No, not really. These files only affect the traffic related to the corresponding areas. This means that you may apply for transfer to Penang, Jakarta or get transfered to Penang by the game at a certain date if your boat belongs to a certain flotilla (i think thats the 11th flotilla stationed at Bordeaux, France). On the other hand, you have the following cases:

- If you start a career stationed at Penang then you must apply the GWX Indian Campaign files should you wish to see some action. Otherwise you won't meet a single ship because the default GWX campaign files cover the areas of the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea as well as the Mediterranean Sea as far as air & naval traffic is concerned. This of course is the default behaviour of the game.;)

- In case you set sail from France then, well, it depends on the way you want to play the game. If you want to sail the Atlantic at nobody's presence then just enable the Indian Campaign files. But if you prefer the opposite situation you should enable the Merged Campaign files cause if you make the journey with the default campaign files enabled then you won't only meet any traffic while crossing the Indian Ocean but you won't be able to dock at Penang too.

If i were you, in case of departing France heading to Penang, i'd have the Merged Campaign mod enabled and prior to starting my first patrol from there i'd enable the Indian Campaign files. I think thats a fairly realistic and historically correct way of doing it... If you think the same way, that is. Just bear in mind that with the Merged Campaign on the game loads a lot of stuff.
Refer to the manual in case you want more details. Everything should be made clear after reading the corresponding articles.

:salute: