French Fleet

[OSCS]

I wonder what is going to be in that box?

MY take:
Arras-class gunboat
2 x Fairmile type Bs
4 x Vospers (2 each)

• This topic was modified 5 years ago by OSCS.

[Richard Coates]

Is this something that you’ve seen or heard about happening, or just a hypothetical? The Flower-class corvette seems fairly important for the Free French Navy – perhaps too big for a fleet box though.

[OSCS]

Speculation! There is an article about the Free French fleet and since the game is a big hit. I figured the Free French could be next perhaps CS-11. They also used the sub chaser already in production.

[Bill Smith]

The Arras class gunboats would be an excellent addition to the fleets.

They were designed to resemble small coastal steamers (Q ships in effect), so in model form they could be built as either gunboats or as merchant vessels.

[invisible officer]

The Arras type did not see much action in Cruel sea style actions.

Arras was transfered by RN FNLF but just used as barrack ship. Belfort was FNLF too, depot for 23rd MTB flotilla.

Lassigny (Vichy) decommissioned 1940

Les Eparges (Vichy) scuttled at Toulon 1942 Raised and converted into minesweeper M6060

Coucy seized by RN and became training ship
Epinal FNLF , same

Vauquois sunk by mine 1940

Amiens was converted with a twin 37 mm turret seized by RN 1940.

Calais was decommissioned but used in defence of Dakar against RN

Tahure (Vichy navy in Asia) was sunk by US Sub Flasher at Indo-China

[Richard Coates]

As much as I’d like to see a Free French fleet product, I think the Royal Navy ones are probably so close as to not make a separate one likely.

I’m looking forward to getting the Surcouf on the table, although it’s more suited as an objective than a serious fighting vessel. The fact that it lacked submersible capabilities for most of the war makes it ideal as a larger vessel for the Cruel Seas rules at the moment; I just need to get the model finished and not keep getting distracted by French tanks and aircraft models…

[invisible officer]

A true 1/300 Surcouf would be great.

I have a special interest in that vessel. Surcouf’s officers resisted in Operation Catapult. Killing Cdr. Sprague, LT Griffiths and leading seaman Webb, gunned down suddenly with pistols hidden in the wardroom.

Poor Griffiths was shot in the back by the submarine’s doctor. He died two days later, 27 years old. Being fluent in French (learned as Boy at Tanger) he had volunteered for the mission-
His light sword ended in the IO sword collection. So I collected all informations I could get about him and the circumstances of his death.

[Richard Coates]

I think a 1/350 Surcouf is the closest you will get, but obviously works fine for Cruel Seas as that’s the same scale as other larger vessels.

The situation of Surcouf in Operation Catapult was unfortunate all round, especially given that it was then returned to the Free French. Surcouf has a fascinating story, particularly in terms of the lack of trust shown towards its crew, and it’s likely destruction by the US.

It is however a fantastic and fearsome looking submarine, even if the reality didn’t quite match up to the concept.

[elcee]

It is similar in every WW2 era game, after the fall of France there is no french equipment (/ships). In later war stages they only use US or British equipment (Land and Sea).
Although the free french navy uses some french ships in contrast to the army which only used non french equipment. But in general those ships were either few or obsolete.
I think the most numerous french (build) ship was the Elan class, im not sure though.

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