WesWorld

The calm of the night was broken by the sound of 30 engines staring up. The fifteen bombers of the 1st Bombing Squadron taxied to the runway and with the rising sun at their backs they took of one by one. The taget...Guadalajara.

At the outskirts of the city stood a lone figure on his horse. General Carranza, son of the former President, watched the silent city. A noise broke his vigil, his regiment the 1st Armored Calvary was stirring. With a last look at the city he galloped back, today was the day they where going to storm the city.

The little fleet looked impresive, tought Teniente Mijares, as he looked back from his ship. As Captain of the flagship, the ML-7, he was proud, today he would lead the attack on Guadaljara along the Santiago river.

Capitan Valenzuela looked over his plane. The "Cyclone" was a good plane, blinding fast and with an excellent ceiling, but he missed the "Tecolote" (P-6E), the Curtiss plane was much more forgiving than this temperamental beast from Atlantis. But he appreciated the increased performace of the "Cyclone", he had faced the "black" planes in battle and he knew what they could do. With 4 kills under his belt, including one against the "black" planes, he was one of the more experienced pilots around. Today he would lead his wing in escorting the fat Farman bombers in their attack.

It was all in a day's work, thought the crew of Gun 31. For 4 days they had been shelling the rebel fortifications. Well hopefully today would be their last day camp outside, perhaps but first they had to slid another 75mm shell into the breech.

Rumor had it that the Federals would attack today, but Martinez wasnt worried. The 25mm Hotchkiss had arrived and they where placed, the Federales wouldnt know what hit their tanks. *KABOOM* Even the bombardment had been ineffective, Martinez like the rest of the defenders was confident, victory would be theirs.

The Italian aircraft where impresive and there where alot of them. there where ten at this field alone. Teniente Robles step up to his, it was a marked improvement over the Fokker E-IIIs he had flown before. But what was that buzzing noise?

To be continued...

Its sounded like...airplanes! Teniente Robles turned in time to see 5 Bristol Fighters appear over the trees to the East. His shock turned into horror as the first of the Italian built planes exploded. La Fuerza Aerea had arrived! He yelled to a mechanic to turn the propeller. Two planes exploded to his left as the Bristol Fighters roared overhead. Those werent shells, they were...bombs! Fortunately for Robles the smoke had occulted his plane allowing him to survive to see the destruction of the remaining aircraft. The Bristols where gone before he could catch them. Part of the rebel airforce was definetly out of action.

FIRE! Another 75mm shell was on its way. A strange clacking noise interrupted the gun crew, they turned to see a number of strange beasts. The self-propelled guns took position and fired. The blast shook the crew of Gun 31. Those where not 75mm guns.

The wing had formed up with the bombers. They where holding formation pretty good, thought the Capitan. Ahead could be seen the walls of Guadalajara. No planes could be seen, but even if the plan had been his, he stilled hoped a few Rebels had managed to take off, one more and he would be an ace. A couple of specks appeared over Guadalajara, well it looked like he would have his wish. A hand signal and his flight separated from the rest, it was time to show the rebels who was king of
the air.

On the leading Bomber the bombardier took aim on his bombsight, rumor had it that it had been designed by General Mitchell himself. During practice runs it had worked fine, now it was time to try it out in combat. The sudden chattering of a machine gun foward produced no emotion in him, a veteran of the Revolucion of 1910, he had faced worst before. The target was a bit strange though, the aiming point was supposed to be the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Ah there it was...a couple of hand signals to the pilot and time to pull the lanyard. A flare burst from the leading bomber, on cue the remaining bombers dropped their load and turned away, not one had been damaged.

Thta was not the case for the "Cyclones". The plan hadnt gone that well, and several rebels where now in the air, among them the few remaining Nakajimas. A furious dogfighting was now raging in the skies above Guadalajara. A rebel flew across the Capitan's sights, a snap roll and a split 'S' placed him directly behind the rebel. A burst from the MGs was all it took. There was no time to celebrate as a Nakajima dropped behind him, a series of violent manevuers couldnt shake the Japanese fighter of, so he tried his last recourse, with the trottle to the maximum the "Cyclone" climed like a 'homesick angel', leaving the Nakajima far behind.

A column of smoke rose from Guadalajara, through his binoculars General Carranza observed the site where the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe had stood. Clearly it had contained more than just worshippers. The time had arrived to attack, quickly he mounted his horse and rode back to his regiment. Suddenly over him roared a flight of SPAD XIIIs.

Martinez picked himself up, that blast had been very powerful. The damned Federales had bombed the Church. The attack could be expected any moment now. Another blast knocked him down again. The Federals had also brought some heavier guns. Damn them.

Teniente Mijares also saw the explosion. The time had come to act. "Hoist the Battle Ensign, the Mexican Navy is going into action!"

"Sir! Orders from headquarters, you are to wait for the 15th Infantry Regiment before comencing the attack."

His men where ready, delay would only work to the enemy's advantage. On the other hand for a cavalry attack to succeed infantry support was required, but the infantry was late.

"Damn the orders! Men of the First, The time of battle has arrived! At a gallop, foward ho!"

Like the commanders of old General Carranza would lead from the saddle, the first commander of the first Armored Regiment created would be the last General of the Mexican Army to lead from a horse. Following its leader the 1st Armored Cavalry sprang into action, 15 AT-27 Tanks, 5 "Gazelle" Armored Cars, 3 75mm Self Propelled Guns, and more than 500 horsemen, charged the walls of Gudalajara. Overhead 30 aircrafts of the Fuerza Aerea Mexicana would provide aircover.

Hidden behind a slight rise the charge of the 1st took many defenders by surprise, but they recovered quickly. The 25mm Hotchkiss ant-tank guns where immidietly manned and readied, the ramparts lined with rebels, only the order awaited.

"Fire!" Martinez yelled, the leading tanks had come into range and no infantry support was visible, now surprise would be with the rebels.

CLANK

Martinez watched stunned as the shell bounced of the armor of the tank. Perhaps the range had been to long. "Reload! and hold fire!"

The range had dropped to pointblank range. "Fire!" Once again Martinez watched as the shell bounced of. What where those things? The Hotchkiss where not penetrating! Suddenly the rebel forces broke and ran. The spectre of the tanks advancing invulnerable to their anti-tank guns had been to much.

This was the moment the SPADs and Bristols had been waiting for. The rebels had abandoned their fortified positions and where now in the open. The strafing and light bombs, turned the rout into chaos. General Carranza's gamble had paid of. His cavalry stormed into Guadalajara unopossed. The left flank of the defences had been shattered at a stroke.

But the Battle was not yet over...

Two planes! He was now the first Mexican ace! The wing had now reformed two "Cyclones" where missing, but and estimated 5 rebels had been shot down, and not one bomber had been damaged! Already more bombers, smaller "Mastins" where hitting the rebels. The FAM had scored a victory in this battle. Before the battle ended Capitan Valenzuela would add a third kill giving him a total of 7 kills. Two other pilots would finish the day as Aces.

Teniente Robles went into another barell roll, the "Cyclones" had dissapeared but then had been replaced by what appeared to be a hundred "Tecolotes". Robles had yet to see a fellow rebel in the air but there where more than enough Federales flying around. Now if he could only shake off this "Tecolote"...


"Capitan! Rebel gunboat straight ahead!"

The lookout's warning was uneccesary, a 12 pounder's splash was enough to show Mijares the enemy had arrived.

"Signal the Fleet, enemy straight ahead, fire at will."

His orders where punctuated by the bark of the foward 47mm gun. Fortunately for Mijares he had firepower and numbers in his side. The battle was short but brutal, the rebel ship took over 20 47mm shells and burnt itself out on the shore. One of his own gunboats had been driven ashore and two patrol boats sunk.

"Orders from HQ. Block any attempts by the rebels to flee across the river."

It was time to split his fleet, leaving the remaining gunboat to protect the damaged one, he set off with the two remaining patrol boats. For the rebels the back door was blocked.


Martinez had finally reformed his company. But the infantry had finally joined with the Federales and their Hotchkiss guns where useless against the Federales' Tanks. The armored beasts had advance invulnerably. They had to be stopped. But first where was their air force? The combination of tanks and planes was proving devasting to the rebels.


"Fire!" Once again the crew of Gun 31 swung around to reload their gun. But now there was some action, four regiments where being launched against the city, including one with strange uniforms.

For the rebels their position was unatenable. Their right flank had collapsed, their forces where being constantly harrased by the FAM, the 1st Armored Regiment was loose in the city, and now their tired troops were about to face an assault by fresh Federales. It was time to retreat.


"Sir! Reports from the field! The rebels are abandoning Guadalajara!"

"By God! The Fuerza Aerea has delivered! We can't allow them to escape, continue the attack."


Finally! They had lost 5 men but the satchel had worked, a tank had been destroyed. If they could repeat their success they might defeat the Federales! The burning tank had raised the shattered morale of Martinez' men. The messenger shattered it again.

"Retreat?"

"Yes sir. The Federales have overrun our right flank. Among them where Argetinian Marines. Further reinforcements where seen arriving. Your orders are to save whatever you can of your forces."

There was nothing else to do, for the battle was lost. Those that could escaped, the rest tried mingling with the population but most would fall prisioners. The Battle of Guadalajara would be a crushing defeat for the Cristeros, never again would they face the Federal Troops in a pitched battle.


And that my friends ends the battle. Comments?

Argentinian marines? interesting...

Bolivia and Mexico, where all nations can get in on some action, without acctually being there....

The Argentinians seem to prefere the current Mexican government over whatever chaos the rebels would bring.

I only have two nitpicks about the storyline.

The action of each opposing force could have been expressed in different posts rather than both in one.
I had to reread a few times to get things sorted out correctly. Otherwise quite interesting.

I also think the AT-27's got a bit of a lucky break loosing only 1 tank to satchel charges alone. That said I don't know where in particular the tanks were hit by the 25mm Hotchkiss and the rosey performance certainly won't hurt their image.

I wonder what will happen in the aftermath of all this, what happens to Teniente Robles ?

Easy enough to cripple the AT-27s with hits to the exposed tracks or runners. Or if the infantry are really brave then a grenade into the tracks.

Seems like it was several frontal hits by inexperienced AT gunners trying to penitrate the armor around the driver ect.

In a shrewd political move to prevent Mexico interfering in Paraguay, Argentina agreed to send troops to help the Mexican government and to show the world it doesn't always support rebel organisations.

According to what I've read, the 25mm Hotchkiss proved worthless during the Spanish Civil War, the shells bouncing of the Tanks. But Veteran troops could probably have defeated the charge, since it had no infantry support and only 15 Tanks. But to untrained rebels the "invulnerable" tanks proved too much. The Tanks survived in the city mainly due to the rebel's fear of them.

Quoted

Originally posted by Desertfox
According to what I've read, the 25mm Hotchkiss proved worthless during the Spanish Civil War, the shells bouncing of the Tanks. But Veteran troops could probably have defeated the charge, since it had no infantry support and only 15 Tanks. But to untrained rebels the "invulnerable" tanks proved too much. The Tanks survived in the city mainly due to the rebel's fear of them.

But they could have defeated the side armor of what it seems to be upgunned and slightly better plated FT-17's. I agree must likely they panicked after hitting the front of the tanks and finding out they bounced.

The AT 27's are a completely different design than the FT-17's.

Quoted

Originally posted by Desertfox
According to what I've read, the 25mm Hotchkiss proved worthless during the Spanish Civil War, the shells bouncing of the Tanks. But Veteran troops could probably have defeated the charge, since it had no infantry support and only 15 Tanks. But to untrained rebels the "invulnerable" tanks proved too much. The Tanks survived in the city mainly due to the rebel's fear of them.

Overall the write up is quite nice. I do agree that either two opposing views, or just a font change to help the reader tell would be nice.

I like the mix and dribbles of equipment, which seems reasonable for the theater.

I agree that the Hotchkiss's ineffectiveness should have been qualified by either targeting choice, engagement at range, etc.

Edit : A quick search found some data at http://www.antitank.co.uk/25mm.htm

The hotchkiss is given as "25mm Hotchkiss penetration performance at 30degrees elevation, 100m - 30mm, 500mm - 29mm,
1000m - 20mm"

which is comparable to smaller & more portable ATRs.

The inexperienced troops reacting poorly is good. Unsupported tanks would certainly be vulnerable to good troops, as the Winter War showed.

Nice job Desertfox