French OOB Work in Progres

[Urban]

For the Special Forces look here :
Official site
http://www.forces-speciales.org/armees,defense,armee-francaise,page,cos,mod,france-armee.fr.html

in french sorry, so i summarize.

13th RDP (Parachute Dragoon Regiment): Human intelligence,long range recon, high furtivity
Equipement : VPS (SAS P4 version), Famas, SIG, HKMP5SD3,Benelli shotgun, high tech transmition, camo, ect
Missions : see and report, weapons for self defence only, could operat over or under water, in moutain, snow, jungle, desert, fully autonomous, air dropable (with vehicles).

1st RPiMa (Marine parachute regiment): Deep action (hostage rescue, high value target, ect) really more brutal than the RDP
Equipment : almost everything you want.
VLRA SAS with 4 ANF1 and 1 12.7 or Mk19 GL, Buggy, Quad, Moto (maybe mules or camels if needed )
FAMAS, HK G3, M4, AK 47 or 74, M203 GL, HK MP6 SD6, Uzi, Milan ATGM, sniper rifles (Ultima ratio, HECATE II, Barett M82 or M95. air dropable like the RDPs
Navy Commandos : Sea launched operations.
- JAUBERT (assault and close quarter combat)
- TREPEL (assault and rescue)
- DE PENFENTENYO (support and destruction)
- DE MONFORT (reco)
- HUBERT (under water, ship attack)
Equipment : Zodiac, high speed boat and various weapons

CPA n°10, 20 and 30 (Airborne commando):
- CPA 10 : search and destroy, reco, intelligence
- CPA 20 : air base security
- CPA 30 (RESCO): combat rescue for pilots

DOS and EHS : Helicopters and aircrafts for special ops (C130, Transal, Puma RESCO, Couggar, Gazelles 20mm, ect)

[Urban]

GCP's (Airborne troops): "classical" airborne regiments

1st RCP (Chasseur parachute regiment):
- 1st Co airdropable reco company (P4 reco, P4 Milan)
- 2nd, 3rd and 4 th airborne infantry
Note : the 1st company is airdropable since Algeria war
http://www.hemaridron.com/twodescphotos81.html

1st RHP (Hussard parachute regiment) : air delivered tank regiment
- 1st,2nd and 4th Sqdn VBL and ERC90 SAGAIE
- 3rd Sqdn VBL reco, VBL Milan, VBL 12.7

35e RAP (Artillery parachute regiment): air delivery for the 155mm TR-F1, VABs, Auverland trucks, radars (RATAC, RASIT), air dropable or helo transport for 120 mm mortars

17e RGP (Engineer parachute regiment) : nothing special

2nd REP (Legion parachute regiment) :
- 1st Co Urban warfare specialist
- 2nd Co Mountain and snow
- 3rd Co Amphibian
- 4th Co Sniping and sabotage

2nd and 8th RPiMA (Marine parachute regiment): nothing special

[Urban]

The beard is alowed until it does not reduce effectiveness of special equipment (gaze mask, googles,..). It need to be clean.

Some exemptions :

Special forces could wearing beards if it's useful for the mission (infiltrate, disguise)
In Muslim's (like Afghanistan)country the beard could be used for better relationship with local people.

For the Legion Pioneers of the traditional section (1st REG) it's official since 1844. During assault against defended walls or entrenchment, the death chances was so high that they was alowed to be unshaved prior the assault and could keep the beard as an "combat proven" man.
Short beard = rooky
Long beard = killing machine (or lucky one )
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ier-legion.JPG
In the modern time this section this used, for the Bastille Day, as an honor escort squad for a high valued or bellowed NCO of the FFL. It's alow him to open the way for the Legion troops.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...s-Camerone.jpg

[Urban]

I'm looking for beta tester.

Do not use it with stock scenario involving french troops or you will have somme nasty surprises

[thatguy96]

Downloaded it and took a quick look. Haven't played with it yet.

I do have a quick question though. What were you using as your source on the Crabe and LVT elements in the Indochina timeframe? I have multiple sources that suggest the formation changed three times, and at least at quick look none of them exactly match what you have. Just trying to reconcile whether it was a design decision on your part or different information or what. Not to say its necessarily wrong either.

[Urban]

Check the bottom of this page

http://indochine54.free.fr/cefeo/orgs.html#top

Groupement Amphibie (1954) of course it's not the definitive version .

Another source but in french about the FFL tank regiment (REC) in Indochina.
http://www.2eme-rep-more-majorum.com...age_crabes.htm
7/7/47 2 Squadrons
9/1/51 3 amphib units 'called sous-groupement and i have no idea about the size)
10/1/51 3 more amphib units
7/22/54 official creation of a amphib "squadron".

[Urban]

Source : http://legioncavalerie.free.fr/fr/historique.htm

January 47 first step in Indochina with British equipement
April 47 start of amphib operations with "Crabes"

1950 first "Alligator" used
1953 the total force of the REC was of 18 squadrons ()equiped with Crabs, Alligator, light tanks, armored cars, half tracks and even patrol boats.
They're was using French, British, American and Japanese equipement so i take a "short cut" and made it amphib with Crabs and Alligator only (don't need more head hach )

[thatguy96]

the first source you mentioned is one I used.

I also a document on Indochina unit organization created by a French contact of mine and this source:
http://www.amtrac.org/pdf_files/history/amph10.pdf

I'll see about comparing info when I get home. Also, the second picture on the French website, the "Le Crabe" section, is not an M29C. Its a Bren Carrier.

[Urban]

No doubt it's a Bren carrier. Oversea's tank regiment was specials. Mainly used as counter insurgencies forces, specific terrain (desert, jungle, mountain or marsh). This "mutation" start with Indochina war when troops use what they found to try to do the job.
Result : they use specific tools for each mission. I could add several kind of unit for the Indochina period but you already have similar unit in the oob (062 Spahi Sqdn or 004 Chasseur Sqdn). A quick copy/past name change .
I have just made the REC Indochina unit because it was fun, exotic, romantic and a good view on the "scratch built" units mentality in this times .

[thatguy96]

Alright, rather than retype this, this is from a file provided by Laurent Touchard, a French contact of mine who's name still might be known around here for his OOB work. I have much respect for his research and information. This was largely what I based my formations off of.

GROUPEMENT AMPHIBIE (Amphibious groupment)
M29C Weasel were bought from US surplus in Philippines, in 1945 (like DUKW later) and sent in Indochina. At first, they were used for reconnaissance, in platoon of 6 x M29C Weasel, without mounted armament. Crew were inexperienced, no tactic existed and some of these vehicles, bogged down, had to be abandonned and destroyed... Studies were made on the failure Weasel platoons and a new unit was created in 1948, within the 1er REC : the 1er Groupe d'Escadrons Amphibie du 1er REC (1er GEA ; 1st Amphibious Squadrons Group of the 1st Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment)

1er Groupe d'Escadrons Amphibie had :
Poste de commandement (PC ; headquarters ; with 3 x M29C Weasel/Crabes)
2 x escadrons de Crabes (Crabs squadrons)
• 1 x peloton hors-rang (PHR ; command platoon ; 2 x M29C Weasel/Crabs ; 3 x recovery Crabs)
• 3 x pelotons de Crabes (Crabs platoons ; 4 x men per vehicle), each with :
1 x M29C Weasel/Crabe (as command vehicle)
1 x mortar Crabe (with 60 mm M2 M29C Weasel/Crabe)
2 x patrols of Crabes each with 3 x M29C Weasel/Crabes ; often with only 2 x Crabs in each because
of men shortage)
1 x workshop unit (with wheeled vehicles ; not amphibious)

Squadrons of the GEA were used alone, without infantry, after initial success, Vietminh discovered the vulnerability of the Weasel, unarmored. Moreover it was difficult to exploit opportunities against the enemy without infantry. Tests were made during 1950, with commando units (see below), but result weren’t conclusive : commando unit had’nt the training for this kind of amphibious operations and the carrier capacity of the Weasel was too small.

The LVT Alligator was the solution...


With the introduction of the LVT, the TO&Es were changed. On 1st September 1951, the 1er Groupement d’Escadrons Amphibie (1er GEA ; 1st Amphibious Squadrons Groupment) became the 1er Groupement Amphibie (1er GA ; 1st Amphibious Groupment), with 3 x sous-groupements (subgroupments) from the 1er Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1er REC ; 1st French Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment). Another GA was created, the 2e GA, with two squadrons of the 1er REC and one of the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval (an armored regiment).

Groupement amphibie (amphibious groupment) had :
1 x escadron de Crabes (Crabs squadron)
• 1 x peloton hors-rang (PHR ; command platoon ; 2 x M29C Weasel/Crabes ?, 3 x recovery Crabes ?)
• 3 x pelotons de Crabes (Crabes platoons ; each with 4 x Crabes and 1 x Crabe with 57 mm M18A1
RR)
1 x escadron de LVT (LVT squadron ; commanded by a 1st lieutnant) with :
• 1 x peloton hors-rang (PHR ; headquarters ; 1 x LVT-4)
• Dépannage (Recovery ; 1 x recovery LVT-4, a standard LVT-4 modified with Wrecker parts)
• 1 x peloton d’appui (support platoon ; 2 x LVT(A)-4)
• 1 x peloton de LVT (LVT platoon ; 6 x LVT-4)
1 x compagnie d’infanterie portée (mounted light infantry company ; commanded by a 1st lieutnant) with :
• 3 x pelotons d’infanterie (infantry platoons ; except for French Legionnary cadres, men of the light
infantry company were Native ; each platoon was organized in half platoon of 15 men, with 1 half
platoon embarked in each LVT-4 of the LVT platoon ; mounted light infantry company was sometimes
used as a motorized infantry unit, with GMCs)


Groupement amphibie (amphibious groupment ; April 1953)
1 x peloton de commandement (command group)
1 x peloton d'appui (support platoon ; with 6 x LVT(A)-4 ; some sources stated that this unit existed only from 1954)
Elément de reconnaissance et de manoeuvre (Recon and manoeuver element)
3 x escadrons de Crabes (Crabs squadons)
• 3 x pelotons de Crabes (each with 7 x M29C Weasel/Crabs, 2 x M29C Weasel/Crabs with 57 mm
M18A1 RR, 1 x M29C Weasel/Crabs with 60 mm M2 Mortar)
Elément de choc (Melee element)
3 x escadrons de LVT (LVT squadrons ; each with : 8 x LVT-4, 3 x LVT(A)-4 ; 6 x M18A1 RR, 3 x 60
mm M2 mortars) I don’t know the exact organization, but I suppose it was the following :
• Peloton hors-rang (PHR ; headquarters ; 1 x LVT-4)
• Dépannage (Recovery ; 1 x recovery LVT-4, as explained above)
• 1 x peloton d’appui (support platoon ; 3 x LVT(A)-4 or perhaps mixed with LVT-4 Bofors)
• 1 x peloton de LVT (LVT platoon ; 6 x LVT-4)
3 x compagnies d’infanterie portée (mounted light infantry companies ; as explained above)