Europa Games and Military History

Author: chef (Page 23 of 27)

Generalstab Updates, 10.6.2010

Its been a while, I’d say. I’ve finally found some time to fix the error in the language settings, which took some time. Funny how fast a website grows old. Next step should be grazing the Europa-Mailing-List archive for some more game reports and putting them online. Plus, I need to fix the Archive, its missing some game reports.

Game Report For Whom The Bell Tolls

May II 41

German Turn

Initial Phase: The Weather is clear in Zones D and E, Sea is calm in Atlantic and Mediterranean. All units are in supply. Germany spends 1 ARP (8 left) to bring back an aborted He111H4. It appears at Barcelona. Germany spends 5.5 inf RPs (7 remain) and 0.5 Arm RPs (2.5 left) to replace an Artillery regiment, Combat Engineer regiment, and a motorised AT battalion. The engineers appear with the 66th Corps that occupies part of Barcelona. The artillery and AT are brought on at Perpignan in southern France. Pro Axis guerrillas form a band and attack the rail line in 23A:3420. However, due to patrols from nearby British forces they are unable to successfully complete their mission.

Movement Phase; In the Barcelona area, the 4th RR Engineer rails to the French/Spanish border, then walks across into Spain and starts regauging the rail line there. 33:3521 is now part of the Western European rail net. The 25 Corps moves from Sabadell to Manresa. It will use the village as a jumping off point for its assault against the Spanish Cavalry in Tarrasa. Sabadell is in turn occupied by the 65th Corps.

The 65th Corps is then reinforced with the artillery assets of the 63rd Corps which is still in French territory. One siege unit and a regular artillery regiment are detached. In the captured part of Barcelona, the 66th Corps heads north into the mountains, leaving behind its 2 Combat Engineer regiments. The units stop in 3224. The swap is made with the 62nd Corps, which now occupies the city, and absorbs the engineers. It also receives an extra unit, the 78th Infantry division which advances from the French border.

The weakened 63rd Corps is now down to 2 Infantry divisions. It advances through the mountains to 3325. In Perpignan there are two replaced units, the 559th AT battalion and the 783rd Artillery regiment. These units move into Spain and end movemeny in 3623. To the northwest, the city of Zaragoza is under threat from the 34th Corps. Its northern flank is secured by the 64th Corps which moves across the Ebro river into 2734. Meanwhile the 15th Mountain Corps heads into 2531 and then in a straight line to 2832 behind Zaragoza to cut off its retreat, The mountaineers also gain control of the low volume rail line that crosses the Pyrenees.

Near the Biscay coast, the 1st RR Engineer regiment continues reworking the rail line that runs through Vitoria. It regauges 33:2033 and 33:2033 before using its last MP to get to 33:2134. Slightly further northwest, the 11th Infantry division advances from Bilbao, through Laredo to 23A:1503 outside Santander. It is accompanied by the 33rd Corps which moves to surround the city from 1404, minus the TK Motorised XX. This SS unit detaches from the main group and streams west, crossing the Pisguerda river to cut off Valladolid at hex 2010. The pincer is completed by the 53rd Corps moving west through Burgos to 2008.

Back in France, the 604th Engineer Corps abandons its empty airfield in 33:2028 and heads into Spain via admin movement. It advances to 23A:2107, and is escorted there by the 22nd Air Landing division. Another airfield is abandoned in 1725 near Bordeaux. This allows the 108th Construction regiment to rail down to yet another airfield in 33:2625. In turn, the 674th Combat Engineers that were in 2625 are now free to move, and they head down the road through the Pyrenees. They stop in front of the mountain pass at 2826.

Combat Phase: The Spanish fly a He111E from Madrid on defensive support over Valladolid. There are no Axis fighters within intercept range. 1 Ju88A, 2 Ju87s and a Me110C fly against Santander. They are escorted by a Me109E and an Me109F. The Cr32bis fighters in the city are hopelessly outclassed by the Messerschmitts and choose to scramble and flee. They escape to Madrid.

A Ju88A and a Ju87 which stages through Vitoria support the attack against Valladolid. 4 He111Hs escorted by 2 Me110Cs line up the Spanish 1st Cavalry Division and 23rd cadre in 3526. Although outclassed, the I-15s and CR32s from Barcelona decide to intercept. They might at least have a fighting chance against the Me110s, whereas fighting Me109s is close to suicidal. The CR32bis tries to bypass the fighter screen, but is aborted instead. The I-15s and other Me110s fight out a scoreless draw, with neither registering a hit. All the bombers reach the target.

Combat: The 1st Cavalry XX in Tarrasa is hit with an onslaught of German armour in the form of the 25th Corps. With 8 points of GS the odds are 35:6 or 5:1 +3 (full AEC). 2 is rolled, modified to 5 for a DE. Both the Spanish units are eliminated, and the 25th advances, cutting off Barcelona.

The major city hex of Barcelona is attacked by the German 65th and 62nd Corps. These units have sufficient Combat Engineers to nullify the -1 modifier for the Full city hex. They also have enough siege artillery to provide 51.5 AF. Against the 17 points of defenders, this is a 3:1 even attack. Fierce house to house fighting rages for days as the Germans inch through the city despite significant losses. Finally though, the weight of numbers is too much and the Spanish forces are destroyed (along with most of the city). A 2 is rolled for an EX. The Germans lose 3 engineer regiments and a motorised artillery regiment, plus the 12th Infantry division is reduced to cadre. All the Spanish are eliminated since the city is surrounded by ZOCs. The 65th advances into the city. The Spanish I-15s on the ground attempt to escape but due to lack of fuel they are unable to do so and are torched by their crews.

In the Pyrenees, the remnants of the 43rd Mountain division are attacked by the 28th Infantry Division, 63rd and 66th Corps at 9:1 -2. 4 is rolled, modified to 2 for a DE. The 28th advances from Andorra into the hex where it joins the 66th Corps. The SS Pol Infantry division that was a part of the 66th does not advance.

Zaragoza is surrounded by Axis forces to the east, west and northwest. The 51st Infantry division and 4 assorted regiments can muster 9 defensive factors. Ranged against them are the 64th, 34th and 15th Mountain Corps (which attacks over the Aragon river). There is no air support but the attack is still 66:9 or 7:1 even. The city is totally overwhelmed in short order. A 6 is rolled for a DE, and all Spanish units are destroyed. The 15th Mountain Corps enters the city.

Valladolid, north of Madrid, is also surrounded thanks to the SS TK division that has appeared at its rear. The city is defended by a selection of non-divisional units and 2/3rds of the 71st Infantry division (including its HQ). Along with the defensive support provided by a unit of He111s, the Spanish have a strength of 10. The German 53rd Corps is quite powerful and has 30 AF, plus 4.5 for the SS division and 7 points of AS provided by Stukas and JU88s. The final equation is 41.5:4 for a 4:1 even assault. Without a coherent command structure the Spanish units are in disarray and are swept out of the city and into the Duero river (6 is rolled for a DE). The 53 Corps occupies the city, capturing another ½ RE for the German Iberian rail net.

The last attack is against Santander, which is also isolated by German forces. The 33rd Corps and the 11th Infantry division mount a coordinated assault against the Spanish 11th Infantry division, two Cavalry regiments plus security and border troops. In the air are 2 Ju87s, a Me110 in a ground attack role, plus a JU88A. 38 points vs 9 gives a 4:1 even attack. Again a fierce fight ensues as the Spanish units have to be removed house by house from the city. Finally they are driven into the Bay of Biscay but not before inflicting heavy losses on the German 11th Infantry division. A 1 results in an EX. The Spanish are all eliminated, while the German 11th Infantry is reduced to cadre, and a motorised AT battalion is lost from the 33rd Corps. The cadre occupies what remains of Santander. 3 German short ranged air units land at the Santander airfield, which was captured intact, while the rest land in Bilbao.

Exploitation Phase: A motorised Light AA battalion moves to garrison San Sebastian from the Bordeaux area. The 33rd Corps moves to overrun the Bicycle battalion that has been tearing up the rail line leading to Madrid. It ends movement in that hex, 23A:2705. Leon is occupied by the Totenkopf Motorised Infantry division.

The 33rd Corps breaks up. The 151st motorised Flak battalion heads to Bilbao to guard the air units there against guerrilla attacks, and the 643rd motorised AT battalion is tasked to do the same thing at Vitoria. The backbone of the Corps, the 12th Panzer division, heads further along the coast to take up a position outside Gijon in 23A:1107. Having participated in the attacks near Barcelona, the 25th Corps heads west again down the coastal rail line before heading inland to cross the Ebro river. It penetrates as far as 33:3431, threatening the retreating 32nd Infantry division. It is joined by the 559th motorised AT battalion which moves up from 3623.

Losses

  • Spanish Unisolated – 6+17+1 = 24 (4.5 Special RPs received)
  • Spanish Isolated – 9+9+9 = 27
  • Spanish Air – 1A/1K

  • German Unisolated – 17+9 = 26 (6.5 Special RPs received)
  • German Isolated – 0
  • German Air – none

Generalstab Updates, 8.8.2008

The new layout has been uploaded and seems to work fine, except that the table with the list of games in the Archive is driving me crazy: Whatever I try, MS Exploder won’t render the table but shows a blank page instead. I’ve posted my problem in a forum now and will wait for input, and will continue to work on it meanwhile myself

Next stage of the revamp then will be scimming through 4 years of Europa-Mailing-List postings to see wether there are new game reports available.

Generalstab Updates, 17.7.2008

Yes, I admit, its been a while. Finishing university (after all those years), getting a job and all that kept me way too busy to think about updates for a long time. But in the end my interest in military history never left me, so here we’re back, and I hope to be able to revive the Generalstab a bit.

Doing the redsign you see here took most of the spring time, and even yet its not halfway finished, which you will easily be able to tell if you try to access this page with the Internet Exploder. So bear with me, my friends, till I’ve sorted out the troubles or most beloved browser has with standard CSS. In the following weeks I hope to be able to bring in some new material as well, even though I did little writing on military subjects in the last years. Others, however, have, and I’m counting on the Europa-community that has contributed so much for this website to provide more articles and comments!

Game Report For Whom The Bell Tolls

JUN I 1937

JUN I INSURGENT

Being now faced with forbiddingly strong defenses in Aragon (15+CF/hex),
the Insurgents shifted their stance, railed their elite formations into
Castilla, and started a strong offensive on a broad front in the central
plain between Albacete and Cuenca. The main thrust developed along the
Madrid-Cartagena rail line and penetrated to within a few miles of Albacete,
apart from Teruel the only city once held by Nationalists and now still
in Loyalist hands. The attack near Cuenca was once again spearheaded by
the small but effective Nationalist force of light tanks and also included
engineers to contend with enemy entrenchments. In Aragon the Nationalists
pulled more troops out of the line, to be available for exploitation of
any successes elsewhere. The fronts in the mountains between Teruel and
Cuenca and between Albacete and the Mediterranean remained quiet. While
the Republicans had kept their fighters and fighter bombers concentrated
in Aragon, the Nationalists Airforce struck again at targets in Valencia
and Murcia. Targeted were ships in port at Valencia and Cartagena and
rail lines near Valencia and Albacete. This time, anti-aircraft fire proved
ineffective, and Ju-52s from the Legion Kondor hit the cruiser Miguel
de Cervantes at Cartagena in a low-level bombing run, causing her to blow
up (in the words of Franco’s delighted press “avenging the slaughter of
her officers at the hands of the mutinuous crew” a year ago). Except for
this success, however, little damage was caused. (Historical footnote:
Miguel de Cervantes was of course not the only vessel on which this happened,
but by all accounts the massacre aboard her was the worst. Whether it
can be called mutiny is debatable, however: The crews acted on instruction
from the Loyalist-controlled Admiralty in Madrid.

JUN I LOYALIST

The Loyalist managed to field two new and well-equipped infantry divisions
composed of International Brigades. Both were dispatched to Teruel to
stop any Insurgent attempts to break through to the sea. Other reinforcements
were raised in Murcia and used to patch up the teetering front in the
central plain. The Loyalist Airforce kept busy under its new commander.
An all-out strike was launched to damage Insurgent air power. A massive
attack on Lorca remain without much success, however, and so did smaller
excursions against Cordoba and Almeria. The Fleet remained inactive, but
Cartagena’s anti-aircraft defenses were beefed up to guard against a repetition
of last week’s raid.

STRATEGIC COMMENTARY

The Loyalists appear more concerned about Cataluna and a possible Natinalist
breakthrough from Teruel to the sea than about the front in the central
plain, where territory seems to be judged expendable. According to informed
sources, the shift in Nationalist Schwerpunkt did not come as a surprise
and was in fact quite welcome because it relieved the pressure on what
is considered the most vital area. This tallies with the relatively small
portion of reinforcements the front at Albacete and Cuenca has received.

For Whom The Bell Tolls – Spielbericht – Appendices

Appendices

1. Concerning the conduct of War No. 1

(issued Salamanca, Nov. 19th, 1936)

I. Situation Report

North Front:
Along the gobernitos we are mainly screening the loyalist forces. Except at locations
of strategic interest our strengh is inferiour to the enemy in terms of
numbers, nearly everywhere at a ratio of 1:2. Gijon itself is endangered,
should the Santanderos strive to liberate their former capital, as the
supply lines into the city are only halfway covered.

East Front:

Our second offensive to relieve Zaragoza has failed, the city remains cut off, as
long as the muddy weather continues. The proposal of Gen. Joachito to fly
in supply by air seems not really realistic, considered the few machines
servicable. The supplys within the city are nearly used up, and as our
ammunition situation is critical we cannot thinkl of another relieve attempt
in this year. It might be possible to hold the city itself if we concentrate
on defendig the city parameter instead of the lines of communications.
Air support will provide critical for this venture. Hovever, Zaragoza is
the last block in the Loyalist rail line from north to south, and may as
well prove critical to our complete war effort.

Central Front:

Due to the weather and the difficult and rugged terrain it may well be possible
that we get pushed from the mountains into the plain, which would increase
our difficulties of maintaining a continuous line here. The proximity of
Madrid allows the Loyalists to reinforce endangered sectors at will.

South Front:

The anarchists in Malaga are short of surrendering the city, as the last stocks of supply
are running low. Cordoba will hold out some weeks more, but neither did
the Loyalists manage to bringh trough any kind of supply, nor is there
any chance of relief. However, the two siege corps will be badly needed
at the front line, where the Loyalists are enjoying a comfortable superiority
in numbers.

back to top

For Whom The Bell Tolls – Spielbericht

1937

Turn 11 Jan I 1937

(C=Winter D=Mud)

The desperate need for
some military sucesses leaads to a small but effective plot: the huge amount
of artillery shuipped in as Italian aid this turn lets us form the first
Artillery brigade, and this, together with elements of the arriving Italian
Volunteer Corps, assaults and captures Gion within a few days, as the Loyalist
fleet is unable to lend ist full support to the defenders tue to the bad
weather (storm). The fall fo the city [5:1 -1 HX] reel waves of terror
through the Northern rebel provinces as the Asturian gobernito government
flees the country. Along the hills north of thre Tejo valley, we secretly
start assembling our armored forces and the elite regiments of the Legion
Entrangere. From here, we plan to push north-eastwrd once the mud ceases,
to once and for all end the Loyalist threat to cut our territory in two.

Unaware of the dangers
looming in the rugged hills south of them, more Loyalist troops push down
the valley as the victors of Zaragoza rejoin the front. At Vitoria, the
Loyalists mass their tanks for the first time in this conflict and eliminate
some delaying forces north of the city. They are now threatening the communications
to the city, as well as advancing along the north-southern rail line. Over
the vicinity the air forces contest their strenghs for the first time,
and despite heroic efforts of the Nationalist fighters our air force recieves
a crushing defeat [1x bmbr killed, 1x bmbr abort, no Insrgent losses].

Losses: Ins: 4 Inf, 2

Air Loy: 2 Inf

Turn 12 Jan II 1937

(D=Winter C=Clear)

Although we`ve been hoping
for clear wether all time we have no yet finished our offensive preperations,
as the ad roadnet as well as our grim situation prevented us from assembling
any strategic reserves. So we hurry up reinforcements to the front and
build up strengh on the southern part of the Tejo river.

The Loylists rush the
forces that guarded the cut-off division to the front. However, due to
a lack of attack supply they do not commence any offensive actions. Fornt
line strength is now between two in some mountain areas and 6 or 7 throughout
the rest of the country, with 10 north of Vitoria.

Losses: Ins: 0 Loy: 0

Turn 13 Feb I 1937

(D=Winter C=Clear)

Although the weather
remains favorable the commitment of new Loyalist forces to the Tejo sector
makes an attack still suicidal. We continue to build up strengh and shift
more tropps from the north around Gijon to the Vitoria area. the Italian
Volunteer Corps parades through Sevilla and them heads for the front, carrying
its own supplies with it. We reinforce Cordoba, a sector which so far was
absurdly weak and is now defended by a division.

The Loyalists rail their
two strike corps south and prepare another offensive, whis time thrusting
northward east of Madrid. Our troops are cleared of the mountains and forced
to withdraw into the plain with heavy losses.

back to top

For Whom The Bell Tolls – Spielbericht

1936

Turn 1: Jul II 1936

From the Nationalist point of
view the most notable result of the variable beginning is that Logrono
and Valladolid both stay loyal, which spells a lot of difficulties to our
undertaking. However, there might be still a chance to decide this issue
quicker than though. First we are going to isolate Malaga while collecting
all available forces for quick stab at Cordoba. Opening the road into Andalusia
will eventually lead us into the heartland of the Communists.

Another important thing will
be to clear up our hinterland as soon as possible, to allow us to throw
everything into the upcoming battle for Madrid. So we start to ship over
the first colonian regiments, especially those wonderful LE regiments which
are unequalled by anything the Loyalists have. Most of these thoughts remain
plans for now, as the rest of the units is mainly busy with pacification.

During the Loyalist player turn anarchists spring up everywhere, one just
wonders where they’ve been hiding all the time.

Turn 2: Aug I 1936

While still to many units are
busy pacifying the cities General Franco orders the first two divisions
that are combat ready to the offensive and mounts an attack on Cordoba,
which bloddlily failes [at 3:1 (-1)]. In the very north another attempt
to quickly overwhelm the Commies fails as well [at 2:0 (0)] as an attack
against Gijon is beaten back with considerable losses of men and territory.
After this debacle, we decide to first consolodate our position before
undertaking any further attempts. However, we have managed to isolate and
surround Cordoba and Valladolid, while the first regiments of our elite
Legion Entrangere head for Malaga.

The Loyalists concentrate on
a solid buildup and start forming militia brigades all over Catalania,
while the newly proclamated Anarchist republic of Anadalusia issues enrolment
orders all over the countryside.

Turn 3: Aug II 1936

As the first cities are pacified
more units rush to the front that starts to take shape. Our troops have
to evacuate Toledo in order to maintain contact with our main concentrations
as the first Loyalist infantry columns are pushing down the Tejo valley.
Along the central Cordillieras contact is made with loyalist troops and
both sides start to dig in.

Meanwhile, the first attempt
of Loyalist columns to march down along the Tejo river valley failes as
well as their attempt to break our lines encirceling Cordoba. The uncoordinated
attacks still show the lack of guidance from the officer corps which has
joined our cause.

Turn 4: Sep I 1936

Two more divisions are assembled,
one at Zaragoza to stem the massive flow of Loyalist troops from Catalania
up the Ebro river, and one more to help the attack at Valladolid. The most
important parts of the Legion Entragere and the Colonial Regiments now
have been shipped to Southern Spain to join the assault against the Anarchist
republic of Andalucia. As the Loyalist fleet remains surprisingly quiet
there is nothing much to do for the first arriving submarine sqadroons
of the Italin Navies, who guard the first transports of supply and artillery
reaching our ports. In the South we intensify our grip on the anarchist
cities and cut them off, while in the North Valladolid falls to a combined
assault of all arms.

The first Catalanian colums establish
contact with our lines in front of Zaragoza. From the southern hills of
the Pyrennes long columns of Loyalist troops heading for the city can be
spotted, a threat we are unable to counter effectively because our inabillity
to shift troops. Their first attempt to break our ranks fails [3:0 -1],
while the important rail junction of Calatyud falls into Loyalist hands
after a blody battle [3:1 (-1) HX] More Loyalist units pouring out of Madrid
score another vitory against a lonly requete column at Soria, smashing
it and occupying the city [4:1 (0) DH].

Losses: Insurgents: 4 Inf

Loyalists: 2 Inf 1 Art

Turn 5: Sep II 1936

The Legion Entrangere finally
reaches the outscirts of Malaga and occupies the approaches to the city,
while our corps at Cordoba receives reinforcements against the new anarchist
colums aggresivly defending the city. The victors of Valladolid rush to
the east to rescue Zaragoza and retake Calatyud, but don’t reach the front
in strengh. A swift attack without preperations or supply overwhelms a
cut-off loyalist column in the eastern Cordilleras [hex 2507].

Nearly a Dozend Loyalist columns
reach the outskirts of Zaragoza and isolate the city, while more bypass
our strongpoints east of the city to press on northward. Huesca falls [4:1
-1 DR].

In the South, the anarchist rulers
of Malaga and Cordoba issue rationing of the stocked supplies, as there
is no imminent chance of relieving the city. From the mass of Loyalist
colums in the Tejo valley a regiment of Guardia del Civil breakes through
and reaches the still besieged Bajadoz, adding to the defenders there.

Losses: Insurgents: 0,

Loyalists: 1 Inf

Turn 6: Oct I 1936

With the new supply arriving

at the ports we find ourselves critically short of rail capacity, the ammunition
rots in the harbours while our fronts are short of supply. To put pressure
on the Loyalists we have to make use of our assets wherever they are, and
as dearly we would like to transfer the Legion Entragere to the North we
simply don’t have the means to do so. The transfer of colonial troops to
Cadiz continues, the presence of Italian subs prevents any incursions by
the Loyalist fleet. In the North
we barely screen the gobernitos, while everything available is now shifted
to the east to occupy the rail line to Zaragoza and secure ist supply line.
To do so, we have to retreat more columns over the Ebro, so that there
are now only 2 border regiments left east of the river.

Another attempt to stop
the Loyalist onlaught at Zaragoza failes east of Merida [5:1 -1 AS] despite
the fact that virtually all reinforcements go to there, while the newly
arrived Italian tank batallion scores its first victory in supporting a
small conterattack up the Teja valley [6:1 +2 DE]. In the mountains north
of Madrid an isolated Loyalist column is cut of and smashed [5:1 -2 EX]
as the battle for the mountain crest continues. We now occupy mountain
hexes everywhere except the rail line to Bajadoz [2412], which doesn’t
matter as Bajadoz finally falls into our hands [4:1 -1 DR], despite some
fierce resistance by the Elite Art Regiment stationed there. In the South
several colums screen Cordoba and Malaga, while the main colums head for
the slowly emerging frontline in the east to prevent relieve attempts.
Solid contact is now established everywhere, and we start to construct
the first fortifications in the open. [frontline from Motril in the South
to 2414, then along the mountains to the rail line to Zaragoza, from there
no contact is established so far becouase of our retreats]

The Loyalists concentrate
on Zaragoza and rail more troops into the area. The remaining National
Forces east of the Ebro are wiped out and solid contact is made with the
Basque forces coming from the North. The river line marks the front, which
means that Zaragoza will be cut off as soon as bad weather occures.

More loyalist colums
mobilized in the vicinity on Madrid manage to re-take a mountain hex north
of the city, while a second attack falteres.

Losses: Insurgents: 5

Inf 1 Arm, Loyalists: 7 Inf 1 Art

Turn 7: Oct II

1936

(D = Mud)

More divisions reach
the front line north-west of Zaragoza as a fierce battle errupts for the
supply lines of the city. We cannot prevent that the city finylly gets
cut of in the last days of the month.

The only important attack
on anarchist colums in Anadlusia failes [5:1 -2 AS], while finally the
last isolated loyalist stronholds in aour hinterland are cleared.

Losses: Insurgents: 5

Inf 1 Art, Loyalists: 3 Inf

Turn 7: Nov I 1936

(D=Mud)

Fighting ceases on most
fronts except in the verx north-east, where the Loyalists try to reach
a secure north-south rail line. As most insurgent reinforcements are stuck
in the mud our lines get pushed back, while south of that an operation
to retake Calatyud failes with two of our best divisions cut off and surrounded.
Of our three attacks, two succeed, but despiteheavy losses we cannot improve
our situation [1 x 5:1 -3 AS, 2 x 6:1 -3 DR + EX]

Elsewhere, Malaga and Cordoba eat gras.

Losses: Ins: 4 Inf

Loyalists: 2 Inf

Turn 8 Nov II 1936

(D=Mud, C=Mud)

The assault on the anarchist
strongholds in Andalusia opens with the attack on Malaga. Meeting fierce
resistance, we are nevertheless able to secure the city and take alrge
amounts of prisoners. Immediately the security organs start their work
[5:1 -2 DR]. Some conterattacks are made to stall the Loyalist offensives
and to improve the situation of the Zaragoza garrison, but the wether prevents
any major operations. We manage to relieve one of the two cut off divisions,
but the other cannot even be ressupplied. The gap in our front at Vitoria
cannot be closed as reinforcements hurry to the front.

As news from the fall
of Malaga spread the country, more anarhists surrender. Refugees pour out
of Cordoba and bring news that the stocks run out in the city. In the North,
the Loyalist exploit the achieved breaktrough and take Logrono [8:1 -3
DR], the cut of division surrenders to a concentric assault [6:1 -3]. After
securing the railway junction to Zaragoza, the Loyalists now mass in front
of the city, obviosly planning an assault onto the city itself.

Losses: Ins: 2,5 Inf

Loy: 1 Art 3 Inf 1 Arm

Turn 9 Dec I 1936

(D=Mud C=Mud)

We have decided now to
cancel all attack operations until spring. Only Cordoba is taken by the
colums sweeping eastwards to the Loyalist-occupied country [8:1 -3]. Again
we shift forces to close the front gaps in the north, while the few mobile
units we have are regegated to back-line duty and to transport supply.

The Loyalists raise
more than 8 new divisions and assemble them around Zaragoza. However, no
ttack is yet to be made, instead, the offensive down the Tejo valley is
resumed, pushing back our colums to the exit of the alley [7:1 -3 DR]

No losses

Turn 10 Dec II 1936

(D=Mud, C=Winter)

Despite our defensive
efforts, Zaragoza falls [5:1 -2, DR], ist garrison marches into imprisonment
fater moths of curageous resistance. All our determination could not prevent
the loss of the city, and we will have again to shorten our front to prevent
more divisions from getting cut off. The Loyalists now securly hold a rail
connection to the Northern Provinces and immediately start to send military
aid north.

Losses: Ins: 1 art 8

Inf, Loy: 3 Inf

back to top

« Older posts Newer posts »