Taking France 39

[Titan]

Has anyone one done it?

I have come to the conclusion it would need to be done almost immeadiatley to have any chance of success.

The questions are what to do with poland?do you finish the job there first?
Do you go for pre war builds?

And is it worth the risk?

[otto]

I just did it in a 1.7(e) game that I just finished (Allies surrendered after Russia fell around turn 55).

The key are the pre-war builds. On turn three I attacked Poland and Low Countries. I think I took Brussels, Warsaw and Amsterdam. The key to taking Brussels & Amsterdam is to bounce the Netherlands division on (or near) Arnhem and attack/move straight up the road to Amsterdam. After you attack the Netherlands corps on the road to Amsterdam (hopefully you will have 70% of your turn left - I like to use a HQ, Recon Corps and a infantry corps supported with two bombers and rail guns) you then need to flood over the major river with all your mech/armor/artillery units that can move 12 or more(they should have been placed on the river on your 2 engineers - waiting for the Netherlands corps to be moved away). Then it is off to the races to Brussels and Amsterdam. You should have a very good shot at Amsterdam and a decent shot at Brussels.

Two 15 MP units will need to be in East Prussia due North of Warsaw. Those two units can go down the Vistula and attack Warsaw (with help of paras if you want) while a couple of inf corps (1 can be the boder) can belatedly attack the Polish units north of Warsaw. Assuming the Poles do not put in a fanatical defense of Warsaw you should have one of those mech units in the city, paras blocking Polish reinforcement from the west and the two closest Polish corps beat up and relatively harmless (if not completely eliminated or without movement points).

After this take a two to three turn breathier to get your units back from Poland and everyone lined up in Belguim. Pick Case Yellow and simply go straight for Paris. Do not get caught up in bringing Italy in or devising sopmething complicated. Just go straight for ParisI think it is 6 hexes away from Belgian border - not far given the Case Yellow affects. With the big 4 turn bonus do not be surprised if you are in Paris by turn 8. I think it was around turn 8 or 9 when I took Paris and the Allies had an extended Maginot Line.

It is not out of the realm of reason to have conquered Poland, France and the Low Countries by around turn 10 and quite frankly there is not much the Allies can do about it. This gives you plenty of time to take over the Balkans and begin your Egypt campaign BEFORE the Sitz.

Thankfully, Mark has made some changes to 1.8 that keep Poland in for another turn and does not allow Case Yellow until Spring 1940. Changes for the better in my opinion.

[Kraut]

It is possibly to take France in 39, I did it without the PreWar builds but just barely AAR (http://members.tripod.com/dr31tbk7hq/AAR39.htm)

If you choose the PreWar builds you absolutely have to take France in 1939 to justify the early US entry.

BUT if you opponent declared War on Germany early on and moved his colonial units back home to improve his defences you are in for a rough game and will surely take a lot of casulties even with Case Yellow in effect.