This is not, as the title may suggest to readers of a certain age, the latest addition to Mills & Boon's 2026 catalogue, but instead the most recent (at the time of writing) in the "Helion Wargames" series, and a timely one too considering that 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the armed conflict it covers.
Full disclosure for this review: I've known Rob via the show scene and a few games with the TWATS (Tantobie Warfare And Tactical Society) for a long time now. That association will not colour this post, I bought this copy with my own funds, and neither the authors nor the publisher have seen this review before it has been posted.
With that out of the way, let's get down to business.
My knowledge of the Spanish Civil War is best summed up by stating that I've read Antony Beevor's 1999 history of the conflict, and that Orwell's A Homage to Catalonia is on my to read list. Even from such a limited background, I am very much aware that the conflict was not as simple as the general teaching of history likes to put across, and this is especially important when it comes to the concept of "historical wargaming."
What we have here is a book of two, almost equal, halves - an approach that works very well in delivering the author's intentions. Rob handles the wargaming side, and Mr De Gabiola tackles the history - the events leading up to the War, what happened during it, and the materiel used by the combatants. Both write well, their distinctive voices clearly evident in the text, and this combination gives the reader, knowledgeable in the period or not, a very good grounding in the subject matter.
The are photographs and maps galore, and when we get to the wargaming section, some rather nice artwork by Renato Dallas. Tables are included to cover the naval and air forces, and summaries of the multitude of units each side fielded are succinct but detailed. Scenarios for gaming are suggested, and include diagrams and photography of troops on the table. There is a very handy painting guide, a list of manufacturers who cover the period in a variety of scales, and a bibliography that provides the reader with avenues of further research.
What The Spanish Passion does, and Rob says this himself in the introduction that follows the useful timeline of the war, is give you the basics you need to deliver a table top game. Rulesets are up to you, but for the background and historical specifics, this book gets you going, and if you're only going to read one tome on the subject for gaming purposes, then this is the one for you. However, and this is a big "however", we are talking about historical wargaming, and Rob rightly says that further reading is recommended - hence the bibliography. For me, the gaming side of hobby is just a social enterprise, a laugh, so to speak. My actual interest comes from the history itself. Learning about the period is a source of enjoyment as well as allowing me to add flavour to the table experience when I'm umpiring. It also prevents that overly game-centric idea that one attendee to a show put into words a few years back - "Just because it wasn't there doesn't mean in can't be on the table."
Frankly, gentle reader, I think that's complete bull hooks. History is rich with detail and experiences, and whilst gaming for the sake of gaming might be the only thing about this hobby that floats your boat, by not diving into the actual history of the game you're playing, you're kinda missing the point of historical wargaming. And when it comes to the Spanish Civil War, this is the best starting point I know of. How far down the history rabbit hole you go is up to you, but the first step of that journey should begin with this extremely fine tome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pay my respects to Catalonia
You can pick up a copy of The Spanish Passion from Helion & Co here.
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