Well, I posted this at Consimworld, Boardgame Geek and the Vassal site. I think I may not have any luck, but I’ll try here too:
Is anyone interested in a Vassal Campaign game of GMT’s The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939? One session a week over Skype or on Discord, or somessuch? Time zones and the like do not matter. I am EST in the US, but I can comport to anywhere on the globe. Opponents with a Southern European accent preferred, but not required!
Thanks,
Pat aka Navaronegun
I can’t play real time, but I might be willing to commit to a one turn per week forum game.
I took a quick look at the rules and it seems the sequence of play is really IgoUgo except for 2 things:
1- The event chit use during combat (and I think one other out of sequence event). We can probably figure out a pbforum procedure for combat rolls so that those chits can be used. The others don’t seem to be too common and can probably be called as we go.
2- The admin phase has three sub phases that should be played alternated between sides (although I think only III and IV are important game balance wise). If you want to do this the rules should be adapted so all these 3 phases are done sequentially per side as to make the game advance faster. This will slightly change the balance to favor the side going last, but I don’t think it’s too important and will greatly improve the procedure.
So yeah, I could be interested in this. You get a longer game (I estimate 5-6 months including some summer delay, maybe less if it goes faster than 1 turn per week) and you miss my thick accent :P. Plus we generate some cool forum content on the process.
Also, if we do this I wouldn’t be comfortable playing the Nationalists for personal reasons.
Juan, PMing you. I will miss your thick accent. Soy contento con los cruzadores in la guerra (el juego,anyway…)…
Pat (ricio?)
Looking forward to this. Please include pics. Can we bet on who will win?
-Tom
It is a game of skill not a game of chance…I believe it is legal in most states. You’ll need a chain-smoking bookie, however. Preferably with one eye.
Ok, I think it is better to continue the rule discussion here so that people who will follow this have some access to our decision loop.
So far we have decided to use the two optional rules for play-by-email in the rulebook (or at least a version of these). This makes the two movement and combat phases a breeze.
Things left to decide:
1- We need to decide how to tackle the administrative phase. After reading the rules more carefully, making the republicans go first on all three important phases will make it really hard to react to Nationalist planning and defend properly. The Nationalist combat advantages make breakthroughs more likely and giving them the initiative this way probably means the Republicans should not use reserves almost at all or risk being pocketed, since the Nationalist will be able to concentrate forces against weak points without the Republicans being able to react. Without the combat disadvantage I would not think too much of this, but the implications could be major given the disparity, and really change the flow of the game (which worries me more than balance). Since the admin phase is probably fast to play (no dice rolling), we might want to allow for a slower game and keep the intended sequence after all. Thoughts?
2- Many optional rules on the playbook. Should we incorporate them? None feels too complex.
Ok, heads up. The rulebook on GMT’s site is version 3.0 but the playbook is version 2.0. This makes the campaign weird since the Republicans can never mobilize (the 20 morale level required for mobilization in the 3.0 rulebook is way below the Nationalist victory level).
BGG has version 3.0 of the playbook, and we should use it.
It has even more optional rules…
1.) Keep Admin Phase as is-Concur, resolved. You and I seem pretty responsive, shouldn’t be an issue.
2.) 3.0 is fine.
3)Optional Rules-Unlike some people I know (looking at you, @brooski …) I love optional rules that enhance historicity and color, or expand player choice in a way that allows for a more historical “choice panoply and mindset”.
For instance, I am playing SCS’s Yom Kippur game in Suez '73. Historically, the Egyptians never moved the SAMs and HQs beyond the immediate area of the canal. But the Israelis didn’t know that, and Sadat didn’t even let his commanders know if he wanted a deep thrust or grab and hold in the offensive. So I prefer the optional rule that allows that; placing both players in the most historical position and mindset. Without sacrificing balance (the above option required an Egyptian VP penalty at game start). In that optional rule example, it added to Historicity, added suspense, and increased both player choices. So let’s have at it and nug these out, one by one.
I’ll negotiate like the Head of State! /At Hen-daye! On a Sun-day!-Negotiate, Cruzado Rap Party 2 Axis Hullabaloo, 1940
Ok, so let’s use optional rules.
We can’t use Optional Republican Sudden-Death Victory since we have decided sides. Most of the other rules are either Neutral or favor Republicans, but they are pretty minor overall, with several unlikely to see play, while there are three (infiltration movement, larger large battles and withdrawing units) are much major and favor Nationalists, so in my ignorance it seems like a full compliment of optional rules should pretty much even out stuff balance-wise.
Sounds good. My favorites:
16.2.5 The Russians Are Coming
The first time in a game a Republican tank brigade or 4-Combat
Factor air unit supports any combat, defensive or offensive,
thatcombat receives an odds shift in the Republican’s favor.
Combined with the muy mal shift for the Italians, neat little accurate chrome
16.2.9 Republican Rigid Planning
This optional rule replaces the rule that Republican units moving
in the exploitation phase have only 1/2 of their movement
factors (14.1.1). Instead, at the start of each Republican exploitation
phase after releasing any reserves (12.1.4), the Republican
player rolls 1D6.
• On a 1 – 2, no Republican units may move or attack in the
exploitation phase
• On a 3 – 4, all Republican units move as per 14.1.1 (i.e., 1/2
movement)
• On a 5 – 6, all Republican units may move with full movement
factors.
If the die roll is a 3 or 4, Republican units using march movement
(13.11) may only use their printed movement factors during the
exploitation movement segment, not double factors. If the die
roll is a 5 or 6, regular march movement rules apply. No march
movement is allowed on a die roll of 1 or 2.
Increases the unpredictability of Republican exploitation based on rigid doctrine. This actually is a much better effect and representation of that then just halving movement.
16.2.1 HQ Reconnaissance
Starting on Game Turn 14 (May – Jun 1938), the Republican HQ units may perform reconnaissance of
enemy stacks.
Historical Note: This rule simulates the newly created guerrilla units that were attached to every
Army HQ during the Spring of 1938.
Procedure: the Republican player selects a Nationalist stack within two hexes of one of his
HQ units, and rolls a die (1D6). On a roll of one, the reconnaissance was successful: the
Nationalist player must tell the Republican player the total defensive combat factors of the
Nationalist units in that hex.
The Republican Player may make one reconnaissance die roll
(1D6) per HQ per Game Turn.
Rules that simulate reconnaissance or intelligence functions are always a great thing. Its done so rarely.
The Reconnaissance rule has the problem we would have to have fog of war active, which I think is not possible. But in general I like the low impact the chrome has here. It’s there but most of it is dependent on a particular situation or die roll.
The Republican Rigid planning does not seem like chrome, but as a balance adjustment of sorts.
Ok, so I propose the operational phase procedure to be:
1- Receive the turn file.
2- Start a log and move all units.
3- Declare all combats in a post here, indicating:
4- Then the defender will declare HQ and chit support.
5- Then the attacker rolls the dice resolvinig attacks in the order he prefers and executing any breakthrough movement. Of course posting here botht he dierolls and the results of the attacks.
This way it’s only three posts per operational phase (attacker-defender-attacker). Balance shifts slightly to the defender when compared to the standard procedure, but feels close enough.
Well, he is also trying with Rigid planning to express an effect that he had baked into the system earlier, in what I think is a more elegant way. A more nuanced mechanism.
I like the sequence. Phasing Player, Reaction, Phasing Player.
More swingy, too, which is fine and does indeed make planning ahrder (instead of planning for slower movement, which is indeed less thematic).
I get the feeling the game was a little too pro-Republican initially.
It looks like they had to balance it a bit. On all the rules, anything that spices up the SPI “Move, Attack and Exploit with ZOCs” formula is a good thing. These do and make it feel more like the Spanish Civil War, not an Operational level game in Spain…
It’s on!
REPUBLICAN SETUP - July 1936
Despite the certainty that a military uprising was coming, the Republic failed not only to prevent it, but to even prepare on the slightest for it. It fell on the Unions to actually arm their members and fight back as the news of the coup spread.
Which means the situation is a mess and I have no idea how to defend this:
Specially these Colonial units, which are probably the only professional soldiers with any experience on the map.
And they are not on my side…
My side is those 0 strength units.
Oh well, this might be a learning experience.
I guess this means I need to start putting electron counters on electron maps, mas rapido.
El pasado día 15, a las 4 de la mañana, Elena dió a luz un hermoso niño.
On the 15th, at 4 o’clock in the morning, Elena gave birth to a beautiful child,
–Coded telegram sent by General Emilio Mola Vidal to the other conspiring Army commanders communicating the date and time of the Coup d’Etat against the Republic
I’ll have my setup to you (and up here) by 8 PM EST Monday 14 May.--Mola
Well, it’s one thing to signal a Coup, but the Military Situation is a mess. Since Comrade @Juan_Raigada showed the whole map at start up there, I’ll discuss Nationalist goals and problems in some highlighted areas.
Area 1 - The North
The Out of Supply Guys are the “OG”…not Original Gangsters, but the Oviedo Garrison (we’ll meet the Original Gangsters later…). They are in danger of being in Town Supply only, cut off and eliminated. Colonel Antonio Aranda is in command there; an experienced and tough commander from the Rif War in Morocco (ignore the paunch and spectacles…). The town needs to be relieved and brought into supply. Other than that, we need to contain Basque country and seize advantageous terrain for the long haul.
Colonel Aranda, seen here hoping his belt can be loosened a bit.
Area 2 - Aragon
So there is a minor problem, and a big problem in Aragon. The minor problem is that the 4,000 odd men under Colonel Muñoz Castellanos in Teruel are in danger of being surrounded and separated from the Main Nationalist Forces in the Area.
The larger issue is that multiple columns in front of Zaragoza, that whole group of columns to the North of Teruel, are in danger of being isolated.I may need to fall back to the West or maybe the Southwest to consolidate the whole force in the area.
Soldiers in Teruel rush to repel a reconnaissance in force by a Republican Column of Carabineers and Assault Guards led by Colonel Fernández Bujanda of the Carabineers.
Area 3 - The Prize
The prize is the Alcazar. The Alcázar of Toledo is a stone fortification located in the highest part of the city and is the military academy for infantry. It has been used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century and was restored under Charles I and his son Philip II of Spain in the 1540s. Colonel José Moscardó Ituarte and a few hundred cadets, paramilitary forces
and volunteers. are isolated here, bravely holding out while under siege by Communists and other atheist rabble. It’s relief will aid Nationalist Morale and hurt Republican Morale. I’ll move in with local forces and grab it if I can.
Colonel Moscardó Ituarte takes time out to entertain the youngest cadet at the Academy.
Area 4 - The Veterans
These are the Fuerzas Regulares Indígenas, “Regulares” and the Spanish Legion, La Legión, informally known as the Tercios, who comprise the Army of Africa commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Juan Yagüe y Blanco. The Original Gangsters. These men, from the Army of Africa, were ferried from Spanish Morocco to Sevilla by German transport planes on the express orders of Adolf Hitler and at the request of General Franco, in command in the South. There the Army of Africa (the Brown 5-5-5 unit) joined other troops under the command of General Gonzalo Queipo de Llano. These men are fantastic, but must secure these areas infested by Anarchist, terrorist rabble before moving on to, likely Toledo and maybe Madrid.
Hermann Göring’s taxi service.
Hopefully tomorrow, I’ll get some moves out and we can start the action!
