The leaders of Knoxville aren't stupid. With diplomatic negotiations grinding nowhere fast, they'll have ordered their miliary to make plans for the unlikely event that Kingsport takes the unprecedented step of invading soveriegn Knoxville territory. As you read weight these options, remember that Kingsport has three sizable armies already on the border - we're talking three to five regiments of foot, three or four regiments of horse, and maybe a unit of artillery for support. Dividing up the Knoxville forces into any more than four armies means watching all those little forces get gobbled up in turn. These plans generally allow for armies of a size capable of threatening the worst the Kingsportians have to offer.
With that said, let's look at one plan that has to be implemented - forced on Knoxville by terrain considerations - two plans that need a "go-no go" decision first, and then look at two mutually exclusive possibilities.
Plan Fort Cumberland: The heavy dashed line shown below is the Cumberland Mountain - thank you, Caleb - a high and impassable ridge split only by the Cumberland Gap to the east, and Pennington Gap to the west. Knoxville has no choice but to combine all the forces north of that ridgeline into Pineville. It isn't a big force, but it does present Knoxville with a means of threatening the northern flank of a Kingsport march through Tazewell. It also allows them a chance of storming Pennington Gap, which leaves open the choice of driving for Sneedville from the west or Kingsport proper.
Plan Cornerback Blitz: The only question left in the north is whether to send the troops in Harlan and Evarts to rendezvous in Pineville, or to swing around the north, force Big Stong Gap, and then play havoc with Kingsport supply lines. If left alone, they may even be able to lay siege to Kingsport itself and force an early end to the violence. Note that, at only four companies, this is an understrength unit of Line Infantry, and while capable of doing damage to the countryside, they won't last long under serious pressure. Whether this plan is adopted or not, one of the Lancer units in Evarts will head west to lend support to the Army of Pineville.
Plan Alamo Shmalamo: The two little companies of infantry in Sneedville will be the first to realize that Knoxville is under attack. They might stay and fight it out - forcing Kingsport to waste valuable time rooting them out of the approaching valley or driving them back from the bridge over the Clinch River. Alternatively, if this plan is adopted, those two companies hustle back to lend their strength to the forces in Tazewell/Middlesboro.
Now we turn our attention to the last question of the day and the biggest, at least in terms of the forces at hand. Once again, the terrain and road network force our hands and leave us with two reasonable options. These two plans are mutually exclusive, and the High Command has to choose just one of them.
Plan Polar Vortices: In the event Plan Polar Vortices is selected, the defense of Knoxville will be divided into roughly two zone, north and south. All of the forces north of the line will mobilize in Tazewell, ready to strike back at Sneedville or swing south toward Bean Harbor as the situation demands.
Plan Weeb Hammer: So named because it divides the defense of Knoxville along an east-west axis. Instead of a Zone defense, this plan provides for a powerful one-two punch as the forces nearest Kingsport converge into an early spoiler force, buying time for a follow-up thrust by a second army centered in the Corryton area. You're looking at 5 regiments of foot and support for the eastern force and a bigger force with five regiments of foot, including two grenadiers, and artillery and lots of horse.
We'll throw these polls up on the YouToob channel with a link back here so that everyone can read up in more detail. As always, feel free to make a case that any or all of these plans are garbage and make a case for your own plans for Knoxville. You never know - the High Command might just agree with you!
Keep an eye on the Community Tab of the channel - they will show up there over the next few hours.
