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Well, that "inventive" solution failed by 2 days only. Failed nonetheless, quite spectacularly.

We are speaking of the game we did just after (no AAR), where I play the US and he plays the Redcoats.

No, I wouldn't do that to you ... my reference was to my decision in this game to send Jackson away from New Orleans to take Mobile ...
 
Unsporting British, depriving the Americans of their much-needed food (maybe it's Jamie Oliver's spirit, two centuries early, trying to pre-emptively cure the 21st century obesity epidemic?).

Decent enough Yankee plans, but the disruption caused by Narwhal's aggression and the American lack of it, seems to be enough to throw those plans off.

Here's hoping that the eventual arrival of the grandly-named 'Army of Canada' will tip the balance back to the locals.
 
Considering how important lunch rightly remains for America it seems as if Narwhal's cunning plan to cut supply lines could work very well. Which is all the more annoying for America as loki seemed to be in an otherwise decent position. If only his troops would stop eating and sleeping quite so much!
 
On the 6th of July, 1813


To Our King, George III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
From Sir John Prevost, by your grace Governor General of Canada and Commander-in-Chief of the English forces in the America,

My King,

I am aghast at the decision of Lord Liverpool concerning the situation here in the Americas. Really I have the situation well in hands, and I believe my success here has created much jealousy and bitterness in London. But more than all, I believe the decision of Lord Liverpool to separate the Americas in two "fronts", to give command of the "Champlain Front" (this should not be called the "Montréal front" as it is in the orders I received) to Sir Isaac Brock while giving me the orders to defend the Mohawk valley, might jeopardize our war effort here in your colonies.
Really I have nothing to be ashamed of in my conduct of the war here, except maybe my choice of leaders. As I speak, the enemy is still exhausting itself - without result - in its attempt to seize the Mohawk valley back. I have freed the city of Kingston-on-the-Lake from the American siege, and I was at the helm in the constitution in Fort Détroit of a strong native alliance with us - several thousand men.

Newturn.jpg


It is true that Sir Isaac Brock managed to free La Colle. But La Colle was without defender - not a single shoot was fired. As for the famed "American depot", it mainly consisted of a significant stock of various alcohol, which has disappeared as I speak. Do you really believe that if, as some claim, La Colle was strategic to the American they would have made no effort to protect it ?

Victory-2.jpg


In any case, being a disciplined soldier - a value that our country is losing - I called Sir Isaac Brock to Montréal to give him command. You can still cancel this order, my Majesty, so I have this manipulative and dangerous man arrested.
In any case, I suppose he ordered the troops he left behind him to fortify, but I am afraid they are going to be wiped until the last, as their position cannot be protected ! Truely this order to come back to Montréal saved Sir Brock's life ! But then, maybe the Americans will ignore the so-called La Colle "depot" and head South instead.

LakeChamp.jpg


While the Americans have moved to Niagara, I ordered our force in Kingston and the Indian coalition to gather in York. South enough, the Northern bank of the Lakes will be cleansed of any American presence.

Indianop.jpg


As for the Oswego region - it is too late to garrison the city, our troops arrived to late. Not that it has any importance. The troops earmarked for Oswego will be instead moved back to Sackett's Harbor in order to be displaced on other fronts. Really, we do not need them in defense !

Evacuation.jpg


Yours gracefully,

Sir John Prevost


PS : You can still come back on Lord Liverpool's decision



----------------

Meanwhile :

Peninsulawar.jpg
 
Great update. :)

I doubt loki chose to go with either of the options you point out for his army at St. Régis. Him sending reinforcemnets north makes it unlikely he was planning to retreat any time soon. A counter-attack against La Colle, looks good on paper to take the depot back but unless his supply situation forced him to do so, I think continuing the siege at St. Régis might have been more benefitial. Besides if things went wrong loki still had more than enough time to retreat south before winter.

Long-term a retreat is the only sound option, though. The British Army at Montreal will grow fast while American reinforcements have a long way to reach Canada. It is obvious by now that Montreal won't fall any time soon. Time to cut his losses.
 
Unsporting British, depriving the Americans of their much-needed food (maybe it's Jamie Oliver's spirit, two centuries early, trying to pre-emptively cure the 21st century obesity epidemic?).

Decent enough Yankee plans, but the disruption caused by Narwhal's aggression and the American lack of it, seems to be enough to throw those plans off.

Here's hoping that the eventual arrival of the grandly-named 'Army of Canada' will tip the balance back to the locals.

Well as Narwhal so decently confessed, the English (& I think to be honest he has a lot of Scottish battalions) were only after the booze stocks.

More seriously after that I had to rethink why I'm staying in the region and to think about falling back or hanging around hoping to do some more damage (&/or tie up a lot of English troops for a bit longer while I get up to mischief on the west side of L Ontario)

Considering how important lunch rightly remains for America it seems as if Narwhal's cunning plan to cut supply lines could work very well. Which is all the more annoying for America as loki seemed to be in an otherwise decent position. If only his troops would stop eating and sleeping quite so much!

I did have a lot of rather ill-timed decisions not to move. We're playing with the variant were 'inactive' means you move more slowly (which is quite a cost with the Americans as you already have a few generals with the slow mover trait) & you can only adopt a defensive posture. It certainly slowed my campaign in the Hudson & that had knock on effects later on.

To be honest I'd never heard of AGEOD before, but after having a go at some of these AARs I'm considering picking it up. This AAR is a lot of fun to read, that's for sure.

You should have WiA for free ... it was given away with one of the Paradox newsletters last Autumn. Its a real gem, almost everything but combat and movement abstracted but the supply system is still a major concern and major constraint on your operations. This scenario is a bit different in that the campaign area is essentially around the Great Lakes (at least till 1814-5), but the earlier ones on the War of Independence and the Seven Years War (French & Indian wars) are swirling brawls across the entire continent but with very small armies. Of the others, Pride of Nations is very different while Revolution Under Siege and Rise of Prussia more complex (not least much bigger armies) but have the same detailed focus on particular campaigns.

Great update. :)

I doubt loki chose to go with either of the options you point out for his army at St. Régis. Him sending reinforcemnets north makes it unlikely he was planning to retreat any time soon. A counter-attack against La Colle, looks good on paper to take the depot back but unless his supply situation forced him to do so, I think continuing the siege at St. Régis might have been more benefitial. Besides if things went wrong loki still had more than enough time to retreat south before winter.

Long-term a retreat is the only sound option, though. The British Army at Montreal will grow fast while American reinforcements have a long way to reach Canada. It is obvious by now that Montreal won't fall any time soon. Time to cut his losses.

Very much my logic, I looked at the lost depot and decided it didn't change much. I wasn't as aware as I am now of the steady English build up at Montreal or I might have lunged earlier (but then my strategy is tie up the English around Montreal to give me freedom elsewhere around Lake Ontario), so I now decide to make Narwhal push me back, hoping to use terrain to make him pay. With hindsight, I probably should have fallen back about now, but then, as we'll see, this concentration of the English on Montreal paid dividends to me elsewhere.

A REMINDER:

Just to remind any readers/commentators and lurkers, its time to vote in the AArland choice awards, the link is in my signature. Its a nice way to recognise the contributions of various authors etc.
 
July 1813, the American plan reveals itself (& then sulks in embarrasment)

Montreal

After the loss of the depot at Isle de Noix, Dearborn was ordered to capture Fort St Regis and thus secure American control over St John. By August, he would be joined by the Army of Canada, and consideration would be given to either a renewed attack on Montreal or of an organised retreat back along Lake Champlain. The opening battle was a hard fought stalemate:



But when the Americans returned after lunch they found that seemingly all the English were dead in any case.

York

By late summer, the focus of the American campaign briefly shifted to the west shore of Lake Ontario. The campaign in the Hudson remained mired in inactivity, but here the chance to take York and Fort Eire, combined with naval control on the Lake, would allow the Americans to gain a decisive advantage. The main move was to send Harrison's force to probe the English defences at York itself having already taken the vital town of Burlington.

Perhaps the main weakness was with Rensselaer's force, which was still struggling to recover from its losses in 1812 and thus stayed at Fort Niagara to recover.



In the event, Harrison's initial attack on York was held by the lucky arrival of fresh English units. Henri's dispatch to France, makes note of the massed ranks of British regulars and the heavy American losses as they pushed forward despite being so badly outnumbered. It was a heroic attempt, that set the tone for the rest of the campaign.



At the same time, even more massed English regulars struck Rensselar at Niagara, arriving just halfway through the soup course. In the confusion, some American units retreated to save the main course, but elsewhere, though outnumbered 4:1 Rensselaer heroicly defended the main kitchens, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.



Elsewhere, the campaign to drive the English from the seas was ongoing:



And the siege at Mobile was energetically prosecuted:



One of Henri's dispatches at this time noted, with quite a remarkable degree of foresight, just how much these various manouvers were laying the grounds for subsequent victory. It also appears it was about this time he confessed to Astride that the promised present from Montreal might prove rather hard to procure.
 
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On the 31th of July, 1813

To the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord Liverpool

Your Excellency,

Let me thank you once again to have granted me command !

On the Great Lake, we must still put up with Sir Prevost reckless decision. I just learnt that he organised a landing on Fort Niagara from Fort Detroit, supposedly to cut the supply source of the American force in Erie and Burlington. Expectedly, this was a major failure.
[I forget to mention this in my previous post, because I usually don't check ship movement too much - they are rarely interesting - and thus overlooked that order]

Defeat1.jpg


It is only thanks to Tecumseh leadership that we avoided more losses.

While York has been protected, this was at the cost of an unbearable loss of human life :

Victorycold.jpg

["Yes", not "yet"]
Fianlly, the enemy is still gathering more forces on the Mohawk.

Let me show you the situation, the real situation :

Situation-3.jpg


I must also inform you that the Sauk village - from which Tecumseh comes - is under siege :

Tecumsehrevenge.jpg


We have been informed that the Americans have been stockpiling matches for months now.

As you can understand, the Americans took Fort Saint Regis, and are now moving toward La Colle.

La Colle is well-protected, so I don't believe any assault would succeed. It could still be sieged, though, and to avoid this I am going to send guns and supplies by bateaux. With these supplies, our forces should outlast the Americans.

As for me, I am going to lead an expedition to take Plattsburgh. This way, the Americans will be completely cut from any supplies, and will disappear from the map without any combat !

Grandplan.jpg


As you can see, the drawback of the plan is that Montréal will have a small - but effective - garrison for one turn. Fear not, for the troops you have sent us have arrived in Québec and will be in Montréal before the end of the month.

This plan cannot fail.

As for Sir Georges Prevost, I suppose he will retreat from Niagara after the failure of this landing. I don't see any other alternative than using the ships he came with.

I also suppose the force he regrouped in York will be enough to chase the Americans. I just hope he does not command them personally.

Plan-1.jpg


I also asked him to spare some cavalry to help the Indians protect their village. If he wants to keep the Natives goodwill (40% of his forces), he will have to do this.

I am confident I can bring the situation back to a satisfying level,

Yours sincerely,

Sir Isaac Brock

Small reminder for beginners

Artilley in garrison lower by 1 the "siege roll", so you have less chance to receive a breach or damage.
If the "siege roll" forces an immediate surrender on your force, having a non-empty supply unit has 95% of chance to cancel this roll, 100% if the garrison is stronger than the besiegers.
 
One of Henri's dispatches at this time noted, with quite a remarkable degree of foresight, just how much these various manouvers were laying the grounds for subsequent victory. It also appears it was about this time he confessed to Astride that the promised present from Montreal might prove rather hard to procure.

Sounds very promising. Well, not for Henri, failing to get said present will likely spell disaster for him. loki does seem in a good position at present though, especially with the British seemingly happy to defeat themselves as with the Battle of Fort St. Regis.

However it is certainly not looking too bad for the Narwhal either. Even if both Prevost and Brock both seem happier fighting with each other than the Americans. Everything is shaping up nicely.

We have been informed that the Americans have been stockpiling matches for months now.

Evidently when you threaten American lunches too many times, you must face such consequances!
 
On the 31th of July, 1813
Defeat1.jpg


It is only thanks to Tecumseh leadership that we avoided more losses.

Well that and my forces were in the most passive of postures in the hope that some reinforcements might arrive if I made it very easy for them to do so ... hence the decision of one of my battalions to retreat and get itself destroyed in all the chaos
 
Its interesting to see how this plays out in comparison to the French & Indian War Scenario. One thing I want to note is how much better Loki is doing in this AAR than the last. I went through the last one with the feeling Loki was losing ,but had the chance to pull something off ,but now it feels like neither side really has the advantage, and other than the assault by Narwhal on the Americans near Montreal (which was quickly corrected by seizing their supply depot), no one seems to have made terrible blunders.
 
<Sees American siege of Sauk Village. Hums Johnny Cash's "The Ring of Fire">

I agree that the contest seems much more even this time round. Both sides grappling, trying to find some definite advantage. I'd invoke the image of two Sumo wrestlers if it weren't for the fact that calling this war "Two Fat Guys Groping Each Other" doesn't seem like a fair description. Then again, with the American prediliction for lunch and <ahem> 'leisurely' rates of movement, it might be closer to the truth than I originally anticipated. :p

Overall, I do have the sense that the English are in a better position right now. If for no other reason that loki hasn't decisively taken the war into Canada yet: the Brits can simply wait him out and still call it a 'win'. Oh well, many turns still lie ahead and I eagerly await their resolution. Hopefully, those matches will come in handy soon. ;)
 
Sounds very promising. Well, not for Henri, failing to get said present will likely spell disaster for him. loki does seem in a good position at present though, especially with the British seemingly happy to defeat themselves as with the Battle of Fort St. Regis.

However it is certainly not looking too bad for the Narwhal either. Even if both Prevost and Brock both seem happier fighting with each other than the Americans. Everything is shaping up nicely.

Evidently when you threaten American lunches too many times, you must face such consequances!

Unfortunately too many good lunches are severly hampering my campaign - too slow and too high a supply consumption ... but yes it is fairly tense at this stage, combination of an end of campaign season (so almost everywhere the armies are in contact) & wanting to gain an advantage into 1814

It seems that this is quite the stalemate.

its a bit more dynamic than that ... but things swing against both of us in the next couple of turns (ie we both make interesting mistakes)

Its interesting to see how this plays out in comparison to the French & Indian War Scenario. One thing I want to note is how much better Loki is doing in this AAR than the last. I went through the last one with the feeling Loki was losing ,but had the chance to pull something off ,but now it feels like neither side really has the advantage, and other than the assault by Narwhal on the Americans near Montreal (which was quickly corrected by seizing their supply depot), no one seems to have made terrible blunders.

I'd agree ... in truth I lost that game in the first year by making such a mess of the opening moves. This one is more focussed so the operational options are a bit clearer - though we're replaying at the moment (& reversed sides) and its an utterly different campaign, but again with the same chiselling away for small advantages and attempts to sieze the initiative.

<Sees American siege of Sauk Village. Hums Johnny Cash's "The Ring of Fire">

I agree that the contest seems much more even this time round. Both sides grappling, trying to find some definite advantage. I'd invoke the image of two Sumo wrestlers if it weren't for the fact that calling this war "Two Fat Guys Groping Each Other" doesn't seem like a fair description. Then again, with the American prediliction for lunch and <ahem> 'leisurely' rates of movement, it might be closer to the truth than I originally anticipated. :p

Overall, I do have the sense that the English are in a better position right now. If for no other reason that loki hasn't decisively taken the war into Canada yet: the Brits can simply wait him out and still call it a 'win'. Oh well, many turns still lie ahead and I eagerly await their resolution. Hopefully, those matches will come in handy soon. ;)

I think the scenario is designed to give a draw with a points victory to one side or the other. The problem for the Americans is that Montreal is so hard to take (rivers + oodles of supply) and they need it to win. In our replay, Narwhal came much closer than I did, but also concentrated a lot more on the Champlain front.

Two quick comments before the update. This'll be the last one for a couple of weeks, Narwhal is away from Paris and I'm off ice-climbing (or more likely looking annoyed at soggy turf-climbing) at the weekend, so it'll be a while before we can sate your desires to find out what happened next (I don't want to post too far ahead), but there is a small clue embedded in my August post. Second please, if you are so minded, vote in the ACA awards (link in my sig), its a nice way to recognise the contributions across AARland.

so .....
 
August 1813, the second 'incompetent of the Eire' competition takes place

The West

In a repetition of the success of autumn 1812, the American commanders entered into a competition to see who could do the most damage .. to themselves. The plan was relatively simple, Miller was ordered to capture Eire, all Harrison needed to do was to retreat from Burlington, Rensselaer was allowed to have a particularly long lunch and Chauncey took the Eire fleet to engage the English escaping from Niagara.

Simple really.





Then the competition commenced. Miller set a high standard with the opening salvo:



Harrison then took the lead with a particularly tardy retreat from Burlington:



However, this defeat was to prove strategically rather useful in September, as it seemed the English forgot something rather important.

Finally Chauncey entered the spirit of the campaign:


[1]

Along the Mohawk, Pike moved to take Oswego leaving Wilkinson to besiege Ft Stanwix. With Perry's squadron just off shore, there should have been no escape for the English.



At Stanwix, the English fort held out but Wilkinson was shocked to be attacked by a combination of artillery and supply wagons. After a quick lunch, both were added to the American army.



and Pike quickly took Oswego


Lake Champlain


In this sector Dearborn, after having a decent lunch to celebrate his promotion, was ordered to retreat back to Plattsburg to join the fresh forces there. He was expected to establish a defensive position and go back onto the offensive in 1814.



Unfortunately, the unsporting English failed to accept that Dearborn deserved an extra long lunch and very unfairly struck at Plattsburg



At Sea


The American campaign in this respect was a major success:



Unlike in the South where the attempt to take Mobile failed –



At this stage of the war, it appears that Henri was back in Washington. Clearly with the war turning against Napoleon, communications were difficult, but it appears as if Astride managed to send a personal response to being told she would not be getting a present from Montreal.



[1] – something we noticed after a while, its not a good idea to be the attacker in these lake battles. The transports have a good defence strength and a rubbish attack strength so in this case my 2 elements of combat ships attacked 14 elements of defenders (my 9 transport elements sat the battle out). If Narwhal had attacked me, the situation would have been reversed.
 
Good stuff. A real mixed bag of results with a truly impressive and commendable effort from America's generals to cause as much self-inflicted damage as possible. A close contest but I rather think Miller my winner considering that he lost despite overwhelming numbers in his favour and his facing no enemy general. Contest aside things seem rather delicately poised, I have to wonder what Harrison is going to get up to in September though.
 
maybe its just me ,but militia seem to be completely worthless losing miserably and barely inflicting any casualties even in defense.

In this scenario that is right, left alone and faced with regulars they seem to get beaten very easily. Its a contrast to the Seven Years War scenario where, especially for France, the Militia are pretty decent (& equally there are less regulars around to show them up)