Le Dragon Imperial

[Polish Hussaria]

Hey guys, I'm going to be posting a French AAR starting in 1936. The first update should be out later today, as I have plenty of free time. Just a quick question before I get started: I read somewhere that you can't hyperlink your screenshots out of the paradox website. Is this ture and if so, does anyone out there know how to post screens? Please note, this is my first AAR, and it is very ambitious, so please, try not to be too critical.
Also, another thing, I will be using the noneutrality "cheat", as it realises the game a little bit. Especially when playing as a nation like France or Romania.

[Avindian]

Use an image hosting service -- imageshack.us is a good one that's free. Then you copy the link and paste it into your AAR.

[Polish Hussaria]

Detachee I: Introduction



This AAR will be a blend of both narrative and gameplay. It will follow the lives of two different pairs of soldiers, Henri Papelot & Yves Becotte and Phillipe Larreiu & Nicolas Prevatt. Papelot and Becotte serve in the 25 infantry division, comprising of 3 foot and 1 motorized brigades. On the other hand, Larreiu and Prevatt serve in the 5th colonial foot regiment, comprised of 1 anti tank brigade, and 2 infantry brigades.

Background Information:

Henri Papelot: Born in the very heart of Belgium, Brussels. Failed out of high-school and decided to abandon the family craft of shoe making to pursue a military career. He enlisted at age 18, and is regarded as one of the best soldiers in the entire brigade. Papelot is now 26, and eager to see action. Little does he know, that soon he will be returning home....

Yves Becotte: Born in Bordeaux, South France. He graduated from the university of Paris in 1932, at age 18. He is widely considered a prodigy amongst his followers, whom see no sense in him enlisting for the military. Becotte's audacious and overwhelming personality made it hard for him to fit in, but Papelot and him became good friends. Now, at age 22, Yves, afraid of the looming war, considers leaving the military and becoming a politician.

Phillipe Larreiu: Born in Constantine, Algeria. Graduated top of his class from high-school, and enlisted in the French officer corps. He is the son of General Audet, a prestigious comander of the 12th infantry division. Because the general abandoned the Algeria after the revolt was suppressed, a French land baron adopted him and gave him his last name, Larreiu. Unfortunately, Larreiu did not do as well as hoped and only became an artillery crew commander.

Nicolas Prevatt: The son of a Parisian street urchin, nothing is known about Prevatt's history. He know serves under Larreiu in the artillery brigade of the 5th colonial foot regiment.

It is now 1936, and the French nation is in turmoil. Nearly half the people are pro-revolutionary, and the armed forces are severely under-funded. With Hitler growing more and more aspiratious every day, the French may need to seek their own imperial glory, should they want to challenge Hitler.
The current state of finances in France.

The current state of technology in France.


So that is the story behind the main characters, hopefully you guys enjoy it so far, and soon (probably tomorrow) I'll have an update for you.

[Polish Hussaria]

Detachee 2: The Empire of Politicians and Warriors


January 8th, 1936
Henri: "Commander, why are we being redeployed?"
Commander: To be honest, I don't know, all I can tell you is that we are going to the Ardennes
Henri: But why? Our enemies are the Germans, not the Belgians.
Commander: Keep marching, I have no more to say to you.
Henri: Yes sir.
Yves: I really don't think the commander likes you..
Henri: I don't think he likes anyone.....
Yves: I can't stand this crap..... We haven't had real food in days...
Henri: I'm sure imperial HQ is on it Yves. The country's on the verge of civil war remember...
Yves: I suppose your right... But none the less.. We should stand up for rights...
Henri: Shut your mouth Yves, there will be no talk of mutiny in these ranks.
Yves: We'll see. Just watch! If the Germans attack now, all of France would fall!
Page(To Commander): Yes sir. Your troops are among the host of 18 divisions that will fall upon our enemies.
Commander: We are ready to move whenever you are ready sir. Our reserves have been mobilized and it appears that everyone is here.
Page: Excellent, I shall send word to General Audent.

Yves and Henri on the march to the Belgian border in early 1936.

French redeployment along the Belgian border.

However, in an attempt to reinforce their positions along the recently completed Italian defense line, divisions were pulled from across the empire from garison duties. One such division was the 5th colonial division. The 5th Colonial was sent to Marsielle in an attempt to prepare the port, should war break out. Unlike the army, however, the navy was rebased to northern france, in preperation for any attempt made by Germans, Belgians, or Dutch to reinforce their colonies. Little did the world know, European unification would come in the form of the French.

Phillipe: I have heard bad news from all across the empire.
Nicolas: Little could be worse than this...
Phillipe: What are you talking about?? These accrused revolutionaries are causing the government to act for the first time in fifty years!
Courier: Phillipe Larreiu. I am looking for Phillipe Larreiu.
Phillipe: What business do you have for me?
Courier: By order of brigade commander, you are to take one man with yourself to the village of Watteau and interrogate a German spy.
Phillipe: Why me?
Courier: That is not a question to ask me. Go now.
Phillipe: Nicolas, come with me. We will ask this German a few questions...
Nicolas: Yes commander.
(Arrive in Watteau)
Nicolas: What now?
Phillipe: We need to meet at the rendezvous point.. Where was it again?
Nicolas: Wait. Look. (Stands at attention)
Maurice Gamelin: Yes, it is me. Maurice Gamelin, supreme commander of French forces in France.
Phillipe: It is an honour sir.
Gamelin: We have no spy. We are here to discuss your brigade.
Phillipe: I am a mere artillery commander. What business do I have with the entire brigade?
Gamelin: I am making you supreme commander of the 4th colonial army. Your friend is to assist you in making decisions.
Phillipe: This is an honour I cannot accept sir. Besides, there are only 3 colonial armies.
Gamelin: I have scoured the nation for the brightest and best commanders, for I plan to unleash hell on Europe. I am forming a new army consisting of 12 divisions, 9 foot and 3 armoured, to send to Indochina. We need to defend our colonies and you will be the one who does just that.
Nicolas: We cannot sir, we are not adept enough to command an army.
Gamelin: This is not a choice. You must not tell anyone. My plan is built on the idea of surprise.
Nicolas: Who knows?
Gamelin: You, me, and about a dozen other selected commanders. Your army will assemble in 110 days, near Marseille. Do not fail me. If Saigon falls, our nation falls.
Phillipe: It is an honour sir.
Gamelin: Goodbye friends.

And thus The Plan, was hatched. And France prepared to shock the world.

Invasion of Belgium Plan "Operation Chocolate Waffle"

[Khazorath]

You do realise that Belgiums independence is guarenteed by the UK right?

[Polish Hussaria]

UK is a member of the allies. As is France. The AI always puts the alliance before guarantees.

[Avindian]

A very interesting and unconventional opening; I have to say it's refreshing.

[Polish Hussaria]

Detachee 3: Operation Choclate Waffle

This update will focus mostly on gameplay and have small interuptions with dialogue.

So, on February 1st, French reserves were mobilized and ready to launch Operation Chocolate Waffle, the conquest of Belgium and her colony(s). French intelligence, under the FIR program(French Intelligence & Reconiasance), suggested the Belgians would surrender, should their European land be taken, and that the government would most likely not flee to the colonies. And thus at 00:00, February 1st, French divisions poured across the Belgian lines and aimed at seizing the nation in no more than 2 months. The French were not used to quick military victories, as they still remembered the trench warfare of WW1. But the armored revolutionary Gamelin decided that if one was to launch a surprise attack, he would have to conquer set objectives. Objectives for the quick armored divisions to capture are marked with a blue dot on this map. Logistical and Strategic bombing targets are shown with red "check" marks.

And so the invasion began, and the french advanced quickly under the cover of British, Iraqi, and French bombers.

This is what the French had accomplished in 2 days. But then, disaster struck. The Dutch agreed to give sanctuary to Belgian soldiers. Traitors. It is only a matter of time before the armies of the Republic get to them.

Belgians encircled along the coast.

The battle for Brussels. The 3rd armoured pulled out of the attack and decided to attempt to comepletely encircle the city's defenders.
The 25th Infantry Division took part in the battle.
Yves: (Under Fire) Hahaha, Henri you said you wanted to go home.
Henri: (Firing his Springfield) This is not what I meant, but if unification helps stop the Germans, I will do whatever it takes!!
Yves: Wait.. What is that on the other side of the city?
Henri: No one said that there would be tanks!!
Sergeant: Do not worry boys.. Their our tanks! The third Armoured Division swept around the Belgian's flank and are now attacking the city aswell.
Henri: And they suspected this would last two months!
Yves: I know! The city will be secured in days.
Sergeant: Keep fighting!! We must advance!!


French troops on the way to Belgian Congo.

Haha! The French have done it!


Exactly one month and one hour after the formal declaration of war, the Belgians sign an armistice with the French. The terms: Annexation into the French Empire.
Nicolas: Haha Phillipe, I told you the army could pull it off!
Phillipe: I still don't know why we are invading countries whom aren't our enemies!
Nicolas: What are you talking about, with Belgium under our guidance, we are sure to be able to Germans. I say we push on to Berlin as soon as we are ready!
Phillipe: Well it's a good thing you are not supreme allied commander!
Nicolas: What are you talking about? With the British, we are unstoppable!
Phillipe: Maybe. But we have no right to take German independance.
Nicolas: God damnit! Who cares how the rest of the world sees us? Our armies are unstoppable, and our leaders resilient.
Phillipe: Nicolas, we are now commanders of the Asiatic armies, not the European ones.
Nicolas: Then on to Tokyo!

[Kurt_Steiner]

Finally a French war plan that is not called "Café au lait"!

Congrats for the first victory, that will be followed by many more.

[Khazorath]

Holland, switzerland then spain?

[Polish Hussaria]

Finally a French war plan that is not called "Café au lait"!

Congrats for the first victory, that will be followed by many more.

Well, we'll see. In test games I have had manpower "issues". Also, one of the biggest problems with the French is their armoured divisions. Their light armoured tanks are horrible in comparison to the Germans, so I have to use the armoured divisions. This increases both training time and production cost. And the armoured can only travel at 6mph compared to the German light armoured's 8mph. Who knows, I may go to Italy before it joins the Axis.... Many possibilities.

[Polish Hussaria]

Holland, switzerland then spain?

Depends..... Holland is definite. (I need indonesia). Spain will be attacked when they are weakest, The Civil War. Switzerland is a no... That would ruin the purpose of the Maginot. I have been thinking of Persia, Saudi, Turkey, Bulgaria. You know, the annoying oil producing nations. But as stated before if I can get to Italy, I will.

[Polish Hussaria]

Detachee 4: The Big One & The Small One

The campaign has been going well. The French are ready to attack their first actual "empire". The Dutch possess colonies in the Americas, and most importantly, Asia. Indonesia also has large quantities of oil (petrolium). The only problem is that the British could take large parts of Indonesia while my troops are still fighting the Dutch in Europe. I have chosen to use a much smaller force to sieze the Netherlands, because I have sent about 4 divisions to surround Luxembourg. Once the Luxembourers are defeated, they will be sent to aid the 10 or so in the Netherlands.

So here we go:

The position of the French army after the Belgian surrender.
I spent the next month letting the AI redeploy my forces and finally I was ready. May 1st. I again assumed control.

And so I threw myself into war with both the Dutch and Luxembourg.

However, unlike the last war, I only have one armoured objective, and that is to secure a bridgehead across the river that runs straight through Holland.

French troops move across the Dutch border. Notice, that because we need to save time, I chose not attack the HQ corps, as it would mean that the division that attacked would have to wait another 156 hours before attacking again.

The battle of Luxembourg is over. It is a clear and decisive victory for us.

The first defeat of the French military in the last 3 months. Dutch resiliance impresses the French. Many more soldiers are wounded, including Yves Becotte.
Yves: The bastards shot me in the leg...
Henri: I'll get a medic, our first aid teams are some of the best in the world.
Yves: No.. Don't you dare
Henri: Why?
Yves: This war has made me an even more patriotic Frenchman.. If I have to sit on the sidelines while my brothers succeed, I would kill myself..
Henri: Very well, but if you are wounded again, I am calling a medic.
French Soldier: Lookout!! British bombers flying overhead.
Yves: Damn the British! They have done nothing to aid us excpet send a couple bombers.
Henri: Did you expect anything less?
Soldier: Dutch artillery strike! Get to cover!!
Yves: Hand me my rifle and lets go.
Henri: Of course.

Revenge, French style. Please note, I am carrying out an invasion of the Indonesian islands. Nicolas and Phillipe's army assembled, and they were sent to Indochina.

After about a month and a half of fighting, the Dutch accept French supperiority and surrender.

French presence in Asia nearly doubles due to the annexation of the Dutch.

Where the hell are they going?

[Avindian]

Very nice work; what's your plan for Germany? In effect, to extend the Maginot line?

[Polish Hussaria]

@Avindian That is a good question. In the test games I have played, normally I pump production of air units in1939. Then when the Germans do attack I fall across Holland, and launch a naval invasion in their rear flank.(As long as the Polish last, I can keep on harassing the Germans with naval invasions). Then I use my bombers to blow every logistical building in Holland to shreds. Hopefully, this will delay reinforcements and supplies enough for me to be able to encircle and destroy the Germans in Holland. But then again, who knows...

[Kurt_Steiner]

Will Hitler dare to defy this powerful France?

[Polish Hussaria]

Will Hitler dare to defy this powerful France?

Well, I'm debating whether to let the Spanish war resolve itself, and go after the Middle East in the next few months, or to just grab as much of Iberia as I can(accursed British Gibraltar) and then try and beat Hitler. Either way, I want to get my rocket research program up. I find rockets are great at strategic bombing. My rocket tech should be up and done soon, and I should have a test site up by '37. I'll decide tonight and then post an update tomorrow.

[Polish Hussaria]

Detachee 5: The 2 Deserts

France was left with an industrail capacity of 222 with the death and annexation of the Dutch empire. This allowed the French to alot extra money into the production of war-related goods, and for some reason, French consumers were not demanding much. It is as if France was unified for the first time in the last 50 years, soley for the purpose of global expansion. The French researchers in Paris had completed a study on basic rocket theory, and were now demanding a test site. Seeing the opportunity for rockets in times of war, the French government gave the facility top priority. This was the state of the French economy after the Dutch annexation.


French reconaisance units scout the area for Persian geurillas in early 1937.

Part 1: The Sauds and Their Black Gold

French Troops on the march through king Abdul Aziz's palace courtyard.
On July 23rd, 1936, France delivered an ultimatum to Saudi Arabian government, accept French rule and assimalate into the French empire, or face the consequences and be destroyed. In preperation for the Saudi refusal, France mustered her forces. Eleven brigades were sent to British Emirates, totaling no more than 36,000. Thee eleven brigades were put under the command of Beirut HQ, and entitled the French Expeditionary Force Ensuring Middle Eastern Cooperation, or more informaly FEFEMEC. FEFEMEC had some of the best units in the French military. The had 3 brigades, 9000 men, of the elite French mountaineer corps. These were hardy Swiss volunteers whom greatly outshowed the regular infantry in every engagement. Then they had the Parisian cavalry brigade, some fine soldiers, but were better fit for reconaisance than actual combat. Accompanying the cavalry, was 1 brigade of motorized infantry, set with the task of guarding the Parisians at all costs. Finally, there were 6 infantry brigades, split between two infantry divisions. These were veterans of the Belgian-Dutch wars, and were some of the best infantry in the world.


On August 3rd, after 1 month of bitter negotiation, and the weak British primeminister Stanley Baldwin unable to reach a decisive victory, France ordered the attack. French troops invaded just North of the city of Al Damman. French mountaineers were dropped even farther North, in an effort to secure the key strategic oil fields. The French were not alone in their war against the Sauds. The British Indian Army, or BIA, numbered at around 27,000 men. BIA was supported by the Royal Iraqi Army, or RIA. Together these forces numbered at around 50, 000 men. RIA & BIA attacked from the North, to which the Saudi's responed with about 5,000 men. And finally, to the South, the Yemenis and Omanis sent their royal guard, numbering at around 30,000. So all in all, the combined allied force numbered at around 116,000. This force was going up against some 30,000 Saudis.

In no more than 2 weeks, the capital of Saudi Arabia was under seige by 2 French infantry divisions. In 2 days of bitter street fighting, 700 Saudis were dead, 10 Frenchmen were fatally struck or wounded, and the Saudi palace was looted. It was a disaster on the part of the Saudis. The defenders of the city outnumbered the French, but they were completely outclassed. The French pulled off a stunning victory. The king of Saudi, Abdul Aziz, reviewed his options.
He could surrender to the French and live a life in exile, most likely in British controlled Kuwait, or he could fight to the last man and hope that Germany, Italy, or the Soviet Union saves him. He chose to surrender his lands, and soon Saudi Arabia was incorporated into the French empire. The French had gotten their strategic oil, but they wanted more. Just 1 day after the defeat of the Saudis, they headed back North, to Al Damman, were the transport ships were waiting.



Part 2: Persian Rugs for Everyone!

Supplies kept the French soldiers motivated!
Just 1 month and a half after the defeat of the Saudis, France stunned the world by delivering another ultimatum: Persia is to surrender to us, or both Afghanistan and Persia will fall together. This worried the British greatly, because the Persians and Afghans could work together to destroy British India, and the BIA was still in parts of British Saudi! Negotiations went on for 1 week, but once again, the spineless Stanley Baldwin failed to impress French diplomats, and on October 23rd, the French troops advanced.


The FEFEMEC was sent to land at the port of Alivaz, and once again the elite mountaineers and 1 infantry division were sent to secure the strategic oil fieds just to the East. The allied armies numbered only at around 80,000 due to the lack of Yemenis and Omanis. Afghanistan was kept out of the war- for now. This left the Persians with a force 30-40 thousand strong. These troops were also better equiped than the Saudis. The war was difficult, as Persia is huge, but after two months of basically fighting a geurilla insurgency, almost half of Perisa is under French/British control. See second picture above. Notice the Persian offensive into British India.

After 5 months of combatting the Persian geurilla army, the French finally prevail. Now, the French have a hold on a good 1/8 of the world's oil. The only question now is, who the hell is left to conquer?

[KyrionMyrthar]

Nice twist!

How do you activate the cheats? Is that the ~ character and you type noneutrality?

[Polish Hussaria]

yep, and then you press ~ to close the menu... Although I only suggest using noneutrality, as the other ones disbalance gameplay