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Greatest Tank Battles France 1940

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 7:05 am
by Saxondog
While discussion the tank of choice we briefly discussed the battle in France in 1940,but what would a mass tank battle look like in 1940 France ,could the massed French Armor defeat the massed German Armor of the period,and which other tanks might be on a 1940 French battlefield?

This is another question of Tank verse Tank,leave air-power above the low cloud cover,Germany has invaded in mass as they did,but instead of the French dispersing their armor,they were ready willing and deployed to meet the German advance,what advantages and disadvantages would we find,who would win the day,and could this of prevented the fall of France?

I understand the influence of German air-power,and also how it had an effect on the roads in France,but this is a straight up,fight. The Germans coming through the Ardennes as case Yellow outlined,but as they cross the Border their met by the mass of French Armor.

What happens next?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_B ... _of_France" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_France" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manstein_Plan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verlorene_ ... and_France" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
300px-1939-1940-battle_of_france-plan-evolution.jpg
300px-1939-1940-battle_of_france-plan-evolution.jpg (27.46 KiB) Viewed 558 times

Re: Greatest Tank Battles France 1940

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:06 pm
by FreakyDude
ok, I'll bite

After coming out of the Ardennes the German tanker will face
Char B1 1178 vehicles (34 being the Char B1, 1144 Char B1 Bis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_B1
R35 1685 vehicles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_R35
Char D2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_D2
Somua S35 430 vehicles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somua_S35
All the scrap Iron I am missing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:W ... _of_France

Then we have the Leadership
De Gaulle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle
Giraud (one of the reasons France lost so quickly in my opinion) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Honor%C3%A9_Giraud
The other guys I missed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:F ... rld_War_II

I am compelled to think that even if France had ammassed every single tank the had in one location with the support of several army groups the results will be the same.
More German casualties but eventually a major loss to France but still the loss would come within a month of fighting.

The leadership is suspect and certainly when the war starts they had their heads stuck in WW I battle theory.
The quality of armor with the exception of one tank is suspect, Arueably the Somua S35 being the of the best available. The Char B1bis is a heavy tank and suffers from more problems than any other heavy from 1938 on.

Unless Britain gets involved Heavily (Really the Expeditionary force was not that big and could have had more support)
France falls.