Narrative
Albacete is coming under threat as the Republican spoiling attack north of the town is parried and reversed with great loss of life on the Republican side. Albacete long time base of the International brigade and useful to the republic for its concrete all weather runway is now within range of the Nationalist heavy artillery. The barracks here since e the early days have been the training ground and centre of the International brigades. German communists have long since cleared and prepared it. Previously the centre was in a parlous state, lice ridden with many hygiene problems especially for the many volunteers weakened by unemployment and the malnutrition that is its bedfellow. The rations of beans in oil contributed to the ever present bouts of dysentery suffered by the British, Canadian and American volunteers unaccustomed to “foreign food”. The disparate forces were a mixed bunch with the Germans posting rousing entireties such as “We Exalt Discipline” while the French posted precautions against Venereal disease. But this was in the past and the idealistic and strong forces of the International brigade steeled themselves for a possible Nationalist attack
Nationalists Turn
Weather; Clear across land and sea
Supply: Pamplona Pocket U1 Isolated. Basque 3-4-5* inf XX 4 U1
Replacements: 2.5 SPR. 0.5 SRP (Col) recovered .
Movement: 1 Res Pt expended to boost Rail cap to 21 REs
Overrun. 2131 rough (Immediately SE San Sebastian) 2-1 lt tk 2, 4-6 Art 3RG (Transported) overrun 2-4 inf (Bas) @ 12:1
Naval Activity.: NTs transport replacement (Col) unit to Seville.
Air Activity: Numerous Rail bombing missions result in 1 hit each @ 3735 (Castelion de la Plaina) and 3232 (between Reuss and Zaragoza)
Attacks 1-3 in 1734, 1833, 1933 (North Euzkadi coast) All high odds guaranteeing elimination without loss to attackers. Mopping up operations against weak Basque units left to cover approaches to Bilbao and San Sebastian and buy 1 turn before max odds can be brought to bear.
Attack 4; 3410 clear (Immediately NW Albacete.) Unsupplied 5-6 inf XXs 53, 105, Supplied 6-6 inf XX F (Mxd) and 3-2-6 infs 1LE, 2LE, 2-6* inf cadre 71, Unsupplied 5-6 inf XX 84, 1-8 mech S and Supplied 4-8 inf Lit (CTV), 3-6 inf XX 1DLV (CTV), 1-10 lt tk Dro (KL) and 6-8 lt XX 150, unsupplied 5-6 inf XX 81, 6-6 inf XX 102, 1-5 1Cord (Fal) attack 4-6 inf XXs47,65, 2-1-8 tk 2, 1-2-6 art 19, 1-0-8 ac AAC, 2-6* inf 14 Mar (Int) @ 3:1 = EX. Lose 102XX to Cadre, 1LE, 2LE, 1cord. Advance 150XX lt, 84XX
Attack 5: 2634 (On rail line N of Zaragoza). Supplied 6-6 inf XXs 4,5,108, 2-6*inf cadre 1, 1-6 inf IS (Col) and 6-6 inf XXs 52,63,152, 2-6 art 4P, 2-6 infs 10BT (Col), 2-6 inf 9Arc (Col), 2-6 inf 3Ceu (Col), 3-1-2 sge art Man (CTV) Attack 2-3-5* inf XXs 50,52, 1-6 infs9,16 1-6 mg 3, 1-6 art 8L @ 5:1 = DR. Advance 4,5,63 inf XX, 9Arc, 10 BT (Col)
For Whom the Bell Tolls: Aug I 38 Tactical (c) Ken Newall 2017
Republican Turn
VPs : Lack of Goberneto collapse (+10 VPs)
French border; Open
Guerrillas; Ineffective
Pacification: Cuenca.
Supply; Northernmost Republican spearhead investing Pamplona is U1 following Nationalist severing of the Zaragoza/Pamplona Railine. (3 Hexes , 21 REs)
3-4-5* inf XX 4 (Bas) also U1
Replacements: 3 SRPs, 1 SRP (Bas) recovered; 1-0-8 Ac AAC removed from replacement pool (Delayed from Apr 37). R-Z repaired.
Air Activity: Sortie 1: )2x SB-2 bomb airfield at 3414 (W of Valdepenas) 1 Aborted by AA. Bombs drop wide.
Sortie 2: 2x I-16/t5, I-16/t10 fly to airbase at 2316 (E of Guadix). Intercepted by ME 109B (KL), CR.32. I-16/t5s engage ME 109B and abort it but one I-16/t5 Eliminated. (N+2 VP) CR.32/I-16/t10 engagement is ineffective.
Attack 1: 2802 Rough (S of Catalayud) Unsupplied 3-6*XXs 1,24, 1-8 Cav 7, and 1-2-6 sec 9GA, 10GA,1-6 Eng 8, 1=6 art 5L and (over mtn) 3-6* inf XX 5, 2-3-5* inf XX38, 1-6infs 11,21,40 1-6 bdr 2Car, 1-2-6 art 13 and 1-2-6 sec 2GA, 7Ga, 1-2-6 art 3, Supplied 3-6* inf XX 10, 2-6 inf 87C, 2-6 nvl 94, 2-6* inf 11Th (Int) attack 3-4-5* inf XX32, 1-6 mg NExp @ 4:1 (-1) = AS!.
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