Vichy French 5e REI in EOS

[el cid again]

The French 5th REI (French Foreign Legion) was excersing at Viet Tri NW of Hanoi when the Japanese coup de main
took over Indochina. It extracted itself to Kunming more or less down the rail line shown on our map (not that the route was always on the line, or that the line was in service at the Northern end). In RHS this unit appears in 1945 when that coup occurs. While the unit moved about, it more or less was in the Hanoi-Viet Tri area until that event. Because it is the only element of the Vichy forces (unless the Viet Minh are Vichy - which they functionally were - working for colonialists against other nationalists) to be effective - it is allowed to exist as an ALLIED unit (since it eventually changes sides). Because it is there, Viet Tri is an ALLIED town. If the Japanese capture Viet Tri, the unit will appear at Chunking - neatly "escaping" the debacle.

It occurs to me that other scenarios are possible - even likely. The sooner the Japanese get aggressive in Indochina, the sooner the 5th would change sides. Having the unit sooner - and in position to threaten Hanoi if the small Japanese force departs to invade China say - and anyway to defend Viet Tri - seems an advantage for the Allies. I propose do undelay this formation experimentally. Technically it - and the rump Viet Ming 1st Battalion - should not be used too aggressively. The VM is not a big problem - it starts at about platoon strength and needs time to build. It is in a remote area and needs time to move anywhere too.

This is a request for comment on the concept of changing the date of arrival of this unit in RHSEOS only?

The Aramis - in our game as Teia Maru (in RHS as Teia Maru [Aramis]) - was taken over by Japan on 420415. Whatever the political impetus for that - we might want to set the 5th to appear on that date.