Nach Frankreich(t) 1940 Scenario Document

This version of the scenario is for German Human vs. Allied PO only. 


Unit Colors:
German
18A - Gray/Black
6A - Grey/Grey
9A - Feldgrey/Black
4A - Gray/White
12A - Dark Grey/White
16A - Dark Grey/Brown
1A - Black/Green
7A - Black/Copper
Panzers & Motorized - Black/Blue

Dutch - Orange/Yellow
Belgian - Red/Black
BEF - Brown/Black
French - Blue/Blue or Black


The scenario starts with two turns of Cease Fire in order to allow the players to set the game situation. There are Theater Options to determine the disposition of forces for both sides. 


At Start Game Options - Specific to the Mode of Play :

For the Solitaire German player:
On turn 1 you must pick which Allied Reaction you want to face, Historical or Alternate. In March 1940, the French 7th Army was moved into Northern France so that it could quickly move into Belgium and Southern Holland to meet the expected German advance. Choosing this option is less of a challenge for the German player, but it was the Historical Reaction. The Alternate Allied Reaction portrays the original plan that held the French 7th Army in reserve. Chosing this option will give the German player a better challenge.  These Options are only for use against a Computer Allied Opponent. If playing against a Human Allied Player, do not choose either of them.

The at-start positions of German units in the scenario reflect the historical deployments. The Human German player may choose the Alternate German Setup Option, which will release the Group von Kleist Formations on turn 2. This option will allow the German player to relocate the 1st, 2nd and 10th Panzer Divisions [the historical spearhead of the German attack] along with Korps level assets to alternate deployment areas and to therefore explore variations on the Historical Strategy. Note that if you do not pick this option, there is nothing for you to do on turn 2 [in which case just end the turn and continue to turn 3]. 

Fallschirmjager and Airlanding units :
These are the only units that use 'SMG Squads'. These units arrive on turn 3 at the locations where they were historically dropped/landed. The German player has no ability to air drop units manually [one exception is the 22.LL's artillery unit, which is located at 207,70. Please drop it in Holland near the other airborne units]. 

Holland:
There is a 50% chance that Holland will surrender if Den Haag [146,66] is captured. If Utrecht [159,64] is captured there is a 100% chance that Holland will surrender. The Den Haag supply point is removed if Holland surrenders. 

Belgium:
Belgian surrender is triggered by the taking of most of Belgium. Technically, in TOAW terms, there are 37 locations that start at the Ligne KW Line and move west from there. When 25 of these locations have been captured by the Germans, the Belgians will surrender. The capture of locations is announced in the news strings so that the player can keep track of progress. The Allied Supply Point at Brussels is removed if Belgium surrenders. 

The BEF:
Due to the complexities involved in withdrawing the BEF according to the historical circumstances that led to its withdrawal, the BEF is currently tied to the surrender of Belgium. Each turn after Belgium surrenders there is a 50% chance the BEF will withdraw. Historically, the BEF appeared commited to the continent even as the situation deteriorated. But once the Belgian Army was no longer available to protect the BEF's left flank, they had no choice but to leave. Therefore, this withrawal event seems reasonable. 

The 2nd BEF:
The 2nd BEF arrives the turn after Belgium surrenders. Sea Transport is available for that turn only. Units of the 2nd BEF may disembark at Anchorage hexes only, and may not disembark at Antwerp or Oostende. The 2nd BEF may not disembark at Rotterdam or Amsterdam if Holland has surrendered. 



Scenario Notes:

The Germans were hoping for a quick victory because they could not afford another WWI type extended war. The Allies were geared for just that, an extended war of attrition that they knew they would win. Therefore, if the scenario has not ended by July 1st, the Allies will recieve 5 Victory Points for each turn that it continues. Additionally, the German Overall Supply Level will drop by 20, as initial stockpiles are assumed to have run out. 

Eben-Emael - There is a 90% chance that the May 10 assault on Eben-Emael will succeed. If it succeeds, Sturmabteilung Koch will appear at that location (163,93). Otherwise, the fort will still be there on turn 3, considering the assault has failed. 

The only German Supply Point is in the south at Fruedenstadt (206,146). This ensures that the German player will keep the area garrisoned. [There are 3 additional supply points located on the northern island airbases, in order to allow those bases to stay supplied].

Allied Supply Points are located at Paris [100%], Brussels [25%], Den Haag [25%], Dunkerque [25%], Cherbourg [25%], Brest [25%], and hex 22,96 [25%, representing the rail line to Marsellies]. The Brussels supply point is removed if Belgium surrenders. The Den Haag supply point is removed if Holland surrenders. 

German Rail Repair is set to a rate of 9 hexes per turn and is handled by the game engine. There is one Rail Repair Unit in the scenario, the Eisenbahn Pionier unit that starts at Bonn [hex 183,96]. This unit may give the German side an advantage and it is suggested that the player only use it if it is felt necessary. 

If the Germans capture Lille, Nancy or Paris, Allied Replacements will be reduced by 50% [for each location] and Allied Supply will be reduced by 10 [for each location]. 

If the Allies occupy Dortmund [189,79], German replacements will be reduced by 75%.

Lille, Nancy, Paris, Den Haag and Brussels are worth 50 Victory Points each. LeHavre, Cherbourg, Brest, Saint-Nazaire and Pontarliers are worth 10 Victory Points each. When the German Victory Level reaches 250, the scenario will end. 


German Shock:
Set permanently to 101.

Allied Shock:
Basic setting is 99. Two factors figured prominently in the Allies performance. The 1st was their expectation that the Germans would attack thru northern Belgium, the 2nd was the speed of the German advance. Therefore, if the Germans capture any of these locations in Belgium on or before turn 6 the Allied Shock Level will go to 90 for 15 turns.
Antwerp 146,83
Mechelen 147,88
Brussels 144,92
        145,98
Charleroi 146,102

If the Germans capture any of these locations along the Meuse River on or before turn 8 the Allied Shock Level will go to 90 for 15 turns.
Namur 151,103
Dinant 153,107
Givet 151,110
Revin 148,114
Montherme 149,116
Charleville-Mezieres 149,119
Sedan 153,120
In any case, if the Allied Shock Penalty is triggered, there is news that the 'Allies are Shocked by the speed of the German advance'.


Collapse of the Meuse Front:
The main weight of the historical German attack would fall on the Meuse front, from Namur to Sedan. This area was guarded by six French reserve divisions plus one French Fortress Division of the 9th Army, and two reserve divisions from the French 2nd Army. These units were poorly led, poorly trained and poorly equipped. They were not expecting a major attack in their area, and weren't expecting to face any German units at all for at least the first week of the battle. The Germans began arriving on the evening of the 12th, and while the Luftwaffe pounded French positions at Sedan throughout the 13th, German Assault Engineers established footholds across the Meuse and constructed bridges for the Panzers to cross. By the 15th the French line had collapsed under the weight of the German onslaught. Many of the French units evaporated as they headed for the rear in panic (some to be found as far west as Paris several days later), leaving a gaping hole in the line. Reserves were on the way, but unfortunately for the Allies the Germans moved quicker. Without the collapse of the front, the battle would have been very different. Therefore, for the Historical aspect of the scenario, this has been modeled by the following :

If various locations are captured by the Germans by turn 10, the corresponding French units might 'evaporate'.
9th Army area:
Dinant 152,106		18e DI		'A' series division, 60% chance
Givet 150,109		22e DI		'A' series division, 60% chance
Revin 147,115		61e DI		'B' series division, 80% chance
Montherme 148,116	61e DI		'B' series division, 80% chance
149,121			53e DI		'B' series division, 80% chance
Meziers 148,118		102e DIF	'B' series division, 80% chance
5e DIM and 4e DINA were regular army formations and will not evaporate. 
2nd Army area:
Sedan 152,120		55e DI		'B' series division, 80% chance
Sedan 152,120		71e DI [1 turn delay]	'B' series division, 80% chance
French divisions were classified as either 'Regular' (high quality), 'A' (mostly reservists, adequate for defensive duties), or 'B' (older reservists, of poor quality).
			
As many of these units were rounded up later and returned to fight, all units are disbanded. As no units reconstitute, the disbanded equipment and squads will go into the replacement pool. Artillery units are the exception. These were left behind and therefore are withdrawn and their equipment is permanently lost. 
It seems unlikely that any sequence of events could have prevented the collapse. However, all of these events are canceled on turn 10 [May 17th] as the French are expected to have been better prepared by that time.


Small units attached to Formations have for the most part been rolled into the larger units. For example, many German divisions had a truck mounted 20mm anti-aircraft company attached, and these have been added to the divisional units. Another example, the 1./Panzerjger-Abteilung 8 (with self=propelled 88mm Flak 18's) is combined with the I/2.Pz Div and II/2.Pz Div. 

All elements of German Panzer Divisions have been combined and then separated into four roughly equal Kampfgruppes (the artillery regiment is still a separate unit). Fractions of equipment have been rounded down (units typically were not at 100% of their to&e's). This allows them the flexibilty and benefits of combined arms tactics that they historically employed.

German Panzers and GPMG Rifle Squads have been given Reconnaissance values using the Bio-Ed. This adds to the shock value of German units and to their ability to maneuver. 

Approximately 30 German divisions have been removed from the at start set up and will arrive as reinforcements over the first twelve turns. This will lighten the players load in the early going and also simulates the early traffic jams that hindered the initial advance. 

The German 211.Inf Division is in reserve near Bonn and is in permanent Garrison Mode. 

The German 297.Inf Division is in reserve near Cologne and is in permanent Garrison Mode. 

The German 197.Inf Division is in reserve in the 1st Army sector and is in Static Mode [it will activate if an enemy unit moves adjacent to it]. 

For those interested in the historical German Korp and Army organisation, a 'German-OOB' document is included in the scenario.zip. This document reflects the at start organisation. Units that arrive during the scenario are with the formation they were initially assigned to or the one that they spent the most time with. The 2nd Army is not included, all of its units are with other formations. 

French Groupements de Bataillons de Chars [GBC's, Tank Battalions] had supply organisations that were based on the tempo of infantry advances, and tank models had small gas tanks that required filling after short periods of operation. During the fast pace of operations in the campaign, French tanks often ran out of gas and were left immobile. Therefore, in the scenario the GBC's have a Formation Supply rating of 50%. 

British Anti-Aircraft Brigades were intended for Base Defense and not for front line service. They are therefore given a small movement allowance, some are in Garrison Mode. Conversely, German Flak units were used to combat the heavily armored Allied tanks. Therefore they are represented as combat units. 

To this point we haven't found a good source on British Spitfire Squadrons involved in France in 1940. It is possible that none were stationed in France, rather they flew from England around the time of Operation Dynamo. In the scenario, the at start Hurricane squadrons have empty slots for Spitfires. These will fill up starting May 25th at the rate of 18 aircraft per turn for eight turns. After that no more Spitfires are received as the British were concerned with having enough aircraft to defend the home island. 

The 12th, 23rd and 46th Infantry Divisions of the BEF were untrained and lightly armed Line-of-Communication troops. They were not intended for front line fighting but were drawn into the battles around Dunkirk. They have low unit and formation proficiency ratings. 

The French 'Rgiments de Pionniers' [RP's and RPC's in the scenario] were construction units formed of older reservists. They were poorly armed and not trained for combat. After the heavy losses suffered by the French, these units were used as extra infantry. In the scenario they contain Construction Squads with a Proficiency of 15%. [I'd rather have them off the map but have yet to determine a better way to deal with them, they did contain about 2,600 men each]. 

Maginot Line:
Fortress Infantry Regiments [RIF's] occupied the main positions, behind them were Interval Divisions. In case of a heavy attack or breakthru, the Interval Divisions would move forward and counterattack. Therefore, in the scenario the forward positions are occupied by the RIF's. The Interval Divisions are in position behind the line in Static Mode with some of their units in Tactical Deployment. This means they are not available for orders until they automatically respond to a local attack. Most are released on specific turns, some are released on turn 88 [beyond the scenario so these formations will only be released if they come into contact with an enemy unit]. The Ouvrages ['works' consisting of concrete-encased strongpoints] are represented by units with the Fixed Artillery icon. In addition to the Ouvrages, there were many Fortified Houses and Blockhouses. These are not represented individually in the scenario as they would add over a thousand 1-1 units. Instead, they are represented by Fortified Terrain. 

Engineers & Major Ferry Capacity:
Engineer units that contain Construction Squads have the Engineer Icon, units that have Major Ferry Capacity have the Bridge Icon, units with both have the Armored Engineer Icon.

Heavy Artillery:
Artillery of 150mm caliber or higher are more effective against entrenched/fortified defenders. Therefore, artillery units that have a greater proportion of 150mm or larger tubes are given the Heavy Artillery Icon. 




Sources:
Fredrik Henriksson's TOAW German TOE's
Fall Gelb German OOB - Dr. Leo Niehorster
Unit Histories - Axis History.com
Unit Histories - Feldgrau.com
Unit Histories - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
Unit Histories - atf40.fr
The Blitzkrieg Legend - Karl-Heinz Frieser
To Lose a Battle - Alistair Horne
Panzer Leader - Heinz Guderian
Various Wiki Atricles


Scenario Review:
	The opening turn for any large scenario can be challenging. Who to send where to do what is a big question, especially when time is a factor. The player doesn't have the advantage of months of high level planning and intelligence gathering. So I'll outline a few thoughts and some inside intel for those that are interested. Starting with the southern part of the map, this area must be defended against a possible French attack. The only German Supply Point is located at Freudenstadt [206,146], and this ensures that the German player will not abandon the area unfairly. The Germans did not want to allow the French any type of moral victory in the area, so they had several divisions placed in this area in reserve. These are represented in the scenario and most will be released from Static orders over time.
	The area west of the Rhine from Wissembourg to Remich faces the strongest part of the Maginot Line. Whatever strategy the player pursues in this area, from the standpoint of game mechanics it is best to advance German units into positions adjacent to the Maginot Line Forts. This is because there are about 40 French divisions in reserve behind the Maginot Line, and they are released over the course of the scenario in order to react to German moves. If the German player does not close up on the Maginot Line, the computer [quite against the formation objectives] will move into the gap. This completely unbalances the scenario as the French Reserves will stay where they are not needed. This is not a flaw with TOAW, it is a side effect of the programs radomness when concerning the decisions the Programmed Opponent [PO] makes. It could also be my fault for not understanding completely how to handle the PO. So, for a better game, move the German 1st and 7th Armys at least into contact with the French line. 
	Luxembourg is not defended and presents no issues for the German player. The area of the Belgian Ardennes [between Luxembourg and the Meuse River] is defended, but by light cavalry units from both Belgium and France. Historically, the French/Belgian plan was to fight delaying actions throughout this area, giving the main defensive forces time to prepare along the Meuse and Dyle Lines. However, like everything else the Western Allies were involved in, the delaying actions were flubbed. Communication and coordination between the two countries was poor, many Belgian units left their positions before the relieving French units arrived, some of the fast German units arrived at the positions first, and gaps were left open. To compound matters, some French units were so shocked by the fast and aggressive German advance that they broke up and moved back toward France. In the scenario, I did what I could to make sure that the PO did not delay the Germans in this area for an unhistorical period of time. Some units will flee, some will stay, so the German player will have to fight. Being aggressive is the key, don't dawdle about preparing set attacks. If executed properly, the German player will be able to reach the Meuse along historical timelines. The German Panzer KG's have high recon values. This means that once you have cleared a road with a Panzer unit, you can usually continue down the road without a disengagement attack. So, don't be lured by rbc's into the woods, which will slow your overall progress to the main goal. It is possible that a human player will be able to conduct a much stiffer delaying action in this area, and could even prevent the German from being successful.
	In the Maastricht area Panzer Korps Hoepner [3rd and 4th Panzer Divisons] passed thru Eben-Emael after its capture by Fallschirmjagers [90% chance of occuring in the scenario], then smashed thru the Belgian lines and headed southwest thru Hannut [155,97] to meet the French in the Gembloux [150,99] area. This was intended as a diversion, to keep the Allies attention away from the Ardennes. Hoepner was very succesful in this, but if playing against the PO it is not immediately obvious that we need to 'distract' it. It's a program, it doesn't get distracted [I think]. So, in the scenario several formations of the 1st French Army that are charged with holding the line from Namur [152,101] to Wavre [149,95] are also assigned to back up the Meuse River, meaning that a player that does not do something similar to Hoepner's diversion may end up facing stiffer resistance at the Meuse. 
	See the Belgian Surrender Conditions detailed above. Belgium will not surrender in the event of Brussels' capture [historically accurate]. The area east of Brussels is where the Allies expected the Germans to attack, so it is the area of greatest resistance. 
	Holland has a 50% chance of surrendering if Den Haag [146,66] is captured by the Germans. The Germans tried with Fallschirmjager and the 22nd Airlanding Division and failed. You may try also, congratulations if you succeed. The German units arrive at their historical drop/landing zones, the player has no control over air dropping units [except for the 22nd Airlanding Division's Artillery, but only on turn 3]. Failing the capture of Den Haag or the 50% chance, Holland will surrender if Utrecht [159,64] is captured. Historically Holland surrendered when they were cut off from French and Belgian aid, and their lines had sufficiently collapsed. I hope that the capture of Utrecht is a reasonable solution for the scenario. Note that many Dutch units do not start the scenario at their historical May 10 locations. As soon as the Germans attacked, the Dutch ordered a general withdrawal from the Maas River to positions behind the Waal River. Therefore, the Dutch dispostions in the scenario reflect this move. 
	If you follow the historical plan, once Belgium surrenders and the BEF withdraws, you will most likely have a large number of divisions in Belgium that need to be moved south. Historically the Germans accomplished this move to the Case Red [Phase 2] start line in a couple days. In the scenario this will be difficult to achieve. German Rail Repair is automatic at the rate of nine hexes per turn, but due to the size of the map and the numerous rail lines, this will be hardly noticeable. Raising German Rail Repair Capacity would make this move easier but would then give the Germans a huge advantage thru the rest of the scenario. Therefore I feel that it is a better option for the scenario to leave it to the German player to maually move all the formations southward as quickly as possible, there to rest a few days before starting Case Red. If the player is frustrated by this, there is one German Rail Repair Unit located at Bonn [183,96] that can be used to repair a line for movement. However, as stated earlier, I feel that this gives the German Player an advantage.
	German Player Overall Strategy - even though we've provided the option of freely deploying Guderians XIX Panzer Korps, it still seems the best strategy is to quickly bash across the Meuse somewhere between south of Namur and north of Montmedy [156,124]. This ensures that the French 'B' reserve divisions will be hit while they are unprepared, causing some or all of them to disband and thus messing up the French defenses. This will also cause confusion in the Allied high command resulting in a 90% Shock Penalty for 15 days [although breaking thru at areas from Namur to Antwerp will result in the same 90% penalty, see the Allied Shock Penalty outlined above]. Once across the Meuse you can choose between Lille, Paris or Nancy. Capture of any one of the three will cripple the Allies by reducing Replacements [-50%] and Supply [-10]. It would seem most appropriate to go for Lille, as that will also open up the way to getting behind the Belgian and British defenses, eventually resulting in a Belgian surrender and BEF withdrawal. After this happens, the French are doomed to having Panzers run rampant thru their country. Paris is an attractive target as it holds the only 100% Supply Point available to the Allies. Nancy should prove the most difficult as driving to that area will meet French divisions moving westwards from the Maginot Line area, although a simultaneous drive to Besancon [167,172] and the Swiss border beyond will cut off the Maginot Line area from it's supply line to Marseilles located at 150,178. 
	Choosing the 'Allied Alternate Setup' Option - This portrays the French not moving their reserve 7th Army into northern Belgium for political reasons. Instead, these six divisions [three infantry, two motorized, and one mechanised] are located as they were in March 1940 in the Reims area. Now you have a challenge, as even if the historical Meuse Collapse occurs, the Germans will not have a free pass to do what they want. When chosing this option, remember that the locations of victory are Paris, Brussels, Den Haag, Lille and Nancy. Capturing any three of these will give the German player a victory. 

Thanks to Guillaume Aubre, Ben Turner, Colin Wright and Rick Kesler for their valuable contributions. Without their efforts this scenario would not have been possible.

Steve Sill
February 2015





