“What is Vichy France?”
When the Germans reached the edge of Paris in 1940, and it became obvious the French army wouldn’t be able to stop them, the French decided to surrender before Paris was reduced to rubble. A new French government was formed, led by Marshall Petain, with its capitol in the town of Vichy. The Vichy government initially controlled southern France, Morocco, Algeria, Syria, and French Indo-China. They collaborated with the Germans. They had control of a fairly sizable navy, and the British actually bombed the Vichy French fleet in North Africa because they were afraid the Vichy government would hand it over the Germans and/or Italians. When the Allies landed at Casablanca in 1942, the Vichy garrison initially put up a bit of a fight. But they soon decided to switch sides and join the Free French forces.
If you want to simulate Vichy in your games, you can use something like the following:
Upon capturing Paris, the German player must immediately decide whether or not he will accept a Vichy government. If he refuses, all French forces and territories not already under Axis control become Free French. The income from Free French territories can be spent in British factories to produce new Free French units. Free France performs all phases of its turn at the same time as Britain. British and Free French units may attack together and ride on each others’ transports.
If the German player decides to accept a Vichy government, all forces located in the following territories or in adjacent sea zones become Vichy: French Indo-China, Syria, and all French colonies in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). German control markers are placed on Vichy territories, and income from those territories goes to Germany until they are liberated by the Allies. All other French territories outside of France become Free French.
For any surviving French Units in France itself or in adjacent sea zones, roll a die. If the roll is 1-2, the unit disbands/scuttles, and is removed from the map. On a roll of 3-4, the unit becomes Vichy and is immediately moved to Southern France. On a roll of 5-6, the unit becomes Free French, and is immediately moved to either Gibraltar or London, whichever is closer.
If any Vichy territory is attacked by the Axis, all Vichy forces and territories immediately become Free French (exception: Japan can occupy French Indo-China with no effect on any other territory). If a Vichy territory is attacked by the Allies, roll a die. On a roll of 1-4, the territory and all Vichy forces within it or in adjacent sea zones become Free French. On a roll of 5, the territory surrenders, and all units are removed from the map. On a roll of 6, the territory joins the Axis, and all Vichy units are immediately replaced with German units.