Although the rules can be used for later parts of the war, these rules were really intended to cover the opening phase when columns of hastily organised and poorly armed militia set out to the advance of similar, though better equipped, columns of insurgent forces.

The troops engaged varied from fanatical professionals to poorly armed peasents. To reflect this, each unit is given a discipline rating which determines whether and how quickly it responds to a change of orders, and an aggresiveness rating which determines its reaction under fire and in close combat.

Every time a unit is pinned or loses a base as casualties it suffers a fatigue point marked by a small 6 sided dice. Once it accumulates the maximum six fatigue points, it is effectively useless and out of the battle. This is where logistics come into play, fatigue points being negated by the allocation of supply companies, visits by VIP's etc. At last--a use for the field ambulance and loudspeaker models.

Artillery can fire barrages or concentrations, but an HQ can only attempt to issue one order per 15 minute game turn (to represent the poor communications of the period and unprofessional staff work). It takes a realistically long time to organise and sort a coordinated attack.

The aircraft are mouthwatering. My favourite is the Amiot bomber which is straight out of 'The Shape Of Things To Come'. The rules concentrate on ground warfare but can represent dogfights etc., in an abstact way.

In one game, a player had an awful time to get his Anarchist militia to do anything, but debussing them before reaching the town was simply inviting them to settle down for a meeting to discuss whether the village should be collectivised before or after beating the enemy , and which enemy to fight first?

Attacks went in and were beaten off with suitable elan and the armoured lorries played their part. The Moors were suitably ruthless in their treatment of prisoners (what prisoners?) and the road to Madrid once again lay open.

See the last Abanderado for details on availability. The rules are available from: D W Thomas, 28 Frleaze, Nailsea, Bristol, BS19 2DH.

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No Pasaran: Review of Wargame Rules