Month: September 2017 (Page 3 of 7)

Narrative

The end is in sight and dismay, betrayal and naïve belief that a settlement could still be negotiated or at least respect gained on a professional basis was still held by some. The commander of the Western Zone; Colonel Segismundo Casado a professional cavalry officer from a peasant background was one of the latter.  He still felt that professional soldiers could negotiate with The Nationalists- professional to professional as it were. He was not one who hoped he could save his life and career by a last minute betrayal but was naïve in his belief that Franco could be swayed. In fact the last thing Franco wanted at this point was to have to share the victory stage with anyone else. Casado made contact through a variety of means including the British but the reply from Franco was unequivocal; Unconditional surrender

“Delay in surrender and a criminal and futile resistance to our advance will carry a grave responsibility, which we will exact on the grounds of the blood spilled uselessly”.

Nationalists Turn

Weather; Clear skies across land and sea. D=C. E=C, A= C, M= C
Supply:  The defenders in Murcia city draw supply from GSPs the outlying posiiotns forage off the land as best they can and are at U2 Alicante defensers now cut off from the rest are U2.
3-6* XX inf 14 (An) comes of GSPs so rolls for elimination as would be U4+ without GSP use. The Republic converts a further ASP to GSPs in Murcia for next turn.
Replacements: 1.5 SRPs received.

Movement: 1 Res pt spent to temporarily increase Rail Cap to 27 REs

Naval Activity: TFs prepare for NGS off coast at Alicante.

3 X NTs transport ASP from San Sebastian to Cartagena then move empty to Malaga.

Air Activity. Severely weakened by the continuous air combat of recent months the Nationalists devote the majority of the sorties this turn to airfield bombing in an attempt to eliminate the Republicans capability in the air.

Sortie 1: He 51 and CR.32Bis fly to Lerida. Intercepted by I-16/t5. The CR.32Bis jettisons payload and forms a screen. The i-16/t5 engages. All is ineffective

Sortie 2: 2X CR32.Bis (CTV) fly to Tarragona; One escorting the other joining a He 111B. Intercepted by I-16/t5 whom engages the escort aborting the CR.32Bis for no loss. The mission force fails to score a hit

Sortie 3: 2B3 Mxd flies to Barcelona. Intercepted by an I-16/t5 air combat, AA fire and bombing all ineffective.

Sortie 4&5 SM.81, SM79-1 (CTV) avoid flack and cause 1 hit Aborting a SB-2Bis on the ground and 2X SM.79-1  also avoid flack but miss.

A disappointing campaign.

Western Zone:

Attack 1:  rough (Alicante) Unsupplied 5-6 inf XX 105, 1-2-8 art 50 and 4-8 cav XX 2, 4-6 inf XX 117, 151, 1-6 mgs E, O and 4-6 inf XX 60, 3-4-5* inf XX 16, 34, 2-5 inf AGM (Fal), 1-6 art 10L  and 5-6 inf XXs 62, 64m 4-5-5 inf XX 55, 1-22-6 art 42 and 2 pts NGS Attack  U”/Isolated 4-6 inf XX 34, 3-6 art 1Man, 1-8 tk10, 0-1-5 cons, 1pt pos AA, 0.5 Garrison @ 5:1 (-1) = EX. Lose 16, 34 XX,  E, O mg, 10L art

Advance 105, XX, 50 art

Attack 2: 2208 clear (Orihuela) Unsupplied 4-6 XX 15 and (over river) 3-4-5* inf XX s 40,72, 73, 1-6 sec 2GC, 1-6 arts 1, 15L, 1-2-6 art 46 and 1A22 pts  GS Attack U2/Isolated3-6* XX3, U1iosolated 0-1-5 cons @ 4:1 = DR. Eliminated no retreat path. Advance2GC sec, 46 art, 15XX

Attack 3: 4109 rough (Adjacent Murcia) Unsupplied 5-6 inf XX 81, 4-6 inf XX 106, 1-6 mg IMPex, 1-6 arts 4L, 13L and 4-6 inf XX 107, 3-4-5* inf XX 32, 1-2-6*inf 32, 2-8 mtn Pir, 1-6 inf30, 1-6 bdr 7Car and 4-6 inf XXs 112, 122, 1-6 infs 1MT, 5MR (Col), 2-6 inf 9Arc, 1-6 art 16L, 1-2-6 art 43 and ME 109 1pt  GS Attack  U4 isolated 3-6* inf XX 14 (An) U2 2-1-8 tk O @ 6:1 (-1) = DE.  Advance 61XX.

Coastal Zone

Attack 4: 3632 clear (Cpast road Valencia/Catalan boarder) Unsupplied 7-6 inf XX 13, 6-6inf XX 52, 102, 3-3-6 inf 3LE, 2-6 infs2Mel, 6Xuan (Col), 2-3-6 art 62, 2-6 art 4P Attack 2-3-5* inf XX 42 @ 5:1 = HX. Lose 3LE. Advance 13XX, 62 art.

Eastern Zone;

Attack 5:  3431 (N of Torosa) Supplied 5-6 inf XXs 51, 54, 71, 3-2-6 inf 1LE, 2-6 infs 7Lam (Col), 10BT (Col), 1-6 art 12~L, 2-1-8 art O Attack 3-4-5* inf XX 27CM, 2-6 inf 211C @ 5:1 (-1) = DR. Advance 51, 54, 71 XXs

Attack 6: 3433.wooded rough  (E of Teruel) Supplied 5-8 inf XX LA (CTV), 4-6 inf XX FA, FM (Mxd) 1-8 mg Ard (CTV) , 1-8 art Ter (CTV) and  Unsupplied4-4-5 inf XX 50, 4-6 inf XX 85, 4-8 Cav XX 1, 2-8 mtn Guad, 1-6 bdr 8Car, 1-6 inf 27, 2-1-8 artE Attack 3-6* inf XX 40 @ 8:1 (-2) = DH. Advance 1 CavXX, 50XX,  Guad mtn, 27, 8car bdr, E art

Attack 7: 3432 rough (NW Torossa) Supplied 2-6 infs Tdi (Col), 3Ceu (Col), 2-6 eng AM. 2-6 art 1P, Unsupplied 5-6 inf XXs 61, 82, 83, 1-2-6 art 49 = 5:1 (-2) m= DR Eliminated no retreat path. Advance 61, 82, 83 XXs, 1P art, TDi (Col).

Attack 8 3330 (S of Lerida) This is the important attack of this turn to breach the river line.

Supplied (Over river) 6-6 inf XXs 5, 63, 108, 2-6 inf 5Alh (Col), 2-10 AA 88 (KL), 1-8 mc B (CTV), Transported 4-6 arts 1RG, 2RG and (over river) 6-6 inf XXs 1, 4, 152, 3-2-8 lt tk N, 2-1-8 lt tk Bab (CTV) 3-2-6 inf2LE, 4-6 art 3RG, 3-1-2 sg art Man (CTV) attack 3-4-5* inf XXs 17, 57, 2-3-5* inf XX 39, 1-2-6 art 20 @ 3:1 = EX! Success and elimination of defenders- but at a cost… Lose 2LE, 3RG, Cadre1XX Advance 5,108 XXs, 1RG

Jun II 1939 Ebro line breached.

Republican Turn

VPs: Goberneto none collapse (R+5 VPs) None Surrender(R+10 VPs)
Guerrillas; Ineffective
Supply:  Western Zone: Murcia City draws of GSPs (Underlying supply condition is now U3)
Replacements;   4.5 SRP recovered.   SB-2bis Repaired.
Air Activity; Sorties 1 & 2; Escorted DAS missions. Not intercepted result in a SB-2 over Lerida and a R-Z over 3103 (N of Lerida)
Sortie 3: 3430 (Elbow of the Ebro adjacent Tortosa) SB-2, SB-2b The SB-2 and CR.32bis are Aborted. The SB-2Bis survives to provide DAS
Attacks: None

Narrative

The game is now firmly divided into two parts; the Main front facing Barcelona “The Eastern Zone” and the diminishing resistance in Murcia “The Western Zone”.

The Nationalists have ramped up the offensive to fever pitch to try and deal a final death blow to the Republic.  They launch 11 attacks; 8 in the East; 3 in the West; the most ever in a single turn. Most in the East however are against single divisional rear guards designed by the Republic to slow the attack and penetration depth of the fascists while the bulk of the front line retreats behind the Cinca/Ebro river line, as yet unbreached.  So while the Nationalists are making many attacks most are single divisions at risk and the Republic anticipates they will have a very strong river MLR by mid-June.  The Nationalists are not unaware of this tactic and have expended very few supplies this turn in the east and none at all in the Western Zone. This limits the odds which will cause them more exchange losses but they still have a few IRPs in the bank. Many of the Republican rear guards are surrounded so their elimination is assured. Only on the coast road from Valencia is there a chance of complete failure but this is only 1/6 and due to the narrow frontage so this thrust needs to be almost fully supplied, (The Nationalists are only 1 point short of the next odds column but unfortunately so many aircraft are inoperable following the earlier Harassment that there are insufficient machines left to get the one elusive attack factor even after adding in the two available points of NGS.)

The question in the West is whether the Republic will have any survivors by game end which is rapidly approaching. Possibly not.

In the East the Nationalists need to try and trigger the collapse of Catalonia, which will force the Republic to the negotiating table. To do so they must advance to within 45 miles of the city; but time is on the Republics side.

Jun I 1939, Murcia threatened

Nationalists turn

Weather; Clear skies across Spain both land and sea. D=C. E=C, A=CR, M= C
Supply:  6 RE in Murcia plus adjacent anarchists draw supply from draw from GSPs. Adjacent PA units are U1. Republic expends 1ASP for 12 more GSPs. All Republicans in Eastern Zone back in supply
Replacements: 4.5 SRPs, 0.5 SRPs (Col) received.   1-6 eng replaced.
Reinforcements; 154XX equipped on arrival.
Movement: 1 Res pt. spent to temporarily increase Rail Cap to 27 REs

Naval Activity:  NT-4 Transports 9Arc (Col) from Morocco to Cartagena

Air Activity:  Sortie 1:  SM.79-1 flies night Factory Bombing to Barcelona. Feeble AA misses but so do the bomb aimers.

Western Zone;

Attack 1: 4007 (s of Yecia) Unsupplied 5-6 inf XX 84, 4-5-5 inf XX 55, 3-4-5 inf XX 16, 1-5 mech 1, 1-6 mg IMExp and 3-4-5 inf XXs 34,m 74 and 4-6 inf XXs 15, 106, 117, 1-8 arts 4L, 10L, 13L Attack U1 Isolated 2-3-5* inf XX9, 2-1-8 to 1 @ 5:1 (-1) = DH. All eliminated – no retreat path. Advance 34, 74 XXs

Attack 2: clear  ( N of Alicante) Unsupplied4-6 inf xx 151, 4-8 cav XX 2, 1-6 mgs O, E and 5-6 inf XXs62, 105, 2-5 inf AGM (Fal), 1-2-6 art 42, 1-2-8 art 50 Attack U1 isolated2-3-5* inf XX36 @ 4:1 = DH. Advance XX 62, AGM (Fal), 42 art

Attack 3: : 4310 clear (between Cartagena and Murcia) Unsupplied  4-6 inf XX 107, 1-2-6* inf 32 and  4-6 inf XXs 14, 122, 3-4-5* inf XX 14, 1-6 inf 17, 1-6 bdr 7car, 1-6 inf 1MT (Col), 1-2-6 art 43, 1-6 art 16L and 3-4-5 inf XXs 19,  40 and 3-4-5* inf XX 72, 2-6 inf 9Arc (Col), 1-6 5MR, 2-8 mtn Pir, 1-6 inf 24, 1-6 sec 2GC, 1-2-6 art 46, 1-6 art 1, 15L Attack U1 Isolated 1-5 Muer, Isolated 3-4-5* inf 26 (All An) @ 4:1 = EX. Lose 40XX, 17, 24. Advance 14XX.

Valencia/Barcelona coast road

Attack 4: 3633 rough (on the Valencia/Catalonia boarder coast road)  Supplied 6-6 inf XXs 52, 102, 7-6 inf XX 13, 406 arts 1RG, 3RG, 3-2-6 inf 3LE and  Unsupplied 2-6 infs 6Xau, 2Mar (Col) attack 4-6 inf XX65, 2-6 nvl 56, 1-2-6 art 2  @ 4:1 (-1) = DR. Advance 52, 102 XX,  6Xau, 2Mar (Col).

Attack 5: 3634 Rough. Unsupplied  6-8 lt XX 150, 5-6 inf XXs 11, 52, 2-1-8 lt tks 2, 3, 2-1-8 cav1E (Col), 2-3-6 art 62, 1-2-6 art 46, transport and 3-4-5* inf XX 56, 2-6 infs4Lar, 8Rif (Col), 2-1-8 cav 2O (Col), 2-6 art 4P,  Attack 3-6* inf XX 77 @ 6:1 (-1) = DR. Eliminated,  as no retreat path. Advance 53, 56 XX.

Eastern Zone;

Attack 6:  3334 rough (E of Teruel) Unsupplied 3-4-5* inf XXs 12, 57, 1-68 eng GG, 1-6 bdr 8Car, 2-8 mtn Guaf,And  6-6 inf XX 5, 5-6 inf 54, 4-6 inf XX 85, 1-6 inf 28, 1-6 mg 2, 2-1-8 art E And 4-8 Cav XX 1, 2-6 inf 3Ceu (Col) Attack 2-3-5* inf XX 64 @ 5:1 (-1) = DE. Advance 57XX, 27, 8Car bdr, GG eng, Guad mtn, E art

Attack 7: 3232 clear/fort (S Zaragoza) Unsupplied4-6 inf XX 63, 3-4-5* inf XX 33, 1-6 23, 2-6 infs 7Lam, 5Ahl (Col) and 5-6 inf XX 82, 4-5-5 inf XX 50, 4-6 inf XX 154, 2-6 cadre 105, 1-6 inf I-S (Col), 1-6 art 11L, 12L Attack 2-3-5* inf 60 (Cat) @ 5:1 (-1) = DR eliminated as no retreat. Advance 50, 83 XXs fort destroyed

Attack 8: 3332 Clear (NW Tortosa)   6-6 inf XXs 1, 4, 63, 2-6 inf 10BT (Col), 3-1-2 sge art, Man (CTV),  2-10 AA 88 (KL), 1-8 AA 71m  2-6 art 1P  Attack 3-4-5* inf XX 58 with 1 pt. GS.

AA attacks SB-2 GS with 6 pts. AA and Returns it. Attack is now 7:1 = DH Advance 1, 4 XXs, Man (CTV)

Attack 9: 3030 clear (MW Lerida) 3= Unsupplied 3-4-5* XXs 24, 75 and 3-4-5* inf XXs 19, 22, 58, 1-6 inf 33, 1-6 art 2, 1-8 cav VMS (Fal) Attack 1-2-5 inf4 (Cat) @ 9:1 = DE. Advance 22, 24 XXs

Attack 10: 3031 rough/fort (NW Lerida) Unsupplied 5-6 inf XX 61, Supplied 4-6 inf XX FV (Mxd) and  4-6 inf XXs FA, FM (Mxd), 5-8 inf XX LA (CTV), 1-8 art Ter (CTV), 1-8 mg Ard (CTV), 2-1-8 lt tk Bab (CTV, 1-8 mc B (CTV) Attack 2-3-5 inf XX 31 (Cat) @ 8:1 (-2) = DH. Advance FA, FM XX (Mxd)

Attack 11: 3231 clear (W Lerida) Supplied 6-6 inf XX 152, 4-6 art 2RG, 2-6 eng AM, 2-6 inf Tdi unsupplied 5-6 inf XXs 71, 51, 1-2-6 art 49, 1-8 AA 72 Attack 2-3-5* inf XX 69 1 pt GS. . AA attacks SB-2 Bis GS and misses. Attack @ 5:1 = DH. Advance 51, 71, 152 XXs, 2RG art, AM eng

Exploitation movement; 3-2-8 lt tk N, Transported 2-1-8 art, 2-10 AA 88 (KL) exploit to 3230 (Bend of Ebro immediately W of Lerida)

Jun I 1939: Outskirts of Lerida reached

Republican turn

VPs: Goberneto none collapse (R+5 VPs) None Surrender(R+10 VPs)

Guerrillas; Break the rail junction at Catalayud

Supply:  Western Zone: Republicans feed of 12 GSPs from previous turn. (Underlying supply condition is now U2) The 3 6 and 5 strength XXs are put into supply plus 3 regiments at Murcia. The rest are U1.  Due to the MSP any factory generated ASP will not be able to be used for supply till the Nationalists next turn.

Replacements;   2.5 SRP, 1.5 SRP (Cat) recovered.  1-2-6 sec replaced.   SB-2 Replaced

Reinforcements: Arrive at Barcelona following Nationalists withdrawal of fleet to Murcia.

Moves: In the Western Zone; The Republicans in Murcia pull back for a last stand at the Factory.

In the Eastern Zone the Republic pull back to make a final stand behind the Ebro/Cinca rivers.  Confined to a narrow frontage they still manage to defend with stacks of 13-14 points (Except at the extreme right flank in the Pyrenees) which is behind a river in all but one hex.

Narrative: 

Spoiler alert . (This reveals the outcome of the turn so skip ahead if you prefer to see the details first)

Pre combat; The Nationalist attack builds in fury as 8 attacks are launched this time right across the front.  3 of these are fully supplied and a further 2 attacks are part supplied for a total expenditure of 10 ASPs. The Nationalists are getting desperate for results and one of the fully supplied attacks carries a 1/6 chance of AS. Furthermore they are using up stocks fast and this “fire and thunder” attack will leave only 11 ASPs in the ammunition dumps. The last Factory Production cycle will give them 7 more plus some foreign aid means that only two more such turn are likely to be possible.

Post combat; After the disappointing results last turn this turn’s attacks offer more hope. The Republic lose 3 front line stacks and a small breakout and exploitation towards Tortosa threatens again to trap the refugee units from Teruel.  Unfortunately the push along the coast road from Valencia to Barcelona only Retreats the defending stack giving a good stack of units the Republic can re-deploy and this will provide some of the fleeing units an escape route along the road to Tortossa.

In the West the fall of Cartegena spells the end of Republican resistance in the Western zone and only a moping up operation remains. This was achieved with very little AS expenditure as all Supplies are needed for the main drive to Barcelona.

At the beginning of the turn it seemed all was lost but perhaps, just,  there is a glimmer of a hope for final Surrender but this is indeed  a hope rather than an expectation.

Nationalists turn

Weather;  Clear skies across Spain but Westerlies move over the Atlantic. D=C. E=C , A= R, M= C
Supply:..  26XX (An) Draws Supply from GSPs at Murcia. Other Anachists draw from GSPs. Republic expends 1 ASP for 12 points GSP.
Replacements: 2.5 SRPs received.   1ME 109E (KL) replaced. SM.81 repaired

Movement: 1 Res pt spent to temporarily increase Rail Cap to 24.75 REs

Air Activity: Sortie 1: CR.32Bis, CR.32Bis (CTV) fly to Lerida on airfield bombing mission. Intercepted by I-16/t5 who aborts the CR.32Bis (CTV).  Bombs Fall wide.

Sortie 2: CR.32, CR.32Bis (CTV) fly to Alicante on airfireld bombing mission. Intercepted by I-16/t5 who aborts the CR.32Bis (CTV).  Bombs Fall wide.

Sorties 3-6:  Unopposed GS to various attacks (See below)

Sortie 7: He 1118, SM.79-1 (CTV) fly Factory bombing to Murcia. Both evade AA and score 1 Hit.

Naval Activity. Nationalist surface and Submarine Groups move from Barcelona to blockade Murcia which is deemed safer due to the minimal Republican air cover in that zone. BBTF-1 and CATF prepare for NGS.

Attack1: clear/dot city (Cartagena)  Supplied  4-6 inf XXs 112, 122 , Unsupplied  3-4-5* inf XX 14, 1-6 bdr 7Car, 1-6 inf 1BT (Col) , 1-2-6art 43, 1-6 arts 15L, 16L and 3-4-5* inf XXs  18, 40, 73 1-6 inf 24, 2-8 mtn Pir,  1-6 inf 5MR, 1-6 art 1. 1-2-6 art 46 and 2 point NGS Attack  3-4-5* inf XX 26, 1-2-5 infs 147, 149, 1-5 inf  Muer (All An) , 1 pt garrison  @ 3:1 = DH. Lose 147, 148, Muer (An).. Advance 18,73 XX.. Garrison dispersed.  1 ASP eliminated,  The R-Z escapes to Murcia. ½ RE Rail Capacity captured.  A significant victory because the Murcia Supply net is now eliminated.

Attack2: 4008 rough (N of Murcia)  Unsupplied4-6 inf XXs 107,117, 3-4-5* inf xx74, 1-2-6* inf 32, 1-6 inf 35, 1-6 art 13L, 1-5 inf 1Cord (Fal)  and 4-6 inf XXs 15, 106, 3-4-5* inf XX 34, 1-6 infs 19, 20, 1-6 arts 10L, 4L and 2 Factors GS = 4:1 (-1) = EX. Lose 19, 20, 35, 1Cord (Fal). Advance 34, 74XXs

Attack3:    4004  (SE Alzera) Unsupplied5-6 inf XXs 62, 105, 1-2-6 art 42, 1-2-8 art 50, 1-5 mech 1, Supplied 5-6 inf XX 11, 2-5 inf AGM (Fal), 1-8 mc B (CTV), And (over river)  2-1-8 lt tk Bab (CTV), 2-10 AA 88 (KL), Unsupplied 2-1-8 lt tks 2,3, 4-6 inf XX  151, 4-8 cacv XX 2, 1-2-6 art 48, transport Attack  4-6 art XX 34 @ 5:1 (-1) = DR. Advance 62XX.

Attack 4: 3734 clear ((E of Castilian de la Plana).   Supplied 7-6 inf XX 13, 6-6 inf XXs 3, 102, 2-1-8 cav 2O (Col), 2-6 infs 6Xau, 2Mel, 4-6 arts 1RG, 3RG and 3 ptss GS Attack 3-6 infX 1, 2-3-5* inf XXs 39, 42 @ 4:1 =  DR. Advance 3, 102 XXs.

Attack 5: 3234 rough/fort  (60 miles south of Zaragoza)  All adjacent uncommitted forces attack unsupplied at  5:1 (-2) = DR. Eliminated as no retreat path.  Advance 50 inf xx, 8Car bdr , 8 mtn, 12LartI-S (Col). Fort destroyed

Attack 6 3333  clear (50 miles north of Tortosa on the Mediterranean coast) Supplied 6-6 inf XXs 1, 4, 108, 3-2-6 infs 1LE, 3LE, 3-2-8 lt tk N, 3-1-2 sge art Man (CTV), 1-8 mot art L (CTV), Transport  and 2 pts GS Attack 3-6 inf XXs2,5,  8, 1-2-6 secs 10GA, 7GA @ 3:1 = HX. Lose 108 to cadre, 1LE. Advance  1XX, 3LE, 108 cadre, N lt tk, Man sg art (CTV), L mot art (CTV)

Attack 7: 3132 clear/fort  (60 miles NW of Lerida)  Supplied5-6 inf XXs 51, 61, 71, 3-2-6 inf 2LE, 2-6 eng AM, 2-6 inf 9Arc (Col), 4-6 art 2RG, 1-2-6 art 49and (over river)  6-6 inf XXs 63, 152, 2-6 infs3Ceu, 5Ahm, Tdi (Col), 2-1-8 art O, Unsupplied 4-6 inf #x’x 60, 1-6 art 11L  Attack 3-4-5* inf xx 74 (Cat), 2-6* inf 13Dom (Int), 1-2-6* inf 20, 1-6 infs 5, 23, 1-5 mech 2 @ 4:1 (-1) = EX. Lose 60 XX, 2LE, O art, 9 Arc (Col) . Advance  63, 71 XXs fort destroyed.

Attack 8: 2931 clear/fort (E of Zaragoza)  Unsupplied3-4-5* inf XXs 19, 75, 1-8 cav VMS (Fal) and 3-4-5* inf XXs 22, 58, 1-6 inf 22, Supplied 4-6 inf XX FV (Mxd) and supplied  5-8 inf XX LA (CTV), 1-8 art Ter (CTV), 1-8 ard (CTV), 4-6 inf XXs FA, FM (Mxd) Attack 2-3-5* imnf XX 44 (Cat) @ 8:1 (-1) = DE, Advance 19, 22 XXs.

Explitation: 3-2-8 lt tk N  1-8 mot art Ter (CTV), transported 3-2-6 inf 3LE move to 3432 overrunning the 2-1-8 tk P. (A mistake by the Republicans to leave such a weak second line unit)

May II 1939: Cartegena falls

Republican turn

VPs : Goberneto none collapse (R+5 VPs) None Surrender( R+10 VPs)
Guerrillas; Ineffective
Supply:  Western Zone: Following the loss of Cartagena the People’s Army have no supply net in Murcia. They can only therefore rely on ASP conversions to GSPs. They have 12 GSPs already in situ from a previous turn so all Anarchists plus 6 REs of PA units clustered around Murcia are put in supply. The remaining PA are U1.
Eastern Zone: The ZOC exerted by the Nationalist breakout to towards Tortossa interdicts the Valencia/Barcelona road at 3532 so the units fleeing encirclement from Terul are U1.
Replacements;   7 SRP, 1.5  SRP (Cat, 1 SRP (An)  recovered.  1-2-6 sec replaced.   I-152 Replaced
Reinforcements: 2 ASPs,  1 Art RP landed at France the previous turn arrive.

Moves: The Perimeter in Murcia shrinks further

Air Activity: Nationalists mount a massive Harassment operation to  prevent the Republican units pinned at the front from crossing the Chinca river, limit the march of those moving East along the coast road and any troops massing to attack their spearhead.

Nationalist Sortie 1:  3232 (S of Zaragoza) HE 111E (KL) escorted by a CR.32bis (CTV) is intercepted by a  I-152 who bypasses the CR.32bis (CTV) and aborts the HE 111E (KL) but is itself aborted.

Nationalist Sorties 2 & 3 Unopposed place 2 Hits At 3613 (Coast road Valencia/Catalonia border) and 1 Hit at 3332 (S Zaragoza)

Republican Sortie 1:  SB-2 escorted by I-16/t5 flied GS to  3332  Intercepted by CR.32bis whom attempts to bypass the !-16/t5 and is Returned.

Attack 1:  3432 rough (NW Tortossa) Supplied 3-4-5* inf XX 7 ,  6-6 inf XX  inf 35 (Int) , 1-6 eng 7 and (over mtn) 4-6 inf XX 47, 3-6* inf XX 7, 2-6 inf 222C and 2-3-5* inf XXs 39, 42 and 3-4-5* inf XX 27CM, 2-3-5* inf XX 21, 2-6 inf 211C Attack  3-2-8 lt tk N, 1-8 mot art L (CTV), transported 3-2-6 inf 3LE @ 5:1 (-3) = DR. Eliminated as no retreat path. This is a risky attack because it consumes most of the royalists remaining Attack supplies and there is a 1/6 chance of an AS but the gamble paid off and the Nationalist spearhead is eliminated.