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If Hitler really wants to, he can occupy the north, north-west region of Spain, thus lengthening his coastline which he must defend against the British. However, given that Mussolini has deployed upwards of 250,000 men in Spain, Hitler probably does not have enough time to occupy much territory. A drawback might be that Germany is leading the Axis and Spain might surrender to them, thus handing over unoccupied Spanish territory to Germany.
 
Baltasar: We all hope that doesn't happen! :p

I'll have an update for tonight, boys!
 
Awesome AAR, Myth.
I'm guessing that your going to unite Italy's Spanish mainland with Gibraltar and then invade Sevilha and Madrid. Will you make a pocket for those Spanish troops on the southern front (west of Valencia)? Will you occupy Spanish colonies? You should, because they make a good British convoy chasing zone and Atlantic bases.
 
Tomatoes: Yep. :D

The Messenger: Thanks! As for Spain's colonies, I hadn't given them a single thought by this point. I actually only realized that they still had colonies some time later and went oh, I should take those some time! :p

Enewald: We Italians are so cool we don't need that extra 'o'. ;)

Update coming up!
 
The Year of Strategic Crisis
Part 4: Operation Valeria Victrix III, February 20 – March 22, 1941

It was during this period that Operation Valeria Victrix revealed its true strength, and the very real virtuosity of the Italian commanders. Heavy Spanish mistakes were greatly punished, and by the last week of March there was no longer any shade of doubt as to the result of the campaign.

With Roatta’s encirclement of a lone Spanish division against the southern Spanish coast completed and the division destroyed, there was a vacuum in front of him as there were no Spanish units left. Everything, even nature, abhors a vacuum. Roatta did what was natural for any right-thinking soldier: he began moving his corps into that vacuum, in what would become a flanking maneuver against the entire Spanish line, from the south. Thus while Aymonnino’s corps was wreaking havoc on the Spanish line on a direct line to Madrid, Roatta’s forces were driving in an ever diverging series of marches toward the west and northwest. The Spaniards were stripping troops from everywhere to counter events in the center and far north, where the Germans were finally appearing in numbers, and the frontline was growing shorter and shorter by the day. The Spanish were going to sacrifice their foot to try to save a hand. The result of all this was that by midday on the 20th Gibraltar was guarded by a single Spanish infantry brigade. It was time for Tellera and Gandin to break out.

063-01-TheRockontheMove.jpg

Tellera and Gandin on the move.

The Spanish only belatedly realized the stupidity of their redeployments and reversed a handful, though these units, fed piecemeal against Roatta’s thrusts, were defeated easily. Aymonnino’s actions had led to the encirclement of one Spanish division, and an independent brigade, and had badly damaged the Spanish position in the center of the line, leaving their units greatly battered and disorganized. By the 27th, the Rock had been relieved. The Italian port at Estepona had been liberated from the Spanish and Tellera had linked up with Bittosi, of Roatta’s corps. Thus the situation in the center and south was that, while the Spanish had two divisions and a brigade to safeguard the entire south of the peninsula against six highly mobile Italian infantry divisions, a dozen and a half or even more Spanish divisions were suffering from the throes of rout in front of Madrid. The Spanish position had fallen apart by the 1st of March.

063-02-MainSituationMarch1.jpg

The situation on the south and center fronts on March 1st.

In the south, Roatta’s corps was dedicated to simply pushing forward into the vast undefended regions of the Spanish interior, as Tellera and Gandin pushed along the Spanish littoral, in the face of determined Spanish resistance in the form of a marine division. The Spanish in the north were more slippery than elsewhere, however. Though not more competent, they excelled at marching into towns surrendered to the Italians and taking them over. Thus, two elusive Spanish divisions and the remnants of the front in the north would occupy Gambara’s corps for the next three weeks. However, the Germans were making their presence felt at last, having dedicated apparently at least a whole army to the fight. Their intervention by this point resulted in a number of small pockets of Spanish divisions between the German frontline and the Italian frontline, ready for liquidation.

063-03-WholeSituationMarch5.jpg

The strategic situation in the whole of Iberia, March 5th.

In the center, Aymonnino was single-mindedly pursuing his goal: Madrid. Using his four divisions, he levered the Spanish arrayed against him, who outnumbered his forces, through dispersed maneuver and battlefield concentration. On the 5th he was less than two hundred kilometers from Spain’s premier city. On his left flank, Pirzio Biroli’s corps was safeguarding his dash toward Madrid, also through superior operational-level tactics. By the 11th, with Pirzio Biroli eviscerating Spanish forces along the Guadiana River and trapping several Spanish formations against the half of Gonzaga del Vodice’s corps that was in the area, Aymonnino began his final push toward Madrid. He had routed the remaining Spanish forces in his way, and the road was now open. There was no Spanish position any more, save against the Germans.

063-04-SituationMarch14.jpg

The situation on March 14th.

The Spanish were incoherent in operations and strategy, but they were trying to make up for this with sheer fervor in the few battles left to them. At Alcalá, which by the 15th was an Italian victory, nearly thirteen hundred Italians lost their lives, as against only twelve hundred thirty Spanish, in the bloodiest battle of the entire war. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is where the Spanish marines had made their stand. By the 18th, meanwhile, Aymonnino had placed two divisions up against Madrid’s perimeter and was maneuvering a third into place. He aimed to give each division its own axis of attack, for ease of assault both logistically and vis-à-vis the Spanish defense. Finally, on the 22nd, Aymonnino launched the assault. Two Italian divisions, with another nearly ready to participate, moved into the city and grappled with the Spanish defenders, which amounted to the guard of the Spanish general staff and an infantry brigade.

063-05-BattleforMadrid.jpg

The battle for Madrid had begun.

This was the decisive period of the war. Spanish mistakes and Italian intrepidity combined to doom the Spanish war effort and allowed Aymonnino to tear a hole in the center of the Spanish line and reach Madrid. In the south, the Spanish foolishly denuded their line of virtually all troops, allowing Roatta to burst across half of southern Spain in four weeks. It was only a matter of time before the Spanish state crumbled.
 
hey myth, good job in spain. was the reason the brits didn't land an exp force after persuading spain to join the allies because you took contorl of the situation too fast, or cuz of ai incompetence? just wondering
 
I'm thinking Madrid may not be the end. Nationalist Spain had 100% national unity when I grabbed it a bit later in '41 in my game. They even hung on by snagging two of my African VPs (I forgot about their colonies too) which I had to take back before they surrendered. Casablanca was the last VP to fall. Fortunately, they didn't have any overseas VPs of their own.
 
slugo: Probably the latter. ;)

anweRU: Damn straight. :D

Jemisi: Yeah. Their logistics probably weren't up for the task. :p

Enewald: Hehe, the Spanish army is easier than it looks. ;)

womble: Possibly...:p
 
An impressive victory against superior enemy numbers. In hindsight I believe your two amphibious landings were the decisive factor, confusing the Spanish and giving you room to maneuver.

Actually the Spanish were so confused by your daft acts, that they forgot to advance towards Cartagena. :D
 
Well done sir!
An excellent scheme of maneuver. I havn't explored Europe too much in HoI yet, so I have no idea what kind of resources you will gain from Spain, but puppet or annex?

You must have enoug IC now that you could confidently secure your borders with the Russians and enough ships to challenge the RN, no?
 
The Spanish State.....

I'm surprised to see Spain has Marines. Anyways, do you think you will be able to turn the corner and stop the German advance? I mean you are allies and all, but it's good to have a little competative spirit.


Make that alot of Competative spirit.:cool:
 
You're overally lucky to get them not in Axis so late in the game. My Italy games are 100% Nationalist wins and also 100% Nationalist entering Axis in mid-1938. I didn't have a single Italian conquest of Spain since 1.1 despite playing Italy so many times.

What's even more irritating, as soon as I start playing someone else, Republicans are uber strong now and win it. :)