Narrative
The Republic have a tactical choice to make this turn. Do they try to maintain the front as close to Valencia as possible or pull back to form a tight cordon around Barcelona?
The advantage of the former is that a local counter attack against the lone 1-5 mech @ 3502 will require outside help because the half strength divisions trying to escape the trap at Teruel cannot punch out unaided. If successful an attack and advance here has the potential to slow or prevent the Eastward march of the Nationalist infantry/Mech advance from Murcia but will such some of the best remaining divisions West and an offensive south on the Zaragoza front could find them trapped themselves.
On the other hand a retreat back to a strong position at Barcelona centred around Tortosa with its 3 river sides should make this a difficult position to crack even against the full might of a concentrated Nationalist attack.
The Nationalists eastward move along the Valencia/Barcelona road cannot proceed now anyway until Valencia falls so a pause is inevitable.
As soon as the Terual “bulge” in successfully evacuated and/or clear weather returns to the north the Republic plan to swing the West flank on the Zaragoza front back to link with the Valencia/Barcelona rail, pivoting on 3232.
After debate in the Junta it is decided to eliminate the !st Nationalist Mech. This will allow some troops to escape south from the Teruel bulge while others transit directly East across the mountains. This will isolate the Nationalist speared at 3501 which cannot be assaulted directly but can be contained. It is hoped the Terule forces when re-supplied can finish this group off.
Nationalists Turn
Weather; Sea conditions clear although northern Spain still experiences heavy rain. D=M. E=C , A= c, M= c
Supply:. Other than the Anarchists in Murcia both sides of the split Republic have viable supply nets so only the tongue of units trying to move south to Terul are out of supply.
Movement: 1 Res pt spent to temporarily increase Rail Cap to 24.75 REs
Replacements: 1 SRP recovered. Mtn replaced. HE 51 repaired
Air Activity: Sortie 1: SM.79-1, Mxd 1A2, He 111B fly GS to 3804 (Immediately W of Valencia) Intercepted by I-15/t25 who aborts the SM-79-1, I-15/t25 who fails to engage the Mxd 1A2
Sortie 2: Ro.37, SM.79-1 (CTV), escorted by CR.32 fly to Muria to bomb the factory. Intercepted by I-152 and GE.23 who attempt to bypass the screen.. CR.32 attacks the I-152 for no effect. And it presses home an attack on the SM.79-1 (CTV) but misses. Meanwhile the GE.23 engages the Ro,37; and also fails to affect the target. 3 points AA Return the SM.79-1 (CTV). The Ro37s bombs fail to hit the target
Attack1: 4010 rough) (s of Hellin) Unsupplied 3-4-5*inf XX 34, and 4-6 inf XX 112, 1-6 mg IMExp, 1-5 1 Corf (Fal), 1-6 inf 20 attack 1-5 inf LM (An( U2 @ 9:1 (-1) = DE Advance 34 XX
Attack 2: 4212 clear (Lorca). Unsupplied 3-4-5* inf XXs 40,73,m 1-6 inf 36, 1-6 inf 5MR (Col) and 4-6 inf XX 117, 3-4-5* inf XXS 14, 72, 2-8 mtn Pir, 1-6 arts 1, 16L, 1-2-6 arts 43, 46 Attack 3-4-5* inf XX 26 (An) U2, 0-1-5 cons 7, 0.5 Garrison @ 4:1 = DR. Advance 117, 14 XXs, 1, 16L, 43, 46 arts,. Garrison dispersed
Attack3: 3804 clear/fort (Immediately W of Valencia) 6-8 lt XX 150, 6-6 inf XXs 52, 102, 3-2-6 inf 2LE, 3LE, 2-6 inf 2Mel (Col), 4-6 art 3RG, 1-2-6 art 42 and 3 pts GS Attack 6-6 inf XX 2A @ 5:1 (-1) = EX. Lose 2LE, 3LE. Advance 52, 102 XXs, 3RG, 42 arts. . fort destroyed,
Attack 4 3704 woods (NW Valencia) Supplied 4-6 inf XX 151, 1-2-8 art 50 and 7-6 inf XX 13, 6-6 inf XX 3, 2-1-8 cav 1E, 2O (Col), Transported 2-3-6 art 62, 1-2-6 art 48, 2-1-8 lt tk 3, 2-10 AA 88 (KL) and 2-1-8 lt tk Bab (CTV),transported 2-6 art 4P, 2-1-8 lt tk 2 Attack3-6 art AIAP, 1-8 lt tk 1 (U2) 2-3-5* inf XX 28 (An),1-2-5 infs Jou, TL (An), 1-5 infs Conf, 19Jul @ 4:1 (+1 -1) = DR. Eliminated, no retreat path.
Advance 151 XX, 50 art.
Attack 5: 3236 mtn (NE Teruel) Unsupplied 4-5-5 inf XX 50, 3-4-5* inf XX 20, 1-6 inf 18, 1-6 inf I-S (Col) and 6-6 inf X 63, Supplied 2-8 mtn Guad, 2-1-8 art E, 3-2-6 inf 1LE, 6-6 inf XX 5 attack U2 3-6* inf XX 8 @ 7:1 (-4) = DR. Advance 50XX.
Attack 6: 3203 rough/fort (N of Teruel) Unsupplied 3-4-5* inf 83 XXs and 4-6 inf XX 21 attack 1-8 cav 7 @ 7:1 (-4) (1/6 chance of HX) = DR Eliminated, no retreat path. Advance 83rd XX. Fort destroyed.
Exploitation movement: Bab (CTV), lt tk 2, Transported art 4p to 3702
Lt tk 3, 88 (KL), transported art 62 to 3602
lt tk N, mc B (CTV), mot art L (CTV) to 3535
Valencia invested
Republican Turn
VPs : Goberneto none collapse (R+5 VPs) None Surrender( R+10 VPs)
French border ;Open
Guerrillas; Ineffective
Supply: Anarchists move to U3. 3GSPs generated at Murcia 26XX (An) draws on these.
The Republicans trapped North of Truel become U3. Anarchist expend all half of their accumulated RPs to rebuild the army and help stem the tide in Murcia. The Easternmost stack of Nationalist Mech unit is U1
Replacements; 1SRP, recovered. I-16/t10 rebuilt.
The delayed 0.5 point of Art RP is received from France. 2 steps Supply and a further Art point are diverted to France.
Air Activity: SB-2, R-Z fly DAS to 3904 swamp adjacent Valencia )
Attack: 3501 mtn (S of Teruel), U£ 2-3-5 inf XX21, 3-6* inf XX40, and U2 3-6* inf XX24, U3 2-3-5* inf XX 49 and Unsupplied 4-6 inf XXs47, 65 Attack 1-5 mech @ 6:1 (-4) = DR. Eliminated, no retreat path. Advance 21, 40 XXs,
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