REVIEW ' The Great War: French Army Expansion' & French Tanks

The French Army Expansion is the second expansion for The Great War and it focuses on battles involving the French Army.
When Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August 1914, France honoured her treaty with Russia and mobilized to meet an expected German offensive. Germany, as anticipated, marched through Belgium and the rest is history. Although the French Army fought in many battles, the scenarios in this expansion focus on their most famous campaign - Verdun. The Battle of Verdun lasted from February to December 1916, and is a testament to the strength and fortitude of the French armed forces.
The French Army expansion presents 12 scenarios from this famous battle. The box includes a rule and scenario book, 2 special personnel and terrain summary sheets, 3 punchboards of double-sided terrain tiles, tokens and markers, and a complete French force of plastic poilus.
The French force consists of 48 French infantry, 3 French bombers, 3 French machine gun teams (each with one machine gun and 4 crew), and 3 French mortar teams (each with one mortar and 4 crew).
There are also 14 French special personnel figures, such as engineers, flame-throwers, light machine gunners, and spotters. These special personnel figures add new rules to the core game. When a special personnel figure is added to a unit, this allows that unit to modify its normal actions according to the type of special personnel figure you have attached to it.

[@polyfission2776]

Great review, always such positive vibes on your videos. Kudos!

[@ScotchTestDummies]

Thanks Mathieu.

[@DavidRamirez-ww5kv]

Great review on the expansion and explaining the changes to the game system, thank you for sharing.

[@ScotchTestDummies]

Thanks David

[@josephvalvano829]

My favorite WWl games are “Guns of August” and “1914” both grand strategy and both Avalon Hill. This seems like a wonderful tactical level WWl system.

[@ScotchTestDummies]

It’s really fun

[@josephvalvano829]

Scotch Test Dummies I’m sold....” Steady Lads, on the ladders single file behind, at the whistle it’s Over the Top!,”

[@picton101]

I love the great war C&C system, didn't feel like it worked for ww2 but does for static trench warfare. If players want more tactical ww1 games I'd recommend Compass games' red poppies campaign games vol 1-3 (somewhat larger scale ie units are companies but each scenario represent 1-3 days and nights of fighting) and Hexasim's Great War Commander (which is a beautiful version of combat commander - hopefully tonnes of expansions to follow, first being Commonwealth troops). If players really want a challenge try Der Weltkrieg, operational level ww1. As you can probably tell, I do enjoy ww1 games....

[@josephvalvano829]

Picton 101 , thanks for your great comment I’ll look into both those games. By the way is you profile name a homage to Sir Thomas Picton, of Waterloo fame?

[@richardklug822]

To protect the hard plastic figures, I glue small pieces of vinyl refrigerator magnet to their bases and store them upright in metal tins. No more broken bayonets or heavy weapons!

[@ScotchTestDummies]

Great idea Richard

[@NoEnemiesHere]

Nice, Chief!!!!!

[@ScotchTestDummies]

Thanks Dan.

[@Vincentzw]

Wanna know something weird? My copy only came with 1 German flametrooper, but it came with 1 soft plastic German bomber

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

That is odd.

[@Vincentzw]

Also, did anyone else’s game come with way more French infantry than stated in the components list? I also got a few shell shocked infantry, and a couple standing loaders I don’t recognize from the troop list.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

I remember my troop allocation being correct. But the company makes all kinds of soldiers so I could see possible problems.

[@friendhui4320]

Great review. "I'm crazy and wear a boonie hat."

[@raymow9683]

Great review Chief. I agree with you about the sprue issue. If I was going to paint, then hard plastic makes sense but soft plastic easy and durable for an abstract game component. My buddy has Mem 44 and it's fun but we both like the centenary edition including the tank expansion better. Model tanks a nice touch over Mem 44 and I believe the system works better with WW1 IMHO. It's nice to play an easy to learn yet challenging tactical system for WW1. Keep up the great work and thank you for your service.

[@ScotchTestDummies]

Thank you Ray. Chief.

[@richardklug822]

I wonder if they will do expansions for mobile Eastern Front warfare (Russians, cavalry and armored cars) or maybe trench strafing aircraft?

[@ScotchTestDummies]

You are reading my mind. Chief.

[@dennisduigou5384]

That is one ugly hat, Harry.

[@BondingWithBoardGamesRPGs]

1100 men went into the water…