Two Kingsport Problems

Before we can flip the calendar to the second week of October, we still have two issues to resolve, both of which occur in the short window before the bad weather sets in.

Central Front

Roger's Army, led by Commander Allen Hurst [Int 56, Init 75, Cge 13, Cha 42, Str 66, Hea 84], an untested, capable, and cautious soldier, has orders to take Tazewell by force.  This would cut the supply lines on which the K-Ville Army of the Pines relies.  Marching north, his rear-guard informs him that the K-Ville Army of the Pines has put Bean Station back under the Red Flag, and is in hot pursuit.  They are two days march behind, with unknown intentions.  Does Commander Hurst stop and prepare defenses?  His orders are to take Tazewell, not to bring the Easterners to battle.  On the other hand, if Sneedville falls, his own supply lines will be cut.

He has three choices:

1. Invest Tazewell with one unit of his army, and prepare defenses to prevent the K-Villians from breaking his siege lines.
2. Find the best killing ground possible and turn to face the Army of the East on favorable terrain.
3. Hang it all, we're here for Chuckville.  Take a hard right on Route 33 and move to support Jones' Army, who was recently battered by the K-Ville Army of the Pines.

And what of the Knoxville forces?  General Brock of the Army of the East [Int 65, Init 96, Cou 10, Cha 46, Str 36, Hea 2] has orders to pursue Roger's Army.  He is struggling to keep up with them, even after leaving his wounded in Bean Station.  His army has also been bloodied, ut after a solid victory and watching their defeated floe slip away due to the incompetence of the politicians back home, they are eager to put an end to Rogers Army once and for all.  They will pursue his quarry all the way to Michigan if need be.  

Southern Front

General Commander Greenberry L. Donehew [Int 70, Init 73, Cge 67, Cha 5, Str 72, Hea 83] faces a difficult decision.  He has orders to invest Morristown - Knoxville's second largest city after the capital and an important crossroads - and take it.   That would be easy enough if he had the time, but the approaching enemy Army of the West outnumbers his forces.  To make matters worse, he does not know the enemy's intentions.  Will they strike at his own army? Sidestep to the south and race up the I-81 corridor to lay siege to Kingsport itself?  How does he split his attention to cover both eventualities?

He has the advantage of the initiative to the tune of a day and a half.  If he leaves one unit to besiege Morristown, he can maintain supply lines and continue west to a battle ground of his own choosing.  With a day to prepare, the onus will be on the Knoxvillians to come at him - a nice force multiplier at a crucial moment.

1. Invest Morristown. Use the untried Greenville Line to seal up the city and take the rest of his army to confront the Knoxvillians head-on some place of his own choosing.
2. Ignore Morristown and head south to White Pine. Still operating under the letter of his orders, he can keep his force intact, and threaten a march on Knoxville.  That should draw the Army of the West his way, buy him a second day to prepare, and face his foe with the largest force possible.

As with the Central Front, the Knoxville Armed Forces have no real choice.  They are defending the Smokey Mountains and cannot abide by those dirty Kingsport feet on their blessed soil.  General Beeler [General Beeler: Int 68, Init 82, Cou 55, Cha 95, Str 74, Hea 85] will not waver from his duty to throw Green's Army back across the border, and to inflict as much damage as possible in the process.  Those boys must be taught a lesson.