Aug I 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

The 1 Av XX converts to the 20 XX. An air raid on Madrid goes badly as an I-16 manages to get past an escorting Me109B and kill a Ju 52. In eastern Andulasia, all units are now in the new defensive line in the mountains.

Loyalist Turn.

The French border is opened. An I-15 is rebuilt. The 3 Est XXX is attacked (hex 2821). A successful attack will allow Loyalist forces to exert a ZOC on a stretch of the Sevilla-Caceres-Salamanca rail line. The Rebels again fly in DAS, which gets thru, though an I-16 does abort an escorting Nat CR.32. The Rebels give way with surprisingly little fight (3:1 0 = HX); even better from the Republican perspective, none of the divisions in 3 Ext XXX have cadres and all are eliminated

Aug II 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

The 1 Mad XX converts to 17 XX. Studying the map, the Rebel command notices that as long they control Merida, Loyalist units in Extramadura will have supply problems once bad weather hits. Therefore, the order goes out that Merida must be held. It’s decided that the best way to hold Merida is to hold Don Benito. Therefore, Insurgent movements this turn are directed to this goal, more so than eliminating the threat to the high-volume rail line to the south around 2821.

Loyalist Player Turn.

The French border reopens. An SB-2 is rebuilt; the PA air force has finally gotten all its available fighters back in service and is now able to start reforming its bomber force. The Insurgents have garrisoned Don Benito too strongly for it to be attacked at this time; instead the Peoples Army decides to take Almendralejo (hex 2722) to the west first. This battle is unusual in a couple aspects: niether side has any close air support, and the defenders are capable of AECD due to the presence of 2 lt arm III’s. The armor is unable to prevent the loss of the town (4:1 -1 = HX).