The Polizei were stronger around the coast. That is where they feared the allied forces, and so where they feared us. Repressions had been brutal, and continued observation intense. So it was inland that our strength grew. The Vichy had its own little army until '42 when the Germans occupied southern France and disbanded it. Lets just say our man power went up that day. Our manpower? Perhaps it's a response to De Gaulle's incessant reference to us as Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur. Or perhaps we are truly beginning to feel like an army now. No longer Brigands in the shrub-land, but companies on patrol? Soldiers, not maquisards? Perhaps we are.
We got visits from officers too. French colonels checking on our strength, British Captains with explosives and plans, and now from paratroopers and commandos. French, British, American and Canadian. Bridges, railways, telephone lines: we cut them all, and for the first time we didn't have to retreat after striking. We could hold. Sure some took it too far, tried to toe to toe it with the Germans and paid the price. But with the support of the allied soldiers we became a dangerous thorn in the backside of the enemy, and that was before the battleships began their devastating, deafening and glorious fire.
Now we move back towards the coast. To where the American soldiers have struck en masse against the thinly spread defenders. They have no choice but to retreat, and we will deny them the luxury of doing it in safety. The sounds of heavy fighting rage around Saint-Raffael, but we head to the east. 'Wladek' says there is an old road he wants to check out. We may be Maquis, but 'Wladek' isn't. We know those who we fight with, from childhood mostly, but we only know the codename 'Wladek'. We assume he's Polish, there's a few of those about. All we know is he has been doing this a long time, and we listen. Because old resistance fighters know the value of old roads.
Uniform of the Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur for Dragoon Rising
The FFI represent local Maquis resistance members that have operated in the hills north of the coast.
The only required piece of kit is a tricolour armband with a variation of the Lorraine Cross/F.F.I. In the white section. Tom Nash has some on ebay -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FFI-F-F-I-FREE-FR ... 5ad6d9b153
This should be combined with a suitably 'civilian' attire, possibly with the added bit of old French kit. Search around for some pictures. At this point the F.F.I. was increasingly organised and operated in ever closer co-operation with allied command.
There will be no 'civilian loyalty' in this game. The FFI have risen and declared themselves active combatants so armbands are a necessity.
On a further, important, note the FFI in this game are not 'regular soldiers in civvies'. The number of FFI will be low, and you will be expected – in fact forced- to fight as resistance fighters. Ammunition will be severely limited during scenarios leaving us unable to face off against the Germans in a straight fight. If you wish to say things in a funny French accent before spraying away with an MP40 then this is not the role for you.
