[Strategic Help]France 1939 first year of war

[Lys91]

I started the game in 1936. And the war started in early 1939.

Belgium, Netherlands, UK, South Africa, Canada, Mexico and Poland are allies members.

Well now in june 1939 Netherlands and Poland are under German control. Half of Belgium is also under German Control.

I developed industry tech to sustain the war effort, and I have around 210 IC and no lake of resources. My technologies is focused in Armor Division and Infantery, my land doctrine is Blitzkrieg one.

I have one front around Lille, I have a low number of unit there and when Belgium will fall I will be in big trouble.

My Second Front is around the Maginot Line and I was able to invade Stuttgart, but now Germany is leaving the East Front and I have to face a lot of new troops. The front line is too large and I can't manage to defend and if I go offensive I will open weak point to the German Army.

My third Front is in southern France with Italy. I invaded Torino and I'm trying to invade Genova but for now the city still resist. This front is ok and not a major problem.

In the next ten days I will have around ten new armored division and 6 infantry one.

I will go back to the game after my job. I need advice on what to do.

 

[Vanguard44]

In your situation I would build a shitload of infantry that would be ready by christmas or shortly afterwards. I would then use my available forces and the Belgians and Dutch to go on an offensive and take some strategic depth back that you can use to dig in for the winter while you're producing reinforcements to weigh the line or push in further. Holding the Germans back if they try and make an offensive over that area is much easier during the winter (re: battle of the bulge.) Although you may get a WW1-esque situation.

 

[Lys91]

Italian Front : mainly [mountain infantry] and some [armored+motorized] division

Maginot Line : mainly [infantry + artillery], some [armored+motorized] division.

Northern Front :mainly [infantry + artillery] (my weakest front)

Eastern Front (the one who made the offensive to stuggart) : 50/50 [infantry + artillery] and [armored+motorized]

So I should go for Infantry. Is there a way to call the British to help me by sending some troupes are bombing on the northern France front ? They are just sitting in their Island and make some tactical bombing.

Does the USSR will open an east front in 1941 ? If I can survive until then I have my chance.

 

[Lordban]

Incapable of replying about the Soviets, I'm afraid. The British probably aren't going to be much help in Allied-held territory, they're much more likely to try an invasion of Northern Germany.


In this situation I'd think of two alternatives:


I. "Play safe":

1. Withdraw from Stuttgart behind the Maginot, it's a much more defensible position and it frees up some reserves

2. Change nothing on the Italian front as long as the Italians don't push you back and don't get German help. Even if they do, you can hold them for a considerable time in the Alps

3. Build a huge batch of INF as soon as your ARM is deployed

4. Establish a weak front line with what's left of the Belgian and Dutch forces and what INF you can spare. Use your mobile reserves there to shore up the defenses in whichever provinces the Germans are attacking - you're actually seeking to achieve a WWI situation here, even if it is temporary

5. Deploy your new INF when they're ready, see how the situation stabilizes and prepare for the counterattack


II. Gamble:

1. Stabilize your Italian front, and withdraw from Stuttgart behind the Maginot

2. Gather all the armored and motorized forces you had in this area, and add to them the 10 divs you're about to deploy. Mass them somewhere around the Ardennes. Deploy your 6 INF on your left wing

3. Let the Germans push a little further while you're gathering your forces, and attempt a reverse-Dunkerque

 

[unmerged(38835)]

Keep a mobile reserve.
You dont know where they will use their troops that will arrive from poland.
Sometimes they will try to break through maginot with force.

 

[Lys91]

As I was starting to be interested to turning it into an AAR here the link : We won't surrender French AAR