David R. Moody - Nov 13, 2008 4:13 pm (#25247 Total: 25715) Almost 20 years of pitiless combat! No rest, no sleep like other men. And yet the spring wind blows, Subotai. Have you ever felt such a wind? . . . For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm. After Wings of War we split off into two two player games. John and Joe used my Up Front set to play Elite Troops on the Attack--John defending with French reservists vs. Joe's SS (in 1940 probably Buttstandarte). John won, I understand, though I have no other details. Jason and I, meanwhile, squared off in a game of New Mexico Campaign, the recent S&T game on the Confederate attempt to conquer New Mexico Territory in early 1862. I took the Yankees to Jason's Johnny Rebs. Jason and Joe had played the game once before, a few weeks ago, and Joe's main advice to me was "don't lose Fort Craig". So I kept that in mind as Jason's Texans marched north up the Rio Grande Valley. I tried to block him at Valverde with my militia, but he scooted right past them and headed up the Rio Grande. Interesting bit of this game--it is very much a game of maneuver, as you can't be brought to battle unless you WANT to fight. Anyway, I parked my main army in Fort Craig as Jason headed north, taking the little towns along the way. Some of my men made an heroic stand at Albuquerque, a lone SP holding off a Rebel attack, as the main army pushed on to Santa Fe, then over the Santa Fe Trail to Fort Union. A second, smaller Rebel column also made its way up from Fort Bliss, and again evaded my attempts to block them near Fort Craig. Meanwhile, Jason tried to draw my forces out of Fort Union by taking the fort and town near it (by this time I think Jason had enough VP to get High Morale for the Confederates), but I was having none of it--I remembered Gabriel Paul's (the commander of the fort) historical orders to hold the place to the last, so I sat there. Jason brought up the main army and assaulted, but failed to do any damage. By then the Fighting Parson (Chivington) and his Colorado troops had arrived, so Fort Union was pretty secure; I determined then to send Canby out with a strong force and try to catch the Rebels between two fires. I sent out the last Union supply wagon from Fort Benedict (I think--starts with a B--on the far western edge of the map) to link up with Canby (attrition is brutal in this game--I lost a lot of troops from a force under Kit Carson I sent to clear the upper Rio Grande of Rebel control) then marched out, retaking Albuquerque (its gallant defenders having succumbed to attrition) and Santa Fe, among other places. Jason tried to hold Glorietta Pass, but kept tubing his attrition rolls (giant Gila Monsters, we thought). Jason shifted the main army to meet me, and we fought each other to a standstill at Glorietta Pass. With Fort Union strongly held, losses mounting (again, attrition sucks in this game), and time running out, Jason pulled out, heading back down the Rio Grande, hoping to take Fort Craig and salvage a victory on points (it was close at that point). But once again his assaults failed, Chivington mopped up the last Rebs near Fort Union, and Canby was able to relieve Fort Craig. The battered Confederates retreated to Texas--52 Union to 17 Rebel VPs, but it was closer than that for a while. Fun game, very tense, but I've yet to hear of a Rebel win. Might be worth it to go balls out for Fort Union with everyone, maybe build a depot at the fort near Fort Union, but then you abandon the lower Rio Grande to the Union. Jason thought maybe spreading out and trying to take Fort Stanton and the other outlying high VP settlements and forts might work. Hard to say. Wouldn't mind trying it again.