What are the best options for the new home country of the Free French and why?

[alexvand]

I think in my most recent game I chose a poor location for the home country of Free France, mind you I didn't have all that many good choices. But what makes a good choice?

[composer99]

Good things to have:
- proximity to theatres of conflict (so Free French units that you build can get into the action)
- proximity to sources of lending (US/CW)
- major ports and/or resources
- not too vulnerable to Axis attack

Given that, my view is that Senegal is the best choice for Free French home country, if available. Morocco's nice for proximity to the Med, as long as the CW and US commit to defending it. Syria would be nice, but it's on the far side of the Med and vulnerable. Indochina can work too, although there's a strong risk of Japanese conquest. The French minor in South America is nice for easy lending, but isn't very close to the action. Central Africa (usually Gabon) is often a default, if you don't have any better options, but it's better than anything I haven't already mentioned (and probably better than Syria).

[paulderynck]

Ideally Senegal, since there's a resource there, you can LL enough BPs to build a self-sufficient factory. Usually it ends up being Gabon.

If you're lucky enough to get Syria that is wonderful but OTOH I would not consider Morocco lucky, if Algeria is conquered by then, because it's hard to protect early on, and then Gibraltar could go, which is an utter disaster.

[brian brian]

If the Germans are floundering a bit with losses of units, time, and Offensive Chits in France, and the Russians aren't in serious danger, picking Indo-China can throw the Japanese for a loop.

The CW has to put their BPs and CPs into the project, but it can seriously tie down the Japanese, who can not ignore an Allied Primary Supply Source on the South China Sea. The Free French will have excellent GARR units and a great ART unit that can be placed in Hanoi and it will take the Japanese a lot of time and units to dig them out. Or possibly get the Japanese to launch war early before such a force makes it off the production spiral in ever increasing strength.

The CW can also double down on this and put 2 elite INF and the Royal Engineers in Singapore (and a fort is really mean). Naturally, the USA can join the fun by leaving MacArthur and the Territorial in Manila, and either power could be standing by to risk TRS runs to the NEI with more Japanese headaches.

[paulderynck]

Assuming we are talking about Vichyfication here, you also have to be lucky to have IndoChina available as a pick (along with Syria, Morocco and Senegal).

[Centuur]

Indo-China is the best you can get. If the CW supports the Free French with build points there (our of Australia and India), it is really a good one. But usually, the Free French ends up with Gabon, since that is the one which has the highest chance of coming out of the die rolls.

In my AAR, I ended up with only one Free French country, and that's Madagaskar. Off all places, the worst one to get as the home country of the Free French...

[Extraneous]

Weather an incomplete conquest is caused by Metropolitan France being conqured (Allied France), France surrendering (Allied France), or Vichy France being established (Free France).

When France suffers an incomplete conquest the introduction of Allied/Free French reinforcements is the same.

Only 1 unit or marker (14.6 Pilots (PiF option 28): and any number of pilots) originally from each conquered home country can arrive as a reinforcement each turn. It arrives in its new home country. Any excess units stay on the production circle until next turn.

If a neutral USA has selected 13.3.2 US entry options ~ option 27. Lend lease to western Allies. A neutral USA can lend BP to an Allied/Free France. But Allied CP must be used to establish the convoy chain from a neutral USA to the new Allied/Free French home country.


So it seams to reason that the only optimization required for a Allied/Free France is:
1) That you have a new home country; and
2) The length of the Allied convoy chain to the new home country (assuming you want to ship BP to an Allied/Free France to build units).

Free-French Chart* (Administration group: 10 sided Die roll (% chance to become Free French))
1) Morocco (Capital: Rabat), Algeria (Capital: Algiers), and Tunisia (Capital: Tunis): 10 (10%)

2) French West Africa: 9–10 (20%)
French Guinea (Capital: Konakri), French Sudan (Capital: Bamako), Ivory Coast (Capital: Bingerville), Niger Colony (Capital: Niamey), Senegal (Capital: Dakar), Togo & Dahomey (Capital: Togo), Upper Volta (Capital: Oungadougou), and Mauretania (Capital: St. Louis)

3) Syria (Capital: Damascus): 9–10 (20%)

4) French Indo-china (Capital: Hanoi): 9–10 (20%)

5) Madagascar (Capital: Antanarivo): 8–10 (30%)

6) All Asian map minors & territories: 7–10 (40%)
Comoros Islands and Reunion Islands

7) French Equatorial Africa: 3–10 (80%)
Chad (Capital: Fort Lamy), Ubangi-Sharie (Capital: Bangui), Cameroons (Capital: Younde), Gabon (Capital: Libreville), Middle Congo (Capital: Brazzaville).

8) All Pacific map minors & territories: 2–10 (90%)
New Caledonia (territory) and all French Pacific islands

9) All other territories & minors: 9–10 (20%)
French Somaliland (Capital: Jibuti), French Guyana (South America map) (Capital: Cayenne) and all French islands on the Americas map


13.7.6 Surrender
During any peace step, you can surrender a home country of a major power that controls less than half the printedp/i[ factory stacks in the home country. You can surrender a home country with no printed factories if there is an enemy land unit there.

Treat the surrender of a home country as a complete conquest (see 13.7.1 Conquest) of the major power if it doesn’t control any aligned minors. Otherwise it is incompletely conquered.


13.7.1 Conquest
Incomplete conquest
Units from conquered major power home countries can still be built with whatever production the major power retains (minor countries,conquered or not, never build their own units ~ see 19.4 Minor country units). However only 1 unit or marker (14.6 Pilots (PiF option 28): and any number of pilots) originally from each conquered home country can arrive as a reinforcement each turn. It arrives in its new home country. Any excess units stay on the production circle until next turn.


13.6 Production
13.6.1 Resources
Active major powers may contribute to the convoy chain of any other major power on the same side. Neutral major powers can only contribute to convoy chains with other major powers if the rules specifically allow it (see 5.1 Trade agreements and 13.3.2 US entry options, option 9. Resources to China). Neutral major powers’ convoys can not transport resources or build points to other major powers unless the rules specifically allow it (see 5.1 Trade agreements Japan-USA, 13.3.2 US entry options, options 9. Resources to China, 15. Resources to western Allies, 17. Lend lease to China, 19. Resources to USSR, 27. Lend lease to western Allies and 30. Lend lease to USSR).

The following has been checked against 13.3.2 US entry options in WiFFE-RAW-7.0.pdf.
Note: in this situation a mixed convoy chain consists of CP from the USA and other active Allied major powers/minor countries.


A neutral USA can use its CP to contribute to a mixed convoy chain for US entry options 9. Resources to China and 17. Lend lease to China.
A neutral USA must only use its CP when establishing the convoy chain for 5.1 Trade agreements Japan-USA.
A neutral USA cannot use its CP to contribute to a convoy chain for for US entry options 15. Resources to western Allies, 19. Resources to USSR, 27. Lend lease to western Allies and 30. Lend lease to USSR.

Activity limits:
All major powers (including the units of their aligned minor countries) during their impulse
Unlimited Declarations of war
Unlimited Naval air interception missions
Unlimited Shore bombardment
Unlimited Ground support missions
Unlimited Headquarters reorganization
Unlimited TRS re-supply

These missions occur during every air mission except re-base, naval air and naval air interception
-- Unlimited Combat air patrol missions
-- Unlimited Escorting aircraft missions
-- Unlimited Intercepting aircraft missions


All major powers (including the units of their aligned minor countries) during an enemy impulse
Unlimited Combat air patrol missions
Unlimited Escorting aircraft missions
Unlimited Intercepting aircraft missions
Unlimited Naval movement only when a unit’s base is overrun (see 11.11.6 Overruns).
Unlimited Naval interception missions
Unlimited Naval combat only in sea areas your opponent moved a unit into, and only if they did not try to initiate combat there.
Unlimited Naval air interception missions
Unlimited Shore bombardment if you are playing with defensive shore bombardment - see 11.16.2 Shore bombardment.
Unlimited Ground support missions
Unlimited Re-base aircraft missions only when a unit’s base is overrun (see 11.11.6 Overruns).


Allied/Free French activity limits:
Naval action
No Rail movement
Unlimited Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Naval Embarkation
-- Naval transport
-- Naval combats
No Land movements
-- Land moves
-- Paradrop
-- Unlimited Debarkation (units transported directly into port debark with no land movement cost)
No Land attacks
-- Land attack
-- Invasions
-- Paradrop
1x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop this is only possible if your ATRs are carrying units of a co-operating major power that chose a land or combined action.
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Air action
1x Rail movement (You can only rail aircraft units) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
No Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation only if a co-operating major power (that chose a naval or combined action) embarks your unit.
-- Naval transport
-- Unlimited Naval combats
No Land movements
-- Land moves
-- Invasions
-- Paradrop
-- Debarkation
No Land attacks
-- Land attack
-- Invasions
-- Paradrop
Unlimited Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop this is only possible if your ATRs are carrying units of a co-operating major power that chose a land or combined action.
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Land action
1x Rail movement (You can only rail land units or factories) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
No Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation only if a co-operating major power (that chose a naval or combined action) embarks your unit.
-- Naval transport
-- Naval combat (this does not deny your naval units that stayed at sea from a previous impulse the ability to make enemy naval units fight their through)
Unlimited Land movement
-- Land moves (a land move is the movement of 1 land unit - see 11.11 Land movement)
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Debarkation
Unlimited Land attacks (a land attack is an attack against 1 enemy stack by any number of units - see 11.16 Land combat).
-- Land attack
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land Attack)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land Attack)
1x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission)
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Combined action
1x Rail movement (You can rail land units, factories, or aircraft units) it costs 1-4 rail moves to move 1 unit depending on the distance moved, see 11.10 Rail movement.
1x Naval movements (a naval movement is the movement of 1 task force - see 11.4 Naval movement)
-- Naval moves
-- Unlimited Embarkation
-- Unlimited Naval transport
-- Unlimited Naval combat
2x Land movement
-- Land moves (a land move is the movement of 1 land unit - see 11.11 Land movement)
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Land movement)
-- Debarkation
1x Land attack (a land attack is an attack against 1 enemy stack by any number of units - see 11.16 Land combat)
-- Land attack
-- Invasions (each Invasion counts as 1x Land Attack)
-- Paradrop (each Paradrop counts as 1x Land Attack)
2x Air missions (an air mission is the flight of 1 aircraft unit)
-- Port attacks
-- Naval air missions
-- Strategic bombardment missions
-- Ground strike missions
-- Paradrop (each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission)
-- Air transport missions
-- Re-base aircraft missions
-- Air re-supply missions

Each unit that Paradrops counts as 1x Air mission and 1x Land movement.
Each Paradrop counts as 1x Land attack.

[paulderynck]

If there's more than one country to choose from, there's another factor to consider. How close is the country to active axis powers? You don't want to go through another loss of force pool on incomplete conquest if a new year has come and you've gotten some force pool additions.

[Larry Smith]

Belgian Congo is another good one, as it has several cities in which to store BP for building factories, and has a road-rail link to South Africa, so those resources can be lent w/o using convoys. And as long as you allow Belgium to align with France [assuming Germany attacked Belgium, which is almost always the case], it will be guaranteed to be available. Bear in mind that if one wants to loan BP to the Free French, the best economy is to stockpile for two to three factories, since in the late war turns those factories will be worth 3 to 4 BP per turn, so it won't be long before the investment pays off, and the Free French will then be semi-self sufficient.

[Orm]

Belgian Congo will be rolled for as any other French minor (if Belgium was aligned to France at the time of Vichy creation).

Then it will go either Free French or conquered by Axis. That it becomes Axis conquered instead of controlled by Vichy France is because of a rule deviation in MWIF.



Cut from RAC: 17.2 Determine control
....
[Deviation (taken from RAW8.21 draft)
• All Axis controlled hexes in Vichy controlled minor countries and territories immediately revert (see 13.7.5)
to Vichy French control.
• Axis controlled hexes in Free French controlled minor countries and territories remain under Axis control.
• All Allied controlled hexes in Free French controlled minor countries and territories immediately revert to
Free French control.
• All Allied controlled hexes in Vichy French controlled minor countries and territories may now be
immediately reverted to Vichy control. Vichy France is hostile to all Allied major powers that do not
immediately revert all such hexes to Vichy control.
• Finally all Vichy controlled minor countries France has gained controlled of since the start of the game
immediately become controlled by an Axis major power nominated by the major power that installed Vichy
France. The minor country is conquered if it aligned to France and aligned if it was conquered by France.
If more than one minor country is available to be allocated they may be allocated to different major powers.]

[Courtenay]

ORIGINAL: Larry Smith

Belgian Congo is another good one, as it has several cities in which to store BP for building factories, and has a road-rail link to South Africa, so those resources can be lent w/o using convoys. And as long as you allow Belgium to align with France [assuming Germany attacked Belgium, which is almost always the case], it will be guaranteed to be available. Bear in mind that if one wants to loan BP to the Free French, the best economy is to stockpile for two to three factories, since in the late war turns those factories will be worth 3 to 4 BP per turn, so it won't be long before the investment pays off, and the Free French will then be semi-self sufficient.

In MWiF Belgian Congo will never be available.

Deviations:

Finally all Vichy controlled minor countries France has gained controlled of since the start of the game immediately become controlled by an Axis major power nominated by the major power that installed Vichy France. The minor country is conquered if it aligned to France and aligned if it was conquered by France. If more than one minor country is available to be allocated they may be allocated to different major powers.

[Orm]

In MWiF Belgian Congo will never be available.

It will be if it is rolled Free French.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Orm

In MWiF Belgian Congo will never be available.

It will be if it is rolled Free French.

Truly - it's just very risky to align Belgium to France when the time comes.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: Orm

In MWiF Belgian Congo will never be available.

It will be if it is rolled Free French.

Truly - it's just very risky to align Belgium to France when the time comes.

warspite1

I can't understand any reason for doing it? I guess there must be at least one....

[Larry Smith]

Well, gee willikers. Funny thing, though, I have never had a problem with the Belgian Congo becoming "aligned" to the Free French, regardless of whether it was conquered in the turns before a Vichy government was installed, so maybe I've just beat the odds in dozens of games, or maybe... It's because I made it the new Belgian Home Country. I don't know. It also helps if one doesn't leave any French capital ships outside of Metropolitan French ports. That will make a difference with your rolls every time.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Larry Smith

Well, gee willikers. Funny thing, though, I have never had a problem with the Belgian Congo becoming "aligned" to the Free French, regardless of whether it was conquered in the turns before a Vichy government was installed, so maybe I've just beat the odds in dozens of games, or maybe... It's because I made it the new Belgian Home Country. I don't know. It also helps if one doesn't leave any French capital ships outside of Metropolitan French ports. That will make a difference with your rolls every time.

You are missing the rule change described in post #10 above. This is not RAW7, it is imported from a recommendation that went to RAW8 and was adopted for MWiF because of all the issues that were formerly caused by a Vichy NEI. Yes, Netherlands and Belgium are different countries, but the common principle applies to the Vichyfication process.