French involvement in the Europe after 2001.

[Legbreaker]

That crack about the French sub could have been just smoke and mirrors too...
Gotta keep quiet about what's really going on.

[Webstral]

I agree and that's what I mean when saying that France doesn't want to go at war with NATO (the blind eye or eye left at all).

I disagree with your view on Quebec for one simple reason: at that time France can impose it's will to any other power whenever it wants. If it doesn't do it, it can only be explained through popular pressure. France is the only country left with a significant number of nukes and it can oblitare either what is left of Russia or the US. That's a hell of an argument. It also has a surviving intact and expending navy (the Richelieu came to existance) and can cut US troops from supply at will anywhere in the world. The main weakness of France is an insufficient population.

We're to believe, then, that the Soviet Union doesn't hit the French naval bases at Brest and Marseilles () because...

Webstral

[Legbreaker]

Note also that France did not close it's borders until late winter, early spring of 1998, aproximately 6 months after the first nukes were used and about 2-3 months after long range strategic targets were hit.
Up until this time, the Pact could have been excused for thinking France and Belgium were supporting Nato even they they did not have troops on the front lines.

[Rainbow Six]

We're to believe, then, that the Soviet Union doesn't hit the French naval bases at Brest and Marseilles () because...

Webstral

There is precedent for this - according to canon the Soviets didn't nuke any of the major Royal Navy bases in the UK - neither Portsmouth nor Plymouth appear on GDW's target lists. Indeed in the Survivor's Guide to the UK Portsmouth is now the national capital.

[Legbreaker]

And people are living in Warsaw after three nukes....

[pmulcahy11b]

And people are living in Warsaw after three nukes....

Reading that module, all I can say is, "You call that living"

[Abbott Shaull]

Reading that module, all I can say is, "You call that living"

You won't hear the cockroaches complaining...

[Dog 6]

In my games France surrenders to NATO in early 2000 after a short, but hard fought air and naval battle. NATO sinks the french navy including all ssn and ssbn, hits french irbm's and nukes Paris.

[Mohoender]

We're to believe, then, that the Soviet Union doesn't hit the French naval bases at Brest and Marseilles () because...

Webstral

- Because Brest is not listed as destroyed in the game.

- Because we have no naval base in Marseille. It is in Toulon.

I have no doubts that the Soviet knew about that but according to several wargames (from US, Sweden...), it seems that if the bombing was to come from NATO, we have a chance.

- More important, because France is neutral and if you nuke either of these, the country gets in the war.

- Because, according to the game, France was subjected to nukes in order to deny use of its oil facilities (Boulogne, Cherbourg and Nantes). Brest has none. Marseille should have been destroyed but it is noted as the most important port to be still in action.

Whatever, if you target France, I agree with you. For my part France enters the war but revert to neutrality just before the nukes and negociate a separate peace with the Pact. Then, the Soviets keep to their word and the nukes hitting France are coming from NATO.

[Mohoender]

In my games France surrenders to NATO in early 2000 after a short, but hard fought air and naval battle. NATO sinks the french navy including all ssn and ssbn, hits french irbm's and nukes Paris.

I can accept that but why that late How did NATO managed to do that in 2000

[James Langham]

French Foreign Legion

Reading through the old posts to look for things I've missed for my background and thought I would put in my notes on the French Foreign Legion:

1999
n a cynical policy the French accept many foreigners living in France into the Foreign Legion (although the period of service required for French citizenship is extended from 3 years to 5 from 1st January). Training is brutal and almost all the foreign volunteers are posted to the Middle East (where the French government thinks they are far enough away not to cause trouble). This has the benefit for the French of gathering up a lot of violent foreigners who are in France illegally (strength rises from 7,000 to a peak of 40,000). The volunteers gain French citizenship provided they can survive their service..

[Targan]

I can accept that but why that late How did NATO managed to do that in 2000

Very good question. I'm assuming that campaign had a very different Twilight War timeline compared to canon.

[Mohoender]

Possible French Foreign Legion OOB

This is only thoughts and units are given at full strength.

Lgion Etrangre
With time, the Legion Etrangre had been seriously reduced but with the war, it expended again reaching as many as 17970 Manpower in the course of the war (Still this is only one third of the number of troop it had counted in 1940). Moreover, unlike what was done prior to the conflict, it was formed into an independent combat formation.
- Dtachement de la Lgion Etrangre Mayotte (DLEM) : 250 Men
Heir to the troops that were established at Madagascar, this unit has been moved out of Mayotte when it became obvious that French troops had to leave the territory. The unit is now established at La Reunion.
- 13e Demi-Brigade de la Lgion Etrangre : 1700 Men, 12 VBL, 12 ERC-90, 8 VAB T20, 58 VAB, 6 MO-120
Sometimes before the Twilight War, that unit had been reduced to 800 men but it is expended shortly before the conflict to reach its previous manpower of 1700 Men. To note, reconstitued compagnies are using soft-skinned vehicles such as the P4 and the VLRA.
- 1er Rgiment Etranger (1er RE) : 600 Men
A prewar administrative unit, it is upgraded to a combat formation long after the beginning of the war.
- 1er Rgiment Etranger du Gnie (1er REG) : 980 Men
A second engineer unit, it is created prior to the war.
- 1er Rgiment Etranger Parachutiste (1er REP) : 700 Men, 20 MO120
A light infantry unit, heir to a regiment that was disolved in 1961 the unit is created during the course of the war and, like its predecessor, is given a company of heavy mortar.
- 1er Rgiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1er REC) : 900 Men
For thrity years this regiment had been the only survival armored unit of the Legion Etrangre and provided the adequate punch when needed. Its AMX-10RC are a match for most tanks except the most modern ones.
o Escadron de Commandement et de Logistique (ECL)
o Escadron d'administration et de soutient (EAS)
o 4e Escadron d'clairage et d'investigation (EEI, 24 VBL, 4 VAB T20)
o 1er, 2e, 3e et 5e Escadron de Combat (2 VBL, 12 AMX-10RC)
- 2e Rgiment Etranger du Gnie (2e REG) : 920 Men
A third engineer regiment, it is created during the war when it became obvious that more of these specialized units were needed.
- 2e Rgiment Etranger Parachutiste (2e REP) : 1190 Men, 8 VBL, 8 VAB T20, 58 VAB, 6 MO-120
A true special force regiment, this unit is sent out whenever it is needed.
- 2e Rgiment Etranger d'Infanterie (2e REI) : 1230 Men, 16 VBL, 16 VAB T20, 119 VAB, 12 MO-120
This unit of armored infantry existed prior to the war an is often sent along with the 1e REC.
- 2e Rgiment Etranger de Cavalerie (2e REC) : 600 Men
Heir to a regiment that had been disolved in 1962, the unit is created again in 1993 and partially equipped with vehicles that had been recently taken out of service. It is a much lighter force than its counterpart.
o Escadron de Commandement et de Logistique (ECL)
o Escadron de Reconnaissance et d'Intervention Anti-Char (ERIAC, 32 VBL)
o 1er Escadron de Combat (3 VBL, 12 ERC-90)
o 2e et 3e Escadron de Combat (12 AML-90)
- 3e Rgiment Etranger Parachutiste (3e REP) : 500 Men
The smallest of the three paratrooper regiment, heir to a short lived unit dissolved in 1955, it is constituted late in the war.
- 3e Rgiment Etranger d'Infanterie (3e REI) : 800 Men, 6 VAB T20, 39 VAB
An infantry unit, it is only equipped with a small number of armored vehicles.
- 4e Rgiment Etranger (4e RE) : 800 Men
Before the conflict that unit was the instruction regiment of the Legion Etrangre. With the conflict it was given full combat capability but remains light infantry.
- 5e Rgiment Mixte du Pacifique (5e RMP) : 600 Men
Heir to the Rgiment du Tonkin >>, the unit had lost his name in 1984 but was again renamed RMP shortly before the war. The unit is located in the Pacific and allies engineers to infantry.
- 6e Rgiment Etranger du Gnie (6e REG) : 750 Men
The most ancient engineer unit, the regiment is heir to the historical 6e REI.
- 11e Rgiment Etranger d'Infanterie (11e REI) : 1000 Men
- 12e Rgiment Etranger d'Infanterie (12e REI) : 1000 Men
These two motorized regiments (the 11e and 12e) had been created at the beginning of the Twilight War. Each is equipped with P4, VLRA, GBC and 6 heavy mortars.
- 21e Rgiment des Volontaires Etranger (21e RVE) : 1100 Men
- 22e Rgiment des Volontaires Etranger (22e RVE) : 1240 Men
- 23e Rgiment des Volontaires Etranger (23e RVE) : 1080 Men
When the RVEs were created (after the first nukes had fallen and mostly from the first wave of refugees), these last baddly equipped units were not considered true members of the Legion by the others. In that, they had a common point with there WW2 counterparts. However, also like their WW2 counterparts, they fight surprisingly well when needed and finally earn their place among the Foreign Legion.

[Mohoender]

A fictionnal french air force oob

ARMEE DE L"AIR
With the increasing tensions that existed before the Twilight War, France greatly increased its air force, reestablishing a number of units that had been dissolved over time. This was achieved by the introduction of new aircrafts but also through the implementation of a modernization program that allowed for a rapid extension of the Arme de l"Air at an affordable cost. On one hand, the Rafale program was accelerated, the Mirage 2000 entered the line in greater number and the Mirage III/5 were modernized to the Mirage 50M standards. On the other hand, many units were maintained as several historical squadrons were activated again. The bomber component was maintained and expended again.

Although this OOB is fictionnal, all units and bases have existed or exist.

- BA113 Saint Dizier
o 1er Escadre de Chasse (1er EC)
EC 1/1 Corse : Jaguar (dissolved in 1966)
EC 2/1 Morvan : Jaguar (dissolved in 1966)
o 7e Escadre de Chasse (7e EC)
EC 1/7 Provence : Rafale
EC 2/7 Argonne : Rafale
EC 3/7 Languedoc : Rafale
o 94e Escadre de Bombardement (94e EB)
EB 2/94 Marne : Mirage IV (dissolved in 1988)
- BA102 Dijon
o 2e Escadre de Chasse (2e EC)
EC 1/2 Cigognes : Rafale
EC 2/2 Cte d"Or : Mirage 2000
EC 3/2 Alsace : Mirage 2000
EC 4/2 Coq Gaulois : Mirage 2000 (dissolved 1950)
- BA103 Cambrais
o 12e Escadre de Chasse (12e EC)
EC 1/12 Cambresis : Mirage F1
EC 2/12 Picardie : Mirage 2000
EC 3/12 Cornouaille : Mirage 2000
- BA104 Le Bourget
- BA105 Evreux
o 64e Escadre de Transport (64e ET)
ET 1/64 Bearn : Transall
ET 2/64 Anjou : Transall
ET 3/64 Bigorre : Noratlas (dissolved in 1981)
- BA106 Bordeaux Merignac Capitaine Croci >>
o 92e Escadre de Bombardement (92e EB)
EB 1/92 Bourgogne : Mirage 2000D (dissolved in 1974)
EB 2/92 Aquitaine : Mirage 2000D (dissolved in 1974)
- BA107 Villacoublay
o 65e Escadre de Transport (65e ET)
ET 1/65 Vendme : Broussard, Twin Otter
ETE 2/65 Rambouillet : TBM-700
ETC 3/65 Commercy : ATR-42
- BA110 Creil
o 10e Escadre de Chasse (10e EC)
EC 1/10 Parisis : Mirage F1 (dissolved in 1985)
EC 2/10 Seine : Mirage F1 (dissolved in 1985)
EC 3/10 Loire : Mirage 50M (dissolved in 1985)
- BA112 Reims
o 30e Escadre de Chasse (30e EC)
EC 1/30 Valois : Mirage F1
EC 2/30 Normandie-Niemen : Mirage F1
EC 3/30 Lorraine : Mirage F1
o 62e Escadre de Transport (62e ET)
ET 1/62 Vercors : Transall (dissolved in 1978)
ET 2/62 Anjou : Noratlas (dissolved in 1978)
ET 3/62 Ventoux : Broussard, TBM-700 (dissolved in 1974)
- BA115 Orange
o 5e Escadre de Chasse (5e EC)
EC 1/5 Vende : Mirage 2000
EC 2/5 Ile-de-France : Rafale
EC 3/5 Comtat Venaissin : Mirage 2000
o 91e Escadre de Bombardement (91e EB)
EB 3/91 Cevennes : Mirage 2000D (dissolved in 1983)
- BA116 Luxeuil
o CITAC 339 : TBM-700
o 4e Escadre de Chasse (4e EC)
EC 1/4 Dauphin : Mirage 2000D
EC 2/4 La Fayette : Mirage 2000D
EC 3/4 Flandres : Mirage 2000D
EC 4/4 Ardennes : Mirage 2000 (dissolved in 1950)
o 94e Escadre de Bombardement (94e EB)
EB 3/94 Arbois : Mirage 2000D (dissolved in 1983)
- BA118 Mont de Marsan
o ECE 5/330 : Rafale
o 91e Escadre de Bombardement (91e EB)
EB 1/91 Gascogne : Mirage IV
o 93e Escadre de Ravitaillement en Vol (93e ERV)
ERV 3/93 Landes : KC135
- BA120 Cazaux
o ETO no1 : Alpha Jet
o ETO no2 : Alpha Jet
o 8e Escadre de Chasse (8e EC)
EC 1/8 Saintonge : Alpha Jet
EC 2/8 Nice : Alpha Jet
o 91e Escadre de Bombardement (91e EB)
EB 2/91 Bretagne : Mirage IV
- BA123 Orlans
o CIET 340 : Transall, Hercules
o 61e Escadre de Transport (61e ET)
ET 1/61 Tourraine : Transall
ET 2/61 Franche-Comt : Hercules
ET 3/61 Poitou : Transall
- BA124 Strasbourg
o 33e Escadre de Reconnaissance (33e ER)
ER 1/33 Belfort : Mirage F1
ER 2/33 Savoie : Mirage F1
ER 3/33 Moselle : Mirage F1
ER 4/33 Fumasol : Mirage 50M
- BA125 Istres
o 93e Escadre de Ravitaillement en Vol (93e ERV)
ERV 1/93 Aunis : KC135
- BA128 Metz
o 54e Escadre Electronique (54e EE)
EE 1/54 Dunkerque : Puma, Transall
- BA132 Colmar
o 13e Escadre de Chasse (13e EC)
EC 1/13 Artois : Mirage 50M
EC 2/13 Alpes : Mirage 50M
EC 3/13 Auvergne : Mirage F1
- BA133 Nancy
o 3e Escadre de Chasse (3e EC)
EC 1/3 Navarre : Jaguar
EC 2/3 Champagne : Jaguar
EC 3/3 Ardennes : Jaguar
- BA135 Cognac
o EFMS : Fouga Magister
o GE 315 : Fouga Magister, Epsilon
o 6e Escadre de Chasse (6e EC)
EC 1/6 Ouarsenis : Mirage 50M (dissolved in 1960)
EC 2/6 Oranie : Mirage 50M (dissolved in 1960)
- BA136 Toul
o 11e Escadre de Chasse (11e EC)
EC 1/11 Roussillon : Jaguar
EC 2/11 Vosges : Jaguar
EC 3/11 Corse : Jaguar
- BA141 Toulouse
o GE 316 : Alpha Jet
o CIET 340 : Hercules
o 9e Escadre de Chasse (9e EC)
EC 1/9 Limousin : Mirage F1 (dissolved in 1965)
EC 2/9 Auvergne : Mirage F1 (dissolved in 1965)
- BA188 Djibouti
o 21e Escadre de Chasse (21e EC)
EAA 2/21 Aurs : Jaguar (dissolved in 1964)
o 30e Escadre de Chasse (30e EC)
EC 4/30 Vexin : Mirage F1
- BE701 Salon de Provence
o DV 05/312 : Tucano, Epsilon
- BE702 Avord
o GE319 : TBM-700
o EFIPN 307 : Fouga Magister
o 36e Escadre de Dtection Aroporte (36e EDA)
EDA 1/36 Berry : E-3 Sentry
EDA 2/36 Nivernais : E-3 Sentry
o 93e Escadre de Ravitaillement en Vol (93e ERV)
ERV 2/93 Sologne : KC135
o 94e Escadre de Bombardement (94e EB)
EB 1/94 Guyenne : Mirage 2000D
- BE705 Tours
o GE 314 : Alpha Jet
- BE725 Chamberry
o CIEH 341 : Ecureuil
- BE745 Aulnat
o GE 313 : Fouga Magister (dissolved in 1985)

[Mohoender]

French Unit Translations

You'll need this for what follows.

DA : Division Alpine (Alpine Division)
DAM : Division Aromobile (Airmobile Division)
DB : Division Blinde (Armored Division)
DI : Division d"Infanterie (Infantry Division)
DIM : Division d"Infanterie Mobilise (Reserve Infantry Division)
DIMa : Division d"Infanterie de Marine (Naval Infantry Division)
DLB : Division Lgre Blinde (Light Armored Division)
DP : Division Parachutiste (Airborne Division)
BSPP : Brigade des Sapeur-Pompiers de Paris (Paris Fire Brigade)
DBLE : Demi-Brigade de la Lgion Etrangre (Half-Brigade of the Foreign Legion)
RA : Rgiment d"Artillerie (Artillery Regiment)
RAMa : Rgiment d"Artillerie de Marine (Naval Artillery Regiment)
RCR : Rgiment de Circulation Routire (MP Regiment, pretty much)
RCS : Rgiment de Commandement et de Soutien (Command and Support Regiment)
RDP : Rgiment de Dragons Parachutistes (Airborne Regiment)
RE : Rgiment Etranger (Administrative Regiment of the Foreign Legion)
REC : Rgiment Etranger de Cavalerie (Light Armored Rgt of the Foreign Legion)
REG : Rgiment Etranger du Genie (Engineer Regiment of the Foreign Legion)
REI : Rgiment Etranger d"Infanterie (Infantry Regiment of the Foreign Legion)
REP : Rgiment Etranger Parachutiste (Airborne Regiment of the Foreign Legion)
RG : Rgiment du Gnie (Engineer Regiment)
RH : Rgiment de Hussards (Armored Recon Regiment)
RHC : Rgiment d"Hlicoptres de Combat (Helicopter Regiment)
RIMAP : Rgiment d"Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique (Naval Infantry Regiment)
RMat : Rgiment du Matriel (Support Regiment)
RMP : Rgiment Mixte du Pacifique (Mix Regiment, largely engineer)
RPIMa : Rgiment Parachutiste d"Infanterie de Marine (Naval Airborne Regiment)
RSMA : Rgiment du Service Militaire Adapt (Overseas School Regiment)
RT : Rgiment du Train (Transport Regiment)
RTrans : Rgiment de Transmission (Signal Regiment)
BCS : Bataillon de Commandement et de Soutien (Command and Support Battalion)
BIMa : Bataillon d"Infanterie de Marine (Naval Infantry Battalion)
DLEM : Dtachement de Lgion Etrangre Mayotte (Mayotte Foreign Legion Group)