1. Garrisons

The French player must maintain a minimum garrison in a number of areas as long as they remain inactive theatres. These are:

a. Within 5 hexes on the French-Italian border: 16 REs including at least 2 divisions and 6 REs of mountain units.

b. South of 27:4513 (Sfax) in Southern Tunisia: 11 REs including at least 1 RE of armor, 2 REs of cavalry, and 2 divisions.

c. 6 REs on Corsica including at least 1 RE of mountain fortress.

d. Within 5 hexes of the FrenchSpanish border: 5 REs including at least 2 REs of mountain units.

e. Anywhere in French Morocco: 8 REs including at least 1 RE of mountain, 1 RE of armor, 1 RE of cavalry, and I division.

f. Anywhere in Algeria and Northern Tunisia: 11 REs including at least 2 divisions and 2 REs of cavalry units.

g. Anywhere in the Levant: 7 REs including at least 1 RE of cavalry.

2. Active Operations

French operational limitations are tied to the beginning of active operations. This is to simulate French abandonment of its obsolete combat doctrines after they have failed the test of combat. Some reinforcements are also dependent on the beginning of active operations. Active operations are assumed to have begun when any one of the following conditions has been met:

a. A surprise attack turn has been made by Germany against Belgium, the Netherlands and/or France.

b. German forces have advanced into Belgium and/or Luxembourg.

c. German forces have occupied any hex of the Maginot Line (Ouvrage and fortified hexsides.)

d. More than 25 REs of French units are on German soil.

3. Operational Limitations

The French player is under certain special constraints as to movement and the employment of units. These represent French combat doctrine and political considerations.

a. Combat/Motorized Units. French c/m units may not move in the exploitation phase of any turn in which they: 1) started in an enemy ZOC or 2) participated in an attack. Units that are allowed to move in the exploitation phase have their movement allowance halved in all cases.

b. Infantry Tanks. No more than 1 French tank regiment may stack in a hex. Note that this applies only to infantry tank regiments (1-2-8's, 1-2-6's and 1-5's), not tank brigades or other c/m units. This reflects the French doctrine of dispersal of armor in support of infantry.

c. Foreign Legion. The pre-war Foreign Legion contained many men from Axis countries and a number of leftists of various stripes. These men were not trusted by the French government. Therefore, the following units may not enter mainland France until the 6th turn after the commencement of active operations:

5x 3-2-6 Inf III 1 REI, 2 REI, 3 REI, 4 REI, 6 REI
1x 2-1-8 Cav III 1
1x 1-8 Cav III 2

This prohibition does not apply to the new legion units raised in France during the winter of 1939-40.

d. Bataille Conduite. French doctrine (bataille conduite: methodical battle) did not allow for unprepared engagements. To simulate this, two extra penalties are inflicted on the French player.

1) French units which expend one-half or more of their movement allowance attack at half strength. This penalty is removed on the fifth turn of active operations.

2) French units must pay an additional 2 MPs to enter an enemy ZOC. This penalty is removed on the third turn of active operations.

This rule replaces FoF Rule 30.

4. Replacements

The replacement system has changed since FoF was published. Then replacements were given in REs, rather than strength points. The new replacement system is based on the Regions Militaires (military districts), which are depicted on the new Second Front maps.

Paris RM: 1 Inf, 1 c/m replacement strength attack point (RP) per month.
North African (19 RM), Colonial: 1 Inf RP each per month.
1st, 15th RMs: 1 Inf, 1 c/m RP each every other month starting Jan I 40.
14th, 18th RMs: 1 Inf RP each every other month starting Jan I 40.
2nd, 13th, 16th, 17th and 20th RMs. 1/2 Inf RP each every other month starting Jan I 40.
Foreign Legion: 1 Inf RP every Jan I, Apr I, Jul I, and Oct I turns.
Polish: 1 Inf RP every Mar I and Sep I turn.
Czech: 1 Inf RP every Jul I turn.

Special Replacements:

French (Metropolitan and Colonial): times 1/5
Foreign Legion, Polish, and Czech: times 1/4

North African replacements appear at any city in French North Africa. Colonial, Foreign Legion, Polish and Czech replacements appear at any port in France or any French possession.

There are no limitations on the use of c/m replacements. Infantry replacements may be used to replace any units with the following limitations:

a. At least 1/2 (rounding up) of replacements used to rebuild Colonial infantry and cavalry units must be Colonial or African replacements.

b. Polish and Czech infantry units must be rebuilt using only that type of replacements.

c. Foreign Legion units may be rebuilt using only Foreign Legion, Polish or Czech replacements.

5. Forming

Units designated as "forming" on the OB/OA may be brought in before their appearance as "full". To bring in a forming unit the player must roll one die: on a roll of 4, 5 or 6 the unit appears at the appropriate location. On a roll of 1, 2 or 3 the unit appears at its cadre strength; it is eliminated if it has no cadre. Special replacements are received for units cadred or eliminated in this manner. Forming units appear as usual when the OA lists them as Full. This rule supercedes FoF Rule 32A1.

OB Notes

There are significant changes in this French OB/OA from that presented in FoF and Europa Supplement VIII. One difference is that I listed the French units in their positions as of 3 Sep 1939 instead of their mobilization locations. Most unit strengths and IDs were fine as originally done. Only ground units appearing in the ETO and MTO are listed.

Several armored units have been re-rated due to later research reflecting their actual equipment. All three French Foreign Legion light armored units were removed. The two regiments in North Africa are presented as horsed cavalry units, until the U.S. supplied modern equipment in 1943. The battalion is removed since it had only one armored car and one motorcycle squadron.

A few specialist units were added. Three railroad engineer regiments, one marine battalion and two parachute battalions. The parachute battalions appear as optional units in Europa Supplement VIII, and represent the Air Force's Infantrie de V Aire. The Army disbanded its airborne troops in 1938, the Air Force did not. One elite infantry regiment has been added, the Regiment d'Infantrie Coloniale du Maroc, the most decorated unit in the French Army.

I have attempted to modify the existing FoF as little as possible. The game is, however, eleven years old and many changes have occurred within the Europa system. There are a number of other things which should be addressed when FoF is reissued. They include but are certainly not limited to:

1. The air OB/OA needs extensive revision.

2. The French artillery must be reconfigured. At present it is too mobile but not powerful enough. Much of this equipment is very heavy and awkward and should move at a slower rate.

3. There should be a separate color scheme for the Army of Africa, rather than lumping them in with the Colonials. Units raised from the population of French North Africa are part of the French army, as opposed to the Colonial troops which are somewhat analogous to the U.S. Marines. The simplest way to do this is to use the reverse of the Foreign Legion color scheme for one or the other: white unit symbols and IDs with black strength and movement numbers. Failing this, all Armee d' Afrique units should be in Metropolitan colors with IDs indicating their origin; many have this already.

Units which are Armee d'Afrique include:
1x 7-6 Inf XX 1 Mor
8x 6-6 Inf XX 1 NA, 2 Mor, 2 NA 3 NA, 4 NA, 81 A, 82 A, 87 A
4x 5-6 Inf XX 5 NA, 6 NA, 8 NA, 86 A
3x 4-6 Inf XX 7 NA, 83 A, 180 A
1x 3-6* Inf XX 88 A
3x 2-4* Inf XX 181 A, 182 A, 183 A
2x 5-8 Mtn XX 84 A, 85 A
1x 3-8* Mtn XX 3 Mor
1x 5-4-8* Cav XX 6 DLC
9x 2-8 Cav X 1 Spahi, 2 Spahi, 3 Spahi, 4 Spahi, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
1x 3-4-4 Fort XX Mareth
1x 1-6 Tank III 1 CdA (Col)
1x 1-10 Mot Cav III 9 CdA (Col)
1x 1-8 Mtn III 1 Tabor
2x 1-6 Lt Inf III 1 LA, 4 LA
2x 0- 1 -6 Lt Inf III 2 LA, 3 LA
1x 1-6 Eng III 19.

Units which are part of La Coloniale include:
1x 7-6 Inf XX 3 Col
2x 6-6 Inf XX I Col, 2 Col
2x 5-6 Inf XX 5 Col, 8 Col
3x 4-6 Inf XX 4 Col, 6 Col, 7 Col
1x 3-2-6 Inf III Maroc
2x 1-2-6 MG III 41,51
3x 3-2-6 Art III 11,110,111
1x 1-2-6 Art III Maroc
2x 1-8 Art III 310,320
1x 0-2-5 Cons X 623

The three tank units in Colonial colors, 2x 1-2-6 Tank III 601, 603 and 1x 1-5 Tank III 602, are metropolitan units. I am unsure of the status of the 4-6 Inf XX 191 A and 3-6 Int XX 192 A. These do not appear be Armee d'Afrique units, but I'm not sure what they really are.

4. Several other units should be re-rated. For example, the independent infantry-tank regiments should have their ratings changed; all the 1-2-6's become 2-1-6's and the 1-5's become 1-4's.

Additional Abbreviations (not included in FoF)

CdA Chasseurs d' Afrique
FM Fusiliers Marins
GR Groupe de Reconnaissance
GQG Grand Quartier General
RGA Reserve Generaux d'Artillefic K2

Units Re-rated

New Unit Designation : Old Unit Designation:
1x 9-7-10 Arm XX 3 LM : 1x 7-9-10 Mech XX 3 DLM
3x 8-7-10 Arm XX 1 LM, 2 LM, 4 : 3x 7-9-10 Mech XX 1 DLM, 2 DLM, 4 DLM
1x 6-5-10 Arm XX 7 LM : 1x 7-9-10 Mech XX 7 DLM
1x 3-6* Arm X 8/4 DCR : 1x 2-8* Arm X 8/4 DCR
1x 7-6 Inf XX 3 Col (Col) : 1x 5-6 Inf XX 3 Col (Col)
1x 2-1-8 Cav III 1 (LE) : 1x 3-10 Lt Arm III 1 REC (LE)
1x 1-8 Cav III 2 (LE) : 1x 3-10 Lt Arm III 2 REC (LE)
1x 4-1-6 Mortar III 391 : 1x 2-8 Art III 391

Revised Order of Battle/Order of Appearance