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| The battlefield Photo courtesy Wargaming for Grownups |
After the battle of Ebresa on Monday, Graham promised a return to Guadalajara for the group game on Tuesday. Having played a Guadalajara scenario before, I figured this would be a replay of that scenario. Boy, was I wrong! When I dialed into the game, I faced a table completely dissimilar to the previous Guadalajara battlefield. Graham assigned the Republicans to me while Richard and Ian split the Italian army. Also surprising was the meager forces allocated to the defending Republicans against the much larger force of Italians. Still, I would be defending so that provided some hope.
Another surprise was that the Italian columns would be able to traverse the entire length of the table on Turn One and attack the objective town before I even had a chance to respond. As Turn One unfolded, I figured the game may be over before it actually began in earnest. Could I make a counterattack to stabilize this unexpected situation or would all be lost before the battle began?
To find out, please view the following annotated battle photos snapped during the remote game. For better photos and more battle details, please visit Graham's battle account at Guadalajara Revisited.
Wow - that is a pretty comprehensive victory Jonathan - maybe the Italians should have been a bit more circumspect in their advance and debussed their infantry in some cover - just because they COULD move the whole way in one move doesnt mean they HAD to! It did seem an odd scenario to me - did the Republicans have much of an airforce - I assume they had something but my slight knowledge of the SCW suggests the Nationalists generally dominated the air, whether it was the Luftwaffe Condor Legion or the Italians flying the aircraft. Nice to see the Republicans win though!
ReplyDeleteAn astute observation in respect of just because you can drive the length of the table doesn't mean you should. As for airpower in the SCW...it swayed back and forth, before the Nationalists finally gained the ascendency. Early on the Russian supplied planes were so good the Condor Legion refused to fly (they were in Heinkel He51s). At Guadalajara the rain was so heavy that the Italian air squadrons couldn't take off as they were literally using air "fields". The Republicans had hard top air strips at Getafe, to the south of Madrid. This was a pretty close re-enactment. BTW See the next day's replay on my blog for a slightly different outcome.
DeleteYes, a quite comprehensive slaughter if you ask me. On the first turn, my thought was "I" was once again a lab rat for Graham and the battle would be over before begun.
DeleteHad I been attacking, I can assure you that my approach would be a more cautious one. I tend to lead with artillery in this game...
Thanks for your comments and questions especially regarding scenario historicity, Keith!
Graham, the historical background to the conditions on the ground in this battle is crucial in gaining an appreciation for the constraints faced by both sides. Invaluable details like these provide more depth to the scenario.
DeleteI agree. The background is important. In a f2f game it would be part of the round table briefing at the start, so I wouldn't usually write it all down. I probably missed going over it properly as I was watching foe people to join the meeting.
DeleteYou made the road conditions clear before we began.
DeleteThat's a relief.
DeleteAnother fun sounding game and from being up against it to being utterly dominant ,quite a turnaround! In a shallow grave, which is an autobiography of a Nottingham communist who fought in the IB at Jarama is a good book too!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
I wondered, as game designer, whether I'd got it wrong in that first turn. The previous version is available here: https://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/2020/12/cut-price-guadalajara.html . One of the players made the same error, and got the same outcome.
DeleteIan, this battle saw a HUGE turn around. I figured the Republicans were done for, without doubt. Never give up, right? I took the bit between my teeth and counterattacked.
DeleteIt ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, especially if there's Italians involved.
DeleteAt the conclusion of Richard's first suit activation, I thought I heard her singing...sounded like an Italian aria to me.
DeleteWow, that was a comprehensive victory and although I'm glad of a Republican win, I do feel for the Italians. An interesting scenario and one that would be good to be replayed I would have thought, to see if different tactics by the Italians might have given a different outcome. I like the fact that you classed the Italian L3/35 tankettes as tanks!
ReplyDeleteThere's a write up of the next days refight (which Jon wasn't in) here: https://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/2021/02/guadalajara-revisted-revisted.html and the Italians make a much better fist of it. As for the Ls/35s, they're tanks when you're claiming kills, and tankettes when you're losing them.
DeleteYeah, that felt good! This was an interesting scenario that provided never a dull moment.
DeleteGraham replayed the battle a second time making some deployment changes to provide the Republicans with a better initial defense.
"As for the Ls/35s, they're tanks when you're claiming kills, and tankettes when you're losing them."
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh!
That is a great line, isn't it?
DeleteCongrats! Great looking battle!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Always improved by lots of hamster bedding smoke.
DeleteThanks for the victory congrats. The presentation is all Graham's handiwork. Marvelous it is, too!
DeleteHamster bedding smoke always looks better on the opposing units. I simply cannot pull off the look satisfactorily when draped over my units.
DeleteWhat a great looking bash! And it certainly was a bash too!
ReplyDeleteCorrect on BOTH counts, Ray!
DeleteNice looking terrain set up and gaming. Reminds me of what I've been missing for a year or so.
ReplyDeleteNo need to miss it. Call some one up and give on-line wargaming a go. Skype is free. I really regret that I was reluctant try until last September. Months of lockdown wasted.
DeleteGraham's table layouts are simple and elegant. I like his style a lot.
DeleteThanks. From a man who is so good with the aesthetics of the hobby, I really appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! What I mean when I say "simple" is that the terrain does not interfere with the play of the game. The table is clean and terrain adds to the play rather than presenting a hindrance. How many games have you played in which one needs to insert a "Terrain Adjustment Phase" into the Turn Sequence in order to carry on?
DeleteThe terrain is all easily movable and designed so the figures fit with it, as far as I can. That's why I make my own scenery to a large extent. The roads are just the right width.
DeleteA fine game Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
It really was!
DeleteAgh! Poor old Italians (not!). This looks a bit like a Motti battle with the attackers strung out on the road being chewed up at both ends, finding it difficult to move off road.
ReplyDeleteWell done again Jon. At this rate they’ll be electing you GeneralÃsimo.
Thank you, sir! "GeneralÃsimo," I like the sound of that!
DeleteComrade General. You're in the IBs.
DeleteAnother fun game and the odds against the Republicans did look overwhelming. I can understand the Italians wanting to get up that road and disembark troops as quickly as possible with the Republican air lurking about, but an artillery barrage earlier in the game to soften up your defences would have been interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe situation seemed like I was up against it but my outlook improved throughout the battle. Trying a different approach for the Italians might be an interesting exercise. Leading with a prep artillery barrage makes sense to me.
DeleteThere are very few circumstances when opening up with your artillery is not a good idea.
DeleteIt is not a period that has really grabbed my interest, though my regular gaming partner is very keen. The two previous games have been interesting and dynamic, which surprised me and then I thought why should I be surprised, this is exactly the theatre that set the scene and provided the necessary experiences to open up WWII, with ‘dynamic’ being their signature.
ReplyDeleteIt has a lot going on, and there is a lot of mobility, especially in the early days. Both sides used mobile columns consisting of a few battalion sized units, plus the odd gun platoon, all mounted in a mixture of trucks and cars and buses. It would make an interesting project for the pair of you, as the armies are manageable in size.
DeleteNorm, if your gaming buddy is interested in the period, why not suggest a joint project? With the current state of restrictions on F2F gaming, now seems an ideal time to embark on a project to build armies. When restrictions lift, you may have enough joint forces to begin an enjoyable, post-COVID series of games.
DeleteWhat an excellent idea.
DeleteGood stuff, of course in the real world several examples exist where columns of troops are way too vulnerable to long range fire when exposed on a road. I’m thinking 30 Corps Arnhem for one.
ReplyDeleteGuadalajara would be the classic example, as it comes at a time when air power is just coming to the front.
DeleteIt was good stuff, Matt! Similarities to Market Garden were mentioned during the game.
DeleteAnother entertaining report Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, George!
DeleteExcellent gaming Jonathan...everytime I read the name Guadalajara I start singing that Steely Dan song in my head!
ReplyDeleteThanks! That is a different Guadalajara!
DeleteNow that simply just won't do, you know.
DeleteLooks splendid action, running around in soft vehicles should not be the healthy option.
ReplyDelete
DeleteSplendid action, indeed! Your point about soft skins on the battlefield has been well proven...
Wow what a slaughter! Nice job. I too initially thought you had been part of a play test. But I guess all scenarios are play testing to some extent. Designing scenarios is a fun past time for our toys. 😀
ReplyDeleteEvery game's a play test when you're playing with the designer.
DeleteThe battle turned out much better than I thought it would midway through turn 1! I was very concerned. Yes, all scenarios are playtests in some form. With the designer as MC, EVERY game is likely a playtest.
DeleteJon has been a very willing lab rat. His contribution to the rules development is much appreciated. "For Whom The Dice Rolls" will hopefully be available from Amazon and Wargame Vault worldwide in the next week or so.
DeleteCool stuff, Jonathan, and great battle commentary on the photos. Man, hats off to you, that's a helluva lot of work!
ReplyDeleteV/R,
Jack
Thank you, Jack! The work you put into your battle reports is a magnitude greater than my work here. I have really been enjoying your Vietnam patrols.
DeleteWell, that was an unusual scenario that pretty much has to be set in this era or later to work. Kudos to Jon for not failing "player morale" long before your trops!
ReplyDeletePeter, my troops and I never failed morale. We stopped the Italians in their tracks. Turn 1 was a bit tense, though!
DeleteThanks Jonathan, so interesting to see SCW games. Looks like the scale was 15mm?
ReplyDeleteI confess I am scratching my head at the Fascist tactics. Unless they had a very limited number of turns to cross the table, it doesn't make much sense to me.
The figures and models are 15mm. The figures are all Peter Pig, the vehicles/artillery are Peter Pig/QRF/Zvezda (and OSH-KOSH promotional giveaways). The Italian C-in-C said "If you've got trucks, it'd be a shame not to use them". I guess he was hoping to get in the town so quickly the defenders would be unable to react. I had it refought the following day by different players, and got a different outcome (see the Wargaming for Grown Ups blog for a description of that, and close up pictures of this one).
DeleteHi Michael! Yes, the figures are 15mm. mostly Peter Pig, I guess.
DeleteThere was no time limit that I knew but then I am not always aware of all of the tricks that the GM may have up his sleeve.
Maybe the Fascists were relying upon a reading from the Oracle in which he was told that, "if you advance with great rapidity, you will destroy a great army."
The italians mess up again! Goes to show that headlong attacks without any groundwork are seldom a good idea, even when enjoying clear superiority.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
Delete