 Furthermore, before the offensive, one nationalist reconnaissance aircraft from Burgos, spotted the Republican force.Opposing them, the Nationalists had one company of "Requetes", two infantry battalions, one machine-gun section and an artillery battery in Villarreal.The offensive started on 30 November, and the Basques occupy the mountains around Vitoria, surrounded Villarreal (3 km from Vitoria) and their artillery bombed it, but they could not occupy the town.