Republican Spain

Overview

Republican Spain is a challenging nation to play: meeting its first, most important test, just six months into the game: the Spanish Civil War. Later, Spain will have very few expansionist opportunities since nearly all neighbors are protected with Guarantees by Axis or Allied powers. Finally, war with the Axis will be challenging.

Technology

Early research is important in that the third research slot finishes by July 18, 1936, at the date of the outbreak of the war. The "Early Infantry Division" is a good choice here. For a player planning to join the Comintern, abandoning the FirePower Focus land doctrine is a good idea, in order to change to the Mobility/Human Wave doctrine, which is a superior overall doctrine, and the USSR has blueprints for.

Generally, due to relatively poor tech teams, Spain will never be on the leading edge of technology. For this reason, even the Soviet Union is a good technology partner, and can help Spain keep pace in a few areas. Infantry and Land Doctrines are essential, but Spain is able to keep up in some Industrial technologies, as well as very limited air and naval technologies.

Diplomacy

Alliances

The most likely Ally for Republican Spain is the Comintern, although it is also possible to forge an alliance with the Allies. The Comintern provides Spain with a much needed addition 18 months of build-up before the war. The Comintern also provides good blueprints, and very good trade deals.

Sliders

Most of the events Republican Spain receives move the political sliders. Therefore, moving the Hawk slider beginning in 1936 makes sense. Also, the Albania gambit is important as Spain: using "Guarantees of Independence" for key countries such as Albania, Norway, and Denmark, ensuring free interventionism slider moves. Once Hawk and Interventionism are max, moving to Central Planning is recommended.

Ministers

Republican Spain begins with 30% dissent, and the General Election will automatically change ministers. The final, event driven, minister changes will end in the Spring of 1937, after the Communist Coup. At that point, Armaments Minister Sanchez is the best choice. For Intelligence Minister, Rubio provides +5% IC, while Mane provides +5% research. Other ministers could use changing, however 1937 dissent levels make the trade-offs not worth it. Later minister moves include various options for manpower and IC bonuses. Generally, Spain has a strong minister pool after 1941.

Intelligence

Spain does not have the political configuration to produce a great deal of money, and therefore spying is generally not possible.

Economy

The game begins with Republican Spain having 30% dissent. Paying this dissent down is not useful, since the Spanish Civil War event will reset dissent at 15%. Therefore, all early IC should be spent on Reinforcements and an early serial run of Militia .

Trading

The Soviet Union is Republican Spain's best trading partner, and can fulfill the necessary energy gap Spain begins the game with. Once allied into the Comintern, Spain will be able to freely account for any resource gaps.

Industrial Production

IC building as Spain has very limited utility, and is generally not wise. Three research slots are important for spain to achieve (40 base IC), but achieving 60 base IC is generally impractical in the early game. Later IC growth is possible through conquest, for example achieving over 100 base IC is possible in late game. Due to Spain's economic setup, high early dissent, and massive upgrade needs, all focus should be put into converting manpower into a military force, and industrial building should be neglected.

Military

Army

Due to Spain's relatively small size, a reliance on infantry and militia is imperative. Spain does not have many military leaders, thus armies of three divisions is necessary.

Navy

Spain's Navy will be particularly important in the early war against the Axis powers, namely, Italy. Challenging the Italian navy will be difficult for Republican Spain, thus modernization and strong naval doctrines are important. A surface fleet of heavy cruisers and destroyers is the best combination.

Air Force

Spain doesn't have the IC to produce a serious air force. Spain does, however, receive several aircraft from the Spanish Civil War. Thus, upgrading these aircraft, especially the TAC, can be useful.

War

Spanish Civil War

This is the most important event for Republican Spain. The easiest method to prepare for this is event is to station all aircraft in Madrid, the entire Navy in Valencia, and all army units in Valencia. While some army units will defect, they will quickly be defeated, and have nowhere to retreat to. The number of units to turn traitor is random, but the more than revolt means the fewer the Nationalists get in their deployment pool, and conversely, the more the new units the Republicans will have. Dissent will automatically be re-adjusted to 15%. Any units built should not be deployed: otherwise they may turn into Nationalist traitors. Keep all built units in the deployment queue until after the Civil War begins. Using these techniques, it is possible to win the war within two to three months.

Avoiding the Spanish Civil War

You can avoid the Civil War completely by moving your first slider (1936) to Authoritarian. Then, elect the National Front. This is just enough to move your governmental ideology from social conservative to paternal autocrat. The Civil War event only fires if Republican Spain is either communist, or a democracy.

War with the Axis

Whether or not Republican Spain joins the Comintern or the Allies, war with the Axis is a necessity (otherwise choose Nationalist Spain!). Joining the Comintern will provide Spain nearly two additional years of preparation for war. Spain will not be able to make significant gains against Germany at the outset of war, thus the focus on the German border should be defensive. Meanwhile, an assault of Italy can be quite fruitful, resulting in a relatively quick annexation. Since it is possible for Vichy France to join the Axis as early as 1942, Spain should be prepared with border guards. Generally, holding out until 1943 is necessary, as that is when the Soviet Union will begin to push back the German military. It is possible for a well-played Spain to make significant gains in the West: including the capture of all France and Western Germany through to Austria, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia in the South.

Events

[ ]{#February_17,_1936:_General_Election} February 17, 1936: General Election

This is an important game event for Spain. The player has the option of the Popular front (a left wing move: allowing the player to align with the Allies or Comintern); or the Nationalist Front (a right wing move: allowing the player to align with the Axis). This strategy guide assumes the player chooses the Popular front. See the Nationalist Spain strategy guide for details on the other path. An extra 4 dissent is gained, regardless of the choice made.

[ ]{#June_26,_1936:_Outlaw_the_Fascist_Parties} June 26, 1936: Outlaw the Fascist Parties

Selecting yes will move the republicans further to the left, in preparation of a joining with the Comintern.

[ ]{#Spring,_1937:_Communist_Coup} Spring, 1937: Communist Coup

From April 3rd, 1937 to June 3rd, 1937, if Republican Spain has won the war, this event may occur. This event is very important for helping Republican Spain ally within the Comintern, as it will produce a Left-Wing Radical government. This event does not provide options, but produces +10 dissent, and changes all ministers. It seems to be based on this event .