Well, one potential gain to the Indians may be to distract attention, if the local tax-avoiders are worried their farms may be repossed -or burnt down- they may spend more time at home. Some of the other WiA scenarios reward this sort of indirect stuff and in others it is, as you say, a bit pointless.
Killing by hunger is always a good tactic in WiA, its very hard to badly harm a large army at the start, but manouver it out of supply and it'll fall apart with satisfying ease, so that may help to deal with that stack at the Dorchester?
True, but I have more pressing needs for my EPs than the current options for Indian warfare allow. Bear in mind that this is my first go-round with this particular scenario, so it just seems like throwing guns at the natives is a particularly expensive choice for the gain I get from it.
Thandros said:
No Attacks Via Canada. Are You sure? Attacks via multiple Directions are good Ways to outmanoeuvre an AI and Burgoyne arrives by Ship near Canada with a large army. Using to attack Albany from Canada is very possible.
Because attacking Albany from Canada was such a great idea in real life...oh wait, Burgoyne ended up surrendering his whole force to the Americans, didn't he?
The problem with attacking via Canada is supply. In order to launch a realistic shot at taking Albany, I need to have a significant corp arrive fresh to take the city (since Albany can be easily reinforced from New York by bateaux). There are only two routes from Canada to Albany.
Route #1: Lake Champlain: Most of the 'marching' can be done by boat...but there are no supply depots between Montreal and Albany. None. I would have to build my own. This slows things down considerably, AND represents a drain on EP as I need to purchase supply wagons to use in this campaign. These depots, once built, need to be defended, which represents a FURTHER drain on the power of the corp. So, IF I can manage to capture Ft. Ticonderoga, and IF I manage to create a supply depot there...then perhaps I can make an attempt at Albany...which is worth only 1 VP per turn.
Route #2: Mohawk river valley: Move army from Montreal to Ft. Oswego by bateux, but then I have to march up the valley, defeat two forts, and establish supply depots. The advantage of going this way is that the terrain favors my units (forests instead of wilderness), but the disadvantage is, again...forts and no supply. Again, a long-slow slog building depots and moving my forces forward to fight at the end of my supply tether while the colonialists are falling back on their supplies. All for 1 VP.
Neither route is very attractive.
Alternatively, I can use Burgoyne's corp to open another front against the middle colonies...perhaps make a play for BOTH New York AND Philadelphia at the same time. In these theatres, the terrain favors my forces, I can supply them by sea and the plentiful cities that cannot all be defended, and the VP gain (in destroyed American units and in strategic cities) is far higher. I'll get more and better use out of Burgoyne's corp in the main theatre than I would in a pie-in-the-sky invasion across unfavorable ground.
In real life, Burgoyne was tasked to take Albany because the British had already failed to keep Boston, and had already taken New York...and it was part of the plan to have the New York army move north up the Hudson to take Albany in conjunction with Burgoyne, and sever New England from the rest of the country. The move north from New York is the best and easiest way to take Albany, and was in 1777 as well. It is unrealistic to assume that Burgoyne could have taken Albany all by himself, and events proved this to be true.
Now, I will look to reinforce Canada, and do some raiding with the Mohawks, once they unlock. But I will not be trying to recreate the Saratoga campaign.
Stuyvesant said:
Doing the best you can with the forces that actually are willing to fight - I mean the situation around Boston. Nice to see Benedict Arnold take a drubbing: his ratings are quite high and your army wasn't much larger, but I guess your regulars hold a significant edge over the mostly militia colonials.
The South looks ugly: I can't imagine you can hold on very long in Virginia, unless you get some serious reinforcements there. And Georgia is an unholy mess. Do you have any reasonable change to hold onto anything worthwhile? Savannah, perhaps?
Right. Regulars on open ground have significant advantages over militia. Arnold does play smart though in the next turn. The south is indeed ugly. Lots of empty space and tiny units running around. Anything could happen.
Savannah has already fallen to the rebels, and has significant defenses. I will try to hold the strategic cities, Augusta, Camden, Charlotte, etc. But my forces are so weak...its going to be touch and go until reinforcements arrive.
Dewirix said:
It looks pretty good for the British at the moment, but I'd imagine that that can't last forever. What are the conditions for foreign intervention on behalf of the colonies?
Well, I haven't really engaged most of the country yet, and the rebels VP count is growing due to my small area controlled.
On foreign intervention...I actually have no idea. I'll try to find out.
Narwhal said:
I don't share your analysis. First, you have to remember that this game is won by VP count, not by complete anniliation of the enemy force. This means that sideshows may count to grab some VP.
Secondly, Indians is one of the only way for you to "guard" areas inside the land, like Detroit and Vincennes. Once the rebels seize those, good luck to recover them.
Finally, Indians are excellent scouts, and really Brits need scouts.
Good, some discussion! This is my first playthrough, so I won't hesitate to say that I could very well be wrong.
More VPs are available in the populated areas. Pittsburgh, Vincennes, Detroit, and Ft. Niagara are the only VP centers outside of my planned 'serious campaign' zone. So even if I lose two of the VP centers, I can make things up elsewhere by using my EPs more intelligently.
I suppose I should update myself and say that I will prioritize Indian EPs below regular army EPs. I may still attempt to raise more indians, but, at present I have more pressing needs for my EPs.
I will still try to fight in the west, but I will not try to make audacious campaigns there. I have no intention of just abandoning the area. Just not going to be spending an inordinate amount of time and resources trying to save areas that aren't really all that important.