Spanish Civil War AAR (Battle of Alecco Gaol)

The Town
Which is still unpainted.
Opps Sorry about that!
Defended by Tim's Nationalist  Anarchists.

I had set the game up for 6 players and me as ref. But we had only 4 players ad me as a ref. Also I wanted to try the Rapid Fire rules out for SCW. Previously I have only witnessed Rapid Fire games with Many more tanks than infantry. And many of those games did tend to be late war with the big cats and Animal hunters, and not a less mechanised war. As such I was not sure how they would play,

Matt with a Republican assault column
All mounted in trucks is able
to move a long way on roads
As such he by passes the jail and heads for the village.

The scenario is that the red forces had pushed through in Northern Spain during the early part of the war. The republican army (reds) were tasked with a) Seizing the prison and b) taking the town. They had 15 turns to do so, but all in all the game lasted 13 turns. The Nationalists had to defend the prison to stop the prisoners joining up to the Republican side. In Addition each person was given a random personal mission. These personal missions are on small pieces of paper and drawn randomly 1 for each player and if the player has any sense kept secret from all INCLUDING your own side. These represent the true feelings and motivations of the commanders and may be contradictory to your stated team objectives or even other team members.

At the end I will reveal each players personal mission and it will make certain actions more clear and why some players faired better and some worse in the Victory point calculations.

Matts Tanks
Any field with a template and a hedge in the field was a vineyard)
Peter's artillery is also in evidence.

It is worth saying that Tim Playing Anachists working with the Nationalists for a change. Graham was the Police (Guardia Civil) guarding the jail and supported by 2 65mm howitzers.

Matt drops of platoons of infantry before reaching the town
 for an infantry assault.
 

Matt playing as Republicans had a company of infantry in trucks (one of which was armoured and would sink into the ground if it left the road) Only sink up to axle depth but would then remain stationary until the game was over. Matt also had 4 tanks (2x BT5's and 2 CV 33s) They had been supplied by the Mexican government however The pin linkage joining the tracks was not attached properly when they arrived in country and they would need to roll each time they moved or throw a track and stop until repaired. A 6 would represent a breakdown and a reoair truck would need to spend a turn stopped in contact to repair the tracks. Yes Matt did also control the truck (soft skin) that could repair the tracks temporarily (until another 6 was rolled) If anyone thinks this unlikely I will let them know of 2 instances by the British army in WW where something similar happened!)

Tim leaves the town with his anarchists
 to meet the Republicans in the fields.

Peter had a company of infantry and 2 Frernch 76mm field guns of WW1 Vintage. When I talk about a company I do mean a company (about 120 men) and not a rapid fire company of 8 figures! Like wise with tanks one tank is 1 tank and 1 gun is 1 gun. peter also had a DEPLETED platoon of Cavalry with a single Machinegun (Loaded on Pack mules.). This was not and never going to be Western Europe  late war with loads of equipment. Many more men than tanks/guns. But realistically still too many.

Peters infantry on foot enter on the road.
Like I said a Company of Infantry



Several break downs later Matt can finally get his tanks to the gaol walls
 and start pushing down walls ready to enter
While holding the hedgerow of the town
as Tim tries to charge with no cover across the distance
being in cover is a GOOD thing in Rapid fire.
Tim now realises that.

While Tim's Anachists get shot to pieces in the open fields.
Matt moves his last platoon into the town
In an armoured truck.
Graham moves 1 of his police platoons OUT of the gaol
 and falls back to protect his 2 small howitzers.
Peter uses his Guns to help but with at this time little success.

While 2 of peters platoons head towards the gaol,
His other platoon moves to support the town attack.
Having debussed Matt uses the Armoured truck to
machinegun Grahams Artillery.
Graham uses and airstrike to severly deplete Peters infantry
attacking the jail.
And to Bomb one of Matts tanks
(If I remember correctly)
the first bombing run had little effect on the tanks though!

Peters Troops repare to assault the jail
while his guns carry out counter battery fire
on Grahams cannon
With nothing to counter the air attacks they continue
And Peter looses a morale check and a platoon scurry from the table.

Tim takes control of an assult column of Guardis Assulto
(paramilitary police) with an armoured car and
 a support platoon which even has a mortar.
(at the beginning of the SCW there were only 6 in the whole country
but more quickly arrived)

All Matts troops in the town take to the buildings
for the best defence they could find.
Matt also looses the repair truck destroyed by the last 2 stands in the jail.
So if any tanks break from now on they are static pill boxes.
The fight in the town is fierce.
Grahams troops that originally fell back, Tims Guardia Assulto and the support platoon
and some mortar and by now limited artillery support
against Matts single Platoon.
 



Tims Armoured car is destroyed by Republican artillery
Peters second platoon routs due to casualties
Cavalry is barely holding on BUT has at last entered the jail.
Matts Tanks are slowly breaking down,
But not where he wants them
Tim's Anachists are pretty much all dead or wounded.
Grahams police are pushed back to the very limit of the gaol or fighting against the last of Matts tanks.

Matts troops in the town are holding out but cannot do anything
except return fire and are cut off.
 

Finally Matts troops in the town are surrounded cut off and
vastly out numbered.
 

Conclusion: Firstly the rules did work very well. MUCH better than having seriously heavy late war tanks all over the place. So I would have no problem using them for SCW again.

As for the Victory conditions. Both sides fought themselves to a standstill and it would all depend on which side could be supported first.

Republican

•  +20 for taking the Gaol.

Nationalists

• +10 for Holding the town

Individually

Matt -1 for each gun lost (so -1)

Peter -5 for taking MORE casualties than Matt

Graham + 5 for having 1 Platoon on his side that had taken NO casualties.

Tim zero (for not extiting a truck of the opposite board edge)

So Final results were

1. Matt +19
2. Peter and Graham Both on +15
3. Tim +10

With personal goals it really does make a difference. Graham would have kept 2 platoons of Police in the Gaol and his 2 guns. he only got the +5 due to Tim and his support Platoon taking NO casualties.
Tim Had no chance to get a truck from the board at all. If the guns had not fired at each other as much Matt would have scored higher, But they got in a tit for tat situation. If Peter had hung back and let Matt take the beating instead of him he would have lost less troops.

But If any player had known their allies personal objectives they would have been playing the rules and not playing the game.

Over all I thought the game a success and would be happy to put another game on in the future.

Gifts in the last 7 days. (Arn't Wargamers Generous!!)

NO they are not for you! I will post the AAR  of Yesterdays game on Wednesday.

Currently I am feeling very humbled. I hasve been given a number of gifts in the last 7 days. No My Birthday has already passed this year, and NO hey are not Christmas gifts either. Working from left to right:

 A book I was keen on but (so Far) have not read was passed to me by a neighbour, No not a wargamer.

A book Peter from the club bought at a bring and buy stall and at the time I said to him that if had not bought it I would have. Yesterday at the club he passed it to me and reminded me of my words and he gave it to me.

Peter also purchased a box of bits and bobs at the show and the truck was at the bottom and he has no use for  it so he also gave that to me. Which is Brilliant as I plan to start some WW2 20mm Western Desert in the new year.

Matt (him I tend to paint for) has obviously seen my blog last week and he passed me some Secret of the Third Reich figures. 3 German Were wolves which suit me down to the ground and as long as I paint the clothes in a dark grey at least 2 of them can be were wolves for half a dozen projects. No Idea what I might do with the US troops he gave me as well. But I am thinking I may paint them and give them back to him.

Finally I have been given 3 Osprey rule books. I am not going to say too much more about these other than I am very thankful and very VERY pleased.

Thanks for popping by to the blog today. I hope you are well and happy and that I can post the AAr on Wednesday.

I apologise for he brevity of this post and look forward to Wednesdays post.

And what a Brilliant hobby we are in!

All the best Clint