GlobalExplorer wrote:From what I read about the SCW, the Republican would no longer have complete, direct control of a large part - lets say 50% - of their forces, because these forces do not respect a proper chain of command. Orders are given every turn but somehow don't materialize. For example the militia have decided that they do not want to follow their assigned leader and have promoted someone else. Or they could have disbanded before the order could be carried out because of many psychologic, politic or economic reasons. Or they could also quite simply not have recieved rifles and ammunition. Or some of them even switched sides. Let's say it boils down to either did they not agree with you and your order or they were not able to fulfil.
At the same time, other militia may have become active in the area and taken what they consider appropriate action, and the same process of orders and disobedience repeats over and over again.
What we get could be complete chaos, with a helpless high command (you), trying to enact reasonable strategic decisions in a world where people's capacity to fight is entirely unpredictable, and depends on anything from interpersonal problems to overabundance of alcohol, love interests or jealousy, lack of respect, etc, and a cohesive strategy can never be implemented. People rather prefer to fight a bit here and there, or they don't.
(and I think this is the real truth about the SCW, that the Nationalists won because they worked mainly as a military force, the Republican forces more like a population of individuals with very different motivations)
So it could be in the end - while I will still stick to what I have said before, that the political aspect is mostly missing - it is not necessarily that this would be a better game if it wasn't.
The really good news in that would be that it could be enough to have a bit more "realistic" dissent inside the factions (mostly but not only Republicans), and we automatically approach a sweet spot between realism and playability, without changing the current game on a dramatic scale.
GlobalExplorer wrote:That the Republic defeat was largely to internal division between the government and their unloved pawns, the workers militia.
I believe it was to a large degree the meddling of the Soviets, who wanted to snatch the revolution from the Spanish people, and tolerated no socialist platform that were not controlled by themselves.
In the process they handed Spain to Franco, but got their hands on Spains gold reserve.
GlobalExplorer wrote:You're right, I often wondered who the politicians in Madrid feared more, the Fascists or the Anarchists.
The whole story that a government does not hand out rifles to their workers militia, or sacrifices the only weapons factory they have instead of giving it under workers control, reeks of treason.
numantia wrote:a limited analysis as "Madrid politicians feared the POUM" is just a very small part of what was going on
ERISS wrote:Sure, but "politicians feared the workers" is not a small part: The nationalists could have be beaten in their barracks, if the government had given the weapons to people and let them fight like they want (hey, is that not democracic republic?..): Where people had steal weapons AND organize as they could, the fascists were defeated in their neasts.
Bismarck1940 wrote:It is currently far too easy to roll up Zaragoza. Hopefully a future patch will have some mechanism to prevent Anarchists, perhaps without an active leader, from following orders.
kongxinga wrote: I like to know if there were any sort of executive meddling/infighting
that happened to make Republicans fail in their rush for Zaragoza strategy.
kongxinga wrote: it appears from what you were saying is Madrid ordered CNT which told Durruti to change targets. What a complete mess.
Might have been a good opportunity to "accidentally" lose the orders.
In hindsight, attacking Majorca to gain Western Liberal support sound stupid, but I don't think anyone knew how fearful of war the West were at the time, not even the West itself.
Is there anything special about Majorca that led to the Republican government thinking it was a better target?
Were the prisoners captured labor unionists or POWs?
ERISS wrote: who followed the republican State will:
Oliver made the attack on Saragosa cancelled, to instead attack Majorca(!?)
(the goal was international bourgeoisy support.., damn what a successfull strategy... :/ ).
Durk wrote:I really appreciate you sharing these thoughts. I think you are spot on with regard how to play.
So if the Republic player heeds your advice, then what does the Nationalist player do?
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