Slitherine

Posted: **Sun May 02, 2021 6:24 pm**

Free France 1940-1945 v0.45 has been uploaded. It includes the following changes to the Argentan scenario:
- Added a Me 262 jet fighter to German air units.
- Condensed the pilot's report of seeing this plane to 'Commandant, that is a Messerschmitt 262!' (I took out the 'Me' after debating which would sound more realistic for the pilot to say in a tense situation: 'Messerschmitt' or 'Me'? Certainly not both. If you say it to yourself, you may agree that 'Messerschmitt two-six-two' rolls off the tongue easier and more realistically than 'Emm Eee two-six-two.')
- Added another T85 MGMC, for the US 5th Armoured to match the same AA-unit in the 2e DB. (Swapped out an artillery unit, for balance).
- Rearranged the U.S. battle line so that no land unit must suffer the indignity of starting the scenario with wet feet/wheels (i.e., standing in a river without a bridge).
- Added a "Flank VPs counter" to count the flank VP's independently of the end-of-scenario objective trigger.
- If I worried about 'Messerschmitt' or 'Me,' I am certainly going to want the more accurate 'Prends Ça'!

- Fixed TWO instances of double-spacing in this message (which often results from copying and pasting):

: Image0431.jpg (57.05 KiB) Viewed 2173 times

- Provided for an airstrip to be built near Alençon (Turn start; Allies have taken the VP; no German land units within 4 hexes):

: Screenshot 1.jpg (692.72 KiB) Viewed 2175 times

: Screenshot 2.jpg (800.15 KiB) Viewed 2175 times

Agree about not adding a campaign variable for destroying the Me 262. For one thing, I would be stumped as to a reward. Secondly, we have seen the last of campaign variables unless it's one of those two-scenario arcs like the Greek outfit's experience in Medenine and Mareth Line. Hard to track and program, especially when they get into two and three tiers like Air Experience 1, Air Experience 2, and Air Experience 1+2.

Don't agree about artificially changing flags on things like river labels. The player is supposed to be reconnoitering the woods, looking for enemy units. If he is worried about possible "enemy pockets," he ought to go investigate them.

Free France 1940-1945 (sixteen scenarios)

Posted: **Sun May 02, 2021 7:37 pm**

Nice!

And this airstrip will be very useful, for sure.

Another idea, perhaps:

We've messages poping-up at start of the first scenarios... We may have the option to add another one, at start of the 8th turn. We're looking for hidden ammo/fuel dumps, aren't we? We've 4 of them to find out...

We may be helped (slightly) by the French resistance here as well:

they may have discovered for us one of these 4 locations and, even without having any available armed warband nearby, have just managed to transmit us this info by radio. Thus, one of these location, randomly selected, may be revealed to the player. Maybe this picture may be used for this event: https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARC2AQ

This won't take much away in terms of finding caches (there are still 3 to find), but could (I hope) be a nice little touch... Plus, it adds a random component (which one was found?) to the scenario and another immersive picture.

Posted: **Sun May 02, 2021 8:52 pm**

The trouble with you, Colonel, is that you keep coming up with very good ideas!

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I sneaked this into version 0.45 just now (and I rearranged the order of the messages):

: Screenshot 2.jpg (615.39 KiB) Viewed 2148 times

Anything else?!?

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Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 2:36 pm**

Well, anything else about Argentan? Um... no, not at the moment anyway.

Otherwise:

1. I was about to recall, for Dragoon, the Mediterranean Wall (not as strong as the Atlantic wall, but still with several hundreds of concrete bunkers) and the presence of the Free French battleship Lorraine.

But then I remembered having already written a lot about this scenario (including about orders of battle) and, guess what, these two points were already mentioned! Not about to do twice the same thing, or almost, shall I?

But then, it gave me two ideas...

(There is just NO way we could represent all the different warships that were involved, as there would simply have very too much of them! But I do assume of course that it is necessary, within the framework of this campaign, to represent this Free French battleship: Lorraine.

More info already? Okay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ba ... p_Lorraine )

2. Once the battleship Lorraine has been seen, or moved, or allowed to make its first shots, an event could be added to say some nice and immersive words about it... In addition, this could be an opportunity to briefly recall the events of Mers-el-Kebir, the huge Surcouf, etc. Objective: to remind that at the beginning of the Second World War, France had one of the most powerful navies in the world! And even an aircraft carrier!

(And that's something new.) And this may deserve a second event together with a second cool picture (this one, perhaps?: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr ) Even if he didn't fight, it might be worth a mention... Who, today, has still heard of Béarn?
(By the way, (Le) Béarn - with accent in French, yes

- is a French province towards the Pyrenees, historically connected to (La) Gascogne. Gascony, Bearn, that's on overall the region of origin of the famous d'Artagnan of the Three Musketeers (whose character immortalized by the cinema is in fact strongly based on someone who really existed!)...)
(More info? There are already some: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ai ... B%C3%A9arn )

3. A bomber group Lorraine, a battleship Lorraine... what did the French have to use so much this name?

It is because this region was very important in the fights between Germans and French (war 1870-1871, then first world war).

By the way, here is an image

that certainly deserves to be displayed somewhere:
https://fr.vikidia.org/wiki/Fichier:Fra ... elibre.png
France at the end of 1942 with its three zones: the free zone in green (with Corsica!), the occupied zone in pink (with all the Atlantic part - preparation of the German defenses, the Atlantic Wall) and the zone annexed by Germany in blue (including, of course, Alsace and Lorraine!).
When we talk about the regime, or government, of Vichy... well, on this map we also see the location of this town, the capital of the French collaborationist government led by Général Pétain (yet a hero of the first world war, but a tired man)...
The Pétain government chose to base itself in Vichy, in the free zone. This was a strategic decision because the city was well connected to Paris by train and was located near the demarcation line with the occupied zone. In addition, the hotel infrastructure made it easy to accommodate the members of the government. It is because the government chose this city to establish itself that we now speak of the Vichy regime.
Here with Pierre Laval, an influent man, partisan of a collaboration with Germany: https://img-4.linternaute.com/phvlFrppr ... 493644.jpg
The "famous" Petain-Hitler handshake: http://edu.pmera.fr/spip.php?article336
A (quick) translation of this text gives something like:
"At Montoire, on October 24, 1940, Pétain shook hands with Hitler.

This was the gesture of betrayal, the one that radically changed the perception that the French could have had of the new Vichy regime.
*******
Immediately after the defeat, Pétain appeared as the providential man, the one who was going to be a bulwark against Nazi barbarism.

Pétain was the Marshal of France, the winner of the great battle of Verdun in 1916. There is no doubt that his glory and prestige would impose themselves on the victorious Germans.

But the French were soon to be disappointed.

First, he obtained full powers from a frightened National Assembly and thus created a new regime: the French State.

On October 3, he had a statute for the Jews adopted, which marked the beginning of the persecutions and which he brought as a gift of alliance to Hitler at Montoire.

This handshake shocked many French people, who now at least questioned the real intentions of the Marshal.

Only four months after the defeat, and already, they were shaking hands as if they were sealing a contract.
This handshake clearly marks the choice of collaboration, which is a French demand under the pretext of alleviating France's misfortune.
But it is much more: it is a betrayal! France thus became an ally of Nazi Germany, whose projects (defeating the USSR, destroying communism) and racist ideology (exterminating the Jews) it now supported.

For the Germans, it was very advantageous: the French themselves would do the dirty work, without even having to be asked or coerced.
Finally, it was a fool's bargain: France would derive almost no benefit from this policy of collaboration.

On October 30, 1940, aware of the disturbance caused by this famous handshake, Pétain gave a speech on the radio that attempted, in retrospect, to justify the meeting with Hitler. But it was above all an additional admission: France was thus committed, alongside the Nazis, to the construction of a new order in Europe, the one desired by Hitler and sketched out in Mein Kampf as early as 1924.
*******
"Frenchman!

I freely accepted the Führer's invitation. I was not subjected, on his part, to any Diktat, any pressure.

A collaboration was envisaged between our two countries. I accepted the principle (...) It is in honor and to maintain the French unity, a unity of ten centuries, within the framework of a constructive activity of the new European order, that I enter today in the way of the collaboration.

Thus, in the near future, the burden of our country's sufferings could be lightened, the fate of our prisoners improved, the burden of occupation costs eased. Thus could be softened the line of demarcation and facilitated the administration and the supply of the territory. (...)

Up to now I have spoken to you like a father; today I am speaking to you like a leader. Follow me. Keep your confidence in eternal France. " -

Radio address by Philippe Pétain, October 30, 1940"

Later, the 11th November 1942 - Germany enters the free zone
In response to the Allied landing in North Africa on November 8, Adolf Hitler launched "Operation Attila" on France. The Germans invaded the south of the country (including Corsica - that's why we've already fought them in the awesome Corsican scenario), considered a "free zone". The Vichy government was placed under the direct control and influence of Germany.

About Lorraine, a view of France in 1942, the town of Vichy, perhaps a handshake... there is matter for few more immersive events.

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 2:50 pm**

Oh, and about Leclerc and his 2nd DB, the proposed file, which contains several interesting images, is a pdf... ( http://www.france-libre.net/images/stor ... blinde.pdf ) so, no way to directly copy and paste the texts.

There, you have to rewrite them in the translation tools, unfortunately... Sorry for that.

*******

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 2:36 pm

Well, anything else about Argentan? Um... no, not at the moment anyway. [...]

'Wait few minutes, though...

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Well, well, if you wish to add more picture related to the splendid 16Argentan scenario, there may be this cool picture to implement:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... uselang=fr
With some short text, something like this maybe: "We are almost there, guys, one more effort!" And once our first (land) unit is one hex away from the golden star flag of Argentan?

And, well, it is said than once Alençon has been liberated "The population cheers its liberators and when it discovers that these soldiers speak French, it believes that they are Canadians. After some discussion, the locals discover that they are compatriots and their joy is all the stronger. The civilians come to meet General Leclerc, sitting on a wooden chair in front of his command post or on the parapet of the bridge." So, when

the flag is taken (or just before the Construction Group is spawned?), together with perhaps this picture https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARDLAQ or with that one https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARC-AQ ?

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 3:10 pm**

Good ideas about Operation Dragoon. Timely — it's just emerging from the map-building phase and the rest is just fuzzy right now. It will start clicking soon; it always does.

Going back to Argentan for a moment, I did make a few more changes. I added a German airfield to encourage their planes to stick around, and I felt the need to clarify this message; else the player may sit back and expect the Resistance to locate all four ammo/fuel dumps:

: Screenshot 1.jpg (169.51 KiB) Viewed 2105 times

And of the pictures you offered, I chose this one to use:

: Screenshot 2.jpg (169.37 KiB) Viewed 2105 times

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 3:40 pm**

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 2:50 pm Oh, and about Leclerc and his 2nd DB, the proposed file, which contains several interesting images, is a pdf... ( http://www.france-libre.net/images/stor ... blinde.pdf ) so, no way to directly copy and paste the texts. There, you have to rewrite them in the translation tools, unfortunately... Sorry for that.

I'll match your PDF with one of my own; don't ask me where I got it — I go all over the place looking for stuff — but it's excellent:

: French 2nd Armored Division.jpg (458.92 KiB) Viewed 2097 times

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zsjsCL ... sp=sharing

P.S. — Putting on my forum moderator hat for a moment, I don't feel any compunction about sharing this document. For one thing, I downloaded it from a web site with no difficulty; i.e., no pay wall or registration required; so it is being offered freely. Secondly, it does not take a rocket scientist to find out what game it is from (the name is on the cover), so if anything, the designers who made this document will benefit from publicizing their product. This probably has occurred to them and explains why the document is accessible. (Heh, it's a board game, else perhaps I should be admonishing myself for competing with OOB!

)

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 4:37 pm**

bru888 wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 3:10 pm [...] Going back to Argentan for a moment, I did make a few more changes. I added a German airfield to encourage their planes to stick around, and I felt the need to clarify this message; else the player may sit back and expect the Resistance to locate all four ammo/fuel dumps: [...]
And of the pictures you offered, I chose this one to use: [...]

-> German AF: Very good, it will enhance the challenge a little more...

located near Argentan, or at least in the North of the map, so that they are likely to be able to use it until the end or almost?

-> Clarifying the message about Resistance: Indeed an excellent, and probaby even required, addition...

-> For the chosen picture about Argentan...

I fear that once Argentan has been taken, there is then an immediate Major Victory and thus that we won't perhaps see this message - or perhaps right before the end.

You've an early victory module implemented... (That's why I suggested putting it when closing in Argentan, when entering in the surroundings... On the other hand, there don't seem to be much action on this picture, so for actual fightings... Anyway, these could happen just few hundred meters away, perhaps...)
EDIT: Moreover, we may have already encountered and destroyed the 2nd Pz Div when moving North (and somehow trying to avoid most of the forests to gain time)... then it's not likely to threaten anymore our supply line...

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 4:48 pm**

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 2:50 pm [...]

And, well, it is said than once Alençon has been liberated "The population cheers its liberators and when it discovers that these soldiers speak French, it believes that they are Canadians. After some discussion, the locals discover that they are compatriots and their joy is all the stronger. The civilians come to meet General Leclerc, sitting on a wooden chair in front of his command post or on the parapet of the bridge." So, when the flag is taken (or just before the Construction Group is spawned?), together with perhaps this picture https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARDLAQ or with that one https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARC-AQ ?

I think this one would be cool too, but there may be a slight "detail" about it...

Leclerc on a char in front of his command post? For us, he's in an armored car dealing some damages to the enemy...

so the (historical) reference to him may be deleted simply.

Or we may create a sec obj about Leclerc having to stop once at Alençon once captured... but then, damn, why should he do this?

(Like obj descr, I mean.)

On the other hand, it may be some US unit that do capture this town... thus one could imagine a sec obj about moving some French in there, if not for the capture itself, then just after... But, again, why?

Or, we've the easiest option (except forgetting about all this, of course!

):

Once Alençon has been liberated, then "The population cheers its liberators and when it discovers that some of these soldiers do speak French, it believes that they are Canadians. After some discussion, the locals discover that they are compatriots and their joy is all the stronger." When the Construction Group is spawned (so less conditions to implement), that may do it - and like this, more time has passed, more units are moving around or passing by... so more likely to have some Free French units in the mix (especially because the two NE towns have to be taken by French troops, it's more likely to have some of them around Alençon already).

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 5:28 pm**

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 4:37 pm
bru888 wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 3:10 pm [...] Going back to Argentan for a moment, I did make a few more changes. I added a German airfield to encourage their planes to stick around, and I felt the need to clarify this message; else the player may sit back and expect the Resistance to locate all four ammo/fuel dumps: [...]
And of the pictures you offered, I chose this one to use: [...]
-> German AF: Very good, it will enhance the challenge a little more... located near Argentan, or at least in the North of the map, so that they are likely to be able to use it until the end or almost? Yes, see for yourself; it's up there now.

-> Clarifying the message about Resistance: Indeed an excellent, and probaby even required, addition... It's easy to mislead the player like that, something that I try to guard against.

-> For the chosen picture about Argentan... I fear that once Argentan has been taken, there is then an immediate Major Victory and thus that we won't perhaps see this message - or perhaps right before the end. You've an early victory module implemented... (That's why I suggested putting it when closing in Argentan, when entering in the surroundings... On the other hand, there don't seem to be much action on this picture, so for actual fightings... Anyway, these could happen just few hundred meters away, perhaps...)
EDIT: Moreover, we may have already encountered and destroyed the 2nd Pz Div when moving North (and somehow trying to avoid most of the forests to gain time)... then it's not likely to threaten anymore our supply line... Not a problem. Don't forget that the scenario does not end until all objectives are completed (or the scenario ends on turns). Plus, I believe the trigger fires and displays the message even if the scenario is about to end.

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 5:30 pm**

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 4:48 pm
ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 2:50 pm [...]

And, well, it is said than once Alençon has been liberated "The population cheers its liberators and when it discovers that these soldiers speak French, it believes that they are Canadians. After some discussion, the locals discover that they are compatriots and their joy is all the stronger. The civilians come to meet General Leclerc, sitting on a wooden chair in front of his command post or on the parapet of the bridge." So, when the flag is taken (or just before the Construction Group is spawned?), together with perhaps this picture https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARDLAQ or with that one https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARC-AQ ?
I think this one would be cool too, but there may be a slight "detail" about it... Leclerc on a char in front of his command post? For us, he's in an armored car dealing some damages to the enemy... so the (historical) reference to him may be deleted simply.

Or we may create a sec obj about Leclerc having to stop once at Alençon once captured... but then, damn, why should he do this? (Like obj descr, I mean.)

On the other hand, it may be some US unit that do capture this town... thus one could imagine a sec obj about moving some French in there, if not for the capture itself, then just after... But, again, why?

Or, we've the easiest option (except forgetting about all this, of course! ): Once Alençon has been liberated, then "The population cheers its liberators and when it discovers that some of these soldiers do speak French, it believes that they are Canadians. After some discussion, the locals discover that they are compatriots and their joy is all the stronger." When the Construction Group is spawned (so less conditions to implement), that may do it - and like this, more time has passed, more units are moving around or passing by... so more likely to have some Free French units in the mix (especially because the two NE towns have to be taken by French troops, it's more likely to have some of them around Alençon already).

We have enough images and objectives in Argentan now, thanks.

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 6:20 pm**

Okay!

By the way, Alençon was indeed a very important location in terms of supply for the German 7th Army... and this is depicted in this scenario (high supply output), so that's great. And you've done a great job too in terms of unit variation (with some German Elefant, Wespe or Hummel, amongst others, and an American unit of Calliope)... Now the US deployment look much smoother; nice location for an enemy AF...

I found a small useless detail: the westernmost German infantry unit of the 331st division starts without any entrenchment unlike the other units of this division...

Well, the time we've some units up there, this unit should already be at full entrenchment, of course...

Well, I would say this scenario is ready for good!

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 6:50 pm**

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 6:20 pm I found a small useless detail: the westernmost German infantry unit of the 331st division starts without any entrenchment unlike the other units of this division... Well, the time we've some units up there, this unit should already be at full entrenchment, of course...

Good eye. They were naked!

Fixed.

Now, kindly put on your Dragoon helmet.

: dragoon helmet.jpg (315.45 KiB) Viewed 2064 times

Posted: **Mon May 03, 2021 9:24 pm**

ColonelY wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 2:36 pmI was about to recall, for Dragoon... there is matter for few more immersive events.

The business of Petain's handshake and Vichy collaboration may have been covered earlier. In any event, it's old news at this point; the campaign is well-structured up to now, I believe, and I don't want to return to 1942 for revisions.

However, your discussion of Alsace and Lorraine did inspire this campaign message as a lead-in to Strasbourg:

: Screenshot 1.jpg (199.54 KiB) Viewed 2057 times

: Screenshot 2.jpg (195.39 KiB) Viewed 2057 times

: Screenshot 3.jpg (215.8 KiB) Viewed 2057 times

By the way, I will definitely feature Lorraine (the battleship) and possibly a retrospective on Béarn (the aircraft carrier) in Operation Dragoon. Thanks for all of these thought-provoking suggestions.

Posted: **Wed May 05, 2021 2:25 pm**

Dragoon - some complements to what I've already written:

So, on overall:
Free French: 5 infantry divisions (with some Goumiers, still!) + 2 armoured divisions + Resistance fighters (towards Toulon and Marseille on the one hand, towards the DZs of the parachutists to help them as "scouts")
Americans: 3 infantry divisions + 1 airborne division
+ all the different commando groups, of course...

Germans: 7 infantry divisions (including the 148th, 242nd, 244th) + 1 armored division + several battalions of the Ost Legion + the Mediterranean Wall (of course less solid than the Atlantic Wall, but still for a total of 600 concrete works)... + Toulon and Marseille which form 2 formidable strongholds regrouping a total of 400 artillery pieces of all calibers (105mm, 150mm, 155mm, etc., + ATs of 25 and 37mm), including 340mm naval guns...

German garrison of Toulon: 30 forts, abundant artillery and innumerable casemates, 18'000 men (some from the 242nd ID, others from the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe) commanded by the admiral Ruhfus... (The French had only 16'000 men to lead the assault, but it was a brilliant victory).
Toulon: harbor, arsenal, Thouar massif, Fontpré castle, Coudon and La Pourdière forts...

The peninsula of Saint-Mandrier: very solid casemates, 340 mm guns (targets of the battleship Lorraine)...

In the end, more than 200 guns were captured there, at Toulon (plus many purely destroyed of course)...

Marseille: General Schaeffer, commander of the 244th ID, has 13'000 men and 150 to 200 guns ranging from 75 to 220 mm. The defensive system was less dense than in Toulon! (The French attacked with a maximum of 10'000 men!) There are resistance fighters in the city or around (the population revolted!)... It seems that the Germans could have been at a maximum of 20'000 men there...

On August 19, 1944, the Germans received orders from their superiors to withdraw, except for the garrisons of Toulon and Marseille who were ordered to resist at all costs.

(First line of defense against the landing, in terms of German infantry units, there was the 148th and most of the 242nd divisions, plus 3 battalions of Ost Legion!)

Info: the battery of the Titan (one of the objectives of the commandos) was in fact only a perfectly camouflaged decoy.

Posted: **Wed May 05, 2021 2:28 pm**

The French advance on the planned schedule is of such magnitude that it will have repercussions on the entire campaign.

With the liberation of Toulon and Marseille, the Allies had a huge base in the Mediterranean that doubled that of Normandy and contributed to the supply of all the troops engaged in the European theater. For eight months, the two southern ports (Toulon and Marseille, that is) ensured the transit of 14 divisions and the unloading of an average of 18,000 tons of supplies per day.

Posted: **Wed May 05, 2021 2:38 pm**

On August 16, at 5:00 pm, a moving "La Marseillaise" rises from the ships that are preparing to land other waves of French soldiers...

The various African soldiers are welcomed as liberators and heroes by the French population, oblivious to its colonialist prejudices.

Once Toulon and Marseille are secured, General de Lattre de Tassigny then decided to go into operation and participate in the liberation of South-East France.

He succeeded in freeing himself from the restrictive instructions of General Patch (commander of the 7th American Army) who seemed to want to confine him to subordinate missions.

The French troops took a decisive part in the pursuit, over 700 kilometers, of the 19th German army (whose retreat was covered by the 11th Panzer Division which led several effective counter-attacks)...

Damned, these Frenchies, l'audace, encore et toujours!

We are getting closer to:

bru888 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 9:10 pm
ColonelY wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 9:03 pm We are making progress towards this...

ColonelY wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:40 pm Campaign event: "Highly symbolical meeting!"

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

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

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

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

Or something similar...

Yes, please remind me of this if necessary but I just copied your post for my notes.

Posted: **Wed May 05, 2021 3:14 pm**

Some pictures?

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/a ... n-alliance

https://www.leparisien.fr/politique/deb ... 133744.php

More about Marseille défenses?

Extract from this source: https://www.france-libre.net/debarquement-provence-2/ (in French, but copy-paste easy to do and with online Tools, if needed...)

"The defense of Marseille was entrusted to General Schaeffer on August 20. That same day, the encirclement of Toulon from the east began and the Spahis of the reconnaissance regiment of the 3rd DIA even reached 30 kilometers north of Toulon without encountering any opposition. General Wiese, commander of the 85th army corps, decided to lock the roads leading to Marseille. He had six infantry battalions at his disposal (for this purpose, that is - 'cause they were more of them) and four resistance centers were created:

1 - That of Carpiagne, defended by one battalion (III/394th Grenadiers);

2 - The Aubagne center, held by two battalions (I/394th and 461st Grenadiers) and two artillery groups;

3 - The Cadolive center, occupied by the 2nd battalion of the 394th;

4 - The Septèmes center, which included the coastal batteries of Rode, was entrusted to the 338th Battalion reinforced by two companies;

5 - The link with the sea front was ensured by the 1st battalion of the 932nd Grenadier Regiment.

In addition, an artillery group was involved in the internal defense of the defensive position occupied by the 1st Battalion of the 932nd Grenadiers.

The Marseilles garrison, 4,600 strong (!? Perhaps without taking into account the forces in the immediate surroundings?), was mainly made up of fusiliers and marine gunners defending the casemates on the seafront, service personnel (Quartermaster's Office, Health Service, Equipment) and staff of the 85th army corps and the 244th division, located in the Saint-Jean and Saint-Nicolas forts and in the Prado district. A support point existed on the hill of Notre-Dame de la Garde."

Like this, you aleady have more info...

Posted: **Wed May 05, 2021 3:18 pm**

More cool pictures?

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARC4AQ

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARD6AQ

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... egUIARDCAQ

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... hIegQIARBp

Posted: **Wed May 05, 2021 3:23 pm**

How do you plan to build this?

Option 1: One scenario to cover the whole operation Dragoon?

Or maybe...

Option 2:

-> A first scenario of more modest size with the landing as such, including commando and airborne operations + of course the first wave of the 3 US infantry divisions and one French armored division...
-> And another scenario of relatively modest size as well with the French approaching both Toulon and Marseille?

Or perhaps...

Another variant?

Slitherine

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Re: Free France Campaign

Re: Free France Campaign

Re: Free France Campaign

Re: Free France Campaign

Re: Free France Campaign

Re: Free France Campaign