RE: Planet Assault

-----Original Message-----
From: Los [mailto:los@cris.com]
Subject: Re: Planet Assault

>The thing to do is concentrate your meager (compared to the planet)
>resources to gain air & space superiority on one specific piece of real
>estate.

Space Fleet sizes aside, I'd imagine that the situation would have to
favour
the Attacker/Invader in at least establishing an Airhead/Point of Entry.
Okay I'm referring just to the conflicts contained in the GZG universe
here.

It is unlikely that defenders ground forces will be able to relocate
fast
enough to oppose a landing site if it is chosen carefully (okay I know
we
now get into an argument about resupply of the troops on the ground
etc).
Look at the planetary assaults as recorded in the background; defender's
forces are not mentioned in strength greater than a Division and the
largest
invasion force two Divisions. Anything larger than this would have
surely
been worthy of note. Soooo, it would be reasonable to assume that
concentration of force would allow establishment of local superiority on
the
ground relatively easy. How the defenders Division of troops is
dispersed
across a whole planet is of course purely dependant on what is assessed
as
worthy of defence.

The follow on operations would need to seize/secure key
features/critical
points fairly quickly to prevent the defenders regrouping in a force
large
enough to defeat the attackers initial lodgment force.

>From here of course it depends on the attackers objectives eg Seize and
Hold, Destroy or Deny.

Someone else mentioned that the defenders best approach would be to
resort
to an insurgent/guerilla style warfare and hang on in hopes of a relief
space fleet. Again look at the 'recorded' history of warfare in 22ndC
and
this is pretty much what seems to happen.

It seems to me that the best analogy would be two forces fighting over a
big
bald hill. Either side will have a good chance of taking the top of the
feature but holding it is a different matter.

I can't wait to see what is waiting for the Expeditionary Force on Rot
Hafen!

Cheers,

Owen G