GDWs "The Fall of France"

Most of the units discussed in this article are in GDW's game The Fall of France, including the rather obscure Groupe 97 (Table 4). In agreement with most of the published references, GDW has depicted the 97e Groupe as an independent light armored bataillon. The Batallions Organiques are represented by their Groupes de Bataillons de Chars. All those present in France in May 1940 are included, however some of the North African Batallions Oryaniques are omitted, possibly because they may have been independent units. These can be represented by adding two 1-2-6 tank regiments to the May I French North African Special Reinforcements.

A unit that has been omitted but should be included is the 7e Groupe Cuirassier. This should appear June I 1940 as a 2-8 unsupported armored regiment. The Compagnies Autonomes de Chars de Combat and the Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps de Cavalerie were too small to be represented in Europa scale. The DCRs are each represented by a pair of supported armored brigades rather than a division counter, to force the French player to use them in their intended role as heavy Bataillons Organiques rather than as panzer divisions. The 4e DCR seems understrength in view of the size of the unit during much of the campaign (Table 3). Adding an additional 2-8 unsupported armored brigade to represent the 3e and 10eCuirassiers and other units is probably sufficient. The 22e infantry regiment which also served with the 4e DCR is included in the counter mix.

Rule 32c, Early Arrivals, allows the 4e DCR and the 10e Brigade Motorissee Polonaise, designated "M" for its commander, Colonel Maczek, to appear in their historic time slotsalthough the French player also risks losing them. There is no provision for upgrading the 1re and 4e DLC to the 4e and 7e DLM in May or June, although on August I 1940, a DLC and an artillery unit can convert into a new 4e DLM. Rather than convert a DLC in this way, the first DLC reduced to cadre could be rebuilt as the 7e DLM for the cost to rebuild the DLC. If this is done there would be no August DLC conversion, since the material being gathered for the new DLM would be used to rebuild the DLC. This would represent the rebuilding of the 4e DLC cadre into the 7e DLM. Strictly speaking the 7e DLM was slightly understrength, even with the addition of a newly formed Bataillon Organique.

The 4e DLM does not mert the same type of conversion since historically it was only the rebuilt mechanized brigade of the 1re DLC. This can be represented by the cadre or the motorized brigade breakdown for the DLC.

Despite these nits, GDW has done the best job yet of representing the Order of Battle of the French armored force in the 1940 campaign.

Table Four: French Armor in "The Fall of France"
Unit	Strength	Appearance
1 DCR: 1 Demi-Brigade	1 x 4-2-8 Armored X	May I 1940
1 DCR: 3 Demi-Brigade	1 x 2-8 Armored X	May I 1940
2 DCR: 2 Demi-Brigade	1 x 4-2-8 Armored X	May I 1940
2 DCR: 4 Demi-Brigade	1 x 2-8 Armored X	May I 1940
3 DCR: 5 Demi-Brigade	1 x 4-2-8 Armored X	May I 1940
3 DCR: 7 Demi-Brigade	1 x 2-8 Armored X	May I 1940
4 DCR: 6 Demi-Brigade	1 x 4-2-8 Armored X	June I 1940
4 DCR: 8 Demi-Brigade	1 x 2-8 Armored X	June I 1940
(add 3/10 C	add 1 x 2-8 Armored X	June I 1940)
1 DLM	1 x 7-9-10 Mechanized XX	May I 1940
2 DLM	1 x 7-9-10 Mechanized XX	May I 1940
3 DLM	1 x 7-9-10 Mechanized XX	May I 1940
4 DLM	1 x 7-9-10 Mechanized XX	Aug. I 1940 conv.
(7DLM	1 x 7-9-10 Mechanized XX	replaces cadred DLC, if this is done, do not convert DLC to 4 DLM)
1 DLC	1 x 5-8 Cavalry Division	May I 1940
2 DLC	1 x 5-8 Cavalry Division	May I 1940
3 DLC	1 x 5-8 Cavalry Division	May I 1940
4 DLC	1 x 5-8 Calvary Division	May I 1940
5 DLC	1 x 5-8 Cavalry Division	May I 1940
6 DLC (North Africa)	1 x 5-4-8 Cavalry Division	May I 1940*
"M" Brigade (10 Polish)	1 x 3-2-8 Armored X	July I 1940
(7 Cuirassier Groupe	add 1 x 2-8 Armored III	June I 1940
97 Groupe LE	1 x 2- 1 - 10 Light Armored II	May I 1940
1 DIM	1 x 7-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
3 DIM	1 x 7-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
5 DIM	1 x 7-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
9 DIM	1 x 7-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
12 DIM	1 x 8-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
15 DIM	1 x 7-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
25 DIM	1 x 7-8 Motorized XX	May I 1940
Groupes de Bataillons de Chars
1 Army
515	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
519	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
3 Army
513	1 x 1-5 Armored III	May I 1940
517	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
520	1 x 1-5 Armored III	May I 1940
4 Army
502	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
504	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
507	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
5 Army
508	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
512	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
7 Army
510	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
8 Army
503	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
506	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
9 Army
516	1 x 1-5 Armored III	May I 1940
518	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
Army of the Alps
514	1 x 1-5 Armored III	May I 1940
Reserve
511	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940
North Africa
601	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940*
602	1 x 1-5 Aemored III	May I 1940*
(add Col.	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940*
(add Moroc.	1 x 1-2-6 Armored III	May I 1940*
* special appearance rule.

More French Armor Battle of France 1940

Introduction
Infantry Tanks
Cavalry Tanks
Other Armored Vehicles
Armored Units and In Action 1940
Fatal Flaws and Bibliography
French Armor in "Fall of France" OB
Table 2: Armored Units and Equipment: May 1940