Part IX: July – August 1936
We continue the execution of our plans with unstoppable verve. As the battle in Pamplona, where the two Republican divisions are sitting in their deathtrap, becomes more tricky due to our low organisation, I order the Nationalist Central Command (one HQ and one light armor) to Soria so that they can support the encirclement. Soon we will attack Pamplona from all possible directions and destroy the first divisions in this game; I think that the Italians have not managed to encircle something in Abyssinia yet, as the Ethiopians staunchly repel any attacks on their capital. The Ethiopians even managed to seize some Italian provinces in the beginning, after all.
At the same time our eastern forces met in Barcelona, are merged, and ordered to seize Tarragona and Castellon de la Plana. We are already about to fulfill some objectives from Stage II and make good progress. The NAF in Leon and the 1st Infantry Corps in Santander will seize Vigo and Oviedo, I ordered the support of the additional corps to speed things up, so that the NAF can seize Salamanca more quickly.
Against the pooled forces of eleven divisions the Republicans can't do much, the battle will last a bit longer, but eventually they will surrender. Tarragona is also captured now, however it will take some time before I can use the airport, as my air force has still alarming low organisation.
Oh, Germany is also still there, I'm glad that I just didn't press this away. The UK has disrupted the production of one PR of infantry -- too bad that they didn't sabotage my interceptors, as they still lack some IC to be actually produced. But this and several failed attempts of smear campaigns (they give a two percent dissent hit, which would be worse than a partisan revolt!) have convinced me that the next cash infusion will be used to increase my intelligence level.
Then, the Republicans do something odd. In a stupid show of heroism they somehow manage to place a 1926 artillery-brigaded infantry division in Vigo for protection -- I have no idea how they get their, but they must have ferried the division by transport ships to this province. Oviedo has already been captured, and the NAF were already marching into the province when the enemy infantry arrived in Vigo. This is in principle a jackpot, as I technically encircled a modern, brigaded Republican infantry division. I don't even have to call reinforcements to deal with them, as the enemy's organisation is, as a rare exception, as low as mine. I just order, after some time, my Navy to Cape Finisterre to make any evacuation attempt futile.
The last division from the Balearic Islands arrives in Ceuta. Franco can now start trolling the Republicans. I have set some waypoints for him through Granada and Albacete, but I will deviate from the route if the opportunity arises to annoy the Republicans even more. Should he indeed reach Albacete undisturbed, we would have created already such a big pocket that I could count it as the conclusion of Stage III (should some units be trapped in Almeria, Murcia and Alicante).
Reaching Albacete would probably unify my pockets, as I plan to capture Valencia with my corps that is currently occupying Tarragona. The 3rd Infantry Corps in Zaragoza will then be moved to Teruel, and the infantry corps in Bilbao will in turn move to Zaragoza, creating a stable and coherent front. In the north east, there is a small mistake I have already corrected: Because Leon borders Segovia, I can't move the NAF and the 1st Infantry Corps both to Salamanca, but will leave instead one corps in Leon so that the enemies in Segovia don't conceive any stupid ideas ...
This concludes Stage I.