Campaign Ozark
Introduction
Campaign Ozark is the second in HPS Simulations' Civil War Battles series that began with Campaign Corinth. Though dwarfed by the massive numbers of troops fighting in the larger campaigns east of the Mississippi River, the battles that surged back and forth over the states of Missouri and Arkansas in 1861 and 1862 were no less important. Campaign Ozark includes three of these campaigns plus scenarios covering the battles that occurred during the Siege of Lexington.
Brief Synopsis of Campaigns
In the summer of 1861, U.S. General Nathaniel Lyon launched a successful campaign to seize the state of Missouri. It was capped off by the dispersal of Missouri state forces at Boonville and the capture of Springfield. However, defeats at Carthage and Wilson's Creek preserved a Southern military presence in the state. Sterling Price followed up the victory at Wilson's Creek with a drive to the Missouri River and another winning blow at Lexington. This high water mark could not be maintained and subsequent Federal campaigns drove the Southerners into Arkansas. One of these campaigns was undertaken in the winter of 1862 by General Samuel Curtis. Curtis drove Price out of Missouri, passing through Crane Creek, McDowell and other important points along the way. After suffering a minor setback at Dunagin's farm, Curtis inflicted a serious defeat on combined Southern forces under Earl Van Dorn at Pea Ridge. By late 1862, Confederate forces were back in SW Missouri. This prompted another Federal offensive that was turned back at Newtonia, Missouri in September. Outnumbered, the Confederates retreated back to Arkansas to regroup. After a delaying action at Cane Hill, the Confederate army under General Thomas Hindman launched a bold counterstroke that resulted in a tactical draw/minor victory but a strategic defeat at Prairie Grove.
For more detailed information about the campaigns and battles in Campaign Ozark click on the links below:
Lyon's 1861 Missouri Campaign
Siege and Battle of Lexington
Curtis's Pea Ridge Campaign
Hindman's 1862 Fall Campaign
Historical Scenarios Covering:
- Boonville
- Carthage
- Wilson's Creek
- Siege of Lexington
Sept. 18, 1862
Sept. 19, 1862
Battle of the Hemp Bales, Sept 20, 1862
- Dunagin's Farm
- Pea Ridge
- Newtonia
- Cane Hill
- Prairie Grove
Other hypothetical and what-if scenarios can be fought as standalone battles or as part of a campaign. More scenarios are to follow post-release.
Maps:
Boonville
Carthage
Wilson's Creek
Lexington
Crane Creek
McDowell
Dunagin's Farm
Pea Ridge
Newtonia
Cane Hill
Prairie Grove Campaign Map (includes a large area from Indian Territory border on west to Hogeye on the east and from Rhea's Mill in north to Morrows in south)
Campaigns are linked battles that are fought as a result of operational player decisions. Between battles, fatigue and combat losses are carried over. Additionally, stragglers return after each battle and "eliminated" units have a limited reconstitution.
Some Game Features:
- "On Map" combat results, speeds play considerably
- Bridge destruction
- Indirect artillery fire by ships
- Single phase or multiphase turn options
- Optional opportunity fire
- Individual man losses
- Skirmishers
- Weak zones of control
- Individually modeled artillery of all types used in campaign
- Wooden gunboats and ironclads
- Fixed fortifications
- Realistic terrain effects on combat
- Abatis
- Supply depots
- Emplaced artillery (ex. en barbette mounting in forts)
- Proximity releasing of fixed units
- Great original music by Cathy Barton, Dave Para, and Bob Dyer.
Play options:
- play by email (PBEM)
- online single or multi-play
- single play against AI
- hotseat
Where to go to order the game
HPS - http://www.hpssims.com
HPS is the publisher of Campaign Ozark & Campaign Corinth. Anyone who is interested in more information about the game, screenshots, or ordering information can go to the Ozark product page on the HPS website:
http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/Products/RifMusk/Ozark/ozark.html
This page updated on 04/10/02.