Free France Campaign

[Mascarenhas]

Nope, still empty for me. Perhaps a OS problem? I'm on Mac. Take a look:

[Mascarenhas]

[Mascarenhas]

Hell, dunno how to attach a pic.

[ColonelY]

I don't either (that's why I always use links such as to files - pictures if needed - that I've just uploaded).

So, I've made a quick test: I can load the 3 scenarios and I do confirm that there are the enemy units present on the third scenario.

[bru888]

Masca, do you see this when you open Kufra? Is this blank open space what you are talking about or is the map itself blank?

Screenshot 1.jpg (325.22 KiB) Viewed 2285 times

Because that space is where you are supposed to deploy your units. There are no friendly units on the map to start the scenario.

[bru888]

Scenario designing is not a linear progression. Sometimes map first, sometimes scenario outline first, sometimes we go back and forth. In the case of 04Keren, the working title is now "From Keren to Massawa." The ultimate goal will be that port on the Red Sea.

Gazelle Force, a mobile unit to raid Italian territory and delay an Italian advance and later to pursue the enemy retreating down the road to Keren, and this fellow, its commander, will be featured for the mere reason that I like his photo:

Frank_Messervy.png (128.61 KiB) Viewed 2280 times

[bru888]

You know who else is on the scene here? Our old buddy, William Slim, before he went to the Middle East and then Burma.

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I thought about using him but he "was given command of the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade of the 5th Indian Infantry Division and was sent to Sudan. He took part in the East African Campaign to liberate Ethiopia from the Italians. Slim was wounded again during the fighting in Eritrea. On 21 January 1941, Slim was hit when his position was strafed during the advance on Agordat." That's before the start of our scenario, so he is out.

[Mascarenhas]

Masca, do you see this when you open Kufra? Is this blank open space what you are talking about or is the map itself blank?


Screenshot 1.jpg


Because that space is where you are supposed to deploy your units. There are no friendly units on the map to start the scenario.

'Course not, Bru, I know the difference between an empty map prior to deployments and another which by some problem (perhaps in my computer) is not working as intended. I'll try in another machine and OS and tell.

[Mascarenhas]

Yep, the problem is in my end. Either machine, OS, or graphic card. I'll check, but it is working fine in another Mac. So, I apologize for the inconvenience.

[ColonelY]

I have already talked a little about this event, but here it has been slightly completed and, above all, I've found the sources (well, including the one from the time when I first mentioned it)...

So, what about adding in 03Kufra an historical event more or less like this:

***
Title: "The Léopard's Claws" (historical event!)

Suggestion of event text:
"24th February 1941, the Free French destroyer Léopard in escorting some convoy somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean when there is an U-Boot attack, sinking at least a British freighter... The Léopard charges forward, damages the enemy U-Boot and rescues a bunch of survivors from this sinking British freighter!

This is the very first victory of the “Forces Navales Françaises Libres” (or "Free French Naval Forces") against the Kriegsmarine."

Picture of the Léopard:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr
***
Comments:

We've had a wink to the Battle of Britain, we could have one on a symbolical action, of course less-known as being less important anyway, but still!

The very first Free French naval (minor) victory...

Scenario start: 31st January 1941; 42 turns -> 1 day/turn... the 24th February 1941 happens during this scenario... so, perfect for an historical event!

*****
Sources:

1. http://www.france-libre.net/fevrier-1941/ (last entry on this webpage):
I quote:
"24 février [1941:]
Le contre-torpilleur Léopard endommage un U-Boot dans l’Atlantique (première victoire des FNFL contre la Kriegsmarine)."

(Oh, and this is a great source to look for and to add some historical events related to the Free France and the Free French, by the way!)

2. https://fr.qwe.wiki/wiki/French_destroyer_L%C3%A9opard (a little search using Ctrl+F and maybe "24 Février" may be useful there):
"Le 24 Février 1941, Léopard a sauvé 39 survivants d'un cargo britannique." = "On February 24, 1941, Leopard rescued 39 survivors from a British freighter."
Yes, because that ship was then used to escort convoys...
***
Like this, this event is better documented than ever, I think. (Well, for me at least...) So, what about adding it?

[bru888]

Yep, the problem is in my end. Either machine, OS, or graphic card. I'll check, but it is working fine in another Mac. So, I apologize for the inconvenience.

No problem at all. I am both glad and sad to hear of this resolution. Thanks for coming back and reporting it.

[bru888]

I have already talked a little about this event . . .

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Screenshot 4.jpg (532.01 KiB) Viewed 2167 times

I like historical events being weaved into the story but, unlike in my earlier days, they must be related to the topic at hand. I remember doing something in the Pacific in 1944 when suddenly I had a popup message about Eisenhower being appointed supreme commander in Europe. It seemed like a good idea at the time but when I did a playthrough later, I was struck by how silly and out-of-place it looked.

This Léopard incident is good because it involves Free France, the topic of the campaign, and it at least mentions an incident that will not be portrayed otherwise. If you have any more ideas like this which involve Free French activities that are happening elsewhere in the world at the time of the scenario, please bring them forward for consideration, with my thanks.

I believe we will see the Léopard again when we address the invasion of La Réunion.

[Mascarenhas]

I must say that the second version of Kufra is another masterpiece. I'm still in the very beginning turns, but, compared to the first, this is a much superior quality wine. Congrats.

[bru888]

Excellent news, thanks. On turn 26, refer to the popup message above! That's the only thing you will be missing at this point.

[Mascarenhas]

Btw, I'm playing under GK mod, at this time, and it adds more flavor, indeed. I expected that Hotchkiss AA guns could be turned into regular arty after beating those Italian Bae's, but it seems that Gabe has forgotten to add this feature to those guns, a pity.

[ColonelY]

So, I'm playing the 3 first scenarios in a row, to make a "full test" and here are few comments:
***
01Dakar:

Simply awesome; and it's nice as well to see the evolution...

It would just be perfect if our seven core units have been modified as being aux units - that is still to be done!

It does concern these units:
-> the 2 "Sénégalais" that spawn on turn 4
-> the 4 others that are "converted" later
-> the Panhard which is received once an enemy Panhard has been destroyed

***
02Gabon:

Both of these maps show now more names, which is definitely better for immersion. And nice new action around this famous Mt Bengoué!

=> Just a very little detail: on the map, the name "Omboue" is more often written "Omboué"...

(Damn, I've managed to destroy again the sub before that the Walrus event - I should have waited a little bit more, but I do trust you that these triggers work nice and smooth.

And I've seen a really depleted and fully disorganized group of either Kota or Basimba crossing the white border to try seeking refuge in the French Congo... No luck, they've been killed by shots fired exactly near this border! )

***
Some thoughts about the very first campaign variables (related to air XP)...

Now, it's written:
"Core air units are receiving a +2 (1 star) bonus due to previous successes in aerial combat."
"Core air units are receiving a +4 (2 star) bonus due to previous successes in aerial combat."

1. The word "core" should be removed (the two times!) as there is no longer any "core" in this (Free France) campaign.

2. According to point 1 and to your own schedule (in one of your previous posts), shouldn't it now be more like this:
"Air units are receiving a +1 (1/2 star) bonus due to previous successes in aerial combat."
(For the first one, of course. And it's not completely anecdotical, because the player can see this on campaign map before playing the scenario 03Kufra... )

3. Now, as there is no more core unit, then this bonus should be applied to our aux planes, i.e. then to ALL our (Free French) planes...

4. In consequence, in the 03Kufra, shouldn't you duplicate the trigger for the spawning of our bombers in order to take into account this campaign variable (I mean, to check its value)?
According to your schedule, a "basic" plane in 03Kufra should shows up with 1,5 stars (and it does!)... BUT if the player has achieved the bonus previously, then it should be 2 stars (with the +1/2!) in this scenario, shouldn't it?
***
Next, I'll replay 03Kufra. Thanks, very nice event related to the Léopard!

[bru888]

Wow, you have some eye for detail, Colonel, and it's very much appreciated.

Yes, all core units need to be removed as we don't want them floating around unused and irritating people in future scenarios. I edited all of those spawns in Dakar to be non-core units.

In Gabon, it is "Omboué" now.

The campaign variable descriptions were written when I was still struggling with trying to do core units, and I had forgotten them. Now they read as follows:

"Free French air units are receiving a +1 (1/2 star) bonus due to previous successes in aerial combat."
"Free French air units are receiving a +2 (1 star) bonus due to previous successes in aerial combat."

This anticipates another bonus in the future that awards an additional +1 (1/2 star) experience so that the total is +2 (1 star). I will figure out how this needs to work in each scenario. For Kufra, I had ignored it because, as you will recall, I had not planned to have friendly aircraft. Your suggestion about the Bristol Blenheim bombers was adopted, as you saw, but we still don't need a trigger yet because, as you may have noticed now in the variable descriptions, I don't intend to give additional experience to British or U.S. planes; only Free French.

By the way, I took out the first campaign variable message before Kufra, as it does not apply to that scenario. Only when FF has planes.

[ColonelY]

Oh, that's right, I didn't realize directly those Bristol Blenheim bombers are going to be under the British flag...

My bad ; one can indeed see this British flag on a picture in one of your previous posts.

So, as said (or written, actually ), I'll soon replay 03Kufra.

[bru888]

I have located Kub Kub on the map, but where was the fort? On which side of the village and road? I searched the internet and finally found an "authority":

Battle of Cub Cub.jpeg (59.67 KiB) Viewed 2058 times

My thought when I saw his map: "I'll take it!" Kub Kub (I still prefer that spelling) village and the road to the right, Italian fort on the left. Funny how, at some point, you will take any input as absolutely valid because it's the only input!

It's better than the map that you provided, Colonel, sorry. I can't decipher this as to whether Cub-Cub is the village or the fort:

Battlemap of Cub Cub.jpg (116.36 KiB) Viewed 2058 times

To orient myself, I searched for Camcéa, unsure whether that is another town or a person. No results either way.

The first map rules! Under the heading of "good enough."

[Mascarenhas]

Well, for me, the combination of a new design and GK Mod gave an entire different flavor to Kufra. I had a lot of fun playing it. Only one unexpected problem was the aggressive stance of that heavy AA unit. So daring it was that, when I approached Al-Jawf it hurried into battle against my infantry, much before the Blenheim ever appeared, only to be prematurely crushed. I'd suggest you fine tune that poor one. For the rest it was very good, as usual. All in all, I only needed a bit more time to accomplish: 45.

Congratulations,