Category: FWtBT AAR No 7 (Page 2 of 2)

DECEMBER I – INSURGENTS – Mud/Clear still. Hex adjacent to Almeria seized (Ex result) and adjacent to Bilbao (also an Ex). Zaragoza now has 11 strength points, including air. Engineers busy repairing lines in Santander. Corps level forces guard rail line from Jaen to Madrid. Pamplona reoccupied.

DECEMBER I – LOYALISTS – Can only count on a 2:1 -3 attack on Zaragoza so that’s been called off. More corps advance in Castilla la Nueva but lack supplies. It’s the Loyalist’s luck to probably get supplies there just as Mud arrives in the South. Several Basque divisions formed in San Sebastian and a tentative advance from that city to neighboring hexes begins.

DEC I 1936

DECEMBER II – INSURGENTS – Mud/Clear for third turn. A quiet turn with only notable action being south of Madrid pushing Loyalists back one hex from critical rail junction. Continued bolstering of the line in Castilla la Nueva and engineering repairs in Santander are making progress.

DECEMBER II – LOYALISTS – Still too weak to push on Zaragoza due to continued Mud and despite supply in Castilla could only muster 2:1 odds and given Loyalist history of die rolling thought best to only provide a tenuous overland supply route to Madrid and hold off on full offensive until supplies can move up.

1937 VICTORY POINTS: INSURGENTS 104/LOYALISTS 44 INSURGENT MINOR VICTORY SO FAR

DEC II 1936

NOVEMBER I – INSURGENTS – Clear weather north and south. Disaster for the Loyalists as Santander, Toledo, Albacete, and the western most hex of Madrid all fall. Madrid and all Loyalist forces in northern Castilla la Nueva are at U-1 due to Italian move into Cuenca. Zaragoza front fortified with several divisions.

NOVEMBER I – LOYALISTS – Ugh. Where do we go from here? Three large corps freed up from the liberation of Valencia advance to take back Albacete and Cuenca. Forces in Castilla la Nueva do their best to move towards Madrid or the safety of being in supply. Attacks on Zaragoza seize the hex west of the city and, with the aid of the Pamplona force, the hex northeast of the city as well.

NOV I 1936

NOVEMBER II – INSURGENTS – Mud/Clear – Continued reinforcement of the line in Castilla la Nueva, western Murcia, approaches to Almeria, and Bilbao. No offenses occur.

NOVEMBER II – LOYALISTS – Consolidation around Madrid continues while numerous corps advance to the Madrid/Albacete and Madrid/Valencia railroads. Supplies moved up to Zaragoza in the hopes of cooling weather next turn.

NOV II 1936

OCTOBER I – INSURGENTS – Fair weather and more than fair die rolls! A task force bringing supplies to Valencia (1 Italian TF, the CATF with 1 hit, and transports) is successfully intercepted by both the 1 SS and 3 CLTF. In the resulting carnage all Loyalist naval forces sunk – 16 victory points – as was the CATF* – 8 victory points. (After the game I reread the Italian fleet intervention rules and realized that all 3 fleet counters must be used at the same time so, since they were called upon to seize Gijon, none would have been available this turn). Elsewhere the last remaining Loyalist force in Estremadura and three speed bump forces in southwestern Castilla la Nueva all eliminated. Attacks in the North push back Gobernito troops in Santander and Euzkadi.

OCT I 1936

OCTOBER I – LOYALISTS – Disaster is an understatement for that turn. Skirmishing near Zaragoza gains some hexes. An attack on Valencia fails (AS) result and all that remains available to throw against the Insurgents south of Madrid are a few more self-supported brigades.
OCTOBER II – INSURGENTS – Fair weather holds and Insurgents advance deep into Castilla la Nueva, northwest of Madrid and adjacent to Santander after eliminating a small stack attempting to shield that capital.

OCTOBER II – LOYALISTS – Valencia liberated in a 4:1 – 2 attack (Ex)! The link up with Catalonia is complete (or will be once rail line is repaired). Forces released will now race to Madrid. Also to add a tiny smile to Loyalists, Pamplona was captured. Basques are circling the wagons around Bilbao and praying for Mud.

SEPTEMBER I – INSURGENTS – Failed attack in the mountains southeast of Gijon both stalled the drive to Santander and consumed precious attack supply. Further south a thrust from Linares pushed the rabble of Loyalist forces back while also consuming supply. More rail destruction in Western Catalonia and additional clean up in Andalusia capped the turn. Vigo falls securing the last city in Galicia for the rebels and Gaudix is recaptured. A line of regiments screens Zaragoza in hopes that Loyalist forces in Catalonia will be slowed down by track destruction.

SEPTEMBER I – LOYALIST – Another major victory for the real Spain! Three regiments destroyed near the Ebro river that totally removed any threat to the advances (yes, hoping for a dual advance before Mud) to Zaragoza and Valencia. Lines contracted and reinforced in Basque territory and a sortie from San Sebastian removed an Insurgent security regiment prowling outside the city limits. Rail communications with the stack in Estremadura reestablished and the supported regiment from Mahon shipped and then forwarded to keep Teruel forces at bay.

SEP I 1936

SEPTEMBER I – LOYALISTS SEPTEMBER II – INSURGENTS – Finally some progress in Santander with a DR result and no available hex in which to retreat. A few more of these and that Gobernito is toast. In the South spread out available forces to ensure no incursions into Andalucía (except Almeria still in Loyalist hands). Fort completion in Zaragoza and shuttling supplies to jump off places in southwestern Castilla la Nueva and northern Estremadura.

SEPTEMBER II – LOYALISTS – – With Barcelona cleared of Fascist elements all forces surge towards both Zaragoza and Valencia. Hope the weather holds long enough to secure both cities next month. They could use some artillery as the only thing keeping their lines in place is Insurgent attack supply problems. The Anarchists shirk their duties during the attack on Valencia and odds reduced to 2:1 – 2. Attack canceled. On-going shoring up the line takes place as best as possible in Castilla la Nueva.

SEP II 1936

AUGUST I TURN – INSURGENTS – More ANA forces to the mainland. A small force from Sevilla attacks and forces an Anarchist brigade out of Huelva. Italian naval forces aid in the reduction of Gijon by helping get a 4:1 – 1 (die roll of 4). However their exuberance in shelling the city totaled the factory that is now out of production until December II. In Estremadura the rail line is secured from Caceres to Seville but those pesky Loyalists from Salamanca are blocking any throughput to the north of Spain. CA with 2 hits appears at El Ferrol.

AUGUST I TURN – LOYALISTS – What are the odds? Loyalist BBTF 1 suffers a 2 hit loss! With the loss of Asturias any and all conditional Gobernito forces appear immediately. More defensive movements in Santandar and Euzkadi. Toledo security unit retreated and after blowing one rail line West of Grenada, Loyalist units head for the hills outside of Malaga. Further purifications in Catalonia and a small screening force sits in the rough outside of Valencia to keep those Insurgents from getting frisky. In Estremadura both units retreat into Badajoz.

AUG I 1936

AUGUST II TURN – INSURGENTS – Two 3-6* divisions formed west of Vallalodid and advance, along with an infantry regiment to eliminate the Salamanca loyalist forces blocking the rail line southwest of the city. Exchange rolled so lucky that lone regiment accompanied the divisions. One attack outside of Bilbao result s in seizing a wooded/rough hex (1801). Cavalry unit from Valencia scoots up to mountain ridge hex outside of Teruel and, combined with an artillery unit from Zaragoza makes that a tough nut for the Loyalists to crack. Other units in Valencia busy blowing up bridges and rail lines around the city knowing full well they’ll be cannon fodder soon enough.

AUGUST II – LOYALISTS – Victories at Lorca and along the mouth of the Ebro are celebrated throughout Loyalist Spain in battles that included wiping out the only Insurgent mechanized force. Elsewhere triumphant units from the seizure of Toledo race northwestward to again block the rail line coming up from Seville. In the Bilbao and San Sebastian some frantic fort construction while the “relief force” from Barcelona retreated from their attack near Lerida.

AUG II 1936

VARIABLE START TO REVOLUTION DIE ROLL RESULTS.

Of significance: Valencia revolted and Salamanca and Vigo stayed loyal.

JULY II TURN – INSURGENTS – Major blow to the naval forces as BBTF 2 blew up in El Ferrol harbor. Shuffling of Army of North Africa (ANA) forces to ports and use of Mxd T for transfer to mainland. All other units just getting organized.

JULY II TURN – LOYALISTS – 1 hex moves all around; attempt to screen Bilbao, Malaga and Santandar. Catalonian Loyalist forces begin purification. Units file out of Madrid East, North and Southwest (towards Toledo).

JUL I 36: At Start showing town ownership