Free France Campaign

[ColonelY]

Suggestion of another historical scenario: Operation BRASSARD - the conquest of "l’île d’Elbe" (=Elba)
17-19 June 1944
***
Elements for scen. descry./brief.:
Main goals:
- To constitute a permanent threat to the rear of the German army, stationed in Northern Italy, in order to immobilize the value of a reserve division on the Ligurian coast.
- To use the island as an outpost and to prevent with artillery the traffic on the Piombina canal (between Elba and Toscana).
Spotted Naval Activity: The Allies believe that the island is being evacuated when in fact the opposite is true, as it is receiving reinforcements (roughly doubling the garrison), as Hitler intends to keep the place for as long as possible...
Mainly shallow waters, so no large naval and transport ships...
***
British : gunboats Aphis & Cockchafer + some Royal Navy commandos + 26 Wellington bombers.
Americans: landing ships + several patrol torpedo boats (or "PT boats") + 87th Fighter Wing + 57th Bombardment Wing.

It is the Free French Tassigny who carried out Operation Brassard. Free French: 2 régiments de tirailleurs sénégalais (13e RTS et 4e RTS), un bataillon de choc, un groupe de commandos d’Afrique as well as the groupe de tabors marocains n°2 (1er Tabor, 6e Tabor, 15e Tabor)... these well-equipped troops (almost 12'000 men!), of course not used at all to "amphibious" missions, have taken the time to train themselves.

The fighting was hard; the 13th RTS had to use flame-throwers...

German-Italian garrison: coastal batteries, 3'000 soldiers (garrison at least two battalions - some "Ost", mainly Polish), about 100 artillery pieces and 50 mortars, plus 200 heavy machine guns... the small size of the island means that the artillery can easily concentrate its fire anywhere on the island!

Offshore minefields... the bay of Marina di Campo stands out as the main possible landing point. But the beaches are also mined. There are also bunkers...
***
Plan:
1. “Bataillon de choc” (paratroopers for us with OoB) & commandos d’Afrique to neutralize 4 coastal batteries (deployed NORTH of the island - in several different groups ...)
2. Landings of tirailleurs and tabors on the beaches (south of the island) of Marina di Campo, Capo Fonza, Capo d'Enfola and in front of Capoliveri (the main part on two beaches only, codenamed Kodak Amber and Kodak Green).
3. Enlarge the bridgehead by conquering the Castello, Bacille, San Martino and Trombone mountains.
4. Finish cleaning up the island...
***
Element for the “Major Victory”, “Minor…”, etc., text:
“This new Free French victory brings the proof as well that our forces can also participate in future "amphibious" missons!”
***
Two pictures, just in case:
http://www.groupemarat.com/NOSLIBERATEU ... odp03.html
http://www.groupemarat.com/NOSLIBERATEU ... odp05.html
***
-> And this scenario, somehow unusual, will be much more interesting than a more or less skeletal participation in a much better known place like Sicily...

[ColonelY]

Well, well, let’s talk a little about the “Corps Expéditionnaire Français” in Italy, shall we?

Here are the main infos related to 5 new scenarios:

Scenario GARIGLIANO – OPERATION DIADEM :
11th – 21st May 1944

Elements of scenario description and/or briefing:
“Already three attempts to assault the Gustav defences and Monte Cassino have utterly failed. Impossible so far to dislodge the Germans from their Gustav Line… but we must achieve this to free the Americans besieged in a landing pocket near Anzio (north of the Gustav Line) and to open the road to Rome.

The Allied offensive, called Operation Diadem, that was being prepared was based on the bold plans of the French General Juin, who finally succeeded in imposing his views on the Anglo-American HQ. The British 8th Army and the “Corps Expéditionnaire Français” (so 9 divisions in total) were first secretly redeployed westward.

Juin wanted to avoid any new frontal attack on Monte Cassino, whose defences had been further reinforced and from which the elite German troops seemed impossible to dislodge. On the contrary, it was through the mountain, where the enemy did not expect it, that the main effort had to be made: rushing through the Aurunci Mountains, 25 kilometres south-west of Cassino, considered by the Germans to be "impenetrable to the armies". The French Expeditionary Force took on this task... if it succeeded, the Gustav Line would be overrun and broken through!

Come on guys, now is another golden opportunity to make our flag shine – let’s fully take it!”
*******
General Juin's “Corps Expéditionnaire Français” (=CEF) was “integrated” into the 5th American Army (of General Clark).

The Corps Expéditionnaire Français consisted of nearly 120’000 men (out of the nearly 700’000 Allies!), 12’000 vehicles and thousands of animals (including a lot of mules - very useful for mountain fighting).

Composition:
“1re Division motorisée d’infanterie” (1re DMI), called as well “1re Division de la France libre” (1re DFL) + “2e Division d’infanterie marocaine” (2e DIM) + “3e Division d’infanterie algérienne” (3e DIA) + “4e Division marocaine de montagne” (4e DMM) + several “Groupement des tabors marocains” (GTM; le 1er GTM, le 3e GTM, le 4e GTM) + other elements comprising several regiments

So, in total:
Battalions of the 5th Allied Army (Gen. Clark): 18 British, 65 Americans and... 45 French!
The battalions of the 8th Allied Army (Gen. Montgomery): 21 British, 12 Canadians, 12 Poles and 9 Indians.
So even in terms of numbers alone: significant participation of the French.
Opposite, the Germans had about 20 divisions, defending strong positions, for a total of 110 battalions and about 400’000 men!
*******
French general Juin's plan, simple and audacious, was to break the German defenses by surprise, seize the peaks that commanded the valleys and throw his mountain troops into the Aurunces Mountains, which would breach the Gustav Line, causing the collapse of the entire German right wing. Juin refused to allow himself to be caught in the trap of a slow and difficult progression along the road to Ausonia and the road to Sant'Andrea, which could only come up against the bulk of the German troops.
This daring design thus asserts the advantages of a mountain operation and neglects the valleys.
*******
Facing the CEF, there was at least the German 71st Infantry Division… and mines + bunkers…

The mountainous Majo (captured the 13th May) was an excellent observatory for the German Infantry Division… once captured, maybe it could provide some more vision on the immediate surroundings, together with an event and – before – a corresponding objective telling the player about this observatory…

"On the evening of the 14th, the situation of the ECF is particularly favorable. While the Americans only penetrated the ruins of Santa Maria Infante, the Polish assaults continued to break on Cassino and the British were having difficulty in widening their bridgehead on the Rapido, the French dug a breach in the Gusta Line 25 kilometers wide and 12 kilometers deep. Since the evening of the 13th, a huge tricolor flag of thirty square meters (!), visible from Cassino to the sea, has been flying over the Majo. The entire right wing of the German apparatus is shaken."
-> Yeah, so with this nice huge flag, this does deserve an event once this point is captured by the player!

During the night of the 15th to the 16th of May, the Tabors, followed by the 4e DMM start already climbing the Aurunces Mountains... so 18 battalions and 3 artillery groups (so 25’000 men + 4’000 mules) whereas the German HQ doubted that a single battalion could move through this area…

The 17th, in front of this lightning breakthrough, the Germans began to withdraw – that's how the German 1st Parachute Division received the order to evacuate Mount Cassino (yet at the very other end of the battlefield!), thus allowing the Poles to take it a little later...

Despite its value, the 26th Panzer Division (Tiger I + Panther) failed to slow down the advance of the French divisions, supported on their right by the Canadians of the British 8th Army and backed by 2 battalions of American Sherman tanks. Furious battle for the capture of Pico, in a rainy weather that prevents the air force from participating...
The CEF advances both in the valleys and in the mountains...
Etc.
*******
Documentary movie:

It’s mainly in French, sorry, but the Flags and the arrows are understandable anyway for anyone… The first part is out of interest for us – because no Frenchies there for our campaign!

Please just have a first look at 36’ (for elements of the main plan, and basic deployment of units) and a deeper look from 39’25’’ to 41’05’’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoXKiG075VM

-> So, the two American divisions in the west were first thrown back across the river by the Germans. The Indians and the British were finally able to move towards the city, build a makeshift bridge with their engineer troops and thanks to it widen their bridgehead a little with the tanks that had just crossed. The Poles, at first in difficulty, managed to gain a foothold on the other side as well... But the main thrust, the one that unblocks everything, is that of the French! That’s how it was.

“The CEF thus played the role of spearhead, getting the Allies out of the bog.” -> something like this could/should be mentioned within the “Major Victory”, etc., texts…

Here is a nice colored (yes!) picture:
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6348536540
Colour photos are not yet common in 1944. This picture shows you riflemen going up to the front in the Garigliano sector. The French Adrian helmet and the American olive green uniform are characteristic of the C.E.F. infantry regiments and give the soldiers of the African Army a recognizable look at first glance.

The Garigliano, a small river that forms the border between the Italian provinces of Lazio and Campania, was the scene of an exploit in the 16th century by the knight Bayard, who defended a bridge alone against a Spanish vanguard. Four centuries later, it was to be the scene of one of the most beautiful French victories of the Italian campaign.
************************
Then the CEF continues to help the Americans freeing the ANZIO pocket (where several US divisions are besieged by Germans after having landed there)…

To achieve this, the “3e Régiment de spahis marocains” and the “7e Régiment de chasseurs d’Afrique”, althought having lighter tanks than the Germans, manages to repell a violent counter-attack from the 11th and 26th Panzerdivisionen against the 3e DIA… and the mountainous French corps, it was to fight over a tremendous resistance around the “monts Ausoni”…

All this may probably be worth another nice scenario, an ANZIO scenario!
************************
But it was not the first major contribution of the Free French in Italy…

Scenario PANTANO-MAINARDE:
15-29 December 1943, mainly in snowy mountains

“The 2nd DIM climbs in line to take position in the Mount Marrone-Mount Pantano sector, on either side of the Colli-Atina road.

Our division replaces the 34th US Infantry Division which is out of breath and has just lost many people in an unsuccessful assault on the enemy defences of Mount Pantano.

Some Anglo-American observers dare to look at us, so let's show them - and the Germans! - what we are worth!”
***
This Free French division lines up nearly 17,000 men: 3 “Régiment de tirailleur marocains” (4e, 5e and 8e RTM), “4e Groupe de tabors marocains” (5e, 8e, 11e tabor), “63e Régiment d’artillerie”, “3e Régiment de spahis marocains” (recon group, with some light armored vehicle)…
***
Historic (which shows the locations and the enemies to represent on map):

• 15th December: the 8e RTM takes acrobatically the “mont San Michele”, despite many German bunkers...
• 16th: the “mont Pantano” is taken by the braves from the 5e RTM...
-> Jostled and impressed by the heroism and ferocity of the assailants, the Germans replace quickly their 305th Infantry Division by the 5th Mountain Division (whose Gebirgsjägers are veterans of the russo-finnish front)…
• The Germans lose San Biagio… and in 4 days (24-28) the mountainous “Mainarde” has been taken...
-> The German HQ, in order to try stopping the Free French advance and the routing of their units, is forced to call as well the 115th Regiment of Panzergrenadiers…
• The offensive continues towards the mountainous “Monna Casale”…
Finally, it was only a formidable snow-storm that halted the astonishing advance of the Franco-Moroccan troops who, in three weeks, had lost almost a thousand men (killed, wounded or missing) compared to almost three times that of the Germans (including a large number of prisoners)…
***
And all this while the American division was literally trampling underfoot...

What's more, when they arrived, the Free French did not hesitate to criticize harshly the situation that the Americans allowed to develop in the sector. Thus, for example, Sergeant Ben Bella of the 5e RTM noted:

"The first night we couldn't sleep a wink. The Germans were lurking in the shadows around us, their patrols were everywhere in no-man's-land, throwing grenades, calling us out, playing on our nerves. We understood from their insults in English that they thought they were still dealing with American soldiers. The American soldiers hardly ever went out on patrol and hadn't even been able to tell us where the enemy outpost was." (French Military Archives, Vincennes.)

Hmm...

This success was then failed to be exploited by the Americans... that’s why places like Pantano must later be recaptured (during Operation Diadem).

The British historian John Ellis, a noted expert on the war, wrote: "However cruel the French losses were, they were not in vain. The speed with which the French seized an objective that had so long defied the Americans, the ardor they had shown, impressed friends and enemies alike." (“Cassino, une amère victoire, janvier-juin 1944”, Albin Michel Publishers, 1987.)

Later, the man that the German HQ would recognize as its most dangerous opponent in Italy: the French General Juin with his Franco-Africans.
Etc. one could say a lot more about this point, but it’s not the goal here! Let’s stay concentrated on what’s useful to create awesome and historical scenarios…
************************
Scenario BELVEDERE
25-30 January 1944

“When our French general Monsabert, commander of the 3e “Division d’infanterie algérienne”, has learned of the orders, he has just said: "Assault the Belvedere? Who could have thought of such a thing! In short, it is a gamble against the impossible that we are being asked to do. Well, so be it! We'll take that gamble... And we'll win!"

And so, this mission has been given mainly to the “4e Régiment de tirailleurs tunisiens”, a regiment who is already tired from a month of uninterrupted fighting in the mountains...”
***
This operation was supposed to be a diversion... but these positions are considered impregnable, at an altitude of almost 1'000 metres in Abruzzo, in the middle of winter and against an opponent fiercely defending its positions.

But the exploit was successful , 1'200 Germans captured... the CEF was then holding 17 German battalions on its front, that is to say 44% of the enemy forces engaged against the 5th Allied Army.

But the 4th RTT (Tunisian Riflemen Regiment) lost half of its strength...
***
“This utterly brilliant feat of arms made the Free France shine once again and helped to restore the credibility of the French army in the eyes of the Americans.”
-> Maybe to mention within the texts for the “Major Victory”, “Minor… etc.
************************
More about historical aspects:

Here is a map: https://exode1962.fr/exode1962/en-savoi ... alie3.html
Of the northern part of it, one can see this famous Belvedere... yes, but don't forget that troops have been redeployed according to French general Juin's plan!
We'll find just another map (a little down on the website!) showing the progression to help releasing the US Anzio Pocket, then another for the northwards push once Rome has been liberated from the Germans -> ANOTHER SCENARIO - NORTH FROM LIBERATED ROME? ... I'm sure these can come in handy.
Plan of action against this Belvedere (towards the end on this webpage): https://exode1962.fr/exode1962/en-savoi ... alie1.html


In view of the successes achieved, the Allies asked Charles de Gaulle to send even more soldiers to Italy, but he refused because he intended to devote them to his priority objective: to liberate French soil from the Occupation!

After the capture of Rome, the brave soldiers of the CEF went up to Siena and northern Tuscany. Raised and withdrawn from the front in July, they were integrated into Army B (the future 1st French Army) commanded by General Tassigny (or “de Lattre de Tassigny” to be more precise) and landed in Provence in August 1944.

The CEF losses in Italy amounted to more than 40,000 killed, missing and wounded... about a third of the troops engaged! But they’ve achieved wonders there…

Of the 100'000 German soldiers put out of action during this period, at least 45'000 are to be credited to the CEF, including 10'000 prisoners.


So, with these 5 new scenarios, our Italian campaign will be perfectly relevant and complete:
1. PANTANO-MAINARDE
2. BELVEDERE
3. GARIGLIANO – OPERATION DIADEM
4. RELEASING US ANZIO POCKET
5. PUSH TO THE NORTH (ROME ALREADY LIBERATED)

(Of course, throughout all this campaign, it's not a problem at all if the player has to manage the units of other factions as well than those of the Free France! )

[ColonelY]

Either a campaign event or an historical event in the scenario just after the liberation of Rome:

Title: "A Triumph in the Roman style!"

Text: "The American General Clark has said to the French General Juin that: "Without you, we wouldn't be here!"

Therefore, on 4th June 1944, the General Clark, who intended to associate the French General Juin with the Triumph of the American troops, took him in his Jeep and both of them followed the streets where a large crowd shouted his joy."

Maybe with a picture like this: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6351050354

[ColonelY]

Related to the landing in Normandy, I propose a crossroad with 2 scenarios: either playing the Free French partisans with a lot of actions on a relatively big map in Normandy, or playing the “full” landing with amongst others a famous Free French commando unit at the SWORD sector…
Here is how:

LANDING IN NORMANDY – SWORD BEACH (OP. OVERLORD):

Event – just at scenario start (and highlighting the already deployed commando unit):
Title: “The Free French commando Kieffer!”
Text: “Even if General Charles de Gaulle has voluntarily been left out of the landing preparations (!), a Free French battalion of commandos has been landed in Normandy: the "commando Kieffer", or "1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins Commandos".

The last training of Captain Kieffer and his 176 men took place in Scotland as preparation for the landing... His commando has even had the honor of being the VERY FIRST Allied unit to land in the SWORD sector!”
Suggested picture: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6354920982


Well, this unit already appears in the SWORD scenario of the great pre-existing “Normandy UK & Canada 1944” campaign (as well as a Free French bomber unit, which is perfectly fine as well! )… So, why doing all the work again?

Therefore, I suggest simply this:
1. You start with this 05SWORD scenario, then put all units as non-core, then no need to change the scenario description, then no real need to change the briefing (maybe just add a “Free” before the “French” when talking of these commandos),
2. Then just add the event I’ve proposed at the scenario start (or an event similar),
3. Then pre-deploy this Free French commando (we know that they’ve been active in the sector of Ouistreham-Arromanches and Ouistreham is already a location on the map… so maybe on a nearby beach/deploying hex – if we want to stay absolutely historical, they’ve landed exactly at the Colleville-Montgomery’s beach),
4. Then to make the player “focus” a little more on them (after all, it’s a Free France campaign!), add as secondary objective the “deal at least 15 (or more?) damages with the Free French “commando Kieffer” ” (maybe for a 100 RP reward, for the Free French, or something) and as (primary?) objective to “keep this unit alive” (thus making this scenario a little more challenging as well),
5. Then maybe add another event around the third of the scenario or the middle of the scenario, to talk a little about the “Free French partisans” (see just below), to stay coherent with the crossroad-choice and to add more flavor,
6. Then, bonus, maybe spawn several Free French Partisans units around the bottom south-west of the map, together with this last event,
7. Then just add, at the end of the texts for “Major Victory” and “Minor Victory” (but those two only), something like: “And the Free French have done their part.”
8. And then increase directly the Free French income to make that our “commando Kieffer” can more easily use their “Sneak attack” ability…
And, well, I think that’s all for this scenario; like this it should be optimal!


Event: “Free French Partisans showing up!” (and highlighting the area of spawning of several of them)
Text: “The Resistance has already helped the Allies by providing our HQs with most of the important information, including complete and detailed plans of all German coastline defenses...

Now they are still helping us, according to their modest means, in trying to disrupt the probable German counter-offensives towards the landing beaches. They are doing all kinds of sabotages and even guerrilla warfare on the rear…

So, these Partisans want to see some action? Fine. Let’s make a good use of them, but without overexposing them!”
As picture, for example: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6353783377

*****
PARTISANS IN NORMANDY:
6-7 June 1944

Good to know: The “Partisans” in OoB have the “Demolitions” trait, thus being able to destroy Supply Output and Bridges…

As picture, for example: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6353783377

Briefing: (like made by a chief of the Resistance)
“Okay, guys, listen!

We have already helped the Allies well by providing them with most of the important information, including complete and detailed plans of all German coastline defenses...

Now that we have helped them to determine where to land and how, we must carry on by disrupting the probable German counter-offensives towards the chosen Normandy beaches.

So, on the menu: sabotages of railway lines (Green Plan), interruptions or hindrances of road traffic (Turtle Plan) and guerrilla warfare on the rear (Red Plan)… Let's give the Germans some hell of an indigestion!

I know that some bombers also carrying out these missions, but we, the French Partisans of Normandy, although still not very well armed, have the big advantage of being much more precise than bombs dropped at high altitude.

We’ve been preparing our actions for months, now it’s time, so gather your teams and good luck to all of you. Guys, for France!”
***
Historically, in two days, after the "Green Plan" was launched, 98 locomotives (German troop and ammunition transports) were put out of service... and in June 1944 alone, 113 locomotives were put out of service!

But it was the sabotage of the 52 locomotives stationed at the Ambérieu depot, during the night of 6 June to 7 June 1944, that had the greatest impact.

Eisenhower said later that, at the time, he estimated the aid provided by the Norman resistance partisans at the equivalent of 15 regular divisions!
***
Therefore, I suggest a scenario with a big map, a map covering a wide area (including maybe Ambérieu for historical sake), a scenario containing:

Different trains moving from a spot to another and some others staying put in railway stations; several German trucks and Cargo trucks (some moving along roads, some others staying put); even several German (or SS!) Zündapp Motorcycle patrolling the area; few Fuel Depot; several German garrison units here and there (some Regular Infantry & maybe some SS (British model!) Military Police units named “Gestapo”; many bridges (for road, railroad or both), etc.

In short, make it alive, while providing plenty of targets (except for fixed garrisons and the Gestapo, to be avoided! ).

With of course corresponding objectives: blowing up a certain amount of bridges (many!), demolishing a certain quantity of trains (many!), etc.

Moreover, it is not excluded to complete the picture (and make a wink at the historical briefing) by adding from time to time some Allied bombers at our disposal, with Air Exit points...

And, of course, many groups of several "French Partisan" units with Free French flag.

To help finding names, there was already the very famous "maquis Surcouf" in Normandy, composed of different fighting groups (11! ), including the groups ("Groupe ..."): de Routot, de Cormeilles, de Lieurey, de Quillebeuf, de Pont-Audemer, de Beuzeville, de Saint-Georges-du-Vièvre, des Baquets (with in addition the sectors of Manneville and Corneville-sur-Risle), d'Epaignes, d'Angerville (cantoned at Saint-Sylvestre-de-Cormeilles)...
***
Event – around the middle or the second third of the scenario (again to stay coherent with the crossroad-choice and to add more flavor):
Title: “The Free French commando Kieffer!”
Text: “Even if General Charles de Gaulle has voluntarily been left out of the landing preparations (!), a Free French battalion of commandos has been landed in Normandy: the "commando Kieffer", or "1er Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins Commandos".

The last training of Captain Kieffer and his 176 men took place in Scotland as preparation for the landing... His commando has even had the honor of being the VERY FIRST Allied unit to land in the SWORD sector!

From what little news we have received, these men are accomplishing prowess. Let's spread the word among our guys, as long as it inspires them!”
Picture: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6354920982
***
Text for the “Major Victory”, “Minor Victory”, etc.
“Great, I’m proud of us, guys, we've done an awesome job!

Judging by the intel we've received, the Allies have successfully managed to land, although not without difficulties, and to establish a solid bridgehead.

Our beloved Normandy is about to be liberated, which hopefully shouldn't take too long now... But then, what will become of us?

Well, probably many of us will be able to continue the fight by joining the regular army, especially Leclerc's famous "2e Division blindée" or the "Battalion(s) de marche de Normandie" which will certainly be created."

[ColonelY]

Units composing the “Corps Expéditionnaire Français” (CEF) in Italy…

Well, we can directly take/compare with the lists given for Operation Dragoon - there are overlaps, but also several differences!

In the EFC, there was at least (not counting here their reserve division):

Infantry (so from 4 divisions) :
1er, 3e and 4e Groupe(s) de tabors marocains (GTM)
1er, 2e, 4e, 5e, 6e and 8e Régiment(s) de tirailleurs marocains (RTM)
3e and 7e Régiment(s) de tirailleurs algériens (RTA)
4e Régiment de tirailleurs tunisiens (RTT)
1er and 2e Bataillon(s) de légion étrangère (13e DBLE)
22e Bataillon de marche nord-africain (22e BMNA)
Bataillon(s) de marche n° 4, 5, 11, 21 et 24
Bataillon d'infanterie de marine et du Pacifique

Just for info: A North African Rifle Regiment consists of just over 3’000 men (including nearly 500 officers and non-commissioned officers) and 200 vehicles. A mountain-type infantry regiment consists of nearly 4’000 men (including nearly 600 officers and NCOs) and 170 vehicles. A group of Moroccan tabors comprises nearly 3’000 men (including nearly 250 officers and NCOs) and 170 vehicles. So any “Groupe de tabors” (elite unit!) is as big, or almost, as any regiment…

Artillery:
-> Infantry division artillery:
63e Régiment d'artillerie d'Afrique
64e Régiment d'artillerie d'Afrique
67e Régiment d'artillerie d'Afrique
1er Régiment d’artillerie
Each has 3 groups of 105 howitzers and 1 group of 155 howitzers (probably with American equipment).

-> Mountain division artillery:
69e Régiment d'artillerie de montagne, which has 3 groups with 75-guns.

Armored elements:
-> Recon regiments:
3e Régiment de spahis marocains
3e Régiment de spahis algériens de reconnaissance
4e Régiment de spahis marocains
1er Régiment de fusiliers marins ( Watch out – this unit has not been classified as “recon” in the Dragoon-list… this should be modified!)

-> Regiments of tank hunters:
7e Régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique
8e Régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique

And only 3 battalions of engineers (which numbers within their names? )…

AA-guns: 4 units of 40mm BOFOR (the same than for the Dragoon operation)
The CEF was helped by some recon plane!
The 13th US Artillery Brigade is placed at the disposal of the CEF. It comprises 6 heavy groups (Field Artillery Battalions): 1/17, 1/178, 630 and 939 FAB, equipped with 155mm, 203mm and 240mm...

[ColonelY]

EL-ALAMEIN scenario:
23rd – 24th October (as part of a bigger battle )

From this website, we have nice maps:
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seconde_b ... El_Alamein
Maps that we don’t have in the English version of it?

I think that for our scenario these two maps only are useful:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr (where the Allies in the south try an assault - the diversionary attack)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr (where the Germans and Italians counterattack with their elite armored divisions, but failed)

Indeed, after this, the main action is in the North and doesn’t really involve any longer the Free French, until Rommel decides to retreat thus letting the Allies advance in the South…

By the way, just looking at these few arrows may let us think that the 4 frontline units haven’t been very active, which is completely wrong… There are accounts of French legionnaires (from the famous "Légion étrangère") being stabbed (!) by Italian paratroopers, yet - according to these maps, these men were not even in front of each other!
*******
For the scenario map, I suggest considering a rectangle/square that roughly covers the positions of the 4 corps towards the front line to the very south (see the two last links!)...

The scenario could start, for example, on the 23rd October with the British attack (supported by ALL the troops defending the frontline) and continue on the 24th with the arrival of the Italo-German counterattack... As always, one can control all the Allies in this (smaller) sector, so Free French (of course!) and British!

Suggestions for main objectives: don’t lose any of the points on our starting line & take some of the enemy points after crossing the frontline; secondary objective: demolish at least a certain number of enemy tanks...
*******
Suggestions of:

Briefing:
1/5: “Thanks to our heroic resistance at Bir Hakeim, the British had time to bring in several of their divisions and were even able to receive American tanks. In short, they were finally able to stop the advance of Rommel's Afrikakorps!”

2/5: “Now we must take the initiative again! Allied HQ intends to make a solid breakthrough in the north of the frontline, so on the Mediterranean side, where the main roads are located, necessary for a rapid progression westward.”

3/5: “Rommel, on the other hand, seems to expect his strategy to be copied, that is, a bypass of the enemy defensive apparatus to the south. The "Desert Fox" has therefore placed good divisions to defend the frontline just ahead of us and, a little further back, his best armored divisions.”

4/5: “It is therefore necessary to launch a diversionary attack in our sector, south of the allied apparatus, in order to attract there the best enemy tanks which, as a result, will be unable to intervene in the north.”

5/5: “Our mission is to launch a coordinated attack with the British, including the famous "Desert Rats" of the 7th Armored Division.

A simple diversion? We'll make it convincing. Attack!”


Event: (of course when the tanks starts moving, or are seen or are spawned…)
Title: “Rommel took the bait!”
Picture: maybe a “classical” picture of either Rommel himself or his dreaded tanks…
Text: “That's it, we've roughed them up so badly, those on the other side, that we can say that our diversion was a success!

However, it's still too early to claim victory, with Rommel's best armored divisions now coming at us...

Come on, men, be bold, we'll make them wish they'd never left Europe!”


For the “Major Victory” or “Minor Victory”:
Text: “Charles de Gaulle should be pleased with us: once again we have largely done our part and the flag of the Free French continues to fly proudly in the air!”
Picture: maybe the cartoon I’ve already proposed for an El Alamein scenario…
*******
The Allies have more artillery than those opposite, not to mention their self-propelled M7 Priest and Bishop guns.

Let's not forget the air component in this scenario either. For the Free French contribution, it can involve the bombing group "Lorraine " and the fighter group "Alsace" (the latter on Hurricanes)!


British 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division:
British 131st Infantry Brigade:
• 1/5 Bn Queen's Royal Regiment
• 1/6 Bn Queen's Royal Regiment
• 1/7 Bn Queen's Royal Regiment
British 132nd (Kent) Infantry Brigade:
• 4th Bn The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
• 5th Bn The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
• 2nd Bn The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)

• 44 Reconnaissance Battalion (detached to 7th Armoured Division)
• 6 Bn Cheshire Regiment (machine gun bn)

• 53 Field Regiment RA
• 57 Field Regiment RA
• 58 Field Regiment RA
• 65 Field Regiment RA
• 57 Anti-tank Regiment RA
• 30 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

British 7th Armored Division:
British 4th Light Armored Brigade: (57 tanks Stuart, 14 Grant = 71 tanks + 9 armored cars)
• Royal Scots Greys
• 4th/8th Hussars
• 1st Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps
British 22nd Armored Brigade: (57 Grant, 50 Crusader, 19 Stuart = 126 tanks)
• 1 Royal Tank Regiment
• 5 Royal Tank Regiment
• 4 County of London Yeomanry
• 1st Bn Rifle Brigade

• 1 Household Cavalry Regiment (armored recon)

• 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
• 4 Field Regiment RA
• 97 Field Regiment RA
• 65 Anti-tank Regiment RA
• 15 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA



“1re Brigade Française Libre” (commanded by gen. Koenig, the one of Bir Hakeim… )
• 1er Bataillon de la Légion étrangère
• 2e Bataillon de la Légion étrangère
• Bataillon d’infanterie de marine et du Pacifique

• 3rd (British) Field Regiment RA (attached)
• 1er Régiment d’artillerie française libre

• 2e Compagnie AA (40 mm Bofors)
• Troupe AA de la Légion étrangère

• 2e Compagnie antichar française libre
• 22e Compagnie antichar nord-africaine
• 1re Compagnie du Génie (Free French engineers)

• 1e Colonne volante française libre (armored recon cars)
• 1er Escadron de saphis maroccains (recon unit; light Stuart and armored cars)
• 1e Compagnie de chars (French Somua and Hotchkiss – from the start and reinforced by some from the Levant, i.e. Syria/Lebanon)


Enemy troops defending the frontline:

-> Italian 17th Infantry Division “Pavia”:
• 27th Infantry Regiment
• 28th Infantry Regiment
• 26th Artillery Regiment
• 17th Mixed Engineer Battalion
-> Italian 185th Parachutist Division “Folgore” (=Thunderbolt):
• 185th Parachutist Regiment
• 186th Parachutist Regiment
• 187th Parachutist Regiment
• 185th Parachutist Artillery Regiment

Enemy troops counterattacking (some of Rommel’s elite available divisions!):
-> German 21st Panzer Division:
• 5th Panzer Regiment (mainly Panzer III and some Panzer IV as well)
• 104th Panzergrenadier Regiment
• 155th Artillery Regiment
• 39th Anti-tank Battalion
• 200th Engineer Battalion

-> Italian 132nd Armored Division “Ariete” (=Ram):
• 132nd Armoured Regiment:
o IX, X, XII Tank battalions (roughly 100 Fiat M14/41 tanks total);
• 8th Bersaglieri Regiment (motorised):
o V and XII Bersaglieri motor rifle battalions;
o III Bersaglieri support weapons battalion.
• 132nd Artillery Regiment (motorised):
o I & II battalions (75/27 field guns) ;
o III battalion (105/25 howitzers);
o IV mixed AA battalion 90/53 and 20mm guns;
o V & VI battalions semoventi M40 da 75/18 (roughly 10 semoventi and carri commando each);
o I/24 howitzers battalion (in reinforcement);
o an 88/56 battalion.
• 3rd Battalion Nizza Cavalleria (AB41 Armoured cars)
• 32nd Mixed Engineer Battalion (motorised)
*******
Well, I think that’s more or less all about it!

[ColonelY]

By the way, just for info/confirmation, about what I wrote about the resistance:

American General Bradley told Jacques Piette (regional inspector of the Free French "from Inside" and one of the main leaders of the Centurie Network):

"I have to testify to the satisfaction of the U.S. Army with your network. Indeed, it was following the reception in London of the Channel Coastal Defence Plan that we chose the landing point. The information contained in that plan was of such value that we were able to carry out the landing operation with minimum loss of men and equipment." (Archives of the Centre National Jean-Moulin, Bordeaux.)

One could also mention, amongst others, the action of Colonel Rémy and his numerous groups, who provided London with detailed plans of the Atlantic Wall.

So the briefing/event elements suggested around the scenarios in Normandy are in no way exaggerated!

[bru888]

Colonel, forget about the campaign. I am planning to have this thread published in book form instead. I will deny any knowledge of a "ColonelY" and will keep all royalties, making a fortune! Ha, ha, ha! ( )

[ColonelY]

There's a lot of material, that's for sure!

[ColonelY]

Colonel, forget about the campaign. I am planning to have this thread published in book form instead. I will deny any knowledge of a "ColonelY" and will keep all royalties, making a fortune! Ha, ha, ha! ( )

Hey, I I thought I understood you're used to relying on history books...

This one is yet short, too short...

Oh, and by the way, if you wish to make a book out of it, it's fine by me, as long as the campaign in OoB is entirely developed!

[ColonelY]

Other nice cartoons (by the way, this woman, Marianne, represents the France!):

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6363443837 (when the France begin its come-back, really… maybe after the last battle of the Tunisian campaign, as picture to go with the “victory” texts – when ex-Vichy’s army of Africa joins the Free French forces!)

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6363701720 (this one could appear for the Battle of Paris, for its liberation – when the card of the “Fall of Paris” has changed hands)

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 6363922114 (towards the end, so somewhere when the time where the France was forced to sign an armistice seems already far away now… maybe with the event when Leclerc’s and Tassigny’s arms were able to shake hands, remember?)

[ColonelY]

By looking at history, one will discover a lot of interesting things. In fact, there should be (much) more scenarios in this campaign than I thought at first; I was at least right to say that there could be as many as for any other big campaign!

So, as I don’t plan either to write a whole book , I’ll rather simply make a list of the missing parts of our puzzle…

After this, I think I’ll stop there. I can certainly be again useful later, once the campaign will be in a Beta version, useful amongst others with some historical anecdotes to add via events or within the texts of briefing or something, or maybe even another new scenario…

Well, I think I’ve already helped quite a bit. So, I’ll now make a break, let you begin to develop the campaign, and will for sure test it as soon as possible (or almost ), to see what further suggestions I could make to let it be as awsome as possible!

So, for now, there it is:
*******
“1re Armée française libre”, commandée par de Tassigny (after the landings in Provence and the already suggested scenarios):
• Battle of Draguignan
• Battle of Aix-en-Provence (liberated the 22nd August 1944, with as well Partisans + US 3rd Division)
The Alsace campaign:
• Battle of Mulhouse
• Colmar’s pocket
• Operation Undertone
• Rhine Crossing
The Germany campaign, or the Rhine campaign…
• Offensive in the southern Germany: The French Army B crosses the Black Forest and enters Stuttgart, then proceeds through Sigmaringen to Lake Constance. A detachment comes to hoist the French colours in Ulm (in the American zone ), as in 1805.

=> At least: + 7 scenarios (maybe 8, it depends on how the offensive in the southern Germany is represented)!
***
The “2nd Division blindée” of Leclerc, also known as the “Division Leclerc” or even (because it was so famous) “Armée Leclerc”:

After the Normandy, the stages of this division follow one another in a fantastic charge. Alençon was liberated on 12 August, and the strong entry into Paris on 25 August, in the midst of the jubilant crowd of Parisians and French forces from the interior, the F.F.I., who took part in the fighting, allowed General de Gaulle to be cheered as he descended the Champs-Élysées.

Returning eastwards, Leclerc's men liberated Vittel, annihilated a Panzer brigade at Dompaire on 12 and 13 September and liberated Baccarat on 31 October. They crossed the Vosges Mountains, bitterly defended, and on 23 November 1944 Strasbourg was liberated.

They held their famous "Oath of Koufra"!

After hard fighting in the south of Alsace, during more than two months of a particularly harsh winter, the 2nd D.B. took part, as part of the 1st French Army, in the liberation of Colmar on 6 February 1945. There were no more Germans in arms on French soil, with the exception of the Atlantic pockets where elements of the 2nd D.B. would liberate Royan in April 1945.

Impatient to enter Germany, General Leclerc succeeded in committing his division in Bavaria and captured Berchtesgaden, the Nazi stronghold, three days before the German surrender.

So, battles/scenarios:
• Alençon
• Paris
Charles de Gaulle had to insist to the Allies that his 2nd armoured division could lend a hand to the partisans who took up arms and set up barricades in the city - while Hitler gave orders to destroy it! This led to the Battle of Paris. Afterwards, for political reasons, Charles de Gaulle insisted again that the Americans hold their famous parade there (the USA hasn't recognized his action yet!) -> this will deserve an event towards the end of the "Battle of Paris" scenario or a "Campaign event" right after...
• Vittel, Dompaire
• Baccarat
• Vosges Mountains
• Strasbourg
• Strasbourg – defense against a German counteroffensive
• Royan (an Atlantic pocket – yes, both landings and the pushing back of Germans towards Germany makes sometimes think that there was no more fighting German in France, which is utterly wrong – real strongholds have resisted until, or almost, the capitulation of Germany – and the Free French from inside have massively contributed to reduce these places!)
• Bavaria and Berchtesgaden (highly symbolical!)

=> For this part, at least: + 8 or 9 scenarios!

Thanks to terminator’s info (thank you, terminator, by the way! ), we know that this famous division should also appear in the scenarios:

• Falaise (Well, this was well-known anyway. The less known part of it is the following: There, Leclerc surprised even the Americans by his audacity and began a movement to surround a large group of Germans, even if it meant advancing his tanks on a sector "reserved" for the Americans according to THE main plan... Leclerc was ordered to stop his lightning advance, allowing many German troops to avoid envelopment and annihilation in their pocket! )
• Abbeville
• Arras
• Laon
• Arnhem
• Metz
• Bremen
• Hamburg
***
+ other “exotic” scenario(s) related to Japanese (don’t forget that France had a lot of colonies):
See for example this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_ ... _Indochina
***
Most famous “Atlantic pockets” where the French have contributed (amongst others with their partisans once again):
• Brest (Operation Cobra)
• Poche de Royan et de la pointe de Grave (already mentionned via Leclerc)
• Dunkerque
• Poche de Lorient
• Poche de Saint-Nazaire
• Poche de La Rochelle (Free French only!)
• & German occupation of the Channel Islands

=> There is enough matter here to add another handful of awesome scenarios!
***
On the eve of the landing, the order of battle of the occupant is extremely powerful in Brittany: 7 infantry divisions, 2 parachute divisions, 1 fortress regiment, 29 coastal companies, 3 groups of fortress artillery, 2 battalions of the Luftwaffe, about ten "Ostregiments" (Ukrainians, Georgians, Poles, Russians ...). In all, 150'000 men in Brittany!

In Brittany, no less than 20'000 Free French "from Insade" gather (AS, FTP and ORA). Their mission: to fix the 150'000 enemies there, to prevent them from converging quickly towards Normandy, the place of the coming landings...
The maquisards will be reinforced by detachments of parachutists from Free France (including the "2nd Regiment of parachutist fighters" with its famous "4e Bataillon FFL-SAS")... A lot of railway sabotage (as in Normandy).

Example: 275th German infantry division must go from Redon to Saint-Lô (200 km away)... order received on June 6th, arrival ONLY on the 11th because of railway cuts and ambushes! Result: this powerful division arrives too late, the Allies have already established strong bridgeheads!

The German network is so disorganized that they even end up WAIVERING to send troops to Normandy in the face of difficulties...

Saint-Marcel partisan camp: 2'260 maquisards (including the Carro and Le Garrec battalions) + 140 paratroopers -> 2'400 fighters...

Clash with the Feldgendamerie of Ploërmel on June 18th... the German garrison of Malestroit is alerted... A battalion of the 275th Wehrmacht infantry division suffered heavy losses at the outposts of the entrenched camp.

Several parachute companies of the Kreta division and the 708th Georgian infantry battalion came to reinforce the occupying forces...

Then 3'000 men of the Axis forces encountered fierce resistance everywhere, especially since the Free French benefited from the air support of P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers!

In the early evening, the Germans received further reinforcements... there were soon 10,000 of them and tanks and heavy artillery were on their way.

As the camp was not yet surrounded, the commanders decided to disperse their troops and to vanish into thin air...

Covered by a few brave men, more than 2'000 men with about 20 trucks and 4 ambulances disappear in the night. They return to their original maquis without encountering any serious opposition.

Feeling ridiculed, the German General Farhmbacher then ordered a merciless hunt for "terrorists": the 261st Ukrainian cavalry squadron and the 208th Georgian infantry battalion then criss-crossed the region, terrorizing the population and massacring the wounded that they could discover.

The battle of Saint-Marcel: undeniable tactical success for the Resistance: 42 killed, about sixty wounded and 15 prisoners against 300 Germans killed and 1,000 wounded - and that set a target for about ten thousand German soldiers...

German report: "were not terrorists but a well-organized and well-behaved army".

Above all, the Germans discovered with surprise, on the rear of the Normandy battlefield, the existence of well-armed, well-led forces that inflicted serious losses on them and which they were unable to destroy. They noted that the Breton FFI were in permanent contact with the allied staff, since they had brought the air force into the fighting!

After that, there were many more coups de main, brilliant daring, then the arrival of more French paratroopers, etc.

I could provide more information if needed.

But in any case, there is already enough to make two new splendid scenarios:
• The delaying action/harassment of the German infantry division on the move.
• The defense of the Saint-Marcel camp.
***
Last element: the Tunisian campaign!

This campaign was a succession of battles and many of them have actually involved the Free French troops…

Again, the contribution of the Free French is not anecdotical at all:
The French committed 75’000 men and lost 15’000 (killed, wounded or missing), the Americans 95’000 and 12’000, the British 130’000 and 17’000.
The Germans had 80’000 men and the Italians 110’000... in the end 150’000 of these were taken prisoner, more than a quarter of which (40’000) were thanks to the French, despite their relative lack of motorized means....


Victory in Tunisia is important for two reasons: it paves the way for an invasion of Italy and it allows the French Army of Africa (formerly under Vichy) to join Charles de Gaulle's Free French...

But it was not easy at first: for the former Vichy's side, the others were "deserters", "adventurers" and "mercenaries". For the latter, the others were "hidden" and "collaborators".

From then on, there were 400'000 soldiers available under the flag of Free France! For the most part, it is American equipment that will now equip them. The biggest units will be the 8 divisions: 5 of Infantry and 3 Armored!

Free French (+ ex-Vichy French army of Africa) in Tunisia:
• 4 infantry divisions (Division de marche d’Alger, de Constantine, du Maroc, d’Oran)
• Brigade légère mécanisée
• Corps franc d’Afrique
• Détachement saharien
• Brigade légère motorisée of general Leclerc (the L Force!) -> it has joined the British 8th Army in Libya
Mainly with old French material from the 1940’s campaign… Despite this, they’ve held strongly the Grande Dorsale (Tunisian mountain range) at the beginning of the campaign! The Germans facing them had as tanks: Tiger I, Panzer III & Panzer IV!

Examples:
Division de marche d’Alger -> 1er and 9e Régiment de tirailleurs algériens + 3e Régiment de zouaves + 2e Régiment de chasseurs d’Afrique (AT) + 1er Régiment de spahis algériens (recon) + 65e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique + 410e Groupe Anti-Aérien (AA)
Division de marche d’Oran -> 2e and 6e Régiment de tirailleurs algériens + 15e Régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais + 1er Régiment étranger + 62e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique (only groups 1 and 3) + 2nd group of the 66e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique + 1st group of the 68e Régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique + 411e Groupe Anti-Aérien (AA) + 19/4 Compagnie du Génie (engineers)

After El-Alamein, the Afrika Korps has only 64 tanks left! It's a retreat to Tunisia, while the British 8th Army follows closely...
As for the Americans and their landing in Africa (Operation Torch), it was a success and they are now advancing against Tunisia.
The Axis forces resist... Rommel was to receive reinforcements, notably from the 5th Panzer Army with powerful anti-tank guns and Panzers IV...

At the very beginning, on 300 km of front in the north of Tunisia, French troops had to hold more than half of it, in order to allow the deployment of units of the British 1st Army and the American 2nd Corps.
The mountainous area of the Grande Dorsale, defended mainly by French units, was marked by violent fighting against the Italian Superga infantry division, elements of the 10th and 21st Panzerdivisions, von Broich's motorised division, Weber's brigade and the 50th Italian Imperiali special brigade. From November 1942 to May 1943, attacks and counter-attacks followed one another on both sides for the conquest of rocky peaks and hills.

Famous Battles (all involving the Free French, if I'm not mistaken ):
• Djebel Mansour 1943 (attack on the mountains Djebel Mansour and Djebel Alliliga by the 1st Parachute Brigade and the French Foreign Legion)
• Djebel Zaghouan 1943
• Fondouk El Okbi 1943
• Le Faïd 1943
• Medjez el-Bab 1943
• Ousseltia 1943
• Pichon 1943
• Sidi Bouzid 1943
• Ksar Rhilane (in the south of Tunisia, Leclerc force, on the side of the British 8th Army… his motorized brigade try to hold this position versus the recon group Luck and a company of the 15th Panzerdivision… the British propose him to abandon this position but he refuses and asks for a air support! This was granted. Several times the enemies rush forward against the L Force… Monty thought Leclerc was dead when he received a message from him announcing the victory!)
• Takrouna 1943 (1re Division française libre !)
• Djebel Ousselat (8-12 April, Division de marche de Constantine !)
• Battle of Medenine (or Operation Capri)…
• Battle of Kasserine Path
• Bizerte (US 2nd corps + Tabors, 4e + 6e groupements, + Corps franc d’Afrique!; vs, amongst others, the 10th Regiment of Bersagileri and the 756th Regiment of Gebirgsjägers…)
• 19e corps français -> Pont-du-Fahs then Zaghouan (a mountainous massif)…

Don’t forget that the US 1st Armored Division was only composed by rookies… completely unexperienced, as well as their commanders. Historically, this has had an impact! Tanks: M4A1 Sherman!

Oh, and here is, of course, a map: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... uselang=fr
***


WELL, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR NOW... PHEW!

I'M GOING TO TAKE A BREAK FROM INFORMATION RESEARCH AND I'LL PROBABLY JUST SEE WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED ONCE I CAN BEGIN TO TEST THIS GREAT CAMPAIGN IN ITS BETA VERSION!

[ColonelY]

Looking back at it, I like the idea of ending the campaign with a scenario that allows us to take over Berchtesgaden (in Bavaria).

For the Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home(!) in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near... Berchtesgaden, precisely! And we should see him several times thanks to cartoons, so...

[Erik2]

ColonelY

I get a '404 Page not found' for many of the france-libre.net links.
Example http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... 5/BFO2.png

Are you able to download the map pics?

[ColonelY]

ColonelY

I get a '404 Page not found' for many of the france-libre.net links.
Example http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... 5/BFO2.png

Are you able to download the map pics?

It's strange, I can open all of them - except the one of your example!?

Well, doesn't really matter anyway. Ok, so I've downloaded all these pictures of the france-libre.net links. I think that I haven't forgotten any of them; if it's the case, just tell me, no worries.

You could download these picture from this link (available for almost a week only):

https://easyupload.io/h5239m

Is it all right like this?


PS: I've just seen that I've made a little mistake: there is the map for the battle of Kub Kub in the folder about Bir Hakeim, but it shouldn't be a problem anyway thanks to the more or less explicit names I've given to these pictures...

[bru888]

Colonel, thanks. By the way, I am working on Continuation War 1941 while Erik sets up Free France. So don't be disturbed if you see me talking about CW1941.

Erik, I obtained the zipped file, scanned it for viruses (the file hosting platform, not you, Colonel), and uploaded it to the Free French folder in Dropbox.

[ColonelY]

Colonel, thanks. By the way, I am working on Continuation War 1941 while Erik sets up Free France. So don't be disturbed if you see me talking about CW1941.

You're welcome.

And thank you, it's indeed good to know that - that way I won't have any awful doubts!

[bru888]

Colonel, only maps for Bir Hakeim and Cub-Cub? The rest of the file are photos; useful, but Erik is looking for maps.

EDIT: Pardon, there is a large-scale map of Syria in there.

[ColonelY]

No, no, there are more maps within the links I've provided. But Erik wrote only about the france-libre.net links, because those (only) were problematic...

[bru888]

No, no, there are more maps within the links I've provided. But Erik wrote only about the france-libre.net links, because those (only) were problematic...

Ah! Very good. Those other links are still operational, then.

Incidentally, I vote for "Cub-Cub" rather than "Kub-Kub." "Cub-Cub" matches the maps and I have had my fill of "k's" from my tour of duty in Finland.