April 2002 - Spanish Civil War
We played a 20mm Spanish Civil War wargame at 2089 Key Boulevard, El Cerrito, California (aka Game Central) based on a portion of the Battle of Jarama between Republican and Nationalist forces.
This was one of our first battles using my home-brewed Hail of Lead rules (aka HOL). Note the use of large movement trays and coloured pipe-cleaners to mark suppression and casualties (yellow and red, respectively).
Scroll down past the photos to find the scenario rules, order of battle for each side, a list of players and their commands, and an after-action report.
The Battle of Little Jarama
Sunday, April 21, 2002
2089 Key Blvd., El Cerrito, aka Game Central
Background:
It is February 1937, just to the south of the Republican stronghold of Madrid.
Generals Franco and Mola have planned an offensive that will sweep across the Jarama River to cut the Madrid-Valencia Road at the town of Arganda, with the final aim of surrounding the Loyalist capitol and forcing its surrender.
February 8th:
The Nationalists have advanced to the banks of the Jarama, where they are halted for another two days by further bad weather.
February 11th:
Rebel troops cross the Jarama at two points: the Pindoque Railway Bridge in the north, and the bridge at San Martín de la Vega in the south.
February 12th: The Battle
The spearheads of the Army of Africa capture the imposing southern prominence of Pingarrón while the Pajares Heights opposite the railroad bridge are held by Republican International Brigadistas.
Directly between these two features lies the San Martín-Morata Road, running almost east-west below the town of Arganda and the vital Valencia Road.
It is at this center of the front that the Army of Africa makes a push for the encirclement of Madrid.
The Game
Introduction:
This scenario is representative of that decisive part of the Jarama battle where the Nationalists tried and failed to break through the thinly-held Republican line to cut the road to Valencia, thus isolating Madrid.
Victory Conditions:
The Nationalist side achieves victory by sweeping enemy forces aside to gain a clear path off the east end of the board (along the road) to eventually advance to the Madrid-Valencia Road..
The Republicans gain a victory by preventing this.
Time and Duration:
The games starts with clear weather at about 9AM, ends at about 7PM if not before. (Plenty of time for a day-long battle.)
The battle continues either until Nationalist forces achieve their victory conditions, or it is agreed that they cannot do so. Either side may concede defeat so as not to prolong the game unnecessarily.
Postscript (Referee’s eyes only):
The eventual arrival of Pavlov’s tank unit is meant to represent the important, if poorly-conceived, role of the Republican tanks as a sort of mobile cavalry force at Jarama.
The tanks did not arrive on February 12th, but smashed into the Nationalist advance the next day, and halted it long enough for Republican forces to be moved forward to stem the advance.
The center hill beside the road is meant to represent a feature called Suicide Hill by the unfortunates who fought over it.
Bibliography:
Beevor, Anthony
The Spanish Civil War
Penguin Putnam Inc., New York 2001
ISBN 0 14 10.0148 8
pp.151-154
Nationalist Order of Battle
Deployment:
All troops start on board within about 25 inches of central line of hills.
No reinforcements available, but referee may tell Nationalist command player that reinforcements could arrive.
Troop Quality and Morale:
Foreign Legion: Elite, morale +3
Headquarters: Veteran, morale +3
Moroccan Infantry/Moors: Veteran, morale +2
Guardia Civil, AT, FO: Veteran, morale +2
Cavalry: Regular, morale +0
3rd Brigade
Brigade HQ: (General Sáenz de Buruaga)
Company of Guardia Civil (3 stands)
Antitank Company (2 guns)
Attached FO (for 2 off-board 155mm howitzers)
5th Regiment:
Regimental HQ
1st Bandera of the Legion
1st Cueta Tabor
6th Regiment:
Regimental HQ
2nd Tabor of Melilla
Ifni Infantry Battalion
2nd Cavalry Regiment:
Regiment HQ
2 Cavalry Squadrons (Morocco)
Cavalry Squadron (Spain)
MG Squadron (2 MMGs)
Republican Order of Battle
XV International Brigade and 76mm Artillery Group start on board, within about 20 inches of central line of hills.
Reinforcements:
The referee should decide when the 9th Mixed Brigade and Pavlov’s Tank Battalion will enter the game. I suggest the following guideline: they arrive on the beginning of the turn following any apparent Nationalist breakthrough. (I leave it to the referee to decided exactly what constitutes a breakthrough, but I would guess it would mean the destruction/neutralization of one Republican battalion.)
The two units should enter along the road, using a Move and Fire action each, and only then be released to the Republican commander.
Troop Quality and Morale:
International Brigadistas: Veteran, morale +2
Popular Army, Artillery: Regular, morale +0
Pavlov’s Tanks: Green, morale +1
XV International Brigade
Brigade HQ (37mm AT gun)
14th British Battalion
15th “6th of February” Battalion (Franco-Belgian)
16th Dimitrov Battalion (Yugoslavian)
76mm Artillery Group
Group HQ
3 Batteries (1 gun each)
9th Mixed Brigade (Spanish Popular Army)
Brigade HQ
34th Infantry Battalion
35th Infantry Battalion
Pavlov’s Tank Battalion (total: 5 tank models)
Battalion HQ
2 Tank Companies
Little Jarama: After-Action Report
Beginning Note:
The Republican 9th Mixed Brigade did not appear on the table in this game. As the referee, I did not deem it necessary since we were running out of time, and Pavlov’s tanks had their chance against the Nationalist troops.
The Players:
Referee: Me!
Nationalist CO: Zack Scott
5th Regiment: John Gee
6th Regiment: Ron (Last Name?) and Jon Caudill
2nd Cavalry Regiment: some Zack, some Jon.
Republican CO: Richard Pullin (HQ, 15th and 16th Battalions)
Second CO: Mark Hauck (14th Battalion, recon armored car, artillery FO)
The Course of the Battle:
The Nationalists started with their 5th Regiment on their left flank, the 6th Regiment moving against the center hill on their right, and the cavalry spit up into separate squadrons. They moved against both central hills.
The Republicans started by moving their three International battalions up behind the two central hills and into the orchard beside the chapel.
On the Nationalist left flank, their advance consisted of a single Tabor of Moors that was summarily shot apart by flanking MMG fire from the enemy battalion in the center, plus close-range fire from the Dimitrov Battalion waiting behind the hill’s crestline. A slaughter: the Moors fell back for a few turns before returning at the end of the battle.
A second attack by the Foreign Legion battalion straight over the hill cause a few casualties to the Legionnaires and dislodged, then destroyed, the Dimitrov Battalion. This opened up the right flank for future Nationalist exploitation, but the game ended.
In the center, the 6th of February Battalion held its ground in the orchard for the entire game, being reduced to a couple of infantry stand and one lone (but deadly) MMG stand. This battalion harassed the Nationalist attacks with MMG fire, some rifle fire as the enemy closed. Heavy fire from 155mm howitzers did not cause as much damage as the enemy hoped, but it did tell in the end. The much-depleted battalion faced a fresh cavalry squadron and a Guardia Civil company as it fell back through orchards. (Very good morale rolls by Richard.)
Early on in the center the Republicans launched a sortie with their sole armored car, and promptly withdrew it after it was peppered by small arms fire from the Ifni Battalion it was trying to menace.
The A/C did not play a significant part in the game at all after this brief action.
Also in the center, the Republican HQ put some well-aimed fire into the Ifni Battalion on the central hill with its 37mm AT gun. The Ifnis were hit hard by this, combined with erratic 76mm artillery fire. Unfortunately for the Republicans, their HQ was completely wiped out by a couple of successive 155mm strikes.
On the Nationalist right flank they advanced with two battalions over the central hill (a.k.a. Suicide Hill), and the Republican British Battalion beat a hasty withdrawal into the orchards on their side of the hill. An attack by the Moors was send packing, but the British were beaten up by small arms and devastating 155mm fire from off board. The British fell back directly behind the orchard, only to be assaulted by a squadron of cavalry to the front that was shot back easily: not enough attackers to really count. A flanking attack by the cavalry MG squadron had no effect (!). By game’s end, the British Battalion was severely weakened, but still held on in back of the orchard. Very tough.
The last couple turns of the game saw Pavlov’s tank battalion enter the board along the road, get hit with a well-placed 155mm barrage, and spend the last moments cowering behind the orchard beside the road entry point. Not much happening there, but the T-26s would have been a serious problem for the advancing Foreign Legion battalion had the game continued.
Conclusions:
The Nationalists didn’t quite get their battalions to coordinate their attacks; if two battalions had attacked simultaneously at any point on the board, I believe they would have broken through earlier.
The Republican Brigadistas defended magnificently considering the might of the enemy artillery and the numbers engaged on both sides.
This game was meant as a playtest for HOL. I found that troop types should probably not be given a morale rating higher than +2, and that this rating should be used for only the most motivated troops. Most of the troops in this battle had +2 morale, and they took a lot of punishment while still being able to hold ground and even come back for more. This should not be a common result.
Must test the morale rules more in the future.
Little Jarama was enjoyed by all—especially me, the referee.
Comments
Post a Comment