After the Fall of France, and the ignominious armistice signed by Marechal Petain, General Charles
de Gaulle former French secretary of war brodcast an appeal to pursue the fight on the BBC and
was fervently recruiting soldiers for the Free French army, initially based in Britain. By mid August
1940 de Gaulle had recruited some 3000 men which would form the nucleus of the Free French
army. However, in the next few weeks another 16,000 men would join de Gaulle’s forces from
French Equatorial Africa, Levant, and Pacific ocean French territories .
December 1941: the 1st Free french Brigade ( 1st BFL ) became part of the VIIth Army
1st Morrocan Spahis squadron, partly with Dodge Tanake armoured cars, partly with motorized
infantry became the recce element of the Brigade .
(DemiBrigade de Légion Etrangère)
2e Bataillon de Légion Etrangère :
3e Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère :
(DemiBrigade Coloniale)
Bataillon de Marche n°2
Bataillon du Pacifique
1e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine :
1er Régiment d'Artillerie
1er Bataillon de Fusiliers-Marins (D.C.A.)
22e Compagnie Nord-Africaine
1e Compagnie Anti-Chars
1e Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs
February 1942: the 1st BFL set up camp in Bir Hakeim, entrentching the perimeter .
March-April 1942: the 1st BFL jock columns attack the axis force in the no man's land in front of
Bir Hakeim
May 1942 : The 1st Morrocan Spahis Regiment leave Bir Hakeim and joined in Egypt the 1st Free
French Tank Company , newly equipped with Crusader Mk2 . The Moroccan Spahis became an
Armoured Car regiment , issued with Marmon Herrington Mk3 and 75mm self propeled Guns ( the
Conus Guns ) . They formed the Free French Flying Column .
May 1942 Bir Hakeim is surrounded by Rommel Forces .
11 June 1942 : after a 14 days siege, the 1st BFL escape from Bir Hakeim and return to Egypt .
Bir Hakeim (" the well of the wise person "), a dried up water source in the Libyan desert. All
around, some Roman and Ottoman ruins, strengthened in February , in very few days by French
engineers, according to a Vauban scheme. This stronghold, protected by minefields, dug-in artillery,
is used as a base for the Brigade Jock-Columns who harassed the Axis troops till the total
encirclement of the perimeter .
General Kœnig's 1st Free French Brigade ( 3 723 men)) is besieged since May 26th , in one against
ten, by 37 000 Germans and Italians under Rommel .
You can find a complete account of the Bir Hakeim siege here : http://www.1dfl.fr/en-route-avec-la-
dfl/bir-hakeim-in-english/
Around midnight, June 10th , out of ammunitions, with only 22 howitzer shells left in reserve ,
General Koenig ordered the garrison to break through the encirclement and force their way through
enemy lines, with arms at the ready . 2 619 men escaped .
The battle then centred upon Bir Hacheim, where the Free French resisted with the utmost
gallantry. Around this the struggle surged for eight or nine days. Finally it was decided to withdraw
the garrison, and this was successfully accomplished, though with heavy losses.
Here, no doubt, was a turning point in the battle.
Prime Minister CHURCHILL Debate in the House of Commons July 2, 1942
1st FREE FRENCH BRIGADE
BIR HAKEIM
Reinforced Platoon
1 Lieutenant ( aspirant or lieutenant )
2 Infantry sections
plus :
0-3 infantry sections
0-1 Captain or Commandant
0-1 medical officer
0-1 Machine Gun team
0-1 Mortar Team
0-1 Anti-tank rifle
0-1 Marksmen
0-1 Anti-Aircraft Artillery
0-1 Field Artillery
0-2 Armored Car or Self Propeled Gun
0-3 Transport vehicle or tow per infantry and artillery unit in the reinforced platoon
Reinforced Armored Platoon
1 Command Vehicle ( armored or not )
2 Armored vehicles or Self propeled Guns
plus
0-3 Armored Vehicles or Self propeled Guns
0-3 infantry squads
0-1 medical vehicle
0-1 Machine Gun team
0-1 Mortar Team
0-1 Marksmen
0-1 Field Artillery
1-3 Transport vehicles or tow per infantry and artillery unit in the reinforced armored platoon
ARMY SPECIAL RULES
All the 1st Free French Brigade was composed of professional soldiers with long term engagement ,
or veterans of the Spanish civil war and 1940 fight so there is no option for inexperienced troops .
FORWARD ARTILLERY DOCTRINE
After Syria, the Free French seized an huge amount of artillery from the Vichy stocks . The 1 st Free
french Brigade field an artillery regiment of 24 x 75mm light howitzers, a DCA sailors regiment of
12 x 40mm Bofors, 6 x quad 13,2mm Heavy Machine gun mounts, some 25mm hotchkiss guns, and
an anti-tank artillery, part of the infantry regiments with 18 x 25mm light anti-tank guns, 7 x 47mm
medium anti-tank guns and 30 x 75mm light howitzers provided with armour piercing shells .
As described in the armies of France and the Allies book.
SOUS-OFF
Most of the Free French NCO's have seen action as officers in many wars. A great number of the 13
DBLE were veterans from the Spanish Civil War or Norway, and promoted as NCO’s in the
13DBLE or in the Senegaleses units. A lot of the Junior officers were quickly promoted, and NCO’s
quickly became Officers.
If your last Officer is killed, an NCO or even a trooper will try to take command of the troops .
When you have lost your Command team, roll a dice, one a result of a 4+, you may choose the
NCO of the nearest infantry squad to the become the new commander. If the test fail, you try the
other infantry squads . Once there is a new commander he gains the benefits of a 2 nd LT, so grants
+1 to all order and moral tests to his own unit and those within 6’’ of himself.
This can only be done once per game, but note that every infantry test currently on the table may
take the 4+ test.
FIGHTING FRENCH
Allied planners expected the 1st Free French brigade to hold the Bir Hakeim position for 10 days.
They held out for 14, and twice refused formal requests for their surrender before fighting their way
out of the encirclement. Winston Churchill declared that from this point on, they should be known
as the ‘Fighting French’.
All units re-roll unsuccessful morale checks.
INFANTRY
HEAD QUARTER
OFFICER :
The Free french military was organized as the French one .
A lieutenant or aspirant is in command of a section ( 36 men )
A Captain is in command of a company ( 190 men )
A Commandant is in command of a bataillon ( 847 men )
Due to the overrepresentation of junior officers and well educated volunteers among the Free french
volunteers, there was an "overstorage" of Junior Officers in the Free French Units in the first years
of the war .
The lack of experience and romantism of the young Junior Officers was offset by the presence of
experimented veteran Senior NCO's . If the last officer in the unit is killed, a senior NCO take the
lead .
Cost:
Cost: Aspirant ( Sous-Lieutenant ) 35pts (Inexperienced)
Lieutenant 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran)
Capitaine 110pts (Regular), 125pts (Veteran)
Commandant 150pts (Regular), 165pts (Veteran)
Team: Officer and up to two further men
Weapon: sword, pistol, rifle or SMG as depicted
Option:
The officer may be accompanied by up to 2 further men at a cost of +7pts per man (inexperienced),
+10 pts per man (regular), or +13 pts per man (veteran)
Give one of the men a VB grenade launcher for +20 pts
MEDIC :
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
FORWARD OBSERVER ( Artillery) :
during Bir Hakeim, the sky was german, so you can't field an air observer .
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
INFANTRY SQUADS AND TEAMS
SENEGALESE BATAILLON DE MARCHE SECTION
Senegalese Tirailleurs are native colonial troops and they mostly served in the French Empire .
Although called ‘Senegalese’ this term was used to describe all the troops recruited from France’s
sub-Saharan colonies in east, central and western Africa. These Tirailleurs were not issued the best
weapons and sometimes lacked LMG and VB launchers . These black African troops proved to be
tough and determined fighters. They formed the bulk of the Free French Infantry .
Cost: Regular Infantry 55 pts
Composition: 1 NCO and 4 men
Weapons: Rifles
Options:
• Add up to 6 additional soldiers at +11pts each
• Add up to 1 additional soldier armed with pistol only at +7 pts
• One soldier may have a light machine gun for +20 pts. Another soldier becomes the loader
(always the pistol armed soldier if present).
• One soldier may have a VB launcher for +20 pts.
Special Rules:
• Tough Fighters
NORTH AFRICAN INFANTRY SECTION
Algerian, Moroccans and Tunisian Tirailleurs are troops raised from the natives of the North
African French Territories . These Tirailleurs were not issued the best weapons . These North
African troops raised from the mountainous areas of North Africa were organized in Infantry
Mountain Troops.
Cost: Regular Infantry 55 pts
Composition: 1 NCO and 4 men
Weapons: Rifles
Options:
• NCO may have a submachine guns for +3pts
• Add up to 6 additional soldiers at +11pts each
• Add up to 1 additional soldier armed with pistol only at +7 pts
• One soldier may have a light machine gun for +20 pts. Another soldier becomes the loader
(always the pistol armed soldier if present).
• One soldier may have a VB launcher for +20 pts.
Special Rules:
• Mountaineers : treat all rough ground as open ground. The players should agree before the
game the gaming table terrain for wich this rule should not apply to, like water features and other
terrain elements that obviously mountain troops would have no advantage in crossing.
REGULAR INFANTRY SECTIONS
The 24th Colonial Infantry Regiment was partly garrisoned in Cyprus and Syria . Part of this
regiment refused the armistice and joined the British in Egypt . They became the first fighting unit
of the Free French Force renamed 1st Marine Infantry Bataillon . A Bataillon was raised from
volunteers of French Polynesia and New Caledonia .
Cost: 50pts ( Regular )
Composition: 1 NCO and 4 men
Weapons: Rifles
Options:
• NCO may have a submachine guns for +3pts
• Add up to 7 additional soldiers at +10pts each
• Add up to 1 additional soldier armed with pistol only at +7 pts
• One soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts. The pistol armed soldier becomes the
loader
FOREIGN LEGION VETERAN INFANTRY SECTIONS
The Foreign Legion was normally deployed in North Africa, but at the outbreak of the War, some
units were directed to France . The 13 th Legion half brigade fought victoriously in the Norwegian
campaign . Part of them decided to pursue the fight with De Gaulle.
Cost: 70pts ( Veteran )
Composition: 1 NCO and 4 men
Weapons: Rifles
Options:
• NCO may have a submachine guns for +3pts
• Add up to 7 additional soldiers at +14pts each
• Up to 2 soldiers may have a submachine guns for +3pts each
• Add up to 1 additional soldier armed with pistol only at +10 pts
• One soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts.
Another soldier becomes the loader
• One soldier may have a VB launcher for +20pts.
Special Rules:
• Stubborn.
SAPPERS-MINERS SQUAD
Cost: Regular 55 pts Veteran 70 pts
Composition: 1 NCO and 4 men
Weapons: Rifles
Options:
• NCO may have a submachine guns for +3pts
• Add up to 6 additional soldiers at +11pts each
Special Rules:
• Engineers ( follow the engineers rules in the ? Duel in the sun book )
MARKSMAN :
In the french army, there are no "sniper" teams . Instead, the best shot of a section was provided
with a sniper rifle, performing his role alone .
A good marksman can pick off unsuspecting soldiers or their officers without giving away their
position.
Cost: 40pts (regular), 50 pts (veteran)
Composition: 1 marksman
Weapons: Rifle
Special Rules :
• Sniper
LIGHT MORTAR TEAM :
As the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
MACHINE GUN TEAM :
As the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
MEDIUM MORTAR TEAM :
As the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
BOYS ANTI-TANK RIFLE TEAM
As the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
ARTILLERY
The Bir Hakeim artillery :
24 x 75mm Guns
12 x 40mm Bofors
6 x 40 mm Bofors manned by the 43th Battery RA of City of London
? x 25mm Hotchkiss AA gun
6 x 13,2mm AA mount ( dual and quad )
18 x 25mm light anti-tank guns
7 x 47mm Medium anti-tank guns
30 x 75mm AT guns ( count as light howitzer with light anti-tank ability )
FIELD ARTILLERY
LIGHT HOWITZER :
Canon de 75 :
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
Options:
• can be upgraded to light AT capability for +6pts
QF 25-pdr :
After the loose of the guns who were destroyed before the Bir Hakeim withdrawal, the artillery of
the 1st Free French Brigade was equipped with british 25 pdr guns .
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
ANTI-TANK GUNS
LIGHT ANTI-TANK GUN
25mm AT Gun
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
2Pdr AT Gun
After the loose of the guns who were destroyed before the Bir Hakeim withdrawal, the AT artillery
of the 1st Free French Brigade was partly equipped with british 2 pdr guns .
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
MEDIUM ANTI-TANK GUN
47mm APX
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
6Pdr AT Gun
After the loose of the guns who were destroyed before the Bir Hakeim withdrawal, the AT artillery
of the 1st Free French Brigade was partly equipped with british 6 pdr guns .
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY
HOTCHKISS ANTI-AIRCRAFT HEAVY MACHINE GUN
cost : 45pts (Regular), 54pts (Veteran)
Weapon : Dual mount AA HMG with 360-degree arc of fire
Crew: 4 men
Option :
• upgrade to quad mount AA HMG with 360-degree arc of fire for 50pts
Special Rules:
• Team weapon
• Fixed
• Gun unload. :To simulate the fact that the gun was actually transported portee , when
the gun is unloaded the artillery unit suffers a pin.
25mm ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of France book
40mm BOFORS ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
TANKS & SELF PROPELLED GUNS
CANON DE 75 PORTEE
Captain Bayrou and Belan designed a device permitting to carry and fire a canon de 75 Portee using
a Ford or a Chevrolet commercial truck . The Canon de 75 modified, with truck wheels, was carried
in the flat bed of the truck . It can be unloaded using 2 loading ramps .
Cost: 65pts (Regular), 78pts (Veteran)
Weapons: one rear-facing light howitzer
Damage Value: 6+ (soft skin)
Options:
• can be upgraded to light AT capability for +6pts
DERVISCHE LIGHT ANTI-TANK PORTEE
An anti-tank 25mm gun, on a naval mount fitted in the bed of a 15cwt truck .
Cost: 65pts (Regular), 78pts (Veteran)
Weapon : light anti-tank gun on open platform with 360-degree arc of fire
Damage Value: 6+ (Soft-skin)
ANTI-AIRCRAFT TRUCK
The Fusiliers-Marins regiment, who was in charge of the anti-aircraft defense of the 1 st Free French
Division mounted some naval Anti-Aircraft HMG on trucks .
Cost: 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran)
Weapon : HMG AA dual mount on open platform with 360-degree arc of fire
Damage Value: 6+ (Soft-skin)
Option :
• upgrade to quad mount AA HMG with 360-degree arc of fire for 50pts
25mm CARRIER :
universal carrier fitted with a forward firing 25mm AT gun
Some Universal carriers were fitted with a modified French 25mm AT gun .
cost : 105pts (Regular), 126pts (Veteran)
Weapons: one front-facing light anti-tank gun
Damage Value: 7+ (armoured carrier)
option : add a pintle mounted LMG for 5pts
Special Rules:
• Open topped
• Turn on the spot
• Flak
CONUS GUN
Shortly after Bir Hakeim, Free French Lieutnant Adrien Conus , working in the Middle East
Experimental Workshop, confronted to the request from the Moroccan Spahis Armoured Car
Regiment to add fire power to the poorly armed Marmon Herington Mk3 platoons, designed
a lightly armoured self propeled Gun ... A CMP truck, a 75mm gun, an Italian M13/40 turret
base, some armour plating, and a bit of French « systéme D » .
A squadron of 4 platoons of 3 Conus guns and a Marmon Herrington Command vehicle was
constituted .
cost : 115pts (regular) 138pts (veteran)
weapon :light howitzer with 360° mount, pintel-mounted LMG
Damage Value: 7+ (armoured carrier)
Special rules :
• Open-topped
• Flak
Options:
• upgrade light howitzer to light AT capability for +6pts
CRUSADER MK 2
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
Options:
• add pintle mounted LMG for +5pts
CRUSADER MK 3
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
Options:
• add pintle mounted LMG for +5pts
SHERMAN 1
After the heavy loses suffered by the Tank Company during the Tunisian campaign, some
Sherman 1 were issued as replacement tanks .
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
Options:
• add pintle mounted MMG for +5pts
LA REVANCHE
La revanche was one of the self-propeled guns built by the Free French to increase the fire
power of the motorized units . Some day, the Flying Column captured an german Pak38 AT
gun with an huge ammount of ammunitions . The workshop of the Free French Tank
Company created a self propeled anti-tank gun, by mounting the Pak38 on the back of a
CMP F60 truck . La Revanche, manned by mechanics from the Company is credited of 12
ennemy tanks destroyed .
cost : 85pts (regular) 126pts (veteran)
weapon : medium backward-facing anti-tank gun on open platform
Damage Value: 6+ (Soft-skin)
ARMOURED CARS
DODGE TANAKE
Captain Bich, an artillery officer in command of the Army Vehicle Fleet in Beyrouth proposed in
1940 a model of a lightly armoured armoured car built on a 1 ½ ton Dodge truck chassis obtained
as commercial purchase from Egypt . At least 20 Dodge Tanake were built . Captured after the fall
of Vichy held Levant, they were used by the Moroccan Spahis .
Cost: 120pts (Regular), 144pts (Veteran)
Weapons: light Low velocity AT gun with co-axial MMG in an open turret, pintel-mounted LMG
Damage Value: 7+ (armoured carrier)
Special Rules:
• Open-topped
• low velocity at gun
• Flak
• Recce
RECCE CARRIER
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
MARMON HERRINGTON MK3
At the perception of South African Marmon Herrington Armoured Cars by the Free French Spahis,
it appears that the Boys AT rifle armament of these armored cars is perfectly ineffective against
armored vehicles . Once again, treasures of ingenuity are used to equip some turrets with a number
of the French 25 mm antitank guns captured in Syria .
Cost: 95 pts (Regular), 114 pts (Veteran)
Weapons: Turret mounted AT rifle with co-axial MMG
Damage Value: 7+ (armoured carrier)
option :
• add a pintle mounted LMG for 5pts
• upgrade AT rifle to light anti-tank gun for +30pts
Special Rules:
• Recce
MARMON HERRINGTON MK3 sPzB 41
Lieutenant Moore removed the turret of his Marmon Herrington, to fit a captured sPzB 41 to his
armoured car .
Cost: 110 pts (Regular), 132 pts (Veteran)
Weapons: forward facing Panzerbüchse 41
Damage Value: 7+ (armoured carrier)
Special Rules:
• Open topped
• Recce
• Squeeze-bore : At ranges of up to 12", its base armour penetration is incrased by two
to a total of +6, and over half-range armour penetration is reduced by two instead of the
usual one to a total of +2
DAIMLER MK 1
After the heavy loses suffered by the Spahis during El Alamein battle, some Daimler Mk1
armoured cars were issued as replacement vehicles .
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
TRANSPORT
BREN CARRIER
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
3 TON TRUCK
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
15CWT TRUCK
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
30CWT TRUCK
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
JEEP
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
without the pintle mounted MG option
TOW
BREN CARRIER
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
QUAD TRACTOR
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
3 TON TRUCK
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
15CWT TRUCK
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
30CWT TRUCK
as the regular or veteran ones in the armies of Great Britain book
