Here’s an idea for an optional rule to try out for the French fleet if you want to mirror reality.
When France surrenders, roll for any ships in the Atlantic normally. Any ships that join the Allies may “join up” with any British fleet within tactical movement range, move to Gibraltar, or go to England. Any ships that join the Axis move to the Baltic.
Any French ships in the Med become Vichy. Move them to the coast of Algeria inside the Med. This Vichy fleet is assumed to be in port at Oran.
If anyone attempts to invade any Vichy territory this fleet will attempt to attack the invader (the Axis player will control its movement). This fleet will only defend Vichy territory or attack Allied shipping that is in a sea zone adjacent to a Vichy territory – it will not engage in offensive operations against the Allies or enter any territory not adjacent to a Vichy-controlled territory except to attack an Allied fleet that is invading a Vichy territory. The Axis player may use the fleet against the Allies as he sees fit subject to these conditions and controls Vichy units in any battles. NOTE: The Vichy fleet cannot exit the Mediterranean.
Britain may attack this fleet at any time. If Britain attacks the Vichy fleet BEFORE the Vichy fleet has engaged in any operation the ships are considered to be in port when Britain attacks. For this battle all British units receive a +1 to their “to hit” number; Vichy units receive a -1. Vichy units may retreat after the first round of combat. If they retreat, they must retreat to Vichy France; if this territory is no longer Vichy they must move to any other Vichy territory; if there are no Vichy territories they can reach they are eliminated. If in this attack the British sink a battleship or cruiser (or any other ship if there is no battleship of cruiser present) the US draws one card for entry.
If the Axis take control of Vichy France any Vichy ships remaining they make the normal surrender roll to determine their fate. If the Allies take Vichy France or liberate Paris the ships join the Allies. If Vichy surrenders they make the normal surrender roll.
If Italy declares war on France before France surrenders, the French player must keep the French fleet in the Mediterranean. If the French fleet is not in the Med when Italy declares war they must immediately return to the Med on their next turn (if they themselves have not surrendered). The reason for this is because the primary mission of the French fleet was to defend French waters from the Italians; the British were to defend the Channel and Atlantic.
This of course will lead to the possibility that the French player will adopt a – shall we say – fatalistic view of his fleet and lead them on a kamikaze mission against the Italians. This would be unrealistic, since, as I said before, the reason for their fleet was to protect French waters. Therefore, the French may only attack an Italian fleet if they have more offensive factors to use in that battle (ship surface combat value plus anti-ship value of any aircraft) than the Italians have. If they do not meet this condition the French cannot attack that Italian fleet or cooperate with a British fleet in such an attack. In determining combat factors only French units are counted for the Allies.
HISTORICAL NOTE – the reason for the US card draw if the British attack the Vichy fleet is based on what happened historically. After the battle most of the American public was confused as to just why the British were fighting France. However, this also strengthened public opinion in favor of Britain since it demonstrated that Britain was determined to see the war to its finish and wouldn’t be making any accommodations with Hitler.
