The Army of the Potomac (USA planning thread)

[Pontifex Maximus]

Commander:
General George Gordon Meade

Adjutants:
Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant
Brigadier General Winfield Scott Hancock
Major General Henry J. Hunt

Units (These units MUST be paid for. Registered units have priority):

69th New York Infantry Regiment - First Lieutenant James Whetton (Non-CO)
20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Chamberlain (CO)
70th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment - Colonel Daniel Sickels (CO)
7th Cavalry - Colonel Harry Flashman (scout)

[ALL UNION PLAYERS WILL DISCUSS ADDITIONAL RECRUITMENT, final decision by overall commander.]

The Union has $720,833 and 15,778 industrial points to spend on this army per year. Find recruitment information in the rules thread. Note that this army had 35,000 men at First Bull Run. I believe these resource allotments should get us somewhere near that number, so it is subject to change.

Starting Resources:

$1,441,666
40,000 industrial points

[Dirty Chai]

I say we purchase a surplus of cannon

[tyboman]

Need to spend $245,000 and 4,000 industrial points on the three infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment that we have.

Edit: figured out that it is a cavalry regiment.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Need to spend $165,000 and 3,000 industrial points on the three infantry regiments that we have, and then however much the cavalry unit is, I don't know what it's strength is.

Cavalry is not the best idea in the Civil War. Most of the terrain is not suitable for cavalry charges. Its best to build up our infantry and artillery with a sizable cavalry detachment for scouting and pursuit in the case of armies routing.

[Dirty Chai]

When I signed up as Meade, I hoped there would be a McClellan.

I'm a little unsure of what to do.

[tyboman]

No I mean to say, we have to pay for those units listed above, first and foremost. I also have to disagree with you, while cavalry is not useful for charges, it is an excellent way to make the enemy look the other way. Plus, it can get places fast, and hold them until the main army arrives, as done at Gettysburg.

[Dirty Chai]

Raiding done by cavalry can be important, more so for the southerners.
Which reminds me. We need to protect our rails.

[Captain Blackadder]

I agree that artillery plus more regiments would be a plus with a small cav detachment

[tyboman]

I propose we allocate our remaining $1,196,666 and 36,000 resource points that we have left after paying for our current troops, in this manner

150 companies of infantry to form 15 more regiment strength units = $825,000, 15,000 resource points
145 batteries of 12 lb artillery, = $371,200, 1,168 resource points

This recruitment would cost a total of $1,196,200, and 16,168 resource points.
It would bring out total strength up to this:

180 companies, or 18 regiments of infantry
145 batteries of 12lb artillery
10 companies, or 1 regiment of cavalry

We should also obtain a supply wagon for every company/battery, which will cost an additional 3,350 resource points.
After all of this, we would be left with $446 and 16,482 resource points.

[Dirty Chai]

That looks mostly reasonable to my eyes... although I wonder if we should have 2 regiments of cavalry rather than one.

[Amaz]

I don't suppose any more need be spent on recruitment for the year than has already been proposed. We have plenty of manpower and resources to expend - more than the enemy currently has - but for now let us keep our numbers on par with those of the Confederates. In doing so, we force our commanders to be more responsible for the men under their command and keep army supply a more lucrative asset - one which the industrial power of the North can more readily replace when the need arises.

[Majonga]

I don't suppose any more need be spent on recruitment for the year than has already been proposed. We have plenty of manpower and resources to expend - more than the enemy currently has - but for now let us keep our numbers on par with those of the Confederates. In doing so, we force our commanders to be more responsible for the men under their command and keep army supply a more lucrative asset - one which the industrial power of the North can more readily replace when the need arises.

I solidly support this argument, however I would caution against overlooking the need for cavalry. Our cavalry is the eyes and ears of our army and a small number of them renders us blind. We should not negate the ability of cavalry to rapidly redeploy during battle either. A cavalry reserve that can be sent to reinforce positions quickly would be a boon that we don't want the Confederates to have instead of us.

Hence I support the raising of a second regiment of cavalry, however even then our horse arm may be outnumbered by the Confederates as many as two to one.

[tyboman]

I propose we allocate our remaining $1,196,666 and 36,000 resource points that we have left after paying for our current troops, in this manner

150 companies of infantry to form 15 more regiment strength units = $825,000, 15,000 resource points
80 batteries of 12 lb artillery, = $204,800, 640 resource points
20 companies of cavalry to form 2 regiment strength units = $80,000, 2,000 resource points

This recruitment would cost a total of $1,109,800, and 17,640 resource points.
It would bring out total strength up to this:

180 companies, or 18 regiments of infantry
80 batteries of 12lb artillery
30 companies, or 3 regiment of cavalry
290 supply wagons

We should also obtain a supply wagon for every company/battery, which will cost an additional 2,900 resource points.
After all of this, we would be left with $86,866 and 15,460 resource points.

How about this revision?

[Dirty Chai]

In favor here.

[Amaz]

As am I, but you're making the final call. Though, I think the needs of our current armies in the initial confrontations have been satisfied, and it's probably safe to move on to the topic of army composition, command assignments, and deployments

[Dirty Chai]

As a character I'm in charge, but not as a player.

[tyboman]

Technically speaking, as Meade, you do make the final decision.

[Amaz]

And don't worry about feeling a little unsure, you're in good company with this staff.

[Dirty Chai]

If all are in favor, then yeah, of course we'll go with that.

[tyboman]

Alrighty, now we need to ascertain the exact location of our of the army, and then were we should go from there.