Have you tried an attack on Zaragoza with the anarchist colums from Barcelona?
That's what was done historically, and although it failed, they recovered a significant amount of ground.
It could slow the nationalist advance in the north somewhat.
A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
That's a great question, and you are correct that the best thing I can do is create trouble elsewhere. So I'm trying!Piteas wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2026 5:55 pm Have you tried an attack on Zaragoza with the anarchist colums from Barcelona?
That's what was done historically, and although it failed, they recovered a significant amount of ground.
It could slow the nationalist advance in the north somewhat.
I'll detail a couple of those in this report for sure......but so far it's not exactly from the Barcelona direction. You do get quite a few columns from Catalonia, but alot of them are on Mallorca for now.
August 16,1936
COMRADES! Another report from the Front!
Republican Offensive Moves:
Piteas is right; I can't get to the North directly, but I can at least try to divert troops, or make him pay for their absence.
One area is Extremadura; we are absorbing space here for sure, and have some of his forces sort of surrounded; he is sending strong forces up the rail line from the South to relieve them:
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Extremadura isn't that strategic, but he does need to clear that rail line in order to connect the two halves of the Nationalist realm....so he has to put forces there for sure
We also have another attack planned, which for OP SEC reasons I am keeping to myself for now.....but it will be uncorked shortly, so stay tuned!
Mallorca:
Speaking of Mallorca, we have cleared everything on the island except Palma; I have 8000 troops and will test the defenses, but my suspicion is that I don't have enough to take it. At that point I'll have to make a decision: Either get more troops, or wind it down.
I have taken out all the CD guns, which will make the airbase difficult to use long-term (because I'll be able to easily bombard it with my Navy)...so this does have a benefit. We shall see!
Santander:
Our defenses south of Santander have cracked; with the terrain more open on this side, and 15,000 Nationalist troops coming up the road, it's just about decision time. I have about 8000 troops there, and they are all going to have to go one of 3 directions: EAST toward the Ring of Iron, NORTH into the port, or WEST toward Asturias. One thing we can't do is hang around in the open terrain just south of Santander and hope to hold out; that's not going to cut it.
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Malaga:
A strong Nationalist move here as well, coming down from the North. I still have a pathway out toward the East, but I'm not that worried about getting cut-off; I have tons of shipping and can lift everyone out if it comes down to it. (and I am gathering shipping for that purpose, just in case)
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I could bring down Jaime I, but would hate to cede sea control up north, particularly as I may need it soon
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
August 21, 1936
COMRADES!
To fight the forces of Fascism, all must be mobilized to the Republican cause, including our Chickens! Our Pollos Revolucionarios are marching forward to make more chickens for the Republic!
(This doesn't have anything to do with the game, but I saw it and thought it was funny!)
Naval Update:
We are down to one cruiser that isn't damaged, but she continues to enforce a blockade of the Strait. We see Nationalist planes flying over constantly, so the airlift continues; 15-20 planes seem to be in service lifting troops.
Our bombers are repairing a bit, but I don't miss them much....they really don't his anything.
Republic Del Norte:
The positions in front of Santander collapsed; I am certain I'll have to evacuate the port shortly. That's quick, but let's see if I can even hold out until August (!).
I'll have to look at when I took Santander in the other game, but I want to say it was October....either way, it's the first place to fall up there, and very difficult to defend.
We are ahead of the last game in Asturias; Oveido is still isolated, though we are now being pushed back at the Western end at Ribodeo; we will have to fall back, and the terrain isn't as good closer to GIjon, so we may need to contract soon.
Malaga:
The Nationalists have also surrounded Malaga; I'm not worried about being cut-off, as you can see I have a ton of ships there, basically enough to pull the garrison off all at once. What I would like to do, however, is take out most of the supplies, and not leave any for the Nationalists.
COMRADES!
To fight the forces of Fascism, all must be mobilized to the Republican cause, including our Chickens! Our Pollos Revolucionarios are marching forward to make more chickens for the Republic!
(This doesn't have anything to do with the game, but I saw it and thought it was funny!)
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We are down to one cruiser that isn't damaged, but she continues to enforce a blockade of the Strait. We see Nationalist planes flying over constantly, so the airlift continues; 15-20 planes seem to be in service lifting troops.
Our bombers are repairing a bit, but I don't miss them much....they really don't his anything.
Republic Del Norte:
The positions in front of Santander collapsed; I am certain I'll have to evacuate the port shortly. That's quick, but let's see if I can even hold out until August (!).
I'll have to look at when I took Santander in the other game, but I want to say it was October....either way, it's the first place to fall up there, and very difficult to defend.
We are ahead of the last game in Asturias; Oveido is still isolated, though we are now being pushed back at the Western end at Ribodeo; we will have to fall back, and the terrain isn't as good closer to GIjon, so we may need to contract soon.
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The Nationalists have also surrounded Malaga; I'm not worried about being cut-off, as you can see I have a ton of ships there, basically enough to pull the garrison off all at once. What I would like to do, however, is take out most of the supplies, and not leave any for the Nationalists.
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
August 16, 1936:
COMRADES!
All is not lost however, as we are launching several offensives to hopefully take pressure off the North!
Extremadura:
I don't expect to hold all this ground, but we are now besieging Caceres, and I expect to take it. I am not 100% sure of the wisdom of this expedition, but it's training our troops, and will force him to move units into this area for sure....as he HAS to clear that rail line. We have taken towns all the way to the Portuguese border.
Other DIrections:
A large extended map showing other offensives; we are moving units in the Levant toward Zaragossa; this area the Nationalists seem particularly weak. We'll find out how weak!
Near Guadalajara, he has a few Battalions hanging on, but we are working to outflank that position. This is a pretty serious threat that I think he'll have to counter.
The most serious is down in Teruel, where I have the garrison completely surrounded. I would like to liquidate them all before help arrives, then move northward.
Teruel is a real pain to defend for the Nationalists BTW; if I play the Nationalists again I might be inclined to just abandon it. Doesn't seem right since Franco fought so hard for the place, but it's not terribly important.
COMRADES!
All is not lost however, as we are launching several offensives to hopefully take pressure off the North!
Extremadura:
I don't expect to hold all this ground, but we are now besieging Caceres, and I expect to take it. I am not 100% sure of the wisdom of this expedition, but it's training our troops, and will force him to move units into this area for sure....as he HAS to clear that rail line. We have taken towns all the way to the Portuguese border.
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A large extended map showing other offensives; we are moving units in the Levant toward Zaragossa; this area the Nationalists seem particularly weak. We'll find out how weak!
Near Guadalajara, he has a few Battalions hanging on, but we are working to outflank that position. This is a pretty serious threat that I think he'll have to counter.
The most serious is down in Teruel, where I have the garrison completely surrounded. I would like to liquidate them all before help arrives, then move northward.
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
August 27, 1936
COMRADES!
Our first task is to WIN THE WAR! To that end we are moving forward on all fronts!
Offensives:
Teruel did fall after about 4 days, and we captured 2200 Nationalist Troops in the process (the 3 units that start in the city). That position is very exposed IMO for the Nationalists, if I play that side again I'd probably abandon it.
We are also advancing on Zaragossa, and also NE of Madrid, though in that direction we are a bit hung-up on a couple towns right now. Will try a flanking attack.
The offensive in Extremadura is pretty much halted, as we are stuck on Caceres; meanwhile, a large Nationalist force took Merida, and Badajoz is also fallen. They are advancing up the tracks toward Caceres, no doubt to clear this rail line.
Del Norte:
This is the biggest problem right now; the Santander position collapsed, forcing me back into the city. Worse, large forces are approaching Bilbao from the West. We cannot let him take the Ring of Iron, so I am moving forces around to hopefully hold him off.
Asturias continues to hold, but I fear that may not be much longer; I am pressed in 3 directions there, and if just one starts to fall, that will topple the whole position outside Gijon.
COMRADES!
Our first task is to WIN THE WAR! To that end we are moving forward on all fronts!
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Teruel did fall after about 4 days, and we captured 2200 Nationalist Troops in the process (the 3 units that start in the city). That position is very exposed IMO for the Nationalists, if I play that side again I'd probably abandon it.
We are also advancing on Zaragossa, and also NE of Madrid, though in that direction we are a bit hung-up on a couple towns right now. Will try a flanking attack.
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Del Norte:
This is the biggest problem right now; the Santander position collapsed, forcing me back into the city. Worse, large forces are approaching Bilbao from the West. We cannot let him take the Ring of Iron, so I am moving forces around to hopefully hold him off.
Asturias continues to hold, but I fear that may not be much longer; I am pressed in 3 directions there, and if just one starts to fall, that will topple the whole position outside Gijon.
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
September 3, 1936
COMRADES! Another update from the front!
Naval Update:
Nationalist bombers are starting to be active; Ju-52s hit Libertad with a couple bombs, causing fires. Apparently our crew put the fires out pretty quickly, because the damage was minimal, but it did take out an AA gun. Another attack like that however and I may have to abandon the blockade:
Speaking of the blockade.....my opponent indicates that all of the infantry in Africa has been airlifted over the strait, as of 9/2.....which is pretty close to historical. The Cavalry and Artillery is still stuck in Morocco, but the fighting men are over. That's another reason I may have to abandon the blockade if there is a threat to my ships, though I do want to keep that Cavalry in Morocco (they are effective)
Republic del Norte:
I've seen this movie before because the exact thing happened in my last game with Przemek, because I played the other side....but defenses in Asturias are now collapsing. This is on top of the collapse of the Santander position. Our troops in Asturias are falling back on Gijon.
On the map, I marked 3 spots here; these are key chokepoints to defend Asturias, because the terrain around the road is difficult or impassible. Pajares is a natural defensive point in the south (though you have to leave a unit in Mieres to guard your rear from the Oveido garrison). To the West, Ribadeo and/or Luarca are the best you can do; they can both be flaked, but it's at least rough terrain with a river. Finally, once Santander falls the best position is Unquera; there's a river, and a mountain immediately to the south, so you cannot be flanked.
All of these positions held for awhile, but if any of the 3 fall, then eventually he's going to get in your rear, get to the Oveido garrison, and force the withdrawl of the other positions. In this case, he broke Ribeadeo and Luarco, using just the Galicians forces. While I held him at the other two spots, it ultimately didn't matter; it was retreat or get cut-off.
I think the playbook for the Nationalists against the North in the first two months is pretty clear:
1. Gather forces, and start pressing all around; take San Sebastian, and force him back into the Ring of Iron from the East.
2. Focus main effort south of Santander; drive up the roads and isolate the port, severing the North in two parts
3. Once you've cleared the open ground around Santander, you should send the strongest force toward Zierbena, along the coast near Bilbao. Why? Because it only has 2-level forts at-start, and is the weakest link in the Ring of Iron.
4. Also send forces toward Gijon along the coastal road; this will roll-up Asturias
The Asturians cannot be cut-off from Gijon; that's a death sentence, so the only option is to retreat to the safety of the city.
The forts in Gijon are high, and there should be plenty of supplies if the Republic controls the sea up there (which they should at this stage), so it's going to hold out a long time
The priority for the Republic, above all else, should be to hold the Ring of Iron. Early-on, I moved every engineer I had to Zierbena to get the forts up. I also evacuated all troops from Santander; I would rather hand that port over then have a crack in the Ring of Iron.
If you lose the Ring of Iron, it's big trouble, because it's difficult to make a last-stand in Bilbao. Why? Stacking limits...with reinforcements, etc, it will quickly become a massive refugee camp, and you'll be looking to get troops killed just to eliminate mouths to feed.
Extremadura:
The fun is over for our little offensive; Przemek is getting serious here, and serious means bringing elite troops; several African units make it to Caceres, and once that happens we start to lose the combats. Now, he is attacking, and a loss is inevitable.
So, rather than stay and get pummeled, we have to start a retreat; buy time to find a better defensive position
I do want to block the railway as long as possible....I hope to do that another month if I can
COMRADES! Another update from the front!
Naval Update:
Nationalist bombers are starting to be active; Ju-52s hit Libertad with a couple bombs, causing fires. Apparently our crew put the fires out pretty quickly, because the damage was minimal, but it did take out an AA gun. Another attack like that however and I may have to abandon the blockade:
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Republic del Norte:
I've seen this movie before because the exact thing happened in my last game with Przemek, because I played the other side....but defenses in Asturias are now collapsing. This is on top of the collapse of the Santander position. Our troops in Asturias are falling back on Gijon.
On the map, I marked 3 spots here; these are key chokepoints to defend Asturias, because the terrain around the road is difficult or impassible. Pajares is a natural defensive point in the south (though you have to leave a unit in Mieres to guard your rear from the Oveido garrison). To the West, Ribadeo and/or Luarca are the best you can do; they can both be flaked, but it's at least rough terrain with a river. Finally, once Santander falls the best position is Unquera; there's a river, and a mountain immediately to the south, so you cannot be flanked.
- 1-1.jpg (465.8 KiB) Viewed 1444 times
I think the playbook for the Nationalists against the North in the first two months is pretty clear:
1. Gather forces, and start pressing all around; take San Sebastian, and force him back into the Ring of Iron from the East.
2. Focus main effort south of Santander; drive up the roads and isolate the port, severing the North in two parts
3. Once you've cleared the open ground around Santander, you should send the strongest force toward Zierbena, along the coast near Bilbao. Why? Because it only has 2-level forts at-start, and is the weakest link in the Ring of Iron.
4. Also send forces toward Gijon along the coastal road; this will roll-up Asturias
The Asturians cannot be cut-off from Gijon; that's a death sentence, so the only option is to retreat to the safety of the city.
The forts in Gijon are high, and there should be plenty of supplies if the Republic controls the sea up there (which they should at this stage), so it's going to hold out a long time
The priority for the Republic, above all else, should be to hold the Ring of Iron. Early-on, I moved every engineer I had to Zierbena to get the forts up. I also evacuated all troops from Santander; I would rather hand that port over then have a crack in the Ring of Iron.
If you lose the Ring of Iron, it's big trouble, because it's difficult to make a last-stand in Bilbao. Why? Stacking limits...with reinforcements, etc, it will quickly become a massive refugee camp, and you'll be looking to get troops killed just to eliminate mouths to feed.
Extremadura:
The fun is over for our little offensive; Przemek is getting serious here, and serious means bringing elite troops; several African units make it to Caceres, and once that happens we start to lose the combats. Now, he is attacking, and a loss is inevitable.
So, rather than stay and get pummeled, we have to start a retreat; buy time to find a better defensive position
I do want to block the railway as long as possible....I hope to do that another month if I can
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
September 8, 1936\
COMRADES! Setbacks from the front but we know the people will prevail!
Republic del Norte:
We are withdrawing into Gijon; fighting outside is a losing proposition, but the city has level-5 forts and over 125K supplies, with more coming on Soviet frieghters. I am not concerned about holding out, and anticipate being able to punch back after a couple months of training and low-level fighting in the city.
We are also pulling back to the Ring of Iron; with the troops from Santander, and delaying tactics, plus some upcoming reinforcements, I feel relatively safe here. The forts at Zierbena are approaching Level 4. I am also increasing the forts in Bilbao itself. We have 180K supplies with more on the way.
Outside of those cities, it's just garrison towns
Zaragossa area
The advance continues, particularly Southwest of town, where I don't yet see a halt line. We continue to advance a bit every day.
Malaga:
Malaga finally falls; the last attack was 4-1, at which point I pulled all the units out of the city via ship. There is no point to getting all the troops captured, and we were able to drop them all at Almeria. There are alot of advantages to controlling the sea; makes it alot easier at least fighting on the coast.
Palma de Mallorca:
Speaking of sea control.....with Palma I was having unsuccessful shock attacks using 7,000 troops. At that point, you reach a decision: Commit more troops, keep a stalemate going, or leave.
I figured it would take at least another 7,000 to really take the town....pulling and transporting that many troops from Spain could not be done without cancelling the Zaragossa offensive, and diluting other fronts....so I decided against the "Double-Down" option.
I am keeping a force there, for now, while I haul supplies from the Black Sea. I can't starve it out, because Italian ships visit dropping supplies. I am starting to pull a few units for the front, as I don't need 7,000 troops to keep him bottled in the town.
I think I will likely keep up this stalemate, simply to keep the airbase on Mallorca closed, giving myself free transit in the Med until December. By that point, I think I will have emptied Odessa of all supplies and fuel. I'll probably pull all the forces before the CTV arrives, because they could make it messy on the island!
COMRADES! Setbacks from the front but we know the people will prevail!
Republic del Norte:
We are withdrawing into Gijon; fighting outside is a losing proposition, but the city has level-5 forts and over 125K supplies, with more coming on Soviet frieghters. I am not concerned about holding out, and anticipate being able to punch back after a couple months of training and low-level fighting in the city.
We are also pulling back to the Ring of Iron; with the troops from Santander, and delaying tactics, plus some upcoming reinforcements, I feel relatively safe here. The forts at Zierbena are approaching Level 4. I am also increasing the forts in Bilbao itself. We have 180K supplies with more on the way.
Outside of those cities, it's just garrison towns
Zaragossa area
The advance continues, particularly Southwest of town, where I don't yet see a halt line. We continue to advance a bit every day.
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Malaga finally falls; the last attack was 4-1, at which point I pulled all the units out of the city via ship. There is no point to getting all the troops captured, and we were able to drop them all at Almeria. There are alot of advantages to controlling the sea; makes it alot easier at least fighting on the coast.
Palma de Mallorca:
Speaking of sea control.....with Palma I was having unsuccessful shock attacks using 7,000 troops. At that point, you reach a decision: Commit more troops, keep a stalemate going, or leave.
I figured it would take at least another 7,000 to really take the town....pulling and transporting that many troops from Spain could not be done without cancelling the Zaragossa offensive, and diluting other fronts....so I decided against the "Double-Down" option.
I am keeping a force there, for now, while I haul supplies from the Black Sea. I can't starve it out, because Italian ships visit dropping supplies. I am starting to pull a few units for the front, as I don't need 7,000 troops to keep him bottled in the town.
I think I will likely keep up this stalemate, simply to keep the airbase on Mallorca closed, giving myself free transit in the Med until December. By that point, I think I will have emptied Odessa of all supplies and fuel. I'll probably pull all the forces before the CTV arrives, because they could make it messy on the island!
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
September 21, 1936
COMRADES!
My apologies for skipping ahead a bit, forgot to update, and we're flipping turns pretty fast. Some updates!
Naval Update:
Nationalist bombers are peppering my warships in the Atlantic, but held the blockade still. Had to send Libertad home after 3 bomb hits, but since then Miguel de Cervantes has finished repairs after that CD hit and is back on-station on the Atlantic side. Nationalist bombers did sink one of my AOs bringing fuel to the blockade, so not sure how long I can sustain this. At this point, I'm just keeping the Cav and Artillery from Morocco out....the rest is over.
Air Update:
Nationalists have started to bomb my ports; they didn't hit anything important in Cartagena, and lost some bombers in the process, but I think he'll be back when he has more fighters
I will post in the main forum, but I am finding ground attack to be ineffective.....too ineffective. It's a waste of time basically
Up North
Here is the Ring of Iron at Bilbao. I am not sure how the Nationalists can crack this; I have built additional forts at Zierbena, and am working on forts for the "Inner Ring" around Lamiaco, in case there's trouble. But this position is very strong, and I'm not sure how the Nationalists can ever take it.
Maybe I'll eat those words, but I feel very confident I can hold this forever; I have supplies o'plenty.
Zaragossa Offensive:
This is going well; we took the rail line toward Zaragossa, forcing him back, and destroying a couple units in the process. My troops are getting some training and experience, and getting a little dangerous. I plan to re-group a bit, then push behind Zaragossa, which I think is the only reasonable way to take it. Not sure if we can, but the threat at least might be diverting troops from up north.
South:
Down here, the presence of the Army of Africa is making a difference. I am pushed back from the gates of Grenada. Jaen fell easily. He's near Linares, and I think it's only a matter of time there. I will need to allocate more troops to stop him in this direction.
COMRADES!
My apologies for skipping ahead a bit, forgot to update, and we're flipping turns pretty fast. Some updates!
Naval Update:
Nationalist bombers are peppering my warships in the Atlantic, but held the blockade still. Had to send Libertad home after 3 bomb hits, but since then Miguel de Cervantes has finished repairs after that CD hit and is back on-station on the Atlantic side. Nationalist bombers did sink one of my AOs bringing fuel to the blockade, so not sure how long I can sustain this. At this point, I'm just keeping the Cav and Artillery from Morocco out....the rest is over.
Air Update:
Nationalists have started to bomb my ports; they didn't hit anything important in Cartagena, and lost some bombers in the process, but I think he'll be back when he has more fighters
I will post in the main forum, but I am finding ground attack to be ineffective.....too ineffective. It's a waste of time basically
Up North
Here is the Ring of Iron at Bilbao. I am not sure how the Nationalists can crack this; I have built additional forts at Zierbena, and am working on forts for the "Inner Ring" around Lamiaco, in case there's trouble. But this position is very strong, and I'm not sure how the Nationalists can ever take it.
Maybe I'll eat those words, but I feel very confident I can hold this forever; I have supplies o'plenty.
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This is going well; we took the rail line toward Zaragossa, forcing him back, and destroying a couple units in the process. My troops are getting some training and experience, and getting a little dangerous. I plan to re-group a bit, then push behind Zaragossa, which I think is the only reasonable way to take it. Not sure if we can, but the threat at least might be diverting troops from up north.
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Down here, the presence of the Army of Africa is making a difference. I am pushed back from the gates of Grenada. Jaen fell easily. He's near Linares, and I think it's only a matter of time there. I will need to allocate more troops to stop him in this direction.
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
October 2, 1936
Naval Update:
The blockade of the African coast is finally lifted (at least on the Atlantic side; we still patrol the Med side). Przemek set-up some bombers to start air attacking my ships; they peppered them with bombs. While they didn't do a ton of damage, they did start fires, and all the hits started to stack up. What finally broke it wasn't the Ju-52s, but the Bre XIX believe it or not, because that plane carries a larger bomb (100 KG); a hit on a DD will send that ship back to port immediately.
Przemek had difficulty getting supplies to his CD guns (it should be automatic, so no idea why), otherwise I would've been tougher to maintain due to fuel limitations (sending AOs through the Strait would become too hazardous)
All my cruisers have a little damage, so are currently repairing.....which is unfortunate, because otherwise I would probably sortie and take on this TF:
Clearly a large Transport TF, with DD and TBs escorting....the whole Nationalist Navy, basically. Not sure where it's headed, maybe Larache.
Zaragossa Offensive:
He has reinforced this area heavily; maybe that was the point, but the offensive was halted on both flanks. Tried to surround Zaragossa and cut it off, but he's wise to that. We are standing down for now, re-organizing our forces, and will try another operation. Still, this definitely halted offensive actions in the north (though I think that was winding down anyway)
Southern Front:
Nationalists are moving fast here; Linares falls (Jaen already did), and a large force of African troops are marching up the road toward Albacete. That's a pretty deep advance, and he might mean to cut the Madrid-Cartagena rail line, which is pretty essential for the Republic....can't happen. So, I'm bringing troops to this area. Which maybe was HIS objective?
Naval Update:
The blockade of the African coast is finally lifted (at least on the Atlantic side; we still patrol the Med side). Przemek set-up some bombers to start air attacking my ships; they peppered them with bombs. While they didn't do a ton of damage, they did start fires, and all the hits started to stack up. What finally broke it wasn't the Ju-52s, but the Bre XIX believe it or not, because that plane carries a larger bomb (100 KG); a hit on a DD will send that ship back to port immediately.
Przemek had difficulty getting supplies to his CD guns (it should be automatic, so no idea why), otherwise I would've been tougher to maintain due to fuel limitations (sending AOs through the Strait would become too hazardous)
All my cruisers have a little damage, so are currently repairing.....which is unfortunate, because otherwise I would probably sortie and take on this TF:
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Zaragossa Offensive:
He has reinforced this area heavily; maybe that was the point, but the offensive was halted on both flanks. Tried to surround Zaragossa and cut it off, but he's wise to that. We are standing down for now, re-organizing our forces, and will try another operation. Still, this definitely halted offensive actions in the north (though I think that was winding down anyway)
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Nationalists are moving fast here; Linares falls (Jaen already did), and a large force of African troops are marching up the road toward Albacete. That's a pretty deep advance, and he might mean to cut the Madrid-Cartagena rail line, which is pretty essential for the Republic....can't happen. So, I'm bringing troops to this area. Which maybe was HIS objective?
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Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
October 21, 1936
COMRADES! I have been busy on the work front, so my posts have been infrequent
Naval/Air Update:
With the blockade broken, all of the Army of Africa is now on the mainland. And with that the Naval War has been quiet.
The Republican Navy is split in half; Jamie I and 4 DDs are in the north; that is enough to control the seas right along the coast, and allow supplies to flow from Leningrad. We also have bombarded the Nationalists constantly, but I've stopped that for now (See my post on the main forum on Shore Bombardments)
The rest of the Navy, 3 cruisers and 6 DDs, is in the Med, covering all of those shipments. The Nationalist Navy right now is strong strong enough to contest either of those two halves. CD guns will keep me in the Med, so he has free reign for now in the Atlantic (aside from the northern coast)
Finally getting some Russian planes, so hope to contest the skies soon
Southern Front:
Przemek made good progress in the South, with some serious formations. He advanced close to Albacete, putting a scare into Republican HQ, but I think supply problems up that road are stopping him (you really need to stick to railroads in this game). The thrust from Linares is more serious, as it's on a rail line.
We stopped our offensive around Zaragossa, and pulled units to this front, eventually building a 15,000 man force. We also brought in our Armored Trains, which It think were decisive in stopping him for now:
We are not out of the woods yet; protecting the Madrid to Alicante main Rail LIne is vital, it's the only safe rail connection to Madrid from the Med Ports, so can't lose that, otherwise fuel will become a real problem up there (and supply too).
Zaragossa Front:
Przemek's attacks halted my offensive up here, as I had to divert troops. The ones i have though are still training-up, so we may resume at some point. For now, we have to pause.
COMRADES! I have been busy on the work front, so my posts have been infrequent
Naval/Air Update:
With the blockade broken, all of the Army of Africa is now on the mainland. And with that the Naval War has been quiet.
The Republican Navy is split in half; Jamie I and 4 DDs are in the north; that is enough to control the seas right along the coast, and allow supplies to flow from Leningrad. We also have bombarded the Nationalists constantly, but I've stopped that for now (See my post on the main forum on Shore Bombardments)
The rest of the Navy, 3 cruisers and 6 DDs, is in the Med, covering all of those shipments. The Nationalist Navy right now is strong strong enough to contest either of those two halves. CD guns will keep me in the Med, so he has free reign for now in the Atlantic (aside from the northern coast)
Finally getting some Russian planes, so hope to contest the skies soon
Southern Front:
Przemek made good progress in the South, with some serious formations. He advanced close to Albacete, putting a scare into Republican HQ, but I think supply problems up that road are stopping him (you really need to stick to railroads in this game). The thrust from Linares is more serious, as it's on a rail line.
We stopped our offensive around Zaragossa, and pulled units to this front, eventually building a 15,000 man force. We also brought in our Armored Trains, which It think were decisive in stopping him for now:
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- 1-2.jpg (309.74 KiB) Viewed 1154 times
Przemek's attacks halted my offensive up here, as I had to divert troops. The ones i have though are still training-up, so we may resume at some point. For now, we have to pause.
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jwilkerson
- Posts: 8272
- Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2002 4:02 am
- Location: Kansas
- Contact:
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
I'm bettin' no news is bad news up North. 
WITP Admiral's Edition - Project Lead
War In Spain - Project Lead
War In Spain - Project Lead
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
In this situation, if you control the entire railway line passing through Calatayud, your troops have Zaragoza within striking distance and they are well-supplied. By cutting off the key hex, the city would be ripe for the taking in no time.
Although Przemek must have realized the danger.
Although Przemek must have realized the danger.
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
SCW Game Designer Team
SCW Game Designer Team
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
Comrade Wilkerson, you should have more faith in our brothers and sisters up North! Perhaps you need to report to your unit commissar for morale adjustment
November 4, 1936
In all seriousness, I haven't posted much because the ground hasn't changed; I still stuck in Gijon and the Ring of Iron. However, supplies are ample, and I am punching back at the besiegers, if for no other reason than to attract Nationalist attention.
Around Gijon, we sortied from the town, mangled a 800-man unit, and temporarily took alot of towns causing a Nationalist reaction, before pulling back.
Around Bilbao, we are in a full-blown assault on Guernica, to re-take the Basque Capital; another SHOCK attack should do it, but we've won several attacks out of the Ring, causing casualties and trouble. He is attacking at Zierbena, but the forts are strong there an holding.
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1. Nationalists roll up there the first 2 months. Santander is very vulnerable, and it's easy to force the Republic back onto the 2 fortified areas: Bilbao and Gijon
2. Gijon and Bilbao, however, are impregnible IMO. Republican troops up there are good quality, and forts are very high. Republican player has to increase forts at Zierbena (from Level 2 at start; they are now Level 5), but otherwise it's very difficult to take anything up there as the Nationalists. On a Level-5 fort, a few troops can hold back attackers 3 or 4 times their size. Meanwhile, Republican forces grow every month in size and experience, and supplies continue to flow from Russia
I think the Nationalist Navy will finally try to challenge those supply lines; the Navy up there is basically Jaime I and some DDs, so in order to isolate the ports he really has to damage the battleship
-
jwilkerson
- Posts: 8272
- Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2002 4:02 am
- Location: Kansas
- Contact:
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
Yeah I've never been able to link up the Zaragossa thrust to the NE coastal area. Close but no cigar.
Other than being on the rail to Caiatayud !it's not terribly important
WITP Admiral's Edition - Project Lead
War In Spain - Project Lead
War In Spain - Project Lead
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
That is exactly what happened, because he has reinforced the area and is attacking!Piteas wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2026 3:06 pm In this situation, if you control the entire railway line passing through Calatayud, your troops have Zaragoza within striking distance and they are well-supplied. By cutting off the key hex, the city would be ripe for the taking in no time.
Although Przemek must have realized the danger.
November 6, 1936
Zaragossa:
After my initial gains to take Calatayud and come up to the river opposite Zaragossa, we halted; with Nationalist offensives in the South, it was important to divert troops to counter that.
Now, the Nationalists are attacking; about 9,000 men in each assault here. They crossed the river and knocked back a stack of mine north of town, and south they are on the rail line.
I am moving additional troops here, and will likely try to resume the advance on Zaragossa. But need to stabilize first.
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I did, however, halt the Nationalist offensive north of Linares; he pulled back toward Linares, ending the imminent threat there.
I may have overreacted, pulling like 30,000 troops together to contest it, but as the Republic you cannot lose the rail line from Alicante to Madrid.......it's the only reliable link from Madrid to the coast, so losing it is a disaster. Thus, the strong forces I committed.
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
November 15, 1936
COMRADES! Activity is picking-up around the front, as both sides are attempting major offensives.
Air Update
First, an air update....I mobilized most of the Republican Air Force to boost one of my offensives, with a max effort bombing with most of my heavy bombers, heavily escorted. We bomb at 3000 feet, pretty low, against units in open terrain:
Republican air raid at 104, 79 (Plains terrain)
Time: 0800. Weather in hex: Light Cloud wind 1
Raid was detected at 48 Kyds, est altitude 3000 feet
Time to intercept 836 seconds
Republican aircraft:
16x I-15 Chatos
5x Dewoitine D.372
4x Loire 46
5x Potez Po.540/542
2x Bloch MB.200
5x CASA Bre.XIX B.2
1x Ju K.30
1x D.H.89 Dr.Rapides
9x SB-2 M-100A
2x Lorring R-III
No Nationalist Aircraft losses:
No Republican Aircraft losses:
Defender losses: 3 Casualties
Squads lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Vehicles lost: 1 disabled, 0 destroyed
Guns lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Units Destroyed: 0
-------------------------------------
Republican air raid at 104, 79 (Plains terrain)
Time: 1600. Weather in hex: Clear wind 0
Raid was detected at 51 Kyds, est altitude 3000 feet
Time to intercept 888 seconds
Republican aircraft:
4x Dewoitine D.372
16x I-15 Chatos
4x Loire 46
4x Potez Po.540/542
4x CASA Bre.XIX B.2
1x D.H.89 Dr.Rapides
1x Ju K.30
2x Lorring R-III
2x Bloch MB.200
9x SB-2 M-100A
No Nationalist Aircraft losses:
No Republican Aircraft losses:
Defender losses: 33 Casualties
Squads lost: 1 disabled, 0 destroyed
Vehicles lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Guns lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Units Destroyed: 0
Granted, Republican bombers should not be as effective, IMO, as Nationalist ones (who had better GS doctrine), but still....I expected more than to damage a wagon, and cause discomfort to 1 squad of soldiers. Not sure what else to do at this point. I'll keep using airpower because I don't have anything else to do with the planes, but seems futile
Naval Update:
I'm not going to post regular Naval updates, because the situation really hasn't changed for 2 months. I am freely shipping stuff to the Northern and Med ports. He is using Italian transports to keep Palma supplied. And he has fairly free navigation in the Atlantic. The Republican Navy is mostly sitting in port; Jamie I TF up north, and the cruisers and 6xDD in the Mediterranean. I don't think this will change unless and until Przemek challenges me, and I don' think that happens until he has Espana and the 2 Canarias cruisers upgraded with a full weapons suite.
Zaragossa Area:
He continues his offensive north of Zaragossa; over 12,000 Nationalists crossed the river, and up there I mostly have pretty green Militia units. I'm OK falling back all the way to Llerida if I have to, that area is not very strategic unti then. I do want to keep close to Zaragossa south of town however.
I have opened my own offensive toward Almazan, and looking at the opposing forces, I should be able to roll this area up to Soria unless he reinforces. This might stop that other attack as he shifts troops, or I'll be able to take Soria. At that point, I am going to turn EAST to cut the rail line to Zaragossa (or at least threaten it).
As Piteus pointed out, Zaragossa falls when the rail is cut, not before
South:
This is a problem; he forced me out of the mountain pass hex West of Guadix, and is now at the town. It's fall is inevitable, given the state of my forces. I am moving reinforcements to this area, because I do not want to lose Almeria.
Almeria is important because it's the closest naval base to the Strait and the Atlantic once Malaga falls, and after that it's Cartagena itself. Do not want to lose that. Also, if he starts moving onto the plains West of Cartagena, that's really bad, because then he can threaten the Mediterranean coast.
del Norte:
25,000 Basque and Asturian troops are assaulting Guernica; we made initial progress, taking 3 NM in the hex, but are now bogged down, as the Nationalists now number 16,000 there. We are still grinding and causing casualties, but I can tell this is probably going nowhere.
I am not going to just sit in Bilbao; need to have an active defense, which means attacking out, to keep Nationalist forces pinned up here.
I am hatching a different plan in that regard, and may implement that soon....stay tuned
COMRADES! Activity is picking-up around the front, as both sides are attempting major offensives.
Air Update
First, an air update....I mobilized most of the Republican Air Force to boost one of my offensives, with a max effort bombing with most of my heavy bombers, heavily escorted. We bomb at 3000 feet, pretty low, against units in open terrain:
Republican air raid at 104, 79 (Plains terrain)
Time: 0800. Weather in hex: Light Cloud wind 1
Raid was detected at 48 Kyds, est altitude 3000 feet
Time to intercept 836 seconds
Republican aircraft:
16x I-15 Chatos
5x Dewoitine D.372
4x Loire 46
5x Potez Po.540/542
2x Bloch MB.200
5x CASA Bre.XIX B.2
1x Ju K.30
1x D.H.89 Dr.Rapides
9x SB-2 M-100A
2x Lorring R-III
No Nationalist Aircraft losses:
No Republican Aircraft losses:
Defender losses: 3 Casualties
Squads lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Vehicles lost: 1 disabled, 0 destroyed
Guns lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Units Destroyed: 0
-------------------------------------
Republican air raid at 104, 79 (Plains terrain)
Time: 1600. Weather in hex: Clear wind 0
Raid was detected at 51 Kyds, est altitude 3000 feet
Time to intercept 888 seconds
Republican aircraft:
4x Dewoitine D.372
16x I-15 Chatos
4x Loire 46
4x Potez Po.540/542
4x CASA Bre.XIX B.2
1x D.H.89 Dr.Rapides
1x Ju K.30
2x Lorring R-III
2x Bloch MB.200
9x SB-2 M-100A
No Nationalist Aircraft losses:
No Republican Aircraft losses:
Defender losses: 33 Casualties
Squads lost: 1 disabled, 0 destroyed
Vehicles lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Guns lost: 0 disabled, 0 destroyed
Units Destroyed: 0
Granted, Republican bombers should not be as effective, IMO, as Nationalist ones (who had better GS doctrine), but still....I expected more than to damage a wagon, and cause discomfort to 1 squad of soldiers. Not sure what else to do at this point. I'll keep using airpower because I don't have anything else to do with the planes, but seems futile
Naval Update:
I'm not going to post regular Naval updates, because the situation really hasn't changed for 2 months. I am freely shipping stuff to the Northern and Med ports. He is using Italian transports to keep Palma supplied. And he has fairly free navigation in the Atlantic. The Republican Navy is mostly sitting in port; Jamie I TF up north, and the cruisers and 6xDD in the Mediterranean. I don't think this will change unless and until Przemek challenges me, and I don' think that happens until he has Espana and the 2 Canarias cruisers upgraded with a full weapons suite.
Zaragossa Area:
He continues his offensive north of Zaragossa; over 12,000 Nationalists crossed the river, and up there I mostly have pretty green Militia units. I'm OK falling back all the way to Llerida if I have to, that area is not very strategic unti then. I do want to keep close to Zaragossa south of town however.
I have opened my own offensive toward Almazan, and looking at the opposing forces, I should be able to roll this area up to Soria unless he reinforces. This might stop that other attack as he shifts troops, or I'll be able to take Soria. At that point, I am going to turn EAST to cut the rail line to Zaragossa (or at least threaten it).
- 1.jpg (582.92 KiB) Viewed 1009 times
South:
This is a problem; he forced me out of the mountain pass hex West of Guadix, and is now at the town. It's fall is inevitable, given the state of my forces. I am moving reinforcements to this area, because I do not want to lose Almeria.
- 1-1.jpg (341.7 KiB) Viewed 1009 times
del Norte:
25,000 Basque and Asturian troops are assaulting Guernica; we made initial progress, taking 3 NM in the hex, but are now bogged down, as the Nationalists now number 16,000 there. We are still grinding and causing casualties, but I can tell this is probably going nowhere.
I am not going to just sit in Bilbao; need to have an active defense, which means attacking out, to keep Nationalist forces pinned up here.
I am hatching a different plan in that regard, and may implement that soon....stay tuned
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
The new build that Q-ball and Przemek is testing is based on an attempt to reflect the naval war in the Spanish Civil War better.
The Spanish Civil War’s naval balance began by favouring the Republic, because most operational ships and many crews stayed loyal or seized ships from pro-rebel officers; but it gradually tilted toward Franco’s Nationalists, because they solved the immediate Strait of Gibraltar problem, gained stronger foreign naval and air support, protected their own sea lines better, and increasingly disrupted Republican supply routes. In naval terms, the war was a struggle over transport, convoy protection, blockade, interdiction, ports, and foreign intervention. Most naval activity consisted of convoy warfare, shore bombardment, blockade and counter-blockade operations, with few large fleet actions.
Opening phase: the Republic’s apparent naval advantage
At the start, the coup nearly failed at sea because the Nationalists had not adequately secured control of naval power, even though their plan required moving the Army of Africa from Spanish Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar to the mainland. The Republican government had already ordered warships to patrol the Strait, and pro-Republican crews overthrew or neutralized many suspect officers, allowing much of the operational fleet to gather in the Strait and temporarily isolate the insurgent Army of Africa in Morocco.
This initial Republican naval advantage was strategically huge: if the Republic could keep Franco’s best troops trapped in Morocco, the land war might have titled decisively toward the Republican government early on. Historians have criticized Mola’s preparations as being flawed because he simply ignored control of the sea, and at first Republican warships isolated the Army of Africa.
The balance starts to shift: Nationalists overcome the Strait problem
The Nationalists’ first naval problem was not grand strategy but logistics: getting the elite African troops and supplies across a narrow but contested waterway. Control of the Strait was critical because many rebel troops were based in Spanish Morocco. However, the Republican blockade of the Strait was ultimately overcome by a combination of two things: a strategic airlift using German and Italian transport aircraft, and the deployment of Nationalist air cover over convoys. Nationalist bombers on naval attack managed to force Republican warships to withdraw from the Strait. The Nationalists used a better integrated strategy combining ships, aircraft, ports, and foreign assistance. A less capable naval power therefore managed to achieve a strategic victory over a larger navy through strategy, air power, and willing allies.
The real naval war: sea lines of communication
Once the coup became a prolonged civil war, both sides depended on importing war material, making sea lines of communication central to victory. Spain was historically dependent on imports, and both sides quickly became dependent on imported war materials, and therefore either side’s inability to maintain sea lines of communication would be fatal. This is where the balance tilted against the Republic. It lost fundamentally because it could not control the seas and maintain its sea lines of communication. Once the North was lost by the Republicans, it cut off a line of supply from Leningrad and resulted in all of the Atlantic merchant ships becoming lost or cut off. The Italians provided covert assistance to the Nationalists in an effort to interdict the remaining Black Sea to Mediterranean coast supply route, and the Nationalists were highly effective in utilizing their naval assets aggressively to capture Republican merchant shipping. Italian air power in the Balearics further assisted to create a blockade of the Republican Mediterranean coastline, making resupply difficult. The Republican fleet failed to escort merchant shipping adequately, whereas the Nationalists had the benefit of supply convoys heavily escorted by Italian warships.
Foreign naval intervention tilted the maritime balance
Foreign intervention strongly affected the naval contest. Germany and Italy supported the Nationalists with arms (including naval guns), supplies, advisers, and volunteers; the Republicans received support from the Soviet Union and France, but France stopped supporting the Republicans soon after the war started.
Italian and German involvement mattered at sea because it helped the Nationalists compensate for their smaller initial fleet. Italian submarines began covertly attacking Republican and Soviet ships from November 1936 onwards. The Nyon Agreement of September 1937 arose because “pirate” submarine attacks had been repeatedly committed in the Mediterranean against merchant vessels, and nine powers agreed to collective measures to suppress such attacks.
In practical terms, the Republic’s larger fleet initially was increasingly offset by Nationalist access to Axis support, better port infrastructure, and threats to Republican merchant shipping. The Republic had to protect its own fleets from submarine attacks by Italian and German submarines, whereas the Nationalist supply convoys had escorts from powerful Axis fleets.
Republican tactical successes did not reverse the strategic trend
The Republic did score naval successes, though. The most famous was the Battle of Cape Palos on 5-6 March 1938. Republican naval forces sank the Nationalist heavy cruiser Baleares, a major loss for Franco’s fleet.
But Cape Palos was a tactical victory that did almost nothing to reverse the strategic situation. The broader maritime balance still favoured the Nationalists because their supply system, foreign assistance, and control of key lines of communication proved more sustainable than the Republic’s. The Republic had a greater fleet in most categories, but was unable to convert this into effective control of the sea, while the Nationalists used external support and focused maritime pressure to support their land campaign. The Republic was increasingly left reliant on blockade runners for supply and fuel.
Overall conclusion
The Republic lost the war at sea despite having a much more capable fleet and a massive advantage in merchant shipping. This was mostly due to the Nationalists and their foreign allies being able to put in place a highly effective naval and air blockade of the Republican ports. The Republican fleet largely remained “in being” in Cartagena, while the Nationalists effectively had a complete free hand in receiving resupply from their own lines of communication.
In the present game, Q-ball has split off part of his navy (Jaime I etc) to help support the North. Historically, the Republicans concentrated their full fleet in the Mediterranean. Przemek might well soon have the necessary strength (once Canarias and Baleares are fully operational) to try to destroy the Republican fleet in the North in detail.
The Spanish Civil War’s naval balance began by favouring the Republic, because most operational ships and many crews stayed loyal or seized ships from pro-rebel officers; but it gradually tilted toward Franco’s Nationalists, because they solved the immediate Strait of Gibraltar problem, gained stronger foreign naval and air support, protected their own sea lines better, and increasingly disrupted Republican supply routes. In naval terms, the war was a struggle over transport, convoy protection, blockade, interdiction, ports, and foreign intervention. Most naval activity consisted of convoy warfare, shore bombardment, blockade and counter-blockade operations, with few large fleet actions.
Opening phase: the Republic’s apparent naval advantage
At the start, the coup nearly failed at sea because the Nationalists had not adequately secured control of naval power, even though their plan required moving the Army of Africa from Spanish Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar to the mainland. The Republican government had already ordered warships to patrol the Strait, and pro-Republican crews overthrew or neutralized many suspect officers, allowing much of the operational fleet to gather in the Strait and temporarily isolate the insurgent Army of Africa in Morocco.
This initial Republican naval advantage was strategically huge: if the Republic could keep Franco’s best troops trapped in Morocco, the land war might have titled decisively toward the Republican government early on. Historians have criticized Mola’s preparations as being flawed because he simply ignored control of the sea, and at first Republican warships isolated the Army of Africa.
The balance starts to shift: Nationalists overcome the Strait problem
The Nationalists’ first naval problem was not grand strategy but logistics: getting the elite African troops and supplies across a narrow but contested waterway. Control of the Strait was critical because many rebel troops were based in Spanish Morocco. However, the Republican blockade of the Strait was ultimately overcome by a combination of two things: a strategic airlift using German and Italian transport aircraft, and the deployment of Nationalist air cover over convoys. Nationalist bombers on naval attack managed to force Republican warships to withdraw from the Strait. The Nationalists used a better integrated strategy combining ships, aircraft, ports, and foreign assistance. A less capable naval power therefore managed to achieve a strategic victory over a larger navy through strategy, air power, and willing allies.
The real naval war: sea lines of communication
Once the coup became a prolonged civil war, both sides depended on importing war material, making sea lines of communication central to victory. Spain was historically dependent on imports, and both sides quickly became dependent on imported war materials, and therefore either side’s inability to maintain sea lines of communication would be fatal. This is where the balance tilted against the Republic. It lost fundamentally because it could not control the seas and maintain its sea lines of communication. Once the North was lost by the Republicans, it cut off a line of supply from Leningrad and resulted in all of the Atlantic merchant ships becoming lost or cut off. The Italians provided covert assistance to the Nationalists in an effort to interdict the remaining Black Sea to Mediterranean coast supply route, and the Nationalists were highly effective in utilizing their naval assets aggressively to capture Republican merchant shipping. Italian air power in the Balearics further assisted to create a blockade of the Republican Mediterranean coastline, making resupply difficult. The Republican fleet failed to escort merchant shipping adequately, whereas the Nationalists had the benefit of supply convoys heavily escorted by Italian warships.
Foreign naval intervention tilted the maritime balance
Foreign intervention strongly affected the naval contest. Germany and Italy supported the Nationalists with arms (including naval guns), supplies, advisers, and volunteers; the Republicans received support from the Soviet Union and France, but France stopped supporting the Republicans soon after the war started.
Italian and German involvement mattered at sea because it helped the Nationalists compensate for their smaller initial fleet. Italian submarines began covertly attacking Republican and Soviet ships from November 1936 onwards. The Nyon Agreement of September 1937 arose because “pirate” submarine attacks had been repeatedly committed in the Mediterranean against merchant vessels, and nine powers agreed to collective measures to suppress such attacks.
In practical terms, the Republic’s larger fleet initially was increasingly offset by Nationalist access to Axis support, better port infrastructure, and threats to Republican merchant shipping. The Republic had to protect its own fleets from submarine attacks by Italian and German submarines, whereas the Nationalist supply convoys had escorts from powerful Axis fleets.
Republican tactical successes did not reverse the strategic trend
The Republic did score naval successes, though. The most famous was the Battle of Cape Palos on 5-6 March 1938. Republican naval forces sank the Nationalist heavy cruiser Baleares, a major loss for Franco’s fleet.
But Cape Palos was a tactical victory that did almost nothing to reverse the strategic situation. The broader maritime balance still favoured the Nationalists because their supply system, foreign assistance, and control of key lines of communication proved more sustainable than the Republic’s. The Republic had a greater fleet in most categories, but was unable to convert this into effective control of the sea, while the Nationalists used external support and focused maritime pressure to support their land campaign. The Republic was increasingly left reliant on blockade runners for supply and fuel.
Overall conclusion
The Republic lost the war at sea despite having a much more capable fleet and a massive advantage in merchant shipping. This was mostly due to the Nationalists and their foreign allies being able to put in place a highly effective naval and air blockade of the Republican ports. The Republican fleet largely remained “in being” in Cartagena, while the Nationalists effectively had a complete free hand in receiving resupply from their own lines of communication.
In the present game, Q-ball has split off part of his navy (Jaime I etc) to help support the North. Historically, the Republicans concentrated their full fleet in the Mediterranean. Przemek might well soon have the necessary strength (once Canarias and Baleares are fully operational) to try to destroy the Republican fleet in the North in detail.
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
Hrafnagud put together a good summary; one issue that is nearly impossible to model unfortunately is Republican disfunction. The Republican Government was not unified at all, with many different viewpoints. Many ships and units had very strong committees of sailors and soldiers who had alot of input into decision making (which is not a good thing, sorry comrades). The Republican Navy sat in port ALOT during the war when they could've been much more active.
I have suggested though some ways to help the Nationalists be more lethal, mostly by boosting the anti-naval capability of their airforce (the Italians in particular practiced alot of anti-naval air ops, for obvious reasons)
November 24, 1936
Quick report right now, as the game will be pause due to a CTD issue that Przemek is having (and nearly identical to one I had as the Nationalists......clicking on Seville in late November causes the game to crash out...and I thought it was fixed)
Zaragossa:
We have taken Almazan with a strong force of over 20,000 Republican troops, supported by armored trains. Przemek was heavily outnumbered in this sector, and still is. The main purpose here was to secure my flank, then turn these guys Eastward toward the rear of Zaragossa. But can't do that without being safe to my left, so the rail line is protected.
He continues to push north of town; I expect that pressure will stop once I start attacking in earnest on the other side. Przemek is pretty smart, and will see the danger.
Elsewhere:
The attack on Guernica failed; it was becoming a grinding assault that was going to go nowhere. I pulled my guys back to reset, and we'll try another operation. I had planned one, but Przemek moved his forces around and prevented me from executing it (again, he probably saw the same thing I did, that a stack could get cut-off)
The Nationalists offensive on Guadix is temporarily halted, though I am losing more men every day. We'll see if I can hold; I am OK falling back, but do not want to lose Almeria, for reasons I highlighted already
I have suggested though some ways to help the Nationalists be more lethal, mostly by boosting the anti-naval capability of their airforce (the Italians in particular practiced alot of anti-naval air ops, for obvious reasons)
November 24, 1936
Quick report right now, as the game will be pause due to a CTD issue that Przemek is having (and nearly identical to one I had as the Nationalists......clicking on Seville in late November causes the game to crash out...and I thought it was fixed)
Zaragossa:
We have taken Almazan with a strong force of over 20,000 Republican troops, supported by armored trains. Przemek was heavily outnumbered in this sector, and still is. The main purpose here was to secure my flank, then turn these guys Eastward toward the rear of Zaragossa. But can't do that without being safe to my left, so the rail line is protected.
- 1.jpg (431.63 KiB) Viewed 951 times
Elsewhere:
The attack on Guernica failed; it was becoming a grinding assault that was going to go nowhere. I pulled my guys back to reset, and we'll try another operation. I had planned one, but Przemek moved his forces around and prevented me from executing it (again, he probably saw the same thing I did, that a stack could get cut-off)
The Nationalists offensive on Guadix is temporarily halted, though I am losing more men every day. We'll see if I can hold; I am OK falling back, but do not want to lose Almeria, for reasons I highlighted already
Re: A Las Barricadas! A Republican PBEM AAR Q-Ball (R) vs. Przemek (N)
hey Q- Ball
Thanks for a great read.
Reading how You defend your rail connections beetween Med and Madrid
I am trying to understand how supply goes between the cities
how do you actually observe in the game where the supplies, oil, coal goes between the cities? Where are the bottlenecks?
how do you measure how much supply you need for thecity and for this force itself? Is there any kind of information? How much population consume and how much army consumes? Can you see on the map the bottlenecks supply flow?
Thanks for a great read.
Reading how You defend your rail connections beetween Med and Madrid
I am trying to understand how supply goes between the cities
how do you actually observe in the game where the supplies, oil, coal goes between the cities? Where are the bottlenecks?
how do you measure how much supply you need for thecity and for this force itself? Is there any kind of information? How much population consume and how much army consumes? Can you see on the map the bottlenecks supply flow?