How to world conquest as the Fr*nch?

[Lilly Satou]

Title, I'm new to the game. So far I've 'completed' two games, helped Germany capture the world once as Poland and once as Italy. Now I wanna try doing it all by myself and the Fr*nch just speak to me, but I get humbled so hard every time, I've tried like ten times.

Let's say, non-historic AI and Napoleonic focus
I've tried a bunch of stuff myself and I am at a loss. Is Fr*nce just not good?
How does one go about world conquest as any country in general?

[ggman02]

With France you need to rush down the path to fix the surrender limit national spirit (i think it's called disjointed government) and then if you want to survive Germany some people extend the Maginot to the Benelux. France isn't bad by any means it's just about knowing the strategies to win as a specific country.

[[FvN] Var]

My basic france setup every time: convert army to 10 width inf with engis,

Build up a bunch of civs, use them to slowly build up forts on the italian border and extend the maginot to the channel *cough i dont feel called out already*, put a handful of units into africa, not necessary but i like to do africa campaigns.
Then start up mil production and slowly build up an offensive army while germany grinds itself to death on the forts... or sits there paralyzed because scared

[thats crazy]

no matter what path they go down the germans will be your main issue

as napoleonic france you can rush down to your wargoals and get all of the benelux ez, then do something similar with what the comment above said

from there you can hold the germans and win the air war, and destroy their units with CAS or build up ground forces for a big offensive

also dont forget about your navy, its way stronger than what germany has

[luckysyno]

WC as Napoleonic France:
Delay "Proclaim the Third Empire" Focus until WWII is finished
Do not join the Allies
Hold against Germany
Kill Italy once they joined, not to fast so the puppet forms and give them their states back
Kill Germany
In the peace conference take all core states of Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Netherlands
Build in your italian puppet and send them stuff so you can annex them
Click the "Realize European Unity" decision
You are now the biggest country on the map, by far
Pick the "Proclaim the Third Empire" Focus and start conquering ;)

[EmotionallyBroken]

I just wanted to say I was amused you censored the word "French" :)

[Dedelblute3]

Originally posted by EmotionallyBroken:

I just wanted to say I was amused you censored the word "Fr*nch" :)

Hold on, I noticed an error in your comment, fixed it for you /j

[✚ Mariel ✚]

With non historic the AI is pretty random, it could be easy or it could be hard. That said, I would suggest something like this:

Historic. When WW2 starts you should declare war on the UK, this will let you join the axis probably as you will have a common enemy. Naval invade the east side of UK from north germany, the UK AI leaves that part of the sea weakly guarded so that Germany can historically invade Norway. And as a result this leaves them vulnerable to a naval invasion into yorkshire or anglia. After you capitulate the UK try to take as much land as you can in the peace deal and with that the Allies should no longer exist as a faction. You should now be free to start invading whoever you like, just be sure to stay in the Axis so Germany does not declare war on you. And you probably want to stay away from the Americas so you dont end up having to fight with the USA. When Germany and Soviet Union go to war it will eventually grind to a stalemate, consider backstabbing Germany at this time, and with the axis gone you can go ahead and attack the Soviet Union as well. Then kill off Japan to make their war with China and USA end, and then you can attack China to take over it and any of the Japanese territories they got from the peace deal. With that you basically control everything except the Americas so it should be easy to finish

Btw this strategy works as basically any country if you aren't democratic, you just declare war on UK, join the axis, wipe out allies before USA can join, and after that the game is basically a sandbox and you can attack who you want

[Blind]

Take the UK first and early, then grab italy and you will have an easy time with germany once russia is in the war to help you squeeze them. Then take russia, and asia etc. them maybe usa last and then cleanup south america.

[Jack Greedy]

French... they are masters of surrender.

[zeeb]

Originally posted by Jack Greedy:

French... they are masters of surrender.

Germans... they are masters of starting fights they end up losing.
English... they are masters of delaying critical decisions.
Italians... they are masters of making bad decisions.
Americans... they are masters of stealing credit.
Russians... they are masters of throwing their peoples lives away.
Japanese... they are masters of being unadaptable.

Did I forget any major WW2 nation?

[Lilly Satou]

Some say take UK early, but ythe fleet you have in the beginning is not enough to get 50% superiority?