Vuelta a España Dos

The latest game here at OHQ was a Spanish Civil War encounter, the objective for the Republican forces was to take and hold a bridge being held by two pelotons of  Falange militiamen before the arrival of reinforcement in the form of a escuadra of Foreign Legion with armoured and anti-tank support in turn supported by two pelotons of Carlist requetes. The initial Republican force consisted of two pelotons of Anarchist militiamen with a military advisor attached, who could expect support from two pelotons of International Brigade with tank and anti-tank gun support. 

For this game we decided to try out the popular "Bolt Action" WWII rule set with the following to add SCW flavour -

ANARCHIST MILITIA – Must always take an order test when wishing to move (to simulate a debate about the action) regardless of if they have pin markers, if they have a military adviser within 6” they can add 1 to their morale.

INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES – Can re-roll any failed order test if the company commissar is within 6”, if it fails this re-test however it will lose a figure shot as an example.

STANDARDS – If a HQ group has a standard bearer attached and the group is not DOWN the CO’s morale bonus range is extended to 10”

CHAUCHAT LMG'S - If 2 or more 1's are rolled when firing the weapon jams and may not fire next turn

The troops were classed as follows

FOREIGN LEGION – Veteran

FALANGE MILITIA – Inexperienced

CARLIST MILITIA – Inexperienced

ANARCHIST MILITIA – Inexperienced

INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE – Regular

TANKS AND ANTI-TANK GUN TEAMS - Regular

The game was to last for twelve turns with a dice thrown after that to see if another would take place. Dave took command of the Republicans and I took the Nationalist forces. we diced to see when the relevant reinforcements would arrive, the Republicans would dice after turn one needing a 6 in the first instance and then 5 or 6 etc. The Nationalists could dice for theirs on turn four needing 5 or 6 in the first instance then 4,5 or 6 etc. Initially things looked good for the Nationalists with the Falange tenaciously holding the bridge and a nearby wayside shrine, however the Republican reinforcements arrived in turn three and the brave Falangists were eventually overrun in turn six but only due to the intervention of Republican armour, it was not until that turn that the expected reinforcements for the Falange appeared, the usual appalling dice throwing by yours truly this theme was to continue when dicing for hits and casualties.

By turn twelve the Republican tank was astride the bridge, surviving a solitary hit from the Legion 37mm Anti-tank gun, the puny PzI keeping well out of its way only to be fired on by the Republican anti-gun who fared just as badly in the shooting stakes. There was no additional turn so a win was declared for Senor Bickley and the Republican forces.

Some shots of the game, with more on the Lead Adventure Forum from Dave.

La Legion and Carlist Requetes finally arrive

Republican T26 with Internationals in support

The Republican anti-tank gun deploys for action

The Republications take and hold the bridge

View of the captured bridge from the Nationalist side

Come and get it!

 A brief hiatus on the gaming front for Dave's trip to Matt's and our trip to Salute, see you in three weeks.

TTFN