Ok.. Thist is still Beta 1 as the CSA and I have reached turn 31.
The CSA has overrun most of the smaller cities in the midwest in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin along with a few others. (Full list is Lacrosse, Oskosh, Beloit, Bloomington, Peoria, Davenport, Sioux City, Omaha, Niles, Ft. Wayne, Saginaw, and Sandusky). The larger cities now show either a 11 or 13 defence rifle unit and my cav and irregulars can't really touch it, so I am attempting to consolidate and hope the computer does not counter attack (some sign of that going on as some militias have been moving around). Davenport was a nice addition as it produced a gunboat for me.
St Louis finally fell to my massed artillery and river fleet force with a division also providing most of the ground work along with the Arkansas troops as late arrivals. Took me several turns to reduce and it was a tough fight. I have also finally captured Bowling Green as well in another tough fight. I have 4 divisions left along the Mississippi and I know Louisville has 2 divisions (my next target after my 3 divisions recover their health). Division number 4 that took Booneville is taking some r & r before heading to have some bar-b-que in the Kansas City area along with some of the river fleet, artillery, and some auxiliary units.
The Union sent in some smaller infantry units into West Virgina and we had a little scrapping going on there. My attack going into Pennsylvania ended with 2 brigades dying at the doors of Pittsburg (not enough artillery to reduce the garrison and I should have probably pulled back, but it was close and bagging Pittsburg would have really open up the rest of the state and the rear areas behind Washington. Cumberland had fallen earlier. I am now on the defensive in this area.
The Union is launching a spirited attack on Hagerstown and Winchester at the moment. They lost 2 divisions trying Hagerstown and also lost some other infantry due to some counter attacks. I am really pressed in this area and the Army of Northern Virgina is getting a work out, but there will probably be a lull in this area now.
The Union invasion force turned back on turn 16 or so, but has now appeared again and seems to be headed for the Charlston area. I will play a few more turns to see what happens on this version, but am out of time for now.
Out west, the CSA controls all the easy towns with just the two forts left to the Union. I have also beaten off an indian attack or two. Two of my New Mexico units are now Vets, so I feel with some patience, it is time to start reducing the forts.
West Virgina sees the CSA now on the defensive (sent most of my better units to help with Pittsburg) and the CSA spending some of their money to get some infantry into the area to help thwart Union incursions.
Other things of note. Saw an open city with an infiltrator up north and took it. It had plague on it and I assume the garrison died. This was confirmed 2 turns later when I had one of my own garrisons die as well.
Tech wise, it took awhile to get the first one, but I was able to adjust science up a couple notches with the additions to my tax base and the fact that I have lost over 14 harbors to the Union navy. I will get Army Org in 6 turns.
Other things of note:
1. Can't build ships on the rivers in the interior. I can build whatever I want at New Orleans for example, but I can't at say Vicksburg. This is also something I forgot to mention in that the Union has the same issue. They can build on the coast and on the Greatlakes, but not on the rivers.
2. Can't build Irregulars in many places, except for a few in Missouri.
3. When I took Ft Wayne, my elite unit produced RE Lee. Problem is that Ft Wayne remained in Union hands (despite me killing the last unit there) and RE Lee appeared in FT. Wayne. I was able to move him out. When I attempted to form an army with him, he disappeared and nothing came in his place. I also seem to can't hurry production either (wanted to see if I could complete a rifle division someplace). I have him in Richmond cooling his heals until I get the tech to build armies and will see what happens.
As a side note on divisions getting artillery, perhaps reducing it to 0 range works as both the player and the AI will get some benefit of artillery on defence should they be attacked.
Overall, I am having a great time with this and there is good game tension in both West Virgina area and also around Richmond.
*edit*
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