I don’t believe I need it to sink a transport, and I want a fleet in being ready to intercept a French sortie from Quebec.

Fleet-1.jpg


Oh, and for the first time I received some news from the expedition to Vincennes :

Survivors.jpg


The last 30 survivors’tale was quite confused, but I could understand a few thngs :
- They went down by bateaux, but it took one month more than expected to reach the expected landing site in August
- When the force arrived in front of Vincennes, they were too exhausted to assault, so they started a siege and the rangers were sent back home because they were eating the little supply left and someone had to give some new [the following image is from September 1757]

FullretreatSeptember.jpg


- “So no news from the boats ? Certainly, if it took them 2,5 months going downstream, it is going to take at least 3 months going upstream. With exhausted crew…” If they are not here already, it means they were trapped by ice on the way, and I will never see them again.
 
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December 1757 – Winter gets hot in the deep South

Winter has a small recess, but this turn is not too good for me.

As expected, my force in Duquesne needs 1 turn + 1 day to reach Duquesne, which means it will be out of supply before reaching it, which means I MAY lose some elements :

1daymore.jpg


In Fort Carillon, my exhausted army will spend one turn recovering before a winter march.

REcovering.jpg


Loudoun is recalled to London (fun) and replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Abercromby, who become a three-stars leader :

NomoreLoundon.jpg


Why they did not choose as Commander-in-Chief a successful leader like Braddock, Murray or Lawrence is a mystery for me.

I receive a new one-star leader in New York, as well as some Light Infantry :

Gage.jpg


Admiral Francis Holburne is called back to London as well.

Nicebug.jpg


Now, there was a little scenario shortcoming I did not expect. Usually, Holburne goes home with part of his fleet, I seem to remember. But if his fleet is in another region (like in this case – the brigs were not part of his fleet), it looks like you get to keep all the fleet. Nice and unexpected. I suppose Holburne went home swimming.

In Niagara, the most weird thing happen. While my troops are building the fort, they are engage by a strong French detachment, and retreat :

BattleoftheFort.jpg


But the Fort is build, and no one occupies it (the French were just passing through) :

Fort-2.jpg


Now, I want to take this unoccupied fort in Niagara, so I send Dunbarr. I won’t send Roger, because irregulars destroy the forts they take, and this fort is considered “French”.
Small bug here, I suppose.

Finally, in the South, the French grows bolder, with a surprise landing in front of Savannah – which is now under siege :
SOuth-1.jpg


Since the French now have quite a force down there, they need a supply source – and they have only one. That’s why my plan is to take the city of Beaufort (French name in any case), and then move to chase the troops sieging Savannah. I will land by boat to go fast and keep my cohesion intact !
My fast interceptor ships are going to arrive this turn, so I will be master of the sea locally.
 
The winter seems to have ruined a good part of your plans.

not mine it didn't. 1757 was the first year I was quite pleased with, mainly due to the late winter in May, my gamble was that Narwhal would overextend ... & if I did a bit of scorched earth and a bit of a forward defense, he was running the risk of serious end of year losses suddenly deep into my lines (the supply system in WiA is quite tricky - worse than in RoP) ... in the mean time, all I've been doing is to train the militia to regulars and generally holiday in Mont Royal.
 
November 1757: A more accurate perspective

Well Narwhal has presented one version of November 1757, and there are points of agreement, but he has missed out both a tale of English incompetence and needless violence ... so lets see.



So this is why the defense of Vincennes was so important. There are lots of small forts beyond it held by small families (that is actually what the counter looks like). Given what the English tend to do ... it is vital they are held or ... no cute little kitten will be safe.



as we can see, and those numbers do not include the cute kitten count.



Now for some reason Narwhal missed this one out. His evil cavalry got a right humping from my Indians in the south ... you can sort of understand why that one was glossed over.



and at Fort St Frederic he was almost correct. Of course what he failed to inform everyone is that yet again his forces targetted my noble and brave French officers.



In the hope that the French army can keep them safe, the Indians go to sleep for winter ... it will not be easy to keep them alive.



And here's the rather complex position around Niagara. I thought I'd destroyed his fort (the little 'burn it down ... you know you want to' icon was missing), so one group of Couriers go off to recover and the others go to attack one of Narwhal's Indian villages (naturally this was a completely justified act of revenge after the Shawnee events).
 
December 1757 - vengence and warming up the south

So lets look at what happened where my old fort Niagara stood. My couriers who were off for a well deserved Winter Break, beat up some English (really just in passing ... for the fun of it) and apparently without noticing it captured their fort (it must have been really second rate with no decent cooking facilities)



The other group went to Painted Post and did what they had to do







So here's where we all are as a result (worth remembering that Couriers can cope with a couple of turns in the snow without too much damage - unlike Regulars).



And in the south, French forces arrive at Savannah, including more reinforcements from Louisbourg (they obviously escaped the RN while their admiral was swimming the Atlantic)

So I'm quite pleased with 1757. I lost nothing that I believed I could defend, St Jean and forts on Niagara were doomed. I might have defended those at the south of Lake Champlain but I was worried at the late winter would mean a decent army would be trapped down there (or I'd have to convert scarce supply wagons to depots) ... as we'll see in 1758 I have another use for supply wagons.

On the other hand, at best all I've done is to delay and distract. I've certainly done no real damage. But my force in the south will be quite powerful soon and that may force Narwhal to divert a decent army to contain my operations (or the whole south may just ... well lets say warm up ;))
 
This is a wonderfully enjoyable read. Very informative too, and not just regarding the gameplay elements of this title, I've learned to never attend a barbecue hosted by anyone in the French army or French alligned Native Americans, the flames always seem to get out of control... The game itself still seems relatively balanced to me, although as loki has apparently missed out on pressing home the advantage France has pre-1758, things may be about to get a bit hairy.

Alongside the gameplay generally I'm very much liking the propaganda war being run by both players. Needless to say I hope the fire raising, heroic officer killing, civilian harrying backwards savages are defeated! I'm just trying to work out which force it is I have just described...
 
And here's the rather complex position around Niagara. I thought I'd destroyed his fort (the little 'burn it down ... you know you want to' icon was missing), so one group of Couriers go off to recover and the others go to attack one of Narwhal's Indian villages (naturally this was a completely justified act of revenge after the Shawnee events).

The other group went to Painted Post and did what they had to do
What you read here is a confession, and also shows how uneasy Loki100 is about the story.
First, you read that he has to kill "some Indians" for "revenge"... what sort of justice are we talking about here ? Hamurabi's code ?

Then "what they had to do". Spell it, Loki. What "they had to do" was murder.

Then, according to the screenshoot, he killed some "militias"...

Militias ? You want to know what sort of militia it was ? Here is who was in Painted Post :

IndianTraders.jpg


Yes... a few families of settlers who had just finished the paint of their house !

Let me show them again :

Traders2.jpg


How dangerous were those people for Mighty France ! How much they deserve French so-called "revenge" ? You see them their last family picture, with the new color camera they just bought to photography their house. The man was handling his great-grand father arquebus, an artefact from the Battle of Lützen. They thought they could flee the wars in Europe by settling in a new, pure, place.

And then, the French "did what they had to do".

We report. You decide.
 
January 1758 – Not much happens

Quite turn.
My small detachment reaches Fort Niagara, but so does the French.

Niagara.jpg


No battle, but the Fort ended up burning for some reason. I suppose the French had some sort of barbecue-gone-wrong again.
Now, I am going to try to get my troops home, but I don’t hope much for them. It is too cold.

In Duquesne… one more turn needed :

NineMoreDays.jpg


I am pretty sure I am going to lose elements. 9 more days to go.
Supply situation is actually OK, since the unit could tap some supply from Duquesne (it can from neighboring provinces). But winter will hit some more.

In the South, my fleet chased the French fleet in Beaufort, which I am currently sieging :

South-1.jpg


Good news is : my small fleet is large enough to blockade the port. I am quite confident Beaufort will fall before Savannah.