French involvement in the Europe after 2001.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Well, if they still have a majority of their nukes, France sort of becomes the 1200-pound Gigantopithecus in the room instead of the 800-pound Gorilla.

I agree and that's why I'm having it losing a fair part of its SSBN fleet. However, after the Twilight War, using nukes might not be very high in French agenda.

[Legbreaker]

I feel that the Soviets are more likely to fire nukes at France than Nato as France were until very recent history a party to Nato. Although they withdrew, it could be argued by some in the USSR that it was nothing more than deception on Nato's part to avoid having all their forces destroyed in the early stages. This would then mean and entire nations forces could be brought to bear on the weakened Pact.

Far feteched? Possibly, but never underestimate stupidity....

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

I feel that the Soviets are more likely to fire nukes at France than Nato as France were until very recent history a party to Nato.

If it was nuking France for the sake of it, yes. As it is to deny oil refining capability, I would say that chances are equals. Warsaw Pact might fear to have France refining oil for NATO and NATO might fear to have France sending oil to Italy and Warsaw Pact (through Italy and Austria).

The consequences would be very different as well. Warsaw Pact would use ICBM while NATO woud probably focus on cruise missile. That's up to anyone, then. The tex posted by Rainbow makes perfect sense.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

Warsaw Pact would use ICBM while NATO woud probably focus on cruise missile.

Unless Nato wanted to frame the Pact for the strikes....
When attacking a neutral country, plausible deniability is vital I'd think, especially when said neutral can nuke you right back again!

[WallShadow]

Sabiex International, a Belgian corporation, specializes in buying surplus military AFVs and refurbishing/upgrading them. They have a large supply of spare parts for Pact vehicles (T-54/55, T-72, PT-76, BMPs, BTRs, etc), and NATO and French vehicles are part of their inventory also. Located about 15 miles south of Bruxelles and about 7 miles SW of Waterloo.

Another ripe plum in the Belgian territory is the Fabrique National Herstal Corporation in Lieges, which manufactures small arms, machine guns, and grenade launchers and their mountings for vehicles. Could this and the Sabiex facility have escaped destruction? If so, France has an enormous advantage in the reconstruction in the post-whoops era.

[Legbreaker]

I'm curious to know when they opened their doors, and where their Pact equipment came from...
They may not be such a prize if the bulk of their business came about after 1991.

[Mohoender]

Here is their website

http://www.sabiex.com/

They would be more involved in NATO/French equipments then. Yes they could have survived especially as Braine L'alleud is on the oposite side of Brussel. If Brussel was nuked because of the NATO HQ, this would be quite far away.

About the FN, it has survived except, of course if you chose to nuke Belgium heavily. Moreover, it is more than possible that the entire Meuse valley has survived with its siderurgy, technical industries...

Moreover, coal mines will reopen on the valley providing more ressources to France. All had been closed in the mid-1970's but mostly because exploitation had become too expensive. With the Twilight War this will no longer be an issue.