Slitherine

So, in my genius plan I attacked Vichy France, sending German units south from Paris after the fall of France to Marseilles. At the same time I dispatched Italians on transports to amphibiously assault Algiers, which I thought was the Vichy capital because that was where the flag icon was to declare war.

Imagine my surprise when I captured Algiers and Vichy still stands! In fact Vichy doesn't appear to have a capital anywhere, and now I have to attack each city in North Africa individually. The Free French will be showing up any minute and the Eighth Army will be approaching from the east (though I got them tied down with a full infantry corps in Tobruk).

So what gives? No capital for Vichy?

That is correct there is no capital for Vichy France.
From the manual -
Vichy France will now activate both in Northern Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and in Southern France / Corsica when France surrenders. Vichy France will be a neutral power that both the Allies and the Axis can declare war upon. If this group of territories is attacked, Vichy
France will ally with the opposing faction with one exception.
This exception is if the Allies declare war on Syria. In this case, only Syria will ally with the Axis and the rest of Vichy France will remain neutral. However, the opposite is not true. If the Axis declare war on Syria then all of Vichy France will ally with the Allies.
10.21.1. Vichy France - Garrisons activated at Fall of France
• Ajaccio (on Corsica) • Lyons (Southern France) • Marseilles (Southern France) • Vichy (Southern France) • Algiers (North Africa) • Oran (North Africa) • Tunis (North Africa)
Usually the Allies will declare war upon Vichy France to capture Northern Africa and activate Free France, but it’s also possible that the Axis will declare war upon Vichy France to get a wider front to attack Spain or prevent the Allies from taking the Vichy French ports too easily.

Thanks for pointing that out ... I still don't totally understand from a logic perspective why Vichy is the only minor power without a captal. The Free French have Dakar ... if Dakar falls do the Free French keep fighting like Vichy? Has anyone done this?

This is actually a good strategy, I have thought about this for a while. Once they take Suez, it's actually simple for the Axis to invade Dakar from the Red Sea. (assuming the Free French army is elsewhere !). Then the Axis can pound the southern convoy with a strat bomber, and repair the subs.

Normally in my games it's very tricky to find a use for the Axis Strategic Bomber, since losing any steps is very expensive, and there are enemy fighters everywhere after 1942.

By the way I often invade Vichy france soon after Paris falls, it's so handy for extra PP's, however I would only do this against the AI.