Anderson, Rob/Gabiola, Javier Garcia de The Spanish Passion

A Wargamer's Guide to The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

Volume 28 of the Helion Wargames series. The Spanish Civil War was a complex conflict characterised by innovative tactics, new weapons and diverse political and social influences, and its legacy had a significant impact on the Second World War. The Spanish Civil War is often seen as a war between socialists and fascists, but this is not always the case. The people who lived in Spain in the 1930s were more than just left-wing or right-wing, and it is a misconception to pigeonhole them for the sake of simplicity. Spain at that time was not only a hotbed of political ideals, but also a place of religion and the old Spanish way of life. When the Republican government came to power, all these ideas were thrown into a melting pot, and the result was a modern war unlike anything that had ever been seen before. This war was seen as a testing ground for some of the major powers of the time, whose influence would come to bear again during the Second World War. Intensive bombing, tank tactics and new weapons were used on a scale previously unknown in Europe and were to determine the future. It was the scene of some terrible atrocities, surpassed only by the next great conflict. Many lessons were learned, including the deployment of large troop formations in a short period of time (the African Army to Spain by the Condor Legion and the Italian Air Force) and the defence of areas against modern weapons (the Republican Army around the University of Madrid). Tactics from the previous world war were also used, including trenches, which were used to halt the advance of troops and proved necessary even against more modern armies. As in any civil war, the uniforms on both sides were similar at the beginning of the conflict, apart from those of the international participants, but over time, differences emerged due to the aid provided by the sponsor countries. Together with these changes, the emergence of other armies in Spain led to a variety of different uniforms and weapons, which are included in the book. The war lasted just under three years, during which numerous major battles took place, which are regularly written about, but there were also many smaller skirmishes. Most of the smaller actions are suitable for limited-time wargames that can be played in a single session and offer players an achievable goal. Over the years, the gaming side of the Spanish Civil War has given us numerous figure manufacturers and, in addition, a wealth of information in English and other languages for anyone interested in this period to read and gather useful information.