Free France Campaign

[ColonelY]

OPERATION DRAGOON: (Again!)

A more detailed look at the actual composition of these French divisions:
“1re division de Français libres” (general Brosset):
• “13e Demi-brigade de Légion étrangère” (DBLE, which icludes here its two first battalions!)
• “22e Bataillon de marche nord-africain” (22e BMNA)
• As “Bataillon de marche” (BM), the followings: 4e (BM), 5e, 11e, 21e and 24e
• And the “Bataillon d’infanterie de marine et du Pacifique” (BIMP; composed by the merger of two battalions that distinguished themselves at Bir Hakeim!)
• “1er Régiment de Fusiliers marins” (another famous one, as well as the 13e DBLE!)
• “1re Compagnie de chars de combat” (with medium tanks Renault R35)
• “11e Régiment de cuirassiers” (with medium tanks Sherman M4A1 and some light tanks Chaffee)
• “1er Régiment d’artillerie des Forces Françaises Libres” (RAFFL)
• “21e Groupe antillais de DCA” (with some AA-gun)
• “1er Bataillon du Génie” (an unit of engineers)
• “4e Compagnie anti-chars” (with some AT-gun)

“9e division d’infanterie coloniale” (gen. Magnan):
• As “Régiment de Tirailleurs sénégalais” the followings: 4e, 6e and 13e
• “Régiment d’infanterie coloniale du Maroc” (RICM; a recon unit on armored cars!)
• “Régiment d’artillerie coloniale du Maroc”
• “Régiment colonial de chasseurs de chars” (tank-destroyers M10)
• “71e Bataillon du Génie” (as engineers)
• “2e RAC-AOF” + “3e RAC-AOF” (i.e. groupe du Régiment d’Artillerie Coloniale d’Afrique occidentale)
• “25e Bataillon médical” (-> with a medical jeep)
• A group with AA-guns

“2e division d’infanterie marocaine” (gen. Dody):
• As “Régiment de Tirailleurs marocains”, the followings: 4e, 5e and 8e
• “3e Régiment de Spahis marocains” (with one squadron on M5 light tanks and three squadrons as recon on “Scoot Car”)
• “63e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique”
• “DARR” (i.e. Détachement d'Appui du Régiment de Reconnaissance -> so probably another armored recon unit)
• “41e Groupe de DCA”
• “87e Bataillon du Génie”
• “9e Bataillon médical” (-> with a medical jeep)

“3e division d’infanterie algérienne” (gen. de Monsabert):
• As “Régiment de Tirailleurs algériens”, the followings: 3e, 7e (RTA)
• “4e Régiment de Tirailleurs tunisiens” (4e RTT)
• “3e Régiment de Spahis algériens de reconnaissance” (3e RSAR; some recon unit on armored car)
• “7e Régiment de chasseurs d’Afrique” (7e RCA; used some American tanks, probably some Sherman too… this regiment was first used as a reserve unit before being adapted to this infantry division…)
• “67e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique”
• “37e Groupe de DCA”
• “83e Bataillon du Génie”
• “3e Bataillon médical” (-> with a medical jeep)

“4e division marocaine de montagne” (gen. Sevez)
• As “Régiment de Tirailleurs marocains”, the followings: 1er and 6e
• “1er Régiment de Tirailleurs algériens”
• “4e Régiment de Spahis marocains” (with one squadron on M5 light tanks and three squadrons as recon on “Scoot Car”)
• “64e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique”
• “69e Régiment d’artillerie de montagne”
• “33e Groupe de DCA”
• “82e Bataillon du Génie”
• “8e Bataillon médical” (-> with a medical jeep)

“1re division blindée” (gen. Touzet du Vigier)
• As “Régiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique”, the followings: 2e (RCA) and 5e (both with tanks Sherman), as well as the 3e (recon!) and the 9e (tank-destroyers M10)
• “2e Régiment de Cuirassiers” (with again some tanks Sherman)
• Three independent and motorized infantry units, as “Bataillon de Zouaves” the followings: 1er, 2e and 3e
• “68e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique”
• “38e Groupe de DCA”
• “88e Bataillon du Génie”
• “15e Bataillon médical” (-> with a medical jeep)

“5e division blindée” (gen. de Vernejoul)
• “Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère” (RMLE ; motorized infantry – 3 battalions!)
• “1er Régiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique” (1e RCA ; tanks Sherman)
• “6e Régiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique” (6e RCA ; tanks Sherman)
• “11e Régiment de Chasseurs d’Afrique” (11e RCA ; tank-destroyers M10)
• “1er Régiment de Cuirassiers” (1e CUIR ; tanks Somua and Hotchkiss, almost 50%/50% - if a single unit in the campaign must represent this regiment, then take the best tank available between the Somua and the Hotchkiss, of course!)
• “1er Régiment étranger de Cavalerie” (1e REC ; part of the “Légion étrangère” ; actually used as an armored recon unit, with some armored cars or something)
• “62e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique”
• “31e Groupe de DCA”
• “96e Bataillon du Génie”
• “14e Bataillon médical” (-> with a medical jeep)
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The Americans had the 6th Corps (General Truscott) with 3 infantry divisions (the 3rd, the 45th and the 36th) and 1 airborne division, all of which belonged to General Patch's 7th Army. (We’ll come back to this later…)

Naval force: an armada of many allied warships, including 34 French ships (the battleship Lorraine, 3 cruisers, about twenty destroyers – at least “contre-torpilleurs” and “avisos”, etc.).

So, a more detailed look at these Free French naval forces:
• 1 battleship: Lorraine
• 3 cruisers: Émile Bertin, Jeanne d’Arc, Dubuay-Trouin
• 3 light cruiser: Le Terrible, Le Fantasque, Le Malin
• Many destroyers (of all kinds): Le Fortuné, Le Forbin, Le Tempête, Le Simoun, L'Alcyon, Le Marocain, Le Tunisien, Le Hova, L'Algérien, Le Somali, La Gracieuse, La Boudeuse, Le Commandant Delage, Le Commandant Bory, Le Commandant Dominé, La Moqueuse

For naval support only, there was even Greece and New Zealand!
Air force: 5,000 aircraft (fighters, bombers, reconnaissance or transport).
For air support only, there was even Australia and South Africa!
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The “Mediterranean Wall” (much less dense than of the “Atlantic Wall”) however had 600 concrete structures.
There was the "Tobruks", small forts equipped with a tank turret salvaged either from outdated German panzers or from old French or Czech machines…
Toulon and Marseille formed 2 formidable strongholds with a total of 400 artillery pieces of all calibres, including 340 mm naval guns. Both sides had understood that these two huge ports may be of the highest importance to allow for a quick and massive invasion…
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On the other hand, the Luftwaffe is only a shadow of its former self with its maximal 120 fighters (FW 190 & Bf 109 G) and 110 bombers (mainly Ju 88) available in the area, as well as few recon planes.
Luftwaffe bases: Junkers 88 in Salon and Orange; reconnaissance group in Saint-Martin-de-Crau; fighters in Salon, Montpellier and in Orange-Caritat.
During the day of August 15, when the Allied vulnerability on the beaches was total, the German bombers made only two sorties: at la Foux-Saint-Tropez at 9pm and at the Dramont at 11:43.
At no time will the waves of Allied bombers be really hampered by the German fight. From D-Day to D+3, there are only two beach reconnaissance missions by two Me 109s.
A radio direction-finding station (a "radar" station in OoB), dependent on the Abwehr, operates in Barbentane!
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Kriegsmarine: 9 submarines (mainly based at Toulon) and about thirty small surface vessels – including Schnellboats, Support ships, few destroyers…
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As “Sicherheit” units, the Germans had the 200th Regiment as well as two battalions of the police regiment SS “Todt”…
In Provence, a few days before the Allied landings, several maquis were annihilated in the Haut-Var and north of Toulon. They were to serve as scouts for operation "Dragoon" and support the offensive action of the Allies. (And they still manage to achieve it – we’ll come back to it later!)
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The German defense of the French Mediterranean coasts, from Perpignan to Menton, rested on the 19th German army (General Wiese), with its 7 infantry divisions and 1 armored division… in principle! Like this it looks pretty strong, but…

This 19th German army underwent a process of “erosion”, with some of its powerful units having to be sent one after the other to the invasion front in the north-west of France. In replacement, the army was given another division and a few elements from others.

When, on August 15, 1944, the Allies landed on the coast of Provence, the 19th Army was a "sinking herd" that could no longer fulfil its mission of preventing a landing.

Infantry Divisions:
• The “716. Infanterie-Division” was manned in mid-August after the heavy fighting it had fought in Normandy; however, it lacked heavy weapons and was not operational.
• The “198. Infanterie-Division” had been completely refurbished except for a few pieces of equipment and was fully operational.
• The “189. Reserve-Division” was a training division and was not designed for a major offensive.
• The immobile “338. Infanterie-Division”, already partially evacuated, could not be considered a large unit. (Already evacuated: all its heavy means, a grenadier regiment and elements of two other regiments. & Immobile -> so lack of transport capability, so NO German trucks for this one…)
• The immobile “244. Infanterie-Division” was only suitable for a great battle under reserve (made up of young, well-trained and dedicated Nazi party elements), with regiments: 932e, 933e, 934e.
• The immobile “242. Infanterie-Division”, with at least the regiments: 917e and 918e…
• The “148. Reserve-Division”, which includes many convalescents, elderly soldiers, elements of the “Ostlegion”.
On overall, they had less AT-guns than usual, because they’ve been ordered to send them to Normandy…
The “11. Panzer-Division” (at least with some tanks Panther) located west of the Rhone River and, even if reduced by one tank battalion and eleven artillery groups, was fully operational.

[ColonelY]

OPERATION DRAGOON: (Yeah, again!)

During the few days before the “real” operations, there was a lot of aerial recon activity from the Allies as well as already heavy bombardments (mainly between 11 and 13 August) and, as a third but not negligible part, an increase in acts of sabotage which resulted, on August 7 alone, in the blasting of two railroad tracks and two highway bridges, five sections of railroad track and two sections of cable. -> some elements may appear in scenario description or the beginning of briefings…
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So, the Americans had the 6th Corps (General Truscott) with 3 infantry divisions (the 3rd, the 45th and the 36th) and 1 airborne division, all of which belonged to General Patch's 7th Army.

3rd Infantry Division:
• As “Infantry Regiment”, the followings: 7th, 15th and 30th.
• As “Field Artillery Battalion”, the followings: 9th (only this one with 155 mm), 10th, 39th and 41st (the three others with 105 mm)
• 10th Engineer Combat Battalion
• 3rd Medical Battalion
• 3rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized

36th Infantry Division:
• As “Infantry Regiment”, the followings: 141st, 142nd and 143rd.
• As “Field Artillery Battalion”, the followings: 155th (only this one with 155 mm), 131st, 132nd, 133rd (the three others with 105 mm)
• 111th Engineer Combat Battalion
• 111rd Medical Battalion
• 36th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized
+ the augmentations for the 36th (for the period of interest for us):
• 753rd Tank Battalion (15 August 1944 – 26 December 1944)
• 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion (15 August 1944 – 29 March 1945)

45th Infantry Division:
• As “Infantry Regiment”, the followings: 157th, 179th and 180th.
• As “Field Artillery Battalion”, the followings: 189th (only this one with 155 mm), 158th, 160th and 171st (the three others with 105 mm)
• 120th Engineer Combat Battalion
• Probably a Medical Battalion as well
• 45rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized

1st Airborne Task Force (about 9’000 men):

The dropping zone and landing zones for Operation Dragoon:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anvildragoon.png

The “1st Airborne Task Force” had to land on the “Rugby” spot on map (it was “Operation Rubgy”, by the way), so around the village of Le Muy, midway between Draguignan and the landing beaches at Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël.

COMPOSITION:
Two Free French parachute battalions had originally been assigned in early July, but disagreements between General de Gaulle and American HQ over their deployment meant that the troops were not made available, and so the British 2nd Parachute Brigade was somehow "loaned" for the operation: it was assigned to the operation on the proviso that they would be returned to operations in Italy once the beachhead was firmly established. -> The first part of this paragraph may make an EVENT at a beginning of a scenario with a title like “Disagreement over use!” or something!

So, actual composition:

1) For the Americans:
• “517th Parachute Infantry Regiment” (sometimes called: “Parachute Regimental Combat Team”): 3 battalions of paratroopers + “460th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion” (16 pieces of 75mm pack howitzers) + “596th Airborne Engineer Company”
• “509th Parachute Infantry Battalion”
• “550th Airborne Infantry Ballation” (glider!)
• 1st Battalion from the “551st Parachute Infantry Regiment”, so sometimes called the “551st Parachute Infantry Battalion”
• “463rd Airborne Field Artillery Battalion”
• “602nd Glider Field Artillery Battalion” (75mm Pack)
• “887th Airborne Engineer Aviation Company”
• Antitank Company from the “442nd Infantry Regiment”

2) For the British, the “2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group” composed by:
• “4th Parachute Battalion”
• “5th Scottish Parachute Battalion”
• “6th Royal Welch Parachute Battalion”
• “127th Parachute Field Ambulance”
• “300th Airlanding Anti-tank Battery”
• “64th Airlanding Battery”

The village of Le Muy stayed in Germans hand for a while – they were even able to mount few counter-attacks… This comes from the fact that, precisely, a German infantry regiment of the 148th Infantry Division was withdrawn from the Nice border and placed there as INTERVENTION RESERVE at Le Muy.
So, this dropping was tactically right by preventing an entire regiment from reinforcing some beaches…
Around the resisting village, the British secured first the high ground to the east and north, while the Americans did the same in the west and south. By establishing already a strong position astride the Argens valley, they were able to prevent the Germans to advance on the beach-heads… And Le Muy was finally taken with 500 to 700 Germans soldiers captured. The 17th August, units of the US 36th Infantry Division reached their pocket… -> This could make a nice objective (secondary?) -> reach a hex (near the northern border of the scenario’s map) called “towards Le Muy” before turn XYZ…
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Zone for commando and airborne operations and landings: east of Toulon, from Hyères to Cannes, lined by Cap Nègre, Cavalaire, Saint-Tropez, Saint-Maxime, La Nartelle, Fréjus, Le Muy, Saint-Raphaël.

The plan of Operation Dragoon:

D-1 (so 14th August 1944):
Covering operation entrusted to American and French commandos as well as American and British paratroopers.
The first must land on two flanks of the attack front to neutralize batteries and carry out various sabotage operations.
The second had to parachute in the vicinity of Le Muy to block the Argens valley and forbid the national road n°7 to German reinforcements that could be sent from the Luc or Draguignan regions.

D (15th August 1944):
The three American infantry divisions supported by the French armored division had to land between Saint-Maxime and Saint-Raphaël (they are better equipped for this anyway!), then clear the coastal defences and rapidly fan out to a fictitious "blue line" running from east to west as far as Théoule, Les Adrets, Bagnols-en-Forêt, Trans-en-Provence, Le Cannet, Collobrières and Cap de Léoube (all localities which would therefore have to appear on our map in OoB).

D+1 (16th August 1944):
The last troops must land… the French must take the stronghold of Toulon then the one of Marseille, whereas the three US Infantry Divisions must move a little northwards and north-westwards to cover the flank of the French units.


Historic event (towards the end of the landing scenario!): “La Marseillaise!”
On August 16, at 5 p.m., on all the French ships, which supported for 24 hours, with all their guns, the advance of the allied troops, exploded in a single burst, while the colours rose, the song "La Marseillaise", the most poignant song we have ever heard - at least that's what they've told us later ...

Maybe with some extract of this famous French song:
REFRAIN
Aux armes, citoyens !
Formez vos bataillons !
Marchons, marchons !
Qu'un sang impur...
Abreuve nos sillons !
COUPLETS
I
Allons ! Enfants de la Patrie !
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie,
L'étendard sanglant est levé ! (Bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes

REFRAIN
II
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (Bis)
Français ! Pour nous, ah ! Quel outrage !
Quels transports il doit exciter ;
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !

REFRAIN
III
Quoi ! Des cohortes étrangères
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !
Quoi ! Des phalanges mercenaires
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (Bis)
Dieu ! Nos mains seraient enchaînées !
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient !
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maîtres de nos destinées !

REFRAIN
IV
Tremblez, tyrans et vous, perfides,
L'opprobre de tous les partis !
Tremblez ! Vos projets parricides
Vont enfin recevoir leur prix. (Bis)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre.
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,
La terre en produit de nouveaux
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre.

REFRAIN
V
Français, en guerriers magnanimes
Portons ou retenons nos coups !
Épargnons ces tristes victimes,
A regret, s'armant contre nous ! (Bis)
Mais ce despote sanguinaire !
Mais ces complices de Bouillé !
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !

REFRAIN
VI
Amour sacré de la Patrie
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs !
Liberté ! Liberté chérie,
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (Bis)
Sous nos drapeaux que la Victoire
Accoure à tes mâles accents !
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !

REFRAIN

[Igor1941]

American prisoners are led through Paris in the summer of 1944. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1CnKsvZXQI
The French spit in them, try to hit, throw all sorts of crap. Those same French who will soon be among the victors of Nazism.

[ColonelY]

OPERATION DRAGOON: (Again, once more!)

To make it clearer, let’s have another look at this map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anvildragoon.png

So RUGBY (in red) is for the paratroopers and glider troops (almost 10’000 guys, with 213 canons or mortars and 220 jeeps – 535 transport planes and 410 gliders!). Those troops, helped by Free French “from inside” capture various objectives, and liberate Le Muy, Draguignan, Saint-Tropez and captured a German HQ in charge of the defense of the littoral from Bandol to Menton. -> Capture a German HQ – that may be a nice secondary objective for us in OoB!

ROSIE: French commandos, “Corps franc naval d’assaut” (capitaine Sériot; 67 sailors) -> landing à Miramar (between Théoule and Le Trayas); goal: cut the road to German reinforcements coming from the East… minefields and German garrisons not far away… In truth, they’ve had many losses due to mines and were captured by the Germans alerted by all the noise… but they weren’t kept prisoners for long!

ROMEO: French commandos, “Commandos d'Afrique” (lieutenant-colonel Bouvet; 750 men), disembarked on either side of Cap Nègre; main goal: two heavy batteries of 155mm to destroy…

SITKA: commandos, “1st Special Service Force”, also called “The Devil’s Brigade” an elite brigade with three American-Canadian regiments (colonel Walker; about 1’400 men); goal: destroy the batteries of the coastal islands of Port-Cros and Le Levant located in front of Hyères…
They fought the small “Battle of Port Cros”, in which these commandos captured the five forts on the islands from the Germans AND this was one of the few surface engagements fought between the US Navy and the Kriegsmarine (therefore it deserves an event informing the player about it!), where the US destroyer Somers fight the “destroyers” UJ6081 (former Italian corvette) and SG21 (former French aviso)…both were sunk by the Somers without American damage nor casualties; so I think that the US destroyer should be chosen amongst the most efficient available in OoB… Then the guns of the victorious destroyer Somers helped the commandos on land. Those guys assaulted two or three forts before the German surrendered… To the east of the island, the dreaded Titan's battery is in fact a dummy position admirably camouflaged (trick quickly figured out). -> All this to depict via objectives/event…

KODAK: starting area of the 3 US Infantry Divisions and a part of the French armored Division…

ALPHA: 3rd Infantry Division + a third of the French armored Division… beach “de Cavalaire et Pampelone”…
DELTA: 45th Infantry Division, in the middle, at “La Nartelle”…
CAMEL: 36th Infantry Division, on three different beaches: Fréjus (facing an aeronaval basis), at the Dramont and on the beach “d’Anthéor”… (we’ve seen that it has received few tanks as well…)
-> The objective was to land and establish a 25 km deep front line (called the Blue Line). Then, to advance towards the Rhone Valley and make contact with the 2nd French Corps (certainly the one commanded by Leclerc).

(Last spot on map - GARBO: Out of interest for us right now! At D+1, the American general Patch landed here with the remaining of its VIIe American army and the remaining (and biggest part) of the “1st Armée française” commanded by the General de Tassigny…)
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1’000 planes have launched bombs, 400 naval heavy guns support the assault… the 242th and 148th German infantry divisions, reinforced by three battalions of “Ost Legion” can’t stop the Allies to land, can’t stop the main landing assault of the Americans and some of the French…

Later, the almost fully disembarked French units started to head for Marseille and Toulon.

The initial plan was to capture the ports in succession, but the French commander de Lattre de Tassigny decided to attack both ports almost simultaneously… and even without waiting that all his troops have entirely disembarked!

So, he divided his forces into two big groups: Toulon for Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert & Marseille for Edgard de Larminat.

Heavy fighting around Hyères (16 km East from Toulon) temporarily stopped the advance… But the advance of the column of Monsabert or both columns? Due to the geographical proximity and the road to follow in order to reach Marseille, I think it was actually both of them…

Before attacking the city of Marseille, the French troops had to defeat a German force at the town of Aubagne… Unlike Toulon, the German commander at Marseille did not evacuate the civilian population, which became increasingly hostile. The resulting fighting with Free French “from inside” troops further weakened the German units, which were exhausted from partisan fighting. The Wehrmacht was not able to defend on a broad front and soon crumbled into numerous isolated strongpoints.

Almost 30’000 Germans have been captured with those two cities; there was about 18’000 German soldiers in Toulon and about 20’000 in Marseille…

More info already there: Marseille (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Marseille) & Toulon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Toulon_(1944)). Don’t forget to take a look as well at the French version of it, for it is more than “just” a translation…

TOULON: 18’000 Germans (242nd division of Infantry, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe… admiral Ruhfus) with 30 forts, an abundant artillery (more than 200 pieces were captured) and innumerable bunkers… vs only 16’000 French (3e DIA, 1re DFL, 9e DIC, a shock-battalion, the “commandos d’Afrique”, around 30 tanks and 80 medium artillery pieces)!
Assault in three phasis: encirclement, dismantling, permanent reduction inside the city…
Château de Fontpré, batterie de Mauvannes, forts du Coudon et de La Poudrière; presqu’île de Saint-Mandrier (and its bunkers – there is the admiral Ruhfus; with strong AA defenses, which last long despite heavy bombardments – including from the French battleship Lorraine!)…

MARSEILLE: (directly, so without the force defending Aubagne) The Germans have, amongst others, the 244th Infantry division, and around 13’000 men in total (general Schaeffer)… with 150 to 200 canons from 75 to 220 mm… The Free French with elements of the 3e DIA + an armored part of the 1re DB have no more than 10’000 men to engage… the Free French “from inside” have taken the arms from the 21st of August; the Free French open a passage and join them to destroy the last German resisting spots…

Schaeffer and Ruhfus surrendered almost at the same time (with just few hours of difference)…
The capture of Marseille and Toulon is almost a month ahead of schedule! The French did not spare themselves. Now these two great ports will hopefully speed up the movement and contribute massively. Indeed, during eight months, it’s 14 divisions which transit by these two ports and, on average, 18’000 tons of supply daily!
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Suggestions of scenarios related to the beginning of Operation Dragoon:

1. Dragoon D-1: the four parts ON THE SAME BIG "MAP", but an incomplete map because a map (or 4 like a "patchwork") showing only the areas of interest, so four parts with uncrossable separations between them (as already seen in one of the scenarios of an official DLC)…
-> The smallest part for the French marine commandos having to simply reach a spot near a road and avoiding mines and German patrols on their way…
-> A bigger part with the French “commandos d’Afrique” landing to destroy mainly two big batteries…
-> Another part with the “Devil’s Brigade” landing on few islands to destroy forts and a little naval action (as already introduced)…
-> And a last part with the paratroopers and the gliders (which can just simply be spawned on map once already a little ground has been taken, together with an event)… with nice elements as the village of Le Muy to take despite its (strong) garrison, a German HQ to capture, etc.

Four parts into one… It would give a nice overview and, as they are smaller in size (compared to the actual real landing), there is no real point to play it only on the micro size by choosing which one to play…

2. Dragoon D: the main landing, the map showing the beaches (of course!) and the locations of the “Blue Line” to capture…

3. Hyères: a strong German resistance to the French advance…

Then crossroad and choice between these two scenarios:

4. Marseille (including on the same scenario a first German defensive line around the nearby Aubagne)

5. Toulon…

-> so a total of 5 scenarios to depict this part of the Free France campaign may be optimal…
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Then Tassigny succeeds in freeing himself from the restrictive instructions of the American General Patch, who seems to want to confine him to subordinate missions?!

The French troops were then to take a decisive part in the pursuit, over 700 km, of the 19th German Army, whose retreat was covered by the 11th Panzerdivision...

But that's another part of this epic!
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This map may help, as well as for incoming battles:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... uselang=fr
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The penultimate image on page 8 can certainly be used... in Eritrea, Charles de Gaulle reviews troops in a place with a funny name... :
http://1dfl.fr/IMG/pdf/livret_tradition ... -41863.pdf
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Some hints/ideas for other scenarios:

Bataille de Montélimar (Continuation of Operation Dragoon – from the ??? to the 29th August 1944; 5’000 US + 3’000 Free French “from inside” versus Germans, who lose 2’500 killed and 3’000 prisoners)
Once the German forces were defeated in Provence, the Germans withdrew to the north through the Rhône valley, to establish a stable defense line at Dijon. Allied mobile units were able to overtake the Germans and partially block their route at the town of Montélimar (where there is a main road). The ensuing battle led to a stalemate, with neither side able to achieve a decisive breakthrough, until the Germans were finally able to complete their withdrawal and retreat from the town. Thus this battle is sometimes considered as a victory…

Bataille de Meximieux (31st August – 2 September 1944; counteroffensive of the 11th Panzerdivision to retake Meximieux and delay the US troops in order to allow the withdrawal of German battalions north of Lyon; Allied forces: 45th Infantry division (US), and with the Free French “from inside” of the “Maquis de l’Ain” (up to about 7’000 men – probably not all taking part to this battle) and “Camp Didier” (about 800 men)…)

By the way, this Army B was nicknamed Rhine and Danube because of its victories on the Rhine and Danube between 31 March and 26 April 1945. -> so (at least) two other scenarios to add…

By the way (once more!), during the famous Battle of the Bulge, or “Bataille des Ardennes”, there was as well French troops and “Free Belgian forces” (have they copied the brave guys of Charles de Gaulle!? ) and men from the “Luxembourg resistance”…

[ColonelY]

And, well, I think it's more or less all about this part of the Free France campaign, about the landing in Provence!

[ColonelY]

American prisoners are led through Paris in the summer of 1944. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1CnKsvZXQI
The French spit in them, try to hit, throw all sorts of crap. Those same French who will soon be among the victors of Nazism.

Yeah, some part of the French collaborated more or less with the Germans, while others were staunch supporters of the hardcore struggle, with as goal at least the liberation of the occupied France...

[ColonelY]

Campaign event: "Highly symbolical meeting!"

"At Nogent-sur-Seine, west of the Langres plateau, on 12 September 1944, two reconnaissance units make contact. One comes from the "2e Division blindée" of Leclerc, while the other comes from the "1re DFL".

Thus, after hard fightings, the arm of Leclerc, from Normandy, and the arm of Tassigny, from Italy, Corsica and North Africa, can finally shake hands!

In the eyes of the French combattants, this meeting embodies the dazzling victory of the French army over Nazism, the end of the dark years of the Occupation!

But, of course, the war is not over yet..."

Or something similar...

[bru888]

Thanks, gunny, Zeke, raf, Igor, conboy, Mascar, and particularly you, Colonel. Where do you get your energy, and can I get it on Amazon or eBay? Were you actually singing that song out loud as you typed it? For, I prefer the image of you at least humming along as you typed each line from memory (rather than copying and pasting).

I hope the results will live up to your expectations. It is doubtful that we will be able to incorporate everything that has been included here but I promise you that we will be reviewing it all and gleaning the golden nuggets of inspiration.

[Zekedia222]

=> The main idea is that each division can use, if needed, up to three different groups fully equipped, thus almost independent and autonomous; this gives more operational flexibility… this is, for example, why there are “3 medium tank regiments” for an armored division or “3 infantry regiments” for an infantry division…

The traditional triangular division. Well... not that traditional considering only 6 or 7 years before the square division was traditional...

[ColonelY]

SCENARIO: OPERATION VÉSUVE – THE LIBERATION OF CORSICA:

Although not very well known, the Liberation of Corsica is a true epic!

Let me introduce it to you first, then we can dive more deeply towards the actual corresponding scenario…

Well, in short:
Networks, "maquis" (scrub), secret missions of the Free French, undercover English agents, an island occupied by 80,000 Italian soldiers, airdrops and arms deliveries by submarines from Algiers, shootings, ambushes, daily survival, radio links, clandestine printing works, caves in the maquis, betrayals, arrests, executions by the Ovra (the Italian gestapo), liberating battles from the 9th September to the 4th October 1943...

The internal Resistance (almost 12’000 fighters wearing Moorish-headed armbands!) fought first against the Italians and then, once Italy had surrendered to the Allies, fought massively against the Germans (including some formidable SS unit!) sent to hold their island... At that time, even the Italians will sometimes help the Resistance to fight against their former allies, the Germans... Then the Free French sent reinforcements: 5'000 men of shock battalions and Moroccan battalions. With the internal Resistance, even the help of Italian divisions, the fight continued against the German divisions.

The final battle will take place in Bastia, a martyred city...

The liberation of Corsica, it was a total surprise in the political landscape of 1943. It fed in real time Charles de Gaulle's political will and thinking and accelerated the Allied victory. Indeed, this strategic island for Hitler was liberated a year ahead of Eisenhower's plans! And this, even without the help of the 6 divisions initially planned!
******
After the Franco-German armistice signed on the 22nd June 1940, Corsica was in the Free Zone. It will remain so until the 11th November 1942, when Italian troops invaded Corsica: 85’000 Italian soldiers! The period of Italian-occupied Corsica, as well as the development of the Resistance, has begun… These 85’000 Italians will be joined a little later, in June 1943, by 15’000 soldiers of the German troops, i.e. a total army of 100’000 men for a population of “only” 215’000 inhabitants. So almost one occupier for every two inhabitants took position all over Corsica and requisitioned the houses…

So, from the 11th November 1942 on, the Resistance took shape and organized itself. And from North Africa, where the Allies had already gained a foothold, arms, ammunition and radio sets arrived clandestinely. These deliveries were made by submarines and their missions from mid-December 1942, and by parachuting from the spring of 1943.

Two missions left Algiers for Corsica in December 1942 and January 1943. They acted without consultation. One of them, “Sea Urchin”, was prepared in London under the control of General de Gaulle (few guys disembarked from the British submarine Tribune during the night of 6 to 7 January), later followed by the “Frederick” mission (few guys disembarked from the British submarine Saracen during the night of 10 to 11 February). The other, “Pearl Harbor”, was the emissary of the services of General Giraud installed in Algiers (few guys disembarked from the French submarine Casabianca during the nights of 5 to 7 February).

Then as famous anecdotes, there was too:
The 10th March, after an unsuccessful attempt at Canelle, the submarine Casabianca went further south, to the cove of Favone, and succeeded in its mission of recovering two members of the Pearl Harbor mission and five crew members of the submarine who had remained involuntarily (!) in Corsica during previous landings on the west coast of the island.

Please take as good note that the Free French submarine Casabianca has even been called the elusive "Phantom Submarine"! (This is enough nice to be mentioned, to appear somewhere within this scenario…)

In the summer of 1943, the Casinca Resistance (yeah, they needed names!) had set up its HQ, where they installed the printing equipment which they had taken from the Italian Consulate in Bastia… there, more than 50’000 leaflets and "Le patriote", the National Front newspaper as well as "Terre corse", the Communist Party newspaper, will be printed... Yeah, here as well there was many Communists!

Here is already a map of Corsica showing the different locations where the submarine Casabianca was acting (1942-1943): http://www.itineraires-liberation-corse ... li/1170%20

This is, of course, just a glimpse of the whole... But there is no real point in developing it all. Let’s focus on what may be useful to create scenarios, shall we?

But still, like this there should already be enough matter to make nice and relevant scenario briefings and descriptions…
*******
When Italy's capitulation was announced, the National Front of the Insular Resistance issued an insurrection order on 9th September 9. Ajaccio was liberated the same day (with some fighting against the Germans, and Italian support for the resistance fighters). Ajaccio thus became the bridgehead where the troops, almost exclusively French, from Algiers, landed from 13 September.
Maps of the action (with arrows!):
https://www.secondeguerre.net/articles/ ... corse.html (with airfields too!)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr
***
Known forces:
French forces:
-> Local partisans (from various groups): almost 12’000 men
-> “1er bataillon de choc” (elite paratroopers, who had partly travelled on… the famous submarine Casabianca!)
-> An important part of the “4e Division marocaine de montagne” (4e DMM), commanded by gen. Louchet, i.e. the “1er Régiment de tirailleurs marocains”, the two first squadrons of the “4e Régiment de spahis marocains” (almost like a recon unit, but on light tanks – the Stuart?), the third group (or a squadron) of the “69e Régiment d’artillerie de montagne”.
-> “2e Groupe de tabors marocains” (2e GTM), around 3’000 men, called « les goumiers » (who were in principle Berbers; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr)… light infantry, composed by 3 battalions, the “1er Tabor”, the “6e Tabor” and the “15e Tabor”… (by the way, this 2e GTM was one of the six most decorated French infantry units of the Second World War!)
-> Naval forces: cruiser Jeanne d’Arc, destroyers Le Fantasque, Le Terrible, Alcyon, Fortune et Tempête, submarine Casabianca… The cruiser Montcalm appeared sometimes to help -> so may be spawned at some point !

Italian forces on French side:
-> A part of the occupational garrison, namely the divisions Friuli and Cremona… These two units have been put, by the Italian HQ, directly under the command of the French general Louchet (4e DMM)!
20th Infantry Division “Friuli” (gen. Lorenzis): 87th Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Regiment, 35th Artillery Regiment (with an AA group, 20 mm, and with 100/17, 75/27, 2x 75/18 field cannons groups), 88th Blackshirt Legion (!), 20th Engineer Battalion and 20th AT Company (47/32 AT-guns), for the main relevant units…
44th Infantry Division “Cremona” (gen. Pedrotti), composed mainly by the 21st Infantry Regiment, the 22nd Infantry Regiment, the 90th Calabria Blackshirt Legion (!), 7th Artillery Regiment (with an AA group, 20 mm, and with 100/17, 2x 75/27 field cannons groups), 144th AT Company (47/32 guns), 13th Armored battalion (with motorized MG company)…
-> Destroyer Aliseo + gunboat Cormorano (both having sunk at least seven German ships in the Bastia’s harbor on the 9th September 1943 – small battle of Pietracorbara!)

US special forces:
It seems that around 400 of them were involved in Corsica too, towards the end of the action...

German forces:
“90e Panzergrenadier Division”, including as “Panzergrenadier Regiment” (motorized) the 200th and the 361st and maybe still the 155th*, plus the “190th Panzer Battalion”, the “190th Artillery Regiment”, the “242nd Sturmgeschütz Battalion” and the “1st/190th AT Company” (with tank-destroyers!)
*If they had already no longer the 155th Panzergrenadier Regiment, then they should have had instead the recon group “Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung 190”…
SS Sturmbrigade “Reichsführer SS” (which contained at least a motorized battalion – but could have already been upgraded to a real division – with another name, I’m not sure… ‘should be checked!) -> this brigade (or more!) oversaw the defense of the Teghime Pass, over Bastia, a Pass they begin to lose the 2nd October 1943…

Italian forces staying on German side:
An unit of paratroopers…
***
The Germans have retaken Bastia; the Resistance strongly held the central mountains to prevent the Germans to use them to send troops from the East to the West or the opposite… the Germans received troops from Sardinia but were in a process of evacuation!
The “4e division marocaine de montagne”, disembarked in Ajaccio from Algiers, must intercept these evacuating German troops, covered by the RAF and the USAAF for air support, whereas the Germans must reach the Northern Italy to help putting there a stand…
=> This will make a great and somewhat unusual scenario: Germans evacuating an island, trying to delay the Allies, while Italians helping Frenchies full on pursuit...

I suggest starting this scenario on September 29, 1943, when the Allies have already disembarked and conquered a good part of the island... including Porto-Vecchio in the southeast. So duration: September 29 - October 4! (This seems a reasonable and won't impose too many "crossroads").
The Germans are evacuating from Bastia and other ports on the east coast, blowing up bridges to slow the Allies down...
The San Stefano pass must be taken, then the Teghime pass (historically this was done on September 30 and October 3 respectively), then the final push to seize Bastia!

With as objectives, of course, the capture of several places on the map, perhaps even with deadlines, but also (why not? ) the sinking of several German ships fleeing to the east and/or northeast... For this, there is at least a famous Free French cruiser and a famous Free French submarine (the Casabianca, nicknamed the elusive "Phantom Submarine" – this should be mentioned), as well as, if needed, an overwhelming air superiority and few of the other mentioned ships...

Finally, within the texts for "Major Victory", “Minor Victory”, etc. the following facts could/should be mentioned to respect the History and add even more flavor to the campaign:
1. Corsica is the first part of France (as such, therefore without considering the colonies here) to have been liberated from the Occupation.
2. It has been liberated a year earlier than Eisenhower's plan and even without the help of the six divisions provided for that purpose.
3. The island, nicknamed "USS Corsica", serves from now on as a very useful and welcomed air base for Allied operations in Northern Italy and in Provence (Southern France).

Two big pictures, just in case:
https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr ... 81695.html
https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr ... 38064.html

[ColonelY]

Another point is worth mentioning once, for example within the scenarios related to the Provence landings or the battles in Italy, where, at that stage, the French used mostly American equipment (tanks, etc.): When this will be indicated, then one can, or should, directly recall (the little known fact) that, during the Great War (14-18), the American divisions had been equipped by the French!

By the way, the Free French forces begin to be massively equipped with American (and a little British as well) materials ONLY after the conquest of the entire Africa, I mean after the end of the Tunisian campaign (and ONLY by respecting some of their conditions, thus reducing the number of the Free French divisions made available... ).

[ColonelY]

Very important: for their recognized ability to "go everywhere" (especially in mountainous terrain - this was also seen during the Italian campaign, we'll come back to this later! ), these famous Tabors should not be represented by "simple" regular infantry... for this purpose, I propose to take the Gurkhas' units as a model (with appropriate unit names, of course)!

-> They will look relatively close and present the "guerilla" trait...

[ColonelY]

Here are various complements (on already mentioned scenarios):
*************
KEREN:

Very mountainous (peaks at 2'000 meters), arid, rare water points -> very hard fighting conditions... (identical situation for the KUB KUB scenario!)

From 2 to 13 February 1941, the 4th Indian division (coming from Agordat) attacked in force the entrenched camp of Keren, defended by the Italian division Savoia. All British attacks were repulsed with heavy losses. The 5th Indian division, sent in reinforcement, is also held in check...

In East Africa, the Italian artillery is mainly based on ancient guns of the 14-18 war. No heavy or medium tanks, only the (very vulnerable) Fiat-Ansaldo L3 caterpillars. No anti-tank guns, few mines. Skeletal aviation, with less than 150 airplanes in flying condition, including old Fiat CR-32 fighters and old CA-133 Caproni bombers... But remarkable Italian generals, all being old colonials used to fight in difficult conditions, all having the will to fight and being fine tacticians.

The Italian Savoia division fights with extraordinary bravery. The single alpini battalion “Uork Amba” takes a position (at “La Roche-Percée”) and pushes back 3 British battalions alone!

First phase of the battle: several thousand dead, but more on the British side than on the Italian one...

The Free French forces arrived, by different routes, until they numbered a total of about 3,000 men. The "3e Bataillon de marche" formed in Chad, which had covered 2'000 km in torrid heat, had already been engaged on 15 February 1941 at “Mersa Teclai”.

As for the famous (in an event!) "1er escadron de spahis marocains", it carries out deep patrols in Italian-controlled territory, even 50 km from the first British outposts!

At Keren, the Italian engineers replace the complete lack of anti-tank guns with mines and anti-vehicle traps (ditches hidden under branches to block vehicles and then the equivalent of molotov cocktails to welcome them).

To the north of Keren, the Free French of the Monclar brigade, alongside the 7th Indian brigade, have the delicate mission of attacking the imposing Engiahat mountain range. Defenders: 31st and 151st Italian colonial battalions (both excellent!); the first Italian line of defense is based on the summit of the “Grand Willy” (attached to the Engiahat massif by the “Grand Peter”). The Italians made extensive use of grenades, with an outfitter carrying a whole lot of grenades and a launcher acting under command... the Italians did not hesitate to even counter-attack locally... The British had artillery, but the Italians had mortars...

With insufficient intelligence, the British command did not expect the defensive system of this part north of Keren to be so strong! And it was precisely there that the French found themselves... finally they received as well support from the RAF (mainly engaged south and west to Keren)…

Once victory had been fully won at Keren and its immediate surroundings, the Italian columns, who were retreating in disorderly fashion on the road to Asmara, were hunted down...
*************
MASSAOUA:

Mussolini ordered the defenders (already demoralized by the previous fightings) to fight to the end and to sabotage the most important installations.

All the last surviving Italian units from Keren, Asmara and Ghinda withdrew to the shelter of the fortified belt of Massaoua.

Garrison: 2 blackshirt battalions, 3 decimated colonial brigades, several mountain and coastal defense artillery groups, a few light tanks, carabinieri (police officers), customs officers, sailors...

Massaoua... port facilities to the south as far as Arcico (where important fuel depots that double those of the city -> at least a Fuel Depot there! ), an airfield, a road and a railway coming from Asmara and Keren, a line of many forts (with 77mm guns and heavy machine guns), 120mm coastal batteries facing inland (so few fortresses in OoB!) but actually equipped with the wrong ammunition (armour-piercing, more effective against ships)... the line of forts is preceded by a line with outposts, barbed wire and mines.

Due to fuel problems (British responsibility! ), the "3e Bataillon de marche" could not follow the Monclar Brigade... however, the "3e Compagnie du Bataillon d’infanterie de marine" was able to join the brigade.

Plan: the French are to attack from the west (at Moncullo, the village, fort and bridge + whole line of forts, Zaga defensive works south of Moncullo, etc.), while the British (including the 10th Indian brigade) will attack from the northwest and north.

The French must therefore take two lines of defense: the outposts, then the forts... they were given the most difficult mission!

The keys to success: the quality of the British artillery and the impetus of the French!

The French, with their two 75-mm guns, were supported by eight British 86-mm howitzers and three 150-mm batteries. A company of tanks stood in reserve, ready to support the French if necessary...

The black shirts defend Moncullo and Zaga, and refuse to surrender...

In the end, the French brigade finds itself at the gates of Massaoua with already 2'643 prisoners... then Monclar has to face a dilemma: to obey the order received from the British HQ not to let his soldiers enter the city or to make his unit and the Free French shine by being precisely the first to enter it... it is the second who wins!

If the Italians did sink about twenty merchant ships ( simulable in OoB, with an event and one of the pictures already put on the forum showing this!), most of the fuel depots could be captured... with Generals Bergonzi, Tessitore and Carnimeo as well as Admiral Bonetti - who threw his sword out the window so he wouldn't have to give it to the Free French Monclar. But a legionnaire has seen it, waits for the low tide and brings the weapon back to his leader, the French Monclar... who then offers it as a courtesy (and maybe also to taunt him a little!) to the English general Platt. This anecdote can make a nice event as well, once the major party of the city has been captured (so before the scenario end).

In fact, due to the rapid success, it is mostly only question here of about 2 brigades (including 1 French!) and 6 artillery batteries... here are the troops that really led the assault - still supported by some allied bombardments!

-> As secondary objective, one could add the capture of the Fuel Depot to the south…

Another event or something to put on the "Major Victory", etc., texts: On the 7th April 1941, the British General Platt reviewed the Monclar Brigade and congratulated them on their efforts and results!

[ColonelY]

Here are other various complements (on already mentioned scenarios – there may be some repetitions but in principle not that much):
*************
MOURZOUK:

Something like this (or parts of it at least) should be added in the scenario description or something, in order to add even more flavor, in order to give the player a better understanding on what’s going on and why:

“The Italians would like to take control of the famous strip of Aozou, 100 km deep, at the expense of the Chad of the Free French? In any case, the Italian plan in the south of Libya confirms Mussolini's expansionist aims: a major colonization effort has been made, with the establishment of powerful garrisons, linked by an excellent network of posts and airfields, defended by the first Saharan motorized companies to have been created, the "Sahariani"...

Faced with this, the colony of Chad then has only three "old" meharist companies and one motorised company (but equipped with vehicles unable of crossing the Sahara). The arrival of the very charismatic General Leclerc begins the transformation of these modest forces into a truly elite troop.”

About the scenario design:
The Allies arrive by the NORTH of the objective, roughly following, in the end, the road to Sebha ...
There are gardens next to the fort, which is an old Turkish fortification modified by the Italians.

Ideas about the objectives:
1. To rush to the airfield hangar to destroy all the Italian planes as soon as possible -> to be completed before turn XYZ, otherwise some old Italian bombers may appear in the sky!
2. Weaken the fort a bit (demolish a few bunkers or machine gun nests), but there is no need to take it over -> this is only a raid, not a capture!
3. After turn XYZ, evacuate all allied troops... (simulation of a lightning raid, always).
*************
LECLERC’S VANGUARD (its G and T patrols!) AMBUSHED IN DESERT:

When I’ve written this:
“From Cairo, these New Zealanders and Scots have crossed with twenty-four vehicles and a local sheikh more than 2’000 km to rendez-vous near Kayugi with a small Free French detachment of ten soldiers leaded by Col. d’Ornano, which […]”

It is the sheikh “Abd el-Jellil Sif en Nasr”, one of the historical leaders of the Arab resistance to the Italian colonization of Fezzan.
While the sheikh must of course serve as a guide, his main role is to act as a propagandist to encourage an indigenous uprising against the Italian occupier.

And his brother Ahmed, at that time a refugee with the Free French in Chad, is in the process of forming a "goum" (= an African mountain company - remember, I've mentioned "the goumiers" recently, so those are the men constituting a "goum")!
-> Some parts of all this may appear as nice historical event or scenario description!

For this scenario and the Koufra one, I’ve checked and actually THERE SHOULD BE NO “REAL” CAVALRY AT ALL INVOLVED within these two scenarios… Indeed, according to the detailed book I’ve got, the nomads of the Leclerc column were traveling “only” with vehicles!

Besides, after the historic raid by the meharists (an event already mentioned!), Leclerc drew the following conclusion: "The interest of this recognition lies in the fact that it was made by an entirely meharist detachment. It underlines the present difficulty of an offensive use of these units. The nomadic groups demand a serious precondition. Feeding the camels during these operations presents great difficulties. Finally, the animals must be sent to rest for several months after a serious effort. The disproportion between the range and speed of the camel and motorized elements is very strong and would constitute for the former a serious handicap in the event of encountering the latter. In summary, good instruments for defending and monitoring the mountain ranges of the northern regions of Chad, the nomadic groups, on the other hand, have a very limited offensive capacity. However, they could still provide services as back-up, reinforcements or relief from motorized detachments." (French Military Archives, Vincennes).
So, well, I think now it’s clear enough.

On the other hand, Leclerc's first significant motorized column also included an ambulance and refuelling service (56 vehicles), plus a breakdown service (20 trucks). It could thus be represented, for us in OoB, by a "Medical Jeep".

[ColonelY]

Here are other various complements on the KOUFRA scenario:

- Yope, the few Blenheim of the “groupe réserve de bombardement n° 1” (the GRB 1) were indeed under the Free French flag!

- Goal: capture the whole oasis, so destroy all the Italian defense system…

- About Italian defense plan/scenario design:
As garrison of the oasis, three complementary elements:
1. An old aviation (a permanent detachment + variable reinforcements according to the passages);
2. The excellent "Sahariana di Cufra";
3. The garrison of the fort directly (4 companies in all), the bulk of whose troops are strictly static, except for: 1 mobile infantry group (based at the fort) and used to counter-attack and harass & 1 battery of (4) 20 mm guns (outside the fort) and which serves as AT and AA... (not counting here of course the AA unit covering the airfield).
-> Two lines of defence: the first, well supplied, with MG-foxholes and a few mines here and there... the second, protecting the most vulnerable side of the fort, which is to the north, with a few other MG-foxholes. And the 20mm battery moves from line to line as needed.
Of course, the defenders of the fort itself remain, with other machine guns at their disposal...
(Their weak point: they don't have any curved fire artillery!)
*******
Up to three new events can be added (together with even more flavor); here are my suggestions (all based on historical facts!):

New event 1, title: “Please, back to base!” (at the beginning of the scenario) - or maybe included within this scenario description...

Text: “Ambushed, decimated by the dreaded "Sahariana di Cufra" and by the Italian bombers, demoralized by the loss of their leader, tired by the hard mission that was going on, the survivors of the British patrols asked for permission to withdraw...

Knowing that these men had covered 7'240 kilometres since the 26th December 1940, Leclerc accepted their departure.

But he and the rest of his column, against the advice of the British liaison officer accompanying him, would continue operations against the local symbol of Italian power, against this fortified oasis of Koufra...”
***
New event 2, title: “Aiuto, cacciatori francesi!” (around maybe a third or the half of the scenario)

Text: “The Italians spotted, on a makeshift field nearby, the presence of two old Lysander planes and an old "medical" Potez... they mistook these planes for dogfighters and, for the safety of their old and slow bombers, decided preventively that not a single one of them would fly any longer over Koufra.

Now the sky is emptying of Italian planes!”

-> which means of course that their old bombers are heading, at that point, towards some Italian map exit points and won’t come back… maybe a Free French recon plane could be spawn on the same time, being highlighted once this event does actually take place…
***
New event 3, title: “The Giarabub’s example!” (around maybe the half or the second third of the scenario)

Text: “Just like the Italians facing us in Koufra, we pick up on the radio the admiring encouragements of the Italian HQ at the garrison of Giarabub (another fort besieged by the Allies) which gave examples of heroism: for months now, 1’300 Italians have been repelling the attacks of 3’500 British supported by the RAF, despite a rain of bombs and shells, despite several mechanical charges and several infantry assaults...

Yes, it is that contrary to a detestable legend, the Italians can make excellent soldiers!

Let's hope that the example of this garrison does not inspire too much the defenders of Koufra who are in front of us!“
***********************
Without forgetting, of course, the content of previous posts, about the famous Koufra's oath and all the rest!

[ColonelY]

Another point related to the MASSAOUA scenario:

Actually, the "Mémoires" of De Gaulle does mention that the brigade Monclar had a company of Hotchkiss 1939 tanks with them...

Well, those can't anyway have helped at Kub Kub or Keren, due to the extremely mountainous relief, but what about this tank company mentioned near the Free French forces and held as reserve for the Massaoua's assault?

So, I think it may be nice to add a "small" (or single at least) unit of "Hotchkiss H38" under the Free French flag and deployed a little backwards. And to add as well another secondary objective, saying something like: "do not lose your tank unit" (with some RP as reward or something)...
So, it starts deployed a little backwards and should be spared - thus representing the historical aspect of being more a "reserve" unit than anything else within this scenario.

Like this, it would be even more immersive and even closer to the reality.

[ColonelY]

Suggestion for another campaign event: (just before the Syrian campaign battles - beginning for us with the battle of Kissoué)

Title: "New volunteers!"

Text: "On the 21st May 1941, the famous French officer Philibert Collet crosses the Syrian border to join the Free French forces. Notably, he can't stand that French Syria welcomes German military planes... With him, he took several hundred of armed horsemen from his cavalry squadrons of Cherkesses!"

Picture: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philibert ... fficer.jpg


Well, I'm not sure at all (although it seems well that it was the case!) if these brave guys have taken an active role in the three battles where it is certain that Free French have participated (Kissoué, Damascus, Beiruth), but for the "exotism" of it, it's certainly worth adding this - and it is not a detail anyway, because this half a thousand or so combatants then represented almost a twelfth or a tenth of the Free French troops engaged in Syria and Lebanon!

[ColonelY]

More about Operation Exporter (Syria/Lebanon):

In Syria, the “1re Division légère française libre”, commanded by the French general Legentilhomme contained mainly 7 battalions, a tank company (Hotchkiss tanks), a battery of 75mm, a squadron of Moroccan spahis and a recon company (plus some medical elements, etc.).

7 battalions, it means the 4 first “Bataillon de marche”, the “1er Bataillon de Légion étrangère”, the “1er Bataillon d’infanterie de marine” and the “1er Bataillon de fusiliers marins”…

So a total of around 5’400 men for this division! Then not endivisioned, but still participating in this Operation "Exporter": Colonel Collet's Cherkesses Squadrons Group (453 men).

Charles de Gaulle hopes to soon increase the power of its forces, but for now all the Free French troops available in Africa have been gathered in Palestine at the Qastina camp (some other forces being busy elsewhere, so it’s not completely ALL of the Free French forces!).
Some came directly from French Equatorial Africa, others from Eritrea (Monclar's brigade!), others from Libya (like the "1er Bataillon d'infanterie de marine"). On the 25th May 1941, they were reunited to form the first Free French Light Division! (And, by the way, the famous "Bataillon du Pacifique" will not arrive in Damascus until July 1941…)
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The “5th Indian Infantry Brigade” has been put under the French command of Legentilhomme as well. This brigade contains three infantry battalions: “4/6 Rajputana Rifles” (i.e. 4th bat. of the 6th regi.), “3/1 Punjab” and “1st Royal Fusiliers”, as well as the “1st Field Regiment” of British artillery…

Subsequently, the "GENT" Force (!) was strengthened by: 2 British Battalions, 1 Squadron of Royal Dragoons (in self gunnery), 1 Australian Infantry Battalion, 1 Australian Heavy Machine Gun Company, 1 Australian Scout Squadron (self-propelled machine guns) and 1 British artillery group.
But for the period of the Operation Exporter, there was at least as additions of units the “2/3rd Australian Infantry Battalion” and the “18th Field Company” (Indian Engineers!).
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At Kissoué (at 25 km only from Damascus - see the maps previously given ), there was a strong defensive position… defended at least by some battalions of “tirailleurs algériens” under the Vichy’s French flag…

On 15th June (the Free French have just captured Kissoué!), on the whole front, the Vichy's French counter-attack was launched: tanks, self-propelled guns accompanied by horsemen on horseback and infantry on trucks, attacked in the direction of Kuneitra and Sheik Meskine!

(And few after this, Collet's men were partly decimated - so yes, this real old-fashioned cavalry unit has taken part into battles! )

[ColonelY]

Before the War, the France had a real colonial Empire... so, later when a part of it was in Vichy's hand and another part having joined the Free French, there was a lot going on around the world, a lot related to the saga of those Free French.

We can't tell everything, of course, within the Free France campaign, but it would be such a pity not to mention some of the most relevant facts (from a Fench perspective, of course).

It's of course not about claiming that those were the badies whereas these were the nice guys, or thinks like this - especially because it may be incorrect to judge the mistakes of the past with our nowadays moral criteria (although it's rather tempting!).

Anyway, some things must be written, must appear to give the player a good feeling on how it must have been for the Free French side at that time...
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So I suggest those two "campaign events" just before the scenario "Bir Hakeim" and if they turned out to be too long, then they could always be summarized, while preserving its essence:

1. Title: “Collaboration with the Americans!”
Maybe with this picture: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6075012759

Text: “Even before the hopefully successful Coral Sea Battle, Americans and French have prepared together a common defense of the French New-Caledonia, near Australia (a main Japanese target).

We have given to the Americans our authorization to use all the existing Free French airfields in Oceania. Moreover, their heavy bombers may now use our Pointe-Noire’s airfield (Congo); in exchange for this last point, they’ve accepted to give us already several “Lockheed” planes.

The atmosphere between us is thus lightened, without France having to sacrifice its prestige!”

2. Title: “Russia joins the Allied camp!”
Maybe with this picture: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... et=1&w=629

Text: “The Reich has just betrayed Russia and launched a huge attack... If the German army can’t eliminate quickly the Soviet forces, then it will certainly suffer constant and terrible attrition, which would be perfect for us.

Although, if the Soviet participate to the final Victory, then it may bring new perils to the world… But now isn't the time to philosophize, because one needs first to live and thus to win this damn war!

Russia may offer this possibility. Moreover, by joining the Allies, it may as well reequilibrate the position of the Free French towards the American and British...

Friendly contacts are quickly established with Moscow, which has not been long to officially recognize Charles de Gaulle as the chief of all Free French and declare their determination to ensure the full and complete restoration of the independence and greatness of France... Without however, exactly like the United Kingdom in the agreement of 7 August 1940, mentioning at all the territorial integrity of France and its colonies!

Anyway, several Free French ships will soon participate in “Arctic Convoys" towards the Russian Murmansk...”
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Then, suggestion of briefing for the scenario Bir Hakeim:
Brief. 1/4:
“Decidedly, the alliance with the British is not a thornless rose: We were able to form already 2 light divisions, but the British HQ did not even agree to engage them in Libya...”
Brief. 2/4:
“Well, except when Charles de Gaulle offered to send one of them to Russia! (An idea that has enchanted the Soviets.) In any case, our "Normandy" fighter group will go to Russia, for sure.”
Brief. 3/4:
“Anyway, in the end, we of the “1re Brigade française libre” were sent to Libya and, as the British HQ did not know what to do with us, we found ourselves here, at the southern end of their defensive line. More Free French units are held as reserves further to the northeast.”
Brief. 4/4:
“Our orders? Well, simply stay here and fortify this sector, just in case!”
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-> Yes, at that time, the Free French have had time to prepare themselves at Bir Hakeim… but without any idea at all on what was about to fall upon them!
This may appear towards the corresponding briefing…
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More political cartoons which may appear either for events or pictures accompanying the “Major Victory” (etc.) texts…

For the event related to the Battle of Britain (where few French pilots have helped – see previous post):
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6074472377
This may be funnier than a “classical” picture showing some Allied dogfighter…

Once Sicilia has been taken (there should be one scenario for this part, maybe just for the final battles on Sicilia – look at the flags on the winner side, by the way!):
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... t..i&w=450

And another which may appear during the Battles in Italy (where the Free French have played an important role – we’ll come back to this later):
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6073364381

[ColonelY]

There should be two more scenarios, surrounding the Bir Hakeim scenario:

1. “Raids throughout the Italian Fezzan” (around 27th February- 7th March 1942)

2. “Conquest of Fezzan” (around 16th December 1942 – 13th January 1943)
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So, “Raids throughout the Italian Fezzan”:

Elements for scenario description or briefing: After the capture of Koufra, Leclerc prepared his troops for a large-scale operation on the Fezzan (southern Libya) which was to coincide with the British offensive of the winter of 1941-1942 on Tripoli. But Rommel's German counterattack in January 1942 cancelled this project...

However, in order to prevent inaction from affecting the morale of his men and to keep the Italians under pressure, a series of raids was launched on the Fezzan by Leclerc's guys!

Picture of main locations: https://www.histoire-et-philatelie.fr/p ... ml#fezzan2

From Tegerhi (included), all location to the north shall start flying the Italian flag… The Free French can operate from Chad (of course) but as well from the important oasis of Koufra that they’ve kept under control!

In this scenario, it’s not about conquering these locations but about seriously weakening the Italians and destroying their forts while sparing the means of the French forces.

-> So, to represent this, there could be a relatively “big” map with an Italian bunker at the center of each of the locations shown on the map I’ve given and as primary objective to destroy at least 6 of these bunkers (6 for historical sakes!)… Thus hit-and-run tactics! Maybe with the destruction of few hangars, fuel depots, radar stations, etc.! And the corresponding objectives…

The Free French engage for this almost 500 men (with almost 150 vehicles and a total of 11 planes), in 7 different detachments… travelling from 1’600 to 3’800 kilometers in enemy territory to perform these raids!

The Italians have 2 compagnies of Sahariana, 3 meharist compagnies, 11 infantry compagnies, 1 company of Libyan fusiliers and 1 company of engineers… Fortified posts hold the main oases, protecting the infrastructure needed to link and support the troops: airfields, direction-finding stations and supply bases.

At the beginning of March 1942, the Italians must receive reinforcements of counter-attacking Saharianas and dangerous elements from the Luftwaffe… time for Leclerc to call back to the safety of the French lines his raiding parties who were able to gain valuable experience! (Again, stricktly historical.)

Another advantage was that large numbers of Italian troops and even German planes were brought in as reinforcements... all those troops who could then not help Rommel!
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Then there will be the famous battle of Bir Hakeim (a scenario already planified, a real must-have!);
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Then the real conquest (this time!) of the Fezzan by the Leclerc’s column (16 December 1942 – 13 January 1943; map: https://www.histoire-et-philatelie.fr/p ... ml#fezzan3 ), because according to Charles de Gaulle it’s important to not leave this Saharan region to the British because of its strategic location… The capture of Sebha, the regional capital, on the 12th January and Mourzouk the following day marked the completion of the conquest of Fezzan. Sebha was then renamed “Fort Leclerc”! -> Another scenario: “CONQUEST OF FEZZAN”

Then, in January 1943, the Leclerc’s column will meet the British 8th Army in Tripoli (map: https://www.histoire-et-philatelie.fr/p ... montgomery )… this fact deserving either an event (maybe a campaign event) , or at least few words within a briefing description or the “Major Victory” text or (anyway!) something…