The Spanish Civil War
The Guadalahara Offensive

Modeling the Guadalahara Campaign

by Pat Condray
photos by the author

The critical figures are available in 6mm, 15mm, and 20mm. It is not clear to what extent FAA is completing its 28mm line. Most of the CTV elements would have been wearing the French WWI helmet or the rather floppy fez that was the distinctive soft headgear of the Blackshirts. The WWII Italian helmet, the model 1935 I believe, cannot be ruled out.

Since it was in wet and cold weather the uniform would have been the ETO field gray uniform. The fez is offered in 20mm not only by HPC, but by Lancashire Games (U.S. Agents History in Miniature of Williamsburg VA.) Peter Pig offers the fez in 15mm. Motor Bersaglieri can be sought in most WWII/SCW lines. Mirliton offers these in sun helmet, which may not play well in the Spanish rainy season. HPC offers both MG and infantry cyclists. Only a few plastic lines seem to offer the Italians in overcoat, which would have appeared often in this rather wet and cold campaign.

Raventhorpe is, as far as I know, the only source of Lancia M17 armored cars as. Very few would be needed since no more than a company was on hand. Raventhorpe also offers a variety of WWII weaponry including the 65mm infantry gun and several larger artillery weapons. As far as I know, the only 65mm infantry gun is that offered by Raventhorpe, but RLBS doesn’t keep a very deep stock of those items. Perhaps this article will create a demand. Both Raventhorpe and BP Cast (formerly Houston’s tracks) has the 20mm Breda AA gun. The BP cast offering is probably the better of the two, though like the Raventhorpe, it is somewhat over scale.

The best overall series for 20mm vehicles is Skytrex. They offer both the MG and flame thrower versions of the CV 33/35. Also the T-26b in both command (ring antenna) and ordinary as well as the BA-6 Armored car. HPC offers an old design of the MG version of the CV33 which can also be provided with crewmen (designed by Rolfe Hedges) to stick out of the hatches. It is compatible with the Skytrex vehicles but slightly smaller. HPC offers a T-26b, but I have to agree with Jack Radey’s assessment that is best suited for use as a fishing weight (for very large fish.) Most 15mm lines will have at least the CV 33 and T-26b. I believe that this includes Quality Cast and Peter Pig.

Trucks are the real problem. Skytrex makes a big Lancia truck and a smaller artillery tractor. BP cast has the old Passante artillery tractor and a personnel truck (Houston’s Tracks.) The Russian Gaz vehicles, both the 6 wheel and 4 wheel variants, are also available from BP Cast and Skytrex. Unfortunately the Skytrex lines are pricey and the BP Cast vehicles are a bit underscale.

As for the Republicans, Michelle Armellini covers the Garibaldini uniform, or more properly costume (Volume IV 3/4 of Abanderado.) Originally he cites civilian clothes mainly in brown tones, but including army stocks as well as stocks of foreign military uniforms from the Alabacete International Depots. “All shapes and colors from khaki to brown to olive drab to green.” “The most common headgear was a beret, followed by a soft peaked cap. Both often sported a red star..... helmets could be both the Adrian and the Spanish M1926 Eibar types.”

Effectively anything would do. I usually mix the headgear types from various HPC international sets. The usual mix of Moisin Nagant and Mauser rifles, Maxim and Hotchkiss MG could be found. For the popular army in this era of transition the official popular army uniform could be mixed with old militia uniforms. I mainly use the latter for the 70th. There is a lot of overlap between early Popular Army and Republican militia and WWII partisans (who were often the same people.

The Spanish Civil War The Guadalahara Offensive

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