Armoured Counter-attack
South of Galdakao, Basque Country, June 13 1937
This is the third game in a linked mini-campaign representing the desperate fighting south of Bilbao in June 1937. I highly recommend readers first read my historic background:
https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2026/06/breaking-iron-belt-spain-june-1937.html
The first game scenario and AAR:
https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2026/06/pateando-la-puerta-scw-june-1937.html
Second Game:
https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2026/06/desperate-counter-attack-scw-1937.html
For a more complete understanding of what is and has happened.
This is another semi-fictional battle using what I have available to try and create an interesting game.
Historic background
The Francoists have broken through the Cinturón de Hierro (Iron Belt), they found a weak point around the town of Larrabetzu and have columns moving through the gap. One such column has been seen moving along the road towards Galdakao, where there are several bridges across the Ibaizabal River. Once they cross this river the enemy will have an open road to Bilbao, a scratch armoured column has been gathered together and ordered south to smash the Francoist column and give time for an organised defence of the city.
Francoist Orders
You command a mixed column with orders to advance quickly north from Larrabetzu to Galdakao and seize the vital bridges over the Ibaizabal River there. Your command consists of infantry from your Navarre Brigade, motorised in trucks with some armoured cars, tanks and towed guns.
Francoist Column
German Armour Car Platoon
SDKFZ231, SDKFZ15
Mixed Legion Tank Platoon
PzI, T26 (ex-Republican), Towed 37mm AT gun & crew
Carlist infantry bandera
HQ (truck), 2 rifle companies (3 trucks each), Support weapons platoon (truck)
Italian tank company
3 x CV33, CV33w/flame-thrower
Towed 75mm battery
Basque Orders
You command a mixed column, scratched together from retreating units with the orders to proceed south towards Larrabetzu and attack any and all Francoist forces you encounter! You must at all costs prevent the enemy from getting to Galdakao before the tactically vital bridges over the Ibaizabal River can be blown, which once done would considerably slow the enemy’s advance towards Bilbao.
Basque Column
Armoured car platoon
Bilbao A/C, Fa1 A/C
Mixed tank company
1 x T26, 4 x Ft17 (2 with 37mm, 2 with Mgs)
Regular Infantry company
HQ + 3 platoons in Tiznao armoured trucks
Mixed motorised company with:
HQ plus 1 x MMG, 1 x 80mm mortar (all in a truck), 2 Militia platoons (carried in bus)
Assault Guard platoon in armoured truck
Towed 75mm battery
Game concept
Basically this is an encounter battle with both sides driving across the table towards one-another, whilst the Basque commander is aware of the Francoist column he has no idea of their size or strength. The Francoist commander is expecting resistance to his drive, but has no idea this will come in the shape of a motorised column with tanks!
In order to make things more interesting I have decided to randomise the forces arrival on each table edge after Turn 1, when the armoured car platoons of each side enter at the start of the game.
On Turn 4 each side rolls a dice for what unit arrives next:
Rebel/Francoist
1-2 mixed Legion tank company
1-4 Carlist Infantry Bandera
1-6 Italian tank company
Basque/Republicans
1-2 mixed tank company
3-4 Tiznao company
5-6 Mixed infantry company
On Turn 8 each side roles again but replacing whatever unit has already been rolled with a towed 75mm battery
Turn 10 roll again, but this time on a roll on 1-2 no reinforcements arrive!
Turn 12 as above, except no reinforcements arrive if a 1 is rolled!
Turn 14 all remaining unused units (if any) arrive this turn
My Table
Turn 1 both armoured car units enter the table
Now as it happens neither side could spot the other (due to the terrain and winding road) until the end of turn 4 when both sides also rolled for reinforcements – the Francoists got an Italian tank company, the Basques a Militia company.
Turn 5 with the spirt of the old cavalry both armoured car units advance towards each other, the reinforcements move along the road.
Turn 6 the armoured cars are now close enough to fire on one-another to no effect.
Special game rule: MGs have AP ammunition and the ability to damage lightly armoured vehicles (if they roll high enough for effect), early armoured cars only had 6 – 7mm armour, the 231 had 14.5mm in the front, and the Bilbao 10mm, even the CV33 only had 14mm and Pz IA had only 13mm).
The reinforcements continue to approach.
Turn 6 Both sides armoured cars pepper their opposition to little effect, even the 231`s 20mm fails to penetrate the Bilbao!
The reinforcements continue to move, but the Basques can see the armoured cars at the end of the move.
Turn 7 an astounding turn of bad dice!! The Fa1 rolls double 1 and as per our house rule it`s MG jams! Then the Bilbao also rolls double 1! Things are looking good for the Francoists until the 231 also rolls double 1!! This leaves only the Kfz15 firing, which fails to damage anything.
The Italian tanks are still advancing, the Basque militia advance to a position they can deploy from their transport.
Turn 8 The Kfz15 continues firing ineffectually, everyone else is trying to un-jam their weapons (all succeed).
The Italian tanks spot the armoured cars and advance to contact.
The Militia begin to deploy
Both sides dice for reinforcements, both roll a 6 and both sides get a towed `75 battery!
Turn 9 The Italians are advancing towards the armoured car melee, the rest of the militia deploy from their bus
The Bilbao rolls a magnificent 11 for effect and damages the 231, the Fa1 rolls a 12 and knocks out the Kfz15 (I rule the crew are killed or wounded); in return (we always consider firing simultaneous) the Kfz15 roles an 11 and damages the Fa1! The militia 80mm mortar fires a bomb towards the 231 which lands in front and causes damage knocking it out!
Turn 10 the militia continue their deployment, the lead Italian tanks attack the Bilbao their concentrated fire plus rolls of 10 & 11 knock out the last armoured car!
Both sides roll for reinforcements, both sides get a tank company
Turn 11 the Italian tanks advance past the burning armoured cars towards the deploying militia, they are surprised by a concealed MMG on overwatch, which rolls a wonderful 12 and knocks out the lead vehicle! Return fire from the second CV33 takes one of the crew, but the Basque 80mm presonally directed by the company CO lays a bomb dead on target and knocks out the second tankette too!
The Republican towed battery leaves the road to deploy
Turn 12 The remaining Italian tankettes fail a morale check and retreat! The Francoist battery is now in sight of the battle and moves off road to deploy (a militia mortar round fired at the lead vehicle falls short). The Republican battery begins to deploy, both tank companies move along the road.
Both sides dice for reinforcements, both sides get their remaining troops.
Vehicles of 1st Carlist company
Turn 13 Open with the Republican mortar firing again at the Francoist battery which is moving to set-up. A direct hit on the second truck led to a catastrophic explosion taking the truck, gun and crew with it!
The Republican `75 battery brackets the now visible enemy T-26 but two near misses cause no damage.
Turn 14 the Francoist T-26 accelerates forward out from under the incoming `75 shells, it comes face-to-face with a Republican T-26, they exchange fire, neither causes damage.
The Republican mortar re-directs against the deploying Francoist `75 (miss), but the gun crew come under LMG fire and lose a man.
The Republican `75 battery fires again on the section of road already bracketed, the shells land smack across the retreating Italian CV33s, a direct hit on the CV33 flame-thrower - which blows up!! and a near miss covering both the last CV33 and a Panzer I – both of which are damaged!
The first Tisnao platoon arrives at the Republican front line and stops to deploy.
Turn 15 The two T-26s again exchange fire to little effect, the Francoist `75 fires at the approaching militia but only causes a single casualty! The return fire fails to cause any casualties due to the gun shield (hard cover), the Republican mortar again fails for hit its target. The Republican `75s continue to target the road, this forces the first Carlist company to drive off road so they can deploy in cover.
The 1st Tiznao platoon deploys
Turn 16 The 1st Carlist company deploys
The Francoist `75 wipes out the militia LMG team, but the Republican mortar is this time on target and takes one man, small arms fire from the militia take another which leaves the gun with only one man and unable to operate.
The T-26s exchange fire, again failing to do damage, but the Republican `75 battery targets the Francoist tank and wipes it out!
The Carlist Bandera commander orders his 2nd company to move off road to flank what he thinks is a Republican defensive line.
With the last Francoist tank burning, the Republicans are all set for a counter-attack
The Carlist Bandera command moves forward to the center where their support weapons are deploying to hold any Republican counter-attack.
The Carlist 1st company moves out on the left side
Some militia move down to the last Francoist `75 to prevent its recapture
The Republican tanks advance down the road passing the damaged and burning Francoist armour, they are closely backed up by Tiznaos loaded with regulars.
Turn 18 the lead Ft17 is fired on by the Francoist 37mm (miss), the gun is spotted but the return fire is wide.
The Carlist support platoon deploys
The first element of the Carlist 2nd company arrives at its deployment position on the right, the 1st company moves forward on the left.
Turn 19 The 37mm hits and damages the Ft, but return fire from the Ft and the T-26 wipe out the gun and crew!
The Carlist 80mm mortar lobs a bomb at the T-26, near miss, no damage!
The Carlists on the left find themselves facing 2 Ft17 and take casualties!
The Carlists on the right deploy
Turn 20 Republican artillery targets an exposed Carlist platoon on the left but causes no casualties this turn
The T-26 and a Ft17 with 37mm fire HE at the Carlist support platoon, causing a couple of casualties and destroying a truck.
The Carlist mortar threw another bomb at the T-26 and damages it!
On the left the Carlists take more casualties from the Ft17s and are forced to take cover.
On the right the Carlist 2nd companys 1st platoon is caught crossing open ground by a well positioned militia platoon and takes casualties!
Turn 21 The Republican artillery lands a salvo right across the Carlist platoon, virtually wiping them out!
In the center the Carlist mortar inflicts a couple of casualties upon the Republican regulars, the Ft17 land a 37mm shell close to the mortar and takes two of its crew!
The other Carlist platoons on the right take further casualties from the Ft17s, one breaks and runs!
On the left, two Carlist platoons engage the militia whilst the 3rd platoon tries to flank them, in the exchange of fire both sides take casualties. The last Tiznao platoon moves to support the militia, this vehicle has a Maxim MMG.
Turn 22 in the center the Basque regulars are unable to advance due to the Carlist MMGs and mortar!
But the Republican artillery targets another exposed position and wipes it out! The Carlist support platoon must make a morale check due to casualties!
On the right the Ft17s now backed by militia and regulars advance against Carlist 1st company who need to make a morale check!
Turn 23 The Carlists are broken, and are in full retreat all across the table.
For now the Basques have halted the Francoist advance (at least this column), but at best this was a pyrrhic victory. We can assume the Rebels will call down heavy artillery and aircraft to blast the Basques out of the way.
Historically the city fell on June 19. The decision of the Basque government not to destroy the region’s important heavy industry meant that the rebels inherited it intact and quickly turned it to their own use.
Afterthought
An interesting game which may have happened differently depending on how the units arrived on the table.
The random aspect did throw up a few surprises, also the Basques were able to react quicker as they had better line-of-sight across the table. So once they knew where the Francoists were, they were able to form a solid defence line and bring fire to bear against them. The arrival of their artillery early, made a huge difference as did wiping out the opposition battery!
