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French HQ worth it?


Kuniworth

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Post your opinions please. I almost always buy a hq but is it really necessary? Against the best players you get 1-3 axis units eliminated of which one is just a corps. 410 MMP(Bilotte and Weygand) is almost 1 2/3 armies or 3 1/2 corps.

I think it´s important for the allied player to set is goals during fall gelb. Surrender as early as april 1940 could be ok if you keep british and canadian casualties at a minimum. Surrender during august-july could mean that sea-lion will fail.

Please post your opinions.

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In my very limited opinion against the AI it is never worth the cost to buy a French HQ. Use the French MMP to reinforce the armies/corps that are attacked and perhaps purchase an army or corps for the defence of Paris.

However the Axis will take Paris, (that's the one in France Rambo, not Texas :D ), no matter what. In terms of TCP/IP or PBEM I cannot comment.

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In the root scenario I don't think it's worthwile spend the required MPPs to build them.

When they appear in custom made scenarios I've found them to be very useful, especially if successfully evacuated after the fall of France.

[ July 24, 2003, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

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This question would take some calculations and mathematical thinking to come up with the optimale solution. Between sep 1939 and june 23 there is around 10 axis turns. In supply it doesnt make much diffrence, what you lose is the combat bonus and commander rating in the readiness calculation.

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It seems strange that France isn't given a HQ in the standard 1939 scenario. France probably had the largest standing army in Europe at the time. Perhaps the lack of a HQ is to simulate the doctrinal deficiencies of the French High Command which was, in 1939, fully prepared and organised to fight the First World War once again.

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I used to buy French HQs and evac them with all of the french army - a couple to slow down the germans. Then use them just like another force. I don't remember if it worked though.... i'm gonna go try it out

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Exactly Night, it depends on your overall strategy for the Allies. If you play in the Med., like trying to take Iraq, the French HQ is invaluable as a supply link. You just got to know when to evac. the continent before France falls and a couple of French units help also. The thing is, it's a balance between holding out on the continent, preventing Seelowe, and offensive intentions to slow the German build up to Barbarossa.

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I always buy one first turn then hopefully invade Low and get my armies some experience and then if Axis is stupid enough to let me get some entrenchment. well we all know what can happen there. Counter attacks against units on the Rhine can cause massive damage with a hq behind them. And those that like to attack the Maginot with a corp to entice Italy's readiness uisually pay for it when a HQ is backing that line.

But these are just my opinions.

If you don't escape with it then you made a costly error.

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In the longterm sense it's worth it for the French to build one if they can evacuate it through Brest, where it can transport, reach the UK port at Manchester and offload during the same turn!

If French air fleets are also brought over the HQ is very useful commanding them. I like to place it near Scapa Flow, where there's a UK supply gap, as a safeguard against a German landing in the north. This has paid off several times against aggressive Axis players. The French air fleets perform best in central Britain where they can support the RAF units without being attacked directly themselves. Do to the game settings the French units don't progress in tech after the Fall of France, as the game moves along they have to be placed in an ever less active role, or be lost.

A common mistake I see in newer players is using the Canadian units as though they were UK. This is okay early on, but the Canadians never progress past the L=0 level, so later on they're of little use against the evolved Axis Forces. Also, they're irreplaceable and would be the only forces available to defend Canada if the UK falls, so a little thought should be given to their deployment.

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