Bolt Action: French in Indo China

Notice – this blog includes French and English names for units – so misspellings may not be misspelt.

Prior to the break out of WW2 France had 2 divisions of troops in IndoChina, the Tonkin Division and the Cochinchina and Combodia Division. Both were involved in fighting against the Japanese in 1940 prior to Vichy Frances creation and again at the end of the war.

The Tonkin Division contained 4 battalions of the 5th Foreign Regiment of the foreign legion, 4 regiments of Tirailleurs Tonkinois and Elements of the French Colonial Army.

The Cochinchina and Combodia Division was involved in the French-Thai War of 1940 and in the later Coup D’etat in French Indochina. This included some of the Tirailleurs IndoChinois units – the Tirailleurs Cambodgiens, Tirailleurs Tais and Tirailleurs Anamites, which totalled 3 Regiments and 4 battalions and also elements of the French Colonial Army.

The forces of the French Colonial Army consisted of elements of the 9th Regiment D’infanterie Coloniale (9e RIC), the 3rd Regiment d’infanterie Coloniale (3e RIC), a battery of 75mm artillery and a battery of 155mm artillery from the 4e Regiment d’artillerie coloniale (4e RAC), there was also some tanks and about 70 Potex-25 aircraft, 4 Farman 221, 6 Potex 542, 12 Morane-saulnier 406, 10 Loire 130, 2 CAMS 37, 2 CAMS 55 from the airforce and 7 other sea planes from the Navy. The 9e RIC had an AA Platoon armed with 20mm Oerlikon’s.

So about these “tanks” thanks to this site – the estimated available vehicles were 20 FT17 armed with 37mm gun, 3-5 Citroen-Kegrese P104, 10 AM White 1918, 4-5 (my guess) Laffy White AM 50 and some Renault UE 2 for the artillery. Oh and a bucket load of motorcycles. There is some discussion that there may have actually been some Panhard 178’s although these may have used the smaller AMX 35 turret, so were armed with a 25mm gun and a MMG, there is a good chance that 4 of these were available.

In the region there was also a separate force of indigenous Gardes Indochinois numbering about 27,000. (Militarised Police Force)

Between 1943-45 elements of  Forces Expéditionnaires Françaises d’Extrême-Orient (FEFEO) Corps Léger d’Intervention were air dropped into the French Indochinese colonies. These forces recruited and trained local commandos, which then harassed and sabotaged Japanese forces.

Weirdly this site on the Paradox Forum has some great information. Which also mentions, should you wish to use something entertaining, the French also had access to 2 armoured trains.

So what might an Indo-china French list look like for Bolt Action?.

So lets put a reinforced platoon together.

• HQ
  • 1 Lieutenant (1st or 2nd Lt)
  • 2 Infantry Squads
    • either Indo Chinese Bataillon de marcher or Indo Chinese Infantry section
    • Max 1 Foreign Legion Veteran Section
• Plus:
  • 0-5 Infantry Squads
    • Max 1 Foreign Legion Veteran Section
    • Max 1 Sappers-Miners Section
    • Max 2 Colonial Regular Infantry Sections
    • Max 1 Motorbike Section
    • Post 1943
      • Max 1 Groupe FEFEO
    • Rest either Indo Chinese Battalion de marcher or Indo Chinese Infantry section
  • 0-1 Captain or Major
  • 0-1 Medic
  • 0-1 Forward Observer
  • 0-1 Machine Gun Team
  • 0-1 Mortar Team
    • Light or Medium Mortar
  • 0-1 A/T Rifle team
  • 0-1 Marksmen
  • 0-1 AA Gun or Field artillery
  • 0-2 Armoured Cars or Tanks
  • 0-1 Transport Vehicle or Tow per Infantry or artillery unit.

So I am now going to reference units from various of the Warlord Bolt Action books as choices. I will also be repurposing some units to the Indochina theatre – e.g. the Senegalese Battalion de Marche Section will be used for Indo Chinese Infantry section.

So for reference –

• Armies of France and the Allies will be shortened to AoFAA
• Armies of the Western Desert will be shortened to AoWD

Units

• Officers
  • P11 AoFAA –
  • Inexperienced not allowed
• Medic
  • P11 AoFAA
• Forward Observer
  • P11 AoFAA
• Colonial Regular Infantry Section – colonial regiments – use the Dragons Portes Chasseurs Portes
  • P13 A0FAA
• Foreign Legion Veteran Infantry Section
  • P13 A0FAA
• FEFEO – Groupe Franc/SES/GIA veteran Infantry Section
  • P13 AoFAA
• Indo Chinese Battalion de marcher – inexperienced Infantry Section
  • P13 AoFAA
• Indo Chinese Infantry section – Senegalese Tirailleurs Infantry Section
  • P14 A0FAA
• Motorbike Section
  • P15 AoFAA
• Machine Gun Team
  • P15 AoFAA
• Boys Anti-Tank Rifle Team
  • P16 A0FAA – No Inexperienced Team
• Sniper Team
  • P16 AoFAA – Veteran Only
• Light Mortar Team
  • P17 AoFAA – No Inexperienced
• Medium Mortar Team
  • P17 AoFAA – No Inexperienced
• Field Artillery
  • Light Artillery – P18 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
  • Medium Artillery – P18 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
  • Heavy Artillery – P18 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
• Anti – Aircraft Guns
  • 25mm Hotchkiss Anti-Aircraft guns – P20 AoFAANo Inexperienced
• Armoured Cars or Tanks
  • Renault FT – P21 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
  • AMD Laffly 50 am – P27 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
  • AMD Panhard 165/175 – No Inexperienced
  • AMD Laffly 80am – P26 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
  • Laffly S15TOE – P26 AoFAA – No Inexperienced
• Transport / Tows
  • General Purpose Trucks – P29 A0FAA – No Inexperienced
  • Cars and Light Utility Trucks – P29 AoFAA – No Inexperienced
  • UNIC/Citroen-Kegresse Half Track – P29 AoFAA – No Inexperienced
  • Renault EU Cheillette – P30 AoFAA – No Inexperienced
  • Laffly Heavy Tractors – P30 AoFAA – No Inexperienced

You can of course achieve this using the generic reinforced platoon list and just choosing the relevant options.

Now this is not a historically correct list – just my best guess. If you wish to play a what if campaign that assumes France held out longer – then potentially there are some more options, which I hope to cover in a future post.

I would also recommend looking at this wonderful blog which covers these forces (possibly more accurately) than I have

https://afewroundsmore.wordpress.com/category/vichy-french/

Now if you are into What if’s..

Just before the early war armitice – the governor had requested 100 Renault R35 tanks, 50 Renault AMRs and 8 Panhard AMDs.

In January 1941 he renewed this request and asked for 62 Armoured Cars, 250 Mortocycles, a company of Somau 35’s and 2 companies of Renault R35’s, along with 78 tractors and armoured supply carriers. Interestingly the Vichy Government suggested he buy direct from America so potentially this could have become 62 M3 scout Cars, 250 Harley Davidsons, a company of M3 General Grants and 2 companies of M3 Stuarts, along with a bucket load of M3 half tracks.

So if you decide that France holds Germany off but Japan still invades you could include the more Renault UE, some Lorraine 37L/38L, Somua MCG S307, AMR 33, AMR 35, AMD Laffly 50AM/80AM, Amd Panhard 165/175/178 or AMC 35 as Armoured cars/armoured tractors. Somau S35’s, Renault R35/R40/D1/D2, Hotchkiss H35/H39 or FCM 36. Some how I doubt that any French govt would send the heavier tanks even if they had held off the Germans.

Or if America agreed to supply the Vichy French in IndoChina – then you could use the M3 white scout car for armoured cars, M3 1/2 tracks for armoured personnel carriers and tractors, and M3 Grants or M3 Stuarts as tanks, and if you assume this continues into Mid/Late war then Potentially almost any American hardware that was made available through Lease Lend.

It is my intention to use the Bolt Action British Commonwealth Infantry box set to build the core of this force. So lets look at whats on the sprue.

So my proposed builds are.

• 1 AT Rifle team – 2 prone figures 1 with AT Rifle 1 with rifle – Regular – 30 pts. – Sun Helmet
• 1 Light Mortar team – 1 prone figure with Light Mortar and 1 Kneeling figure with Mortar Ammo and Rifle.- Regular 40 pts – Sun Helmet
• 1 Officer – with pistol and officer hat – veteran 1st Lieutenant – 90 pts. – Sun Helmet
• 1 Forward Observer with Pistol and Binoculars – Veteran Air Observer – 90 pts – Sun Helmet
• 1 Squad of French Foreign Legion – 100 pts – Slouch Helmet
  • NCO with Rifle
  • 3 Riflemen
  • 1 LMG team – 1 prone with LMG and 1 Kneeling with pistol.
• 1 Squad Regular Colonial Infantry – 83 pts + 12 pts for A/T Grenades = 95 pts. – Sun Helmet
  • NCO with SMG
  • 3 Riflemen
  • 1 LMG Team – 1 with LMG 1 with Rifle
• 1 Squad Indo Chinese Infantry section – 148 pts – Beret
  • NCO with SMG
  • 9 Riflemen
  • 1 LMG team – 1 with LMG 1 with Pistol.

Total = 30 + 40 + 90 + 90 + 100 + 95 + 148 = 593 pts

Version 2 of the Army List as a PDF to download.

WW2 just got smaller

WW2 French Vehicles

WW2 French Vehicles

Bolt Action: French in Indo China Part 2

WW2 – Escalation League – Early War French Final Round

WW2 – Escalation League – Early War French

WW2 -Légion des Volontaires Français Contre le Bolchévisme and the 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division – The Charlemagne Division

WW2 – Winter Germans – Squad EFFECTIVENESS

WW2 – Band of Brothers – List Optimisation Part 4

WW2 – List Optimisation – Early War French

WW2 – Band of Brothers – List Optimisation

WW2 – Band of Brothers – squad Optimisation Part 2

WW2 – Squad Optimisation – Late War Fallschirmjäger

WW2 – Band of Brothers – squad Optimisation

WW2 – Bolt Action – Squad Composition

WW2 – Fallschirmjäger recruits

WW2 – More Germans

WW2 – Late War Free French – Bolt Action Army Lists

WW2 – Early War French – Bolt Action Army Lists

WW2 – 3d Printed French