Vichy French

[Tarty]

Has anyone done a Vichy French list ? Was thinking of attempting my own   I'm guessing there's not a huge demand ??

[pierre the shy]

I'm not a BKC player I'm afraid (tend to use Spearhead myself) but I would say rather than one general list you would want to break it down by theatre as the Vichy forces outside metropolitan France tended to be rely on rather unique regional troops (for example during "Operation Exporter" in Lebanon/Syria in 1941 the Vichy controlled 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment of the French Foreign Legion fought against two Free French brigades of the 1st Free French Division (including two battalions of the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade attached to the 1st Free French Brigade!!).

I would therefore respectfully suggest a breakdown for each separate Vichy held area:

Metropolian France (only a very few Vichy army units were permitted in Vichy France after June 1940)
North Africa
Levant (Lebanon/Syria)
Madagascar
Indo-China (if you feel really exotic and wish to refight actions from the breif Franco-Thai war before the Japanese took over in mid 1941).

The Vichy French are certainly an interesting and varied force to game with.

"Bonne Chance" with your BKC Vichy French gaming Tarty   


 

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Not an area I've much looked into. I suspect you should be able to get good info on the Levant and Tunisia, but the Far East would be difficult. My understanding is that the Colonial units were normally the same as Metropolitan ones unless native troops  such as the Morrocan Goumiers (sp) altghough the kit was somewhat older. Should be fun to reasearch.

[Tarty]

A couple of us are interested in doing Vichy in Levant particularly, yes you are right very different make up. Should be an interesting theatre to game.   

[pierre the shy]

Given the scale of the Australian participation in the Levant I thought that's where you might be looking at.

Look forward to seeing your forces and batreps as your project unfolds.