#NO PASARAN! fighting off Q-Ball and his Nationalists

[Przemcio251]

Decided to do an AAR on my recent game with Q-Ball.

This is the second game we started as he agreed to restart the last one… because of the reporting bug I killed most of my ground forces most battles reported Republicans inflicting severe losses on the Nationalists while in reality my units killed themselves.

The game looks really promising but I find it has a few strange things in it… like German and Italian base units arriving directly into Spain… while most units arrive in either Kiel or Napoli… I think those too should arrive in corresponding nation base and be transported on ship into Spain.

The same go’s for the air groups of Italy, Germany and Soviets which arrive directly in Spain or Africa (Italians) those too should arrive in respected nations base (especially fighters) as bombers were flown in directly to Spain.
This would give the opposing force chance to intercept the ships carrying men and material into the conflict zone…
But enough complaining onto the action…

First a morale booster…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKk99yJ ... rt_radio=1

[Przemcio251]

Naval War/Baleares

The date in 6th September 1936, as for now the Republican losses amount to a submarine C 4 which hit a mine off Larache, PG Laya which was sunk by CD guns while crossing Gibraltar, AP which died the same way, 3 AK’s but not the big ones and 2 AKL’s. The worst loss was TK Campoamor which was sunk by an Italian patrol boat with one bomb while carrying supply of fuel to Valencia.

Also CL Libertad was damaged by the dreaded CD guns in the strait of Gibraltar… due to activity of Nationalists air forces it will have to be sent do Odessa for repairs as Cartagena is not safe from lurking Savoia bombers.

My goal at the beginning was to try to interdict movement of Nationalists from Africa to the Peninsula but Q-Ball was really careful with his naval operations… I tried to use Vildeebests to hit his ports trying to get some juicy targets but he moved all his bigger ships away… I bet Espana is in Kiel repairing.

I was able to intercept a mid-size convoy with CL Cervantes and 4 DD’s but the escorting Nationalist DD was able to thwart my ships from causing any damage…

I also decided to invade Mallorca… the Airbase in Son San Juan can’t be in Nationalist hands if I ever dream of creating secure supply lines to Odessa. So I started landing troops from Barcelona and Minorca ASAP and right now the whole island minus Palma is in my hands, and I was able to capture a CD Gun unit in the process.

The value of the island is immense… I sent 2 aviation base units to Son San Juan which become my airbase where 2 groups of Vildebeest are now housed also sent one base unit to Minorca along with another flying boat squadron for addition recon… which bore fruits almost immediately.

Recon spotted a, Italian transport group covered by a cruiser heading in so I sent 3 subs to patrol of SE side of the Island and set the Vildeebest to Naval attack… Italians were able to supply Parma but paid the price first the Vildeebest put a fish into CL Muzio Attendolo and then 2 subs attacked hitting her with additional 3 fish sinking her.

She joined TB, 2xYMS, 4xAK’s, 16xAKL’s and a Sloop already sunk by my ships or prowling Videebest.

I just ordered another deliberate attack on Palma but it will probably fail… but I just realized that instead of bombing his ground troops in Palma by a motley collection of my planes from Barcelona I should set those on Port attack to burn his supplies… this will be corrected.

Right now Jamie I and 4 DD’s are up north trying to support my ground troops making daily bombardment runs while Cervantes with her escorts is hitting targets in Southern Spain but will try to interdict any convoys from Italy.

And here is the map of Baleares…

[Przemcio251]

Barcelona/Valencia

I have lot of Rgt’s here but most are really understrength as their components arrive later some even in 1937… I moved most of my units onto Fraga which was defended as long as I could then I fell back to Lerida… Nationalist forces here consist of some battalion size formations with lots of arty support.

Units here took losses in Fraga fight but im not sure about Nationalist strength… Bombers from Barcelona were hitting enemy units but Fiat CR 32 patrols put a stop to that so I switched to bombing Palma.

I was able to capture Teruel and moved on to the North… currently the battle rages NE of Calamocha and last turn I was able to inflict 1,2k losses on Nationalists suffering 500 in return so I will keep that up… also when more small units arrive I will try to encircle his main force here maybe it will do some good.

The area between Teruel and Lerida is mostly empty as we both lack units to form a solid front line here. I tried to threaten Zaragoza but nothing came out of it…

[Przemcio251]

Madrid
Nationalist artillery was able to escape from the capital and then disband, but on the brighter side I was able to take Toledo quickly and set up blocking positions W, NW of Madrid.

The real battle happened in Jadraque where Nationalist troops massed but I was able to dislodge them and push them as far as Lorades but then his reinforcements showed up and I’m currently in the process of falling back to Jadraque. Maybe I will be able to build a defensive line there.

His fighters make bombing targets north of Madrid risky so I switched to his other attack column currently fighting for Calera y Chozas which I try to outflank and force it to retreat.

Regretfully it might be impossible to defend against his troops North of Madrid as I see lots of Regulares/Africans there.
I just hope I will be able to defend Madrid… but till now most of the area was really quiet which allowed me to train up my troops.

[Przemcio251]

South

I was able to push the Nationalists out of Malaga and pulled back from Grenada (no chance to capture it). But Malaga soon fell to the Nationalists as my units in the Area were weak.

Badajoz fell too, but not before I was able to receive reinforcements scheduled to arrive in the area.

One time I lunched a spoiling attack on Cordoba to draw the Nationalists from attacking in other areas… it was costly but It worked.

Currently front lines are more or less stabilized except for Lineares are which will probably be abandoned.

[Przemcio251]

The North

San Sebastian fell quickly, 2 arty units there escaped... I just can’t see defending anything east of Iron Belt around Bilbao. Did my best to delay the nationalists but currently Gijon is surrounded but has ample supplies so it will be a while before Nationalists can take it.

Nationalist troops advancing east on to Santander are currently held up at Lerida and are bombed daily by “Jamie I” and 3 Destroyers.

Nationalists given up on attacking Bilbao… Im currently trying to dislodge some troops just west of Bilbao but it’s a slog…
Some units are just south of Santander and I need to keep this place.

The only thing that saves me is maritime transport which allows me to shuffle troops around.

I’m also planning a landing on the back of Nationalists to make them pull some troops back.

[Przemcio251]

18th September 1936

A big day of Republican Navy happened on the 16th, nationalists decided to reinforce or resupply Palma… there was a TF with number of transport ships covered by the Italian CL “Giovanni delle Bande Nere”.

3 Republican Subs were patrolling of the cost of Mallorca while a surface TF with CL “Miguel de Cervantes” and 6 destroyers sortied from Cartagena to intercept.

During the night my ships surprised the Italian putting a torpedo into the CL and then pummeling her with cannon fire… but the sacrifice was not in vain as all the transports escaped without unloading… later Italian CL took a fish from one of patrolling subs.

The stricken ship docked in Cabrera where it was finished by the republican surface group.

The tempo of Nationalist attacks has dwindled somewhat so I’m suspecting some sinister plan on their side… I’m still trying to combine and train up my forces.

Can’t wait for soviet aircraft as my fighters got decimated by the Fiats so right now nationalist planes bomb me with impunity as I can’t do anything about that.

Good news is that Q-Ball lost a DD to friendly fire incident while attacking my minesweepers in the strait of Gibraltar. I will need to clear the straits but not right now… but my movement across is blocked as I lost 3 subs already there…

I need to take Palma ASAP… most of my planes bomb it but I don’t get any supply hits reports so I just can’t ascertain how much supply is still there.

[Przemcio251]

30th September 1936

North

Situation is detreating quickly… Gijon and Santander are besieged. Republican Navy is bombing the Nationalist troops so I hope I will be able to hold on to those 2 bases. They have ample supply so that is not a problem. Ships from the USSR are bringing in more. The only Republican area is Iron Ring around Bilbao… I made a attempt to break out from there to force Q-Ball to send in more troops but it didn’t work. His bombers are hitting me with impunity as my air force is too weak to intervene.

I was able to track down his main bomber base at Burgos… but till I get some decent planes I can’t do nothing about it…
Sent in additional subs to the area maybe I will be able to intercept ships bound from Hamburg with supplies.
I don’t think I made any errors defending here but still got overwhelmed.

Barcelona Front

Republican forces defending Torrefara and Lerida are still there. There is currently a battle in the mentioned place (I did get some Divisional HQ’s) but i believe I will be able to hold onto the base unless the nationalists will receive strong reinforcements. The area between Erbro and Montalban is devoid of large troop concentration and we are content to hold the things we have.

There is an ongoing battle in Calamocha… I think I have around 50% chances to hold the place. I need to set up my defensive positions to block any nationalist pushes to separate my territory… That’s why I invested into attack on Teruel which succeded.

Madrid Front

Everything is quiet here the front line runs far from the capital and there are no indications that this will change soon. More and more units arrive and I try to train’em up. Mountain passes to the NW and W from the capital are holding.

Southern Front

There are 2 Nationalist offensives ongoing one from Gaudix to Alameria but I should be able to contain it, the other from Lineares up North but I’m moving troops to block this attempt.

Baleares/Naval

Palma is besieged and most of my troops are bombing either troops or port but I have no clue how the supply situation there looks like. I believe I will be able to capture the place sooner or later. Capturing the airfield on Mallorca made supply lines from Italy tenues at best. I believe my Vildebeest working along 5 subs I have at Minorca will make any move of troops or supplies from Italy costly in terms of ships and material. I need to scrap up another base force from somewhere and base additional Floatplanes in the area to make my recon more efficient.

Also a question is there anywhere where I can read what colors of devices in the pull mean like green or blue? Or the abbreviations next to the devices in the units screen like (u) for example.

[Przemcio251]

10th October 1936
First International Volunteers arrived (3battalions) they are heading for Teruel…

Here is the Area between Zaragoza to Jaradaque… I was pushed out of Calamocha but the nationalists are not pursuing… probably they also took heavy losses. I need to reinforce the area ASAP as my units here are in poor shape due to heavy fighting… just hope they will be granted a few days more of respite.

I’m trying to isolate large group of nationalist troops north of Jadaraque… I was able to punch a hole and capture a base on the back of Q-Ball’s troops and will try to exploit this situation.

Also I think I will try to attack in direction of Zaragoza from the east… I currently wait for 2 more units to arrive in the area and then will try to isolate nationalist main force. I currently ordered a cautious attack on his main force there to judge the nationalist strength… his bases in the back are mostly empty so I will try to exploit it.

[Dali101]

Nice reading and brave fight.

Colors in pools:
Orange - no longer produced (production ended)
Green - currently produced, production in progress
Blue - will be produced in the future according to the date stated there
(if blue pieces are in pools, they will be issued to units normally)

The letter "U" in parentheses means that an upgrade is offered for this device according to the upgrade line.
If you open the upgrade table manually, it is always the first item at the top.
The letter F in parentheses means the use of captured devices
The letter L in parentheses means the use of "lend-lease" devices.

[Przemcio251]

Thanks for the info

[Przemcio251]

9th November 1936

Since Q-Ball went for some well-deserved vacation we have a small break in our game till 8th May so I will have time to catch up with the AAR.

Will start with…

WAR IN THE AIR

As you can see below the Republic Air force performance in A2A combat is abysmal… lost 122 planes for like 11 Nationalist ones.

The only parts of the Air force that preformed as expected were the Vildebeest and the recon float planes. The torpedo planes were instrumental in sinking an Italian CL and now based on Mallorca are a constant threat to any Nationalist/Italian operations in the Eastern Med.

As soon as Italian and German fighters showed up I sent most of LB units to bomb Palma… which they are doing to this day… but results are poor at best. Since now 3 LB units with SB bombers showed up (1 is operational at this point) I will try to add them to the force bombing Palma as I really need to take it. I not exactly sure I should set those bombers to Port/Airfield or Ground attack to cause as much damage as possible.

Rest of the attack aircraft or 1E LB’s are used to attack Nationalist forces around Grenada and just South of Madrid.
I have 1 operational unit of I-15 Chatos I placed in an airfield north of Madrid to sweep Burgos. The other will be operational probably on 10th of November and will be used to cover my attack aircraft or sweep the area nationalist air force is active also a Mosca unit should become operational within a week.

Since the ground war in the North didn’t go according to plan I do not have any bases from which I can operate my fighters or any planes except a floatplane recon unit in Bilbao which works with my subs in hope to allow them to hit Nationalist ships in the area.

Q-Ball’s entire bomber force is hitting the north knowing that there is no way I can’t stop that… so all airfields under my control there are damaged pretty heavily but maybe I will be able to repair the over time.

As for now I evacuated all Air units that showed up north to the south. The Chato unit that showed up in port was immediately loaded onto AK which now try’s to sneak into Cartagena… I think I already cleared the danger posed by Nationalist ships now only Gibraltar CD’s and a lone Italian sub of Cartagena remains (some float planes were set to ASW).

Which brings me to another matter… I spotted lots of Nationalist planes at Burgos but since that time they were relocated… im trying to scout for their base of operation so I will try a little trick when all 3 of SB bomber squadrons will be active… I will set them to hit the Nationalist base… that should stop bombing raids in the North and allow me to repair an airfield or two and stage fighters there.

TBC…

[Przemcio251]

WAR AT SEA

This is the area where I think I’m doing ok… Republican Navy controls eastern MED not counting a lone Italian sub that showed up yesterday… I detached 4 DD’s from the CL task force that is bombing Ibiza which I try to conquer, they will try to hunt down an Italian sub spotted off Cartagena.

Have 4 subs at Minorca waiting for any Nationalist ships carrying troops from Neapoli to show up.
Jamie I and 4 DD’s are supporting the defense of Gijon bombing the place daily. But sooner or later will need to send them down south into the MED which means running the guns of Gibraltar.

I also have 4 subs in the area as CA’s Baleares, Canarias and CL Cervera with a DD ravaged one convoy and shoot up another, with a little luck I should be able to put a fish or two in a cruiser which will put it out of action.
I lack any meaningful escort for my transports bringing in Soviet help… as I lack any escorts that are capable to hunt subs. So only the most important transports will receive any escort in form of a DD or two…

Good news is that CL Libertad repair is nearly done at Odessa only less than a month remains and the ship will rejoin the fleet.

Nationalist losses amount to 2xCL a DD (which was shoot by overeager gun crews of CA Baleares during a night scuffle with my minesweepers) and a TB plus some AK’s and AKL’s.

Currently half of the strait of Gibraltar is mined and I lack any minesweeper to clear it. Good that half of the strait is clear from mines.

My losses amount to 3 Subs killed off by mines some Minesweepers, some AK and AKL’s and 2 TK’s…

[Przemcio251]

Barcelona/Valencia Front

The result of offensive in the theater was pushing back the nationalists and Barabastro/Binefar/Fraga were recaptured. From what I see the nationalist front is still full of holes… and Republican forces here compromise of 5 Division sized formations, but only two have AV of 100 or more and an International brigade plus some understrength regiments.

As soon as mopping operations north of my line will finish and will send in some additional troops (a tank bn arrives tomorrow to Barcelona) I will try another push in direction of Zaragoza (I doubt that it will succeed but maybe it will force Q-ball to divert troops there from the north.)

I need to use the holes in the front line to force nationalists to face a dilemma become surrounded or fall back.

Currently my recon planes are scouting the area. And I think a day or two before the attack I will send in my air force to soften up the nationalists.

[RangerJoe]

You might want to check your PBs that have only AAMGs as their armament, they should get upgrades with depth charges turning them into SCs. Even just one depth charge rack can kill submarines.

[Przemcio251]

Thanks for the tip will look through it

[Przemcio251]

MADRID/TERUEL FRONT

Teruel is still safe... I’m currently in the process of another limited offensive to push back the nationalists in the area. Had a close call few weeks ago when Q-Ball attacked Caminreal and was really close to breaking me (my units were mostly disabled) but I made a desperate gamble and tried to cut of his troops attacking me… it didn’t work as expected but still forced his withdrawal from the Cminreal so my troops were able to rest and refit.

Will my offensive work? Probably not but still I might be able to force his withdrawal.

Madrid on the other hand is holding. I still have the passes over the mountains to N and NW from the city (Samosierra column in Samosierra is my most exp. unit with exp over 60 easily holding the place).

There was an nationalist push from SW but I think I have it contained.

My offensive NE of Madrid failed so I pulled back and build my defense.

[Przemcio251]

Southern Front

I currently stabilized the front as you can see… but I doubt that I will be able to do anything here except trying to hold my lines. There was a nationalist offensive on Alameria from NW but when I threatened Gaudix the Nationalists were forced to fall back.