"sabine
crossroads can't be won"
and man was not meant to travel
in the air
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The second summer Sparring Game has just
finished, in which the Mason Dixon Line Team (MDL)
had been assigned to play the CSA at Sabine. And
won. When game assignments were announced, a
virtual groan could be heard from MDL members
around the globe. Rumor was that the South never
has, and never will, win that scenario. When
Team Captain Steve Mathena asked for a volunteer
tactical commander, I was the last member to
step back from our parade-dress review line, and
the honor fell at my feet. This scenario had two
victory conditions (VC): 1) holding the JS on
Turn 6,
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or 2) inflicting twice as many casualties
on the enemy as had been inflicted on oneself.
I selected the first condition, going for the JS,
because that is what I had seen in my prior CWOL
military career (EOC and the first Spar this
summer) and I did not think the South could
inflict such heavy casualties on the North. I
prepared a nine color, three page strategic plan
(as much as 6 turns can be strategic) involving
sweeping cavalry actions (shotguns and all),
feints in and out of woods, and massive forced
night marches. Team members outside of the US
began disparaging US football game plays and
everyone |
made fun of my use of pink. The team gently
advised me that large Yankee reinforcements late
in the game would guarantee that the JS could
not be successfully approached, let alone held.
Anticipating a molasses defense in the West and
South, I thought we could slide around it to the
East and called the campaign "No
Time Fo’ No Mo’
Molasses". Several rounds of analysis and
discussion later I understood that the Molasses
would be just too sticky to slip past. The No
Time Fo’ No Mo’ Molasses plan is shown below,
and the original balloon photograph is
laminated, framed in brushed bronze, and hanging
in my Mom’s kitchen. |
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Discredited
"No
Time Fo’ No Mo’ Molasses" Battle Plan for
Sabine Crossroads {{map 1 } |
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I began meditating on VC #2, the 2:1 casualty
ratio. The highlights of the Union position we
saw are: 1) column 15 - 16 being a stack some 12
rows high that formed their Western front, 2)
row 12 manned by regiments in columns 18-21, 3)
woods and one sentinel cavalry unit in lower
rows from columns 23 - 30, and nothing visible
in the East other than hills, some woods, and
the JS at 6-30. The vast majority of our forces
were in the far West, with a few infantry,
artillery and cavalry regiments South of the
central woods. Thus was born campaign
"Pick ‘n’
Save" - several turns of penetration, blending
into several turns of annihilation of isolated
Union units, closing with careful retreats
(a.k.a. |
SYA) to reduce our own losses. We would try to
penetrate two irregularities in the Union line
in the West while pushing through the central
woods to isolate the enemy forces in their West
and Southwest. Graeme Cook would go head to head
with cavalry (swinging his shotguns), Mark
Lawyer would engage the main Yank infantry, two
Jims (Chafield and Voege)
would force their way into tiny cracks (that’s
why we needed 2 slim Jims) in the Yank
Southwest, Ian Caine would push the crack to the
West of the woods, Uncle Buck (yours truly) and
Poppin’ Rhett Butler would flush the woods, and
Steven Mathena would "be
ready". This would be
assisted by an Eagle |
threatening a large attack toward the JS in the
East to draw off some of the units from the West
and to distract the incoming reinforcements. The
central attack would also be part rouse, as we
would act as if we were heading Northeast toward
the JS until we cleared out the enemy expected
in the central southern woods, and then swing
Northwest to form part of the back door on the
Yankee units we were isolating. All hands would
then be issued new brooms to sweep clean the
debris of the shattered and scattered Union
forces. A photograph of the battlefield from a
hot air balloon, upon which I marked the initial
phase of the proposed plan follows. Right. |
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Prior to turn 1 (Map 2) |
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In actuality, this plan worked, and it almost
worked as we had envisioned it! By Turn 5, 7
Union regiments had been suckered over to the
far East chasing the wild Eagle, several |
regiments had been eliminated or
surrendered due to fatigue in the West, and 5
other regiments were complete-ly
surrounded by Hollerin’ Rebels. A balloon
photograph of the |
battlefield after Turn 5 follows. We
actually were doing so well that we did not need
to implement (let alone think up) the Save Our
Asses phase of the campaign. The final casualty
ratio was almost 2.5:1. |
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"Pick ‘n’ Save"
Plan for Turn 6 at Sabine Crossroads { map 3 } |
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How was this accomp-lished?
On the ground there were a few particularly
fortuitous events: 1) several turns of excellent
artillery fire early on, 2) several regiments of
Yanks in the South central woods walking into
our forces heading into the same woods, and 3)
an egregious loss of command suffered by many
Yankee units on Turn 3. Not all was rosy, of
course. Two repeated frustrations were lack of
artillery access to targets |
late in the game and insufficient attention paid
to infantry regiment weapons, so that
smoothbores often blocked rifles from target
access. That first problem fell like a lead ball
on a new graduate, Rocket Rick Wollmaker, who we
added to the Team at the end of the most recent
EOC. On a higher level, this victory was
possible because of the camaraderie and
communications within the MDL Team. We are a
mixture of novices and |
veterans, all of whom took part in plan and move
review and discussion. This allowed us to have
well thought out and well executed moves, which
were our real key to victory. As a novice tac/com
I particularly benefited from the attitude, now
adopted in the UPP platform, of giving everyone
a chance to participate fully.
Submitted by
David Aronow |
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UPP POLL RESULTS EXAMINED |
Other News
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Assuming the software cannot be changed, what
would make CWOL a better experience for you?
Looking back at the 10 choices provided, I wish
I had done a better job of breaking these down.
Maybe later I will run it again with more well
thought out choices. In any case there were some
surprises for me.
1. Hardly anyone responded "I
just want to play SAS" The main module is facinating
to me with all of it's hidden rules, tables and
"errors". It makes for a good game for the sake
of
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gaming only. But as a simulation of ACW.. ehh. Anyway, most people seem to want
more "flavor".
2. Also six people responded they
want a smaller number of units to control. Only
2 people said they want more. I guess I expected
the opposite.
3. Since most people want more
then just playing SAS, it is not surprising
after all that the 2 most popular responses were
for economic rules and diplomacy. Figures.
Friends, this year all we got is SAS and some
politics. Hoping for better next time around.
Submitted by
J. Chafield
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Editor's note: The North Star is owned and
managed by the Union Preservation Party. We
will accept submissions from any CWOL player or
CWOL organization. The UPP and the North
Star reserve the right to edit, abridge or
return unpublished articles at their sole
discretion
Editor's note: The North
Star is a weekly newspaper. You can expect to
find new issues published every Sunday / Monday.
Also look for Special or Extra editions when the
situation calls for it.
For Sale at Govern-ment Auction
102 unarmored and unarmed
brigs are to be auctioned off tomorow at New
York harbor. These ships were originaly
contracted by the US Navy to be used in the
recent war. Logistical problems, Strikes and
other mishaps delayed the delivery of this small
fleet until events had rendered them obsolete.
The last of these "molassas boats" has finally
completed her maiden voyage from Cincinnati to
Brooklyn.
Submitted by
J. Chafield
NO RIOTING REPORTED AT NORTHERN POLLING PLACES
This reporter was on the scene as no rioting
occured. I witnessed with mine own eyes as
citizens were not shoved out of line and there
were several other reports of non-Violence.
There is no doubt that there must have
been many
other instances of this kind of election day
behavior. Rest assured that the North Star will
get to the bottom of this. W.W. Winfield
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Answers |
Votes |
Percent
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1. |
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Complex economy
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11 |
24% |
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2. |
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I just want to play SAS
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2 |
4% |
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3. |
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Diplomacy. (TAC)
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10 |
22% |
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4. |
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More control from on high
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0 |
0% |
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5. |
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Less control from on high
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5 |
11% |
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6. |
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Anarchy.no SAS hierarchy
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0 |
0% |
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7. |
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want to be Pres. / Gov.
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4 |
9% |
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8. |
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Congress more say
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5 |
11% |
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9. |
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More units for me (>30)
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2 |
4% |
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10. |
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Less units for me (<10)
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6 |
13%
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Skirmishing at
Missouri |
SUPPLEMENTAL RULES FOR CWOL7 ANNOUNCED |
Reporting from the North Star office in St.
Louis, a small scuffle between northern and
southern sympathizers occurred at a rally for
gubernatorial candidate Ben Rice. A large crowd
formed as Rice was giving a speech in support of
northern efforts to suppress any more secession
of states from the union and increase support
for the Union Preservation Party. Approximately
two hundred people gathered and quickly became
apparent that it was equally split between
supporters of Rice and those that back states
rights candidate Art Ingram. Local law
enforcement was no match for the tension that
was created by the two groups. During the
speech, a fight broke out resulting in two
deaths and about twenty injured. Although minor
with regard to the number of people involved, it
set the stage for a tough situation for Missouri
in the coming conflict. In addition, it gives
many challenges to the state and federal
government relating to the Border States and how
they will deal with such a diverse political
base. Following is the speech given by Mr. Rice
and it is apparent that he is in no mindset to
cooperate with any opposition party that is
politicking in the state:
As a citizen of a border state, I know how the
country is feeling at this terrible time.
Although most states will know where their
allegiance stands when civil war comes. Though
it would be illogical to say that Missouri will
be united, as the country will be divided, so
too will be our state. During the election, a
"shadow"
government has campaigned our citizens to elect
a governor to be loyal toward a confederacy.
Although it is very likely
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that Mr. Ingram will represent the state for the
rebels, it must be made clear that the governor
that is loyal to the "stars
and stripes" will do
everything within his power to put down this
rebellion.
Many of my childhood friends that I went to
school with are deciding to side with this
southern ideology. However, as their passion for
state rights is strong, mine and many other
Missourians have a stronger desire to unite our
state and the union. As this is written before
the results of the governor election, whoever
leads the pro-north"
Missouri needs to unite our state for a strong
military base of operations. A war within the
war will exist in our state and many brave men
will give their life. Nevertheless, hear this,
those who give their life to the republic will
not die in vain.
Stand tall Missouri with rest of our great
nation. We will prevail against our dissatisfied
countrymen. For they have chosen the path to war
and we must meet that decision with tenacity and
determination. We will unite our state to
restore Missouri’s glory. Compromise is a word
of the past and our government must act with
principal. In the we must hope that our
disgruntled brothers will come home and choose
allegiance, instead of rebellion.” Even though
short, the speech sparked movement on both sides
of the growing conflict. Militias reported to be
posturing toward equally north and south of the
state. However, this has yet to independently be
confirmed. As the Rice camp is confident that
the election results will be favorable toward
him, he announced that once the outcome is
official his emergency plan for dealing with the
rebellion would be announced in detail.
Submitted by
Ben Rice |
Rules changes and additions can be found at
.
1. Sealifts, Amphibious invasions and riverine
movement will allowed within defined
restrictions.
2. BW command will be not be allowed when an
enemy is anywhere on the tactical map
3. New victory conditions.
4. "fixed" OOBs. gamestart January 1862
5. Simplified economy and Rearm/conversion
procedure.
6. Fixed Depots
(see
also CWOL rules)
Submitted by
J. Chafield
 |
bravenet.com
