Response to invasion of France

[DavidDailey]

O.K. I need advice on French and English response to invasion of France. Following assumptions. 1. Playing against elite players. 2. Poland is conquered on turn 1. 3. Germans attack Lux by latest turn 3, probably turn 2. 4. Netherlands and Belgium also quickly knocked out in winter of 39. 5. Germans blow a hole through Strasbourg. What can be done?

[smckechnie]

There is not much that France or England can do to help Lux, Belgium, or Holland whenever the axis attack. Here are the few things that could be done though.
1. Position the RAF and French fighters so that they may fly defensive air support for Belgium or Holland. It is not certain that they will intercept though. Make sure the fighters are attached to an HQ.
2. Evacuate the Netherlands Navy to British ports if Holland doesn’t fall the first turn or use them against KM if ship is able to be attacked. There is a chance that the Dutch navy will join the allies even if Holland falls.
3. If for some reason the axis fail to take Belgium on the first turn. Reinforce the Army in Brussels to 10.
4. Use an allied corps to take back the factory in western Brussels and withdraw corps. This takes away MPPs from Germany.
5. Sending Allied forces into Belgium or Holland is not a good idea, as forces will not be entrenched and will get wiped out by Luftwaffe and German ground forces.
6. Use any allied ships to do shore bombardment of any German forces that are along the coast, hit and run with the ships though, as need to avoid losing Royal Navy to German bombers or subs.

For Strasbourg defense? Are we talking Strasbourg or hex south of it? Or Metz forts? Taking Strasbourg doesn’t generally allow for fast axis advance. Taking Metz along with Luxembourg is generally the more dangerous thing for France to worry about.

1. Strasbourg is defended by a full strength French Army. There is not much you can do better than that. Make sure that it is attached to the French HQ.
2. On turn one for the allies, attach HQ above and do spoiling attack on one of the German Corps if odds show defender loses 1. Bring British AA gun at Malta to France, but make sure you garrison Malta.
3. Put the AA gun up by Metz or Strasbourg depending on where Germans are massed. This will dissuade Luftwaffe attacks.
4. Make sure that you put French Corps all along the Belgium/ French border up to Lille. Make sure Lille is defendied.
5. Try to position French Army units behind Corps defenses for counterattacking any overextended axis forces. If possibly get British and French tac air reinforced and use them for counterattack too.
6. Make sure that the French Air Force and RAF are based around Paris with HQ attached. The supply around Paris is like 11 or 10. This combined with HQ leads to better morale and combat effectiveness. This goes for the Tac Air too. But you have to make sure that reposition and defend Paris as Germans approach.
7. Depending on what your allied strategy is going to be, you could use one or two of the British Carriers to help defend and with counterattack in France. Again, be careful about subs and Luftwaffe.
8. Because France no longer surrenders automatically upon the fall of Paris, make sure that you garrison Marseilles, Lyon, and put a garrison unit in Bordeaux.
9. Do not let the French units in the Maginot line get surrounded. SR them out before that happens.
10. France will eventually fall, but you want to make it a long battle with cost to the axis. Do a fighting withdrawal at times to slow down the destruction of the French Army.
11. Have the British forces defend the Amiens area and North of Paris. Try to not let the entire BEF get destroyed in France, as it nice to have them for defending England.
12. I have seen some folks put the British Corps up forward early on in the defense of France though, as they can be quickly rebuilt to defend England.

I hope this helps.

Scott

[DavidDailey]

Thanks, Scott. Very helpful. More questions, if you are still there. What are your thoughts about moving British units out of Egypt to help in France or go through there to England to stop Sealion? Also, Axis subs and bombers are absolutely devastating to English ships in port, but if port is evacuated it becomes an easy route for invasion. What is to be done?

[smckechnie]

Lots of what you do for the allies depends on who you are playing and your overall allied strategy. I am still learning how to play the allies better. I actually think that the allies are harder to play effectively especially early on in the war.

Here are some more thoughts

1. Do not leave Royal Navy or any allied ships in a port that could be taken by the axis through land, sea, or air power. The reason for this is that if the port is taken and then a ship in port is destroyed. The port will be fully operational to allow transport to it. Very bad for allies on Sea Lion.
2. You have to garrison all the ports in England that could be reached by axis paratroops, bombers, or amphib attack. So have to plan out defense of England.
3. Part of playing the allies effectively is use of all units that they have.
4. I have gotten to the point of taking corps from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and sending them to defend England, Egypt, or East Africa. Again this depends on strategy that you want to use.
5. Keep allied navies massed, out of bomber attack range. or even sub attack. Use task force concept.
6. Do not let axis pick off allied ships without subsequent counterattack. You have to fight when the odds are on your side, not to the axis advantage.
7. Do not try to fight the axis navy off the coast of France after France falls. Odds are all on the axis side. They have great supply, air cover, high morale, and probably the maritime bomber.
8. Use the British subs to spot axis Naval forces away from the coasts. Then use task force to attack and destroy Axis navy. Do not lose subs in the English Channel or North Sea.

I generally think that the allied strategy initially should be to hold England and take North Africa.

[DavidDailey]

More excellent thoughts. Thank you, Scott.

[OldCrowBalthazor]

This is a very well done synopsis for the Allied Player for the defence of France. Thank you sir. [8D]