AI for MWiF - France

[composer99]

After reviewing the rules for Lend-Lease it looks like there is a solid reason to pick Moroccco or Senegal (if either is available): lend-lease limits.
 
You can lend bps in the same manner in which you lend resources (1 per factory). Additionally, you can lend extra bps as follows:
2 to the major power capital city
1 to each additional city
1 for each major port
 
Morocco has 2 cities and Senegal has a major port, meaning (if I read this right) the Allies can lend 3 bps max to Free France until its gets a factory or two in its home country, at which point lending comes up to 5 bp in addition to resources.
 
In theory, the Free French could get up to 4 factories in Morocco for a lending limit of 7 bp + resources, but I think that is above and beyond what any CW or US player would consider their limit of generosity (to say nothing of the lent bps for the extra 2-3 factories).

[composer99]

Further to the above, most possible FF home countries have a limit of 2 bp until they get factories because they do not have a major port.

[brian brian]

before anyone gets too excited about totally maximumus lending to Free France, keep in mind that you can only place one unit originally from France on the board per turn...so the exuberant factory builders and lenders to Free France can see a lot of the result stuck on the production circle.


it will be hard for the experienced players to go back to RaW Vichy, but unavoidable.

[composer99]

That is true, but if you want the FF to churn out, say, one lnd3 + pilot per turn, they need to get 5 bp each turn from somewhere to do it, which means (for most cases) two factories are needed in the home country capital.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: composer99

That is true, but if you want the FF to churn out, say, one lnd3 + pilot per turn, they need to get 5 bp each turn from somewhere to do it, which means (for most cases) two factories are needed in the home country capital.

1 LND3 + 1 Pilot is an enormous FF production. [X(]
I won't set this as an average desired lend lease to FF. This rather is a quite extremely high one.
IMO it's rather an average of 2-3 BP per turn that are lent to FF, which is about half what you "want to churn out'.

[Neilster]

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: composer99

That is true, but if you want the FF to churn out, say, one lnd3 + pilot per turn, they need to get 5 bp each turn from somewhere to do it, which means (for most cases) two factories are needed in the home country capital.

1 LND3 + 1 Pilot is an enormous FF production. [X(]
I won't set this as an average desired lend lease to FF. This rather is a quite extremely high one.
IMO it's rather an average of 2-3 BP per turn that are lent to FF, which is about half what you "want to churn out'.

I agree...why it's nearly as enormous as the subsidies paid to French farmers to plant nothing again this year. Whoops! [;)]

Cheers, Neilster

[composer99]

1 LND3 + 1 Pilot is an enormous FF production. [X(]
I won't set this as an average desired lend lease to FF. This rather is a quite extremely high one.
IMO it's rather an average of 2-3 BP per turn that are lent to FF, which is about half what you "want to churn out'.

 
That's enormous? Really?
 
The last game we played out to 1944, that's pretty much what we had the Free French building for several turns in a row (until they ran out of LND3, that is) - mind you, we were lending them 5 bp/turn in 1943. Before then it was, as you indicated is average, 2-3 per turn.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: composer99

1 LND3 + 1 Pilot is an enormous FF production. [X(]
I won't set this as an average desired lend lease to FF. This rather is a quite extremely high one.
IMO it's rather an average of 2-3 BP per turn that are lent to FF, which is about half what you "want to churn out'.

That's enormous? Really?

The last game we played out to 1944, that's pretty much what we had the Free French building for several turns in a row (until they ran out of LND3, that is) - mind you, we were lending them 5 bp/turn in 1943. Before then it was, as you indicated is average, 2-3 per turn.

Well, great then.
Let's then say that average WiF FE games see the allies lend 5 BP per turn to Free France and end in 1944 so.
I will love to play that AIO as the German.

[composer99]

Maybe, maybe not. The resulting size of the combined Western air forces allowed our numerically inferior army (a result of devastating losses in 1943) to blast its way through France during the summer of 1944.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

From the AIO's points of view, it wants to spend BPs so it gets the most bang for the buck. If the Free French have units in their force pool that are more attractive than what the US and CW have, then the BPs go the the FF. There are other considerations of course. Gearing limits and the overall quality of the force pool (probability of drawing a 'good' unit) are crucial information. The rules on cooperation matter too; and let's not forget the importance of getting the units to the theater of operations.

[composer99]

Another factor is the convoying requirements and competing lending requirements to USSR (in the described game Germany did a Sitz and thanks to weather there was no activity on the Eastern Front until July 1943, so they didn't get any lending to speak of).

[Shannon V. OKeets]

Or the Chinese for that matter.

[brian brian]

but by far the most important thing is the action limits - "France takes an air impulse, the US and CW go land..."

I'd give the maximum possible to Free France as soon as possible. They are still western Allied units, but with their own action limits - priceless.

[Norman42]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

They are still western Allied units, but with their own action limits - priceless.

Agreed. I usually value a FF unit as worth 2x the BP value of an equivalent US/CW unit, simply due to the fact that they come with thier own built in action limits.

There are few things more worth buying then the Free French.

[npilgaard]

ORIGINAL: brian brian
but by far the most important thing is the action limits - "France takes an air impulse, the US and CW go land..."

I agree.

This can be especially effective if FF has a HQ to reorganize the ac after ground strikes - in that way the FF bombers can be used twice in a turn. (Oil optional rule can make a difference here, though)

With the extended Vichy creation rules a HQ could often be bought by FF, but with the RaW Vichy rules it seems to be significantly more difficult to get a FF HQ on creation of FF (maybe sailing it away on the French TRS to one of the colonies when Paris is about to fall?)

[composer99]

If France can afford to shell out for deGaulle early in 1940 and then hold out until September, they can manage to get their HQ. This is a tall order, but so is extracting either Georges or Bilotte (or Pretelat if he gets built) from the front and sparing the naval move to get them out.

[morgil]

RAW 17.3
If the French HQ ‘De Gaulle’ is neither in a hex controlled by Free
France nor the French force pools, move it to the French force
pools.

Usually we have played with Leaders, and De Gaulle Leader acts as a factory if in FF capital. Otherwise you would have to store the BP's till you can build a factory, and then you dont need 5 BP a turn since FF produces its own, 2 BP from JF43.

IMO, if you manage to save anything from MET exept shipping and the odd bomber, you didnt defend as hard as you could, well maybe the TRS taking a unit with it when it sails from Marseilles the last possible impulse.
Trying to save BB's is pure madness. But saving the CONV's are really good.

Building with FF, first get a factory, or a Gar to hold youre Capital, just in case. Then get a HQ, and MAR units.
Then its up to youre style of play or what youre lacking as much as anything. More INF types to be ferried by CW, or ATR / TRS to ferry the CW units..or maybe a whole airforce.
The thing is; France will do whats good for France first, then second, and quite possibly every turn thereafter.

[peskpesk]

France resources outside Mainland France
Algeria 1 Resource
Senegal 1 Resource
Iraq 1 Oil (Trade agreement)
Indo China 1 Resource
New Caledonian 1 Resource

Iraq (Trade agreement)
A neutral Iraq must supply France with 1 of its oil resources each turn. If France is conquered, or if a Vichy government has been installed (see 17.1), Iraq instead provides the oil to whichever major power or minor country controls Syria. A Vichy-controlled Syria will pass it on to the major power that installed a Vichy Government.

A standard way to transport the resources
* Algeria by railway, over Gibraltar and railway through Spain
* Senegal by sea, over Cape Verde Basin, Cape St Vincent to Cádiz and railway through Spain
* Iraq by sea, over East and West Mediterranean sea
* Indo China by sea, around Singapore, India, up the Red sea and through East and West Mediterranean sea
* New Caledonian to many convoys are required, you lose Indo China

Optional rules that affect the convoy plan
* Oil Rules [Option 48]
* Saving Oil Resources and Build Points [Option 31]

If Option 48 and Option 31 are in play, France can save the Oil in Damascus ex and use it for reorganization. No need for France to transport it home, a path can be trace to it over a convoy chain and if the France convoy chain is cut, the Commonwealth convoy chain - by rail from Damascus to Suez and from the Red sea, around Africa and up to France/Southern England in Bay of Biscay and - can be used

Convoy routes (Se images)
1: To get home Senegal, Iraq, Indo China. 0 CP in reserve.
2: To get home Senegal, Iraq, Indo China if not using Option 48, Option 31 or if France want to use the Oil for production. 2 CP in reserve.
3: To get home Senegal, Iraq and Commonwealth and France does not want any convoy chain running through the med. 0 CP in reserve.
4: To get home Senegal, Iraq and help the Commonwealth with the sub war in Atlantic.1 CP in reserve.
5: To get home Senegal and help the Commonwealth with the sub war in Atlantic and use the Iraq oil if the optional rules are right and Commonwealth helps as described earlier. Also CW gets help with over sea supply in the North Sea. 1 CP in reserve.

[peskpesk]

Convoy routes 1

[peskpesk]

Convoy route 2