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[scrivs]

---- Newsflash from General Queipo de Llano ----

Today we have news of our glorious Moroccan allies routing a concerted attack by troops of the Tom Mann Centuria supported by traitorous Asaltos.

‘¡Viva España!’



A full report with more images on the Scrivsland blog

[H.M.Stanley]

Fascist propaganda! Don't believe a word ...

The brave fighters of the Steel Legion carried out a strategic withdrawal after inflicting heavy casualties on the Rebel mercenaries and in the face of overwhelming numbers.

The Campaign begins in earnest in 2 weeks time ...

[Sparrow]

Nice game!

[Happy Wanderer]

Fantastic report Scrivs!

I'm really enjoying reading your SCW actions. It seems like you guys have definitely captured the spirit of the period and how to play it, showing Chain of Command:Espana at its best.

....one more move to victory, it yet again proves a close run thing.....

What details are you putting together for the campaign....a Sharp End style campaign? If so any/all details how you go about it would be excellent blog posts.

Viva Espana!!

Happy W

PS historical Note- when we did the lists we anticipated units such as the Tom Mann Centuria would use the People's Militia list with the option to take them as Hardened Militia. You can use whatever you like of course but that People's Militia list has lots in it worth a look.

Whilst you would have to take them as Green, you get an extra 7 support list choices, 4 of which make them Hardened Militia which will help them keep their force morale up (ie hang on to those 4 command dice). You still could take a unit of Asaltos with the remaining points or take more Tom Mann men and maybe give them a shock-shedding flag which is pretty handy. Lots of cool ways to portray them!



 

R

[former user]

this is so great! what trucks do You use?

[H.M.Stanley]

Hi Rolf, I had to admit that I thought the TMC would be Militia but then noted the reference in the Steel Battalion to early Brigaders. We have of course been using the Militia in our previous games, hardened in my case with Asaltos.

The trucks are a mixed bunch, a couple are mine including a Lledo.

Best, James

[Happy Wanderer]

"I had to admit that I thought the TMC would be Militia buy then noted the reference in the Steel Battalion to early Brigaders."

Mmmm? I can't see that reference.

After some discussion we determined that the early Internationals are best reflected with the People's Militia and the later Brigaders specifically in the EPR list....this IMHO is the best representation of these troops and how we intended....Green and potentially fanatical in the defense of Madrid....and most everything in between!!

 

[H.M.Stanley]

Final paragraph of the background info on the Steel Legion release which mentions the early Brigaders. Just noticed that in fairness it goes on to mention the Centurias represented as the Peoples Militia.

I'll be guided by you on this. I'm happy to use the Peoples Militia as the TMC although I'll need to call on some of Scrivs' figures too as I only have 40+ milicanos.

[Happy Wanderer]

:-)

In the opening text of the People's Militia list it says....

"With the exception of those units trained by the Communist  ‘5th Regiment'  training  cadre, the Republican Militia formations, formed largely from the members of various trade unions and political parties, had no single formal organisational structure whatsoever. This structure equally applies to early Internationals such as Centurias; Tom Mann, Gaston Sozzi, Thaelmann, Warmski, and so on."


More troops?

Hot tip...take the upgrades and not lots of extra troops! Hang on to those 4 command dice and use a Flag, El hombre, Weapon additions and pump up the Centurias in size a bit....this would give them a good deal off staying power.

I reckon armies with 4 command dice are a touch problematic with vehicles because they only activate on a 3 (as a JL). That can really sap the go forward in a force (ie command dice drain) and often they don't pack enough of a punch for all that command drain...just my 2c!

...look forward to seeing your reworked Tom Mann Centuria.....those Regulares are tough blighters...giv'em hell!!!

R

[Arlequín]

Final paragraph of the background info on the Steel Legion release which mentions the early Brigaders.

Sorry for the confusion, the idea was to provide a spread of ability across the Internacionales, as some units (as in most armies) were able than others and a blanket ability across the board for the IB doesn't seem right. Some would be best represented by the '5th Regiment' list, while most by the 'Popular Militia' one, depending on how you see them.

Their contribution to the defence of Madrid was greatly exaggerated, to the point that the British Ambassador, Sir Henry Chilton, quipped that there were no Spaniards defending Madrid. The 3,000 (out of 40,000 Republican troops) involved in the defence were determined, if somewhat naive and took appalling casualties in late 1936; the XIth IB lost a third of its manpower in just one assault in the Casa de Campo, yet forced the Nationalists back, while a similar operation by the XIIth failed utterly.

The units arriving in December '36 and early '37 had the benefit of more 'Steel Company'-like training, as well as the presence of a few Great War veterans in the ranks, albeit that they were no better equipped in the main than the units that preceded them.

You're quite valid using either list in short, so see which works for you... quantity does have a quality of its own comrade!     

[H.M.Stanley]

Thank you gentlemen. Quick Q - at this point would the 5th be uniformed, in a fashion, or dress like the Peoples Militia?

I'm homing in on a list for the campaign using the flags I have available [grin]

[scrivs]

Thank you chaps for all your kind comments.

My truck is from Force of Arms, as James says his are a mix.

We do plan to use 'At the Sharp End' for the basis of the campaign and I have sketched out a rough map and some objectives. I'll get them posted on the blog as soon as I can - at least in the next couple of weeks so we can be ready for kick-off.

Of course, James has now got less than a fortnight to decide which faction he wants to use in the campaign. We can both do a Republican and Nationalist faction so hopefully once the first campaign is over, we can turn it around and start again.

James and I are also doing a SCW CoC game at Partizan II in Newark on 7th September, pop over and say hello if you get the chance.

[Arlequín]

Thank you gentlemen. Quick Q - at this point would the 5th be uniformed, in a fashion, or dress like the Peoples Militia?

Yes they were, but probably not in the way you're thinking... initially it was blue one-piece monos or bibbed overalls over (usually) white shirts with army issue khaki, or preferably air service blue gorillos, along with the ubiquitous red scarf. At some point a khaki one piece mono with a matching gorillo came into use and eventually they were wearing pre-war uniforms or the new EPR types.

Men within a company would look similar, but not to the degree that they were identical. The same colour scheme would be followed within a unit, but with variations.

The 'ideal' everyone was going for was this;



... but the norm was more like this;



Obviously once in the field the 'uniform' appearance would degrade too and before long I'd imagine they looked little different to the rest of the militia.

[former user]

how are they raising their right arm? what am I missing or not knowing here?

[paul c]

They are giving the anti-fascist salute.