"Le Hardi" played a minor role in the Battle of Dakar in September, mostly laying smoke screens. After the battle, "Fleuret" and "Épée" were two of the four destroyers ordered to attack British shipping, although their only combat was an inconclusive duel with a British destroyer. When the Vichy French government reestablished the (FHM) on 25 September 1940 after it negotiated rules limiting the force's activities and numbers with the Italian and German Armistice Commissions, all of the destroyers were based overseas and not subject to the limits of the FHM. "Le Hardi", "Épée", "Mameluk", "Lansquenet" and "Fleuret" helped to escort the battleship , which had been damaged by the British during their July attack on Mers-el-Kébir, French Algeria, to Toulon in November 1940. Upon their arrival, three of the ships were assigned to the 10e (DT; 10th Destroyer Division), which was assigned to local defence duties, and the others were reduced to reserve. "Casque" and "Le Corsaire" arrived at Toulon later. Assignments to the unit rotated as ships were refitted because the French were only allowed to have three ships of the class active at any one time. On 1 April 1941, "Fleuret" was renamed "Foudroyant", "Épée" to "L'Adroit", "Le Corsaire" to "Siroco" and "Le Flibustier" to "Bison" to commemorate destroyers that had been sunk during the Battle of France. The 10e DT was assigned to the FHM on 1 November.