MajorDomo
DM? Chuck H2O in his face
Played Brihuega Disaster from Guerra Civil (SCW#6) with my friend Dave on Memorial Day 2004. Previously, I had questioned the value of Guerra Civil as several scenarios #2, #3 and #5 appeared unbalanced, admittedly after only one playing each. But I was wrong, as several very good scenarios emerged.
This was our second playing of Brihuega Disaster and it is a must play large scenario which has all the elements of a truly great battle. To be clear, this scenario is the best of the approximately 200 ASL scenarios that I have played to date and worth the price of Guerra Civil.
In March, 1937, the republicans had just started an offensive in Guadalajara against general Roatta's Italians, as Mussolini was urging his reluctant Italians to start their own offensive. republican elements of the German International Brigade and the Garabaldi Battalion attacked elements of the Littorio division who were committed as a reserve. Brihuega was a collective of 125 families. The Italians lost 7,800 casualties and prisoners in this series of battles, about 20% of their ground forces in Spain. Hemingway said the Birhuega would take its place in decisive battles of the world; the international discussion about Italian violation of non-intervention began and Italian resolve to fight ebbed.
However, history shows that Franco maintained his vision,; singularly kept control of the forces opposing communism, anarchy and socialism; saved Spain; granted soldiers of both sides pensions and made Brihuega a footnote in history.
The battle uses both excellent SCW maps, with an Italian force of eight 447s, twelve 347s, two 227 crews, only three leaders (9-1, 8-1 and 8-0), HMG, two MMG, three LMG, three 45mm MTRs, field phone (100mm OBA), 37mm AT gun, five L3/35 tanks and one L3/LF tank (with flamethrower BF32). This force must control at least 16 buildings or exit 32 CVP off the north edge (exit allowed after turn four). The republican ELR is 3; the Italians, a more brittle 2 and both SANs are three. Scenario length is eight turns, which will play in about seven hours.
The 125 family collective on SCW1 contains 21 single story, mostly stone buildings on a two level hill surrounded by a wall. A two-story hill on SCW2 contains three buildings, one that is a two-story building with a steeple. This steeple building is worth three building victory points. Finally there are five other single story buildings scattered around the map. All the SCW2 buildings are wood and all orchards are vineyards, 0 tem and hindrance to same-level fire.
So, there are 10 building points outside the collective and thus the CTV (Italians) must control most of the collective, as exiting 32 VP is very difficult in the face of 150mm republican OBA, tanks and air support.
The republicans enter all troops from the east and west. The well-led eastern force consists of: six 448s, six 447s, 10-0 (commissar), 9-1, 8-0, MMG, two LMG, 50mm MTR, two Dinamitros (squads with reusable 16 FP DCs, gained on a 1-3 dr), two BA6 armored cars (errata replacing BT5 tanks) and four Russian T26 tanks.
The western force: ten 448s, two 447s, two 227s, 9-0 (commissar), 8-1, 8-0, MMG, four LMG, three 50mm MTR and two T26 tanks.
The republicans also receive air support; I received a Polikarpov I-15 plane without bombs (33% chance for bomber). I would recommend you play with one random republican plane and use the Guerra Civil air chart to determine bomber chance (33%). Also, the republicans receive lethal 150mm OBA with a level-four northern off-board observer. Overall, this was quite a collection of forces.
Setup
Dave set up four deployed 137 HS pickets in SCW2A4 (from now on 2A4), 2A7, SCW1 A4 woods (from now on 1A4) and 1A7. The 1B8 woods contained five 347s, two LMGs, two L3/35 tanks and the 8-0 leader. The collective received seven 447s, HMG facing east, 9-1, LMG, MMG, 45mm MTR, L3/35 tank and the flame tank. The hill on SCW2 received the HIP radio, 7-0 in the steeple, four squads, two 45mm MTRs (facing east), a MMG and two L3/35 tanks. Two squads went in the 2B8 woods and a lonely 347 in the outpost building 1Z1.
The Units
The Italian tanks (L3/35) have MG for MA and 1 frontal, 0 side armor. This makes them vulnerable to all MGs at close range and even out to 6 hexes. They are mechanically reliable and get two TK die rolls. The single 37mm AT gun is formidable, killing the T26s on a 7 or 8 with a ROF of 3. The flame tank is a beast, killing tanks with an 8 and ignoring building tem while frying crispy republicans. The brittle (ELR 2) infantry is challenging to play and with only three leaders (one manning the radio) just has no staying power.
The republican T26's are valuable, with armor 1, except front turret 2. This doesn't seem that important but it helps against the Italians main anti-tank weapon - machine guns. They have a 45L and a 4 FP coaxial MG, although they stall on an 11 and immobilize on a 12. The armored cars (BA6) have side hull armor of 0 (1 turret) and 1 frontal (2 turret), a 45L gun, 2 BMG and 4 coaxial MG. They are mechanically reliable, but as armored cars cannot cross a wall, are slow off road and must enter the town via the east/west road, both entrances surely heavily defended. The infantry 448s are tough, especially with a commissar, who increases their morale to 9. The Dinamiteros are interesting with their reusable 16 FP DC but a 16FP attack against a stone building isn't devastating. There are several different planes, 4FP MGs and 80mm bombs the average.
Strategy
I looked at Dave's aggressive defense and formulated strategy for the eight turn game. With his setup in the 1B8 woods and collective, there didn't appear to be much chance that Dave would exit 32VP, so the eastern force would take the steeple hill, silence the Italian OBA, collect seven building VP and proceed to the collective about turn 5 to help in the collective battle. Once there, I needed to take about six buildings to win.
The eastern force with two tanks and ten 448's had few choices. They had to cross a sixteen hex grain field to get to the steeple building hill or enter on SCW1 behind hedges/vineyards until a 12 hex open ground dead zone (literally) before reaching the two level collective. Correctly fearing the dead zone, I chose the grain fields and the steeple objective for the majority of the eastern force. Two squads deployed for the three mortars, six squads/MGs and two tanks armored assaulted in platoon movement (no tank radios in these scenarios) along the north edge of the grain fields 2AA2-2WW2... A platoon/8-0 leader cautiously moved along the southern 1AA10-1V7 route to the dead zone to keep the machine guns on the eastern side of collective (and later to bury their comrades in the 12 hex dead zone).
The western force had a dilemma, the natural entry point, the 1B8 woods was stuffed with Italian squads supported by two tanks and was impossible, and the northern 2B4 21 hex vineyards were a death trap due to slow movement, 0 tem and fire from both the steeple hill and the collective's machine guns. The three concealed Italians in the 2B8 woods force a choice between 2A4-2A6 corridor, the 2A9-1A2 corridor or entering between 1A2-1A6 and right up the hill into the collective. Each faced fire with the collective option the most concentrated.
I strongly considered the direct collective assault, VBMs, armored assault, Dinamiteros placing DC's followed by close combat. A manly Spanish Civil War attack this would be. However, reason prevailed, my twelve squads attacking five western collective squads, and then facing a quick counter attack by the five-squads/ two tanks in the 1B8 woods looked tough enough. I correctly anticipated that the flame tank was in 1E5 and feared that the presence of 37mm gun (unfounded as it was in 1K6 on the eastern side of town) would doom my attack, resulting in a decimated western force by turn three and the eastern force then facing all the remaining Italian fire from elevated positions.
So, I chose the following plan: use the two armored cars to blast the 2B7 Italians and freeze the 2B8 unit; send two T26s from 2A10 to the first level 1D1/1E1 hills to smoke out the 37mm and fire up at squads in the collective hills; armor assault two T26s with five 448s, 10-0, 9-1 and one Dinamiteros squad from 2A9 to 1G1/1H1; send the MTR a couple of squads and a Dinamiteros into the northern vineyards to occupy some of the steeple hill units and finally APh advance four off-board, concealed 447s onto the four pickets for CC.
Turns 1 and 2
The tougher western attack went reasonably well the first two turns. The armored assault headed east until the second T26/9-1/448(2)/ Dinamiteros had the T26 stunned in 2C10 by the L3/35 at 1E4. Further fire killed a 448, the Dinamiteros (117) and broke the 9-1. One problem for the republicans is the failure to rout issue with Italians in all directions. The first T26, 10-0, 448s(3), MMG made it to 1H1 and advanced up to level one hill hexes and the woods in 1G0 where they awaited the Italian defensive phase OBA. The supporting armor broke a couple of squads and the four advancing 447's all found 137s to engage in CC. Each 447 eliminated a 137, two Italians stayed concealed to no avail the other two 447s ambushed successfully thus staying concealed. A fire drawing 238 actually made to hill hex 1D3 and advanced into CC. Life improved as the Italians in the 2B8 woods were broken and surrounded, the unconcealed 447 in woods 1A7 withstood two 12+1 shots, broke an Italian 447/LMG in Def fire while a BMG 2+1 broke the other Italian 447/LMG in 1B6. Finally, the Italian 100mm OBA drifted away from the 1H1 hill units and broke the Italian 9-1/227/HMG in 1K3. My 447 engaged a 347 in CC in the 1C5 hill building while I reinforced the 1D3 CC with a squad. My tanks congregated around the western road into town as the flame tank went to deal with the threat from mister 10-0 in the northeast part of town where the Italian OBA had tragically drifted off course.
The eastern approach went as planned with the Italian mortars doing no damage but the 37AT showed at 1K6, kept rate and smoked a T26 at long range. In his prep fire phase another long range "4" produced a second dead T26. The rest of my previously armor assaulting group spread out and continued towards the steeple hill, avoiding the woods as his mortars pounded away without effect. I was surprised that the 37AT appeared on the eastern part of the collective, the advantage is that the two eastern T26s are surely doomed as they cross the open ground/grain fields, however, the disadvantage is that six of the republican AFVs start in the west and the eastern republican infantry is a tough target at long range. The gun does guard the "back" door eastern entrance to the collective.
Looked good to me after two turns, the republicans held wall advantage north, were in favorable CC in two western stone houses, had tanks slowing the Italian 1B8 force's retreat into the collective and a 150mm spotting round about to lower harassing fire at 1E7. Lady Luck is one of the most exhilarating mistresses I have ever known, she is, alas, not monogamous.
Turns 3 and 4
The eastern push continued with the northern six squads approaching the steeple hill with no losses as one of my supporting mortars broke one of his two steeple hill mortars. The Southern platoon ran into the dead zone, slowed their approach but slowly became DM as the 37AT blasted away until it malfunctioned in his bottom of the fourth. His steeple hill L3/35s repositioned themselves to shoot at my northern platoon/MMG/10-0 hunkered down at the collective wall, breaking a 448, which the 10-0 immediately turned into a HS. A twelve destroyed his radio after the one errant mission.
The western CCs went awry as the 1D3 battle was reinforced with a second Itie 447 and they proceeded to kill 2.5 squads and my 9-1 leader. My 447 was eliminated in two steps by his 347 in 1C5. Then I malfunctioned four tank MAs and his flame tank vaporized my 448/10-0/MMG. Suddenly, I looked up and my former lady was grinning next to Dave from across the table.
Turns 5 and 6
Well, I had two squads in the collective and five damaged tanks battling his seven squads/two L3/35s and flame tank. The steeple hill battle was short as my six 448s overwhelmed his squads who never seemed to make a single morale check. The mortar half squads, remaining Dinamiteros squad and dead zone squads all double-timed towards the collective. My one OBA mission shocked his flame tank twice and broke his luckless 9-1/HMG crew again. The flame tank failed his shock roll but his remaining MMG cut down all but two squads in the western dead zone. His two L3/35s in the open positioned themselves to stop my 6 steeple 448s from heading across open ground to the collective and he closed for CC with my 2 squads in the collective. While Dave had persevered through some bad early times, I now thought that the republicans were in dire straits.
Turn 7
The Italians now held one outpost building, the lonely 1Z1 building and 19 of the 21 collective buildings with two CCs ongoing in collective buildings. My lady returned for a curtain call as a 9-0/448/MMg headed from the steeple hill towards the collective. Two 8-1 platoon overruns by his interdicting tanks yielded no result, then two 4-1 shots from those tanks fell as harmless raindrops on their heads. The arrived at the collective refreshed and immediately were attached by his now rallied 9-1/347/227 in CC with no immediate losses by either side. A second onrushing 448/LMG shot into the melee and broke his 347/227 without affecting the 9-0/448 and the melee was decided. One of the existing two collective melees went each way, my T26 fixed its MA and dispatched both collective tanks, the republican fighter plane finally had an effect and broke a squad and he threw in the towel as republicans were loose in the collective and would surely take enough buildings for a win.
Rich Domovic
This was our second playing of Brihuega Disaster and it is a must play large scenario which has all the elements of a truly great battle. To be clear, this scenario is the best of the approximately 200 ASL scenarios that I have played to date and worth the price of Guerra Civil.
In March, 1937, the republicans had just started an offensive in Guadalajara against general Roatta's Italians, as Mussolini was urging his reluctant Italians to start their own offensive. republican elements of the German International Brigade and the Garabaldi Battalion attacked elements of the Littorio division who were committed as a reserve. Brihuega was a collective of 125 families. The Italians lost 7,800 casualties and prisoners in this series of battles, about 20% of their ground forces in Spain. Hemingway said the Birhuega would take its place in decisive battles of the world; the international discussion about Italian violation of non-intervention began and Italian resolve to fight ebbed.
However, history shows that Franco maintained his vision,; singularly kept control of the forces opposing communism, anarchy and socialism; saved Spain; granted soldiers of both sides pensions and made Brihuega a footnote in history.
The battle uses both excellent SCW maps, with an Italian force of eight 447s, twelve 347s, two 227 crews, only three leaders (9-1, 8-1 and 8-0), HMG, two MMG, three LMG, three 45mm MTRs, field phone (100mm OBA), 37mm AT gun, five L3/35 tanks and one L3/LF tank (with flamethrower BF32). This force must control at least 16 buildings or exit 32 CVP off the north edge (exit allowed after turn four). The republican ELR is 3; the Italians, a more brittle 2 and both SANs are three. Scenario length is eight turns, which will play in about seven hours.
The 125 family collective on SCW1 contains 21 single story, mostly stone buildings on a two level hill surrounded by a wall. A two-story hill on SCW2 contains three buildings, one that is a two-story building with a steeple. This steeple building is worth three building victory points. Finally there are five other single story buildings scattered around the map. All the SCW2 buildings are wood and all orchards are vineyards, 0 tem and hindrance to same-level fire.
So, there are 10 building points outside the collective and thus the CTV (Italians) must control most of the collective, as exiting 32 VP is very difficult in the face of 150mm republican OBA, tanks and air support.
The republicans enter all troops from the east and west. The well-led eastern force consists of: six 448s, six 447s, 10-0 (commissar), 9-1, 8-0, MMG, two LMG, 50mm MTR, two Dinamitros (squads with reusable 16 FP DCs, gained on a 1-3 dr), two BA6 armored cars (errata replacing BT5 tanks) and four Russian T26 tanks.
The western force: ten 448s, two 447s, two 227s, 9-0 (commissar), 8-1, 8-0, MMG, four LMG, three 50mm MTR and two T26 tanks.
The republicans also receive air support; I received a Polikarpov I-15 plane without bombs (33% chance for bomber). I would recommend you play with one random republican plane and use the Guerra Civil air chart to determine bomber chance (33%). Also, the republicans receive lethal 150mm OBA with a level-four northern off-board observer. Overall, this was quite a collection of forces.
Setup
Dave set up four deployed 137 HS pickets in SCW2A4 (from now on 2A4), 2A7, SCW1 A4 woods (from now on 1A4) and 1A7. The 1B8 woods contained five 347s, two LMGs, two L3/35 tanks and the 8-0 leader. The collective received seven 447s, HMG facing east, 9-1, LMG, MMG, 45mm MTR, L3/35 tank and the flame tank. The hill on SCW2 received the HIP radio, 7-0 in the steeple, four squads, two 45mm MTRs (facing east), a MMG and two L3/35 tanks. Two squads went in the 2B8 woods and a lonely 347 in the outpost building 1Z1.
The Units
The Italian tanks (L3/35) have MG for MA and 1 frontal, 0 side armor. This makes them vulnerable to all MGs at close range and even out to 6 hexes. They are mechanically reliable and get two TK die rolls. The single 37mm AT gun is formidable, killing the T26s on a 7 or 8 with a ROF of 3. The flame tank is a beast, killing tanks with an 8 and ignoring building tem while frying crispy republicans. The brittle (ELR 2) infantry is challenging to play and with only three leaders (one manning the radio) just has no staying power.
The republican T26's are valuable, with armor 1, except front turret 2. This doesn't seem that important but it helps against the Italians main anti-tank weapon - machine guns. They have a 45L and a 4 FP coaxial MG, although they stall on an 11 and immobilize on a 12. The armored cars (BA6) have side hull armor of 0 (1 turret) and 1 frontal (2 turret), a 45L gun, 2 BMG and 4 coaxial MG. They are mechanically reliable, but as armored cars cannot cross a wall, are slow off road and must enter the town via the east/west road, both entrances surely heavily defended. The infantry 448s are tough, especially with a commissar, who increases their morale to 9. The Dinamiteros are interesting with their reusable 16 FP DC but a 16FP attack against a stone building isn't devastating. There are several different planes, 4FP MGs and 80mm bombs the average.
Strategy
I looked at Dave's aggressive defense and formulated strategy for the eight turn game. With his setup in the 1B8 woods and collective, there didn't appear to be much chance that Dave would exit 32VP, so the eastern force would take the steeple hill, silence the Italian OBA, collect seven building VP and proceed to the collective about turn 5 to help in the collective battle. Once there, I needed to take about six buildings to win.
The eastern force with two tanks and ten 448's had few choices. They had to cross a sixteen hex grain field to get to the steeple building hill or enter on SCW1 behind hedges/vineyards until a 12 hex open ground dead zone (literally) before reaching the two level collective. Correctly fearing the dead zone, I chose the grain fields and the steeple objective for the majority of the eastern force. Two squads deployed for the three mortars, six squads/MGs and two tanks armored assaulted in platoon movement (no tank radios in these scenarios) along the north edge of the grain fields 2AA2-2WW2... A platoon/8-0 leader cautiously moved along the southern 1AA10-1V7 route to the dead zone to keep the machine guns on the eastern side of collective (and later to bury their comrades in the 12 hex dead zone).
The western force had a dilemma, the natural entry point, the 1B8 woods was stuffed with Italian squads supported by two tanks and was impossible, and the northern 2B4 21 hex vineyards were a death trap due to slow movement, 0 tem and fire from both the steeple hill and the collective's machine guns. The three concealed Italians in the 2B8 woods force a choice between 2A4-2A6 corridor, the 2A9-1A2 corridor or entering between 1A2-1A6 and right up the hill into the collective. Each faced fire with the collective option the most concentrated.
I strongly considered the direct collective assault, VBMs, armored assault, Dinamiteros placing DC's followed by close combat. A manly Spanish Civil War attack this would be. However, reason prevailed, my twelve squads attacking five western collective squads, and then facing a quick counter attack by the five-squads/ two tanks in the 1B8 woods looked tough enough. I correctly anticipated that the flame tank was in 1E5 and feared that the presence of 37mm gun (unfounded as it was in 1K6 on the eastern side of town) would doom my attack, resulting in a decimated western force by turn three and the eastern force then facing all the remaining Italian fire from elevated positions.
So, I chose the following plan: use the two armored cars to blast the 2B7 Italians and freeze the 2B8 unit; send two T26s from 2A10 to the first level 1D1/1E1 hills to smoke out the 37mm and fire up at squads in the collective hills; armor assault two T26s with five 448s, 10-0, 9-1 and one Dinamiteros squad from 2A9 to 1G1/1H1; send the MTR a couple of squads and a Dinamiteros into the northern vineyards to occupy some of the steeple hill units and finally APh advance four off-board, concealed 447s onto the four pickets for CC.
Turns 1 and 2
The tougher western attack went reasonably well the first two turns. The armored assault headed east until the second T26/9-1/448(2)/ Dinamiteros had the T26 stunned in 2C10 by the L3/35 at 1E4. Further fire killed a 448, the Dinamiteros (117) and broke the 9-1. One problem for the republicans is the failure to rout issue with Italians in all directions. The first T26, 10-0, 448s(3), MMG made it to 1H1 and advanced up to level one hill hexes and the woods in 1G0 where they awaited the Italian defensive phase OBA. The supporting armor broke a couple of squads and the four advancing 447's all found 137s to engage in CC. Each 447 eliminated a 137, two Italians stayed concealed to no avail the other two 447s ambushed successfully thus staying concealed. A fire drawing 238 actually made to hill hex 1D3 and advanced into CC. Life improved as the Italians in the 2B8 woods were broken and surrounded, the unconcealed 447 in woods 1A7 withstood two 12+1 shots, broke an Italian 447/LMG in Def fire while a BMG 2+1 broke the other Italian 447/LMG in 1B6. Finally, the Italian 100mm OBA drifted away from the 1H1 hill units and broke the Italian 9-1/227/HMG in 1K3. My 447 engaged a 347 in CC in the 1C5 hill building while I reinforced the 1D3 CC with a squad. My tanks congregated around the western road into town as the flame tank went to deal with the threat from mister 10-0 in the northeast part of town where the Italian OBA had tragically drifted off course.
The eastern approach went as planned with the Italian mortars doing no damage but the 37AT showed at 1K6, kept rate and smoked a T26 at long range. In his prep fire phase another long range "4" produced a second dead T26. The rest of my previously armor assaulting group spread out and continued towards the steeple hill, avoiding the woods as his mortars pounded away without effect. I was surprised that the 37AT appeared on the eastern part of the collective, the advantage is that the two eastern T26s are surely doomed as they cross the open ground/grain fields, however, the disadvantage is that six of the republican AFVs start in the west and the eastern republican infantry is a tough target at long range. The gun does guard the "back" door eastern entrance to the collective.
Looked good to me after two turns, the republicans held wall advantage north, were in favorable CC in two western stone houses, had tanks slowing the Italian 1B8 force's retreat into the collective and a 150mm spotting round about to lower harassing fire at 1E7. Lady Luck is one of the most exhilarating mistresses I have ever known, she is, alas, not monogamous.
Turns 3 and 4
The eastern push continued with the northern six squads approaching the steeple hill with no losses as one of my supporting mortars broke one of his two steeple hill mortars. The Southern platoon ran into the dead zone, slowed their approach but slowly became DM as the 37AT blasted away until it malfunctioned in his bottom of the fourth. His steeple hill L3/35s repositioned themselves to shoot at my northern platoon/MMG/10-0 hunkered down at the collective wall, breaking a 448, which the 10-0 immediately turned into a HS. A twelve destroyed his radio after the one errant mission.
The western CCs went awry as the 1D3 battle was reinforced with a second Itie 447 and they proceeded to kill 2.5 squads and my 9-1 leader. My 447 was eliminated in two steps by his 347 in 1C5. Then I malfunctioned four tank MAs and his flame tank vaporized my 448/10-0/MMG. Suddenly, I looked up and my former lady was grinning next to Dave from across the table.
Turns 5 and 6
Well, I had two squads in the collective and five damaged tanks battling his seven squads/two L3/35s and flame tank. The steeple hill battle was short as my six 448s overwhelmed his squads who never seemed to make a single morale check. The mortar half squads, remaining Dinamiteros squad and dead zone squads all double-timed towards the collective. My one OBA mission shocked his flame tank twice and broke his luckless 9-1/HMG crew again. The flame tank failed his shock roll but his remaining MMG cut down all but two squads in the western dead zone. His two L3/35s in the open positioned themselves to stop my 6 steeple 448s from heading across open ground to the collective and he closed for CC with my 2 squads in the collective. While Dave had persevered through some bad early times, I now thought that the republicans were in dire straits.
Turn 7
The Italians now held one outpost building, the lonely 1Z1 building and 19 of the 21 collective buildings with two CCs ongoing in collective buildings. My lady returned for a curtain call as a 9-0/448/MMg headed from the steeple hill towards the collective. Two 8-1 platoon overruns by his interdicting tanks yielded no result, then two 4-1 shots from those tanks fell as harmless raindrops on their heads. The arrived at the collective refreshed and immediately were attached by his now rallied 9-1/347/227 in CC with no immediate losses by either side. A second onrushing 448/LMG shot into the melee and broke his 347/227 without affecting the 9-0/448 and the melee was decided. One of the existing two collective melees went each way, my T26 fixed its MA and dispatched both collective tanks, the republican fighter plane finally had an effect and broke a squad and he threw in the towel as republicans were loose in the collective and would surely take enough buildings for a win.
Rich Domovic
