Narrative

Malaga Falls!   After a very brief campaign the Mediterranean city with its famous windmills and cathedral is in Nationalist hands. It would have fallen earlier had Franco willed it. He had wanted to give the prize to Il Duce a potential ally he was courting but the Republican outpost was becoming a nuisance. Villages and towns in the area, sympathetic to the Republic together with patrols of civil guardsmen and regulars were continuing to block the only effective rail link to the south coast. The decision was made therefore to take the city. Newly arrived steady Colonial troops in the van cleared away the Anarchists guarding the approaches and a co-ordinated assault with naval support forced the surrender of the garrison.

FWtBT No 04- SEP II 36: Tactical View of Ebro Valley operations

View of Ebro Valley operations

Following Jose Giral’s government’s collapse on 4th September, one of a series in these troubled times, the latest administration viewed with dismay the situation they had contrived to inherit.  Seville had stood firm and it had appeared as if the uprising would fail but due a combination of vacillation, ineptitude and infighting the advantage had slipped away and the Nationalist seemed stronger than ever. Only from Catalonia was there good news as a major offensive had breached the Ebro on a 40 mile wide front and with the Catalonians leading the assault had trapped and destroyed an entire regiment of Nationalists and pushed the front some 15 miles back beyond the Ebro.

Insurgent Turn

Supply: Republicans convert attack supplies in Seville and Malaga to GSPs. Republicans in Badajoz region U3.

Replacements: 3-6 sup XX inf van formed from 1-6 infs 28 & 29 and 1-6 art 15L.

1-6 infs 28 and 29 rebuilt.

Naval moves: NTs move Res Pts from Spanish Morocco and 0-1-5 cons can and 1-6 Sec 24GC from Canaries to Cadiz.  BBTF-1 and CATF move to 4039 and prepare NGS for attack on Malaga.

Moves/Overruns 1: 2718 (Merida) 3-2-6 2LE, 2-6 art 1P, 1-8lt 4 overrun PA 1-6 inf 3 (U3) and continue north.

Moves/Overruns 2: 2422 (Badjoz) 2-1-8 art E, 1-6 inf 33 overrun garrison (0.5) the inf 33 remains to pacify. 2-1-8 art continue north. 1-6 inf 29 completes the Badjoz pacification force.

Moves/Overruns 3: (3823) Malaga area; -2-1-8 art o, 2-6 inf 1Tet (col), 2-6 inf 5alh (Col), 2-6 inf mel (col), 1-6 inf 5mr (Col) overrun 1-5 LM (An).

Attack1:  (3822) Malaga Supplied 2-6 inf 1Tet (col), 2-6 inf 5alh (Col), 2-6 inf mel (col), 1-6 inf 5mr (Col) plus 4 pts NGS  to 1-5 RM (An), 1pt Garrison (Isolated). @ 9:1  DH. Eliminated/Dispersed. Advance All.

Attack 2: (3723) Supplied 2-1-8 art o, 1-6 inf 7, and Unsupplied 1-6 mg E attack 1-6 bdr 5Car; @  7:1(-1) = DE Advance ; All

Attack 3; 3622 Unsupplied 1-6 mg O, 1-6 inf 22 and  1-6 inf 24 and 1-6 eng ZMO attacks @ 4:1 (-1)  DR eliminated. Advance; 1-6 inf22 , 1-6 mgO

Attack 4: 2415 (Tajo Valley) Unsupplied  3-6 Inf XX van, 2-3-5 inf XX Cas, 1-6 bdr 8car attacks  1-8 GP @ 5:1 (-1) . Advance ; 3-6 inf XX van

Republican Turn

Purification of Catalonia complete. Rebuilds; 1-6 infs 3,8, 1-6 bdr 5car.

Amphib Opp planned for 1-6 bdr car8, 1-6 inf 34 at Cartagena to invade Huelva next turn..

Vild on Naval patrol.

Attack 1: 4015 (Andalucía) Unsupplied 1-6 sec 9GC, 1-6 art 6L and 1-6 inf 25, 1-2-6 art 2 and 1-6 15GC  attack 1-6 inf 1MT (Col)  at 5:1 (-1)  – DH. Advance 1-6 sec 15GC, 1-6 inf 25 and 1-2-6 art 2.

Attack 2 3333 (Ebro) Unsupplied 1-6 infs 13, 14 & 15, 1-8 cav4, 1-6 art 7L attack 1-6 inf 8 at 5:1 = DR Advance Inf 13 &14, art 7L

Attack3 3231 (Ebro) Unsupplied over river 1-6 mg4, 1-8 mtns 1 & 3, 1-6 bdr 19car , 2-6 art 2P attack 1-6 Sec 7GC. At 4:1 – DE. Advance; Mtn  1 & 3,2-6 art 2P

Attack 4 3131 (Ebro)Unsupplied over river 1-6 engs 4 & 8, 1-6 sec 3GC, 1-6 inf 16, 1-6 art 8L at 3:1 = EX (1-6 inf 16) Advance; 3GC , 8L

Attack 5 3230 (outside Lerida) First pure Catalan attack. Unsupplied over river 1-8 cav Buxo, 1-2-6 art 10, 1-5 infs 5 & 6, 1-2-5 inf 3 attack 1-6 inf 17.. 3:1 = EX. (1-5 inf 5) Advance cav Buxo inf 6 and art 10