"Invasion USA" Topic

I am looking at wargaming a new scenario where the USA gets invaded. Sure I know it is almost impossible to do it, but I still wanna give it a try.

In my scenario it is the year 2035 and the US and Mexico are enemies after a series of firefights between US and Mexican border troops engage in clashes. Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela form an alliance with China and Russia. Cuba allows Russia to base combat troops in its country and Mexico allows Chinese forces to base in its country.

The way I am looking at it playing out is Russia will start the attack by invading Alaska. This attack is really just a supporting battle in order to pin down US forces in Alaska and to open a second front. Hispanic forces push into Arizona, Texas and New Mexico and dig in. Chinese forces mass behind the Hispanic forces and when the time is right strike through Texas. Cuba and Russian land forces along the Gulf coast from Cuba. Their intent is to link up with the Chinese coming from Texas and to secure the oil facilities all along the Gulf coast.

In this scenario NATO has dissolved, but Britain and Germany do send forces to fight alongside US forces.

The initial goal of the Russians, Chinese and Hispanic forces are to hold onto the Southern/Western states such as Alabama, Louisana, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico and to build up their forces to push deeper into the heart of the US. They also plan to bypass most major cities and let them fend for themselves.

The US president has decided not to use nukes for now because it would most likely mean the destruction of the US so he is relying on his conventional forces to beat back the invaders.

I know it is far-fetched, but I always wanted to wargame this and decided to start off the new year right by actually doing it.

I would appreciate any ideals concerning the scenario and objectives. Thanks

WOOOOLLLLLVVVVEEERRRRIIIINNNNEEEESSSSS!!!

Yea pretty far fetched given you flash point time. However, I understand you wanting to war game an invasion USA. The main problem I see it that the US Naval forces would be very capable of blockading and if needed sinking both Chinese and Russian vessels trying to land troops and materials not to mention US Air power taking a major chunk out of any invading forces. The US in your scenario would have the home court advantage and not have the concerns about being able to supply that the Chinese/Russian would.

Also I just do not see any situation that would have the Russians allowing China to use their bases and China has its own ports to launch from. Again, though any Chinese naval adventure would have to contend with US Naval superiority which would have to have been downgraded considerably. Plus Japan, India, New Zealand, and Australia might have something to say about such Chinese ambitions and have Navies, air, and land forces that would come into play. Oh and don't forget Taiwan.

More likely you would see a Latin Confederation that has support from China/ Russia with material and advisors but little in the way of combat forces from those countries. Then the scenario takes on a bit of a Yom Kippur War feel where the Pan Latin forces attempt a surprise strike during say Christmas or perhaps a time of domestic turmoil to grab key territory and hold onto it long enough to force the US to the bargaining table via the UN. If the Pan Latin forces cannot gain the upper hand in a set period of time the muster of US might with possible help from as you said Britain/ Germany comes into play. The Pan Latins would have to have some kind of air defense system that would considerably hamper US air power. Otherwise the whole venture is over very quickly as B-2 bombers, A-10s, drone strikes quickly bring the Latin ground forces to their knees.

Also the Pan Latins would have all those very well armed US civilians to contend with that would be sniping from every street corner.

whitemanitcore – Thanks for the info. I know the US navy is formidable, but I see them being spread thin. They will have to cover the approaches from Cuba, deal with the Russians in Alaska, provide coverage for the West Coast and Hawaii. For fun I may have a crisis going on in the Middle East with Iran so the US Navy will be over there dealing with them also.

I am factoring in US civilian resistance. A guy hiding in his house with a gun sniping at Russian/Chinese Soldiers might sound heroic, but when a T-90 appears and puts a round into that house then all bets are off. Most US citizens do not have heavy weapons in their homes so they will kill some of the enemy, but eventually the Russians/Chinese will just grind them into the ground with their tanks. That is one of the reason I am keeping them out of the cities. they know city warfare, especially in the US will be extremely brutal and will wear them down. The enemy generals will be content to just by pass the cities and leave them be. I think the only cities that will actually become a target will be those that have substantial US forces dug into them. The enemy wont want a US force using a city as a base to launch attacks from in their rear so those places will be dealt with.

Fortress America

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Invasion; America

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Use them for your campaign.

Well, I suppose you can dream up any scenario you like, but the logistics of what you propose exceed the capacity of the countries involved. It took us years of total mobilization and non stop convoys to build up enough men and materiel in England to launch an invasion of Europe. And we did not have to contend with the technology of today. Those T-90s guzzle a lot of fuel and fuel would be target one for American air power. Tracking and interdicting Russian and Chinese convoys would be easy. Any major build up of Chinese and Russian forces in the area would trigger a war long before they would have the capability to do what you envision. If the USA did not have the strength or will to do that, then it would be a very short war. But, play on, sir, play on.

I doubt an attack on Alaska would make much sense. By that time it will be devoid of resources (oil) worth fighting over and it will be an obvious diversion for the main continental states. Plus Canada would form a nice buffer for any threat to the other 48 states.
I also doubt that Germany and the UK would really send forces over. Those would be quite liable to attacks en route, plus it would rather make more sense for them to attack Russia at home and take preassure off the US that way.

First of all, what are your objectives? To fight a campaign blow by blow or merely have fodder for tabletop games?

I've also been interested in this apocalyptic scenario ever since SPI released Invasion America back in the seventies. And then of course, there was Red Dawn….

I say damn the strategic picture, and either fight for one or two local bits of turf or just random/linked scenarios that may or may not have a bearing on the overall picture.

As far as the commanders on the ground are concerned, it's happened and they are now tasked with holding Smallville for 8 turns to allow time for the promised counter attack by the Marines to start rolling….

In the new year Maff and I will be fighting some "Wolverines" actions, mostly capitalising on existing resources. He's using 20's and fighting out Modern Wafare 2, invasion America by Neo-Nationalist Russians on the tabletop. I'm using my 15's and playing more of a "Posse Comitatus" scenario of US government being faced with armed unrest/resistance from the US people and militia movements following a sudden economic collapse and social order breakdown.

In both cases we have single sentence camapign backgrounds and that's enough to allow us to get on with the actions on the tabletop.

Cheers
Mark

I think you might want some way of drastically limiting the military power of the USA, thus allowing all these enemy forces to turn up at all.

Twenty-three years is a long time in politics, so perhaps there's been a Second US Civil War?

Perhaps the US has done something really dreadful (like nuking somewhere that didn't thoroughly deserve it) and has been under international sanctions for twenty years?

Perhaps there's been some enormous natural disaster, like the East Coast being wiped out by the mega-tsunami from the collapse of one of the Canary Islands, or Yellowstone going off bigtime?

Maybe complete collapse of the economy, civil breakdown and inundation of all the coastal cities after global warming might do it?

I know it is far-fetched,

well kinda
this is the type of scenario you should just do without any backstory.

GM- China has just landed an army near LA
Gamer- Where was the Navy
GM- Don't worry about it

How about: Canada elects a strongly left wing government (I know y'all can't tell the difference, but we have a right-wing one now)which slowly falls out with the US over a number of issues but especially sea lane rights in the steadily-more-accessible high arctic and the impact of climate change

Canada moves its alliances to a block including Russia, China, and most European countries that oppose the US on related issues. Tensions lead to a build-up of defensive capability in peacetime which slowly and covertly works over to an offensive capability. Some damn-fool thing in some pointless corner of the world then triggers a war.

You can invent some new technology that renders all existing navies obsolete, like a super-sub. The naval race restarts from scratch, and the China-Russians can plausibly defend their convoys.

There is way more civilian weaponry in the countryside versus the city.Tankers gotta pee at some point.

Dont forget Chuck Norris:

YouTube link

Chuck

It took us years of total mobilization and non stop convoys to build up enough men and materiel in England to launch an invasion of Europe. And we did not have to contend with the technology of today. Those T-90s guzzle a lot of fuel and fuel would be target one for American air power.

The U.S. started sending their own forces in 1942, and instantly invaded into N. Africa. They were in Italy in 1943, and Normandy in '44, so I wouldn't say it too "years" to build up.

In addition, today's transportation capabilities is a whole lot higher than in the past. In the 1990/91 Iraqi war, the allies were able to build up about 7,000 tanks and APC in 6 months. (The U.S. sent about 1,200 M1A1 Abrams Tanks), as well as 250,000 troops from the U.S. alone.

Still, it was air power that dominated Desert Storm, and there are many who say that the Chinese may have stealth fighters within the next 10 years, which will make their air power much more potent.

The US breaking down due to economical/social collapse is much more pausable than a Russian/Chinese invasion. You should tailor your scenario more to anarchy/social breakdown of US institutions than a foreign invasion. Such a game is more plausible and realistic than a Chuck Norris style Invasion Force USA (which is a fun B grade movie in its own sake).

Blake

I'm with Mr. Walker. As Lincoln said (paraphrasing): "the US can only be defeated by itself".

As for tanks in cities- Molotov cocktails of course!

I also agree with Blake. May be you could add a Chinese Expeditionary Force in California, to protect the investments of Chinese companies in the region. Also you can add up heavily armed narco-bands in the frontiers of Mexico-Texas-California. Throw some mercs in the mix, and the odd regular unit still operative and you can have a nice scenario.

DON'T use European troops! In the case of US collapse the strongest reaction of the EU would be create 2 committees to study the problem; perhaps they would also redact a paper on the topic, but only if they are really upset!

A russian fanatic already demanded the return of Alaska, combined with their Arctic Ocean claims why not?
A South American Brazilian Napoleon should lead this.(I vote Morena Baccarin)

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The US can be weakened by Congress, economy, N. Korean 'Regime Change' adventurism etc. Nowadays Great Britain has to share a aircraft carrier with France.
Russia could surge forward with a 'New Model Communist Manifesto' and a economic treaty with China to offset losses during a European economic collapse.
China and Russia can seize the high ground with orbital satellite supremacy.
In the early sixties, the Minuteman movement had access to heavy weapons(Recoiless rifles, 3.5" bazookas)

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So, postulating a more 'saner' group or coalition of radical groups is feasible in your timeline.

So, don't go wishy-washy, crank up your alternate history.

I'll be in the militia with a M16K .45cal SMG and a RPG made in America!

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China is working on ways to attack our computers. Maybe some kind of attack that nullifies this advantage. Maybe an EMP pulse thor weapon that makes modern avionics all screwed up. Then we send in some biplanes.

Modern Warfare 2 has a large scale invasion of the US by UltraNationalist Russians:
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You may also find Northern Command's website useful:
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Plus US military deployments as of June this year:
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Cheers
Mark

All, thanks for all the great ideals and links! I figure the Chinese and Russians will have ample time to build up supplies and fuel in Mexico and Cuba before they strike. Venezuela is on their side to so they will have the oil from their to rely on not to mention the Siberian oil fields.

As for Canada, they will decide (after some arm twisting from Russia and China) to sit this one out provided they are left alone. The Russians and Chinese really do not want Canada because it is not seen as too much a threat therefore they are happy and content to leave them alone.

Alaska is just a diversion. The US isn't going to want to give it up without a fight and the Russians know this so that is why they are invading it. The units the Russians use won't be their best, but they will be able to hold their own against the US forces there and to tie them down from the main fight on the mainland.

What I am looking at when it comes to Russia and China's motivation is they have an eye to conquering other areas of the world, but they want to "take out" their main adversary first, the USA. Pretty much beat up on the world's best hope and run it into the ground before turning on the world.

I don't envision a quick victory because the Russian/Chinese/Latin American alliance is going to gobble up the US parts at at time. I always wanted to fight a very long campaign that lasts years and I think this will be the one to fight.

As for European forces – Britain and Germany have decided to throw their hat in with the US because they see the writing on the wall and know they will be next so their rationale is if they help the US defeat the invasion it could seriously hurt the Russians and perhaps keep them from invading their backyards.

I like the ideal about a computer virus. I was going to go with an EMP, but then I thought it would destroy alot of the US's military equipment and I want to use it in the battles to come. I think I will go with a computer virus that shuts down the US govt and military communications prior to the invasion. I figure that will cause enough confusion that will allow the enemy to get a toehold in the US.

"I am looking at wargaming a new scenario where the USA gets invaded. Sure I know it is almost impossible to do it, but I still wanna give it a try".

Well, to be factually correct, it has already occurred, in far larger numbers than were landed at D-Day, e.g. 20 – 30 million, depending upon which numbers you choose to believe.

How about the drug cartels, flush with cash, team up with the Mexican/other gangs, commies, and other bad guys (Iranians) to bring America down from the inside?

Isn't as far fetched as it might seem, especially if they choose to fight a guerrilla war, instead of a more overt one. Look at some of the crime, illegal drug use, unemployment, and arrest rates in various cities, and across the nation for more info.

You could also assume massive US military cutbacks, due to the budget squeeze, make it a bit easier, while China's rise in economic power exacerbates things even further.

Mako11 – I was actually thinking about having Mexico pretty much fall to the drug cartels and the govt is their puppets and that was one of the reasons Mexico was anxious to side with the Russians and Chinese.

Lookingglassman…interesting idea…may I make one suggestion that everyone else has NOT discussed…(as they are too busy discussing the politicial and social triggers)…and that would be "geopgraphy" of the American Southweest.

An Invasion up from Mexico into the American Southwest (unless it is heavily, and I mean HEAVILY supplied), is essentially going to fail…due to lay of the land…

Lets break it down into the "Southwest Theater of Operations"…From the "Eastern Point" (San Antonio), to the western point…(Arizona/NV Border, or Lake Havasau for better point of reference)…

You have the massive open stretch of land between San Antonio and El Paso, with Ft. Stockton and Van Horn being the only major "bases" that could be utilized…I-10 is the only Major road running that way…sure you could push your tanks through towns like Toyah and Roosevelt, where the rumblings of the engines would cause the buildings to collapse, but there's simply no support structure there…and the further you go, the longer your supply lines are stretched….An operation this ambitious would need to take 1-2 cities with airfields that can be used to shuttle troops and supplies, (fuel) in….if possible, that city would need to also have good rail facilities…

So, immeidate objective would be El Paso Texas…
You have EP International Airport and Biggs Field, right there at Ft. Bliss…
Wait…you also have Fort Bliss, currently home of the US 1st Armored Division…
So now you have to deal with not only 1st AD, and regulars in El Paso, but any TX and NM NG units mobilized and sent there, along with Reserve units, and any civilian "militia" / volunteers that decide to give the average invading infantryman a taste of lead…and I think there would be a few….

But now…lets just say that you do, DO capture El Paso, essentially intact and they haven't cratered the airfields, or blown the railyard…

Now what?…well…you can try to push the 70 odd miles up to White Sands and try to take the base there, and threaten Kirkland AFB, but that's a LOOOOOONG stretch in an unfamiliar piece of ground, that will be well known by the defenders….Two small two lane roads lead there…the ground has dune and dips and I could take 200 men with AT systems and MG's…and stop any ground convoy you got going there..There's no real place for your vehicles to break out into a tactical pattern…the massive dunes in North Fort Bliss,/ WSMR make sure of that…
The only way you could counter it is with air cover…and do you want to waste time and fuel flying gunships and fixed wing over road convoys looking for ambush squads that may or may not be there when they could be used somewhere else?

But lets say you don't do that…so now you capture El Paso…what next?…the nearest "city" is Las Crusces New Mexico…30-40 miles away…again through some ugly terrain with the Franklin Mountain range providing an imposing and favorable field of fire, obeservation, and cover for the defenders all the way up to LC…, Even if you did take LC, (which really wouldn't be a loss)…you are still stuck…the next major city is Alberquerque which is a good 250 odd miles away…so now you are pushing north into New Mexico….
The land is barren, and the elevations and terrain changes play hell with formations and defenses…they didn't call it "The badlands of New Mexico" for nothin ya know…"

Or…you could try to push west into Arizona…another 500 or so miles to Tuscon…and you could try a joint push from Nogales across towards Tuscon and Ft. Huachuca…which would either be defended…(using the mountains once again…), or pretty much blown in place…

Or you could try to push east from EP to Van Horn, Ft. Stockton, and about 500 miles later…hit San Antonio….after taking losses moving that direction…

I say this because in the American Southwest, the cities are spread Waaaaaaaaaay further apart than most people realize. I am not implying you don't know this, I looked at your profile and didn't see where you were from, so I am just thinking that maybe this hasn't played in.

You pretty much have to do the "Red Dawn" Scenario, which includes selected limited nuclear strikes betting that the US won't use nukes on their own soil, and pray that you knock out enough of their strategic resposne to keep the world from being glazed.

An more successful invasion route would be from the Baja peninsula up through southern california, and securing the port of San Diego to allow your ships to land more logistics there, and then make a sweep along the coastline either bypassing major cities like LA, or getting involved in massive urban fights that made Stalingrad look like a childs game.

(at the risk of being DH'ed for politics)….OR you could probably simply just ask the folks in San Francisco if you could bring your ships of "Foreign Cultural Sensitivity Specialists" to their port and unload their. Based on their attitudes and politicial leanings, I think you would have no problem establishing a base of operations and civilian support in that city…

In the end it runs down to…"how far do you think you can actually get before you run out of fuel, bullets, beans and burritos, and your casualties are too high to accomplish the mission successfully?"

And in the American Southwest, simply based on the size and the terrain…the answer is…"not very"….

Just came upon a little article on one of the political sites that would add another wrinkle to your scenario. (NO Blue Fez intended) It seems Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) has warned that presidential candidate Ron Paul's isolationist views would be a threat to the country.

Quote: "We are the force for security around the globe. If we had a commander-in-chief who pulled back military operations and brought it all back to the United States, and took a position that we would not intervene in foreign conflicts and only if attacked on our shores, there would be a huge power vacuum."

"That giant sucking sound would draw in the Chinese, the Russians, Hugo Chavez, and others up into our shores and into the Caribbean," King says, speculating on a Paul administration. "To paint an image of what I think it looks like under a Ron Paul presidency, it would be Iranian nuclear missiles placed in Cuba and Katyusha rockets in Tijuana. Neither of those situations would bother Ron Paul and that's a calamity, that's catastrophic."

So…political hyperbole aside….figure a strongly isolationist President with popular support and add in an economic collapse with a broke nation that cannot afford to maintain a large standing military force, Mexico a failed narcho-state, Iranian/Venezuelan cooperation with Chinese and Russian trouble making thrown in, add in the social pressures in the southwest (ie La Raza and the Aztlan movement)(hat tip to Mako 11),a break down in Federal govt authority with resulting social unrest, and hey, maybe not so far-fetched after all. Murphy is absolutely right about the logistical realities but since when has reality ever stopped a wargamer?

I say "Party on, Dude"

Rufus

Southern Cal. is essentially a fate accompli, and just one huge city, so they'll probably go that route, instead of through Texas.

Makes sense strategically too, since you get the coastline, and ports, making it easier to supply.

There've been some decent wins against the cartels in Mexico, but it still appears to me they are losing the war, and things are spinning out of control further there. It's hard to win against such ruthless people, backed by all of that money. Supposedly, the head of the Sinaloa cartel is one of the richest men in the world.

The U.S. economy tanks and we can't make our payments to China. They foreclose and send troops to take possession. With the economic collapse we can't sustain our military and it is much smaller than it is now.

"Hispanic forces push into Arizona, Texas and New Mexico and dig in."

This should read as this:

"Hispanic forces push into Arizona, Texas and New Mexico and get pinned down in bloody urban warfare with the well armed civilian population."

Maybe Russian paratroopers could jump out of commercial airliners? : )

But seriously who knows what the world could be like 2035? If China and Russia continued to get rich and built up super navies they may defeat the whole US Navy in a huge battle leaving the US vulnerable to invasion.

So the invaders basically take the South and dig in. Ok, so what's the problem, then?