[WarInEur] France 1940 and changing French unit strength

[Hansen]

The more I think about the changing unit strength as a solution to re-create
a "historically quick" French campaign, the more I like it. The idea
proposed was to essentially remove 1 point from all the French infantry. So
the 3-4 become 2-4. This means the second line now needs two units to
prevent an overrun. Further, two full stacks of 10-8 (a formidable
assemblage of tanks for the Germans to muster) can now achieve a 10 - 1
against a full stack of 2-4 infantry. Or two full stacks of 8-8 can get an 8
- 1 odds. The standard four 10-8 and four 8-8 gets you 9-1 odds. In short,
the German can hit the French and have a good chance of taking out the whole
stack (as opposed to the 3-1 or 4-1 attacks that push but don't kill
usually) while not taking excessive casualties. The French could make a few
hexes tougher nuts to crack with the 6-6 or the 8-10 BEF, but there will
always be holes.

The combination of needing more troops in the second rank and the German
ability to out right kill stacks will quickly punch holes through the French
lines and the historical panzers running amok in the rear occurs. The French
simply do not have enough units to maintain a constant line with overrun
proof backing.

Combine this with a fairly simple rule that the BEF has to be deployed to
France (e.g. 10 divisions I think was bandied about) by 5/1/40 and must stay
there as long as they have land communication with Paris. This would likely
foster the Dunkirk scenario. Every turn after 5/1/40 without the 10
divisions/BG gets the Germans one political point (as Spain and Turkey
observe the fecklessness of the UK as an allies) or one more production
point in French loot (as the French people cooperate more with the Germans
in disgust over the UK leaving them in the lurch).

Coding should be simple (he says as he doesn't have to code it) so as a
scenario it would allow the option to essentially re-create the blitzkrieg
of France.

- John