Long Live Death 2

By Bernie Ganley

London, 9th February 2019

The megagame of the Spanish Civil War

Was the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) the dress rehearsal of the Second World War? Was it a war between democracy and tyranny? Was it the result of a country wracked by political and economic turmoil in the twenties and early thirties that spilled over into a war between Radicals and Conservatives as parliamentary democracy failed? Was the Military Coup, so long an accepted political response to crisis, legitimate and the only means of saving the state? Was the involvement of Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia and the non-involvement of the democratic powers and the League of Nations the only option to keep peace in a wider Europe?

The game will portray the conflicts between and within the Left and Right factions in the civil war. There will also be roles for each of the 3 "Amigos": Italy, Germany and Soviet Russia who provided manpower, equipment, staff and political ideology to make this for them a war by proxy.

The game begins with the military coup before moving onto a seasonal campaign system covering the first two years of the war. The campaign system will include features such as recruitment, gathering equipment, political control and operational level military decision making.

As befits a twentieth century war, a team of 2-3 representing the Fourth Estate, the gentlemen and ladies of the press, will be played. So if you want to be a budding Martha Gellhorn, Ernest Hemingway or George Orwell then these are the roles for you, but remember the press barons were expecting stories of socialist atrocities and fascist heroism!

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Game Roles

Players will be organised into teams and then into a Left or Right Alliances

The Leftists are: Socialists, Radical Republicans, Anarchists, Catalonians, Basques, POUM (Trotskyists) & Communists. They are also the Republican Government which at game start is controlled by the Socialists & Radical Republicans. They will also have a team of generals.

The Nationalists are made up of CEDA (Right-wing politicians), Fascists, Carlists (Royalists) and a group of disgruntled Army Officers, who are mainly current or ex-commanders of the elite Spanish Army of Africa.

There will be a team of the three Amigos: Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany & Soviet Russia who will be able to provide military and political support, though at a cost…

As ever there will be need for a Control team to make the campaign system work as well as provide guidance for the factions. There will also be a need for a Control for the Western Democracies (France, Britain, USA and Mexico (Don't often say that in a Megagame)).

Booking Options

To be added to the games list, Email us.

If you have been to one of our megagames before then just let us have your name and team/role preference. If you haven't been to one of our megagames before please also include your full name, postal address, mobile and contact email.

We will then send you a link to confirm your place with payment.

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