[Brian Swartz]

Command Briefings

The plan for this campaign is to use a different Corps for each of the minor battles. This way they all gain experience. The first is the most important; largest and it will make the others easier if we win. Therefore our best, I Corps will handle that. II Corps in the second, and the new III Corps will hopefully be reasonably outfitted in time for the third. Then we all join together for Gaines' Mill at the end. Hopefully.

Army Structure

I Corps(Stewart)
*** Wagner
----- Race(Infantry, Springfield M1855)
----- Trimble(Infantry, Springfield M1855)
----- Scales(Artillery, 10pdr Ordnance)
*** Durrell
----- Kemper(Infantry, Lorenz)
----- Duryee(Infantry, Lorenz)
----- ??(Cavalry, Smith)
----- Seymour(Artillery, 6 pdr Field)
*** Loomis
----- Moody(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- ??(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- A. Wright(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- G. Wright(Artillery, 12pdr Napoleon)
II Corps(Heintzelman)
*** McCook
----- Hagood(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- ??(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- Devin(Cavalry, Palmetto M1842)
----- Root(Artillery, 6pdr Field)
*** Liddell
----- Carruth(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- Tannatt(Infantry, Farmer)
----- ??(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
----- Wharton(Skirmishers, Sharps Model M1855)
*** Church
----- Kirk(Infantry, Springfield M1842)
III Corps(Grant)
*** Ferrero
*** Lawton
*** Elder

I Corps, Wagner's Division

Race's Brigade

Col. Gregory Race was promoted after his efforts in Shiloh. He currently qualifies for Division Command bu is presently around third on the waiting list, which is based on experience/seniority(70%). He'll get there, but his time has not yet come.

Men: 1207
Experience **, 16% to ***
Perks: Endurance Course(+10 Stamina, +5 Efficiency, +10% Speed). A second one must be chosen between Assault Course(+10 Melee, Morale, and Stamina), Firearms Course(+10 Firearms, -10% Reloading time but also -10 Accuracy), or Marksman Training(+10 Firearms, +10% Reloading Time and Accuracy).

Efficiency: 54
Morale: 78
Stamina: 67
Firearms: 64
Melee: 21

Weapon: Springfield M1855

The first four ratings all rose sharply as a result of the extended action. This unit is tops in stamina and near the top in other categories among our current brigades. Veterans cost $41-$42 each; up to 52 rookies could be added while still remaining a 2-star unit. This would reduce the veteran cost to just under $37 per man, reducing ratings by 4-7 points(only 1 for melee).

Scales's Brigade

Lt. Col. Wade Scales is close to full Colonel status at 80%. He returns to action having recovered fully, or so they say.

Alter Ego: Qwikshot

Guns: 15
Experience: *, 83% to **
Perks: Physical Training(+10 Stamina, +5 Efficiency)

Efficiency: 40
Morale: 77
Stamina: 56
Firearms: 61
Melee: 14

Weapon: 10pdr Ordnance

Big gains esp. in Morale and then Stamina. One more crew can be added, with a cost of $4223 for veterans. That should be well within budget, unless we want to work towards different weapons or something.


I Corps, Durrell's Division

Col. Rafael Durrell has made significant progress towards earning his General's star; about 60% of the way there, give or take.

Alter Ego: ntndeacon

Brigade promotion perks are not as widespread here. Two of them are very, very close at better than 90% of the way there for Kemper and Seymour. As Division CO your authority on such things is not absolute; I'll add extra weight to your recommendation though and it will most likely carry the day. One such recommendation is needed for the cavalry formerly led by Preston before he fill in action. They have reached * status.

** Discipline Training(+10 Morale, +5 Efficiency)
** Horseback Riding(+10 Stamina, +5 Efficiency, +10 Mounted Speed)
** Endurance Course(+10 Stamina, +5 Efficiency, +10% Foot Speed)

Also the option to change any of your weapon or recruit/vet preferences always remains.

Seymour's Brigade

Lt. Col. Walter Seymour was promoted after Shiloh like basically everyone else who lived through it. He's at 26% on the path to full Colonel.

Alter Ego: DavidCorperial

Guns: 8
Experience: *, 96% to **
Perks: Logistics(+50% ammo, +5 efficiency)

Efficiency: 42
Morale: 83
Stamina: 54
Firearms: 71
Melee: 17

Weapon: 6pdr field

No melee gain as is common for artillery, a modest one in Stamina with major improvements in the other three. While trying to hold the outer embankments at Pittsburgh Landing, a goodly number of guns were lost. Fortunately we have plenty of replacements available at $2916 per veteran crew, rookies for the price of free. Given your lack of requisitions in past battles I'm inclined to invest more heavily here. We can go as high as 14 total guns, 6 more, while staying within the command-efficiency limit. Probably won't have the money to do more than 3-4 of them with veterans this time around, so you can either wait for the rest later or accept some skill dilution by taking a couple of rookie crews.


I Corps, Loomis's Division

Col. Adam Loomis saw surprisingly little experience progression. It seems that once you hit the Division level it slows down considerably. About 30% of the way to getting your star.

Alter Ego: chesapeake

Colonel, you are directed that there is much to do in your division. All four brigades need promotion perk recommendations:

Moody(1426, Springfield M1842), TBD with Ferrero's promotion above you to General(1029, Springfield M1842), and A. Wright(1245, Springfield M1842) all have the standard infantry choices for making * status. You may choose the same one for all of them, or elect to split things up a bit.

Discipline Training(+10 Morale, +5 Efficiency) or Endurance Course(+10 Stamina, +5 Efficiency, +10% Speed).

** G. Wright(15 guns, 12pdr Napoleon) also is up to * status. Logistics(+50% ammo, +5 Efficiency), Physical Training(+10 Stamina, +5 Efficiency), or Discipline(+10 Morale, +5 Efficiency) here.

II Corps, McCook's Division(1st)

Second Brigade

Prospective Commander Unnamed, I have sent you to II Corps because I think it will be more interesting not to have all our sign-up eggs in the same basket. Naturally you will have a better name once the officers have been assigned to their units.

Alter Ego: collegesportsfanms

Men: 699
Experience: *, 67% to **
Perks: None. You must choose from one of the three starting infantry ones(see Loomis briefing just above this one for what those are).

Efficiency: 29
Morale: 53
Stamina: 42
Firearms: 45
Melee: 21

Weapon: Springfield M1842

This brigade fought hard at the Crossroads(487 losses, 454 kills) despite having just Farmer's muskets. They were rewarded with Springfields and offered up a kill ratio of better than 2:1 at Shiloh, also posting rather spectacular improvements in the middle three ratings. There aren't a lot of men and they need reinforcements(almost 1200 lost already between the two battles), but they are already showing decent performance. A little over $26 per vet, or you could sacrifice some experience to cheapen it. No amount of rookies will lose your * status, but if you take a lot it will naturally make your skills take a big hit.


All Commanders, your orders are now requested. Please note the promotion perk choices as it's the first time we've done that. Cavalry commander tarcone(new name pending), you will be given such a unit in the first division of III Corps, where our top general Ulysses Grant specializes in effective units of that type. Therefore the only choice before you, should you choose to make one, is whether you prefer Shock or Carbine cavalry roles. Weapons will be of the cheaper varieties to start -- until you and your men prove yourselves, at least.

Presuming RL permits, our next battle will commence Friday evening.