SCW97 On To Valencia
El Grao de Castellón, Spain, June 14, 1938. As
Nationalist armies swung south in their Aragón offensive, seeking
to widen their corridor to the sea, the green divisions opposing them, unaffected
by the collapse of the divisions farther north, were putting up a stiff
fight.
Aftermath: After several days of fighting in the suburbs, the Nationalists
were finally able to take the town and with it its excellent port facilities
in the Mediterannean. South of the Nationalist forces, lay the Republican
seat of goverment, Valencia, beckoning from only fifty miles away.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist:
Republican:
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 682.
SCW98 XYZ
Viver, Spain, July 15, 1938. After having
swept the Republican armies off the field in their Aragón Offensive
and having cut the Republic in two, the Nationalists decided to culminate
their victories by capturing Valencia, the seat of the Republican government.
Opposing them were only untried Republican divisions and after having beaten
the best the Republic had to offer, this new attack would pose no problems.
Aftermath: The Italian CTV and Galician Army Corps opened their offensive
as had been expected, with a rapid advance that progressed sixty miles before
coming upon a prepared Republican defensive system called the XYZ Line.
There the attack was blunted with rude abruptness and repeated attempts
to breach the line were unsucessful, even with the employment of over 1000
field guns. Hurling thousands of men against a system of reinforced trenches
with interlocking fields of fire and preplotted artillery resulted in slaughter
for the attacking Spanish and Italians. As the fighting ended on July 25th,
the Nationalists had lost almost 20,000 men to only 5000 Republicans.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: artillery. (no air support), Elements of the 5. a División
de Navarra, requetés (4-5-7's).
Republican: Field phones, artillery, machine guns, interlocking trenches.
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor, pp. 233-234.
2. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 685.
3. Legions of Babel, Verle Johnston, p. 134.
SCW99 Sons of Negrin
Fayón, Spain, July 24, 1938. The Republicans, seeking to prolong
the war until a general European conflict should come to their aid, launched
their Ebro offensive on the night of July 24th. As commandos swam the Ebro
river to kill the sentries and fix ropes on the opposite shore, Republican
forces of the XVth and Vth Army Corps crossed over in boats and on pontoon
bridges, while the 42nd Division crossed to the north. The surprised Moroccans
of the 50th Division on the other side soon found themselves cut off by
large numbers of Republican troops.
Aftermath: The 50th, shattered by the attack, retreated as best it
could, leaving 4000 prisoners with the Republicans who were advancing rapidly
as dawn approached. The Nationalist Corp commander, General Yagüe barely
excaped capture himself. In the first phase of the offensive, the Nationalists
had been utterly routed.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the 50. a División.
Republicans: Elements of the 42. a División, machine guns, mortar,
artillery.
Elements of the Commando Force, XIVth Corps (14. o Cuerpo).
Terrain:
SSR:
1. Night rules are in affect.
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor, p. 237.
2. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 689.
Republic's forces for the offensive were 80,000 men, each division with
10,000 men (in theory), 5000 rifles, 255 machine guns, 30 mortars, four
anti-tank guns, three artillery groups of nine field guns, and a batalion
of engineers.
SCW100 Les Braves Gens
Amposta, Spain, July 25, 1938. Intending to widen their intended breakthkrough
along the Ebro, Republican commanders had launched a secondary offensive
across the river at Amposta, led by the French XIVth International Brigade.
Crossing by pontoon boats, the French overwhelmed the Nationalist sentries
and began landing supplies.
Aftermath: Counterattacking, the Nationalist 105th Division engaged
the French in bitter fighting in which the Internationals took the worst.
Finally, after eighteen hours of slaughter, the French withdrew, leaving
over 600 dead and scores of materiel and equipment. The breach at Amposta
had failed, but farther north the Republicans were pouring across in a huge
break in the Nationalist lines.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the 105. a División.
Republican: Elements of the French XIV. a Brigada Internacional.
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, ed. James
Cortada, p. 176.
2. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 689.
3. The Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor, p. 237
SCW101 The Pimple
Gandesa, Spain, August 1, 1938. As the Republicans participating in
the Ebro offensive advanced, they came upon a hasty defensive line manned
by the Nationalist 13th Division which had forced marched through the night.
The 13th had taken up positions astride the Republican advance on top of
a prominence directly in front of Gandesa known as Hill 481. To the men
of the XVth International, it was known as "the Pimple.". Every
assault upon the hill was beaten back with heavy losses. On August 1st,
massing half the Republican artillery and bringing in armoured units, the
Republicans tried again.
Aftermath: Determined to take Gandesa, the Spanish and English assaulted
the hill several times, each time beaten back with heavy losses. Finally,
realizing that their offensive was over, the Republicans began to dig in
as best they could in the stony ground. The inevitable Nationalist counterattack
was on the way.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the 13. a División, (sangars?).
Republican: Elements of the Spano-British Battalion, XV. a Brigada Internacional,
35. a División, (4-4-7's, , 3-3-6's), tanks, artillery, machine guns,
mortars.
Terrain: stoney ground, hill, dry heat.
SSR: very difficult to entrench. Troops built sangars instead.
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 690.
The International Brigades had taken such high losses that, because of replacements,
they were 70-75% Spanish, including many conscripts of teenagers, convicts,
etc.
SCW102 Counterthrust
August 6, 1938. First major Nationalist Counterattack.
Aftermath: The northern Republican salient was reduced with the loss
of 900 dead, 2000 prisoners and much materiel for the Republicans. The old
front line had been established between Mequinenza and Fayón.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the 82. a División, two tank companies and
air cover.
Republican: Elements of the 15. o Cuerpo, machine guns.
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, ed. James
Cortada, p. 177.
2..The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 691.
SCW103 Stand Or Die
Sierra de Pandols, August 11, 1938. On the southern wing of the front,
the Nationalists launched a new counterattack to try and reduce the Republican
salient.
Aftermath: After much bitter fighting and high casualties from counterattacking
Republicans, the Nationalists found that they could gain little ground.
The Republicans had been ordered to hold or be shot.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the (?) 4. a División de Navarra, requetés
(4-5-7's)
Republicans: Elements of the 4. o Cuerpo.
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, ed. James
Cortada, p. 177.
2. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 691.
SCW104 Hill 666
Gandesa Spain, Auguest 19, 1938. After having relieved the Spanish 11th
Division five days before, the Spanish-American Lincoln Battalion had held
a promintory known as hill 666 against repeated Nationalist attacks. Dead
Republicans, Moroccans and Legionaires littered the ground, filling the
air with the putresence of their unburied bodies. With the ground too stoney
for foxholes, the troops had to pile rocks as shelters against bullets.
Pounded every day by artillery and aircraft, the Republicans had orders
to hold or be shot. On the 19th, the barrage started as usual, but when
it did not lift, the Spanish and Americans of the XVth knew they were in
for it.
Aftermath: After being pounded by artillery for eight hours, the
barrage lifted and the surviving Lincolns found themselves under attack
by Moroccan regulares. Men broke but were rallied and the attack
was beaten off with hand grenades. Like everywhere on the line, the Republicans
were taking enormous punishment but holding out, barely. The Spanish and
American Lincolns held for twelve days before being relieved by the British.
Of 200 men that had crossed the Ebro, only 52 were left.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: regulares (4-5-8), artillery.
Republican: Elements of the Spanish-American Lincoln Battalion, XV. a Brigada
Internacional (4-4-7's, 3-4-7's, 3-3-6's), machine guns, commisar, sangars.
Terrain: stoney ground, dry heat.
SSR:
1. Entrenchment very difficult.
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Passionate War, Peter Wyden, pp. 481-483.
SCW105 Holdout At Gandessa
Corbera, Spain, September 3, 1938. A combined offensive of the Nationalist
Army of the Maestrazgo and Yagüe's Corps Marroquí was
launched to relieve pressure on Gandessa.
Aftermath: The Nationalists were able to capture considerable territory
from the Republicans, but again only in the face of fanatical resistence.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the 1. a División de Navarra.
Republican:
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 693-694.
2. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, ed. James
Cortada, pp. 82-83.
SCW106 Viva La Legión!
22 September, 1938. "During the Ebro offensive, Lt. Berghesse de
Borbón led the 11th Company, 4th Bandera, in an attack upon enemy
trenches. Wounded in the leg, the lieutenant nonetheless leapt into a machine
gun post and killed the gunner and two servers single-handed. He then used
their machine gun to give covering fire for his advancing platoons. The
Republicans, stronly reinforced, now fiercely counter-attacked. Lt. Borghesse
de Borbón threw grenade after grenade at the oncoming waves of enemy,
and despatched attackers who got too close with his pistol. Then a grenade
exploded at his feet, wounding him in the chest; but he continued to fight
on, rousing his men with cries of `Viva España! Viva la Legión!'
until he finally died."
Notes:
1. The Spanish Foreign Legion, John Scurr, p. 35.
SCW107 Nail In The Coffin
Sierra de Pandols, Spain, October 30, 1938. Frustrated by stiff resistence
in the Pandols mountains, the Nationalists geared for another major effort
to drive the Republicans from the range.
Aftermath: After four days of fighting, the Nationalists were able
to break through the Republican lines and take the town of Pinell by November
3rd. With Republican troops falling back on all fronts, the Battle of the
Ebro was nearing its end.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist:
Republican:
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939, ed. James
Cortada, p. 177.
SCW108 Advance The Victors
Mora la Nueva, Spain, November 7, 1938. After months of fruitless attacks,
the Nationalists had broken the Republican lines and thrown the enemy back
in a series of offensives. In a flanking maneuver, the Nationalists attacked
the retreating Republicans at the riverside town of Mora la Nueva.
Aftermath: Battered and weary, the Republicans retreated at all points.
With the weight of their armour, the Nationalists took the town and began
the process of reducing the fortefied position of Mount Picosa. With its
fall, Republican forces retreated across the river, abandoning the field
to the victorious Nationalists by November 18th.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist:
Republican:
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, pp. 703-704.
SCW109 Tremp Card
Tremp, Spain, December 23, 1938. With the end of the war in sight, the
Nationalist offensive to conquer Catalonia began on December 23rd. At all
points, the Nationalist advance was swift with Republicans putting up only
token resistence, if at all. However, as the Nationalists crossed the Flamisell
river before the Pyrenees mountains, they found the Republican 26th Division,
the old anarchists of Durruti's column who were not yet beaten.
Aftermath: The Nationalist advance progressed only in the face of
stiff opposition and in all, only a small amount of ground was gained. The
stubborn stand of the 26th held the Republican flank and prevented a total
collapse. It also bought time for thousands of refugees to continue on their
flight into France before the Nationalist proscriptions that would begin.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Elements of the Cuerpo Urgel and Cuerpo Maestrazgo, 13. a Bandera
of the Spanish Foreign Legion, supported by 9. o Tabor de Melilla firing
machine guns from across the river, massive artillery support.
Republican: Elements of the 26. a División.
Terrain:
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor, p. 248.
2. The Spanish Foreign Legion, John Scurr, p. 35.
SCW110 Granadella Grapple
Granadella, Spain, December 25, 1938. As the realization that the new
Nationalist offensive meant the conquest of Catalonia, the 11th Division
was once again thrown into combat to try and halt the advance. At Granadella,
they met the Nationalist advance on Christmas Day in a last effort to save
Catalonia.
Aftermath: Aided partly by high floodwaters that brought up the level
of the Ebro and prevented much Nationalist supply from crossing, the Republicans
were able to hold the advance for two weeks before giving way. But the end
was coming. Catalonia had less than two months of freedom before it.
Suggestion of Forces:
Nationalist: Yagüe?
Republican: Elements of the 11. a División.
Terrain: Hills.
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor, p. 248.
2. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 716.
SCW111 The Last Dance
Borjas Blancas, Spain, January 4, 1939. The Italians, advancing with
a speed and aggressiveness that was surprising to the Spanish on both sides,
attacked the Republican lines at Borjas Blancas while the Nationalist Spanish
protected their flanks. Standing in their way was the old 11th Division,
ready to put up one last fight.
Aftermath: As the Nationalist committed more troops to the offensive,
the stand by the Republican 11th finally cracked, unable to bear the wight
of the Italian armour. With Republican forces unable to seal the breach,
the front lay open. Catalonia was doomed and Madrid itself would fall in
only three more months to a leisurely Nationalist Advance. The Rebels had
won their war and the Republic was dead.
Suggestion of Forces:
Italian: Fiat-ansaldos.
Republican: 11. a División.
Terrain: Hills.
SSR:
Victory Condtions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor, p. 248.
2. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, p. 716.
SCW112 Once Brothers
Madrid, Spain, March 9, 1939. After the commander of the Republican
Army of the Center, Colonel Casado, supplanted the goverment in a coup designed
to end the war, the three communist corps stationed outside the city moved
in on March 7th and began to take over operations. The communists intended
to continue the war hoping that a general European conflict would come to
their rescue. Casado's forces retreated to the southeastern section of the
city, engaging the communists in heavy fighting. At the point where the
communists were on the point of victory, Cipriano Mera's anarchist 4th Army
Corps declared support for the coup marched to the city, capturing Alcala
and Terrejón enroute. As anarchist units entered the city on the
8th, heavy fighting ensued for posession of the Capital.
Aftermath: As Mera's forces captured the Army Corps headquarters,
Casado's men advanced also. Fighting continued until the 12th when communist
units were ordered back to their positions and certain of their leaders
were executed. Advancing Nationalist troops attempting to take advantage
of this new civil war were cut down in the Casa de Campo. Negotiations by
the coup leaders failed and as Republican leaders fled the country, Republican
troops laid down their arms to the advanceing Nationalists who embraced
them as brothers. The war officialy ended on March 31st but the roundup,
imprisonment and execution of those who had supported the Republic had only
just begun.
Suggestion of Forces:
Anarchist: Elements of the 12. a División, 4. o Cuerpo.
Communist: Elements of the 8. a División.
Terrain: urban
SSR:
Victory Conditions:
Notes:
1. The Spanish Civil War, Hugh Thomas, pp.745-749