taamvan,
You’re welcome, thank you for yours.
Thanks for clearing it up, I follow what you mean now and I am even more on board. Again I have some points that I have thought of…
I hear what you are saying that the Axis do not plunder Paris of France’s IPC’s the first time it falls, as it gives France a jumping off point on their first turn, but I think that that may take a significant chunk of the momentum out of the German player’s second and third turns and I feel it may - accidentally - provide an slightly unfair balance shift in the early Axis game.
I think if I were to use your Free France rules, I would keep the capture of French IPC’s in to balance out the fact that France can now actually have a more significant role.
Admittedly it is a small role, but it is a much more considerable contribution, proportionately, on the part of the French. I think if you keep the capture of the French IPC’s in it gives the French a longer start up time to get involved in the war which will do no harm in the early game, but as it progresses, the addition of a couple of French Destroyers to an American/ANZAC fleet or a half dozen infantry assisting in the defence of France after an American liberation could make all the difference. Which, incidentally, I think is historically accurate, because of the indecision and differences of opinion between the French people.
I follow and agree with everything else and again, thanks for taking the time to explain it to me, I have thought about what you said in your first post about placement areas and units and have thought of a few more points…
For FWA, there are three sea zones to choose from; 82, 83 and 87, but as 82 is used by FEA, and 87 is next to 88 (which I will get to momentarily) I would suggest SZ 83 for naval deployment from FWA. But of course you could even say that it is possible to use all three, which would allow for faster deployment of a more significant force, though it may take time to muster the IPC’s.
There is also French Guiana to consider. Would you also allow deployment there? It isn’t in a strategically critical location, but I think it should be an option anyway as it falls under your rules as an original French territory, which also brings sea zone 88 into play as that is the one adjacent to FG. I’m assuming that this may have been an oversight, as it took me a while to find New Hebrides because I had forgotten it existed.
Finally, thinking about the options for units that may be deployed, there were Free French, Polish etc… airmen flying in the RAF and elsewhere and I believe some even flew their own planes to the UK and perhaps other places. At any rate, there was a significant amount of air forces manned by Free Peoples, do you think that fighters may be an option, with this in mind? Perhaps they could only be produced in the UK as they were using British planes?
Argothair,
I’m glad you like it and thanks for adding to it, I see what you mean, it seems a little uneven if only playing as France. But after taamvan brought his rules in to play for Free France it got me thinking that perhaps there could be a combination of his and my rules, so that if the French player decides either way, they have a more purposeful and engaging experience.
The main reason I brought my rules in was to get the French pieces on the board and it’s the same for taamvan I believe, now I see how if, without either of our rules (Vichy/Free France) it would be pointless to play as France alone because - as you rightly point out - there wouldn’t be anything for the French player to do by themselves. So when you suggested that Carl play as Free France/China/ANZAC if he decides to join the Allies, or Vichy France/Italy if he decides Axis, that made sense to me, but I’m not sure if you are including the rules taamvan and I have been discussing. (And also the rules that Arthur Bomber Harris told me about).
If you take the rules taamvan and I have mentioned and I may borrow your demonstration I feel it may make the game more enjoyable for someone to play as France alone (Free or Vichy) as I will now try to explain:
Alice, Bob, Carl, David, Elise and Frank set up a game and divide as follows:
Alice – US/China
Bob – UK/ANZAC
Carl – USSR
David – Germany/Italy
Elise – Japan
Frank – France
Now Frank at the start is with the Allies, but for the purposes of demonstration I have kept him separate as both sides are aware of his impending decision.
Turn one goes by for the first 5 nations and it’s fairly typical except that the Axis want Frank on their side and so apart from France and Normandy not a single French territory is taken by David or Elise, but they both still conduct a successful G1/J1. To Frank, who is now in a strong position compared to normally, he could choose to remain Allied on his turn, thus evoking the Free France rules or not and go Vichy, because he would have a healthy industrial capacity, some forces to work with and not an insignificant amount of strategic options. (Syria, FIC etc…).
The question becomes what do the UK/Italy do? The decisions by either could make the decision for Frank and like you said it depends on Franks motivation but that’s why I like these rules as it adds suspense and a level of uncertainty that isn’t usually prevalent in A&A.
To be honest it is all a bit muddled up right now and it’s not totally clear to me how this might play out or even work, but I still think that if done correctly it could bring something new and interesting to the table.