Initial Phase: There is no sign of an early autumn. The weather remains clear in Zones D and E, but the Atlantic and Mediterranean remain rough. All units are in supply Spain generates 3 GSPs in Sevilla. 2 ARPs are used (5 left) to bring back an aborted Me109E and an aborted He111. The bomber unit appears in Toledo while the fighters come on at 3313.
Germany has 15.5 Infantry RPs in its pool, and it receives another 6 from production this turn, for a total of 21. 5 are used to restore the 57th Infantry division to full strength in Cordoba. 5 more are used to bring back 2 regiments of the 11th Infantry division that were lost in Galicia last turn. They appear in Almeria. Finally 2 RPs are spent reforming the 610th Artillery regiment in Cordoba. 8 Inf RPs and 16.5 Armoured RPs are still available. Germany sends 3 Me109Es and 2 Me109Fs to fly CAP over Seville.
The British fly a Hurricane and a Spitfire from Malaga on CAP over Sevilla. They also send 2 Hurricanes from the RAF reserve at Tetuan, making a total of 4 fighters.
Movement Phase: The 22nd Air Landing division breaks down in 0914, into its supported components. The 65th regiment then moves to capture the port of Vigo but can only reach 0718. The other two regiments move north to 0413. Following them is the now reformed 15th Mountain Corps, which advances to 0414 and prepares to attack La Coruna.
In the west, the 5th Infantry division heads further down the road from Caceres towards Sevilla, reaching 2922. Behind them the 616th Motorised AT regiment follows, using admin movement to reach the same hex. In the quiet Madrid sector, the 1st RR Engineer unit moves to 2811, but it does not have enough MPs to repair the rail hit this turn.
Temporary airfields are abandoned in hexes 3211, 3212 and 3312. To continue the rolling forward airbases system, the 7th Construction regiment moves to 3516, the 71st goes to 3415 and the 16th heads to the airbase in 3215. The 108th Construction regiment does not move, but it repairs the rail hit in its hex at 3313. 3 more temporary airfields are constructed to replace the ones already abandoned. One is built in Cordoba by the 674th and 512th Combat Engineers, which move up from 3516 and pool their efforts. A second is built next door in 3419, again with quick construction, this time by the 604th and 667th Combat Engineers from 3415. Finally the 517th Combat Engineer shuffles forward to build a temporary airbase in 3216.
Along the Mediterranean coast, a regiment of the 11th Infantry division advances out of Almeria to the mountains at 4119, threatening the port of Motril. At the same time, the GD Motorised regiment and 608th Motorised artillery also head into mountainous terrain, this to the pass at 3918.
A major German attack is planned on the city of Sevilla, the last major city in Allied hands. The 65th Corps heads north of the city to 3124, the 66th Corps leaves Cordoba, crosses the bridge over the Guadalquivir river and then heads west across the Genil to 3324. More siege artillery is brought up with 64th Corps, which positions itself in 3223. The last unit to approach is the 25th Armoured Corps, which moves to Utrera, cutting off any retreat. Granada is held by the Spanish 93rd Infantry division. It is marked down for capture by the 62nd Corps, which moves to 3819.
In the centre of the German front, the 33rd and 34th Corps are sent to take out the Spanish position in 3723, which is held by infantry, and will hopefully be vulnerable to the attacking armoured units. The 33rd enters the woods at 3622 while the 34th goes to 3722.
Combat Phase: Every serviceable aircraft flies on DS over Sevilla. The British and Spanish can muster 7 fighters (4 Hurricanes, 2 Spitfires, 1 Me109E) and 4 bombers (2 Blen 4s, 1 Whitley, 1 A-22). The 6 German aircraft flying CAP in the hex switch to interception, and a Me110C from Cordoba also flies an interception mission. 2 Me109Fs attempt to bypass the screen. The sky over the provisional Spanish capital swarms with aircraft, and a bloody battle ensues. The two bypassing units get past the escorts and shoot down a Whitley. The British get slightly the better of the fighter combat, losing 1 Spitfire and 1 Hurricane aborted, while the Germans have a Me109E shot down with a snake eyes, and another aborted. However, in a blow to Allied hopes, the AA of the 25th Corps (1 effective point) is in remarkable form and returns the A-22 and a Blenheim, leaving only a second Blenheim to provide effective DS (0.5 points).
With all the Allied fighters desperately trying to protect their bombers over Sevilla, the Luftwaffe can afford to fly its GS missions unescorted. 4 He111s fly in to support the attack on Seville. The city ha 4 points of AA from a variety of sources but they are perhaps confused as to which aircraft to shoot at, since there are so many overhead. All the bombers get through and deliver 4 points to the target.
3 Ju87Bs and a Ju88A are sent against 3521, in support of the 53rd Corps. In another example of top class gunnery, a Stuka and the Ju88s are aborted by the 74th Heavy AA regiment. 8 points of GS will be added to the attack. A Ju87B and a Me110C1 loaded with bombs attack 3723, and another mission with the exact same profile is flown against the 93rd Infantry division in Granada. There is no AA at either site so 5 points of GS will be included for each assault.
The last remnants of Spanish resistance in Galicia are attacked by strong German forces. The 15th Mountain Corps charges into La Coruna, which is defended by only 3 leg infantry regiments. These units are unsupported. The odds work out to 17:1.5 or 9:1, with a -1 for the cover provided by hedgerows around the city. Only 1 outcome is possible, and a DE comes up. The 15th Corps occupies the city.
Nearby, 2 regiments of the 22nd Air Landing division attack the N Marine regiment that is holed up in the fortress of El Ferrol. The marines are also unsupported, unlike the attackers, so the odds are 5:0.5, 9:1 -1. Again the result is a foregone conclusion, another DE. The 47th Air Landing regiment advances into the city. No Spanish units are now left outside Andalucia.
The 62nd Corps, backed up the GD Motorised regiment and the 608th Motorised artillery attempt to take the city of Granada. In their way is the 93rd Infantry division, an elite Colonial unit. The Germans have 31 ground attack factors, plus 5 points of GS for a total of 36. As the Spanish are worth 6, it is a 6:1 attack, with -1 for rough terrain. Perhaps due to the increasingly precarious Spanish situation, resistance collapses quickly. A 6 comes up, modified to 5 for a DE. The cadre retreats to 4019, and the motorised units advance into the city.
Sevilla is subjected to a huge attack by German infantry, armour, plus air raids and siege artillery. The combined 25th, 66th, 64th and 65th Corps have a total of 81 combat factors, plus 4 points of Ground Support from the He111s. This gives a total of 85. In the city, the Spanish government is defended by the British 3rd and 43rd Infantry divisions, plus several smaller units. A few surviving Blenheims provide an extra 0.5 to the 20 defensive factors in the city. The city fortifications built some time ago will subtract 1 from the 4:1 attack. The British forces are surrounded (and isolated), but put up a fierce fight, repelling wave after wave of attacks with heavy losses. Finally though, German armour proves decisive in the house to house fighting, and the city is taken. A 2 is rolled, modified to 1 for an EX. Franco and his cabinet are caught by the Germans still trying to direct operations from a basement in the centre of the city. Due to ZOCs, the British cadres cannot retreat and many thousands are taken prisoner. The Germans lose many tanks in their final push and cadre the 3rd and 4th Panzer divisions. The 25th Corps advances into the city.
Due to the capture of the Spanish government, the Spanish army becomes demoralized, causing them to be halved for the remainder of this game turn, plus all of the next one. The village of Lucena is occupied by the Spanish 74th AA regiment, plus 2 artillery regiments (1 British, one Spanish), Due to the lack of infantry, only one of the artillery units defends at full strength (the British 7th brigade). The Allied units are worth 4.5, while ranged against them is the 53rd Corps, which is backed up by 2 Stukas and is worth a total of 32. The odds are 7:1 with a -1. 3 comes up, modified to 2 for a DH. Both Spanish units are eliminated, while the British artillery manages to retreat to 3421. The 53rd Corps advances.
Finally, the German mechanised forces of the 33rd and 34th Corps try to break through the middle of the hastily constructed Allied line at 3723 in front of Malaga. The Spanish 23rd and 92nd Infantry divisions are stacked with the 3rd Construction regiment and 3rd British Combat Engineer brigade. However, morale is collapsing, so the Spanish are halved, giving a defensive total of 7.5. The attackers have 52, made up of 21 from the 34th, 26 from the 33rd, and 5 points of GS. Again, rough terrain gives a -1 modifier but the Germans have full AECA so the roll is 6:1 +2. The infantry is devoid of antitank weaponry and cannot resist the German Panzers. 3 is modified to 5 for a DE. The cadres retreat into 3823, and the 33rd Corps advances.
All German fighters that were flying CAP over Sevilla, plus a Ju87 land in the captured city. The rest of the short range planes are placed in Cordoba and Granada. One Heinkel is sent to Cordoba and the other 3 land at the temporary airbase in 3419.
3 Allied fighters land in Malaga, while 1 goes to Ceuta. All the bombers go to Gibraltar.
Exploitation Phase: The 33rd Corps chases the Spanish cadres that flee from the attack in 3723. Relatively unhampered by ZOCs, it is able to overrun the Spanish who are halved and worth only 2. The Corps then moves back to 3723. Meanwhile, the 34th Corps diverts north to overrun the British 7th Artillery regiment, and then turns around to end movement in front of the Allied armour at 3622.
Losses
- Spanish Unisolated – 1+3+7+4 = 15 (3 Special RPs received)
- Spanish Isolated – 3+3
- Spanish Air 3A/1K
- German Unisolated – 12 (3 Special RPs received)
- German Isolated – 0
- German Air – 2A
- British Unisolated – 2+4 =6 (1 Special RP received)
- British Isolated – 17
- British Air 2A/1K