El Puente En San Byklos

A recent Spanish Civil War game at OHQ using Bolt Action rules, figures and vehicles by Empress Miniatures, buildings by Empress Miniatures and Grand Manner, walls, hedges and trees Last Valley.

The Scenario

Holding the bridge is a unit of the Legion supported by an anti-tank gun and a mortar. Support is expected from two units of Carlist requettes.
Attacking are two units of Anarchist militia, supported by an armoured truck. Support, consisting of two units of Internationals are en route.
The attached military adviser has persuaded the Anarchists to launch an attack on the bridge whilst the defenders are outnumbered rather than wait for the International Brigade to arrive.
The arrival of the supporting units was to be determined by adding a red die to the order dice in the bag at the start of turn four, each time this was drawn each player would roll a D6 with the highest scorer getting an additional order dice put in the bag, when the player wanted to bring the unit on it would have to pass an order test. Even if one side had its two supports on there would still be a dice off with the opposing player having to win to bring on supports.
The attacking player would have to have control of the bridge by turn 12 or it would be deemed that the defenders had further supporting troops arriving in numbers.

The Field Of Battle





The Game

The first three turns saw the Republican forces advancing into position, the armoured car bravely took on the Legion anti-tank gun coming a far from close second, this was to be the Nationalists only success of the game. Turn four and the red was dice was added, the Republicans won the dice off and a unit of International Brigades succeeded in entering the fray, whilst the militia continued to get into position using some fine move and fire techniques, they had obviously listened to their adviser. Turn five, and again the Nationalist lost out with the Republicans getting their second unit on, the Legion now sorely pressed were quite unable to take the fight to the enemy. The light mortar team tried to get into a firing position on the bridge and immediately came under fire, should they go down? No, long range, small target, hard cover, you had got to fancy their chances of survival, need I continue! Turn six again saw the Nationalists unable to get their supports, the Legion by now was in real poor shape, when in turn six the first Carlist unit arrived so was unable to give them any effective covering fire. The Carlists however bravely took up position on the bridge and repaid the Republicans in kind, but by now the Republicans were getting around the flank and the remnants of the Legion were destroyed. The second Carlist unit arrived but by then their only hope was to take cover in the church were their fire was not really effective, being Carlists they refused to surrender but there was no way they could hold indefinitely against such overwhelming odds. A well deserved Republican victory by El David Bykla.
Some pictures of the game follow
 

La Legion Take Up Position

Anarchist Militia Advance

First Blood To La Legion

Anarchist Militia Give Covering Fire

Internationals Supported By Their Anarchist Comrades Storm Forward

The Remnants Hold The Bridge, Support Arrives Too Little Too Late
The Yellow Markers Signify The Loss Of The NCO!

The Victorious Republicans Rush The Bridge