CONDOR: The Liberation of Spain 1942/43

Original game by World Wide Wargamers (The Wargamer #6), 1978
	Design by Ken Broadhurst & Artwork by Colin Wheeler
ADC2 set by Joseph D. Oliver, 2000 ( Jaydeeo@aol.com ); ADC2 v2.09; P200/64


INTRODUCTION

Condor is a game of two considerably different scenarios, using the same map and 
counter-mix, concerning WWII hypothetical invasions of Spain by the Axis or by the 
Western Allies.  The interesting twist is that Spanish forces are allied against the 
Germans in one scenario, and with them in the other.  It offers simple and quick playing 
alternative versions of both Operations Isabella/Felix and Spanish Torch for those 
who may be interested in the subjects, but who may not have the time for the Europa 
versions of GDW/GDRs Spain and Portugal/For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Both games feature the same basic situation.  An outgunned Spanish force must fight a 
delaying action against an invader until its heavyweight ally arrives, whereupon a huge 
battle ensues for the control of Madrid and central Spain.  Two rules make the early turns 
of the game more than a simple David and Goliath situation; only Spanish units may 
cross mountain ridge hex-sides, and only Spanish units and those of their ally may use 
the rail net for greatly increased movement ability.     

Finally, Condor provides the basic building blocks for a third simple fun game variant 
of my own, Battle for Spain, currently in development.  See below for more details.

THIS VERSION

The original game, done by 3W in its earliest incarnation when it was still located in 
Great Britain, suffers somewhat both from a primitive graphical presentation and from 
the usual assorted small errors seemingly forever present in most magazine type games.  
As I have not seen the later boxed version, this ADC2 set is based on the original version 
in The Wargamer #6.  However, I have included a file, CondorErrata.doc/txt, with the 
contents of the brief errata sheet included with my magazine copy and with a few 
additions of my own.

UNITS

The original plain single-color units have been modified slightly.  A contrasting color has 
been added as background on the unit type symbols, and the blue field color of the Italian 
units has been darkened a bit, in order to make the white symbol and factors more legible.  
Otherwise, colors have been rendered very closely to the originals.  Unit historical 
designations have been omitted from the German and Allied individual counter art, but 
for the benefit of those desiring such detail, each such unit has its correct division and 
regiment, brigade, etc. numbers assigned as a piece name.  On Zoom 3 sizes, a single 
letter nationality designation has been added to the left of the unit type symbol on all 
units, and special units of both sides, such as Allied Airborne, Rangers, Commandos, 
SAS, German SS, etc. have had a letter or symbol added to the right of the unit type 
symbol.

New counters not present in the original game include the following.  The single gray 
Beach Head marker has been expanded into separate ones color-coded by nationality 
(American, British, and Italian).  New Axis and Allied color-coded control markers have 
been created, and as an option, may be placed directly on the map to indicate control of 
cities/towns.  New units, with class names beginning, Opt-, have been created for 
future use in a new variant scenario.  These include differently color-coded pro-
German and pro-Allied Spanish units and some new units such as Spanish guerillas 
and German mountain infantry units.

The class/piece data fields are self-explanatory.  Fields 1 and 2 indicate the printed 
numeric combat and movement factors on each counter.  Field 3 has been reserved as a 
Yes/No for supply status, and may be edited directly for each piece.  However, given 
the fairly simple supply rules and the relatively small unit density, this may be of less 
value than in other more complex games.   

MAP

The map has been rendered as a reasonably close copy of the original.  The main changes 
are the following.  The cities have been changed from faint hollow squares to solid brown 
blocks for greater clarity.  Per the errata, doubled-defender city/town names have been 
underlined.  The style and locations of some of the charts and tracks have been changed.  
Holding boxes for new control markers have been added.  Impassable ridges have been 
rendered as solid black lines for clarity.

A couple of the more glaring spelling and geographical errors have been corrected.  For 
example, as lovers of a certain expensive liquid refreshment are aware, Oporto is on the 
Douro River (Duero in Spain; misspelled Deura on the map) and not on the Minho, 
which flows along Portugals northern border.  I have not changed names that are 
commonly found on maps with anglicized or alternate spellings, e. g. the river Tagus 
(Tejo-Tajo in Portuguese and Spanish), Zaragoza-Zaragosa-Saragossa, Sierra de 
Guadarama-Guadarrama, etc.

NOTE:  The original map shows a seemingly strange connection between the rivers 
Guadalquivir and Segura in southern Spain.  While this is not seen on other wargame 
maps of approximately the same scale, it is not necessarily a mistake.  The headwaters of 
the Guadalimar, a tributary of the Guadalquivir, do actually begin very close to those of 
the Segura.

SCENARIOS

The following files are available: 

Scenario-A.OPS  Operations Isabella/Felix German and Italian invasion; 
Spanish allied with Americans and British

Scenario-B.OPS  Spanish Torch American and British invasion; Spanish allied 
with Germans
	
Condor-Master.OPS  master file with defined classes, including those for new
		Optional units for future variant 

Sample.OPS  a sample artwork display

Scenarios A and B have all initially deployed Spanish units on the map, and the game 
turn and morale markers are in place on their chart and track.  The new optional control 
markers are not placed on individual cities, but are in their holding hexes.  All other units 
are in appropriately named force pools.  Separate player names have been created for 
Spanish, German, British, and American forces, as well as a Gamemaster, and the 
appropriate alliances have been set in each scenario.

Battle for Spain will be a new variant of my own design and presently is a work in 
progress.  It is intended to be an easy-to-play Spanish version of the SPI/Decision Games 
Battle for Germany, wherein each major side controls both its own units and those 
Spanish units engaged against the other side.  It will use the Condor rules system with a 
few minor tweaks, such as permitting a limited number of special force units (Rangers, 
Commandos, and German mountain infantry) to cross mountain ridge hex-sides.  It will 
have a few new rules concerning creation and use of Spanish guerillas and possibly 
limited replacement of eliminated units.

Have fun. 
