Nach Frankreich 1940

[sPzAbt653]

New Scenario - Nach Frankreich - To France ! The German 1940 campaign against the Western Allies to conquer Luxembourg, Holland, Belgium and France. 5km per hex, Regimental scale, 85 turns. Available in TOAW IV.

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The Netherlands:

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Belgium:

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The French 1st and 9th Armies are ready to move to the Dyle and Meuse lines.

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The French 2nd Army protects the unfortified sector of the Meuse.

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The heavily fortified Maginot Line, backed up by four French Armies containing 400,000 men.

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The German 18th Army is ready to move into the Netherlands.

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The German 6th Army is in position to assault southern Holland and Northern Belgium.

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German 4th Army with Hoth's panzers ready to move on Dinant and Namur.

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German 12th Army with Kleist's Panzer Group in position to assault the Belgian Ardennes.

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German 16th Army will protect the southern flank of the attack, while 1st Army to its south and 7th Army near the Swiss border face the Maginot Line.

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This version of the scenario is for a Human German player vs. the Western Allies PO. The German player has the option of facing the Historic Allied Plan [French 7th Army into northern Belgium] or an Alternate Plan [French 7th Army in reserve northeast of Paris]. The German player also has the option to relocate the spearhead of the attack [Guderian's XIX Korp] prior to the start of play.

For the future, a second version is planned for Human vs. Human and Human Western Allies vs. German PO.

[secadegas]

This is good stuff... this is really good stuff.

Excelent map (Northern France and Benelux's best at this scale), sound TO&Es and well researched and built OOB.
When we open the scenario any experienced player can immediately see the care with details and chrome. It reminds McBride's scenarios and this is, of course, an obvious compliment.
Personally i wouldn't mind using some HQ's units but the designer's option can be easily understood.

IMO PO will always be a problem. Programing the PO and make it work properly on such extented scenario is little less than a bravado.

However (using the alternate Allied reaction) the current PO provides, even to a experienced player, some hours (a lot of them, actually...) of high quality TOAW experience. But by turn 12, Western Allies can be in such critical position that from then on the German player's challenge decreases a bit. I believe less experienced players will find it difficult to get decisive results at such short notice.
Final warning: This is a monster scenario demanding many hours of micro-managing and planning. This is highly rewarding if you're that type of player. If not don't even start it.

All in all this is definitively another very (very) solid effort from this designer.

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IMO PO will always be a problem.

I won't disagree, but ... Ralph is committed to improvement, and I am committed to assist. Ralph has the code side, the designers still have to do the Formation Objectives [the PO part]. This is the tough part, the designers have nothing to go by [no Elmer Handbook], and it takes time. First assigning all the objectives [for D21 over 60,000], then finding anyone to playtest and give feedback [which includes providing .sal files]. For the larger scenarios it can take more time than most have to contribute.

For Nach Frankreich, I will admit that for the Historical Option the PO is kind of historical [concerning the Allies C&C issues]. We don't want the player expecting France '40 and getting France '14. For the Alternate Option things are a little different [but not so different as to be completely unhistorical].

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But by turn 12, Western Allies can be in such critical position that from then on the German player's challenge decreases a bit.

This did not go unnoticed during design. Most battles are a race against time until something happens. However, research indicated that there was no cavalry coming to the Western Allies rescue. So, the worst that happens is that on July 1 the Germans' stockpiles run out and supply plummets, and the Western Allies get VP's each turn for prolonging the war. This gives the German player a little prodding and the Allied player some grasp at hope.

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All in all this is definitively another very (very) solid effort from this designer.

Thanks very much Joao, we appreciate that.

[secadegas]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653

All in all this is definitively another very (very) solid effort from this designer.

Thanks very much Joao, we appreciate that.

Sorry for not mentioning the equally important Guillaume and Rick's contribution. I should have refered to the solid effort from this design team...

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And Ben and Colin for keeping the train on the proper track. Not an easy task given the number of inappropriate tracks in the area. And Silvain for offering advice concerning the Belgians.

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Human vs. Human and Human Western Allies vs. German PO version is now available. Not extensively tested but I'm comfortable that things are working ok.

The main differences between the two versions are: the French human player has regiments while the French PO has battalions, and the Western Allied human player controls the surrenders of Holland and Belgium along with withdrawing the BEF [in the first version we couldn't leave the PO in charge of these issues so events run them].

[sPzAbt653]

France 40 is of interest to me, but I only see one scenario in the classics folder.

Both versions of Nach Frankreich are included with the latest 3.4.1.9 patch and can be found in the 'WWII West Front' folder