on 27 december, the brigade launched an attack in order to recover the town of lopera. the xiv international brigade (3,000 men), led by general walter, had no training or telephone communications. furthermore, they did not have air or artillery support. on this front the nationalists had commander redondo's column with a shock brigade of andalusian "requetes" (2,000 men) and 2,000 moroccan "regulares" and spanish cavalry. the brigadists were decimated by the nationalists with machine gun fire, mortars and artillery. after 36 hours the attack was called off.