Scenario 3: July 24, The Battle of Caspe

 

-Scenario 3: July 24, The Battle of Caspe

In Caspe, a town in the east of Aragon, Captain Negrete of the Guardia Civil joined the rising, arrested the Republican government men, plus leftists and CNTstas, and set up patrols. Negrete went to Zaragoza for weapons and ammo, to arm the 200 right-wing volunteers who joined his 40 civil guards on July 22.

On July 24th, the Durruti Column left the Bruc Barricades, now renamed the Bakunin Barricades, in Pedralbles. Headed by truck through Cervera and Lleida, the excited anarchists forgot many of their supplies, soon arriving in Caspe. There, they found volunteer militia already fighting for the city, though outnumbered. The combined forces of revolution pushed to liberate Caspe. During the battle, Negrete tried to protect himself with women and children as hostages, but died for his efforts.

In this scenario, the Durruti Column, advancing along the highway in trucks and cars, reaches and fights for Caspe. A small group of militia will be present already in the town, fighting against a force of Civil Guard, and Falangist and Carlist militia. Halfway through the game, the anarchists will receive reinforcements of improvised armor and weapon supplies, arriving by highway or railway. At the same time, the nationalists will receive reinforcements consisting of an artillery group. The side that conquers the town wins.

Set up: Clear summer weather, visibility at 40”, 60” with binoculars. Arrange a town centered on a main road, with a church in the center of town surrounded by narrow streets and tightly-packed houses. A train line runs parallel to the road on the northern edge of town, with a station toward the center of the table. Farmlands surround the town.

Unit Sheets: Make unit sheets for the groups. 

Ammunition: Nationalists have 10 ammo each, with an additional 200 rounds in each of the 2 stores in (the church and a farm house.)

CNTstas begin with 8 ammo each, and receive resupply by train or truck halfway through the game,  50 points each. They will receive supplies by train only if they have already secured the rail line up to the train station.

1st Half (Rounds 1 - 10):

Nationalist orders:

Defend the perimeter of town. Capture civilians, hold them at HQ as human shields. Fall back position, the church, location of storage and Negrete’s HQ. Unit orders should be written for each sector of defense.

CNT Orders:

Capture the train station, link up with advanced militia, capture the farm

Nationalist Forces:

Civil Guard: 

-HQ: Captain, runner, priest, 4 guards, 1 75mm cannon and crew, 1 advanced spotter, 2 MG and crew. 

2 trucks.

-1st platoon: 1 officer, 19 men

Falange

-HQ: Sergeant, 4 grenadiers/molotovs

-1st platoon: 1 officer, 19 men

Carlists:

-HQ: Sergeant, armed priest, nuns, 4 grenades/molotov men

-1st platoon: 1 officer, 19 men

Photo above: Sectors of Caspe, with lettered sectors possible starting points for the Caspe militia at the start of Round 1.

Republican Forces

Caspe Militia:

-1 delegate, 19 militia

Durruti Column:

HQ: Durruti, 1 bearer, 1 runner, 2 x 75mm cannon and crew, 2x msg and crew, 5 dynamiters. As many non-armored vehicles as possible. 2 Tiznaos.

1st Centuria: 

-HQ: 1 delegate, 1 bearer, 1 cannon and crew, 1 mg and crew, 

-1st group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-2nd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-3rd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-4th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-5th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

2nd Centuria:  

-HQ: 1 delegate, 1 bearer, 1 cannon and crew, 1 mg and crew

-1st group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-2nd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-3rd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-4th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-5th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

2nd Half (Rounds 11 - 20):

Nationalist orders: 

Await arrival of reinforcements, then push to reclaim lost ground. Use Human Shields. Church is the final fallback, if lost, retreat out of town. 

CNT Orders: 

Resupply forces. Move down the flanks of Caspe to silence artillery. Besiege the church, if possible cut off escape routes. Rescue hostages.

Nationalist reinforcements:

Artillery battery:

-HQ - Captain, staff, 1 advanced spotter.

-Battery of 3 cannon and crew.

Infantry company:

-HQ: Captain, staff, a runner, 1 MG and crew. 2 trucks.

-1st platoon: 1 officer, 19 men

-2nd platoon:  1 officer, 19 men

-3rd platoon:  1 officer, 19 men

CNT reinforcements:

-200 rounds of ammunition

-2 Tiznaos

3rd Centuria:

-HQ: 1 delegate, 1 bearer, 1 cannon and crew, 1 mg and crew, 

-1st group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-2nd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-3rd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-4th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-5th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

4th Centuria:

-HQ: 1 delegate, 1 bearer, 1 cannon and crew, 1 mg and crew, 

-1st group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-2nd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-3rd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-4th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-5th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

5th Centuria:

-HQ: 1 delegate, 1 bearer, 1 cannon and crew, 1 mg and crew, 

-1st group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-2nd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-3rd group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-4th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

-5th group: 1 delegate, 9 men

The Winner:

The side that controls the town after 20 turns, or who controls more of the town, wins.

Outcome: If the workers are victorious, they may move on to the next scenario, and carry over any remaining ammunition, including the captured ammo dumps of Caspe. Lastly, any and all machine guns and cannons captured in the fighting are added to the equipment list in your general supply. Check the briefing for additional expropriations to the column’s stock.