France attacked 25 October 1939

Luftwaffe flying:
Serious losses in Luftwaffe Aircraft – 300-350 lost in Poland had to be substituted.
At the end of the Campaign the Luftwaffe had 850 Messerschmitt Bf-109E and 275 other types with 968 pilots.
There was 194 Messerschmitt Bf-110 and 182 pilots.
At the beginning of the French Campaign the Luftwaffe had increased its number of Bf-109E to 1016 only 166 more than at the end of the Polish Campaign and Bf-110 to 248 only 66 more.

Luftwaffe flying units were organized in Geschwader each made up of 3 Groups each Group of 3 Staffeln – a Geschwader totalling some 90-120 aircraft.
Bombers Heinkel 111, Dornier Do 17, Junkers Ju 88A – total 14 Geschwader with 1071 A/C. (756 Heinkel, 297 Donier, 18 Junkers)
Stuka Geschwader – five of 288 Ju 87B.

The Germans took heavy Luftwaffe losses in France – numbers range from 1129-1841 with a German estimate of 1401 total, 284 Messerschmitt Bf-109E Figthers.
French estimate a killing of 355-550 German Aircraft plus 100 due to AA-fire.

French losses at 574-2000 but the French was able to replace their losses during the Campaign. Interestingly the first day Luftwaffe airraid on Allied Airbases only destroyed some 60 aircraft.
RAF lost more than 900 Aircraft of these 75 Hurricane Fighters in aircombat and 367 on the ground.

Luftwaffe thus lost some 3-5 times as many Aircraft fighting over France than over Poland. In Poland they had faced 474 Fighter Aircraft in the West there had been 1600+ Fighter Aircraft.

It's argued that the Luftwaffe would fly 8 sorties a day with French units only do 2-3 and RAF Fighter units 5-7.
If the WAllies are able to stop the German advance RAF may be willing to send more Squadron's to France. With the RAF ability to fly almost as many sorties a day as Luftwaffe it will have an impact on the battle but also less German advance will have an impact on Aircraft destroyed on the ground due to swift German advances.

Without this crucial element available at will the German offensive will be much impacted.

One of the things Nazi-Germany lacked to really motorize its Army was Trucks. As a result of conquering France they gained thousends of much needed trucks to motorize more Infantry and to improve logistics. The latter would be a huge problem in Russia as the railway gauge had to be changed to run the narrow German stock on the Russian rails. So trucks, lots of trucks were needed and the French had them just as the British had to leave thousends of trucks behind when evacuating from the Continent.
Rob Germany of a source of trucks as well as a large pool of captured tanks – almost 2500, though most lacking spares, to rebuild as various AFVs and the projected Invasion of Soviet Union would be distand Mirage.

The real problem for the WAllies was their perception of refighting WWI; how to contain the Germans and fight a set-piece battle to wear them down with Artillery.
Then the final blow with Tanks to finish them off once the Industrial and Human potential of the Allies with a large possible supplyer of needed goods sitting across the Atlantic had been mobilized; which happened 4 November 1939 which may still be the case here. Mainly so with an earlier German attack on France.

The value of radio, which Gort seems to acknowledge in his despatches and to him French lack of understanding, and the need to change the perception of the possible tempo of battle hadn't occured to the French. The Bristish certainly seeming to have had a glimpse of the light which the early Campaign in North Africa would reveal (OTL).
However the French had understood to some extend the advantage of having a radio in every Tank as new tanks such as the Somua was all fitted with radios as was also the case of Hotchkiss Tanks. However the Tanks and the Reconnaisance – Motorized Infantry of the DLM Divisions didn't share radio frequenzies! That was being adressed to try remedy.

As such there was huge room for improvement in communications – could the French Commander be made realize the value of radio much would be made easier.
The WAllies already had the ciphers to communicate bypassing German eavesdropping but they would have to get the Belgians onto that bandwagon. Perhaps a little calm to rest and reassess the situation might have the Belgians realize that taking the extra time to use more complex cipher would be a benefit.
The Germans had realized that doing away with ciphers in the battle situation was ok as long as the day to day business would be handled the right way. In an emergency just talk and get the job done.

However reading most recently the despatches of Lord Gort it was clear that the WAllies was tough soldiers able to improvise and solve problems.
Given a little more time space than in May 1940 they might just stop the German attack – in Belgium.

With the revised Schlieffen Plan carried out the German Army is walking into the arms of the Allied Armies.
True the Allies have less Armoured formations than 8 months later but the German Army have barely recovered from the Polish Campaign and the Panzers have been worn down.
Almost all available as well as battle salvaged and new production will be thrown into battle and still one Panzer Division will be missing as well as the Airlanding Infantry Division.
And a lot of the Infantry that the German Army would have used the intervening 8 months to train to build a substantial reserve – which would be non-existant.

The French would be at the pinnacle of available Military means though still working to field more Armoured Divisions, buy Trucks in the USA for the Armed Forces as well as Aircraft of all kinds.

The French however would have a need for better Tanks than their existing stock – with radios more crew operating in the turret and enginepower.
Actually using British Tanks which had 3-man turret in contrast to the 1-man turret of French Tanks which over-taxed the Tank Commander. However some better designs did surface in France with 2 man turrets though still some way from the British design.

Without the sudden panic and collapse in May 1940 the French may well manage to retain their cool – and hold the line. With the staunch BEF along them and like WWI a token Belgian Army force too.
Luck have it that the 1939-40 Winter was a hard one which would interfere with Airoperations to postpone the German attack in the West until May 1940. This also had the effect that not as much in field fortifications as wanted had been build on the Franco-Belgian border but this time they won't be needed.
The WAllies will have untill early May 1940 – half a year - to build up their new forces of Army and Airforces before the Germans will be able to bring the Luftwaffe into play.

According to the map presented by Lordroel the Germans will be entering Belgium and Luxembourg across their common borders – the Panzer Divisions moving in south of Maastricht and the Dutch border to pass the Fortress Eben Emael and Liege fortifications.
There are a large number of dates for early attack and wheather or not the Netherlands borders be violated – but the 25 October 1939 one seems to keep out of the Netherlands even if Hitler had as already ordered that in his talk to the heads of Armed Services on 27 September 1939.

Rationale? Would there be one with Adolph Hitler at the helm - enthused by the already effected defeat of Poland with German troops penetrating further east than negotiated with the Soviet Union.

So Armygroup B with 7 Panzer Divisions in the attack, 1 in AG reserve and 1 further back have to negotiate the Belgian fortifications. However with the positioning of Fort Eben Emael behind the Dutch border just to the south of Maastricht there may actually be no need to attack it!
Without the aid of Luftwaffe due to weather with the prospect of a scattered Parachute drop and without having yet orchestrated the Gliderattack there is the Brandenburg Commando's and the Heavy Artillery Brigades envisioned to break the Maginot Line to be moved up.
Further south Armygroup A will have its Infantry move into the Ardennes like in 1914. Still further south Armygroup C will hold the Saarland and Rhine defences from French incursion.

No - its the ooold SPI magazine game of 1970? that got reboxed by Avalon Hill some time following - mine's marked 1972 - about 200 counters. On Board Game Geek I usually solo-game as opponents are few and far between. Last game against an opponent was with my son some 15 years ago!