GTC #2 Replay

May 20th

With the bulk of the Union army out of supply, Federal troops spend most of the day foraging. Lee’s army is out of position to launch an attack; it is spread out and many divisions are disorganized and exhausted. Burnside’s corps moves into Caroline County to protect the depot at Port Royal. About half of the Union army forages successfully. Most of Sheridan’s troopers remain out of supply in Louisa County. Stuart begins to move north through Louisa but does not get far. His forces rest in anticipation of another raid. The Confederates reorganize the Department of SW Virginia. Pickett and three brigades are waiting in Richmond to head to the front.

Positions at the end of May 20th. Union forces are in Louisa County; Confederates occupy western Hanover County.

The Confederates may have passed on a golden opportunity to strike a blow. If the entire AoP had remained out of supply, all divisions would be disorganized, giving the Union army a combat value of 92. The ANV combat value would have been 86 although it is likely a few more divisions would be disorganized moving into battle. However, with even odds and the usual tactical advantage, the Union army might have been pushed back. In order to regain supply Union forces need to move into Hanover or Spotsylvania County. The current manpower disparity is 138 for the AoP and 92 for the ANV, not counting cavalry or Burnside’s corps (which technically wasn’t in the Army of the Potomac at the outset of the Overland campaign.)

May 21st

Positions at the end of a rainy May 21st along the Louisa-Hanover County border.

Rain prevents the Confederates from attacking since Ewell’s corps is south of the flooded fords along the South Anna River. The supplied Union V and II corps divisions edge into Hanover County. Ferraro’s division heads to Charlottesville and Burnside’s corps (Wilcox and Potter) take Bowling Green (seat of Caroline County). Of the 11 Union units out of supply only 2 forage successfully. Sheridan’s corps is still near Trevillion Station and Stuart’s corps is back in Louisa County edging east. Pickett (a 9 MP division now) rails up to Hanover Junction and will attach a 1 MP brigade next turn.

Ouch on the forage die rolls for the Yanks. Almost all of those rolls needed a 3 or less to succeed. The Union needs to defend their depot at Port Royal and get the AoP into Hanover County to ensure that their supply situation is restored for the next strategic cycle.

May 22nd

The day dawns sunny and hot. Stuart’s horsemen make like hay for Port Royal and the Union depot. Burnside sends one division to intercept them and the other to Port Royal itself. The depot is safe (barely) as Burnside wins the race.

Near disaster for the Union here. If Stuart had won one additional initiative roll, he could have force marched a brigade into the undefended depot. It is very dangerous to build a depot without some garrison because any unit can destroy it. Even though the Union supply situation is seemingly safe, Burnsides’ entire corps is essentially out of the action guarding the depot and the county seat in Caroline County.

Longstreet assaults Birney with a +4 attack.

Positions at the end of May 22nd.

While Burnside and Stuart duel in Caroline County, Longstreet’s corps is ordered to attack Hancock’s II corps. Ewell’s corps crosses the South Anna River to support. Field’s division launches a +4 attack against Birney but is out-diced by 2 leaving both divisions disorganized (see abov). Ewell, with two of his divisions, attacks Hancock at +3 but is out-diced by 5! Lee, Early and Heth’s division march into battle between Field’s division and Ewell’s corps and launch an assault on Hancock. Fate is not with the Rebels this day as they lose the die roll by 3.

Three Confederate attacks have left four Rebel divisions disorganized to two Federal divisions. Attacking can be risky for the Rebs in GTC. The Union has twice as many divisions and if an attack goes badly, a large proportion of the Reb army can be left immobile ("D") for the turn. This allows the rest of the Union army to maneuver for set-piece assaults.

Because Hancock has held the line, Field’s division is in danger of being flanked. The V corps moves forward and south to flank Field’s division. Warren makes a +2 attack (with a +2 result) and pushes Field back. Ewell sends Ramseur’s division south of the river in attempt to re-cross behind Union lines. Birney’s division is able to react by covering the bridge.

On the Confederate right, Sedgwick’s VI corps attempts to surround Wilcox’s entrenched division. Before an attack can be launched, Wilcox pulls back and entrenches again. Pickett moves in from Hanover Junction to reinforce the line. Anderson’s division (8 MP) remains in Hanover Junction to guard the Confederate depot.

May 23rd

Rain starts again, hampering the Confederate offensive. The Union win the first three initiatives and Hancock's II corps moves north away from Ewell. Grant and Hancock assault Longstreet's hex to solidify the Union line and prevent Longstreet from attacking first. Warren with Robinson's division is brought in on the Grand Assault. In the rain the attack is +0 and resulting in D/3D to the Rebel advantage. The rest of the day passes quickly (early end on a double-1 initiative) and without any further fighting. Sheridan's troopers advance into Hanover County while Stuart begins to move south (and is still located in southern Spotsylvania County.

Grant and Hancock grand assault Longstreet.

The rain hampers the Confederate effort to push some of the Union divisions into Louisa County (and out of supply). Not only does the rain impede attacking, Heth's division, led by Lee and Early is stuck behind a flooded creek and unable to attack. Lee's chance to capitalize on the Union supply problems seems to have passed.

May 23rd Strategic Cycle

Hill remains sick. The Strategic Event is "Leader falls ill," and the leader turns out to be Hill resulting in a no effect. The Confederates receive 1 replacement which is sent to Petersburg. Butler's cavalry brigade also shows up in Richmond. The 3 Union replacements go to the IX Corps which is the only Corps in supply based on depots on the map right now. So far the Union unreplaced losses are: 39 losses - 16 replaced = 23 unreplaced. The Union rolls a 5 (x2 for 10 replacements). Four are designated for the Valley and six for the AoP.

Sigel is on the move in the Valley and attacks Breckinridge in Staunton at 15:8 (-2 attack). The result is a -/3D (-6!) for a major defeat. Sigel suffers a major defeat and Hunter will replace him in two cycles. Ferrero's division is in Charlottesville and since it arrived their during the previous four turns, it is unable to move. In the Bermuda Hundred, the Confederates leave a brigade in Burkeville to be in position to reinforce Lynchburg. Hoke's division begins to collect in PWJ preparing to move to Richmond.

The Union completes the depot at Port Royal in Caroline County. The Depot in Culpeper County is removed. The Confederates dismantle the depot in Hanover Junction. All forces are in supply (except Birney's division in Louisa County) and fully provisioned with ammo.

The Union doesn't get a command point in the Valley but has one in reserve and uses it to be active next cycle. Butler finally rolls a command point and will be active as well.

Now that the Union has supply in Hanover County, the next challenge is projecting supply into Henrico County. The use of Hanover as a supply base is not looking good given the number of destroyed and damaged RR stations. Thus far, Madison Run (Orange Co.), Guinea Station and Fredericksburg (Spotsylvania Co.) are damaged. Beaver Dam Station (Hanover Co.) and Chester Depot (Caroline Co.) are destroyed.

For the Confederates, the depot in Hanover Junction fast becoming a liability. Union forces are getting close to Richmond and the depot there projects supply into Hanover and New Kent Counties which should be enough. The Rebs were planning to send Hoke's division (with about 10 MP) to the main front but with both side theaters active next turn they might have to delay that plan for a cycle. The Rebs could have brought in reinforcements to the Valley but doing so risks the Union getting reinforcements during the May 31 cycle. This gives them a couple of cycles to do damage so the Rebs opted to wait.

At the end of the cycle, the off-map situation is as follows:

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