War Options 1941 mod - French and Thai addition

[Skyland]

I would like to share with you a mod i have developed. It includes French forces in Indochina as Allies and Thai forces as Axis.

The historical context is described here under:

French Indochina is a part of the French colonies since 1887, Laos being attached in 1899 to the "Union Indochinoise". In 1938, after the Munich crisis, G. Mandel, Minister of Colonies launch an ambitious development plan with the aim of strengthened France position in Europe : "France is not just an European nation of 40,000,000 people, but a vast empire of 110,000,000, whose potential resources far exceed those of Germany".
This plan includes for Indochina itself, a modernization of the local troops but also a important industrialization program. Mortars, bombs and ammunition factories were set up but also a work begun on an aircraft and engines assembly plant directed by the manufacturer Breguet, to be operational in the first months of 1941. School of aviation was also established locally [1].

Even before 1939 (occupation of Hainan then of Paracels and Spartly island), Japan expansionism was considered as a threat to the colony. According to Mandel, the best way to cope with was to keep the Japanese busy in China. Therefore, Red River railways into Yunnan Province was the main supply route for Chiang Kai-shek.

In June 1940, under Japanese pressure and considering the situation in France, Governor General of Indochina General Catroux acceded to Japan's request to close the Sino-Indochinese border temporary in order to save time, waiting from instruction from France and asking support directly to US and UK government [2].
Anyway, exchanges with China were never completely stopped.
On September 22nd 1940, losing its patience, Japanese Canton Army commander ordered attack near Lang Son (Tonkin). 2000 French troops face 30000 men. The city fall on September 26th and a cease fire is decided after intervention of the Emperor of Japan. All Japanese forces withdraw on November 30th [3].

Following this incident, and as Japanese pretensions is increasing, the Vichy government decided to transfer additional troops and equipments from North Africa and Somali as dissuasive force (as allowed by June 1940 Armistice convention) [3][4]. In parallel, US government gives officially its support to local Governor and allows the transfer of planes blocked on ships in Antilles since the Armistice and convices the British to cancel their blocade of Indochina.

As Indochina invasion became more risky, Japan secretly started deeper discussion with Thailand from beginning of 1941. However, Japan did not renounce to have access to all the French Indochina resources (coal, rice, rubber, zinc, tin,...).
Thailand primarily military government succumbed to Japanese pressure in acceding to an alliance and allowing the Japanese to use Thailand as a base for operations against Burma and Indochina. In exchange, the Japanese allowed the Thai to develop their armed forces and supported them in achieving some of their regional territorial ambitions (Laos and Cambodian territories were subject of disputes between Thailand and France from 1885 to 1907). From mid 41, Japanese "advisors" were sent to Thailand with the goal of expanding port and airfields facilities throughout the countries. From end of October 1941, first contingents of Japanese troops were deployed from Bangkok area.

This scenario explores what might have happened if Indochina had not been abandonned to his fate.


[1] Georges Mandel and the Third Republic, Stanford University Press, 1971.
[2] The United States and Vietnam, 1787-1941, Diane publishing, 1990.
[3] Paradise in peril: western colonial power and Japanese expansion in south-east Asia, 1905-1941, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2001.
[4] La presence militaire francaise en Indochine 1940-1945, SHAT, 1985.



NOTES :

This scenario includes some of Da Babes Lite evolutions from JWE.[&o]

New features :
about 30 new planes : 5 Thai + 23 French + 2 Chinese.
about 60 new ships class : 18 Thai + 41 French + 2 Japanese.

Free French units outside Indochina (New Caledonia, Polynesia) are adjusted and completed to be more close to history.
For same reasons, ports, airfield and production/ressources in various French controlled bases are adjusted (Makatea island have now Resources (phosphate) points).
French reinforcements from 1945 are also reviewed.

All files can de found here :
https://sites.google.com/site/waroptionswitpaemod/

[Skyland]

Thai Planes ART.

File is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... s/air-arts

List is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... s/thailand

[Skyland]

French planes ART.

File is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... ts/air-art

List is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... rts/france

and here (China planes ART) : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... rts/others

[Skyland]

Thai ships ART.

File is here :https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... /ship-arts

List is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... s/thailand

Also 2 new Japan ART :

https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... arts/japan

[Skyland]

and French ships ART.

File is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... /ship-arts


List is here : https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... rts/france

[Skyland]

Some others pictures to be added in your ART folder as mod description.

in https://sites.google.com/site/waroption ... escription

download this one : WO41_AEmod_ART.zip

[Skyland]

Some samples.

[oldman45]

Thanks much, this is an interesting perspective you have added, not to mention the added planes and ships.

[DuckofTindalos]

Bravo, Skyland! I gave up my Frenchie mod; nice to see somebody else had more stamina.

[Ambassador]

Very interesting indeed, thank you.

Is your mod's art compatible with the standard install, or do we need to make a second folder ?

[Skyland]

Thank you all for your comments.

ORIGINAL: Ambassador
Is your mod's art compatible with the standard install, or do we need to make a second folder ?

It works with standard. The ART files have specifics ID numbers.

I forgot to mention that the base scenario is 002 Hakko Ichiu (Full campaign) with the additions described above.

[DuckofTindalos]

Can I recommend putting things in one big .zip file? It'll help ensure that things end up where they're supposed to go.

[Skyland]

I tried but file size is too big to be uploaded. Is there another method ?

[Mac Linehan]

Well Done, Skyland!

Love the aircraft art!

Mac

[Jorm]

Many thanks

this is something ive been keen on for some time

cheers
j

[Jorm]

ah, please excuse my ignorance, but how do i see the plane side art from with in the game ?

do i have to copy-paste the art into the large A_planeSide.bmp file ?

cheers
J

<EDIT>
ha !, doesnt matter, worked it out, looks very good so far..cheers

[Pascal_slith]

Thanks, Skyland. I was about to start a DaBabes Lite with the beta so I will start two of them, one with and one without your mod.

If you need any help with more French sources, just PM me. I have a pretty good collection of stuff, though if you have access to Vincennes or the Bibliotheque Nationale, you should have no problems at all.

[Skyland]

ORIGINAL: Jorm

ah, please excuse my ignorance, but how do i see the plane side art from with in the game ?

do i have to copy-paste the art into the large A_planeSide.bmp file ?

cheers
J

<EDIT>
ha !, doesnt matter, worked it out, looks very good so far..cheers

You have found by yourself it seems. [:)]

The method is to paste the 2 folders "AlliedPlanes" and "JapPlanes" in the main ART folder. The new planes art cannot be seen by the editor it seems. You have to open the game.

[Skyland]

ORIGINAL: Pascal

Thanks, Skyland. I was about to start a DaBabes Lite with the beta so I will start two of them, one with and one without your mod.

If you need any help with more French sources, just PM me. I have a pretty good collection of stuff, though if you have access to Vincennes or the Bibliotheque Nationale, you should have no problems at all.

Thanks for your proposal.
Please post here or PM me if you have questions or feedback about this scen.

[wgs_explorer]

Skyland, I also wanted to thank you for the mod as well as the sources (listed) to your mod. The first one (Georges Mandel...) I've located in a local library and the third one (Paradise in Peril) I've located online. It will be excellent reading! Thank you again.

Bill