Free France Campaign

[rafdobrowolski]

Yes to all of this! Been looking for something like this. Glad to help with beta testing as well, if we get to that point.

[bru888]

It seems quite fortunate that there is at least one person with a wealth of knowledge on whatever campaign you choose to do. DTA provided maps which are important for the Winter War, and now Colonel is a fountain on the Free French.

Perhaps next you could do an East Afrika campaign, with colonial British infantry, against lower year Italian infantry.

Yes, Cool has been a gold mine for the Winter War campaigns (as we speak, there is a question for him waiting in the studio). The Colonel seems to be another for this FF campaign, if he doesn't wear himself out!

[Igor1941]

“Well, we lost to the French too?”
Field Marshal Keitel, at the sight of the French
representatives in the signing room
unconditional surrender of Germany.
Karlshorst, night from May 8 to 9, 1945.

[bru888]

“Well, we lost to the French too?”
Field Marshal Keitel, at the sight of the French
representatives in the signing room
unconditional surrender of Germany.
Karlshorst, night from May 8 to 9, 1945.

Very good, Igor, thank you. I will work that tidbit in, if I can.

[ColonelY]

DAKAR SCENARIO - units in presence (verified, few adaptations, and suggestions)

I've been compiling information from different sources, cross-checking... In a nutshell, here it is:
--------------------------------------
Name of the Free French forces: "Corps Expéditionnaire Français Libre"
Duration of the battle: 23 to 25 septembre 1940
--------------------------------------
NAVAL FORCES:

Free France:
3 destroyers (or "avisos"): Savorgnan de Brazza, Commandant Dominé, Commandant Duboc -> Could be the only ships on this list taken as CORE… But I don’t know if it’s worth.
1 gunboat (or "patrol boat" – this is a small adaptation): Président Houduce
2 merchant ships: Westerland, Pennland -> actually Dutch ships but with both (Free) France flags AND the Dutch flag; there was General Charles de Gaulle, on the Westerland! -> so in the scenario, what about putting the Pennland under the Dutch flag and the Westerland (symbolically with de Gaulle) under the Free France flag, to reflect this fact and adapt it somehow to the OoB mechanisms...
4 Supply ships: Anadyr, Casamance, Fort-Lamy, Nevada

Britain:
1 carrier: Ark Royal (with Swordfish torpedo-bombers and old Blackburn Skua fighters-bombers...)
2 old battleships: Barham (the British flagship; there was British Admiral Cunningham!) & Resolution
3 heavy cruisers: Cumberland, Devonshire, Australia (AN AUSTRALIAN!)
2 light cruisers: Dragon, Delhi
10 destroyers: Inglefield, Echo, Eclipse, Escapade, Faulknor, Foresight, Forester, Fortune, Fury, Greyhound
2 support ship: Bridgewater, Milford
5 gunboats
1 Supply ship: Ocean Coast

(Vichy’s) France:
1 excellent battleship: Richelieu (unparalleled in 1940; the British don't have the equivalent!), lightly “damaged” so stationary on the starboard side at the large harbor entrance jetty! -> so taking an American battleship as model for OoB?
2 light cruisers: Georges Leygues, Montcalm -> again with American models?
4 « strong » destroyers (some sources even consider those as cruisers, but they were certainly not): Audacieux, Fantasque, Malin, Hardi
6 destroyers (or « avisos »): Calais, Commandant Rivière, D'Entrecasteaux, D'Iberville, Gazelle, La Surprise
3 gunboats (or light avisos – another little adaptation): Air France I, Air France III, Air France IV
3+1 submarines: Persée, Ajax, Bévéziers + Sidi Ferruch (this last one who, called back from Conakry, is on his way to Dakar on September 25 -> an unit to spawn when the time comes!)
And inside/near the port -> + 3 Merchant ships (Porthus, Tacoma, DANISH Saly Maersk) & 1 Supply ship (La Garonne)…
--------------------------------------
LAND FORCES:

NB: The Free France and their British allies had no tanks nor heavy artillery ready for a landing at this place and moment…

Free France:
13ème demi-brigade de Légion étrangère: an experimented unit which fought the Germans in Norway, composed of a HQ staff, 3 combat units and 1 support unit; lt-col Alfred Maurice Cazaud; a little less than 900 men, roughly a battalion -> CORE-units! (Will be there as well in the next scenario, so in the Battle of Gabon, also called as the Gabon campaign, and many others later scenarios.)
-> So, maybe 1 French Heavy Infantry and 2 French (regular) Infantry, all starting with 1 star?
1er Bataillon de Fusiliers-Marins (with 1 star ?) -> CORE-units!
1ère Compagnie Franche (with NO STAR!; they were just recruits) -> NON-CORE-unit… 1 single French Infantry (without star)?
A Medical Jeep with the name: “Ambulance chirurgicale légère” -> CORE-unit!
(+crews of a tank company and an artillery battery, but without heavy material, and few men within smaller units…)

Britain:
(elite) 101st Royal Marines Brigade (3rd and 5th Royal Marines Battalion)
+ “could have” (not sure – depend on sources) units from the 102nd Royal Marines Brigade…
+ a company of engineers and an artillery company... -> so ok if they have 1 British Engineers and 1 light artillery unit

(Vichy’s) France:
According to Erik’s source (http://france1940.free.fr/oob/aof.html), in Senegal there was the 1er Régiment de Tirailleurs Sénégalais, the 7ème Régiment de Tirailleurs Sénégalais and the 7ème Bataillon de Tirailleurs Sénégalais, as well as maybe the Régiment Mixte d’Infanterie Coloniale de l’AOF… (plus the 6ème Régiment d’artillerie colonial, of course, see just next para) -> Some of these units (if not all) were for sure in charge of the defense of Dakar!
6ème Régiment d’artillerie colonial -> they don’t manage any longer the main batteries*, but they could appear with a 75-art piece or something, and with the British Colonial Infantry model, maybe?
An AA-gun in Dakar.
Could have a recon Panhard, why not?
Defenders mainly around Rufisque (to prevent the landing) and Dakar itself… a bunch of MG-foxholes is likely, maybe even some bunkers, but I wouldn’t put to much mines…
Many coastal guns (see first map) plus three fortresses: Fort Manuel, Fort Bel-Air and Fort Gorée.

*Naval gunners, colonial gunners (the first, more effective, having taken control of the main batteries –> the colonial gunners having once refused to shot at British ships – before this Operation! - arguing that they were too far away… so less trustworthy for Vichy, they could be sympathizers…)
--------------------------------------
AERIAL FORCES: (NOTHING IN THE CORE HERE!)

Free France:
2 recon planes, the famous "Luciole touring" aircraft... (2 planes, not 2 units of them!) -> so maybe a not full strengthen recon plane with this name and starting now far away from Dakar?

Britain:
On carrier, Swordfish torpedo-bombers (from 16 to 25 depending on sources), old Blackburn Skua fighters-(dive)bombers (from 16 to 20 depending on sources)...
-> so, because the Ark Royal may be able to carry 3 units, maybe 2 units of Swordfish and 1 old fighter (which one?)…

(Vichy’s) France:
Around 40 bombers Glenn-Martin Maryland A-22 and around 20 fighters Curtiss H.75 Hawk (roughly like the American or French P-36 Hawk), including a few fighters Dewoitine…
-> So maybe 2 units of bombers A-20C Havoc (adaptation again!) and 1 unit of P-36 Hawk called “Groupe de chasse 1/5”…
+ a handful of Liore 130 recon seaplanes -> so, some recon seaplane as well…

& "Base aéronavale de Bel-Air" (for seaplanes), "Aérodrome de Ouakam" (for fighters) et "Aérodrome de Thiès" (for bombers -> so starting deployment areas).

[ColonelY]

To stick as close to history than possible, I would really keep General Charles de Gaulle ONLY for the briefings... as commanders on battle, there will be others famous guys!

By the way, no need to answer all of my posts, because many of them are "just" here to transmit some info.

[ColonelY]

This campaign will start strong with this scenario; there will be fewer events (probably) in the following scenarios.

DAKAR SCENARIO - EVENTS:
--------------
1. “What, no respect for white flags?” (as title maybe) – directly when starting the scenario, maybe with highlighting Dakar itself…

(Suggestion of text:)
“Parliamentarians sent to Dakar who were not arrested had to flee under fire, despite white flags…

Well, it happened after Mers el-Kébir (July 1940), where the Royal Navy attacked Vichy’s French ships at the quayside and then almost disarmed, after the expiry of their ultimatum: join us or scuttle your ships! As results, 3 French battleships were put out of action (including Bretagne which sank) and about 1'300 French sailors killed.

The British had a phobia of seeing the magnificent military tool, that was then the fourth largest navy in the world (including almost 80 submarines) behind Britain, the United States and Japan, fall into the hands of the Axis.

And, after Mers el-Kébir, they wanted at all costs to prevent the Richelieu battleship, one of the most beautiful units of our navy, a formidable war machine without equivalent in 1940, from falling into enemy hands. Yet, since the 23rd June 1940, the Richelieu has been in Dakar, where we are going!”

Maybe with this picture (one of the dropped leaflet), to show the contrast, what could have be the psychological situation of the French in Dakar:
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 3787685531
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2. “No way, I'm still in charge!” – just after the first one, highlighting the corresponding merchant ship

“This operation was to be a Free French operation with the British just in support, but the Admiral Cunningham wanted to offer hospitality to Charles de Gaulle aboard his flagship, the old battleship Barham, and, in exchange, take himself command of all the allied forces.

Charles de Gaulle refused, of course!, and stand on the Westerland, a Dutch ship flying the Free French flag as well as the Dutch flag and carrying some Free French troops.”

Maybe with this picture of Generals Spears (a representative of Winston Churchill on this operation) and de Gaulle (in the back) on the Westerland:
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 3775074393
--------------
3. “More French cruisers!” – directly after the second event, highlighting this time the waters near the port of Dakar…

http://en.wikibedia.ru/wiki/French_crui ... ge_Leygues

“Because of British mistakes, several ships were able to pass through the Gibraltar Strait. They were headed for our French Equatorial Africa... our armada, with greater fire power, forced them fortunately to change direction. But they were faster and those who had no engine problem managed to take refuge around Dakar, thus reinforcing its defenses.

The dreaded Richelieu was already there. Was it not enough?”

(In case there is too much text within the 2nd event, some of it could be added within this one, probably... )
--------------
4. “I shall defend Dakar to the end!” -> an event the 24th September, around 0340… highlighting Dakar probably…

“This is how the Governor-General Pierre François Boisson has responsed to the Allied ultimatum.

This son of Breton teachers is a veteran, who was maimed in the First World War where he lost a leg in Verdun. This man is determined and loyal... to Vichy’s orders.”
--------------
5. “950 tons of gold!” -> maybe a little after the event 4, and anyway BEFORE taking Dakar…

“When the Germans have invaded France, the Banque de France has sent a part of its reserves in the Senegal, another in the American Federal Bank and the rest in Martinique. No need to precise that all intelligence services keep a watchful eye on this. If Dakar is successfully taken, the whole Western French Africa may join our cause and it will anyway be very easy for us to put our hands on this stock of gold of “only” 950 tons.

It is now difficult, but definitely worth making efforts, isn't that so?”
--------------
6. “Dakar’s bombarded!” -> maybe when the secondary objective to destroy at least 2 forts (there are 3 of them) is achieved… - it’s historical as well that the forts have been silenced…

“Alas, the fighting has seriously damaged the great city of Dakar... The city's fortresses were almost completely silenced, but several projectiles fired mainly from ships unfortunately fell on houses.”

With a picture chosen for example between these:
https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 3775433129

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 3775181033

https://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=htt ... 3775028957
--------------
7. “What a golden success!” -> maybe just after taking Dakar (and highlighting this main area)…

“The 950 tons of gold are ours. According to General de Gaulle's orders, the share that belonged to the Belgian and Polish state banks will be returned to them when possible. Then the British will only receive what covers the purchases they will make for us from the Americans (who do not grant credit).

The British wanted for a while to manage the whole stock, under the pretext that they were "Allies", or else they would abandon the whole operation - but de Gaulle was able to stand up to them!

This gold is (mainly) French and must contribute to the French cause. It may not really be needed for the moment, but it will be very useful sooner or later. (Gained 500 RP.)”

-> 500 RP, it’s quite a lot but, well, why not? After all, we are talking from not less than 950 tons of gold!!! (Minus, of course, the “little” parts that belongs to others.) And it’s only the beginning of a big campaign with future costly battles… (And it could always be adjusted later, if the need really arises.)

[ColonelY]

Well, I'll then see what scenarios objectives could be nice and historical (or else clearly "could have happened"), and finally check a last time the strategy planned (to help with the part of the briefing related to objectives)... And then I think that there should definitely be enough info for this scenario, doesn't it?

Of course, in real the landing has been aborted at the last moment, just literaly in front of the beaches... but it could have been carried on anyway, so...

[ColonelY]

BATTLE PLAN:
The plan of the operation envisages three hypotheses: Happy (peaceful rallying), Sticky (uncertain with symbolic resistance) and Nasty (organized resistance). The disembarkation, in order to neutralize the resistance on land and occupy Dakar, is organised according to three possible plans: William (bridgehead in Rufisque); Rufus (bridgehead in Hann then Ouakam) and Conqueror (combination of the 2 previous ones). A fourth, "Charles", proposed by Hettier de Boislambert, provides for the landing of the Free French forces at Rufisque as part of the Nasty plan.

Well, clearly, it’s the “Nasty” hypothesis that’s happening! So, a landing at Rufisque, the neutralization of the resistance on land and then moving “inland” towards Dakar in order to occupy it, all this under the cover of the Royal Navy and the available airplanes.
-----------------------------------
OBJECTIVES:
PRIMARY:
- Secure the Rufisque’s landing (by capturing few locations around the landing zone, including Rufisque; ‘could then be rewarded eventually by the spawning of 2 or 3 Volunteer Fighters units…*)
- Don’t let our General sink (so protect the Westerland… and maybe as well the Pennland?)
- Take Dakar (by capturing few locations within the city or its immediate surroundings) -> this should end directly the scenario (which should by the way be a medium to long one, for it is quite complete)

SECONDARY:
- Do not lose any British battleship or carrier (otherwise they won’t be happy, for sure; historically, one of the two British battleships was severely damaged)
- Sink at least two enemy submarines (2 over 4; historically two of them were sunk; at that time they were really dangerous because difficult to locate… so, to avoid casualties…)
- Destroy at least two fortresses (2 over 3; historically, they were all silenced… they can shot inland anyway, so in order to secure the advance of our troops…)

*This was expected by de Gaulle, really, so could definitely have happened… The cause of the Free France had many sympathizers, General de Gaulle was ready to welcome them heartfully and has even brought food for them (there was a food shortage around Dakar at that time – it’s strictly historical) …

And we know that there is a fourth submarine which should be spawned on the last day of the battle…

And, speaking of spawning, a last idea:

One could maybe even add something like this: Use the famous Dakar-Niger railroad to spawn reinforcements on train, moving towards Dakar to strengthen its garrison… one unit at a time, each X turns… Then one could add a last secondary objective to stop this by capturing one or two flag hexes on this railroad.

We could see maybe the first train passing by just after the first troops have landed, then an event talking about this and setting a new objective…

For immersive sake, I could be awesome. And with the capture hexes not far away from Rufisque anyway (because this famous railway passes near Rufisque and because keeping part of it should be enough to prevent the enemy from using it to get to Dakar.), it shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the player. (And if it’s a little tricky to trigger, then it could be just one real unit in train then no more anyway… although it wouldn’t be optimal.)
Again, it could have happened, so why not?

[ColonelY]

Finally, I think that even a Minor Defeat should not end the campaign (the real operation having been a failure anyway)...

In case of Major Victory, maybe some text like this can be fine:
"Magnificent! The fact of having taken Dakar will certainly rally us all French West Africa. In any case, this is already offering us a lot of new means. Our campaign couldn't have started better. Let's hope it lasts, for it just began."

In case of a Minor Defeat, maybe something like this:
"Hearts up, nothing's decided yet. Of course, it's a setback, but it might be the only one within this campaign. Now we need to focus more on French Equatorial Africa. Perhaps it is anyway better like this, as too much success might have led to a massive influx of German soldiers to counter us... and we were not yet ready to withstand such threat."

For Minor Victory or Draw, something in-between of course.


Well, I think that's all I can provide about this very first scenario, "Dakar - the Operation Menace" or something...

Then, one have to change focus, to go into French Equatorial Africa (with a victory or not in front of Dakar)... the Battle of Gabon awaits us!

[ColonelY]

Yes to all of this! Been looking for something like this. Glad to help with beta testing as well, if we get to that point.

Thanks. I'm sure we will get there, but it will take some time.

[bru888]

By the way, no need to answer all of my posts, because many of them are "just" here to transmit some info.

That's what I was thinking, and it's the intent of this thread to serve as a compilation of "Ideas, factoids, vignettes, maps, photos" for the campaign. That's why I replicated your earlier posts from the studio thread to here. So keep going, to the extent that you are willing, and know that I will be going through all of this when the time comes. And thanks once again.

[CoolDTA]

Well, I think that's all I can provide about this very first scenario, "Dakar - the Operation Menace" or something...

Then, one have to change focus, to go into French Equatorial Africa (with a victory or not in front of Dakar)... the Battle of Gabon awaits us!

Great stuff, ColonelY! All this information you provide will be invaluable to the designers I'm sure.

[ColonelY]

[terminator]

“Well, we lost to the French too?”
Field Marshal Keitel, at the sight of the French
representatives in the signing room
unconditional surrender of Germany.
Karlshorst, night from May 8 to 9, 1945.

Very good, Igor, thank you. I will work that tidbit in, if I can.

KeitelDetentionReport.jpg (192.17 KiB) Viewed 3388 times

After the war, Keitel was indicted by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg as one of the "major war criminals". He was found guilty on all counts of the indictment: crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, criminal conspiracy, and war crimes. Keitel was sentenced to death and executed by hanging in 1946.

[ColonelY]

The Battle of Gabon started the 27th October 1940… the 24th October 1940, General de Gaulle was back to Brazzaville (Congo), the capital of the Free France. But before this, between the 12th and the 24th October…



CAMPAIGN EVENT: (between scenario 1, Dakar, and scenario 2, Gabon; I mean something like the classical "Crossroad" picture with text, but of course without any next scenario choice )

"After the Operation Menace, General de Gaulle wants to use the French Equatorial Africa as a base to launch attacks into Axis-controlled Libya. However, French Equatorial Africa must be secured first, i.e. the hostile enclave of Gabon must be liquidated.

General de Gaulle arrives in Douala (Cameroon) on the 8th October 1940 and gives the necessary orders to invade Gabon on the 12nd October.

In order to prepare the attacks into Axis-controlled Libya, he personally headed northward to survey the situation in Chad, located on the southern border of Libya.

The career of the leader of the Free France and those who accompanied him almost came to an end during this trip. For the Potez 540, which was transporting them to Fort-Lamy (Chad), had an engine failure. Extraordinarily, the plane was able to land, without too much damage, in the middle of a swamp..."

[Igor1941]

Battle of Madagascar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Madagascar

[bru888]

This is all great stuff. I am getting "stoked" (Americanism? Means "excited") just reading it.

[Zekedia222]

I’m going to use the format that ColonelY used, to detail the units I’ve found that were involved, minus the suggestions.
GABON SCENARIO - units in presence
--------------------------------------
Name of the Free French forces: "Corps Expéditionnaire Français Libre"
Duration of the battle: 27 October to 12 November 1940
--------------------------------------
NAVAL FORCES:

Free France:
2* destroyers (or "avisos"): Savorgnan de Brazza, Commandant Dominé*
1 auxiliary gunboat : Cap des Palmes
1 merchant/cargo ships: Casamance

*From what little information I’ve been able to gather, it seems Commandant Dominé was actually a minesweeper, though officially it is an “Avisos dragueur de mines”. Perhaps its armament is more accurately represented by a destroyer, rather than a support ship, perhaps not. I figured I’d note this.

Britain:
1 heavy cruiser: Devonshire
1 sloop: Milford (Originally represented as a support ship, it might be more accurate to have it be a gunboat.)

(Vichy’s) France:
1 submarine: Poncelet
1 destroyer (or “avisos”): Bougainville

--------------------------------------
LAND FORCES:

Free France:
13ème demi-brigade de Légion étrangère: an experimented unit which fought the Germans in Norway, composed of a HQ staff, 3 combat units and 1 support unit; lt-col Alfred Maurice Cazaud; a little less than 900 men, roughly a battalion -> CORE-units! (Will be there as well in the next scenario, so in the Battle of Gabon, also called as the Gabon campaign, and many others later scenarios.)
-> So, maybe 1 French Heavy Infantry and 2 French (regular) Infantry, all starting with 1 star?
A Medical Jeep with the name: “Ambulance chirurgicale légère” -> CORE-unit!
Unknown numbers of Cameroonian and Senegalese tirailleurs, so perhaps 1 or 2 more non core French infantry.
1e Compagnie de Chars de Combat de la France Libre: This was an independent tank company, comprised of 12 modified H35 Hotchkiss tanks. This unit might be CORE, because it was present in subsequent operations in the Levant (Syria)

(Vichy’s) France:
Bataillon de Tirailleurs Sénégalais de Afrique Equatoriale Française
It seems as though there were relatively few Vichy forces, compared to Free French. Perhaps break them down into companies, with each company being an infantry unit, as to compensate.
That would break down as 3 infantry units (perhaps with a star of experience) and a heavy infantry unit. This is in addition to any MG nests or bunkers you might add. This would likely make the scenario more balanced.

--------------------------------------
AERIAL FORCES: (NOTHING IN THE CORE HERE!)

Free France:
Several Westland Lysander aircraft, represented as an understrength Gloster Gladiator unit.

Britain:
The HMS Devonshire had a recon floatplane, which would be represented as a Seafox

(Vichy’s) France:
I couldn’t find any specific aircraft, and none were referenced, and though you could add a token unit, it would likely beat out the Lysander in battle.

--------------------------------------
Hopefully my little blurb will be of some help.

[Zekedia222]

My thinking is the next scenario should either be the Levant (Syria-Lebanon) Campaign, or the battle of Keran. You could potentially create a crossroads here.
Tomorrow, I will add a units list for Keren, assuming Colonel doesn’t do it for me.