Free France Campaign

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ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

And still more about 05OperationExporter: 8)

-> About French language, right now:

The “1er Bataillon de Chars / 1er DFL” sounds really good (DFL = Division Française Libre, or Free French Division if you prefer), but there is a little detail here… :|

So, I’ll now humbly try to put on some teacher hat. Stay quiet and listen up, I’ll try to make it as short as I can while keeping it crystalclear... or trying to, at least! :lol: ( :wink: )

You know that French words can be either masculine or feminine.

In English, the first is written 1st (you know this better than me), but in French it can be either “(le) premier” if it’s a masculine or “(la) première” if it’s a feminine.
Then “premier” = “1er”, but “première” = “1ère” or, in a shorter but still correct form, “1re”.

What does it mean? :? Basically, that we have to know if words are masculine or feminine to make it right.

So, now back to this example: “1er Bataillon de Chars / 1er DFL”.
It’s “un bataillon”, masculine, so the “1er” is correct.
It’s “une division”, feminine, so the “1er” here is NOT correct and should be replaced by “1re”. :wink:
***
I'll offer you here a little list that may prove to be useful: 8)

1. Masculine words in French that may help within this campaign:
un régiment, un bataillon, un escadron(, un groupe, …)

2. Feminine words (etc.) :
(une armée,) une division, une légion, une compagnie(, une unité, une escouade, une escadre, une troupe, une équipe, …)
***
‘Sounds easy enough? :D

So, after this “first” part (about first :wink: :lol: ), it becomes easier with the 2nd, 3rd, etc.

2nd -> both masculine & feminine (thus easier!): “deuxième” -> “2ème” or, shorter form, “2e”
3rd -> both masculine & feminine (thus still easy!): “troisième” -> “3ème” or, shorter form, “3e”

‘Understood? Good, we’ll test this soon! :twisted:
(Just kidding, of course! :lol: )


:arrow: Back to our scenario – concretely, for now, what should be modified? (It may be easier to change this directly in the txt file, but you know it already anyway. :wink: )

1. Each time you see “1er DFL”, you have to put instead “1re DFL” (“Première Division…”);

2. For the two Free French tank units, you have a double space to remove at the location of the letter X that I’ve just added: “1er Bataillon de Chars X / 1er DFL”;

3. Finally, we’ve 4 units of the “Regiment Mixte Coloniale” -> “Régiment Mixte Colonial” (or, but it may be too long, so I suggest we forget about it, “Régiment Mixte d’Infanterie Coloniale”). We’ve the accent and as it’s a masculine word, the “Colonial” should not be accorded (and you can directly see that “Infanterie” is a feminine word, by the way).
Last edited by ColonelY on Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:18 pm, edited 4 times in total.
terminator
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by terminator »

Susan Travers standing in front of the staff car, with General Koenig looking out at the top at Bir Hacheim :

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Another video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr9RhZq ... Q&index=14
Last edited by terminator on Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

And even more on 05OperationExport? 8)

Err... :? No, sorry, it seems that's all for right now...

Well, maybe reduce the number of turns a bit, but better later than now, just in case enemy submarines are a bit hard to find (which I doubt, but who knows, better to keep a margin of manœuvre anyway). :wink:
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

terminator wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:52 am [...]

Another video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr9RhZq ... Q&index=14
Excellent, there are many nice pictures of her in there. Thanks :D
bru888
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

ColonelY wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:11 am 05OperationExporter: 8)

-> I’ve used a trick against the AI near Palmyra… :twisted: once the town was secured and the entire area actually, I’ve let the Vichy French keep control of the nearby AF, while keeping some units near this AF… with the proximity of this AF and the possibility to refuel there, the enemy planes have stayed long in the area, bombing and so one. But then, they land to refuel… when time comes, simply to be destroyed on ground :lol: by units maintained nearby to that purpose. Most of the enemy bombers have been destroyed that way! :o Thus much too easily…
Gosh, the AI in this game can be dumb at times. And a human player can be too smart for his own good! :wink: But alright, now that you have discovered and published that cheat, I have taken your suggestion. I have moved the planes near Palmyra to the formerly vacant airfield of Damascus. I have removed the airfield near Palmyra and the three other airfields were adjusted for supply to compensate. In its place is now "un Emplacement de Canon" (fortress) with an appropriate popup message. Take that! :twisted: (Yes, I am aware that the picture is of a gun guarding the English Channel: "The 14-inch coastal gun ‘Winnie’ west of St. Margaret’s at Cliffe in Dover.")
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bru888
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

ColonelY wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:11 am 05OperationExporter: 8)

-> About sec obj “Disrupt Beirut AA defences”: You’ve written “Disrupt these units by destroying them or at least forcing them to retreat and occupying their former hexes.” Well, it works as you planned, indeed, once the player owns these 4 hexes, yes. But if these AA units have moved forwards to take some shots at nearby planes, then they are somehow “out of position”.

If they are then all destroyed, these famous hexes aren’t yet occupied… so, the player see no more AA unit near Beirut, but this obj still open and no torpedo plane in sight. :shock: :(
:arrow: So, I think you should add another possibility to achieve this obj: :idea: XYZ hexes from the Fort, no more Vichy French land AA unit shall do the trick as well! As this may be achieved before occupying their former hexes.
And perhaps, to avoid any nasty surprise, consider the possibility to shut off the whole folder once either one or the other of these options have been completed/achieved.

(It's easier for the coastal guns, as they don't move! :wink: )
Zut alors! Now the AI is too smart for the designer's own good. :oops:

Yes, on Local Defence, the AA guns are allowed to tiptoe around a bit. So, I have replaced this:

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with this for every Compagnie AA trigger:

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Now the mission says, "Disrupt these units by destroying them or at least damaging them to reduce their fighting efficiency." It doesn't matter where they roam (which should only be 3 hexes maximum from where they start). I originally constructed this module so that the player did not have to chase 1-strength AA guns all over Beirut as they retreated. Now all he has to do is to damage each one of them and owning their starting hexes does not matter. Of course, destroying these AA guns is better so that the AI does not repair them and place them into battle again.
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ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

:D

-> Nice idea, this "Emplacement de Canon"... though I see in text something like a double letter here "[...] a a German-made[...] :wink:

-> For these AA, don't you want to shut off each and every one of these 4 triggers once "used"? -> 'Could perhaps be a safety to avoid having a single one of them counting twice :? althouth it would be quite unlikely to happen anyway... I don't really know whether it would be worth or not.
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

ColonelY wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 7:26 pm :D

-> Nice idea, this "Emplacement de Canon"... though I see in text something like a double letter here "[...] a a German-made[...] :wink:
Two excuses, choose one: 1) I had "A A" guns on my mind at the time, or 2) I stutter when I behold my own wonderful creations. :wink:
ColonelY wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 7:26 pm -> For these AA, don't you want to shut off each and every one of these 4 triggers once "used"? -> 'Could perhaps be a safety to avoid having a single one of them counting twice :? althouth it would be quite unlikely to happen anyway... I don't really know whether it would be worth or not.
I am under the apprehension that a trigger can only fire once unless the frequency is changed to another number or -1 (infinite). But I get your thinking, so just to be sure, I will include a Set Trigger State condition for each that shuts itself off once used.

I am working through the rest of your comments and suggestions, so please stay tuned.
- Bru
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Various:

- Swapped a Hotchkiss H35 for a Renault R35.
- Replacement FF coastal guns will be named "Batterie Côtière A/B"
- New popup message to be seen when bombers are released:

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bru888
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Various:

Some things that I am not doing:

- Not tagging one capital as a HQ. The Vichy French HQ for the Levant being located in Beirut is superfluous to the scenario. Labeling it so may make it seem that it is a more important conquest than Damascus, which it may have been in fact, but in the scenario, taking either capital first does not make any difference.

- Not adding historical events during World War II which had no direct bearing on Free France. Believe me, I thought hard about this one; I was certainly tempted to put a popup in there about Operation Barbarossa. But two thoughts prevented me:

1) I am waiting for someone to complain about "too many popups/too much reading" and, while I am including as much text and images as I feel appropriate and I would enjoy, I don't want to overdo it.

2) When I looked at Operation Barbarossa, which does "begin" during this scenario, I remembered Pearl Harbor and realized that I had not mention this and the entry of the U.S. into the war. But this event "happened" in the long period between Operation Exporter and Bir Hakeim. I cannot mention it contemporaneously in Bir Hakeim. I could place yet another popup message between the two scenarios but there are three there already. What about other major events, like the Atlantic Charter, the Seige of Leningrad, the Japanese invasion of Philippines, Malaya, and Dutch East Indies, all of which occurred between these scenarios? Enough. The player does not need a history lesson. Well, maybe a history lesson on Free France but not about major events that everybody knows already.

- Not providing the RAF in Operation Exporter with Gloster Gladiators. Those fighters were obsolete by then, as I alluded to when I said that the Free French volunteer pilots were forced to fly them (three are spawned in Turn 3) because they were all that were available. That goes out the window if some of the RAF are still flying Gladiators.

I *did* take your suggestion about the No. 3 Squadron RAAF, however, swapping out the British squadron for Australian Hawker Hurricanes flying up from Palestine. Nice touch; it looks appropriate to see them flying in support of their buddies on the ground nearby.
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Various:

More things that I am not doing:

- Not including air aces, or any commanders, in this campaign. As you are aware, the Free French have no commanders whatsoever. Why then should anybody else? For reasons similar to the issues about core units and specialisations, I choose to not include commanders. Free France is a tough faction upon which to build a compaign of 18 scenarios. I deserve a lifetime achievement award for how I have worked around the deficiencies of this faction. [Sniff.] ( :wink: )

- Not providing for another wave of enemy fighters. Doing so is liable to interfere with the RAF bombers trigger and is incompatible with the 75% decimation target in the primary objective.

However, I *did* take your suggestions about:

- Naming the 3 torpedo Swordfish units. I went with 803 Naval Squadron because, unlike 813 and 829, 803's Wikipedia article mentions it has having been based in Palestine at this time. There is no such mention for 813 whereas 829 was stationed in Cyprus.

- Including in the 803 Naval Squadron fighter escort a Sea Gladiator and a Blackburn Skua. The tradeoff is that, at the same time, three more Vichy fighters also spawn near Damour airfield (whether it has been taken or not).

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And I did beef up the air campaign a bit. Now it is "Destroy the Axis air forces (up to a total of 15 fighters and 10 bombers)." This includes the three Vichy fighters generated at the same time as the torpedo Swordfish units but if the player can destroy the 22 air units (two additional Stukas have been added) that start the game, then the objective is achieved at that point. After the Swordfish appear, then he has to destroy those additional 3 enemy fighters as well.

More tomorrow. By the way, I just discovered that I provided the German (planes) no income up until now. That will be fixed, but now I am wondering whether what I have done above, along with income for repair, may swing the balance against the player. In any event, I wager you will not find this scenario as easy in a second run, if you choose to play it again. Wait for the update of Operation Exporter which will be released with Bir Hakeim.
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Erik2
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by Erik2 »

Yes, minor faction specialisations and commanders are sorely missed. And they will probably never get any official ones.
You can of course use AI commanders as an equalizer if you need to bolster the enemy in a specific scenario.
Sometimes a mod beckons me to the dark side...
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by Mascarenhas »

Of course, these modifications worth a new try. I'd suggest, additionally, an increase in resources to player, so thet he can cope with new challenge.
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Yes, I've suggested as well a slight increase in the British income for this scenario, together with the addition of one SBS unit (with its sneaky but costly special attack). We'll see how it turns out. :wink:

But first things first.


After all these suggestions and modifications related to planes, I would yet just suggest two elements:

-> :idea: Don't follow my previous suggestion to remove one Free French Gloster Gladiator unit. (As it will be more difficult already with what has been done. :wink: )

-> :idea: Add one British unit, a Oerlikon 20mm Portee AT/AA (deployed on AT mod, let's let the player switch it to AA mod) together with the British and Indian group in the South, in the center... and with some cool and immersive name.
As Damascus will now have a huge amount of planes, bombers, etc. And like this, it will make a total of 3 AA units (if I'm not mistaken): 1 with the Aussies in the SW, 1 with the Brits in the E and now one mobile "in the middle"... :wink:

And with this, one should be fine for now! 8)
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Bru, one of yours answers gives me another little idea.

Once you'll treat the suggestion(s) related to the French tanker Adour and it's precious cargo...
ColonelY wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:39 am [...]
-> History: The (Vichy) French tanker Adour, which was carrying the ENTIRE FUEL SUPPLY for the French forces in the Middle East, was attacked by British torpedo aircraft and badly damaged (the 25th June)… (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria%E2% ... n_campaign)

It wasn’t sunk but enough damaged to get in Turkey in order to avoid being sunk for good. It “surrenders” to Turkey then…

[...]

:arrow: Therefore, I suggest: :idea:

[Well, please see previous full post! :lol: :wink: ]
... Then, together with this...
bru888 wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 1:00 am [...] Naming the 3 torpedo Swordfish units. I went with 803 Naval Squadron because, unlike 813 and 829, 803's Wikipedia article mentions it has having been based in Palestine at this time. There is no such mention for 813 whereas 829 was stationed in Cyprus. [...]
:arrow: We may actually consider this Swordfish unit I'm talking about for the Adour side-action as an unit from the 829th Naval Air Squadron stationed in Cyprus! :idea: As it comes from the good direction, 'could definitely have happened that way (and is based anyway on History, so...)

But all in good time
. 8) I'll let you work of the remaining part(s) of my feedback and its few suggestions... :wink:
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Colonel, you seem to be a workhorse (which is very much appreciated) and there is a saying in English to the effect of "work flows to the willing." :)

So, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking on a task for me. It shouldn't be too much of a chore, as I have it mostly done already. I would just like you to fine-tune the results.

I am thinking of doing something on La Combattante in lieu of the invasion of Réunion for two reasons:

1) I just realized only now(!) that Réunion is not visible on the campaign map. :roll:

2) Enough with the island invasions. We already have Corsica and Elba on the drawing boards. Instead, I would like to do at least one sea scenario.

The FF Navy didn't accomplish all that much in the war, let's face it. There was the Léopard but her main contribution was off of Réunion! Other ships performed boring (in terms of gameplay, not actual combat) Atlantic convoy duty. Only La Combattante actively pursued the enemy with good results, as far as I can find. She battled German S-Boots in the English Channel, performed at least one exciting rescue, and I can invent one or two other things.

Such as, battling with German coastal artillery but NOT during D-Day which would be a terrible task to reproduce. For one thing, La Combattante would be lost among the thousands of other ships on duty that day. Instead, I have a vignette in mind in which the liberty ship Stell Traveller, disabled by a mine, is drifting into range of a Nazi coastal gun or two, not to mention the S-Boots . . .

But as always, I want to adhere as closely to reality as possible. So I was trying to find more information about La Combattante but I have only this link so far:
La Combattante – 1942-1945, son histoire, son épave. It's in French, obviously, so I ran it through Google Translate.

That's where you come in, if you will. Would you be so good as to go over the translation and improve it wherever you can? That would be a great help. Here is the text file:

La Combattante.zip
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If you do wish to help, you can post the results here in the same manner. It has to be in a zipped file because the forum will not handle a text file directly. Thanks for thinking about it.
- Bru
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

I'll take a look. 8)

I'll see whether I can improve this English translation or not... :wink:
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

Quick look => Basically two first impressions:

-> This translation mixes the combined times of the present and the past. Of course, it is ancient history, but the whole French text has passed into the present... in spite of the ancient dates. :wink: It is an immersive way to relive the past, as if you were there... :)

:arrow: So, to remain faithful to the French text, all verbs must be conjugated essentially in a form of the present tense.

(But, is this the way this text will be used in the future?)

-> Secondly, to be (or rather "stay" :lol: :wink: ) honest, I don't really like the way the dates are presented, like for example "the night of March 13-14, 1941". :? I would prefer a version closer to French, maybe something like "the night of 13-14 March 1941" or even rather "the night from the 13th to the 14th March 1941". But then I think it depends on convention, like - if I'm not mistaken :roll: - the English don't indicate dates in the same way as the Americans, etc. I think it's much a matter of convention here.

Then there would be some small details here and there to improve the text, to make it more fluid (even in the French version)... :wink:


:arrow: So, let's clarify my mission a bit, shall we?
1. Would you like to have an English version fully using some present forms (as in French) or not?
2. Would you like to have a slightly improved English version here and there (in terms of fluidity - even compared to the original French text)?
3. Should I be concerned about the dates and their "format" or not? (If so, according to which convention?)
ColonelY
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by ColonelY »

8) In any case, I don't think there will be any major changes because the translation, in terms of pure content, I mean, is fairly accurate.

bru888 wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:55 pm Colonel, you seem to be a workhorse (which is very much appreciated) and there is a saying in English to the effect of "work flows to the willing." :)

[...]
A workhorse?! :lol: Yeah, it's quite possible, I guess one could say that. Usually, when I have something to do, I go for it. :D But alas, like many people I don't have all the time in the world.So I move forward when I can. :wink:
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Re: Free France Campaign

Post by bru888 »

Thanks. I think you see what I mean; that is, aside from the Léopard and La Combattante, the history of the FF Navy is rather dismal. Take Le Triomphant, for example. Here is a summary of her war actions "fighting" for Free France; she spent much of the time in drydock:

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Only La Combattante seems to have a fighting record (other than convoy duty and invasion bombardment, not to disparage the FF Navy altogether) and it just happens that their actions can fit into the Réunion slot very well.
- Bru
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