(Following is the text of the Idiot’s Game insert from France, 1940 -ed)

The “Idiot’s Game”: Re-creating History with the Dyle Plan

The following game plan will re-create with startling helplessness the plan originally used by the Allied commanders in 1940. Basically, it is this: most Allied units west of Givet will advance into Belgium in order to meet the Germans. Meanwhile, the Germans move strong armored forces through the Ardennes, coming out in front of Sedan. The Allies don’t move their reserves (particularly those around Chalons) in the first Game-Turn, the French commander preferring to wait until the situation develops. It does, and the Germans fight their way across the Meuse and take off across the rear of the Allied forces in Belgium.

The Allies, instead of attempting to cut off the advancing German mobile units, form a screen to protect Paris. By Game-Turn five (after a few belated Allied attempts to stop them) the Germans have reached the channel coast and have cut off much of the Allied army in Belgium. End of campaign (for all practical purposes). To re-create the above idiocy, follow the simple rules found below:

Cases:

(A) Set up the units on the map using No. 2, Allies No. 11) placing them exactly in the positions shown on the Historical Situation map.

(B) Before the game officially begins, the German Player is allowed to move his Mechanized units in a special pre-game Movement Phase. They may be moved up to positions on the Dutch and Belgian borders, but they may not actually violate the neutrality of any country in this pre- game movement. After this movement is accomplished, the game officially begins.

(C) The German Player must invade Belgium and the Netherlands in the Initial Movement Phase of his first Player-Turn. It is strongly recommended that as many German units as possible cross the borders and a very strong armor force be sent through the Ardennes, because ...

(D) ... the Allies, in the first Game-Turn, may only move those French and British units which are west of Givet and within three hexes of the French border. In fact, these units must be moved, and moved in as straight a line as possible, travelling northeast through the straight diagonal rows of hexes, deviating only when deflected by the coast. Each of these units must use their full Movement Allowances and attempt to form a defensive line between the cities Antwerp and Namur. Belgian and Dutch units need not be moved in this manner, but may not be moved out of their home countries.

(E) In Game-Turn Two, none of the Allied forces in Belgium may be moved, except to escape an already existing encirclement by German units, or to fill gaps in their line. Allied units which are within three hexes of the Maginot Line may not be moved at all during the entire second Game-Turn. All other Allied units may be moved as desired (including all Air units, which are never subject to the foregoing movement restrictions). Allied units in Belgium may not be more than three hexes away from German units at must attempt to remain near those German units to which they were close at the beginning of the second Game-Turn. Remember, that in any case, Allied units in Belgium during the second Game-Turn may only be moved to escape encirclements or to fill a demonstrable gap in their front line. Starting on Game-Turn Three, all Allied units in all locations may be moved freely.

(F) Screening Paris: At all times, the Allied player must attempt to prevent the Germans from threatening Paris. The Germans are considered to be threatening Paris when they can trace a line of hexes from one or more of their Mechanized units to Paris. This line of hexes must be free of Allied units or Zones of Control and not more than sixteen hexes long. The existence of the threat is determined at the end of each German Mechanized Movement Phase. In the Game-Turn in which the Germans can first successfully threaten Paris, the Allied Player must move a force of not less than fifteen Strength Points directly to Paris and keep those units there until the end of the game.

(G) The above rules re-create most of the idiotic conditions induced by the ineptitude of the original Allied commanders. If the German Player is at all capable, he will quite easily win a crushing victory. In the original campaign, the French had lost, by the end of May, the following units (expressed in terms of game-units): Two 1-6’s, five 6-6’s, six 2-6’s, three 3-4’s, three 4-6’s, and one 2-2. The entire Dutch and Belgian armies had been destroyed and most of the British forces had been evacuated, leaving behind virtually all their equipment.

France 1940