27th Sept 1939 , safe to attack French shipping?

[Paul Riley]

Currently Sept 27th 1939 in my current patrol,just entering BF33 (Dover Strait) and recieved a merchant sound contact somewhere N-NE of my position.Currently giving chase to identify contact and there is a fair chance it MAY be French heading from Calais to Dover...maybe.Now on the map France is clearly hostile (ports marked in red) and looking at the flags pullout France entered the war on the 3rd,yet those pesky Free French joined on 1st July 1940.Question,and I know it should be obvious going on the above info,can I open fire on French shipping?.I am SO desperate to bloody the nose of the French!

Cheers

[Damo]

If you stick to the historical (as detailed by GWX messages) guidelines, then no. Overt hostilities against the French were frowned upon in the first few months of the war. As far as the game goes, you can have a ball, sink 'em all.

Depends how you choose to play. Though letting them pass by is a lip biter...

[Paul Riley]

I DO like to be as historically accurate as possible,and I also remember getting quite frequent radio messages about not sinking this or that (prize regulations etc),this is where some of the confusion stems from.I also remember a recent message forbidding attacks against capital ships...ahem,we are at war?
When would it be safe for open warfare against the French then?towards the end of '39?
This is going to be SO hard,letting them schweinhunds through!

[Flopper]

Oops. I just sunk 3 of the buggers on oct. 13, '39. Oh wait, radio has been intermittent. Yeah, that's the ticket.

[Exakt]

Yeah, i sank two, including a blacked out passenger liner in Nov '39...

But, due to the game's limitations, we can't abide by the Prize Regulations to the letter.

Prize rules state that passenger ships may not be sunk, crews of merchant ships must be placed in safety before their ships may be sunk (life boats are not considered a place of safety unless close to land), only warships and merchant ships that are a threat to the attacker may be sunk without warning.

So basically, we shouldn't attack merchant ships who are alone and unarmed, since we can't get the crew to safety. Well for the first 2 months of WWII, since there after, Germany went with a unrestricted submarine warfare... so in November, it should be OK...

[Paul Riley]

I just need BDU to give me the green light,my finger is becoming VERY itchy
And to hell with the stinking Geneva convention!,anyone opens fire on me in this patrol I swear i'm gonna throw ALL the radio equipment overboard!,thereafter there will be no more rules.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

I just need BDU to give me the green light,my finger is becoming VERY itchy
And to hell with the stinking Geneva convention!,anyone opens fire on me in this patrol I swear i'm gonna throw ALL the radio equipment overboard!,thereafter there will be no more rules.

LOL...SINK EM ALL!!

[Paul Riley]

damn right Jim

[KL-alfman]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

I just need BDU to give me the green light,my finger is becoming VERY itchy
And to hell with the stinking Geneva convention!,anyone opens fire on me in this patrol I swear i'm gonna throw ALL the radio equipment overboard!,thereafter there will be no more rules.

you are definetely not wrong!
everyone opens fire at you without the slightest warning-signs, but only YOU have to act within the limits of the Hague (?) declaration of Naval warfare??
never!
I even sink Aussie-merchs although part of my family lives there .....

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by KL-alfman

you are definetely not wrong!
everyone opens fire at you without the slightest warning-signs, but only YOU have to act within the limits of the Hague (?) declaration of Naval warfare??
never!
I even sink Aussie-merchs although part of my family lives there .....

Austrian and Aussie family you have?,now theres a combination for you

[Sailor Steve]

Of course the messages were real, but are for immersion - they have no effect on the game.

I too follow them, though, and even note the importand OKM and BdU ones in my log. Don't worry, you'll get the okay to attack French ships soon enough, I think about mid-October the restrictions are lifted.

The July 1940 'Free French' thing came about because after France was overrun by the Germans the Vichy government was established, and France officially became a German ally. The 'Free French' Government was formed en-exile and adopted the new flag.

So after June 1940 ships flying the original French flag become friendly.

[Paul Riley]

Thanks for the info SS.

[Jimbuna]

Here's a fair link to help with the context Paul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_French_Forces

[Paul Riley]

Thanks jim,will read this tomorrow,I am SO tired tonight
Just one thing,these would be the types that called themselves the French Resistance?
Just wait til I get my bloody paws on them!
Anyway,goodnight captain

PS: thats too many smilies for one night hehe

[Jimbuna]

The French Resistance were those French who fought a kind of guerilla war against the Germans on French soil.

The Free French are those that escaped to Britain under the leadership of Charles DeGaulle and fought as part of the Allied cause.