Battle of Quinto 1937 - Scenario

It was time to get one of my favourite collections out of the box and onto the table, the Spanish Civil War is one of the most interesting and complex of modern conflicts, it is without doubt one of the more popular here at Yarkshire Gamer.

Republican Air Raid on the town

The problem I do find is obtaining good large size scenarios, with SCW being a small period in terms of numbers of players there is limited support for gaming the era. There is a scenario book from Iron Ivan and the Crossfire Scenarios on the wonderful Steve's Balagan website. But these tend to be on a smaller scale than the ones I am looking for (12 x 6 table and buckets of figures). So with little literature avaliable in English other than broad stroke histories, it take quite a bit of work to come up with a game idea and then work it through to a playable scenario.

Carlist Command guarding the Church

Historical Background 

The Battle of Quinto occurred between 24th and 26th August 1937 and was part of the larger Republican Offensive refered to today as the Battle of Belchite. It is probably recognised mostly in the English speaking world as British and American Infantry from the International Brigades were involved in the assault on the town.

I was able to locate a PDF of a study of the Battle via a request for help on TMP http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=472371

Nationalist Anti Tank Gun arrives on the table

The above map (randomly found on the internet so apologies no credit) gives a really good over view of the Battlefield, in fact if you look at the town today on Google Earth you can make out the main features detailed above.

My plan was to recreate the main features of the map on a 12 x 6 table and approximate the Republican Attack using the figures at our disposal.

Table Set Up

The photo above show the table from the rear left of the Nationalist position, you can see the train line that runs through the town with the train station nearest the camera, the hill in front of the station is representative of the Purburel, the smaller hill behind it the Las Eras.

A view straight down the table, Republican forces attack left to right, the Nationalist positions are along the line of the Purburel across Las Eras and then into the town, Cemetery and Church. Areas of scrub are random, wooded areas are estimates.

The far end of the table, looking across the Cemetery into the Nationalist area and the main built up area of Qunito.

The Cemetery was one of the main features on the Battlefield, I can only assume that it is the same structure that exists today, it's a big walled area and would have made a strong defensive position. The pieces of the Cemetery were purchased from 4ground and came ready painted, some lovely detail on the grave stones, apologies they don't do Spanish inscriptions.

Rules

Event Cards and Cash

We use our own modified version of Disposable Hero's, a set of rules from Iron Ivan, they have just gone into a second edition but we are happy with our own version so will be sticking with them. I was first draw to the set as they had a scenario book and a Spanish Civil War supplement both of which are excellent in terms of both providing information about the conflict and adding addition period flavour to the basic rules.

Hispano Suiza Armoured Car

The core rules are great, very easy to grasp and give good results however we preferred our own activation system using Card based unit activation. To add more colour I added random event cards (examples above) and then finally I added a cash based reinforcement and ammunition system which uses some old Spanish Currency I bought off the internet.

Nationalist Forces

Nationalist Aircraft with top secret Pilot Invisibility Cloak 

The town of Quinto is initially lightly held with only two units of Infantry, clever use of reinforcements will be needed to defeat the Republican Attack. A simple task, hold the town.

Carlist Company 1 HQ Section of 4 figures inc Standard Bearer and 3 Platoons each with 8 figures including 1 Sgt all armed with Rifles.

Falange Company organised as above.

The Carlists set up in the Cemetery and town whilst the Falange set up on the Las Eras / Purburel line.

A Carlist Platoon holding the Cemetery

Below is a list of the troop type stats, if you don't play DH, 4 is an Average Shoot / Fight value whilst the Morale figures are higher number, better.

                   Shoot         Fight   Morale Private    NCO   Officer
Falange          4                4                   5                    6           8
Carlist            4                 5                  5                    7            9
Civil Guard   5                 4                  6                    8           10
Military         5                 4                  5                    7            9

Nationalist Reinforcements 

I developed a "cash" based reinforcement system for our games. Each player rolls a certain number of d10 (Scenario dependent) per turn, a roll of 6 - 10 gains the player 10 Pesetas to spend on new additions.

For this game the Nationalist Forces have two players, each recieves 8d10 in the first turn and then 3d10 turn 2, 4d10 turn 3, 3d10 turn 4, then 4d10 etc

The only restriction on purchasing is that if you start to buy a Company you have to buy all of it (including Command before starting to purchase a new Company, other weapons and tanks can be bought at any time including mid Company.

Nationalist Infantry at Quinto Station

Avaliable units are:

2 Companies of Carlist Infantry organised as above, platoon and command are 20 Pesetas each (80 for a company).
1 Company of Civil Guard organised as above, platoon and command are 30 Pesetas each.
3 Companies of Nationalist Infantry organised as above but with 1 LMG per Platoon at 25 Pesetas per Platoon.

Panzer I

Also avaliable are the following,

Ammunition at 10 Pesetas for 5 rounds or 5 Pesetas for 1d4 rounds
1 Dynamitaero with unlimited ammo 20 Pesetas
1 Truck 20 Pesetas
Light Mortar and crew (2inch) 35 Pesetas
HMG and crew 40 Pesetas
Heavy Mortar (81mm) and Crew 50 Pesetas
Armoured Car or Anti Tank Gun 55 Pesetas
75mm Field Gun and crew or Light Tank 60 Pesetas

Our commanders are limited to those figures avaliable in the box, some of which are generic for both sides and are bought on a first come first served basis.

All purchases have their move card added to the game deck at the point of purchase and arrive on table on the first turn of their card.

Republican Hispano Suiza Armoured Car

Republican Forces

This battle is mostly known outside Spain as both the American and British Battalions of the International Brigades (amongst others) took part in the attack and therefore is mentioned in English Language texts on the period.

The Republican objective is simple, capture the town and get a move on doing it before the Nationalist Forces build up.

Republican Forces advance under heavy fire

To begin the game the Republicans begin with 1 Company of Assaltos and 2 Companies of International Brigades each supported by a T 26 Tank, the three columns enter the table on turn 1, the first opposite the Purburel, the second opposite Las Eras and the third opposite the Cemetery.

The troop stats for the Republicans are,

                                            Shoot      Fight  Morale Private NCO Officer
International Brigades       5              4                         6          8        10
Assaltos                                  5              5                         6          8        10
Poum Militia                         3              3                         4          6         7

Republican Reinforcements 

For this game the Republicans have 3 players, each player rolls 8d10 at the start of the game and 4d10 per turn during the game, generating money to spend on reinforcements as described in the Nationalist section above.

3 Companies of International Brigades at 20 Pesetas per Platoon
3 Companies of Assaltos at 25 Pesetas per Platoon
8 Companies of POUM Militia at 15 Pesetas per Platoon

A burning T26 not a good sign for the Republican Attack 

Also avaliable are the following,

Ammunition at 10 Pesetas for 5 rounds or 5 Pesetas for 1d4 rounds
1 Dynamitaero with unlimited ammo 20 Pesetas
1 Truck 20 Pesetas
Light Mortar and crew (2inch) 35 Pesetas
HMG and crew 45 Pesetas
Heavy Mortar (81mm) and Crew 50 Pesetas
Armoured Car or Anti Tank Gun 55 Pesetas
75mm Field Gun and crew or Light Tank 60 Pesetas
T26 Tank 70 Pesetas

Again the above is limited to what is avaliable at the time in the YG collection.

So there we have the set up for the game, I will be back shortly with an AAR.

28mm Italian Wars Papal Guard

It's been a three months since I added to the new Italian Wars Project and after the big push for the Analogue Hobbies Winter Paint Challenge (which the Papal Army won the Challenge Choice Award 😁) my painting output has slowed down dramatically. But after years of painting I know it will come back, I have a new job at work so stress levels are lowering and the figure output is starting to rise again.

Now before the purists have a heart attack, I know this is a later uniform than the Italian Wars, I was lucky enough to see the painting "The Mass at Bolsena" 1514 Raphael, on my trip to the Vatican so I know what that depiction looks like but honestly who can resist the modern blue, yellow and red uniform of the Guard.

So I totally agree it's a bit of a fantasy unit but I bet you it will easily be the most recognisable unit in my army. Just need a 28mm Pope figure for it to Guard now !

The figures are 28mm scale from TAG (The Assault Group) who sell a Papal Guard pack which form the bulk of the unit, I've added some of their Italian Command figures (and a rogue Perry Figure after the new dog ate one of the TAG figures !) To make up the 24 figures of the unit.

The figures are equipped with Polearms and will make a pretty ferocious unit on the table. Flags are as always from Pete's Flags.

Next up for the Italian Wars Project will be a unit of shot whilst I also have some 1/2400 WW1 ships on the go.

A Little Touch of Leipzig (in the night)

Apologies for the obscure 70s music reference ! Some of you may recall that we started to delve back into the wonderful world of 15mm Napoleonic gaming recently after I finally put together my Quarrie / GdeB mash up rules. A rerun of Albuera ensued recently and that went quite well so it was time for a second go with the "new" rules. We decided to move away from the Peninsula and try some Central European action to see how those armies performed. I will put a link to the rule amendments at the end of the post.

Italian Light Infantry masquerading as Young Guard

I picked the 1813 Dolitz & Probstheyda Scenario from the Napoleonic Scenarios 2 book from Partizan Press, avaliable below,

https://www.caliverbooks.com/Partizan Press/partizan_NS.shtml

An excellent set of scenario books perfect for any rule set. Even with over 6,000 15mm figures for the period I had to make some compromises as I have no Austrians and no French Guard, so my Italian Guard and Russians had a run out instead.

Historical Background 

We will all be familiar with the background of the Battle of Nations and this game represents a small section of that battle, the centre of Napoleons positions in the South of the battlefield to be precise. The game represents the Allied attack of the 18th October and is a simple attack and defend scenario.

Russian Cuirass

Set Up 

12 x 6 table with the Allies marching on the table on move 1 from the left, as viewed in the photos below,

Allies March On

From the French Lines

A fairly straightforward battlefield, there is a line of two villages and a farm along the centre of the table, Dolitz, furthest from the camera, Dosen in the centre and then the Meusdorf Farm. The Farm and Dolitz each had a small wood adjacent to their left flank. On the far side of the table there is another wood and the edge of a steam.

The rear of the French Line is dominated by a ridge line on which the village of Probstheyda is located (green copper spire church) with a fifth and final village, Lossing, which is level with Probstheyda and behind Dolitz.

French Infantry in Dosen

French Orbat

For general stats see the Quarrie / GdeB mash up rules post below, any variations on the standard charts to reflect the lower standard of some of the French units is noted below.

C in C - Murat

Augereau - IX Corps
Brigade Sierawski - 3 x Polish Line Battalions (2 x 36 figs and 1 x 32 figs) and 1 6pdr Polish Foot Battery. Set up between Dolitz and the stream.
Brigade Lagarde - 2 x Legere Battalions (36 , 30) and 2 x Ligne Battalions, both 36, both -1 on standard French Morale. 1 x 8pdr Foot Artillery. Set up in and around Dolitz.
Brigade Semele - 1 x 36 Fig Legere Battalion, 2 x Ligne Battalions 1 x 36 and 1 x 30, the 30 man unit is a- 2 on Morale. 1 x 8pdr Foot Artillery.
Brigade Sulkowski - 1 x 18 man Polish Uhlan Regt and 1 x 6pdr Polish Horse Art.

Probstheyda

Victor - II Corps
Brigade Dubreton - 1 x 36 Legere Battalion, 3 x Ligne Battalions 2 x 36 and 1 x 30 (also -1 morale). 1 x 6pdr Foot Artillery. Set up in and around Dosen.
Brigade Dufour - 1 x 36 Ligne, 1 x 30 Ligne, 1 x 30 Legere and 1 x 24 Ligne (-1 Morale). Set up around the Farm.
Brigade Corbineau - 1 x 18 Hussars, 1 x 6pdr Horse Art. Set up between Dosen and the Farm.

French Cuirass

Oudinot  - Guard Corps (all in Reserve behind ridge, activated the turn after one of the front villages is either assaulted or fired on by musketry.
Brigade Pacthod - 4 x 32 Young Guard, 8pdr Foot Artillery
Brigade Curial - Italian Guard Grenadiers, Italian Guard Fusiliers both 30 figs, Italian Guard Velites 32 Figs, Italian Guard Foot Artillery 12pdr.
Brigade Bouresoulle - 3 x 24 Fig Cuirassier, 1 x 24 Dragoon (inferior mounts)

On a roll of 12 on initiative - Napoleon arrives anywhere on the French baseline escorted by 1 x 24 Guard Lancer and 1 x 24 Guard Chasseur.

Italian Guard on the ridge

Allied Army

C in C Schwarzenberg (remember Russian troops have been substituted in for Austrians)

Hesse Homburg - move on table opposite Dolitz
Brigade Roth - 3 x 48 Fig Russian Infantry Battalions one with -1 morale. 3 x 36 Fig Russian Infantry Battalions one with -1 morale. 1 x 6pdr Prussian Foot Artillery.
Brigade Mezentzov- 1 x 48 Fig Russian Infantry Battalion, 2 x 36 Fig Russian Infantry Battalions both with -1 morale. 1 x 30 figure Prussian Landwher, 1 x 6pdr Prussian Foot Artillery.
Brigade Vassov - 1 x 36 Fig Russian Grenadier Battalion, -1 morale. 2 x 16 Fig Prussian Hussar one with + 1 morale and 1 x 6pdr Prussian Horse Art.

Cossacks in a wood, what a surprise 

Gorchakov - move on table opposite Dosen
Brigade Grenadier - 4 x 32 Grenadier Battalions, 2 Prussian, 2 Russian. 1 x 6pdr Prussian Foot Artillery
Brigade Laelin - 1 x 24 Russian Guard Cuirass, 1 x 24 Russian Cuirass
Brigade Larkov - 2 x 24 Russian Cuirass

Russian Infantry Battalions attack

Barclay move on table opposite the Farm
Brigade Pirch  - 1 x 32 Prussian Fusilier (+1 morale), 1 x 32 Prussian Musketeer, 2 x 24 Reserve Prussian Infantry, 2 x 24 Prussian Landwher.
Brigade Von Kluse - 1 x 32 Prussian Fusilier (+1 morale), 1 x 32 Prussian Musketeer, 2 x 24 Prussian Reserve Infantry, 2 x 24 Prussian Landwher, 1 x Prussian Foot Artillery, 1 x 16 Landwher Cavalry.
Brigade Oldenkop - 5 x 32 Fig Russian Infantry Battalions (2 are -1 morale) and 1 Russian Position Battery
Brigade Zilowski  - 1 x 24 Russian Uhlan, 1 x 18 Russian Hussar, 1 x Russian Horse Artillery.

Prussian Reserve Infantry on the move

How did we get on 

We actually played through the scenario twice and it was quite an interesting experience having a go at a Central European battle after the Albuera Peninsula game. National Characteristics definitely give each army a personality and once you become aware of its strengths you start to alter your tactics to those of that nation, something I have been after in a game for a long time.

1st shot 6 gun battery, low ammo !

Normally I let the photos follow the story of the game but on this occasion they are a bit random, one because we played through twice and secondly because I was too busy taking notes about the rules rather than what was happening in the games.

Prussian Infantry attacking the Farm

In game 1 the match was over pretty quickly, the attack on Dolitz was a bloody affair with the Russians failing to gain any headway against the village and the Polish Infantry who had formed a line behind the stream. It wasn't long before the attacking Russians were streaming back to the baseline.

Another view of the Prussian attack on the Farm

In the centre the Allies sat there and got shot ! The Russian Guard Cuirass ended up retiring off the table without moving forward at all. That woke the rest of the troops up and there was a glorious charge against a gun line (see top photo) at the end of that game.

Waiting to go again in game 2

The Farm side of the table ground to a stalemate fairly quickly, the attack started on the Farm but all the French Heavy Cavalry came out to play, putting the Prussian Infantry in square ending any movement. With all the Russians running away at the end of our first session we decided just to reset and go again. I made a couple of changes to the orbat (the French started with the Guard Cavalry in game 1). Overall an easy Victory for the French in our first run through.

French Infantry in Dosen

Another aspect of game 1 was the atrocious dice rolling of the Allies (including myself) the double one for the Russian Artillery in the photo above was just the start, we have all had it, those days where you can't roll over 5 on 2 d6 until you need to roll low when you roll a double 6 !

French in the Farm

Game 2 went on for a lot longer (3 sessions) and was a much closer affair. We realised that we had been allowing too many people to shoot out of built up areas which made the approach to the villages a bit easier and the removal of the Guard Cavalry made the French player a little bit more cautious.

Attack on Dolitz in Game 2

The Russian attack on Dolitz was more sustained and they had a good deal of success against the French in the wood near the village, however the downfall this time was the Polish on the flank who pushed home their own attack in support of the village, there were some further shocking die rolls by the Russians but all in all a much closer battle.

French Cavalry mass behind the lines

In the centre the Allies wisely stayed out of range of the French Artillery, this time the French Cavalry massed behind the lines in the centre of the table but it all ended up with a lot of posturing. The Allies never got a clear run at a target whilst the French kept failing command rolls and remained on Hold orders behind the central village.

Cossacks skirmishing against Young Guard

The area around the Farm got a bit more fruity this time, this time the Russian Infantry led the attack, one thing we have quickly learnt is there is no point messing about firing Russian Infantry, get them stuck in as soon as you can. A battle raged over the woods adjacent to the Farm and the French sent two units of Young Guard to hold the line.

Prussian Infantry supporting the Russian attack

The Russians attacking the Farm failed to charge but those in the wood unceremoniously dumped the Young Guard out of the cover and into the path of a waiting Russian Hussar unit.

End of the Young Guard

The French committed the Italian Guard to hold the line in that area, the Allies had turned the flank but the new line at a right angle anchored on Probstheyda was pretty strong but was lacking Cavalry support.

We finished the game at this point entering a period of stalemate, the Allies had made more progress than before but had failed to get into the villages, with a bit more luck on dice rolls we could have got into the front line of built up areas but I don't think there is enough to get into the rear towns, it also felt that the French had a lot of artillery and with the ridge line they could often get multiple batteries on one unit when needed.

Italian Guard coming to the rescue

Rules Development 

The original Quarrie / GdeB mash up rules post can be accessed below,

https://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.com/2018/10/quarrie-to-general-de-brigade.html

There is still some work to do to get them perfect but I am happy with the progress and it's given me a renewed interest in Napoleonic gaming (which was my first gaming period) after years of inactivity so that in itself is a huge positive.

General de Brigade makes it harder to get into contact than other rules but when you do melee is over quickly, usually in a single round and there is none of the enormous black holes pulling in multiple units into massive combats which last 3 plus turns like say Gilders which needs a change of mind set from players of those sets.

The magic floaty tree

We found getting into contact a real problem in this game which is interesting as that wasn't an issue in the Peninsula bash, maybe we were expecting the British to shoot units off ?

The main discussion point and change from the game was the +1 for infantry charging in column. Infantry now has a charging factor for melee and a confused factor when not. We found that a plus 1 on top of the Impact factor was too much but we needed to reflect the impetus of charging in column so the decision was to count the Impact factor as the charging column factor and add a -1 to the Impact when charging in any other formation. The exception being the British.

I hope to get at least one more Napoleonic Game in before Xmas, oh the joy of too many collections ! Next game, currently on table is Spanish Civil War.