As with her tanks, France begins the game with modern naval technology, such as 1936 BB, DD and SS techs and two unique designs: La Fantasque, a destroyer model with tier 3 (1940) engines, and the Surcouf Class submarine with 3 custom slots. Deep Battle or Mass Mobilization? This is solely a question of "how much are you losing?" Communists and far-right extremist leagues are always ready to resort to violence to advance their political cause. In terms of technology, France has a good head start on mechanized, motorized and tank forces with only a little catch-up for infantry weapons. With Holland’s new focus tree, there is a variety of options you can take. Edit: spelling It will however do badly against Superior Firepower, and especially Mobile Warfare, if the battleground suits them and they can utilize their mobility. If you are in multiplayer, you might consider keeping it, especially if you expect to be overrun. France, along with the  United Kingdom, guaranteed the independence of  Poland prior to its invasion by  Germany. Are you planning on getting on the offensive? Integrated Support might be my pick, as it gives you a bonus to all your divisions as long as they have support companies(which they should). Be sure to kick Czechoslovakia out of the faction before Sudetenland as otherwise you will end up in a war with Germany too early. France starts with 450 fighters, 42 Naval Bombers and 204 modern Tactical Bombers. France borders  Belgium to the north, with the Ardenne forest making natural bulwark. Soon thereafter, the french front collapsed and Germany begun an offensive southwards capturing Paris completely unopposed on the 14th of June and occupying the northern half of France (with the frontline going from Bordeaux to Grenoble) by the 24th of June. Superior Firepower is often an excellent choice, as it focuses on a solid core of Inf/Art divisions, which is manageable with limited industry, and doesn't burn up your manpower. Base Strike strong with carrier … The sooner we spot the enemy ships, the sooner we can destroy them. one of the most common questions when i play multiplayer is which doctrine should i go? Grand Battle Plan is not exactly ideal when going head to head with i.e. Wait for Germany to capitulate all the minors on the mainland before justifying on an axis member and joining the war. As France, occupy Moscow while Napoleon VI is your country leader. Threatened with annihilation, the British evacuated their expeditionary forces and what Allied units they could until Dunkirk fell. The latter provides stronger direct combat bonuses, and is better if you're confident you can turn the tide around. You can use any doctrine with every nation and every branch. France, as one of the seven major powers, got a unique national focus tree. When you’re ready to rule the waves, check out our complete guide ! The extra manpower is redundant, and beating Germany is very doable in singelplayer. By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. Having fortified the border gives France the opportunity to plan and prepare carefully, but it does sacrifice some flexibility in the event of something unexpected. If played correctly, the Second World War (and any other conflicts before 1948) could very well see France reborn and reshaped and emerge from the crucible of war as the far bigger and stronger  European Union. It is a rather good air force, but it will need to be significantly strengthened before the war starts. Edit2: added a little advice on what doctrines you should switch to as different nations. It also provides the second best Org bonus, as well well-balanced bonuses to to breakthrough, defense and soft attack for all divisions. This pretty much adds up either way. Significant rivers include the river Rhine between France and  German Reich, Le Rhône to the southeast, La Seine to the northwest, La Loire which runs through the center, and La Garonne which runs in the southwest. Should an aggressive adversary like Germany threaten its heartland, France is unlikely to be willing to sustain defensive efforts that could see the entire country devastated. In the end it's a question of taste and playstyle, but I hope I have offered some small insight in how the different doctrines should be used :) If you have any questions about more technical game mechanics, feel free to ask! I will delay the war in ethiopia, to save worl Civilian to Military Factory conversion speed: This page was last edited on 22 February 2021, at 10:54. I'd also recommend using the Superior Firepower land doctrine as France, I went Grand Battle Plan/Assault and sort of regret it since France has a strong industry once you get it off the ground and your tanks, artillery, Close Air All countries has the possibility of switching from their default doctrine, and this can be a wise choice, depending on your playstyle. This is an easy one. France is the only nation to start with Battlecruiser II, a 1940 technology. France has a focus to unlock decisions concerning whether to intervene in the Spanish Civil War, or encourage non-interference by other parties. Alas, France is on the brink of civil war with the communists quickly growing in strength. Having emerged victorious from the Great War, the army has developed a dangerously complacent attitude which causes strategic developments to come slowly and with some reluctance. Desperate Defense or Modern Blitzkrieg? By selecting this Design Company it will permanently affect capabilities on all equipment researched while they are hired. France has, a unique potential to gain cores on The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Germany, and Italy through incredible luck. Especially for those of the players that value diversity of units, rather than focus on any of their types. However, this has made it difficult for companies to find skilled workers, and the military finds it hard to compete with the labor market for recruits. This is offset by a major penalty to doctrine research, making it extremely time-consuming to develop proper doctrines. Assault offers some small extra bonuses to armed and mot/mec, and doubles the max planning bonus from 30% to 60%, while Infiltration mainly gives -10% supply consumption and +25% night attack. Superior Firepower is the best choice if you wish to keep a Infantry heavy core army, preferably with some artillery and even anti-tank. When it comes to the land doctrines, there are a few important things to look out for. e, along with the United Kingdom, guaranteed the independence of Poland prior to its invasion by Germany. Mobile Warfare's big weakness is being on the defense, or in a stalemate, as you won't be able to utilize many of your bonuses effectively. Changing conscription laws will make Full Employment worse but can be removed with the National focus. Honestly, sticking with Grand Battle Plan is the safe choice. Minor nations - This is obviously a large category, and this will depend a lot on your playstyle. Ruling party is Fascist or Non-Aligned, Has completed focus National Regeneration On top of that, the French military leadership is made up of old guards who are inexperienced with modern warfare and dangerously complacent regarding the intentions of their enemies. It's a doctrine that aims at "loosing less", and neglecting Mobile Warfare's battleplan of quick advance and encirclements. Soviet - Soviet should usually switch doctrines, as Mass Assault's main purpose is defending against Germany. Once the war starts its important to deny military access to all other belligerents and rack up massive war score on your own. Major reforms are needed to make our economy more competitive in the global scale. Gets event Protests descend into violence, Has completed focus Confirm Eastern Commitments It should be noted that both Mass Assault and Mobile Warfare has the possibility to unlock 5% extra recruitable population(although at heavy expense of combat abilities), which is A LOT. correct. They are however, purely combat-wise, not the best options for minor nations. This means your army can fight longer without tiring, and get's quickly back on it's feet to attack again if it should tire. Mobile Infantry or Blitzkrieg? Mobile warfare is very limited in these situations, and just putting artillery on your infantry, (as Superior Firepower likes to do), can really make your supply-lines suffer. The memory of the Great War is also very much alive, and the people of France are reluctant to fight another major war in Europe. They also have focuses to form their own faction with  Czechoslovakia and invite  Yugoslavia and  Romania to form the Little Entente. what land doctrine is best for france? France is quite possibly the best candidate to form the European Union as if staying democratic, it can expect to end up in a defensive war against both Germany and Italy, allowing both countries to be annexed in a single peace treaty. Africa, India, China, and all kinds of Islands. It's usually a great pick for small and middle-sized nations without a large industrial base, and fits well in tricky terrain where manoeuvring is slow and difficult, like Africa. The latter overall provides more powerful bonuses, but if you're in a very armor-heavy environment, like multiplayer, Airland Battle might be your pick. Playing as a nation that picks up Supererior Firepower, you will be running both full support battalions, and a decent amount of artillery in all infantry divisions. However, poor naval infrastructure and low shipbuilding priority means that constructing a large modern fleet is not easy, and in fact can often be counter-productive in that it denies vital raw materials from tank and motorized production. Extending the draft would only exaberate the problem. Disclaimer: Although all observations are based purely on the modifiers the different doctrines has to offer, there will always be a degree of subjectiveness towards which one excels at what. Integrate carriers into our fleet and dominate the seas from the sky. These are choices of ministers and design companies for France. Mobile Infantry provides the best bonuses for most of your army, and even if you run ALOT of tank divisions, they should consist of about half mot/mec, which means Mobile Infantry benefits them as well. After forming the EU,you must restore the monarchy through the Légitimistes, continue down the focus tree, but before completing be sure that Spain has formed the Iberian union ( if they did the focus for the Iberian union but Portugal refused, if the save is ironman, immediately alt f4, but if on regular mode, reload to the latest auto save until Portugal accepts), Upon completing Focus to annex Spain, you should have cores on all of western Europe excluding Gibraltar ( if Britain goes communist you will have Gibraltar and a core on it) and Brazil. Click to get the latest Environment content. Thinking their chances poor regardless, Germany gambled on a decisive victory by sending Panzer divisions through  Luxembourg and the Ardennes' forested hills, terrain which the French supreme commander Gamelin thought unable to sustain tank movements. To the south lies the Pyrenees mountains which separate France from  Spain. The interminable details of battles, and the petty intrigues of courtiers and mistresses, have lost their interest. Pick Deep Battle. For the first step, in forming the super Kingdom of Franco-Spain, you must put on non-historical focuses, and restart saves until Portugal does its focus Estado Novo. Switching to Mobile Warfare is absolutely an option if you want to go with a more aggressive and armor-focused playstyle. While still a major industrialized country, France has been left behind in terms of concentration of production capabilities. It provides absolutely unmatched bonuses to Soft and Hard Attack(a bonus almost completely lacking in all other doctrines). This is a community maintained wiki. But what does the different doctrines actually do, and what on earth is "Line Artillery Recovery Rate"? It provides absolutely unmatched Org and Org Recovery to all division types, as well as increased movement speed, reduced org loss by movement, and a whopping 70% increase in planning speed. Has completed focus Army Reform It splits pretty early, so the bonuses depends on your path, but they mostly revolve around supplies and other practical effects. Assault or Infiltration? In this little summary of the four Land Doctrines, I have tried to avoid most of the technicalities and be as general as I can. I've tried to be as impartial as possible, but I would love your input. Keeping your default doctrine can be a part of getting the historic feeling of the country you are playing, but if you should wish to switch to a better doctrine, here are some options for a couple of countries: Germany - ...lol. France is located in Western Europe. Using this for it's maximum impact often requires some micromanagement from the player, and preferably a country with a larger industrial base. Examples of alternative division template names for France include: France has 1 Carrier(CV), 5 Battleships(BB), 7 Heavy Cruisers(CA), 7 Light Cruisers(CL), 52 Destroyers(DD) and 63 Submarines(SS) at the start, and boasts a somewhat modern - if badly understrength - fleet. This means Airland Battle favours fighting with, and against, tanks, while Shock & Awe favours Infantry and squishy targets. Next step is forming the European Union. Especially for those of the players that value diversity of units, rather than focus on any of their types. It does fine in both offense and defense, but excels in neither. A place to share content, ask questions and/or talk about the grand strategy game … Superior Firepower is getting nerfed next patch. Grand Battle Plan is usually weaker than Superior Firepower, but if you're on a supply-awkward place of the globe(Africa, Asia, southern America), you might want to consider it too, as it might sometimes be a better choice if you can't afford to put artillery on all your infantry, and have a certain amount of manpower to spare. HoI4 1.6.2 Man the Guns as Japan It's been very long while since I last played HOI4, and back then it was mostly Kaiserreich minors. France has access to huge amounts of Steel and Aluminum. Lastly, it is also possible to take advantage of several random events to increase Communist support high enough and flip France to communism, allowing them to manually justify war goals on Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands and annex them, then progress down the Democratic branch of the National Focus tree and drift back to Democracy and form the EU. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In multiplayer against a Paradox Developer on Germany? You need to have a high war score in order to pull off this strategy. Title; with MP ready explanations. Sorry, Blitzkrieg, but Mobile Infantry is just overall better. Reach 1948 as France without capitulating or surrendering. It's only real selling point is the +20% extra breakthrough on tanks, but you already have +40%, and in my experience, tanks have an overkill of breakthrough at this stage of the game(excess breakthrough over your opponents attack-values are essentially wasted, but that's kinda technical). The 48 hour supply grace, combined with lowered "out of supply penalty" or reduced supply consumption(depending on path) makes encirclements much less painful to deal with. 227k members in the hoi4 community. If you like tanks and mot/mec, Mobile warfare is a good choice. ), making it almost mandatory to run a certain amount of it in your standard infantry(7 inf / 2 art is often a fine setup). The most straightforward approach would be to first neutralize Italy by launching naval invasions to encircle and destroy their troops before marching on Rome. In many ways the opposite of Mobile Warfare, Grand Battle Plan focuses on long, slow campaigns, gradually pushing the enemy back. With its far-flung and vast colonial possessions, defending them against attack will require a higher concentration of light, fast forces compared to Metropole defense. Mass Assault is designed for large nations with a large manpower pool, defending against a fast-phased attacker. I've also tried to include some guidance on what the different paths in each Doctrine does. I compiled a little guide on how the different land doctrines operates. Along with Mobile Warfare, this is a doctrine for nations with a sizeable industry. The main problem with forming the EU as France is the inability to annex Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg but this can be worked around by going down the French Entente line in the focus tree. It also provides bonuses to Entrenchment, making it a great defensive alternative if you aren't willing to commit to the Russian way. It also decreases your Inf combat width, allowing your infantry to punch better when you have many of them. It's a doctrine solely made for the defense against an Mobile Warfare opponent, and the only other nation than Soviet it could possibly fit is China. Best land doctrine for Sweden? Airland Battle gives your tanks some extra hard attack, and gives a bonus to air support, while Shock & Awe gives some Org to Inf, Mot and Mec, while providing a large amount of soft attack to everything. An alternative (albeit untested) way to form the EU is to allow Hungary to become a major power and then occupy and hold the territories needed before the peace deal. Of course, submarines and aircraft carriers also receive bonuses, but they are not as high as ones for battleships. The Panzers then drove—without waiting for infantry to secure their supply lines—through France to the English Channel, surrounding the bulk of the Allied forces which had been sent to  Belgium's border with Germany aiming to deny them room for mobile warfare and overconfident that their main thrust would be through Belgium as in WWI's Schlieffen Plan. These are the Military Staff candidates for appointment in France. Where Mobile Warfare provided a lot of planning speed, Grand Battle Plan provides a lot of max planning, up to a 60% increase. That being said, if a player takes control of France and is able to iron out all of the country's internal problems and strengthen the military-industrial complex enough before war breaks out, they are in a good position to repulse and defeat both Germany and Italy and annex both countries, thus ending those threats for good.