Free France Campaign

[Mascarenhas]

Kub Kub and more

A very interesting scenario, this one. Terrain and foxholes made it difficult to win in 48 turns. I made it after 54, Except for this, no problems at all. Congratulations.

[bru888]

Kub Kub and more

A very interesting scenario, this one. Terrain and foxholes made it difficult to win in 48 turns. I made it after 54, Except for this, no problems at all. Congratulations.

Thanks. Definitely going to ratchet up the turns in that one; probably 60.

Operation Exporter will be out soon.

[Mascarenhas]

Great, I can't wait for more of this tremendous piece of work. Btw, I haven't found any info about Stirlings on duty in Equatorial Africa, is it historical?

[ColonelY]

Tortured logic here. A full-blown identity crisis.
Using Italian Cavalry under the French flag to represent Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian Spahis fighting for Vichy.

Indeed, but you've as well Polish, Yugoslavian or Hungarian models... perhaps less awkward than Italian cavalry?!

[ColonelY]

[...] Definitely going to ratchet up the turns in that one; probably 60.

60, that's seems perfect to me as well in the Keren scenario!

[Mascarenhas]

For historical reasons, may I suggest you change aircraft availability a bit: by the time and locations, the fighters were mostly Gladiators and a few Hurries Mk I; strat bombers were older, weaker units than Stirlings, perhaps you could use Blenheims or Hudsons; and tac bombers, perhaps for similarity, Swordfishes. What do you say?

[bru888]

Tortured logic here. A full-blown identity crisis.
Using Italian Cavalry under the French flag to represent Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian Spahis fighting for Vichy.

Indeed, but you've as well Polish, Yugoslavian or Hungarian models... perhaps less awkward than Italian cavalry?!

I wanted to keep it all in the Axis family.

[...] Definitely going to ratchet up the turns in that one; probably 60.

60, that's seems perfect to me as well in the Keren scenario!

That is the scenario to which we were referring.

Great, I can't wait for more of this tremendous piece of work. Btw, I haven't found any info about Stirlings on duty in Equatorial Africa, is it historical?

For historical reasons, may I suggest you change aircraft availability a bit: by the time and locations, the fighters were mostly Gladiators and a few Hurries Mk I; strat bombers were older, weaker units than Stirlings, perhaps you could use Blenheims or Hudsons; and tac bombers, perhaps for similarity, Swordfishes. What do you say?

Will take another look at it, thanks. I do some historical research on unit availability, particularly ships and planes, and I don't necessarily just rely on OOB's dates of unit availability. Even if they say a unit was available but that does not mean it was used in a particular theater like East Africa or the Levant. However, my primary source is Wikipedia which I would rate as 80 out of 100 in terms of reliability.

[bru888]

That said, you are absolutely right, Mr. M. My research was faulty in this case, I just found. I'll be back later with some details . . .

[bru888]

First of all, the Stirling had just begun rollout in August 1940 according to its Wikipedia article and there is no mention of it ever being deployed in Africa, much less by February 1941.

On the other hand, the Wikipedia article on the Air Headquarters East Africa, does specifically mention Bristol Blenheim bombers, so you are spot on there. Trouble is, which version? The game offers the Mk.I and Mk.IV but it says the Mk.I was obsolete by February 1941.

Here is what Wikipedia says about the Bristol Blenheim:

In September 1939, the month in which the Second World War broke out, the Blenheim Mk I equipped two home-based squadrons and 11 overseas squadrons in locations such as Egypt, Aden, Iraq, India, and Singapore. Further RAF squadrons had received, or were in the process of converting to, the more capable Blenheim Mk IV; 168 Blenheim Mk IV aircraft had entered RAF operational strength by the outbreak of war.

So it is feasible that the Mk.IV could have been in East Africa by early 1941 but my gut says that it probably was deployed primarily for home defense and attacking across the Channel at first. Decision: Overrule the game and go with the Blenheim Mk.I in Keren-Massawa because that is what was probably still being used there. Here is a hint as to the situation; Singapore in this case, but the same idea and exactly the same time:

Image0180.jpg (36.12 KiB) Viewed 1776 times

What about the fighters? For similar reasons to the Stirling, it seems to early for the Bristol Beaufighter in East Africa in early 1941.

The same pattern emerges with the Hawker Hurricane. Although the game thinks the Mk.I is obsolete, it is probably too soon for the Mk.II to be in service in East Africa because it had only entered service in September 1940.

So, Hawker Hurricane Mk.I it is, despite what the game says.

But . . . my heart goes out to the Gloster Gladiator - I love bi-planes - and it turns out that I have been giving it short-shrift! According to Wikipedia, "Although, by 1941, all Gladiators had been withdrawn from front-line duties defending the British Isles, a need to defend Britain's trade routes throughout the overseas territories of the British Empire had been recognised and therefore the RAF redeployed many of its Gladiators to the Middle East to defend the theatre and the crucial Suez Canal. The Gladiator saw considerable action during early stages of the war, including participating in the action in the French and Norwegian campaigns, in addition to various peripheral campaigns."

Moreover, "In Eastern Africa, it was determined that Italian forces based on Ethiopia posed a threat to the British Aden Protectorate, thus it was decided that an offensive would be necessary, in which the Gladiator would face off against the Italian biplane fighters: Fiat CR.32s and CR.42s . . . On 6 June 1941, the Regia Aeronautica had only two serviceable aircraft remaining: a CR.32 and a CR.42, therefore air superiority was finally achieved by Gladiators and the Hurricanes."

The Gladiator matches up well offensively with both the CR.42 and MC.200. The Hurricane Mk.I is superior to all of them but the Allies are at a disadvantage in terms of aerial units in this scenario.

Therefore, I did the following:

* Replaced two Stirling bombers with Blenheim Mk.I's. (The Fairey Battles don't seem to be a problem).
* Removed five Hurricane Mk.II fighters and replaced them with 3 Gladiators and 2 Hurricane Mk. I's.
* Left the Italians as is; the Ba65's and SM79's seem quite appropriate for the time and place.

----------------------------------------------------------

Quality Control manager: "What do you have to say for yourself, Bruce? What accounts for this egregious lapse in quality? Be quick about it; I don't have all day. I've got to look at that other mess you are working on for Operation Exporter."

Bruce: "I-I- . . ."

QC: "Stop stuttering! Out with it, man."

Bruce: "I was working on Keren-Massawa prior to my sabbatical. I hadn't placed the aircraft before I left. When I came back from three months off, I guess I was rusty."

QC: "To say the least. You have Mr. Mascarenhas to thank for saving your sorry butt from this anachronistic blunder."

Bruce: "Yes, I am most grateful to him. And it will not happen again, I promise."

QC, leaning forward and glowering: "See that it doesn't, bub. Or next time, your sabbatical may be unplanned and longer than you would like."

[Mascarenhas]

No regrets, please, Mate. Your work is so inspiring that I decided to check a bit deeper, just to see if I could add some contribution. I'm sure that now - especially if you have added a couple more turns to get it accomplished - the mission will be yet more fun to tackle.

[bru888]

No regrets, please, Mate. Your work is so inspiring that I decided to check a bit deeper, just to see if I could add some contribution. I'm sure that now - especially if you have added a couple more turns to get it accomplished - the mission will be yet more fun to tackle.

I'm glad you did. And yup, I bumped it up to 60 turns. When I release an updated campaign with Operation Exporter (#5 of 18 scenarios), it will have the revisions to Keren-Massawa as well.

[Chema_cagi]

I've just started the first scenario and looks awesome, with lots of historical flavour events. Thanks to all the contributors!

[bru888]

I've just started the first scenario and looks awesome, with lots of historical flavour events. Thanks to all the contributors!

Thanks. As you can see, it has been a collaborative work here in this thread. The pace is picking up, so more scenarios will flow forth soon.

Back to the East Africa / Middle East air war for a moment, I am afraid that we have seen the last of the Gloster Gladiators. Against the Italian aircraft in Keren-Massawa, they could hold their own but they are outmatched according to the game in Operation Exporter by the Armée de l'Air du Levant's M.S. 406 and D.520 in Syria and Lebanon. To say nothing of the Bf 109F and Bf 110E of the Fliegerführer Irak. The Allies need more aerial firepower in this one and it is four to five months later . . .

[ColonelY]

04Keren:

Excellent, that's it!

Now, let's make it short, shall we? So, straight to the feedback:

-> Indeed, 60 turns would be optimal for this one.

-> Sec obj text: "Lay seige to both monasteries" or rather "Lay siege to both monasteries"

-> At briefing 3/4:
1. Maybe target some hex to highlight the Free French area (mentionned within this part of the briefing) AND the "Kub Kub" sector as well (mentionned within the next and last part of the briefing... so still worth it later as well then )
2. Some French names to slightly adapt, please: "Légion Étrangère" (French accents, yes! - a copy-paste may help), "Bataillon de Marche 3" (instead of the English version "Batallion") and "Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine" (better like this).

-> On map, one French name to adapt: "Bataillon de Marche 3" (as before).

-> About sec obj at Kub Kub: 'Should allow the possibility to put it back to "open" in case of a successful Italian counterattack.
If a possession of a fort on this map is to be challenged, it's most likely this one, in the middle of a real small battlefield. It happened to me during my very first test and it was rather "strange" to see the green check still in place when some Italian unit stand under this flag...
*******
-> Still possible, at some point, to add an historical event about Free French cavalry acting not very far away...
Yeah, to enhance even more immersion, to introduce the Spahis that will appear anyway within the very next scenario on the battlefields, etc., etc.

Based on this, with a more reasonable title ( ), or something:

Suggestion of another CAMPAIGN EVENT –> Just after the Mourzouk scenario… (to respect the timing )

Title: “Tremendous cavalry charges!”

Text:
“A Free French unit, the “Escadron de Spahis marocains” from captain Paul Jourdier (reinforced by volunteers from Egypt and Levant) has joined the 4th Marhattes of the 5th Indian Division in Sudan, at the border with Eritrea.

Since the 10th December 1940, this “Escadron de Spahis” undertakes daily reconnaissance patrols on horseback in the Italian lines. In fact, he is doing some absolutely remarkable things.

Our horsemen command the admiration of our allies, as daring reconnaissance is followed by skillfully manoeuvring and by charges on horseback, sometimes even sword in the clear.

For example, on the 2nd January 1941, at Umbrega, Paul Jourdier and his squadron fought against an Italian party several times greater in number, inflicting heavy losses. During this fight, the Spahis delivered one of the last charges to the sabre of the French cavalry!

Later, on the 18th January 1941, at Om Ager, the Jourdier squadron fought again successfully against a much larger enemy, accomplishing there a decisive reconnaissance mission in preparation for the British offensive towards Keren...”

With one of the following pictures:
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 4270878485
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... Q..i&w=740
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 4288040837


Paul Jourdier:
https://www.google.ch/search?q=l%E2%80% ... AQ596aDq1M

For the picture, at least these links are still valid: http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... 40x360.jpg & https://www.google.ch/search?q=l%E2%80% ... AnoECAsQBA
*******
-> An event can be added once most of the Kub Kub sector is secured (i.e. the 2 flags + perhaps no more enemy within XYZ hexes). With some nice and immersive picture of Free French soldiers in the fort of Kub Kub based on http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... ub-Cub.png or http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... 5/BFO1.jpg for example.
A (nice) way to put a little more focus on the Free French side.

-> Directly after this (same event or another one?), some captured 3(perhaps?)-strenghted AT-gun unit (an Italian Böhler 47mm) could be spawned without any experience but with some sort of transport mean.
This fighting group has no AT-capability yet, and it's historical that they've captured some Italian ATs, but not too much either, so...
Here, just in case, you've a picture of Italian POWs captured by Free French troops: http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... 5/BFO4.png
*******

... to be continued...

[ColonelY]

04Keren:

...the continuation...

-> As "decoration", possibility to add few Italian ships of various kind (like a merchant ship, some transport ship, etc.) in and near the port of Massawa, being purely "static" (no AI setup at all!). Then, once closing in against the golden flag hex to capture (perhaps first Allied unit 1 hex away from it or something), then "BOUM!", destroy all of them using trigger effects together with a nice pop-up...
http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... aliens.jpg
It's historical: The Italians scuttled their own ships in that occasion! Basically, all those unable to attempt to break through the Allied sea blockade off the coast were scuttled at dockside so that they could not be captured while being directly usable. (This, of course, may not apply to their warships, who may try their luck soon or later. )

-> No need of Italian naval mines if we've no ship involved.

-> The "Imperial Palace" put on a simple "Open Hex"?! Once the Bunker has been destroyed, this may be surprising... A city or town hex, instead?

-> Name of the island? Harat? Worth a named flag?

-> The "3/5th Mahratta Infantry / 5th Div" is too long to be properly displayed (for me at least)... (Unit deployed at the beginning in the SW.) Perhaps instead a "3/5th Mahratta / 5th Div" (without "Infantry") will do the trick? (Or maybe a "3/5th Mahratta Inf / 5th Div", if this reference to the infantry-class is important.)

-> The Free French artillery unit could perhaps be called "Bataillon d'Artillerie"?

-> Near Massawa, we've only one bunker without name... and basically that's it in terms of fortifications (except of course the Palace).
So, near Massawa, more forts (or, for us, regular bunkers) could be added. There was Fort Umberto and Fort Vittorio Emanuele (http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... saouah.jpg ), Fort Tigu (https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/107960/Tigu-Fort.htm ) and perhaps few others as well...
Perhaps some minefields could as well be added in this particular sector. ( )

-> About the British ACPs, I see towards the middle and the end of the scenario a "-6" displayed... A minus sign?!
I don't get this at all. When I played, it appeared at or few turns before turn 28. You don't modify the British ACPs directly via triggers, you don't spawn units either, our two AFs are working fine and this "problem" show up relatively long after having had these AFs and having used them a little, they are still intact... I don't understand this... But, anyway, it plays fine like this, so... Am I the single one to have had/seen this? As anyway it changes nothing to the game itself (except a strange little detail in terms of display), maybe we can simply forget about this last point?


Et voilà !


By the way, there is already some very good and immersive (campaign) events before the next scenario!

[bru888]

Very good, Colonel. I will begin digesting all of this tomorrow. Some on the face of it looks very good!

Yes, as you guys are picking your way through this incomplete campaign, playing scenarios individually (which largely can be done because I don't have specialisations or core units), bear in mind that there are popup messages between scenarios. You may want to nuke your way through to see those.

[Chema_cagi]

Back to the East Africa / Middle East air war for a moment, I am afraid that we have seen the last of the Gloster Gladiators. Against the Italian aircraft in Keren-Massawa, they could hold their own but they are outmatched according to the game in Operation Exporter by the Armée de l'Air du Levant's M.S. 406 and D.520 in Syria and Lebanon. To say nothing of the Bf 109F and Bf 110E of the Fliegerführer Irak. The Allies need more aerial firepower in this one and it is four to five months later . . .

I'm very curious about the coming Syria scenario(s?), and wondering how will you represent all the different countries involved

[bru888]

Back to the East Africa / Middle East air war for a moment, I am afraid that we have seen the last of the Gloster Gladiators. Against the Italian aircraft in Keren-Massawa, they could hold their own but they are outmatched according to the game in Operation Exporter by the Armée de l'Air du Levant's M.S. 406 and D.520 in Syria and Lebanon. To say nothing of the Bf 109F and Bf 110E of the Fliegerführer Irak. The Allies need more aerial firepower in this one and it is four to five months later . . .

I'm very curious about the coming Syria scenario(s?), and wondering how will you represent all the different countries involved

Soon. Scenario singular, Operation Exporter. I'm looking to release it before the ball drops on New Year's Eve.

[ColonelY]

Some more thoughts:

04Keren:

...the continuation...

[...] So, near Massawa, more forts (or, for us, regular bunkers) could be added. There was Fort Umberto and Fort Vittorio Emanuele (http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... saouah.jpg ), Fort Tigu (https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/107960/Tigu-Fort.htm ) and perhaps few others as well...
Perhaps some minefields could as well be added in this particular sector. ( )
[...]

Thinking back to it and having seen the picture/"map", then I think that maybe:
1. Fort Vittorio Emanuele can be represented by some fortress (maybe not a full strenght, but of course with its long-range artillery capability - this one being anyway close to battery positions and otherwise a little too much in the north to not be bypassed if it was simply a regular bunker),
2. Fort Umberto is to be added on mountain, somewhere along the road (SW to Massawa, of course!)... together with another flag with the name "Mt Umberto", somewhere nearby...
3. And where to put the Tigu Fort?

4. Yeah, some minefields here and there... but definitely not too much either!
*******
Possibility to add another (historical) event somewhere within this 4th scenario, based on a previous post:

Campaign event: “Djibouti’s not rallying!” – between the Keren scenario and the Massaoua scenario

As text, maybe something like:

“The Free French would have had a much greater impact in the Eritrean campaign if they had been joined by the French Somali Coast, with its garrison of 10’000 well-armed men, its port of Djibouti and its railway terminus from Addis Ababa.

This should be obvious, considering that Free French were ”only” able to commit a few thousand troops in Eritrea and that the new strategic perspectives which could then have been offered to them.

To try rallying the French Somali Coast to the cause of France, General de Gaulle has sent there General Legentilhomme, who was already the superior commander of the French troops in the French Somali Coast in 1939. He was in Djibouti when, on 18th June 1940, in his “General Order No. 4”, he denounced the armistice (requested by Pétain on 17th June) and announced his intention to continue the war on the side of the British Empire. However, isolated, he left the Somali Coast on 2nd August 1940 to join General de Gaulle and return to England, for which he was stripped of his French nationality by decree of the Vichy government. On 31st October, he arrived in England…

Unluckily, the French Somali Coast remains still loyal to Vichy’s government. But fortunately, the General de Gaulle had also foreseen this possibility.”

I thought it between Keren and Massawa, but as here it’s in the same scenario that we’ll have to take both locations, it can still be added somewhere in-between.
Sure, Djibouti is already mentionned, but as this scenario may be a little long, a nice pop-up with some complementary info will certainly be welcome.
*******
Possibility to add a small, cool and immersive event based on this:

When General de Gaulle comes (after the capture of Keren) to congratulates the Free French Brigade at Chelamet:
http://www.france-libre.net/site/wp-con ... elamet.png
‘Could perhaps make another immersive pop-up somewhere around the 35th to the 40th turn?

[ColonelY]

Tortured logic here. A full-blown identity crisis.
Using Italian Cavalry under the French flag to represent Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian Spahis fighting for Vichy.

Indeed, but you've as well Polish, Yugoslavian or Hungarian models... perhaps less awkward than Italian cavalry?!

I wanted to keep it all in the Axis family.
[...]

Well, I would say yes and no! ( )
Indeed that's perfectly fine as long as it's cavalry units under the Vichy French flag... But as soon as it's the cavalry that we are about to command, then...

Whaat, Free French cavalry this time? Yes, in the Operation Exporter, there was some of the famous Spahis on the Free French side as well.
(Another reason to already talk about Free French Spahis in the 04Keren scenario, by the way. )
*******
The French wiki webpage tells us: (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campagne_de_Syrie_(1941))
"Le 21 mai 1941, Le colonel Collet passe avec une partie de ses hommes en Transjordanie, rejoignant les Forces françaises libres. Il est accueilli par le capitaine Paul Jourdier du 1er régiment de spahis marocains."
But this info doesn't appear on the English webpage ... It gives something like "On 21 May 1941, Colonel Collet and some of his men went to Transjordan, joining the Free French Forces. He is welcomed by Captain Paul Jourdier of the 1st regiment of Moroccan spahis."
***
More info here (only in French, again, but one can nowadays easily translate online the parts of interest) : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philibert_Collet
Basically, it says that:
"Enlisted as a volunteer in 1915 in the 2nd Zouaves regiment, he led the franc group of the 1st Algerian Riflemen regiment and ended the First World War as second lieutenant and knight of the Legion of Honor on October 9, 1918.

In 1919, he was sent as an intelligence officer of the Army of the Levant to Northern Syria, then under French mandate, and led a group of auxiliaries in several operations against rebellious tribes from 1920 to 1924 during operations to implement the mandate. He was then reinforced by a squadron of Cherkesses, welcomed by the Ottoman Empire after the Caucasus wars led by Emir Chamil, and settled in Syria.

During the Druze revolt of 1925-1927, Collet with his Cherkess Group, part of the Special Forces of the Levant, participated at the head of his men in numerous operations.

On May 21, 1941, Collet went with some of his men to Transjordan to join the Free French Forces. He is welcomed by Captain Paul Jourdier of the 1st (marching) regiment of Moroccan spahis."
***
And more here (again, only in French and translated using online Tools - https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escadrons_tcherkesses):
"The first Cherkish horsemen were recruited in 1922 by Lieutenant Philibert Collet, forming the 1st Mobile Gendarmerie Squadron. Eight squadrons were created between September 1925 and June 1926, at the beginning of the Great Syrian revolt. Lieutenant Collet's first squadron, stationed in Damascus, served as a framework for the training of the other squadrons. They were recruited from among the Cherkesses of Qunaytra but also included elements from outside the community.

Numbered from 12th to 19th1, the squadrons formed in November 1925 the group of Cherkesses squadrons, placed under Collet's orders. The squadron was made up of tribal chiefs and four French officers. To ensure their loyalty, the Cherkesses are very well paid and looting is completely authorized.

The 16th squadron is disbanded in 1937 to train Lebanese mounted hunters.

Returning to the Cherkesse group in October 1940 after commanding a battalion of the 1st Moroccan Rifle Regiment, Captain Collet created new units : the 30th to 38th squadrons of mounted Cherkesse partisans and 38th to 42nd squadrons of mounted (motorized) partisans, attached to a partisan group1. Obeying the Vichy regime, they patrolled the border with Mandate Palestine and Transjordan, in British hands. On May 21, 1941, more than 400 Cherkesses followed him when he joined the Free French.

The other troops remained loyal to Vichy. The Cherkesses were reorganized into a grouping, consisting of two groups of light squadrons, the 12th to 16th and the 18th squadrons, and a group of four mounted partisan squadrons. They fought the British during the campaign in Syria while the Tcherkesses de Collet fought within the 1st Free French division. Most of the Cherkesses rallied to the Free French and remained in the Levant until the end of the French mandate. Many then left Syria after the departure of the French. "
*******

So, back to the Operation Exporter scenario, this should be worth some cavalry unit on the Free French side (but then, an Italian cavalry model may look even weirder ) as well as some info within the briefing and certainly as well one nice and immersive event(s) too.
In French the names "Groupe d'Escadrons Tcherkesses" or "Escadron Tcherkesses" will do the trick, with the number of the corresponding squadron, of course (in the second case only ).