The Union Player will find his strategy will revolve around four key points. First of all, his army is initially weaker than the Confederate force. Second, he commands most of the mapboard and, therefore, most of the defensive terrain. He can trade space for time. Third, he can greatly increase the relative balance of forces if the Confederate Player crosses the Chickahominy River either because he is lured across, cannot make headway elsewhere, attacks at the proper time, or is just plain stupid. Finally, the Union Train unit can make or break the game if it is a relatively 'bloodless' situation. If the Confederates hold it off or destroy it the Union Player is forced to attack to balance the victory point loss for the Train. If the Union Player exits the Train, the Confederate Player is faced with the burden of attack.
Based on these points there are three strategies open to the Union Player: stand and fight, fighting withdrawal, and total withdrawal. Each strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages and each strategy can be ranked as being the best or equally best strategy for the novice, intermediate, and tournament game Player. This ranking, however, is complicated by the fact that there are three stages of rules as well as three stages of learning the game. These stages of rules are: basic rules with attack effectiveness, basic rules alone, and basic rules plus all optional rules. After discussing each strategy a ranking will be attempted for each level of the rules based on play test results. Since play testing is the only way of determining this ranking and the relative personalities of the play testers creep into play, the ranking may change as the game receives 'public' playtesting.
The stand and fight strategy refers to the Union forces holding their initial position, slugging it out with the Confederates and depending on reinforcements to keep the attack going. The Union units will be doubled on defense since they occupy rough terrain while in many instances the Confederate units will be in the open and undoubled on defense. Thus the Confederate Player will be attacking a doubled Union Army while the Union Player will be attacking an un-doubled Confederate Army. This fact will help reduce the initial Confederate advantage of unit for unit superiority.
The fighting withdrawal is a strategy that trades space for time. As one defensive position falls, the Union Army will be safe by falling back to the next defensive position as soon as Union units become disengaged. The Union left flank must hold its ground and Reinforcement units are used to hold the evacuated bridges along the Chickahominy as the center and Union right flank slowly pull back and set up the next defensive line. The successive defenses will be organized along rough terrain, lakes and rough, and then the stream lines. Note that the defending Union units will either be doubled along the streams or the attacker will not be able to advance after combat depending on the rules being used. However, wherever bridges cross streams, the Union Player must be very cautious since victorious Confederate units may advance here.
The total withdrawal involves sacrificing a very small number of weak Union units and running with the rest of the Union Army behind the Chickahominy River. The Chickahominy bridges are the strongest Union defense line. Unfortunately, the line will be repeatedly assaulted by the strongest Confederate units since there will be a great number of Game-Turns left before Game-Turn twenty. Total withdrawal will leave the balance of decisions to the Confederate Player. It allows him to make mistakes. When should the Confederate Player cross the Chickahominy? How much of his force should he send after the Union Train unit? Which bridge should be assaulted? Should the Confederate Player risk an all-out assault or selective assaults along the bridges of the Chickahominy?
Confederate moves are based mainly on reactions to Union errors and use of the indirect approach (keeping as many strong units in a centralized position to attack as much of an area as possible). Different strategies must be used against the different strategies used by the Union Player. These strategies revolve around three attack areas; the Confederate right (the foothold across the Chickahominy), the Confederate center (facing the rough, lakes, and streams), and the Confederate left (in the open expanse on the Confederate left).
Against the Stand and Fight strategy a 'sweep' emphasizing the left flank with attacks along the center is the best strategy. It extends the Union line into the open where the Union units are not doubled on defense.
Against a Fighting Withdrawal, the majority of the Confederate forces should be balanced between the left and center with three to six units holding the Confederate right. This puts pressure on all areas and utilizes the Confederate numerical superiority to threaten the train entrance, both exit hexes, and the Command Control Zone.
Total withdrawal is the most difficult. If the Train Unit does not arrive and if enough Union delaying units can be destroyed without too many exchanges the Confederate Player can win by going on the defensive.
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