French defense question

[joshuamnave]

This is something that routinely comes up for me in my games. I'm often in a position where I can slow the German advance on Paris by a turn or so, but at the cost of abandoning southern France and giving Italy a free walk into Toulouse and Lyons. So what's better... France up and running for one more turn but making it easy for Germany to get the incomplete conquest, or defending the mountain factories at the cost of an earlier Vichy?

[Courtenay]

Since I like the Spanish strategy for Germany, I like defending the mountains and the ports as the Allies, to make my favorite strategy harder for the Germans. Also, if one allows the French fleet to be forced out of Metropolitan France so that some battleships end the turn out of France, Germany can install Vichy, with no Free France. Alternatively, Germany can incompletely conquer France, and then head for Gibraltar. I don't like giving the Germans options.

On the other hand, I don't like giving the Germans a turn, either. Germany doesn't get too many of the to expand.

However, on balance, I usually hold the mountains and the ports. Of course, in my games I have never seen a situation where it was clear that abandoning them would save the French a turn.

There is not an obvious right answer. That is one of the things that makes WiF interesting.

[paulderynck]

I believe I have a perfect record for gettiing FF conquered when the BBs are not all home, so I'm pre-disposed to defending the south in that situation.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

I believe I have a perfect record for gettiing FF conquered when the BBs are not all home, so I'm pre-disposed to defending the south in that situation.

[:D][:D]