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Ooft, the battle for New Orleans was truly nasty for loki. Although I guess it doesn't make a huge amount of difference at this stage. Thus Prevost finally comes good and Narwhal is well and truly in the ascendancy. At least loki has a planned 'shopping trip' to Montreal to lighten the gloom!
 
Very nice. Some piffling mishaps in the north, but Prevost manages to redeem himself (at least somewhat) and the British 'report' on Decatur was inspired. :)

well there are good grounds to be suspicious about both American naval commanders ... the only survivors of their fleets

Ooft, the battle for New Orleans was truly nasty for loki. Although I guess it doesn't make a huge amount of difference at this stage. Thus Prevost finally comes good and Narwhal is well and truly in the ascendancy. At least loki has a planned 'shopping trip' to Montreal to lighten the gloom!

its not just a shopping trip, its a game winning gambit, as we shall see
 
April 1815, Fort King Glory

After the minor skirmishes at New Orleans, all attention returned to the Ontario region where even the return of winter is not enough to depress Dearborn as he seeks to win the war



Even if the useless Harrison failed to hold on at Dayton on the Mohawk



With victory in sight, he moves on to Montreal.

 
Just read this through and I hope loki won't mind too much if I say I'm happy to see the RN finally asserting some dominance this side of the Atlantic.

Losing New Orleans, Washington and New York must hurt, but think how bad Sir George and co. will feel when they learn that London have already made peace and rendered those victories pointless.

From a reader's perspective, I have to say I very much enjoy these PBEM AARs, especially here as we get both sides of the story. It's also much more illuminating to read about the experience of someone who's still learning the game (although you've come a long way since the first RoP AAR).
 
that late war shift of naval power is a real shock & I guess is right. The real battle power of the RN would have been in Europe so the period 1812-3 or so is a campaign between frigates and raiders so its gives a bit of a false sense of security to the US side. its actually quite a shock to see your fleet (that in 'power' terms is strong) just evaporate, and it happened in our replay when I'd dispersed the RN a bit and Narwhal had concentrated the US fleet. So in essence once the RN turns up in force, the best the Americans can do is go and hide.

Agree that writing as a learner is good, its why we did these in the way they are set out. If you read an AAR between 2 very experienced players you get lots of good ideas but there is a gap in intuitive understanding of the game, its not just that I made silly mistakes (everyone does with the AGEOD process as there is no safety net if you forget something), but that they are the sort of mistakes that most people will make as they get used to this game system. And on the other hand, Narwhal can then concentrate on game mechanics et al. He's been very generous as an opponent as there is no way was the first WiA game a challenge for him, this one (despite the utter collapse in mid-1814) was fairly close for a while (if I could have worked out how to exploit my temporary dominance at York then I think I could have built a position that would have given me a points victory), the replay was a real back and forth tussle ending in a stalemate at the key sectors.
 
its not just a shopping trip, its a game winning gambit, as we shall see

Interesting. Llike Stuyvesant I cannot see how it plays out!
 
I would like to apologize for the delay, but my computer is under extensive repair, and thus not available.

I should carry on by mid-May and finish this AAR.
 
Well, that does limit your ability to do much, so I guess it's an acceptable excuse. ;)

Sorry to hear you're having computer trouble and I hope it'll be resolved as quickly and painlessly as possible. Will await mid-May with bated breath, as I still eagerly await loki's 'game winning gambit', as well as the burning of DC you refer to in your own sig. :)
 
On the 1st of May, 1814

To the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord Liverpool

Your Excellency,

Your opponents in the colony have been lucky this month, as Kingston has surrendered before Scheaffe could arrive to mount an efficient defense.

Forcedmarch.jpg


Yet, this is their only success so far, and the only of your cities still now in their hands. As you can see on the map, Dayton succumbed to our forces. I led the assault personally.

VictoryofDayton.jpg


And the Americans can only look from afar at New Orleans, the Jewel of the South. Their army is not much of a force any more.

NeOrleansismine.jpg


As for Vincennes, the Indians pledged on their blood to seize it !

RolloverVIncennes.jpg


I am sending reinforcements to the Indians, to help them hold their pledge :

TOVincennces.jpg


With the war almost finished - how advanced are the negotiations in London - we are moving as fast as possible to take as much territory as possible.

Buffalo :

ToBuffalo.jpg


And of course, Washington - their arrogant capital :

ToWashington.jpg


I am myself moving toward Oswego.

Montral-1.jpg


As you can see, I am worried about Montréal, where we only have a token force. I trust Scheaffe will organize the defenses, though.

Yours respectfully,

Sir Isaac Brock
 
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On the 2nd of June, 1814

To the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord Liverpool

Your Excellency,

By some miracle, the enemy force in Kingston did not move toward Montreal. Our forces, on the opposite, has been very active in making the English Lakes of... er... the Great Lakes :

Goodnews-3.jpg


AS you can see, Oswego is now ours.

Oswegobattle.jpg


I just learned of the peace treaty. I believe we could have received more advantageous conditions. Maybe the American force in Kingston has received the news before us, which would explain its lack of activity ?

In any case, I will transmit it to all my local commanders, even though I am not quite sure that, very, very unfortunately, they will receive it before attacking Vincennes...

Vincennes-1.jpg


... and Washington :

AssaultonWashington.jpg


It would be terrible terrible news if the American capital would burn before our forces there receive news of the peace treaty.

I am happy to have finished my assignment here, and I may add successfully. I am looking forward going back home in Britain. We only hear of the most bizarre things, here :

Mostcrazynews.jpg


Yours in victory,

Sir Isaac Brock,
 
May 1815 - the untold truth

May 1815 was dominated by the final preparations for America's victory. First some dragoons were sent to scout out the terrain



And the invasion fleet was assembled



While the preparations for this mortal blow to their ambitions in N America were being laid, the English were fatally confused by a decoy 'army' deployed at Oswego.



Total victory was on the point of being achieved.
 
It would be terrible terrible news if the American capital would burn before our forces there receive news of the peace treaty.

Yes, an absolute, crying, unforgiveable shame. Oh, the horrors of war and slow, pre-modern-age communications... Waily, waily...

Now get on with it before it's too late! Put the place to the torch! Quick! :p

May 1815 was dominated by the final preparations for America's victory...
Total victory was on the point of being achieved.
With that update, loki, you're doing a credible job of sounding like Saddam Hussein's minister of information during the '03 invasion of Iraq. Y'know, the chap who was confidently predicting utter and devastating victory while American tanks were rolling into Baghdad Airport. :) I salute your resolute steadfastness in not bowing your will to mere trivial details such as reality. :p
 
On the 4th of July, 1815

To the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord Liverpool

I bring you some, err, dreadful news. It seems that the order of cease-fire could not reach in due time, with the effect that our troops committed various martial feats all over the American territory.

For instance, our troops overpowered the militia in Washington, and the White House burned in the final assault - which was not our initial orders.

Washington-2.jpg


You can be sure that the soldiers will be punished VERY harshly.

Similarly, Vincennes finally fell to our troops - at last :

Vincennes-2.jpg


Finally, I personally took the city of Buffalo :

VictoryofBuffalo.jpg


All the - relevant - American territory is under our control :

Atlast.jpg

Finalscreen.jpg

NewYorkandWashington.jpg


It is actually a good thing the peace was signed, as we had nothing more to take.

VictoryII.jpg

Victory1.jpg


As a side note, some American troops are getting closer to Montréal, but we sent them messagers after messagers to tell them that the peace has been signed. We expect them to change direction anytime now.

Troubles.jpg


I will now head back to my Motherland. You will probably receive this letter within hours before seeing me in person. Anything that would happen to our colonies from now on - including to Montréal - would be out of my responsability, and entirely my successor's burden.

Closeenough.jpg


Yours in Victory,

Sir Isaac Brock
 
This concludes the AAR from the English's side. Sorry for the delay for the last turns. They were not that interesting.

I had a blast playing against Loki100 : this short scenario is very well balanced, with a lot of action, but still strategic decisions to take (esp. in the allocation of the troops between the different fronts). The only downside may be the New Orleans events, a bit random. I also believe decisive victories are not out of reach for any side, and that it is EXTREMELY well balanced.
Here a few reflections on the game from my side

- Loki100 tried to get points by holding cities, and did not know one could get even more points by destroying enemy forces (or having them surrender), so his initial strategy was not optimal

- I was not really helped by weather overall (sometimes it did, sometimes not), but I feel like I have been VERY lucky with the siege rolls !

- Loki100 had troubles rotating his troops toward depots to have them recover their strengths. I believe my victory at Kingston and my victory at Erié would not have been possible against healthy troops. On the other hand, there are not many depots for the English : Albany is a bit too far, and I took Détroit early. Loki100 stockpiled his supply wagons for "a better time" too long, and when he sacrificed them it was too late. I believe in particular that with ONE more depot, the counter-attack on West Ontario, in Winter 1813-1814, would have petered out horribly. I came one HAIR from total defeat : out of supplies, low strength, cut from reinforcement, trapped in winter... and still I won because the US troops had not rested since the beginning of the game.

- As mentionned earlier, we discovered in this game that while bateaux are horrible in attack, they are great in defense. If one looks at their stats (I never paid attention before 1814), they have 1 in offense and 6 in defense. This means that even though the enemy fleet was larger, when my enemy attacked with say 8 schooners, 1 brig and 8 bateaux against 4 schooners and 12 bateaux (it happened), effectively the battle was between 8 schooners and 1 brig vs 4 schooners and 12 bateaux. That's why I believe even though my bateaux always retreated, they took an heavy tool on Loki100's forces. I will play my lake fleets much differently from now one, keeping the defensive posture in most case.

- It is great for me that Loki100 could not exploit the massive advantage he had in 1813 when he occupied near Montréal almost all my forces. With a slighly stronger garrison either in that port North of the Champlain and in Fort Ticoderonga, I would never have pulled my last chance moves [I wanted to get rid of that army ASAP, because I wanted to free one force to save the Ontario - that one force that took York back].

Basically, until my victory in defense of Kingston, I thought Loki100 was going to win a minor victory, and even maybe a full victory. My strategy at that moment was "full defense" and hope that the Washington and New Orléans raids bring me enough points to win. Also, the US attacks in 1814 forced me to counter-attack with forces I wanted to keep in Montréal, until those troops reached the West of the Champlain. When the enemy force was routed, I though "oh, I might try to go for Albany". There was absolutely no plan, there, I was just seeing each turn one turn further (on that front). And it brought me victory.

Finally, I may add that Loki100 and I had another game, with the sides reversed, in which Loki100 had a victory on points.
 
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June 1815 - total victory is achieved

Well to celebrate the impending French victory at La Haye Sainte, we intend to sieze Montreal, thus will the world remember the momentous events of June 1815

The English fell for decoy after decoy







While at the gates of Montreal we won the decisive final battle of the war



Added to the fruits of our highly successful, world renowned, Mobile-campaign, the war ended decisively.



It was a real pity the now barbecued politicians gave up just as we, and Napoleon, were on the edge of victory.
 
Its actually really hard to remember back to this game.

I'd concur with Narwhal, its very well balanced, the English late war reinforcements will either confirm the results of the battles around the Lakes or be meaningless (if the Americans have won those). I think most games will go to points. It is also quick to play, you have 2.5 campaign seasons, and till 1815 the war contained in a very narrow region.

I think I made two big mistakes (& a number of others). The naval invasion in October 1812 cost me the brigade that later on might have given me the force to hold onto York/Kingston (as Narwhal mentions this was an important part to the campaign). If you are used to Paradox-Clauswitz this is a risky gamble but if it goes wrong you retreat to the ships (so you save the core of the force), in the AGE engine, if you lose such a battle (& odds on you will), your whole stack is eliminated. This is probably a better simulation of pre-modern naval-land operations but can catch you out.

The second was related to this. I never sorted out the supply problem at Niagara/Buffalo. I was so busy hording my supply wagons for the invasion of Canada I never built the depot that would have kept that army in good supply. Add that to the lost brigade and although the York gambit worked, it failed for lack of power, and I'd lost the key additional elements.

My Montreal gambit was a hoot, I have a reputation for being cautious and defensive so thought it would be interesting to try out something out of character. Its near impossible to take Montreal in this game (in our rematch Narwhal tried 2-3 times), but you can tie up a lot of English reinforcements while you run amok on the West end of the Lake

In general it was a great game, I really like WiA for its tight focus. Narwhal is great to play with, some of the emailed comments and headers had me laughing out loud.

The lake thing is very important. Fleets are present in a lot of AGE games and so often you are better on the defense. With things like the lake-bateaux they are near invincible in one stance and utterly useless in the other. So keep your fleets on the defense for the most part.

Narwhal is right about cities. In the replay I made sure I lost very few garrisons, and gained a lot of VPs by culling a regular stream of those 1 bn garrisons the Americans have. Indians are good for this - you can't take the town with them, but you can force the garrison to surrender due to lack of supply.
 
Isaac Brock said:
For instance, our troops overpowered the militia in Washington, and the White House burned in the final assault - which was not our initial orders. You can be sure that the soldiers will be punished VERY harshly.

At long last! It came to pass! :D

Nice to finally see the last, technically post-war moves. I won't comment on the moves themselves (except to cheer again for the barbecue organized for/with the political leadership in Washington ;)), but will say I appreciate Sir Brock's final comment about things now being out of his hands, as well as loki's continued insistence that final victory really belonged to the Americans, a few slight setbacks and diversionary 'defeats' notwithstanding. :)

Well played, gentlemen, and a joy to read. Thanks!
 
So what is next? This game was absolutely fantastic--a great description of an underused scenario. I've been following the AAR since I found it, though I only caught up with the whole thing a week or so ago. The ending was as fantastic as it is worrisome--I'm not a fan of PoN and now the AGEOD AAR forum is totally dominated by them.

In any case, I would like you to know that its your/Narwhal's games that got me into AGEOD (and into strategy more broadly), and that I eagerly anticipate your next AAR.
 
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