A challenge for RetLT: Invasion of Spain

[wulfir]

BACKGROUND:

Following a British initiative designed to flank Festung Europa – an operation aimed against Spain is born. It is given the name Operation OXCART. The Americans have little interest in the sideshow effort they consider OXCART to be and while they provide some crucial forces to the operation it is really only made possible thanks to scraping the barrel for Commonwealth reinforcements. During the end of 43, start of 44 – the forces are slowly built up in French North Africa.

The idea is to stage an invasion from French North Africa against Spain and in doing so draw German forces from France into Spain weakening the crucial French sectors before Operation OVERLORD and ANVIL/DRAGON.

It is believed that the Spanish armed forces will only put up token resistance against an invasion and relatively quickly fold.

Much publicity is given to the build up of the British First Army in French North Africa in an effort draw attention away from France. This means the invasion has few chances of achieving surprise. Limited infrastructure in North Africa and shortage of allied landing craft, naval transport and surface escorts make the invasion impossible before OVERLORD – which is launched on June 6, 1944.

While the reason for OXCART is essentially over with OVERLORD being launched it is surprisingly still given the green light. Limited naval resources are provided in order to make a landing in Spain before OPERATION DRAGON is launched.

The forces assembled for OXCART look impressive on paper but many of the Commonwealth divisions are understrength due to manpower shortages.

[wulfir]

OPERATION OXCART OOB:

British First ARMY HQ

*US 13th Airborne Division
(High quality, full strength, Glider Regts only two Bn strong).

*British No 14 (Arctic) Commando
(High quality, Bn size)

*British 7th SAS Regiment
(HIgh quality, Bn size, jeep mounted light infantry)

*Norwegian Independent Brigade
(Mountain trained, released by the Norwegian government in exile for service in Spain after special request by Churchill.)

US Navy Construction Battalion ("Seebees")
(Not a combat formation but has the ability to build airfields, repair ports etc)

US IV Corps
*US 2nd Cavalry Division
(Made up of fleshed out garrison element, white officers leading black troops, no combat experience, full strength though with only two (infantry) brigades of two bn each)
*US 86th Infantry Division
(Average troops, full strength US Infantry Division, no combat experience)
*7th Canadian Division
(Average, infantry division, has only two infantry brigades, no combat experience)
*British 137th Armoured Brigade
(Average, equipped with Cromwell tanks, limited combat experience)
*Corps support troops
- US 499th Field Artillery Bn (155mm, towed)
- US 239th Engineer Combat Bn
- US 239th Anti-Aircraft Bn (40mm, towed)
- US 826th Tank Destoryer Bn (M10)
- US 150th Armored Cavalry Group (Bn size, previously Panama garrison)
- Logistical/medical etc units


British IX Corps
*British 42nd Armoured Division
(Armoured division, full strength, some elements have limited combat experience)
*British 55th West Lancashire Division
(Average troops, full strength infantry division, no combat experience)
*3rd South African Division
(Average troops, infantry division with only two infantry brigades, some parts of the division have seen service in North Africa)
*1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade
(Average troops full strength, equipped with Cromwell tanks, no combat experience)
*Corps Support Troops
- British 142nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Bn size, 17pdr's, towed)
- British 345th Light AA Regiment (Bn size, 40mm, towed)
- British 112th Regiment RE (Bn size, engineer unit)
- British 42nd AGRA (1 heavy Artillery Regiment, 3 medium Artillery Regiment (Regts are Bn size))

Australian V Corps

*10th Australian Division
(Average troops, infantry division with only two infantry brigades)
*5th New Zeeland Division
(Average troops, infantry division with only two infantry brigades)
*11th East African Division
(Average troops, full strength colonial infantry division, African troops led by British officers, mostly equipped with modern gear)
*1st Australian Armoured Brigade Group
(Average, full strength, equipped with Sherman tanks)
*Corps support
- 49th AGRA (9th Heavy Regiment (NZRA), 8th Medium Regiment (NZRA)
- 4th Engineer Regiment (Bn size, Royal Australian Enginners)
- 44th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Bn size, Australian Army)

Army Reserves:
*19th Indian Division
(Average troops, infantry division with two infantry brigades, no combat experience)
*98th Indian Infantry Division
(Average Troops, infantry division with two infantry brigades, no combat experience)
*36th Tank Brigade
(Full strength, equipped with Churchill tanks)

*Gibraltar Garrison


North West African Tactical Air Force

Fighter:
USAAF 27th Fighter-bomber Group (A-36 Apache)
USSAF 234th Fighter Group (P-40 Warhawk
RAF No 244 Wing (Spitfire)

Recce:
SAAF No 60 Squadron (Mosquito)

Bomber
SAAF No 3 Wing (Boston/Baltimore)
USAAF 340th Bombardment Group (B-25 Mitchell)

Airlift:
USAAF Transport Group (enough airlift to land 1 parachute and 1 glider battalion per wave)


NAVAL

Naval Escort:
1 Battleship HMS Valiant
2 Cruisers HMS Emerald and HMS Dauntless
1 Carrier HMS Implacable
2 light Carriers HMS Unicorn and HMS Ravager
2 anti-aircraft ships
13 destroyers

Naval transport capability:
Amphibious assault lift capable of landing one division per wave.

[wulfir]

OK, RetLT - you are invading Spain. Your force is based in French North Africa. The French have agreed to deal with all Spanish possessions in Africa but will otherwise not participate in the invasion.

1)You have the sealift capability to attack with one division in the first wave. Your airlift allows you to attack with one parachute and one glider battalion in the first wave - if the invasion takes place within range of the transport planes based in North Africa. In addition to all other forces you can also use the No 14 Commando for a seaborne landing, maybe as a spearhead.

2) It is belived Spain will fold after only token resistance.

3) The American units are generally greener than some of the Commonwealth ones, but can afford to take more losses. The Americans can draw on more manpower while the Commonwealth ones will have to fight with depleated units if they take losses

4) The following operations in Spain demand a larger, intact, seaport. You do not have any artificial harbours.

5) The Spanish defences are alerted but not considered strong anywhere on the coast. The Spanish navy or air force are not belived capable of disrupting the invasion.

6) I need to know where you attack and with what units?

[RetLT]

Sorry for not responding sooner. Been away for a few days.

I think that I would want to land near Valencia and Barcelona on the west coast to quickly seize harbors. This would also allow a strike into southern France before the Germans have time to fortify the area.

13th Airborne and 7th SAS go in first to secure bridges and cut off reinforcements to the beachheads.

US landings are led by 86th Infantry. Their lack of combat experience is not an issue as resistance should be light. Follow on forces are the 2nd Cav, which can quickly break out from the beachhead.

British landings are led by 3rd South African division with the 42nd Armored and 1st Australian Armored Brigade for the follow up break out.

The Gibraltar garrison, the Norwegian Brigade and the remainder of the Australian units can break out of Gibraltar and head for Malaga and Sevilla. Perhaps our Russian allies could contact some of their friends in the area to help with intelligence and sabotage.

Looks like this will be fun.

[RetLT]

14 Commando seizes the Balearic islands to capture airfields closer to the Spanish coast.

If sealift is not sufficient for 2 landings the Americans go into Valencia and the Barcelona landing is cancelled.

[wulfir]

You have enough sealift for one division in the first wave. If you wish to split the resources up and land roughly half of the South African Division and half of the American Division to establish two different beachheads that is up to you.

At the start of the game only the Gibraltar garrison is located in Gibraltar. You can reinforce it with additional units from your bases in North Africa - this transport will require shipping. If it takes place at the same time as the other landings those other landings must be reduced in size.

You have enough air transport to drop one American parachute and one glider battalion in the first wave.

The 7th Special Air Service Regiment is a parachute capable battalion size formation, although it is smaller than a regular infantry battalion. The troops are trained to operate (in uniform) behind enemy lines to disrupt enemy communications etc. The unit is motorised with MG armed jeeps. The jeeps can also be landed from the air. Most often the idea is to use the force in smaller detachements. If needed the unit can also be used as a (motorised) line infantry formation - though it is less suited to this role. For game purposes you can parachute in this unit on the first day "without extra cost of air transport". It cannot be swapped with other airborne capable units.

In addition to all other operations the No 14 Commando can be landed from the sea without additional "cost of shipping" - this is a unique capability only true for this unit. It cannot be swapped for say the Norwegians or an armoured brigade.

1) Do you want the landings against the Balearic islands to be simultaneous with the other landings, or do you want to occupy them prior to the invasion of the mainland?

2) Divide up the naval escort - what ships are to support each landing.

[RetLT]

For purposes of a campaign flow chart a DV in the first 1-2 battles after the landings can lead to a Barcelona landing while less than this leads to the follow up landing at Valencia.

[wulfir]

Balaeric Islands

The enemy forces

Mallorca defences include:
1 oversized Infantry Regiment of 7 battalions
1 artillery regiment
1 coastal artillery regiment
1 anti-aircraft group of unknown size
1 engineer group of unknown size
1 infantry battalion with bicycles
1 tank battalion (it is unclear if it actually has any tanks)


Menorca defences include:
1 infantry regiment
1 mixed artillery/anti-aircraft regiment
1 engineer group of unknown size

Ibiza defences include:
1 infantry regiment

The Spanish Air force has a smaller number of aircraft on Mallorca - nothing believed able to endanger the invasion. It is unknown if any larger ships of the Spanish navy are dedicated to the defence of the islands.

We know the Spaniards are known to be alerted. The fighting value of the Spanish troops on the Balaeric Islands are thought to be limited – old type of equipment, low morale.

Note that during the Spanish Civil war troops loyal to Franco with Italian air support managed to beat back a Republican invasion of Mallorca about 8000 troops strong.

[wulfir]

Allied invasion force, Balaeric Islands:

No 14 Commando:
(About 460 men divided into)
HQ
Heavy Weapons Troop
A Troop
B Troop
C Troop
D Troop
E Troop

Naval Escort
HMS Dauntless
4 Destroyers

Despite previous claims of lack of transport the navy has made possible a limited reinforcement of the landing operation against the Balaeric Islands – you can choose one of the following options to reinforce the operation:

a) One Churchill tank platoon drawn from the 36th Tank Brigade.

b) One Engineer Company

c) One Rifle Company

d) One 25-pounder artillery battery, with motor transport

e) One 6 pounder anti-tank gun battery, with motor transport


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1) Pick one reinforcement option. See above, you are limted to only one option.

2) Pick an invasion beach, or several invasion beaches. You can land on one island or all three if you wish. I need to know this in order to start building the invasion map(s).

3) You can have considerable air support flying from Africa. Do you want your air power to focus on Close Air Support, Anti-Shipping, interdicting Spanish movement, "terror bomb" the cities on the island to break the enemy will to resist or somethig else...?

[RetLT]

The defenses are a bit stronger than I expected. Hopefully close air support and better troop quality can make the difference.

Use air support as close air and bring the tanks. 460 men vs a full regiment is a tough fight. We may need to divert a regiment from the Valencia landing to assist. At the minimum the US glider unit may have to assist.

Due to the fact that the invaders will be outnumbered I suggest that all landing be at one beach. This way we face only part of the defending force at once. A snake swallows an elephant one bite at a time.