Pulp Alley in the Spanish Civil War

[NickNascati]

A Pulp Alley AAR. Set up a game set during the Spanish Civil War. We had a single plot point, an abandoned HMG with a box full of ammo in the center of town. All the ruined buildings counted as perilous areas. I commanded a force of Loyalist Militia, with two gangs, a leader and three para-military police allies. The other side was a force of Civil Guards, with a leader, two SMG armed allies and a shotgun armed Tsarist exile sidekick. I felt gangs best represented the capabilities of the Militia. The first turn was a reconnoiter turn, just moving into place. The game went quickly once shooting started. The Fascists focused on eliminating the Militia gangs, while I moved my leader up to the ruin holding the HMG. A "Free Pass" card got me past the peril, and good dice won the plot point and the game.  Three exciting turns.

[d phipps]

Very cool setting for Pulp Alley! I hope we get to see more. 

[NickNascati]

I've actually got an idea for a variation on Smash and Grab, where the four minor plot points are stray beef cows, the major plot point being several barrels of wine.  Lots of scope for skirmishes and role playing in the SCW. I've even thought about tinkering with Vice Alley to see if it would work in that setting.

[d phipps]

I've actually got an idea for a variation on Smash and Grab, where the four minor plot points are stray beef cows, the major plot point being several barrels of wine.  Lots of scope for skirmishes and role playing in the SCW. I've even thought about tinkering with Vice Alley to see if it would work in that setting.

Very cool! I think thats a good idea. 

[NickNascati]

It is a question of how to create the sides or factions to make them fit the Vice Alley background.  Maybe Franco could be the Specter?

[warrenpeace]

Very good idea for a period, place, & setting for Pulp. I've been interested in a "For Whom the Bell Tolls" scenario. Also, before the SCW there was a lot of conflict within Spain, even among groups that later reluctantly cooperated, such as the Carlist Requetes vs. the Falange (they even killed each other after the SCW!). So I'm thinking it would be fun to make up Pulp scenarios set before, during, and even after the SCW in Spain.

For inspiration, read about William Aalto & Irving Goff, guys that actually inspired Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. See the wiki lings below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Aalto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Goff

[NickNascati]

The May 1937 fighting in Barcelona between the various left militias is interesting as well.  As far as "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is concerned, I think the popular theory is that Jordan is based on Bob Merriman.

[warrenpeace]

Robert Hale Merriman? I don't recall reading anywhere that he was the inspiration For Whom the Bell Tolls. Perhaps some of his personality contributed. But he was a battalion commander rather than a behind enemy lines operator.

William Aalto, Alex Kunslich, and Irving Goff, on the other hand, did demolitions behind enemy lines. This included blowing up trains using pressure triggers, as in the opening scene of For Whom the Bell Tolls. They also blew up the Albarracin River bridge in Nationalist territory to temporarily stop reinforcement at the start of the Republican offensive against Teruel. I think it's pretty likely that was the incident that inspired the book.

[NickNascati]

You may well be correct, but I think Merriman's overall appearance and personality inspired Hemingway.

[NickNascati]

Here you go, I may be nuts, but i'm not crazy. 

https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/spring-2016-war-stories/berkeley-s-bravest-cal-scholar-who-inspired-hemingways

[Alcide Nikopol]

Clever idea for a Pulp Alley setting.