Mistakes in the Baleares - Newbie vs Nationalist AI scen 6

[WingedIncubus]

August 15, 1936

First contact was made with the militia defending Alcudia. They managed to repel our advance into the city with minor losses. Our units have quickly recovered, as more professional infantry units inside Vidal's regiment advance to support the battle.

We are confident in our numerical superiority and shall attempt a frontal assault to overhelm the Fascists' fortified positions and take the city.

Meanwhile, the Carlos Marx Regiment is unloading and holding defensive lines in Pollensa while 1st Fighter Squadron relocate to its airport, closer to the front.




Uribarri's Infantry (now known as the Fantasma units) intercepted the lone artillery unit, disabling their guns and support units, yet but they managed to retreat in somewhat good order.




However, the Fascists are sortieing from Ibiza and advancing toward Santa Eularia, over 600 strong. We are redeploying to create a narrow defensive front to protect our positions in town and Casa de Saint Vicent.

[WingedIncubus]

August 16, 1936

The enemy Ibiza force did not advance on our positions in Santa Eularia. They stopped, allowing us to place ourselves into defensive positions. The Valencia amphitibious task force is steaming toward Barcelona to fetch reinforcements.

Our shock offensive has been repelled In Alcudia with 25 killed or wounded. The latter are repatriated back to Pollensa to recuperate, while we continue to apply pressure.




The troop transport Elcano has docked in Barcelona, so we use it to advance to the second stage of our plan as the 1,200-strong Bayo Baleares Regiment embarks to land on Puerto de Soller, hoping to threaten Marratxi nearby Palma. They might arrive just in time, as an Italian infantry battalion has been reported to be moving towards La Puebla.

[WingedIncubus]

April 17, 1936

The Bayo Baleares have landed uncontested in Puerto de Soller. The battle continues in Alcudia against now a handful of Rebel militia holding firm, while Task Force 5 grabs the Artillery and Engineers in Mahon to bring them to Pollensa and help reduce Alducia.

All available landing barges and light cargoes in Barcelona are mobilized to embark the Zapatero Regiment to shore up our presence on Ibiza. Because the sheer weight of their equipment, we'll have perform two trips but they will land in Cala de Saint Vicent.

[WingedIncubus]

August 18, 1936

Despite our best predictions, the assault on the defenders in Alcudia has been a complete fiasco - over 200 Italian infantry have arrived in the nick of time to save the day for the Fascists, reinforcing the defence of the city.




Their presence and counter-attack have cost us dearly. The Vidal's column is completely disrupted and in need of rest and refit. Orders have been sent for them to retreat back to the fortifications in Pollensa until further reinforcements arrive.

It is not a defeat, only a minor setback.




Waiting for the rest of their companies being repatriated from Mahon, we receive a report from Teniente Guerrero that his Carlos Marx Regiment in Pollensa are also missing a significant part of their TOE - almost half of their infantry squads, in fact - and those need to be reinforced from the mainland. They need men supplied from the UGT, Catalunya, with support and pack mules.



Because Mallorca is not connected to our main supply bases, an RSV must be prepared with those specific squads and brought by ship to Pollensa.

I sent the instructions for the RSV to gather those men and material in Barcelona, adding also reinforcements from the CNT and Women squads for Vidal's Regiment to the requisition order, for expedition to Pollensa when possible for us to do so.

[WingedIncubus]

August 19, 1936

Vidal's Regiment has succesfully extricated itself from Alcudia to lick their wounds behind Pollensa's trench fortifications.

Subunits from the Carlos Marx Regiment have arrived from Mahon, including an indenpedent group of long-range artillery. We shall bombard Alcudia to keep the Fascists pinned while we regroup for another push.




The RSV is ready to be delivered in Barcelona... but our civilian navy is overstretched. None of our cargos are currently available, mustered to deliver supplies and troops between both Ibiza and Majorca. Thankfully we have not lost a single ship, but this lack of ship stalls operations.

My staff officers and I, while looking at the map and acknowledging that our overseas supply lines are stretched to their limit due to the lack of cargo ships, debate abandoning our original third axis in the south for the time being, concentrating our forces instead on northern front, with Puerto de Suller to Pollensa as anchor points.

In the meantime, Bayo's men advance toward Marratxi and Can Pastilla for a reconnaissance in force, the logistics staying behind defended by an Infantry battalion.