Gallery
Spanish Civil War
Wow, what an eclectic artillery park! Such nice attention to detail and work in creating a not overly-represented army (commercially) for your gaming table.
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Bill Slavin
Supporting Member (Bronze)- Posts: 1338
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24 Oct 2016, 14:55
Hi...
These is my SCW Indara Battalion of the Republican Basque Army.
I'm going to post some Historical background and information about the minis next.
It is allready a heavy post, no need to make it heavier with a long speech
These is my SCW Indara Battalion of the Republican Basque Army.
I'm going to post some Historical background and information about the minis next.
It is allready a heavy post, no need to make it heavier with a long speech
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18
Joan, as always, you get a very interesting quality to your work.
I hope everything goes well, a hug.
Santi.
I hope everything goes well, a hug.
Santi.
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santifernandez
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20 Oct 2010, 14:51
The Basque Country or, like it is named by their inhabitants, Euskal Herria (the land where the Basque language is spoken), is an small nation located on the north of Spain, close to the French border and the Biscay Bay, at the shores of the Cantabric sea. Inhabited from ancient times and protected by a heavy forested and intrincated ring of mountains, the Basques had lived for centuries isolated from any external influence. The migthy Charlemagne had a bitter taste at Roncesvalles of the meaning of dealing with these wild tribes of woodsmen, sheperds and fishermen. Their language, the Euskera, has not match or link to any modern language spoken in Europe. Maybe the only living european language of non Indoeuropean origin, unlike the other south European languages had none or very little influence of Latin or Arabic.
Like Catalonia, at some moment of the recent History their homeland was splip between the two dominant powers of the time, France and Spain. Influenced by Jesuit missionaries, they become fervent Catholics althought outside the main cities the ancient customs were still the norm to follow.
At the time of the 2nd Republic, they were a very rich region of Spain thanks to their harbours well protected from the Cantabric sea storms. Basque fishermen were sailing as far as the North Sea and Newfoundland to capture Cod (by fishing rod!). The neighbouring region of Asturias were rich on iron and coal mines and, consequently, heavy industrie based on the steel. As to build railways throught the mountains where difficult and expensive, the natural way to export from an isolated region, like all the North of Spain was, were by sea. On time, lots of steel factories, shipyards and blast fumaces were built around the docks, making Bilbao one of the most industrial spanish cities of the time.
When the Civil war broke out, althought their catholicism make them feel uneasy with the catholic church persecution, the fear of the fascism being the end of their habits and their system of life, their independence desires and the strength of the trade unions, made the basques remaining loyal to the Republic. With the also Basque Navarre falling in the hands of the fanatical and bellicose Carlists, the Basque army set up on defensive positions relaying on the impenetrability of their so-called Iron Belt. Like the Maginot line a few years later, It did'nt work.
Need to mention that this is the region and the period of the SCW were the infamous aerial attack on Gernika happened: carried out by Condor Legion's and Aviazione Legionaria planes, over a crowded small town on a market day, it could be considered the first test of the terror war that the N**is were going to implement all along the folloving years.
Next post the minis...
Like Catalonia, at some moment of the recent History their homeland was splip between the two dominant powers of the time, France and Spain. Influenced by Jesuit missionaries, they become fervent Catholics althought outside the main cities the ancient customs were still the norm to follow.
At the time of the 2nd Republic, they were a very rich region of Spain thanks to their harbours well protected from the Cantabric sea storms. Basque fishermen were sailing as far as the North Sea and Newfoundland to capture Cod (by fishing rod!). The neighbouring region of Asturias were rich on iron and coal mines and, consequently, heavy industrie based on the steel. As to build railways throught the mountains where difficult and expensive, the natural way to export from an isolated region, like all the North of Spain was, were by sea. On time, lots of steel factories, shipyards and blast fumaces were built around the docks, making Bilbao one of the most industrial spanish cities of the time.
When the Civil war broke out, althought their catholicism make them feel uneasy with the catholic church persecution, the fear of the fascism being the end of their habits and their system of life, their independence desires and the strength of the trade unions, made the basques remaining loyal to the Republic. With the also Basque Navarre falling in the hands of the fanatical and bellicose Carlists, the Basque army set up on defensive positions relaying on the impenetrability of their so-called Iron Belt. Like the Maginot line a few years later, It did'nt work.
Need to mention that this is the region and the period of the SCW were the infamous aerial attack on Gernika happened: carried out by Condor Legion's and Aviazione Legionaria planes, over a crowded small town on a market day, it could be considered the first test of the terror war that the N**is were going to implement all along the folloving years.
Next post the minis...
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18
SCW Republican armies will wear, unlike their Nationalist counterparts, a mix of civilian and military clothes. I want to give them a more militia aspect, in oposition to the Nationalists that will look more like conscript or professional soldiers.
These Gudaris (Basque combatants), with bodies coming from a lot of different Caesar, Hat and Strelets sets (and a few original metal Minairons), have suffered most of them a head swap. All the heads are metal from Minairons. Some with the ubiquitous basque beret, others with the trubia helmet.
On the Basque Country, like some regions of France, at the time almost all adult males wore a black beret. I`ve made a combination of it with the green beret of the Ertzaintza units (Local police forces loyal to the Basque governement). I have made an extensive use of the Trubia helmet istead of the Adrian because the Trubia factory was located on the North.
Uniforms are a mix: the traditional basque striped light blue trousers (without stripes because they are too thin to paint), dark blue of Ertzainza and other police or marine forces, and several khaki shades. Dark Leather jackets, Ertzaintza or sailors dark blue coats and light khaki.
I make them well provided because were trought Basque ports than some of the imported weapons arrived to the Republican side.
The small tank is a Trubia-Naval factory model (Resin and metal from Minairons). Between 16 and 25 units were made at the Sestao dockyards. Proved to be inferior to the german Panzer I but better than the italian L3/35. They were armed with any machine gun available, Vickers, Hotchkiss or Degtyarev on any possible combination. Russian BA-6 from Pegasus and Hat's Renault.
As a more mundanous and personal note, this is the place where I grew up. Being a textile engineer, my father moved on the 50's to Euskal Herria to ran a factory. I lived there until my 18's when I came back to Catalonia for my studies at Barcelona's Industrial School.
Thank you for your patience and all the best!
Joan
These Gudaris (Basque combatants), with bodies coming from a lot of different Caesar, Hat and Strelets sets (and a few original metal Minairons), have suffered most of them a head swap. All the heads are metal from Minairons. Some with the ubiquitous basque beret, others with the trubia helmet.
On the Basque Country, like some regions of France, at the time almost all adult males wore a black beret. I`ve made a combination of it with the green beret of the Ertzaintza units (Local police forces loyal to the Basque governement). I have made an extensive use of the Trubia helmet istead of the Adrian because the Trubia factory was located on the North.
Uniforms are a mix: the traditional basque striped light blue trousers (without stripes because they are too thin to paint), dark blue of Ertzainza and other police or marine forces, and several khaki shades. Dark Leather jackets, Ertzaintza or sailors dark blue coats and light khaki.
I make them well provided because were trought Basque ports than some of the imported weapons arrived to the Republican side.
The small tank is a Trubia-Naval factory model (Resin and metal from Minairons). Between 16 and 25 units were made at the Sestao dockyards. Proved to be inferior to the german Panzer I but better than the italian L3/35. They were armed with any machine gun available, Vickers, Hotchkiss or Degtyarev on any possible combination. Russian BA-6 from Pegasus and Hat's Renault.
As a more mundanous and personal note, this is the place where I grew up. Being a textile engineer, my father moved on the 50's to Euskal Herria to ran a factory. I lived there until my 18's when I came back to Catalonia for my studies at Barcelona's Industrial School.
Thank you for your patience and all the best!
Joan
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18
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Bluefalchion
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23 Dec 2010, 07:57
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Bluefalchion wrote:Nice to get another glimpse of your personal history, Joan.
+1
Wonderful modelling!!
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Kostis Ornerakis
In memoriam- Posts: 1280
- Member since:
14 Feb 2016, 18:16
As always, hugely impressive and very atmospheric.
Excellent.
Best wishes,
Chris
Excellent.
Best wishes,
Chris
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C M Dodson
- Posts: 2673
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01 May 2015, 18:48
Always a discovery all these units of SCW
Very interesting and great models, conversions and paints... and pictures
Greetings
Michael
Very interesting and great models, conversions and paints... and pictures
Greetings
Michael
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Michael Robert
- Supporting Member (Bronze)
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14 Oct 2009, 19:22
Superb work.....epic in scope and presentation. I'm amazed by all the vehicles, weapons, artillery, and etc.. Love the artillery pieces. I really like the female artillery officer too. Cool.
Bill
Bill
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panzerman825
- Posts: 153
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06 Jun 2017, 06:39
Hello ...
With these I've finished my division of Carlist Navarrese militias (Requetés). Not to mention that these religious fanatics (whose motto was God, Homeland, King) are on the nationalist side ...: neutral:
Historical background and information on the figures and models used will follow soon.
Thanks for stopping by.
Joan
With these I've finished my division of Carlist Navarrese militias (Requetés). Not to mention that these religious fanatics (whose motto was God, Homeland, King) are on the nationalist side ...: neutral:
Historical background and information on the figures and models used will follow soon.
Thanks for stopping by.
Joan
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
- Member since:
25 Apr 2009, 18:18
Do you have dwarves in your basement who do the painting? 
Again a wonderfull addition on your ever growing collection!
Again a wonderfull addition on your ever growing collection!
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Peter
Moderator- Posts: 22750
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25 Mar 2008, 18:51
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18
despertaferro wrote:Peter, If I can ever afford them, you can bet that I will...
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Peter
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25 Mar 2008, 18:51
As I've already explained who the Carlist were on a previous posting, I'll try to explain here the meaning of all this catholic symbology, that was very evident on the Carlist units, but also widely used by all the nationalist armies.
For the spanish nationalists who supported Franco, the spanish civil war was a Crusade against atheism and comunism. In fact, they used this name to refer to the war itself: The Crusade.
Like the n**is identification with the Teutonic Order, also the nationalist side used the Crusades as mith to embellish their extreme right ideology. Portraits and posters were made showing Franco and their most important collaborators dressed like a Hospitaliers or Templar Knights, surrounded by Popes, Bishops and all kind of priests, with all the chainmail, the banners and the rest of the paraphernalia and, of course, the Holy Spirit blessing them all. The idea of viewing themselves as a warrior monks were very popular between the sexist and puritan nationalists officers.
To understand how religion played such an important role in SCW, you must realize that Catholicism was at the deepest roots of Spanish culture and tradition. The Inquisition was not abolished until 1820, and the practice of torture to extract witchcraft confessions was allowed until 1834.
The Catholic Church was immensely rich, possessing enormous extensions of land, countless buildings like monasteries, churches, schools, palaces, manors... and large quantities of jewelry and precious metals in the form of objects of worship and works of art. All this without paying taxes to the State (this is still the case in 2021 ...!!) and always siding with the powerful and never the oppressed.
Its influence on education was essential, as, until the triumph of the Republic, Spanish governments never had education among their priorities and provided only a low-quality primary school, leaving teaching on the hands of Catholic schools for those who could afford it. This is for boys, because for girls, in addition to reading and basic math, education was geared towards making them good, obedient wives. This in a country where, by 1931, 50% of children did not go to school and where 28% of the population was illiterate.
Local priests exercised obscene power over their communities, denouncing on Sunday sermons fellow citizens who disliked them, giving names, making public intimate or private acts, whether truth, mere rumors or pure defamation, provoking social isolation from those who did not follow its precepts (this, I have seen with my own eyes and I was born in 1960 ...). That is why the Catholic Church was so hated among the workers, the peasants and all the liberal and free-thinking people.
I hope you can better understand the role that the defense of Catholicism (or hatred against) played in events related to previous years and the war itself.
As much as you seem to like personal contributions, my father’s uncle was minister of education, after agriculture and after education again, for various left-wing governments in the Republic.
For the spanish nationalists who supported Franco, the spanish civil war was a Crusade against atheism and comunism. In fact, they used this name to refer to the war itself: The Crusade.
Like the n**is identification with the Teutonic Order, also the nationalist side used the Crusades as mith to embellish their extreme right ideology. Portraits and posters were made showing Franco and their most important collaborators dressed like a Hospitaliers or Templar Knights, surrounded by Popes, Bishops and all kind of priests, with all the chainmail, the banners and the rest of the paraphernalia and, of course, the Holy Spirit blessing them all. The idea of viewing themselves as a warrior monks were very popular between the sexist and puritan nationalists officers.
To understand how religion played such an important role in SCW, you must realize that Catholicism was at the deepest roots of Spanish culture and tradition. The Inquisition was not abolished until 1820, and the practice of torture to extract witchcraft confessions was allowed until 1834.
The Catholic Church was immensely rich, possessing enormous extensions of land, countless buildings like monasteries, churches, schools, palaces, manors... and large quantities of jewelry and precious metals in the form of objects of worship and works of art. All this without paying taxes to the State (this is still the case in 2021 ...!!) and always siding with the powerful and never the oppressed.
Its influence on education was essential, as, until the triumph of the Republic, Spanish governments never had education among their priorities and provided only a low-quality primary school, leaving teaching on the hands of Catholic schools for those who could afford it. This is for boys, because for girls, in addition to reading and basic math, education was geared towards making them good, obedient wives. This in a country where, by 1931, 50% of children did not go to school and where 28% of the population was illiterate.
Local priests exercised obscene power over their communities, denouncing on Sunday sermons fellow citizens who disliked them, giving names, making public intimate or private acts, whether truth, mere rumors or pure defamation, provoking social isolation from those who did not follow its precepts (this, I have seen with my own eyes and I was born in 1960 ...). That is why the Catholic Church was so hated among the workers, the peasants and all the liberal and free-thinking people.
I hope you can better understand the role that the defense of Catholicism (or hatred against) played in events related to previous years and the war itself.
As much as you seem to like personal contributions, my father’s uncle was minister of education, after agriculture and after education again, for various left-wing governments in the Republic.
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18
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Good explanation and I can't agree more with you, apart from a good modeling job you also do a great informative job.
A big hug, Joan.
A big hug, Joan.
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santifernandez
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20 Oct 2010, 14:51
Thank you so much Santi for your words.
When I make my comments about SCW, I always try to be as neutral and historically accurate as I can. But I make no secret that my sympathies and emotional ties are on the Republican side.
Your words confirming what I have said are very helpful and mean a lot to me.
Thanks a lot!
Figures are mostly Minairons metal with some Strelets or Hat with Minairons metal head swap.
The Panzer 1B is from Hasegawa or Fujimi, I do'nt remember, that I found on a box full of unpainted models built more than 20 years ago that finally has been pressed into active service.
The 2 Fiat-Ansaldo CV-3's are from S-Model (the most detailed one) and Minairons Resin.
The captured BA-6 is from Pegasus.
Despite having by far the best armored vehicles (T-26, Ba-6 and BT-5), the poor Soviet tactics of the time meant that they were used as cavalry, deeply raiding enemy lines without the support of infantry; which resulted in the loss of many vehicles and, worse, giving the nationalists the opportunity to repair them and incorporate them into their units. Entire companies of captured vehicles were formed, reducing the disadvantage of not having any vehicle of their own armed with a decent cannon.
All the best!
Joan
When I make my comments about SCW, I always try to be as neutral and historically accurate as I can. But I make no secret that my sympathies and emotional ties are on the Republican side.
Your words confirming what I have said are very helpful and mean a lot to me.
Thanks a lot!
Figures are mostly Minairons metal with some Strelets or Hat with Minairons metal head swap.
The Panzer 1B is from Hasegawa or Fujimi, I do'nt remember, that I found on a box full of unpainted models built more than 20 years ago that finally has been pressed into active service.
The 2 Fiat-Ansaldo CV-3's are from S-Model (the most detailed one) and Minairons Resin.
The captured BA-6 is from Pegasus.
Despite having by far the best armored vehicles (T-26, Ba-6 and BT-5), the poor Soviet tactics of the time meant that they were used as cavalry, deeply raiding enemy lines without the support of infantry; which resulted in the loss of many vehicles and, worse, giving the nationalists the opportunity to repair them and incorporate them into their units. Entire companies of captured vehicles were formed, reducing the disadvantage of not having any vehicle of their own armed with a decent cannon.
All the best!
Joan
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18
What a fascinating and tragic conflict the Spanish Civil War was. Within the context of the worldwide socialist workers movement, it certainly presented an opportunity for the forces of establishment authoritarianism a chance to strike back, and thus was a siren call for many working class fighters from all over the world to join in the Republican side.
And who better to present to us this story in pictures of painted soldiers and vehicles than our dear Joan, as skilled as he is and with his family history connecting him to one of the key figures of the era?
And who better to present to us this story in pictures of painted soldiers and vehicles than our dear Joan, as skilled as he is and with his family history connecting him to one of the key figures of the era?
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Bluefalchion
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23 Dec 2010, 07:57
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despertaferro - Posts: 1759
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25 Apr 2009, 18:18