Narrative

The first Alejandro of the 35th infantry regiment knew of the fall of Seville were the automobiles with flags flying and horns blaring that raced down the road to Huelva with the news!.

Then came the stream of dejected Republican refugees fleeing to the country and prisoners being escorted for “ideological purification”.   Seeing them he wondered if perhaps his “phoney” war was, after all a better experience than the real thing.

How the fortunes of war could change!. A month ago Franco’s war leaders were being harangued by the Generalissimo to explain the lack of progress from Jaen, the loss (again) of Alcazar de San Juan, the constant falling back in Aragon against the Catalans and the imminent fall of Teruel.  The capture of Seville and Alcazar de San Juan had put Franco in a better mood however and, boosted by the troops to be released from the Seville operation, the drive from Jaen was expected to be renewed with increased vigour in the weeks to come.

FWtBT No 4 Apr I 37: Battle of San Juan de Alcazar

Battle of San Juan de Alcazar: Elite troops from both Republic and Insurrection test their strength.

Nationalist Turn:

Weather:  Clear skies across Spain. Clear/Clear/Clear/Clear.

Supply; U4 Isolation RollsSeville 3-6 inf XX4, 1-6 inf 6 eliminated.   “Teruel pocket” 1-5 inf Leon (Fal) eliminated.

Reinforcements; 72nd inf XX equipped to 3-4-5* inf 72

Replacements:  1.5 SRPs recovered 0.5 (Fal) SRPs recovered.

1-6 sec 20GC, 1-6 inf 31, 1-5 infs, 1Gran, 2 Gran  (Fal), 1-6 art 10L form 5-6 inf XX 51.

1-5 inf Leon.  1-8 cav 3 replaced. Mxd T replaced.

1 Mine Hit removed from BBTF-1

Naval Activity NT-1 moves 2-6 inf 1Rif (Col) to 3428 (Cadiz) and returns to Ceuta.

Air Activity; Sorte 1. Ju 52g$e breaks rail at 3406 (SE of Cuenca)

All other missions miss targets.

Attack 1; 3224 (SEVILLE) Supplied 3-2-6 inf 3LE, 1-5inf Cadiz (Fal), 1-6 art 16L, 1-6 eng ZMO, 1-8 ast G (CTV), 3-1-2  sge art Man (CTV) and 3-6* infs XX 2FN, 3PN (CTV) and 2-6 infs Tdi, 3Ceu, 2Mel (col ), 1-6 eng ZME, 2-1-8 art O, 5-6 inf XX attack (U4 isolated)3-6 inf XX5, 1-6 sec 17GC, 1-2-6* inf 18, 1-6 art 3L, 1-5 inf Mej (An) , 3pt Garrison @ 4:1 = DR.  All eliminated as no retreat.  Advance Tdi, 3Ceu, 2Mel (col) , Man, 1-8 ast G (CTV),

SEVILLE FALLS!!

1 art RP captured. 1.5 Rail Capacity increase. Rail totals now stand at Nationalists 10.5. Republicans 12 plus 4 in the northern Gobernetos.

Factory suffers damage and is Out of Production till Aug I 1937. Mxd fighter Escapes to Toledo.

Attack 2; 3310 clear (East of Tomolloso) Supplied 1-10 lt tk Dro (KV) , 1-8 lt tk Bab (CTV), 4-6 inf XX Mov, 2-1-8 cav 20 (col), 2-3-6 art 61 attack 2-3-5* inf 12 @ 3:1 (+1)  = DE.  Advance  Mov, Dro, Bab

Attack 3; 3211 clear (Alcazar De San Juan) Supplied 7-6 inf XX 19, 3-6* inf XX 2Sor and 3-2-6 inf 1LE, 5-6 inf XX 51 Attack 2-6* inf 11Th, 13Dom (Int), 1-6 eng 2 @ 4:1 = DH.  Lose 13Dom (Int), eng 2. Advance 13th.

Attack 4; 2606 rough/ fort (100 miles East of Madrid)  Supplied 1-8 cav2, 1-6 mg 2, , 1-6 inf 30, 1-6 art 13L Attack 1-6 eng  7 @ 8:1 (-2) = DH,  Advance 30th, 2nd mg  (Republicans stripped this line too much to mass for own attack last turn)

Attack 5; 2607 mtn (Eastern end of Cordillera Central) Supplied 1-8 mtns 5 & 8, 2-5 inf AGM (Fal), unsupplied 4-6 inf XX 1 (Req) attack 1-6 eng 1 @ 8:1 (-2) = DH Advance 1st (Req)

Exploitation:  1-8 ac 1LE exploits to 3408 (SE of Cuenca on rail break)

1-10 lt tk Dro (KL) to 3108 where breaks rail line.

After a heated debate at the highest level Spanish, Italian and German Generals agree not to exploit the wide breach in the Republican lines with all forces but to take up defensive positions to bolster the lead infantry elements. 1LE and Dro however are ordered to exploit and occupy the low volume rail line thus cutting supply to Madrid and the northern part of the Republican MLR. Occupation of rail break hexes should prevent immediate repair.

Republicans turn

Supply: North Western forces and parts of the force opposite Calatyud are U1.

Pacification: Vittoria, Teruel

Reinforcements:  All divisions arrive equipped.

Replacements; A massive recruitment drive this turn.

1 SRP, ½ SRP (Int)

1-5 inf Lar, Agl from and equip 2-3-5* inf 25.

2-6* infs 14Mar, 13Dom (Int), 1-6 infs 2, 9 form 6-6 inf XX 35 (Int).

1-5 infs cast, Mej (An) 0-1-6 art CNT (An) replaced and form 2-3-5* inf XX 28 (An)

1-6 eng 1 replaced plus a number of additional regiments.

A101 repaired.

Builds: 1-2-6 eng 11 (Cat) builds 3 cap airfield in 3033.

Air Activity: I-16/t5 and I-15/t22 transfer to new airfield in3033.  He 51 Intercepts 1-16/t5 who returns it. Transfer successful.

Bre 19 transfers to Madrid.

Attack 1: 3403 mtn (“Teruel” pocket”). Unsupplied 1-5infs Muer, 19Jul (An), 1-6 bdr 2Car, 1-8 mtn art 1, 1-6 inf 10 and 1-5 inf conf (An) and 1-6 bdr 4Car, and 1-2-6*inf 23, and 1-2-6*infs 21, 22, 3-6 * inf XX 24 attack 1-8 lt 3 (U4) @ 9:1 (-2) = DR. Eliminated as no retreat path.  Advance 3-6 inf XX 24, 1-2-6* infs 21, 22, 23

Attack 2:  2530 mtn (Pyrenean pass to France) Unsupplied 1-8 mtns 1, 2, 3 2-7* mtn 130 (Cat) 1-6 art 11 (Cat) attack 1-6 inf 19 @ 5:1 (-2) = HX. Lose 3rd mtn, advance 1, 2, 130 (cat) 11th (Cat)

Attack 3: 2803 rough (S of Catalayud) Unsupplied 1-6 engs  4, 8, 4-6 inf XX 34, 3-4-58 inf XX 27CM, 1-2-6* inf 24 and 1-6 inf 13, 2-6 inf 8ch, 1-6 mg 41-6 sec  8GC, 1-2-6 sec  10GA, 2-6 art 2, attack 3-6* inf XX  2Cas @ 3:1 (-1)  = DR. Advance 24th, 34th

Attack 4: 3406 rough (SE of Cuenca). Supplied 3-6* inf XX4 and 1-8 ac1 attack 1-8 lt tk LE @  7:1 (-2) = DH. Advance All

Attack 5: 3108 rough) (NE of Curenca) 4-6 inf XX6 and 2-6* inf 2CH attack 1-10 lt tk Dro (KL) @ 6:1 (-3) = DR,   Dro eliminated as no retreat path.  Advance none (+2 VPs)

Attack 6: 2606 (rough) (100 miles East of Madrid) Supplied 5-6 inf XX 11Ch, and 3-6* inf 7 and unsupplied 2-3-5*inf 37 attack 1-6 inf 30, 1-6 mg 2 @ 9:1 (-1) = DR. Eliminated as no retreat path. Advance  7th.

Attack 7: 4019 wooded rough (S of Grenada) 3-6* inf XX 14 (An) , 3-4-5* inf XX 26 (An) , 1-2-5 inf T L(An) , 1-5 inf Fan (An) and 2-3-5* inf XX 28 (An), 2-6* inf 4Ch, 1-8 bk 7, 1-6 mg 3 attack 2-6 5 Alh (Col) @ 6:1 (-3) = DR. Advance , 3-4-5* inf XX 26 (An) , 1-2-5 inf TL (An) , 1-5 inf Fan (An) and 2-3-5* inf XX 28 (An)

Attack 8: 2032 wooded rough (approaches to San Sebastian). Supplied 1-6 bdr 10Car, 1-6 sec 22Gc, 1-6 inf 21, 2-6 art 3P attack 1-8 mtn 7 @ 9:1 (-2) = DH  Advance , 21,  3P isolating 1-6 inf 23, 1-6 art 12L at 2031.