WW2 – List Optimisation – Early War French

It is time to turn my V2 IMPACTFULNESS calculator on my favourite forces – the Early War French and Mid/Late war Free French.

This is going to start as a purely theoretical process – and then I will put together the most IMPACTFUL lists I can for 500 pts, 750 pts, 1000 pts, 1250 pts and 1500 pts.

The Early War French have several options for infantry from the “Armies of France and the Allies” supplement.

These can be summarised as

• Regular Infantry Section
  • 5 – 12 men in total
    • Upto 11 with rifles
    • 1 with either a pistol or an SMG
  • One of the riflemen can swap his rifle for an LMG
  • Once of the riflemen can also have a VB Launcher
• Inexperienced Infantry Section
  • 5 – 12 men in total
    • Upto 11 with rifles
    • 1 with a pistol
  • One of the riflemen can swap his rifle for an LMG
  • Once of the riflemen can also have a VB Launcher
• Motorised Infantry
  • 5 to 10 regular men
  • NCO may swap rifle for an SMG
  • 2 soldiers may have LMG’s
  • 1 Soldier can have a VB Launcher
  • all can have AT Grenades
• Veteran Infantry – Groupe Franc, SES, DIA
  • 5 to 12 Veterans with rifles
  • 2 soldiers may have LMGs
  • Upto 4 may have SMGs
  • All can have AT grenades.
  • 1 soldier can have a VB Launcher
• Veteran Foreign Legion
  • 5 to 12 Veterans with rifles
    • 11 with Rifles
    • 1 with pistol or SMG
  • 1 may have an LMG
  • 1 may have a VB Launcher
  • all are stubborn and as such cost an extra 1 pt each.
• Senegalese Tirialleurs
  • 5 to 12 Veterans with rifles
    • 11 with Rifles
    • 1 with pistol or SMG
  • 1 may have an LMG
  • 1 may have a VB Launcher
  • all are Tough Fighters and as such cost an extra 1 pt each.
• Moroccan Goumier
  • 5 to 11 Veterans with rifles
  • 1 may have an LMG
  • all are Tough fighters and cost 1 pt extra

So from the above we have the following basic options, I have now also included a new IMPACTFULNESS calculator named (cleverly named v3) – this includes an attempt to mod the survivability for the impact of moral, also V1 and V2 will now work with any squad sized 1 and up, and MMG’s have been included just for comparison.

Squad make up	V2 Moving	V2 Static	V2 Avg	V3a Moving	V3a Static	V3a Avg	Cost	Rank V2	Rank V3a
4 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 1 SMG, Regulars	9.4	14.16	11.78	7.05	10.62	8.84	133	1	1
5 Rifles, 2 LMGS, Regulars	9.04	14.23	11.64	6.78	10.68	8.73	130	2	2
5 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 1 SMGs, Regulars	9.27	13.99	11.63	6.95	10.49	8.72	143	3	3
6 Rifles, 2 LMGs, Regulars	8.93	14.05	11.49	6.7	10.54	8.62	140	4	4
7 Rifles, 1 SMG, 1 LMG, Regulars	8.74	13	10.87	6.55	9.75	8.15	123	5	5
8 Rifles, 1 SMG, 1 LMG, Regulars	8.65	12.91	10.78	6.48	9.68	8.08	133	6	6
9 Rifles, 1 SMG, 1 LMG, Regulars	8.57	12.82	10.69	6.42	9.61	8.02	143	7	7
7 Rifles, 1 Pistol, 1 LMG, Regulars	8.33	12.82	10.57	6.25	9.61	7.93	117	8	8
8 Rifles, 1 Pistol, 1 LMG, Regulars	8.27	12.73	10.5	6.2	9.55	7.87	127	9	9
9 Rifles, 1 Pistol 1 LMG, Regulars	8.21	12.65	10.43	6.16	9.49	7.82	137	10	10
1 Rifle, 2 LMGs, Regulars	7.29	11.53	9.41	5.59	8.84	7.41	90	18	11
8 Rifles, 1 SMG, Regulars	8.06	11.65	9.86	6.05	8.74	7.39	93	11	12
9 Rifles, 1 SMG, Regulars	8.01	11.65	9.83	6.01	8.74	7.37	103	12	13
10 Rifles, 1 SMG, Regulars	7.96	11.65	9.81	5.97	8.74	7.36	113	13	14
11 Rifles, 1 SMG, Regulars	7.93	11.65	9.79	5.95	8.74	7.34	123	14	15
1 SMG, 2 LMGs, Regulars	7.66	11.43	9.54	5.87	8.76	7.32	93	15	16
11 Rifles, 1 Pistol , Regulars	7.48	11.4	9.44	5.61	8.55	7.08	117	16	17
10 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Regulars	7.48	11.37	9.42	5.61	8.53	7.07	107	17	18
9 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Regulars	7.47	11.34	9.41	5.61	8.51	7.06	97	18	19
2 Rifle, 2 LMGs, Regulars	7.13	11.25	9.19	5.46	8.63	7.05	100	24	20
8 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Regulars	7.47	11.3	9.39	5.6	8.48	7.04	87	20	21
2 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 1 SMGs, Regulars	7.3	10.95	9.13	5.6	8.4	7	113	25	22
3 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 4 SMGs, Veterans	7.89	10.76	9.33	5.92	8.07	6.99	206	21	23
4 Rifles, 1 SMG, 2 LMGS, Veterans	11.14	7.4	9.27	5.55	8.36	6.95	169	22	24
4 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 3 SMGs, Veterans	7.64	10.76	9.2	5.73	8.07	6.9	203	23	25
3 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 1 SMGs, Regulars	7.16	10.77	8.97	5.49	8.26	6.88	123	28	26
5 Rifles, 2 LMGS, Veterans	7.08	11.15	9.11	5.31	8.36	6.83	166	26	27
5 Rifles, 2 LMGS, 2 SMGs, Veterans	7.38	10.75	9.06	5.53	8.06	6.8	200	27	28
6 Rifles, 2 LMGs, Veterans	6.94	10.93	8.94	5.21	8.2	6.7	180	29	29
4 Rifles, 1 LMG, 4 SMGs, Veterans	7.56	9.88	8.72	5.67	7.41	6.54	172	30	30
5 Rifles, 1 LMG, 4 SMGs, Veterans	7.39	9.77	8.58	5.54	7.32	6.43	186	31	31
7 Rifles, 1 SMG, 1 LMG, Veterans	6.6	9.81	8.2	4.95	7.36	6.15	163	32	32
8 Rifles, 1 SMG, 1 LMG, Veterans	6.5	9.7	8.1	4.87	7.27	6.07	177	33	33
9 Rifles, 1 SMG, 1 LMG, Veterans	6.41	9.6	8.01	4.81	7.2	6	191	34	34
7 Rifles, 1 Pistol, 1 LMG, Veterans	6.21	9.55	7.88	4.66	7.16	5.91	157	35	35
8 Rifles, 1 Pistol, 1 LMG, Veterans	6.14	9.45	7.8	4.61	7.09	5.85	171	36	36
9 Rifles, 1 Pistol 1 LMG, Veterans	6.08	9.37	7.72	4.56	7.03	5.79	185	37	37
8 Rifles, 1 SMG, Veterans	5.81	8.4	7.11	4.36	6.3	5.33	129	38	38
9 Rifles, 1 SMG, Veterans	5.77	8.39	7.08	4.33	6.29	5.31	143	39	39
10 Rifles, 1 SMG, Veterans	5.73	8.39	7.06	4.3	6.29	5.29	157	40	40
11 Rifles, 1 SMG, Veterans	5.7	9.39	7.04	4.28	6.29	5.28	171	41	41
11 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Veterans	5.3	8.08	6.69	3.98	6.06	5.02	165	42	42
10 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Veterans	5.3	8.06	6.68	3.97	6.04	5.01	151	43	43
7 Rifles, 1 Pistol, 1 LMG, Inexperienced	3.74	8.26	6	2.49	5.51	5	87	46	44
9 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Veterans	5.29	8.03	6.66	3.97	6.02	5	137	44	44
8 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Veterans	5.28	8	6.64	3.96	6	4.98	123	45	46
8 Rifles, 1 Pistol, 1 LMG, Inexperienced	3.73	8.25	5.99	2.48	5.5	3.99	94	47	47
9 Rifles, 1 Pistol 1 LMG, Inexperienced	3.72	8.23	5.97	2.48	5.49	3.98	101	48	48
10 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Inexperienced	3.72	7.94	5.83	2.48	5.29	3.89	74	49	49
8 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Inexperienced	3.75	7.93	5.83	2.5	5.28	3.89	60	49	49
9 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Inexperienced	3.73	7.93	5.83	2.49	5.29	3.89	67	49	49
11 Rifles, 1 Pistol, Inexperienced	3.7	7.95	5.83	2.47	5.3	3.88	81	49	52

So the new version doesn’t change the outcomes by much just improves the impact of some of the options.

So using “The Battle of France 1940” reinforced platoon – I must take 1 Lieutenant and either 2 Regular or Inexperienced Sections

So lets start with a 500 pts infantry only list – before using the IMPACTFULNESS calculator I created the following list for a total of 497

• 1 Second lieutenant 50 pts
• 1 Regular Infantry Section of 6 rifles, 1 LMG team and a VB Launcher for 120 pts (20pts of which is the VB Launcher)
• 1 Inexperienced Infantry Section of 7 Rifles, 1 LMG Team and a VB Launcher for 103 pts (20 pts of which is the VB Launcher)
• 1 Senegalese Tirailleurs infantry Section of 8 Rifles, 1 LMG Team for 130 pts
• 1 Group Franc Veteran Infantry Section 1 LMG Team (with Rifle), 3 SMGs for 94 pts

Now the IMPACTFULNESS scores for these, excluding the extra for tough fighters and the VB Launchers are

• No Impactfulness score for the officer
• 1st squad = V2 8.19 V3 6.28
• 2nd Squad = V2 5.99 V3 3.99
• 3rd Squad = V2 10.69 V3 8.02
• 4th Squad = V2 9.18 V3 7.03
• Total = V2 34.05 V3 25,32

Using the Calculator

• Replace the 1st squad with a Regular Infantry squad of 4 Rifles, 1 LMG team and 1 SMG – for 113pts including VB Launcher and an IMPACTFULNESS score of V2 8.47 and V3 6.49
• Replace the 2nd Squad with a Regular Infantry squad of 4 Rifles, 1 LMG Team and 1 SMG – for 113 pts including VB Launcher and an IMPACTFULNESS score of V2 8.47 and V3 6.49

This will cost me 3 pts more than the original units but increased the IMPACTFULNESS from V2 14.18 to 16.94 and V3 from 10.27 to 12.98 for 3 extra points

Lets Have a look at the next 2 squads – here we have a potential 224pts as I already had a spare 3 pts. According to the IMPACTFULNESS Calculator I could take the most IMPACTFULNESS for 133 pts and a Score of V2 11.78 V3 8.84 – Leaving me 91 pts to raise at least 8.09 V2 and 6.21 V3 – I could take 8 Rifles and 1 SMG for 93 pts and a V2 9.86 and V3 7.39. Providing the following list

• 2nd Lieutenant – 50 pts
• Squad 1 – 4 Rifles, 1 LMG Team and 1 SMG +VB Launcher 113 pts – V2 8.47 and V3 6.49
• Squad 2 – 4 Rifles, 1 LMG team and 1 SMG +VB Launcher 113 pts – V2 8.47 and V3 6.49
• Squad 3 – 5 Rifles, 2 LMG Teams, Regulars 130 pts – V2 11.64 and V3 8.73
• Squad 4 – 8 Rifle, 1 SMG Teams Regulars 93 pts – V2 9.86 and V3 7.39
• Total – 499 Pts – V2 38.44 V3 29.10

So for 6 extra points I have improved the IMPACTFULNESS by 13% using V2 and 15% with V3. I still have a 5 dice side and will have 21 Rifles, 4 LMG Teams, 3 SMGs and 2 VB Launchers compared with 21 Rifles, 3 LMG Team, 3 SMGs and 2 VB Launchers also all 31 troops will be regular where previously I had 5 Veteran, 8 Inexperienced and 18 Regulars.

All I need to do now is discuss this with my local groups Bolt Action escalation league organiser to see if I can make this change before my next game or do I have to wait for the next escalation when the points total will increase to 750 Pts.

So the rules say at 750 pts ( that the club escalation league rules not the core Bolt Action ones) that I can include Artillery and Vehicles upto a 7+ Damage value – basically soft vehicles.

So if I stick with the basic force I have above, and add a Medium Mortar for 60 pts with spotter and a MMG for 50 pts, currently I dont have an IMPACTFULNESS calculator for the Mortar, but the MMG will be worth V2 6.46 and V3 4.85 for a Regular team, V2 4.97 and V3 3.73 for a veteran Team or v2 2.53 and V3 1.77 for an Inexperienced team.

Interestingly a 5 man rifle team costs 50 pts as well and has an IMPACTFULNESS score of V2 7.19 and V3 5.51, so is it worth taking, possibly for the extra range – ah but currently the model doesn’t include the impact of that – lets add a mod to add an extra round of survivability for each range bracket over 24 that the unit can cause damage at. Now a regular MMG has an IMPACTFULNESS score of V3 9.85 which is just over 75% more than the Rifle squad for the same price. I like this change and think I’ll leave it in.

Now I cant buy an Infantry Squad + LMG for 50 pts – the cheapest I can get is 3 rifles + 1 LMG team for 70 pts using the new improved V3 this now has a value of 9.46 so the MMG is still has a Higher IMPACTFULNESS score but now only by 5%, but for 66% of the price.

So back to the List building – now being France I get a free artillery piece and it would be rude not to take it,

IMPACTFULNESS CALCULATOR