1940 France

Fall Gelb
 

        In May of 1940, it was France's turn to experience the German Blitzkreig.  The Panzer Leader/Panzerblitz game system first expanded into this theater in the 1970's with the publication of a counter set by Ramiro Cruz, published in The General magazine and the publication of another set by John Garrett, published in Outposts magazine.  For a look at these two sets, as well as an article about them by Carl Schwamberger, please visit the Imaginative Strategist website.  Both sets have been in use for many years, but Byron Henderson and myself felt that an updated set, particularly concerning the tanks, was overdue.  The notes published by Alan Arvold on the Imaginative Strategist on how the original PB/PL counters were configured have allowed us to create a revision of the Cruz set which better meshes with the other now existing countersets, including the early Germans published on this site.  This has been a joint project primarily between Byron Henderson and myself.  I would also like to thank Glen Coomber for his valuable input, as well as the usual gang on Comsimworld whose thoughts and research have influenced this project whether they knew it or not.  For Byron's notes on this counter set, you will find them in the French Notes link..  Following that are three countersheets of updated French and a few British.  Though many units have remained the same, we felt it would be less confusing to publish the whole French counterset together in this one place.  Following the countersets, please find Tables of Organization for the German, French, and British armies for use with PB/PL.
 

French Notes.pdf

French Sheet One.zip

French Sheet Two.zip

French Sheet Three.zip

Brit1940.zip
Brit Notes.pdf

 

Tables of Organization

          In the six months or so since the fall of Poland, the German army has been re-outfitted and brought back up to strength.  The four Light divisions have been upgraded to full Panzer divisions.  The tanks have been improved as more Pz III's and many Pz 38t's are now in service.  Motorized Infantry divisions are still lacking in number and the infantry in the Panzer divisions are still mostly riding in trucks. The French army is large and contains many mobile units, although they are spread across the front.  Remember that the Germans won this campaign because they concentrated their Panzer divisions and the French mobile units were used piecemeal and in an uncoordinated fashion.  On paper, you can see that the French army could have been more than a match for the Germans if used differently.
          Below are tables of organization for the two armies for use in PB/PL.  Hopefully, people will find these useful when building scenarios to help accurately represent the proper unit organizations and equipment for this campaign.  Each link is a PDF file.
          Note: if anyone wants to use their "Cruz" or "Garrett" units in place of mine on these tables, simply substitute them on a tank for tank basis.  The organization will remain the same.
 

                                                                  German Army                             French Army

1st Panzer                    
2nd Panzer
3rd Panzer
4th Panzer    
5th Panzer
6th Panzer
7th Panzer                 
8th Panzer     
9th Panzer             
10th Panzer
SS Verfugungs Mot. Infantry  
SS Totenkopf Mot. Infantry

Grosse Deutchland Mot. Inf.
Motorized Infantry       
11th Motorized Brigade   
Infantry 1st Wave    
Infantry 2nd Wave      
Infantry 3rd Wave

Infantry 4th Wave
Infantry 5th Wave
Infantry 6th Wave    
Infantry 7th Wave
Infantry 8th Wave
Infantry 9th Wave                  
Infantry Static    
Cavalry             
1st Mountain
2nd Mountain      
3rd Mountain   
 

 

1st DCR Reserve Armored
2nd DCR Reserve Armored
3rd DCR Reserve Armored
1st DLM Light Mechanized
2nd DLM Light Mechanized     
3rd DLM Light Mechanized
1st DLC Light Cavalry
2nd DLC Light Cavalry
3rd DLC Light Cavalry
4th DLC Light Cavalry
5th DLC Light Cavalry
GBC Tank Battalion Groups
1st DIM Mechanized Infantry        
3rd DIM Mechanized Infantry
5th DIM Mechanized Infantry
9th DIM Mechanized Infantry
12th DIM Mechanized Infantry
15th DIM Mechanized Infantry
25th DIM Mechanized Infantry
DI Infantry Series A
DI Infantry Series B
DI Colonial Infantry
 
British Organizations

Infantry
51st Highlanders
Armored Battalions
 

 

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