The French Gunboat Solo Win Plan
Usually, France’s plan is to take all Northern centers (Iberia, France, England, Germany, the low countries, Scandinavia, and St. Petersburg) plus Tunis. Once in a while, Italian home centers will work.
Very little variation on the plan
- Nearly all victories will be won by taking over the entire North plus Tunis.
- It is always difficult for France to invade Italy, but it is especially difficult in a Gunboat game. However, if France can somehow conquer both Italy and England, the ability of France to get a solo win is extremely high because some of rest of the north is usually pretty easy in a gunboat game.
France can get away with almost all fleet builds
- All the English home centers and Scandinavia can be conquered with just fleets, and fleets are usually necessary to conquer the lower countries and the northern German home centers.
- Tunis must be attacked by and held with fleets entirely.
- The only center landlocked center France needs to conquer is Munich. Munich is right next to France’s home centers and relatively easy to conquer at any point in the game.
- Accordingly, only a small number of army builds are necessary for France to effectuate a solo win plan.
Extreme levels of overlap with England’s plan
- Note the extreme levels of overlap with the English solo win game plan. This overlap makes England and France each others’ natural enemies by far.
No ally is really necessary
- The most common solo win plan for France is this:
- Invade all the English home centers.
- Then invade all the German home centers.
- Meanwhile, snatch up Tunis.
- Roll up the rest of the North for the solo win, because whatever Russia gained is likely indefensible.
- If England and Germany do not closely work together, France can easily hold off Germany while invading England, or even attack them both at the same time.
- All that is required from Italy is neutrality.