Spanish Civil War

Scenario Set Up

by Pat Condray

The supreme commander on each side was given the scenario as shown.

NATIONALIST SCENARIO - OVERALL COMMANDER

At the outset you am commanding the remnants of the forces on the Teruel Front. These consist primarily of various Falange Bandera (Battalions) a well as assorted companies of Gardia Civil dismounted companies. The remnants of the front troops which have reached Tercul amount to a regiment (2 battalions) of demoralized regulars with an and-tank company, some special weapons, and two light field batteries. Ile total of 8 battalions must be deployed to hold Teruel and environs against overwhelming numbers of Reds. Your position is centered on the old city which has limited strategic importance except as a defensive position covering more important locations down the road. However, it is the Episcopal Seat of a politically influential Bishop who is known to be a real firebrand for the cause. Loss of Teruel would therefore be considered a major political disaster and your orders are to hold at all cost.

A major relief effort is being mounted to save the City. Available forces include:

    1st Carlist Tercio (Navarre): Four battalions of highly motivated and moderately trained Requetes with regular army special weapons attached.

    1st Cavalry Brigade: Three veteran regiments of cavalry, normally four saber and one machinegun or mortar squadron, plus a battery of horse artillery. Effectively the equal of 3 battalions of infantry when fighting on foot.

    Regulares de Marakesh: Six Tabor of veteran Moroccan infantry, each 2 rifle companies and a machinegun Platoon.

    Condor Legion Tank Battalion: Five companies of PZKWIaufsB manned by German Volunteers.

    Artillery Gruppo: Four field batteries.

    Corps Truck Company: Four truck companies each capable of moving 3 infantry or weapons companies or one artillery company.

The overall commander must designate the order of march for the above relief forces on each approach mad. A 4-5-6 will suffice to bring in elements moved by die truck company. A 5-6 will suffice for Tanks or cavalry. Marching infantry may only be diced for after turn 8 is complete. Once the trucks have delivered a load they may take one turn to leave the field and another to attach themselves to any lagging infantry element.

Trucks enter on the road. Tanks, horse artillery, or much columns may enter up to 10cm centered on the roads. Cavalry with pack weapons may make its entry from any point (designated by the Umpire in advance) on the Nationalist baseline or along either side of the table not occupied by the Republicans.

After 6 complete turns a six sided the will be rolled for each approach road.

When a relief force arrives, one unit commander, to be designated by the commander in chief, will turn over control of his battalion or batteries to one of the other Players and assume command of the new element.

REPUBLICAN SCENARIO -- OVERALL COMMANDER

You are in charge of the final phase of the advance of Tercul. 'Me first phase of the offensive took the Fascists completely by surprise. Your forces have bogged down on the outskirts of the city, but you have been authorized to commit your reserve, the XV International Brigade and the Corps Tank Regiment. However, the enemy high command is reacting by throwing in massive reinforcements to try to break the ring around the doomed city. Your forces include.

    25 Brigada Mixta: A sound regular formation with some combat experience including 3 regular army infuttry battalions and 2 artillery batteries.

    29 Brigada Mixta: A political suspect unit consisting of the equivalent of 3 battalions of local militia and former Anarchists (CNI) and Trotskyite (POUM) militia. The Anars arc, however, good with dynamite in close assaults. Due to their political unreliability, these fellows are only entrusted with one light field battery. (Casualties to this unit will not be missed.) This unit also includes an armored truck company which it has been hanging onto since the outbreak of the War.

    1st Brigata Mixt2 (formerly 5th Madrid Militia Regiment): A veteran formation known primadly fbr its excellent Party connections. Two battalions, full complement of special weapons, one field battery.

    XV International Brigade: An elite veteran formation, politically sound and highly motivated. Three battalions, the Garibaldi, Lincoln, and Commune de Paris, each with full complement of special weapons (including AT) and alight field battery.

    Corps Troops

      One Battalion Assault Guards: Formerly national riot police, these troops have few special weapons but are politically reliable and are often used to keep anarchists and other deviationists in line (or buried).

      One Gruppo (3 Batteries) Horse Drawn Field Artillery. Corps Motor Transport Battalion: Five motor truck companies using Russian GAZ M1933 vehicles. Normally assigned to artillery batteries, they can transport up to 3 infantry or weapons companies each.

All you have to do is destroy the remnants of the Tereul garrison and hold off the developing Fascist counterattack -- at least until the umpire gets disgusted and calls it a game.

Agendas

In addition, each Republican brigade commander was given his own agenda. These agenda were perhaps more appropriate to an earlier period of the war, but I used them anyway

ANARCHIST (Confederacion National des Trabajores) BRIGADE: Victory over the Fascist is the first consideration. However, the Assaltos are your natural enemies and the rest of those damn Stalinists are no good either. Your troops may attack ASSALTOS (dice for reaction). It is an article of faith that Churches should be burned if you find any standing. Trotskyites are misguided brothers. If you manage to bum any churches, kill any Assaltos, and get any Stalinists into trouble while defeating the Fascists your day is made (and your victory conditions fulfilled). The Trostkyites (Partido Obreros Universal Marxista) are attached in the 29th (Itnin) Brigata.

BASQUES (A lonely battalion.): Victory for the Republic is vital, for they have promised Basque autonomy. However, as devout Catholics you will resist any church burners you encounter (this actually happened in San Sebastian) If you tolerate a church burning within rifle range your victory conditions are not met regardless of what happens to the Fascists.

TROTSKYITES: Victory is vital. However, you can't trust Stalinists. Their loss, is your gain. You don't care one way or another about burning Churches (they should probably be at least looted). Basques are strange people. Anarchists are misguided brothers. Victory conditions much as for Anarchists except that you don't get much credit for burned churches.

COMMUNISTS (Stalinists): These include the commanders of the Serbian tank battalion, the XV International Brigade, the 1st Brigata Mixta (formerly 5th Infantry Regiment) and the ASSALTOS. Win at all costs -- preferably to be paid in Anarchists, Trotskyites, or Basques in that order. Try to keep casualties reasonably low in the good Communist units. Churches are just old buildings - burning should be discouraged in towns that you hold. After all, you can keep horses and recruits in them.

REGULARS: The 25th Brigata Mixta. No special political agenda. Try to win and keep down losses. Troops moderately trained, low to moderate morale.

Map

Spanish Civil War 1936-1939


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