Free France Campaign

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bru888
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Free France 1940-1945 v0.54 has been uploaded. It includes the new Strasbourg and Operation Nordwind scenarios.

Other changes:
• Added the future 24BlackForest to the campaign structure
• Added several campaign messages toward the end of campaign
• Changed the climate in Operation Diadem from default to wet

Free France 1940-1945 (twenty scenarios)

STRASBOURG

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OPERATION NORDWIND

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- Bru
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Splendid, great job, thanks a lot! :D

I will very soon start testing them. :P
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Meanwhile, here is already more information related to French Indochina: 8)

Intro here: :D https://ww2db.com/country/french_indochina
*******
Map on page 3/12: https://www.bouches-du-rhone.gouv.fr/co ... ochine.pdf
(This pdf talkst hat what happened there AFTER ww2… but the map, names, locations and so one is still valid, of course!)
*******
Again, from the “Mémoires de guerre” of de Gaulle, T3, pp 191 - 196

"War is like one of those plays where, as the end approaches, all the actors come on stage. While the French forces were fully engaged in the Alps and on the Atlantic, as well as on the Rhine and the Danube, the fight was on in Indochina. On March 9, Japanese troops, occupying Tonkin, Annam and Cochinchina, rushed to our garrisons.

This deadline was inevitable. The Nipponese, driven out of the Philippines and Indonesia, pressed hard in Burma, powerless to reduce China, unable to maintain their communications on the sea, could no longer tolerate the presence, in the middle of their forces, of a foreign force that threatened to become hostile. Despite the agreement between Tokyo and Vichy for the "common defense of Indochina," Japan had no doubt that if the Allies approached Union territory, the French would join them. Moreover, Vichy had disappeared. De Gaulle ruled in Paris. At the first opportunity, he would certainly give the order to attack the Japanese invader. Although the rallying of Indochina to the government of the Republic had not officially taken place and, in Saigon, "collaboration" was maintained in appearance, the Japanese could no longer rely on these fictions. One could be sure that, any day now, they would proceed to liquidate the French administration and the French force, and that they would do so in the most sudden and brutal way.

However painful this outcome must have been locally, I must say that, from the point of view of the national interest, I was willing to consider that they would come to blows in Indochina. Measuring the damage inflicted on France's prestige by the Vichy policy, knowing the state of mind of the populations in the Union, foreseeing the outburst of nationalist passions in Asia and Australasia, knowing the malice of the Allies, especially the Americans, with regard to our position in the Far East, I considered it essential that the conflict should not end there without our becoming belligerents. Otherwise, all politics, all armies, all opinions would resolutely agree in demanding our abdication. On the contrary, if we took part in the struggle, - even if it was close to its end - the French blood shed on the soil of Indochina would be an imposing title. Since the final aggression of the Japanese was not, for me, in the least doubtful, I wanted our troops to fight, in spite of the hopelessness of their situation.

To lead this resistance, the government could not, of course, rely on Admiral Decoux. Without doubt, the Governor General had been secretly obeying orders since the collapse of Vichy. Without doubt, his orders, his words, the tone of his radio, did not resemble anything like they had done in the past. But he had, for four years, so obstinately vilified Fighting France that he found himself too compromised to effect the reversal. Moreover, the admiral, unable to strip the old man completely, refused to believe in a Japanese aggression. I had therefore, as early as 1943, entrusted General Mordant, Superior Commander of the troops, with the task of eventually directing the action. Admiral Decoux had, moreover, received notification of this. Discreet telegrams, as well as the instructions that the governor of Langlade, who had been parachuted twice into Indochina, had given him on my behalf, let him know what was expected of him.

In order not to provoke the Japanese attack too soon, Decoux was apparently to remain in office. But Mordant would become the authority from the moment the battle was engaged. Although Vichy had, in the spring of 1944, replaced him as commander of the troops by General Aymé, which complicated our affairs, I had left Mordant his letter of service as delegate general. Aymé, moreover, was in the same disposition as him. In addition, in Calcutta, General Blaizot and the personnel of our special services, whom the British agreed to let come to India, had been able to organize into clandestine networks of action and intelligence the many devotees who were available in Indochina. For months, it was our networks that had been informing the air actions carried out by the Americans from Chinese territory and by the British from Burma against Japanese installations, ships and planes.

The French troops in Indochina numbered about fifty thousand men, including 12,000 Europeans. Numerically, this force was weak. But it was, in reality, much larger than the figures indicated. For the native troops, often capable of holding positions as long as their loyalty remained assured, could not generally be employed in the field. As for the French elements, since they had not been relieved for six years, they were more or less physically diminished under this depressing climate. Above all, ours had only worn-out and outdated weapons and equipment and were almost totally lacking in aircraft, armor and trucks. Finally, they were spread over an immense territory, without being able to modify their position, watched over, as they were, by an enemy ready to attack them.

The directive that I had given to General Mordant, as to what to do in case of an attack, was to make the resistance of the French troops last as long as possible in Indochinese territory. The few French troops garrisoned in Annam, Cambodia and Cochinchina were too isolated to be able to act in the field. They would have to defend their posts as long as they had the means to do so, and then try to gain access in small groups to regions that were difficult to reach in order to form maquis. But the main force, stationed in Tonkin, was given the mission of maneuvering in retreat toward the Chinese border, following the Hanoi-Lai-Chau direction, prolonging the fight as much as it could. As it proceeded, it might be assisted, or at least supplied, by American aircraft deployed in Chinese territory with Chiang Kai Shek's troops. On the basis of these instructions, General Mordant had specified to the subordinate commands the possible instructions for alert and operations. On February 21, I renewed my directives and warnings to him by telegram.

This was the situation when, on the evening of March 9, the Japanese ordered Admiral Decoux in Saigon and General Aymé in Hanoi to submit to them entirely and to place the French forces under their immediate control, until they were disarmed. When the High Commissioner and the Superior Commander refused, they immediately stopped them and immediately attacked our garrisons everywhere.

Unfortunately, General Mordant was almost immediately discovered and taken prisoner. This decapitation of the resistance greatly compromised its implementation. However, almost everywhere, our officers and soldiers, knowing that they were fighting a hopeless battle, abandoned in some cases by the native auxiliaries or led to demobilize them, courageously did their duty. In particular, the citadel of Hanoi, the citadel of Haïphong, the garrison of Hué, the posts of Langson, Hagiang, Lao-Kay, Taht-Khé, defended themselves with energy. At Monkay, the assaults by the Japanese were repulsed for fifteen days. Vinh fought until March 24. In the Bassac region, resistance did not cease until April 1. Columns, formed at various points in Upper Tonkin, reached Chinese territory. A few small navy and customs ships were also able to escape. But, above all, an important grouping, formed in advance in the region of Sontay under the orders of General Alessandri, with the Legion as its core, fulfilled its mission valiantly. These few thousand men, maneuvering and fighting first between the Red River and the Black River, then west of the latter, held out against the Japanese for 57 days before joining, with their poor weapons, the allied forces in China.

On the occasion of these operations, the bias of the Americans appeared in full light. In spite of the incessant representations of the French government, Washington had always opposed, under multiple pretexts, the transport to the Far East of the troops that we were holding ready in Africa and Madagascar. The fighting in Indochina brought no change in the attitude of the United States. However, the presence in Burma of a French expeditionary corps would have certainly encouraged the Indochinese resistance, and sending airborne detachments to our columns in Tonkin and Laos would have been a great help to them. But even the American air force based in China, within immediate reach of the Alessandri group, did not lend assistance. General Sabatier, who had been appointed delegate-general after the disappearance of Mordant and who had been able to get out of Hanoi, reach Laï-Chau and make contact with the American command in China, was refused any support. For me, who had long been able to discern the facts of the game, I was not surprised to discover the intention of others. But I was all the more determined to bring France back to Indochina, when, once the victory was won, we would find ourselves with our hands free vis-à-vis the allies.

In any case, it was now a given that the French forces in Indochina would also have contributed to this victory. Two hundred officers and 4,000 troops had been killed by the enemy. In May, 6,000 soldiers, most of them Europeans, regrouped in Yunnan. The fighting, suddenly following a prolonged period of doubts, sorrows and humiliations, had taken place under the most bitter conditions: surprise, isolation, lack of means, the impression that God was too high and that France was too far away. But the efforts and sacrifices were all the more deserving. In the moral capital of a people, nothing is lost from the pains of its soldiers.
"
*******
Here as well, there is evidence of the presence of a few dogfighters MS 406 in Indochina: :P (Ctrl + F & maybe "Indochine")
http://gaubs.free.fr/--DATES--/R%E9cit.htm
*******
Scenario French Indochina:

=> It could be a question of delaying the Japanese as long as possible, while evacuating enough units to China! (And some tiny ships as well.)

=> Either offer a choice at the beginning of the scenario... :?:
Like, stay with the more historical version, with more challenge, thus without American support; or accept that the Americans help us (which would have been plausible) thus with some reinforcements coming from the air or by sea (French expeditionary force allowed to navigate to the rescue!) and an appearance of the Flying Tigers in air support...
=> ... :?: or directly chose an in-between version to make this scenario more exciting? (And so without making the historical aspect of the thing too complex?)
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Regarding the Free French OoB, I didn't really find any for the exact year we are interested in. :? BUT:

1.
ColonelY wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 6:35 am [...] For the native troops, often capable of holding positions as long as their loyalty remained assured, could not generally be employed in the field. As for the French elements, since they had not been relieved for six years, they were more or less physically diminished under this depressing climate. Above all, ours had only worn-out and outdated weapons and equipment and were almost totally lacking in aircraft, armor and trucks. Finally, they were spread over an immense territory, without being able to modify their position, watched over, as they were, by an enemy ready to attack them. [...]
:arrow: So in principle, minus some losses, though as battalions can be reconstituted (and they often were during ww2)... so it must be more or less the same OoB as at the beginning of ww2, right? :wink:

So finding OoB even "old" of a few years would be a good way to have a good idea of the composition and the type of units, as well as their denomination, of the present troops. :D But have we some? :|

2. And we have access to information about the order of battle for the Japanese invasion of French Indochina (22-26 September 1940) during World War II:
One link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_ ... _Indochina
Another link: http://france1940.free.fr/oob/indo.html :D

For the planes, we have (in addition to the link of a previous post, which speaks well of some MS.406 :wink: ):
http://france1940.free.fr/adla/ada_mai.html#Indochina
With a lot of models that don't exist in the game: Potez 25 (observation + bombing), Potez 542 (observation + bombing), Farman 221 (heavy bomber), Loire 130 as well as CAMS 37 and 55 (reconnaissance seaplanes).
With what's available in the game, one might involve the old Breguet 693 and the old Amiot 354 together with a few M.S. 406, and that would already give the player "some sort of" weak air force...

Concerning the Free French ships, potentially, according to here ( http://france1940.free.fr/navy/mar_jui.html ):
1. Of course the ships indicated as being in Saïgon itself:
The cruiser Lamotte-Picquet and the colonial aviso (destroyer) Amiral-Charner :D
2. Perhaps these, located in the "Far East" (this is more generic):
-> the avisos (destroyers): Marne & Tahure
-> the "river gunboats" (gunboats): Doudart-de-Lagrée, Commandant-Bourdais, Avalanche, Balny, Argus, Vigilante, Francis-Garnier
-> in various transports, supply ships: Astrolabe, Octant, Lapérouse
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Something nice that may spice things up? 8) Well, what about Force 136 then? :wink:
(And a little wink as well to the Jedburghs, by the way!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_136 (and in its French version as well: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_136 )
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

ColonelY wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 7:14 am [...] Concerning the Free French ships, potentially, according to here ( http://france1940.free.fr/navy/mar_jui.html ):
1. Of course the ships indicated as being in Saïgon itself:
The cruiser Lamotte-Picquet and the colonial aviso (destroyer) Amiral-Charner :D
2. Perhaps these, located in the "Far East" (this is more generic):
-> the avisos (destroyers): Marne & Tahure
-> the "river gunboats" (gunboats): Doudart-de-Lagrée, Commandant-Bourdais, Avalanche, Balny, Argus, Vigilante, Francis-Garnier
-> in various transports, supply ships: Astrolabe, Octant, Lapérouse
Oh, and of course, the cruiser Lamotte-Picquet has already been seen during the battle of Koh Chang... as well as, in this scenario, the destroyers Amiral Charner and Dumont d'Urville, as well as the gunboats (for scenario balance) Tahure and Marne...

:arrow: The cruiser was not to be sunk (pri obj), same for the two destroyers (sec obj)... but it's very likely that both gunboats have been sunk while playing this scenario.

Thus, they should NOT appear in French Indochina!


:arrow: So, we're now left with:
1. In Saigon, the cruiser Lamotte-Picquet and the colonial aviso (destroyer) Amiral-Charner :D
2. Perhaps these, located in the "Far East" (this is more generic):
-> the "river gunboats": Doudart-de-Lagrée, Commandant-Bourdais, Avalanche, Balny, Argus, Vigilante, Francis-Garnier
-> in various transports, supply ships: Astrolabe, Octant, Lapérouse
3. The destroyer Dumon d'Urville that was in this previous naval battle...


Now, in retrospect, these two destroyers could be there, in French Indochina, ONLY if the secondary objective of preserving them during the La Combattante scenario was successful. :wink:

This would be more consistent, but was not done at the time because it was not thought to have a scenario in Indochina at the time.

:idea: A small variable campaign to add? :D
uzbek2012
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by uzbek2012 »

ColonelY wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 6:35 am Meanwhile, here is already more information related to French Indochina: 8)

Intro here: :D https://ww2db.com/country/french_indochina
*******
Map on page 3/12: https://www.bouches-du-rhone.gouv.fr/co ... ochine.pdf
(This pdf talkst hat what happened there AFTER ww2… but the map, names, locations and so one is still valid, of course!)
*******
Well at the end of it )) I'm sick of Europe )) And then not much more and the French army itself will take Berlin, and the rest just helped ) But Vietnam and Algeria are cool and something new ;)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7554
The game can be downloaded for free on the official website .

Vietnamese answer to the game Call of Duty :wink:


Image
http://www.razlib.ru/istorija/deti_gitlera/index.php
https://www.vn-parabellum.com/battles/b ... rison.html
Last edited by uzbek2012 on Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by terminator »

Will you talk about the child soldiers in the German Army at the end of the war ?


Waffen SS "Hitler Youth" surrender in 1945 :

Schillersdorf.jpg
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German child soldiers belonging to the Waffen-SS were taken prisoner at Schillersdorf (Operation Nordwind).
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

uzbek2012 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:00 am [...] not much more and the French army itself will take Berlin, and the rest just helped [...]
:shock: What could be more normal in a campaign dedicated to France than to hear about the French and their actions? :wink:

We try to rely on History, but many of the deeds of the Free French are relatively unknown. :arrow: Hence the interest in talking about them, but also the fact that they can sometimes surprise. :D

It is clear that there was a lot of mutual aid, despite differences of, let's say, "political" goals. :!: But for the French to take Berlin :lol: ( :wink: ) well, NO, that would be anhistorical and, therefore, that is what we want to avoid. 8)
bru888
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Preliminary Indochina tidbits:

• That passage from de Gaulle's memoirs was helpful. One must be careful with his writings because they are coloured with Gaullism and egotistical self-promotion, but important facts and impressions may be gleaned from them.
• I think it will be this approach for Indochina: "a question of delaying the Japanese as long as possible, while evacuating enough units to China!"
• Similar to using gurkhas for goumiers, I will use chindits for native troops here.
• I like the idea of Force 136. I will try to work them in somehow.
• What de Gaulle says about American reluctance to offer support is true, but "American general Claire Lee Chennault went against orders, and aircraft from his 51st Fighter Group and 27th Troop Carrier Squadron flew support missions as well as dropping medical supplies for Sabattier's forces retreating into China." So some American fighters will appear, along with "Breguet 693 and the old Amiot 354 together with a few M.S. 406."
• No ships, though, for a number of reasons:
— The cruiser Lamotte-Picquet had been sunk in January 1945 in the South China Sea raid.
— Yes, I would be concerned about continuity of certain French destroyers that appeared, and may have been sunk, in the Battle of Koh Chang portion of La Combattante; and no, I don't want to reopen that scenario for the purpose of a campaign variable.
— A few months ago, when I was thinking about an Indochina scenario, I cut and pasted a screen print of the Tonkin (northern) province of Indochina — see below. After all, the Frenchmen and their native troops here were the only ones that would have a chance of escaping to China. In order to include Haiphong, Hanoi, AND China, it has to be a large scale map. Sea room is minimized, and one cannot maneuver river boats on rivers in this game.
• The trick with this map as a template is to NOT have its large scale result in a huge scenario map. One could feel compelled to make an 80 x 60 hex jumbo map and, when that happens, so many hexes and long distances requires more and more units to fill them. Instead, I am thinking of no larger than 40 x 30 hexes and relatively fewer units. The player may only momentarily reflect on how small Hanoi looks with only three or four hexes to it, but he will soon get over it.

Template (political).jpg
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- Bru
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

bru888 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 4:06 pm [...]
• That passage from de Gaulle's memoirs was helpful. One must be careful with his writings of course, one must anyway ALWAYS keep a critical mind :wink: because they are coloured with Gaullism and egotistical self-promotion sure, but it is quite common, on the principle (well, the second part, I mean :lol: ), but important facts and impressions may be gleaned from them. Indeed, and that's why I've transmitted these info, but as I don't necessarily know what you exactly need, I can't sort out the information too precisely - afterwards, there may be a few small "poorly done" translations :roll: , but if I translate something, I leave it "as is"! :wink:
• I think it will be this approach for Indochina: "a question of delaying the Japanese as long as possible, while evacuating enough units to China!" Nice! 8)
[...]
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Yes, you're right: "Firmly anti-communist, Chennault's CAT would also support French forces in Indochina during the French Indo-Chinese War" (source: https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/194/ ... -chennault )
bru888 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 4:06 pm [...] but "American general Claire Lee Chennault went against orders :? (precisely! :wink: ), and aircraft from his 51st Fighter Group and 27th Troop Carrier Squadron flew support missions as well as dropping medical supplies for Sabattier's forces retreating into China." So some American fighters will appear, along with "Breguet 693 and the old Amiot 354 together with a few M.S. 406." [...]
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by uzbek2012 »

ColonelY wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 11:52 am
uzbek2012 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:00 am [...] not much more and the French army itself will take Berlin, and the rest just helped [...]
:shock: What could be more normal in a campaign dedicated to France than to hear about the French and their actions? :wink:

We try to rely on History, but many of the deeds of the Free French are relatively unknown. :arrow: Hence the interest in talking about them, but also the fact that they can sometimes surprise. :D

It is clear that there was a lot of mutual aid, despite differences of, let's say, "political" goals. :!: But for the French to take Berlin :lol: ( :wink: ) well, NO, that would be anhistorical and, therefore, that is what we want to avoid. 8)
Image

No if you enjoy the process itself why not ))
https://centercigr.livejournal.com/212272.html
http://armedman.ru/voennyie-kampanii/19 ... 1-g-g.html
https://narvasadataa.livejournal.com/896760.html

Image
https://warspot.ru/6538-pravo-umeret-za ... uyu-rodinu
Last edited by uzbek2012 on Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Yeah, that's right, one could. 8)

From a 100% historical scenario (impossible!) to a purely fictional scenario, like an extreme "what if", we could consider all sorts of options. Like starting as historically as possible, adapting a bit (increasing fun & challenge level, but at least staying in the realm of plausibility), to finally move to fictional cases... It's possible, indeed. :D

:arrow: But for this campaign on Free France, I think we already have enough scenarios... :wink:
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

And thanks for those links, by the way! :D


From 1st link:
The Foreign Legion during World War II on the territory of French Indochina (since the late 19th century it included Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) took part in hostilities first against Thailand and then against Japan. In March 1945, the Japanese military forces there established their sole control, driving out the French colonial administration and breaking the resistance of soldiers of the Legion, who showed great courage in the fight. Especially distinguished was the 5th Infantry Regiment, which was able to break through to the Vietnamese-Chinese border with heavy losses of personnel, counting on the support of the Chinese troops fighting under Chiang Kai-shek.”

From 2nd link:
By the autumn of 1940 French colonial troops in Indochina numbered 50,000 men (12,000 of them French contingent), 100 guns and mortars, and 30 tanks. They were covered from the air: […]
-EC 2/595 squadron of 12 Morane-Saulnier MS-406 fighters-the only modern planes in French Indochina, but without their main armament-the 20mm cannons-were dismantled earlier for sale to China
.”
Further on there is mention of 17 of these planes, plus 7 others in reserve, so 24 in all apparently! So, there should have been another squadron of these. :wink:
Indeed, because “The French also acted - at the end of October in Hanoi they formed a squadron EC 2/596 from 7 "reserve" MS-406s, which was reinforced by 8 reconnaissance biplanes Potez-25TOE.
About the aerial part of the Franco-Thai war: “Further went the game already familiar to us - the Thais bombed during the day, and the French bombed at night. The only noteworthy case is the attack of two French fighters on a low-flying Thai troop column on January 21, 1941. Several dozen men were wounded and killed, and the return fire of 1 Moran was literally shredded and barely made it to the base.”
=> On overall, very few air casualties. So the ideas in terms of OoB are correct: basically, the formations present in 1945 are those of the Franco-Thai war of 1940-1941! :D

From 3rd link:
Actually, there I think we can use some pictures for the scenario… like the one :idea: showing a group of “fusiliers tonkinois” maybe.
Below is a selection of entertaining pictures and photos of the event with some explanations.” – True, very nice pictures there! But some of these are from Thai troops as well, thus not for us in Indochina.
Although, when I’ve read this, “In addition, there were about fifty Cardin-Lloyd Mk VI machine gun tanks and a batch of Vickers amphibious tanks, indispensable in the watery theater of Indochina:Hmmm… then, I take a look at the Unit Navigator and, guess what? :| , the Vicker tank has the “Light Tread” trait. :D ‘Sounds coherent. Then, I thought, has any available French tank the “Light Tread” trait as well?
:arrow: Answer: yes, but only one, the very old Renault FT-17!
Now, these in French Indochina?
A little quote from here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Thai_War now: “The French army had a shortage of armor, and it could field only 20 Renault FT tanks against the nearly one hundred Royal Thai Army armored vehicles. The bulk of the French forces stationed near the Thai border consisted of the Indochinese infantry of the 3rd and 4th Regiments of Tirailleurs Tonkinois (Tonkinese Rifles), together with a battalion of Montagnards (indigenous Vietnamese highlanders), French regulars of the Colonial Infantry, and French Foreign Legion units.”
There it’s only mention about Renault FT tanks and not another kind of French tank…
:!: By the way, the Chindits unit model to represent Montagnards will be perfect. :idea: But we should still use some colonial model as well. And regular infantry for the Foreign Legion... but, to depict their condition, I would say max ’42, so perhaps ’41 or even ’40… (If that won’t unbalance too much the fighting, that is. :wink: )
Back to this third link to a Russian website:
The best soldiers in the colony were, of course, the illustrious French Foreign Legionnaires. The 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (5e régiment étranger d'infanterie) took part in the [Franco-Thai] war.”
=> Some extra XP for these guys! :idea:
(By the way, here the land & air XP bonus should NOT be applied, I think… this area of the world was rather “isolated” from the main theater of actions and, thus, it’s not the same guys/formations that could have won XP throughout several battles that are about to be there… :wink: )

(And they talk about Koh Chang, the naval battle later… Nice! :D )
ColonelY
Colonel - Ju 88A
Colonel - Ju 88A
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Hey, hey, some very nice pictures as well with this fourth link, as the one you've selected: "French soldiers from Indochina, World War II, photo 1939-1940."

Excellent, thanks! :D
uzbek2012
Brigadier-General - 15 cm Nblwf 41
Brigadier-General - 15 cm Nblwf 41
Posts: 1904
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:49 pm

Re: Free France Campaign

Post by uzbek2012 »

ColonelY wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:39 pm Hey, hey, some very nice pictures as well with this fourth link, as the one you've selected: "French soldiers from Indochina, World War II, photo 1939-1940."

Excellent, thanks! :D
Image

You are your " favorites" ))) :?:
https://paris1814.com/%d1%82%d0%b0%d0%b ... 1%8e%d1%80
ColonelY
Colonel - Ju 88A
Colonel - Ju 88A
Posts: 1519
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:46 am

Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

uzbek2012 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:45 pm [...] You are your " favorites" ))) :?:
I'm not sure whether I've well understood this question, or not, but these guys look like "Goumiers" to me, if I'm not mistaken. :wink:
ColonelY
Colonel - Ju 88A
Colonel - Ju 88A
Posts: 1519
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:46 am

Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

terminator wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:42 am Will you talk about the child soldiers in the German Army at the end of the war ?


Waffen SS "Hitler Youth" surrender in 1945 : [...] German child soldiers belonging to the Waffen-SS were taken prisoner at Schillersdorf (Operation Nordwind).
I don't know, perhaps one event towards the end of 20OperationNordwind, maybe triggered once the SS have taken a certain amount of casualties/damages? :?:

This picture would be a good addition, I think, and... we see some snow there, it matches the climate of the scenario. :D

But, if it will be added, then I suggest to wait a little before doing a campaign update, as some tests are in the run... :wink:
uzbek2012
Brigadier-General - 15 cm Nblwf 41
Brigadier-General - 15 cm Nblwf 41
Posts: 1904
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:49 pm

Re: Free France Campaign

Post by uzbek2012 »

ColonelY wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:58 pm
uzbek2012 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:45 pm [...] You are your " favorites" ))) :?:
I'm not sure whether I've well understood this question, or not, but these guys look like "Goumiers" to me, if I'm not mistaken. :wink:

Well, if they were very bad soldiers, then who would bring them from Africa, so without them you would not have won in the end :arrow:
Subsequently, the regiments of Moroccan couriers participated in the liberation of France, and at the end of March 1945, they were the first to break into Germany from the "Siegfried Line".
Well, at that moment on the Siegfried line, one "Volkssturm" was yes "Hitler Youth" ...
" The German troops had almost nowhere to take replacements. To make up for the losses suffered in Normandy and during the retreat from France, 20,000 Luftwaffe personnel were transferred to the ground forces. The practice of using the Volkssturm has become widespread."

Image
https://picturehistory.livejournal.com/1827221.html

I wonder if that's what he said ? )
https://sergeytsvetkov.livejournal.com/1576569.html
Профессор криминалистики Роберт Лилли из США проверил американские военные архивы и пришел к выводу, что к ноябрю 1945 года трибуналы рассмотрели 11 040 случаев серьезных сексуальных преступлений, совершенных американскими военнослужащими в Германии. Согласны с тем, что западные союзники также "распускали руки", и другие историки из Великобритании, Франции и Америки.
https://oper-1974.livejournal.com/408684.html

Raped Europe: Who raped women in Germany and Italy in World War II
https://skeptimist.livejournal.com/3344467.html

How to create a black myth about "raped Germany" :wink:
https://en.topwar.ru/83438-kak-sozdali- ... manii.html
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