Scenario 35 The French Decide to Fight
Scott B
Operation Torch link. Taking Port-Lyautey link. Airodrome link. USS Dallas in Wadi Seboul link.
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Operation Torch was the beginning. The Allied expeditionary force linked ground, sea and air units from both the United States and the Commonwealth. They would liberate Vichy French North Africa and go on to Sicily, Italy and southern France. They toppled Mussolini from power and caused Italy to surrender. They eventually made contact with Patton’s army and by March of 1945 they crossed the Rhine river into Germany. Over one million Americans would see service in the Mediterranean over the next two and half years.
The Chiefs of Staff were concerned the invasion of North Africa would precipitate Spain to abandon neutrality and join the Axis. Should the Straits of Gibraltar close then the entire Allied lines of communication would be cut-off. The Planners chose Casablanca to ensure an overland supply route if necessary, instead of the more eastern Bône. So the landing sites of Casablanca, Oran and Algiers were chosen.
The Vichy French question remained unresolved when US forces landed at Port-Lyautey. Negotiations to join the Allies had failed, but neither was there consensus and French willpower was questionable. Hostilities commenced and the French coastal batteries, infantry and strafing planes greeted the US forces. However, there was sympathy toward the Allied cause and distaste for the current fighting. It continued until they were defeated but with diminishing zeal. By 11 November, the airfield at Port-Lyautey was in US hands and P-40 planes from the carrier CHENANGO were landing, ready to support operations against the Axis. Rommel’s days in North Africa were numbered.
INITIAL PLACEMENT
Vichy French Comments
The Surrender Rules (153) cause an NMC when units face a strong enemy presence while not within range of a Leader. Failing the NMC breaks the unit. It feels like a very basic form of Command and Control and I prioritized placement of units near Leaders over better tactical positions. I assigned each leader several squads and weapons and placed these groups close for mutual support.
However, keeping these groups mutually supportive was at the cost of better tactical positions covering the enemy’s avenues of approach. Tactical placement would have left units isolated and subject to Surrender. The US must cross open ground to reach the airport and the Vichy French could have covered it and then fallen back slowly, running down the clock. However, my setup gave up the open ground to avoid Surrender. This made the US approach a walk in the park.
The initial placement question is whether to minimize Surrender or setup to cover open ground with isolated units subject to Surrender. It is common knowledge that US firepower in normal range is very strong, and letting them close could be a fatal mistake. However, isolated units that break from the mere presence of the enemy and have little chance to rally is probably not a winning strategy either. I am not entirely convinced my choice is the best but have faith my worthy opponent will show me the wisdom (or foolishness) of my ways.
US Comments
At game start, there are no Allied forces on the board and not many decisions before the game gets going. US forces enter as variable reinforcements over the first four turns.
Based on the luck of the draw, the US commander can pick the advance routes for their entering forces. Attention must be paid to the fire lanes for French MGs and Ordinance. Avoid them when it is not necessary to take risks. Soon the US player will have to apply his force to move the French away from the target. Because of this, I wanted to make sure that there were rout locations picked out for US forces that didn’t make it across those open areas under the guns of the French.
GAME TURN ONE TO FOUR
US Comments
The US has a fairly easy go as the French HMG breaks down on its first shot. Conversely, the aerial observer is shot down prior to delivering his 100mm OBA. He had one chance to call in an FFE and passed. Then he never got the second try. It takes a few turns before the Americans can get to the French and in position.
The GIs trapped the stack of French to the east. Their separation from the main force may cause the wood line in the south to fall to the Americans. In the North, Allied advance will spread out to avoid large return fire. To the northwest, the 8-1 leader will take on a stack of French units in the central woods. The AFVs wait for a hole to open. If we can just keep the HMG broken for a bit longer…..
Vichy French Comments
The most serious damage to the Vichy French was caused by the Vichy French. The HMG malfunctioned on the first shot and this allowed the US to advance across open ground unmolested. Worse, the US stacked squads and leaders for six movement points without fear of defensive fire. This quick traverse was a victory over the real US opponent - time.
US Comments
The US attack is making slow steady progress, but time is getting short. Having the HMG back in operation has really put a damper on the forward motion of the GIs. The French have done a good job of eliminating any use of the new rules attached to this scenario.
The spotter plane was shot down before it could call in its first naval gunfire.
The French use of the leaders to closely supervise their troops has prevented any widespread surrender of their men.
The US AFVs have had little influence on the battle.
Even the US smoke grenades have been lacking when they were sorely needed.
It seems anytime the GIs have been caught bunched up, they have been punished by the HMG. This has been a tough nut to crack….
Vichy French Comments
Mistakes were made.
I completely missed a US fire mission and moved a 9-1 and 2x457s out of entrenchment and into a FFE and KIA.
The radio was disabled without ever placing a fire mission.
A 8-0 and 2x457 interdicted oncoming US forces and overextended themselves. They ended up in the graveyard without achieving anything.
The most successful tactic thus far was remaining concealed in a +3 woods/entrench hex. The US spent precious time before breaking concealment. They didn’t last long after losing it.
The best shot came from the 9-1/237/HMG. The US advanced a full stack into the LOS of the malfunctioned HMG only to see it repaired that rally phase. They immediately received fire that broke the stack and greened 3x666s (Green troops are roughly equivalent to inexperienced units).
Now the Vichy French will try to spread out and run down the clock. Hopefully there are too many French and not enough turns.
US Comments
To this point, the game was frustrating for the Americans. With no way to get a handle of the French, the Americans in the south kept crawling forward to get at them. At the same time, the remaining American leaders in the North started rallying their troops to get back in the fight. They had to come back from the disastrous reappearance of the tower HMG. Finally, the GIs got a chance to make a dispersed attack by moving into the southern woods together. They needed a chance and they got it when the French player gave them an unmolested Defensive Fire Phase. This went very well as the U.S. broke everything in sight with old fashioned fire power. The game turned toward the Allies with 2 Turns to go and the French surrendered.
Vichy French Comments
US firepower is a terrible thing, especially against the disheartened Vichy French. The strong US fire group brought an end to VF resistance. What they didn’t break, the French malfunctioned, leaving a heap of broken guns and radios for their new owners. I threw in the towel with two good order squads and two crews remaining; the US had plenty of time (two turns) to mop things up. This Vichy French commander lost his appetite for the fight.
AFTERMATH
US Comments
This scenario introduces new rules on aerial observers, surrender, and building changes. Admittedly, the building changes are fairly minor with the introduction of level one elevations that really only affect the control tower. The use of canister (C7) with the Stuart tanks could be a great bonus for the U.S. as well.
You have to hand it to the Vichy French. A great use of AA gun fire, close supervision of their troops with leaders and good use of the terrain, deprived the U.S. of all of these new advantages. Early, the observation aircraft was shot down costing the Americans the use of the 100mm OBA. The French leaders kept everyone in line and prevented an early surrender of their forces until Turn 7. The Stuarts were pinned up behind trees hiding from ATGs for most of the game eliminating possible use of canister ammo until Turn 7 when it was ineffective.
It was a well organized defense that could have won the game. The Americans finally moved into position and won this the old fashioned way with lots of Fire Power. Early on, they had to crawl forward under fire to get at the French to deliver the shots. It was a very frustrating game until the end. The American player had to keep moving forward and not give up for the win. Thanks to Scott for an excellent lesson in defense. It could have just as easily gone the other way.
Vichy French Comments
The Vichy French don’t have much to look forward to in this scenario. They are only the unwilling targets of a US 9-2 directing a .50 HMG, a module of 100mm OBA directed by aerial observation, a module of 80mm directed by a Radio, US elite squads 6-6-7s, two Stuarts firing canister (C7, no TH roll in GIA), and the excellent 60mm mortar. Facing such a superior opponent quite reasonably subjects them to Surrender.
One of the only joys of this scenario is the 9-1 directed French HMG in the aerodrom’s tower. The US squads must scamper across open ground in its LOS, where the HMG can enjoy negative movement and open ground modifiers. Even this brief pleasure was denied when the HMG malfunctioned on its first shot.
The other joy is the game length is relatively short considering the distance the US forces must traverse to the aerodrome. It is three to four turns to get to the French line of resistance and that does not leave much time to take control of the victory hexes around the runway. It's a desperate feeling when the only hope of victory is avoiding annihilation for nine turns, while knowing your annihilation is inevitable. That feeling is about as historically accurate as this scenario can get.
RESOURCES
“The French Decide to Fight”. G.I.: ANVIL OF VICTORY. Baltimore MD; the Avalon Hill Game Company, 1982. https://storage.googleapis.com/archivesqlt/DAO00035A.pdf
“Battle of Port Lyautey”. Wikipedia. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Port_Lyautey
“Operation Torch”. Wikipedia. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch
George F. Howe. “United States Army in World War II; Mediterranean Theater of Operations; Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West”. History Division, Department of the Army. Washington, D.C. 1957.
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/USA-MTO-NWA-8.html
Maj John T Gray. “CSI Battlebook 3-A, Operation Torch”. Combat Studies Institute, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Fort Leavenworth. May 1984. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA151625.pdf
https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4013coll8/id/4826/
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/USA-MTO-NWA-5.html
Namesake of scenario