Month: September 2000

Dec I 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

The Insurgents get a breather as the weather across Spain worsens (Winter in Zone D, Mud in Zone E, Storms in the Atlantic, and Rough in the Med.). The Nationalist CR.32 is rebuilt. With the return of mud in the south, the withdrawing Rebels pause in a delaying postion in rugged terrain south of Carceres. Another air raid targets Madrid; no hits are scored by the bombers but in air combat a KL Me109D is killed by an I-16 while a Nationalist Me109B/D aborts a G.E.23 which attempted to bypass the escorts.

Loyalist Player Turn

An I-16 is rebuilt. Three Sec X’s are upgraded to the 2A XX. In an air raid on Cordoba, AA fire aborts a SB-2. No attacks are attempted due to a lack of attack supply at the front.

Dec II 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

Bad weather continues. The KL Me109D and a Nationalist Mxd A air unit are rebuilt. Units in Extremadura resume their withdrawl, demolishing rail lines and airbases as they pull out.

Loyalist Player Turn

The SB-2 is rebuilt. With the bad weather and continued supply shortage, no attacks are launched.

Nov I 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

The rainy weather in the north expands into southern Spain (Mud in both weather Zones). The Rebels hope the bad weather will hold off further Loyalist attacks until a new defence line can be patched together. One immediate effect of the mud is that the Loyalists now have some bad supply problems. Had Merida not fallen, supply could have really become a disaster for the Republic. As it is, they really need to capture the rail line from Merida to Badajoz to resolve their supply issues.

A Ju52 is rebuilt. In an Insurgents raid on a Loyalist airfield (hex 2818), a Me109D kills an I-16, A Nationalist CR.32 aborts an I-15. All the bombers get thru, and though they only get 1 hit on the airfield which now has no aircraft present, the operation is a big success for the Insurgents.

Loyalist Player Turn

An attack on the FA XX and some supporting non-divisionals (hex 2421) brings on another big air battle as both sides again attempt to get in close support aircraft. Once again, neither side’s fighers are able to keep enemy ground attack planes from reaching the battlefield, though the Loyalists do make the Insurgents pay a price as an I-15 kills a Do17E and an I-16 aborts a CTV SM-79. Desperate to open the supply lines, and despite the poor weather, the Loyalist are able to destroy the Rebel force at considerable cost (4:1 -3 = EX).

Nov II 38

Insurgent Player Turn

Weather clears over southern Spain to the dismay of the Rebel leadership. The CTV SM-79 and the Nationalist Do17E are rebuilt. A withdraw to the next river line in Extremadura, the Tajo, is begun. With all the Loyalist fighers currently based in Extremadura, the Insurgent launch a big raid against Madrid with all their bombers and attack planes. Despite the lack of interceptors and ineffective AA fire, the raid fails to score a single hit.

Loyalist Player Turn

An I-16 is rebuilt. It is decided to change the direction of attacks in Extremadura and strike south into Andulasia instead of heading north. The withdrawing Rebels are followed, but by second class troops as the best units turn south. In an air raid on Cordova, an R-Z eliminates a Nationalist CR.32 which had chosen to remain at base and depend on flak to protect it.

Oct I 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

The Lit XX converts to LA XX. All Insurgent forces in Extremadura withdraw to north of the Guadiana.

Loyalist Turn.

The Republicans try to breach the new Rebel line along the Guadiana with a direct assault on the reinforced 84 XX at Merida. An inconclusive air battle is fought, which results in both sides getting close support. The attackers fail to succeed in the cross-river attack, and fall back in some disarray, though with casualties are light as they did not press the attack vigorously (3:1 -1 = AR). To the west, a very weak, unsupplies corps takes Badajoz from its intrinsic garrison (6:1 0 = DR).

Oct II 38

Insurgent Player Turn.

Rains come to northern Spain (Mud in Zone D, rough seas in the Atlantic), but as the northern fronts are mostly inactive, this has no effect on operations. The “F” XX is upgraded to form the FA, FN, & FV XX’s. The FN XX is sent to reinforce the 84 XX at Merida.

Loyalist Turn.

An R-Z is rebuilt. The attack on Merida is renewed. In the air, a KL Me109E kills an I-16, but both sides again get close support. The arrival of the FN XX makes a renewal of the cross-river assault dicey, but the Loyalists are more determined now, and manage to penetrate the river line with fewer casualties than might have been expected (2:1 -1 = HX). (Rolled another 6!)