Twilight Spain

[Enfield]

I'm going to be focusing much of my campaign around Spain/The Iberian Penninsula. I am creating this thread to brainstorm my ideas in order to refine the work I'm doing.

A lot of this project comes from the backstory of one of the players. His character, a US Army Ranger, met a female Spanish staff officer before the war broke out, and they had fallen in love and now he wants to find her and either stay with her or bring her back to his home state in Rhode Island. I liked this story arc and decided something could be done with it.

The main source for Spain is Mediterranean Cruise and the Twilight timeline for V1 and V2.2.

Spanish Nuclear Targets
Madrid (Industrial center and capital)
Gibraltar
San Roque Refinery (near Gibraltar)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Refinery (Canary Islands)

Spanish Army Order of Battle
South:
II Brigade (Malaga Coast/Anadusia)
VI Brigade (Andalusia interior)

North:
V Brigade (Galcia)
X Brigade (Madrid region)
XII Brigade (Valencia)
XI Brigade (Badajoz Province)

Spanish Army Small Arms

(WIP)

[StainlessSteelCynic]

As a point of trivia that might actually be useful: -
Spain is one of the world's largest producers of olive oil (in the 2000s it's something like 40+% of the world's total production if I remember right) with Andalusia being the main region for olive oil.

And from something I read somewhere on the net, it's apparently also the least densely populated nation in Europe - so lots of open land in the rural areas.

[Vespers War]

As a point of trivia that might actually be useful: -
Spain is one of the world's largest producers of olive oil (in the 2000s it's something like 40+% of the world's total production if I remember right) with Andalusia being the main region for olive oil.

And from something I read somewhere on the net, it's apparently also the least densely populated nation in Europe - so lots of open land in the rural areas.

Yeah, Spain's roughly 50% of olive oil production for the last couple years. Close to 70% of their production comes from Jaen province, which is in Andalusia (the rest of Andalusia produces 5% of Spain's olive oil).

Spain's also a leading producer of oranges, mandarins, and onions, and is usually second to Italy for lemons, limes, grapefruit, and tomatoes. There are also massive vineyards, and by the mid-80s Spain had gone from a grain importer to a grain exporter.

Spain also had around 15,000 fishing vessels in the mid-80s, with about 2,000 being deep water ships and the rest being coastal craft. One-third of the EC's fishermen were Spaniards.

[Raellus]

Yes!

I just read a couple of books about the Spanish Civil War. I've got tome thoughts about what Spain might look like in the v1 timeline.

[Legbreaker]

Hmm, apparently it makes pretty good biodiesel, however this is rare mainly because it's expensive and more financially beneficial to use for other purposes.
That may change of course in T2K.

[Raellus]

I think the Catalans and Basques would make a play for autonomy/independence during the Twilight War. With Madrid nuked, I don't see any way of stopping separatists from achieving their goals, short of armed force. But would there even be a central government around to order such thing Would most Spaniards have the stomach for that Probably not.

[Rainbow Six]

Spanish Nuclear Targets
Madrid (Industrial center and capital)
Gibraltar
San Roque Refinery (near Gibraltar)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Refinery (Canary Islands)

Minor point, but Gibraltar isn't Spanish. It's British Sovereign territory.

[Vespers War]

Minor point, but Gibraltar isn't Spanish. It's British Sovereign territory.

I expect that would remain the case only so long as the British are able to project power overseas.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Considering that it has a permanent British population (military and civilian) and has elements stationed there from all three of the British Armed Forces, it's unlikely to be completely ignored by the British even if they can't project power overseas - until it gets nuked that is.
It plays a significant role not simply by controlling access to the Mediterranean but in British military communications in the Med and Northern Africa (both of which are highly likely the reason it gets a nuke in the first place)

It's not self-sufficient but it has a fairly healthy relationship with Spain in terms of purchasing goods & services from Spain and also employing Spanish locals.
With that in mind and as a bastion of British military force in the region it's likely to be attractive to Spanish people in the vicinity as a refuge from lawlessness etc. etc. - until it gets that nuclear warhead or two.

I'm inclined to think that after being treated to a nuke, there wouldn't be much left worth worrying about so that the British government could safely ignore it (even to the point of forgetting about it completely).
But the reason I mention all of the above is that, as long as any attacks don't render it completely destroyed or uninhabitable, Gibraltar makes an interesting adventure location that could be expanded into something akin to the Free City of Krakow (with the bonus of having waterborne adventures)

[Legbreaker]

From the bit of research I've done, unless directly hit with a nuke, Gibraltar should still be operational in 2000. During WWII, still decades before tunnelling was completed (1968), it was able to house 16,000 men with supplies for 16 months. It's internal volume has only increased since then, with measures installed to minimise damage from nearby nukes. Not sure occupants would survive a direct hit, but it'd still be a better chance than almost anywhere else on the planet besides a few purpose built shelters.
Some of the WWII tunnels have had to be closed for safety reasons (speed of tunnelling rather than longevity was the priority), but if the space was really needed, I'm sure some of those areas could be made a bit safer and used as storage/refugee shelter.

[Enfield]

I think the Catalans and Basques would make a play for autonomy/independence during the Twilight War. With Madrid nuked, I don't see any way of stopping separatists from achieving their goals, short of armed force. But would there even be a central government around to order such thing Would most Spaniards have the stomach for that Probably not.

I'm going with the idea of a nominal government, but that the country is actually balkanized, with some parts in anarchy, others devastated, and the rest in cantonments.

In general, what I have concocted is the idea that the Royal Family and Prime Minister were evacuated somewhere, but if they are contacting anyone, it seems to be from some bunker that no one is actually physically in touch with. The main central government figure is the Minister of the Interior, who gives orders in the name of the prewar government.

My campaign will also detail three military cantonments, one surviving civilian government provincial capital, and a number of surviving communities struggling to keep going. Separatists will largely be in the same boat, being more focused on surviving and stockpiling goods than anything else.

[Enfield]

Considering that it has a permanent British population (military and civilian) and has elements stationed there from all three of the British Armed Forces, it's unlikely to be completely ignored by the British even if they can't project power overseas - until it gets nuked that is.
It plays a significant role not simply by controlling access to the Mediterranean but in British military communications in the Med and Northern Africa (both of which are highly likely the reason it gets a nuke in the first place)

It's not self-sufficient but it has a fairly healthy relationship with Spain in terms of purchasing goods & services from Spain and also employing Spanish locals.
With that in mind and as a bastion of British military force in the region it's likely to be attractive to Spanish people in the vicinity as a refuge from lawlessness etc. etc. - until it gets that nuclear warhead or two.

I'm inclined to think that after being treated to a nuke, there wouldn't be much left worth worrying about so that the British government could safely ignore it (even to the point of forgetting about it completely).
But the reason I mention all of the above is that, as long as any attacks don't render it completely destroyed or uninhabitable, Gibraltar makes an interesting adventure location that could be expanded into something akin to the Free City of Krakow (with the bonus of having waterborne adventures)

Yes, Gibraltar is British, and should have been identified as such. Trying to work out what if anything would have survived. I know there are tunnels beneath it, and I'm wondering if there would be a bunker that would still be operational.

[Enfield]

As a point of trivia that might actually be useful: -
Spain is one of the world's largest producers of olive oil (in the 2000s it's something like 40+% of the world's total production if I remember right) with Andalusia being the main region for olive oil.

And from something I read somewhere on the net, it's apparently also the least densely populated nation in Europe - so lots of open land in the rural areas.

Thanks for noting that one. While I had been researching Spanish agriculture, I had not known the bolded part.

[Olefin]

I have Med Cruise and have played it too back in college - the V1 canon from the module includes both info on Gibraltar and Spain

Spain first

"CONDITIONS IN SPAIN

Despite the urging of both sides, Spain, a member of NATO, maintained a policy of neutrality throughout the war. When the United States entered the war in 1996, the Spanish government closed American bases within its territory (the U.S. naval base at Rota was the most important of these), and denied passage rights to American military ships and aircraft.

With the nuclear strikes, however, the refineries and oil processing facilities of Spain, like those of other neutral countries, were attacked to deny them to the enemy. Taking advantage of the disorder which followed the nuclear attacks, Basque and Catalan separatists soon entered into open revolt against the government in Madrid, and a low-level civil war began.

Between these revolts and the civil unrest caused by the world-wide depression of 1997-2000, the Spanish government was placed under increasing strain, and it was unable to hold onto the areas in revolt. The area of the western Pyrenees is under Basque control; Catalonia (roughly the area from the eastern Pyrenees south to the latitude of Valencia) is effectively independent as well.

The Spanish government nominally controls the rest of the country, but this control is limited to sporadic antimarauder sweeps by the army or the Guardia Civil (a paramilitary national police force).

In 1999, a military coup overthrew the constitutional monarchy, but they were unable to reunite the country. Nominally, the junta of generals controls the whole country, but they exercise government control effectively only within the range of their rifles."

Given that Madrid was most likely NOT nuked (i.e. the govt area itself) but the refineries and oil processing centers were. Interesting enough the base at Rota does not appear to have been nuked.

The Basques and Catalonians have made their areas basically independent.

The V2 canon is different

"Iberian Peninsula: Although neutral, Spain and Portugal suffered the fate handed out to France because of their ports and oil handling facilities. The central governments are both a shambles, now represents mostly by roving bands of Guardia Civil and army units which lead a semi-marauder/extortionist existence.

Gibraltar and the area within 20 kilometers of it are in anarchy; the
rest of the peninsula is insular, terrorized, devastated, or independent."

Thus a lot depends on if you are writing a V1 or V2.2 guide

[Olefin]

Spanish Army 1989 - i.e. V1 timeline - about 300,000 men

1st Armored Division
2nd Infantry Division
3rd Infantry Division
4th Mountain Division
5th Mountain Division

other troops

1st and 2nd Cavalry Brigades
Airmobile Infantry Brigade
Parachute Infantry Brigade
Spanish Legion Command
Special Operations Command
Army Aviation
Artillery Corps
Engineer Corps

Also there were Territorial units as well

If you look at V2.2. however - where the European Armies started to reduce their forces its a much smaller force - the Army was reduced to only about 190,000 men, most of the Territorial Units were gone and the number of divisions was reduced with only two divisions left

Division Castillejos
Division San Marcial

the rest of the forces from 1989 are still there but much reduced - the Spanish Legion for instance went from four regiments to two, the Airmobile Brigade was reduced etc.

So again what is left of the Spanish Army depends on your timeline