The Egyptian Campaign on VH/VH
Part #1 - Lower Egypt
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Prompt conquest and consolidation of Lower Egypt, efficiently, starts one's campaign from a solid foundation. Here is a recap of my most recent play-through, defeating the Qalyubia Rebellion in Early September, 1798, and both Sidney Smith's Brits and a first small Bedouin raid in Early October of that year.
Here is the situation at Start of the Early October, 1798, turn, with
- Desaix poised to repel Sidney Smith west of Alexandria;
- Bessieres relieving the bedouin siege of ???
- Kleber assembling an assault force for Upper Egypt; and
- Bonaparte replenishing his artillery before advancing on Suez and Sinai
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016391533
Now, turn-by-turn:
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June, 1798
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Early:
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Bonaparte:
- Detaches Dragoons & 3 Lt Inf. to Desaix;
- Advances into Alexandria;
- Detaches 3 Fusiliers. to Kleber,
- Advances w/ Art. and Grenadiers to road in vicinity of Idku Woodland; and
- Returns personally to Alexandria (movement boost for militia next turn).
Kleber:
- Advances on road to attach Dawnay (gentleman), then as far as possible towards Damietta.
Desaix:
- Assaults Damanhour; and
- With 2 Fusiliers ONLY, advances to vicinity of Itay al Barud farmland, on route to Malhalla al-Kubra.
Agents:
- Dawnay into Damietta and then half way to Mansoura.
- Lefranc to just SW of Cairo.
Builds:
- 2 Militia & Dromedary Cav. in Alexandria;
- 2 Militia in Damanhour;
- Barracks in Alexandria;
- Itay al Barud Farmland; and
- Basic Roads in Western Delta & Damanhour.
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Late:
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Kleber:
- Assaults Damietta;
- One turn strike unavoidable without weakening other Corps.
Bonaparte:
- Advances w/ Militia to Art. & Grenadiers, into idku Woodland, then besieges Mahalla al Kubra.
Desaix:
- Detaches Militia in Damanhour;
- Advances with Cav. and Lt. Inf. to reattach Fus.; and
- Joins Bonaparte's siege, then together assault Mahalla al Kubra; and
- With most depleted non-Militia units (here 1 Lt. Cav. & 2 @ Fusil. & Lt. Inf.) advances JUST over border into Damietta Province for faster replacements.
Agents:
- Dawnay returns to Damietta.
- Lefranc moves SE of Cairo.
Builds:
- Basic Roads Damietta & Mahalla al Kubra;
- College in Kafr el Sheikh;
- Belqas Farmland;
- 2 Militia in Damietta;
- Militia in Mahalla al Kubra; and
- Militia & Drom. Cav. in Alexandria.
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July, 1798
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Early:
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Kleber:
- Detaches 2 Militia & 1 Fusilier in Damietta (averting strike next turn);
- Assaults Mansoura; and
- Detaches Lt. Cav. to Bonaparte.
Bonaparte:
- Detaches 2 most depleted militia to Mansoura (averting strike);
- Assembles Cairo assault force for next turn just south of Mahalla al Kubra.
Reinf.:
- In Alexandria to Mahalla al Kubra.
Agents:
- Dawnay remains in Damietta (averting strike!);
- Lefranc scouts vicinity of Zagazig.
Builds:
- Basic Roads Mansoura;
- Repair Mansoura Encampment;
- Benha Farmland;
- 1 Militia & 1 Fusilier in Alexandria
- 1 Militia in both Mansoura & Mahalla al Kubra.
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Late:
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Garrisons (Defense & Public Order):
- Damietta: 2 (badly) depleted Militia & Downay;
- Damanhour: 1 Militia, second en route to Cairo;
- Mahalla al Kubra: Drom. cav., 2 fusiliers & 2 Militia; and
- mansoura: Kleber, 2 Fusiliers & 2 Militia.
Bonaparte & Desaix:
- Asssault Cairo with all else.
Builds:
- Cairo: repair Foundry, lay-down Encampment & Theatre;
- 2 Militia Damietta;
- 1 Militia & 1 Lt. Cav. Alexandria;
- 1 Militia Mahalla al Kubra & Cairo;
- 1 Militia & 1 Lt. Cav. Mansoura; and
- 1 Lt. Cav. Dakhalia.
Situation:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016480374
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August, 1798
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Early:
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Garrisons (Defense & Public Order):
- Damanhour: 1 Militia, second en route to Cairo;
- Damietta: 2 (badly) depleted Militia & Downay;
- Mansoura: 1 Fusiliers & 2 Militia;
- Mahalla al Kubra: 1 fusiliers & 2 Militia; and
- Cairo: Desaix, 4 Militia, and 5 regular Cav. / Inf.
Bonaparte & Kleber:
- Assault Zagazig with all else;
- detach sufficient garrison in Zagazig; and
- Escort depleted units into Dakhalia Province for speedier replacements.
Builds:
- Basic Roads Zagazig;
- Lay down Ordnance factory in Cairo;;
- Faqous Farmland;
- 1 Militia in Zagazig;
- 2 6-lb. Arty in Cairo;
- 1 Fusilier in Mansoura;
- 1 Militia in Mahalla al Kubra.
- 1 Lt. Cav. in Alexandria;
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Late:
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Garrisons (Defense & Public Order):
- Damanhour: 1 Militia;
- Damietta: 2 Militia;
- Mahalla al Kubra: 1 Lt. Cav. & 2 Militia;
- Mansoura: Kleber, 2 Militia;
- Cairo: Kleber, 4 Militia & 4 regular Inf. / Cav.
- Zagazig: 5 Militia (plus regular troops stationed forward for defence)
Bonaparte:
- Shepherding replacements just inside Dakhalia province west of Zagazig.
Desaix:
- Shepherding replacements just inside Damietta Province north of Mahalla al Kubra.
Agents:
- Downay to Kafr el Sheikh to speed research; and
- Lefranc towards Jaffa;
Builds:
- Lay down College in Giza;
- 1 Militia Zagazig;
- 1 Lt. Cav. Dakhalia
- 1 Militia Mahalla al Kubra; and
- 2 Chasseurs. Alexandria.
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September, 1798
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The Qalyubia Rebellion occurred, and was suppressed, early in the month. Mameluk and Bedouin raiders appeared from the South West Desert, prompting a defensive response, while preparations led by Desaix were made for Sidney Smith's welcoming committee. Bessieres was activated as a fourth General Officer to assist with command and replacements. This brings us to the situation depicted in the screenshot at the top of Part #1.
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Part #2 - - Highlights from the Campaign & Notes on Economics & Grand Strategy
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A complete play-by-play from this point, given the many varied possibilities of both Human and AI responses, seems of little benefit. I will post screenshots of some significant milestones towards capturing the entire map with two turns to spare.
Late February, 1799 - Kleber captures Awlad Ali, Matruh
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https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016588129
Late May, 1799 - Kleber Captures Ababda, Red Sea Coast, in a *Coup de Main*
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Upon disembarking from the transports, 2 militia and 3 chasseurs du Cheval had sufficient movement left to besiege, and accept the surrender of, Ababda - catching the Bedouin Emir asleep in bed.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016592219
Late December, 1799 - Bessieres Captures Eilat
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https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016635913
Early November, 1800 - Napoleon & Bessieres Prepare Nicosia Assault
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Nelson and B.E.F. just one days sail from Tyre.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016600051
Late November, 1800 - Desaix Assaults Weakened Damascus Garrison for the Win
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https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfil...?id=2016595937
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Part #3 - campaign Notes
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A more demanding Victory condition that I enjoy is to capture the entire map. This requires not only also eliminating both the British on Cyprus and the Bedouin from their desert hide-away, but taking Damascus last. This also adds some significant time pressure, as the clock starts to run down quickly in 1800. My best for this (playing vanilla on VH/VH) is late November, 1800 - so with just two turns to spare. It might be possible to better this by a turn or two, but more than that seems unlikely to me.
Economics:
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- Although this campaign is longer than the Italian Campaign, few infrastructure builds beyond the first level (and not even all of those, such as stables) achieve economic break-even much before campaign end. Even for those that do, the funds are IMHO better spent on troops in 1798-9 rather than modestly better finances in 1800. Consequently, infrastructure builds are limited (in my model) to those deemed "militarily necessary":
--- Basic Roads everywhere (except possibly desert, but those are all Cobbled before we acquire them);
--- Repairs everywhere;
--- Barracks in Alexandria on Turn 1 to speed up availability of additional Chasseurs (plus a chevron on other builds);
--- Convert Trade Port in Suez to Dockyard to enable Sloop construction in the Red Sea;
--- Convert barracks in Red Sea Coast and South Sinai to School of Poetry - each saves the cost of one Militia unit for the rest of the game, easily making break-even and a subsequent significant profit in consequence;
- Militia are 3.5 times more cost effective as Public Order Garrisons than even Fusiliers, and better still than other regular troops: twice as effective for barely more than half the cost. With the Morale Bonus provided by Bonaparte in particular (though participation in aggressive pursuit will benefit your other commanders) they are easily able to stand in against most infantry fielded by the Mamelukes and Bedouin if you can quickly counter their cavalry. This is leveraged to great value in this campaign model.
- Note the beneficial effect on Public Order for friendly Gentlemen in a Region Capital, namely +1 each. This is noted in Part #1 in regards Downay being used to assist in suppressing Public Discontent in Damietta prior to his school being constructed. This is quite useful elsewhere as well, in particular the regions of Fayum Oasis, North Sinai, Syrian Coast, and Amman are all at -1 Public Order, long term, without a garrison. Appropriate selection by Region on whether to upgrade/convert an Administration or Entertainment, or instead simply locate a gentleman, can save considerable funds.
Assaulting the Bedouin:
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- There is a small area of Minya Province that can reach, and be reached from,Awlad Ali, Matruh, by General-Assisted Horse Artillery with just one Attrition.
- A sloop in Suez with full movement can land a force right beside Ababda, again enabling an assault with just one Attrition.
- Assaulting Muzzienna, South Sinai, will require two Attritions even when Sloop-assisted by landing on the Gulf of Suez Coast either end of the mountain range. If you can, recruit some Palestinian Auxiliaries as your infantry, and as many Dromedary Cavalry / Camel Gunners as your cavalry, as possible.
- A General-Assisted force of infantry, cavalry, and horse artillery can reach, and be reached from, Beni-Sakhr, Amman, with no Attrition.
- A general-Assisted force of cavalry, infantry, and horse artillery can reach Howcitat, Ma'an, with just one Attrition from the plains just SE of the Dead Sea.
- The iron mine at Timna, north of Eilat, is an Attrition-free oasis.
Cyprus:
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- Once Sidney Smith has been defeated and killed (don't let him get away, or the following might not apply) the English will mind their own business on Cyprus until you disturb them.
- Once you do disturb them - by first landing an agent (Spy or Gentleman) and then later one Militia on Cyprus - then Nelson will embark a British full stack and set sail to cause you trouble. Fortunately, your sloops sail twice as fast as his Third rates, so you have a two-turn window to land a force on Cyprus and take Nicosia - against just a single stack or so - before the British invasion lands and mobilizes.
- Byblos is the port to launch your invasions from - the Ottoman Navy will let you be there.
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If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. The list of members of Writers' Study staff 
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Originally Posted by Caillagh de Bodemloze
I wonder if you will do a full-blown European Campaign guide as well.
