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Post by zenth93 on Feb 18, 2016 0:44:59 GMT
Hi all, I was toying with the idea of starting up a series of questions that are meant to began discussions on the world of all quiet on the martian front. Hopefully It works out and we can get some great ideas out of them,Today I'll make it a quick one.
So my question to the forum is, Focusing on The American Front, The martians after heavily infesting there conquered territory would undoubtedly lead to a long drawn out conflict for reconquest by the united states. Even with advancements in technology the US is still fending off an ever evolving enemy. How are the U.S forces and its allies going turn the war of defensive to an offensive one?
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Post by scottwashburn on Feb 18, 2016 1:58:01 GMT
Good Question! In the official background it seems as though there has never been a really successful human offensive against the Martians (at least as of 1914). They've halted offensives, even driven them back from recently captured territory, but once the Martians establish a redoubt they are there to stay. No redoubt has ever been captured by the humans.
So it seems to me that this is the key: the Humans have to develop the weapons and tactics to capture redoubts and actually start degrading the Martian's ability to build up their strength.
Ironically, one of the keys to this is going to be air power. Even though IMHO aircraft as of 1914 aren't going to be of much use in tactical attacks, they would be indispensable for recon work. If the Americans can have a regular look at wide swaths of Martian territory to pin point where the tripods are located, then they might be able to set up an attack against a redoubt that is lightly defended. Then, air power in the form of high-altitude heavy bombers can pound the redoubt to eliminate its heat ray towers and perhaps create a breach in its outer ramparts.
Finally, the American need to be able to quickly lay railroad track to get their tanks and guns up to the attack site as quickly as possible. Either that or find a redoubt close to a river. One of the big strategic weaknesses of the humans is that their steam vehicles are going to be very difficult to operate away from the railroads or rivers. Especially in the drier western regions. Historically (and even today) tanks are incredibly unreliable mechanically. Drive them a hundred miles and they are ready to fall apart. In WWI, tanks had a range of five miles or less. The only practical way to transport them long distances is by rail or boat.
So, if the humans can put all these elements together and manage to overrun a few redoubts, this could be the first step in turning the tide.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 18, 2016 2:47:03 GMT
Excellent points all. As we're into 1916 AQ time at this point, I've been showing how the aircraft evolved quite a bit in this time period. And the riverine forces have been key to several of the human victorys - so it makes sense the first redoubt attack would be a combined air/river attack with barges and raillines providing the armor forward and airpower drops of troops past the obsticles and both high and low altitude attacks. My favorite is the depthcharge dropping dirigibles. I like hardlec idea of their ballast being shells as well. In any case, I agree that the main thrust will be to take out a redoubt. For the gamers, there also needs to be a skirimish level game in the tunnels and halls of the cyclinder, as the Anglo forces fight there way in. I'm tired with an early wakeup call for more tests - forgive me as I'm not to together. Peace
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Post by zenth93 on Feb 20, 2016 16:29:37 GMT
So effectively speed is of the essence. The US needs to lay tracks down as fast as it retakes land. Air planes and zeppelins would need to play an observation roll unless they could really damage redoubts. Its going to be a long war gents.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 21, 2016 0:31:52 GMT
Yes I agree - raids to blunt the Martian advance and to disrupt their plans are all we are up to - aircraft with airborne troops and riverine with Marine units are the best forces for those raids.
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Post by novista on Feb 21, 2016 11:00:30 GMT
Hey MM, sorry I haven't invested time yet in reading your aircraft development. But no large scale drop would be able to take place, without a lot of aircraft and or gliders. I can think up a scenario using, special forces, however it would have to be a forlorn hope, all the early WWII German success and failures also Normandy, Arnhem and the Rhine included, relied upon a thrust/plane drop and landing establishing a "beachhead". The Martians would spot a build up of forces, so it would need to be troops rather than armour. Or a push, if the Martians are back-pedalling, Martians feel safe in redoubt, whilst under siege, go for a feint, night drop from gliders to take out the turrets. It's sounding more Normandy than eben emael. But luckily I feel more like Ike than Monty, phew.
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Post by charleybourne on Feb 21, 2016 11:08:09 GMT
+1 to all of the above.
I wonder if biological warfare might have its place? I appreciate the Martians have clearly overcome whatever it was that left them susceptible the first time whether that was by immunisation or preventive armour based/gas mask like applications but what is to say it is not a possibility to use this against them again?
Directly this might mean a biological bomb of some kind or indirectly via a human immunisation process, something that is harmless to humans but fatal to Martians, 'poisoning' their food so to speak. Devalue the target to lessen their drive?
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 21, 2016 11:12:47 GMT
The aircraft I'm speaking off are dirigibles and zeppelins. I use the term vs airplanes. My bad. In any case, both the 101st and BEF 1st Airborne are ready, with lots of dirigibles, a half dozen zeppelins (some providing mid altitude depthcharge support) the raid will be on as an OOB soon. It was never intended to be a take & hold operation - just a get in, destroy as much as possible, get out morale & 'show of force' operational endeavor. Note that the ground units are to break contact and get to pickup zones after the attack. I agree, a hairy purposal, but the high command wants to give MARs notice that its not all their ballgame. LOL
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 21, 2016 11:15:35 GMT
+1 to all of the above. I wonder if biological warfare might have its place? I appreciate the Martians have clearly overcome whatever it was that left them susceptible the first time whether that was by immunisation or preventive armour based/gas mask like applications but what is to say it is not a possibility to use this against them again? Directly this might mean a biological bomb of some kind or indirectly via a human immunisation process, something that is harmless to humans but fatal to Martians, 'poisoning' their food so to speak. Devalue the target to lessen their drive? MM here- How does it let me do this!! Anyway a very valid and interesting idea to ponder - the 'poison' food concept is a good one. One wonders, though, that with all the human diseases present, the Martians don't have a screening process against just that kind of thing.
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Post by novista on Feb 21, 2016 12:20:27 GMT
We don't, however it gives us food for thought and maybe the shot in the arm the human race needs, Gotta be better than my puns.
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Post by madmorgan on Feb 21, 2016 12:34:29 GMT
LOL nah its 'right arm errr on'! 'Lets see what the Rock is cooking!'. Still RoF with the "food for thought". Off to meds and soccer - have a g'day all.
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Post by mikedski on Feb 21, 2016 14:53:58 GMT
Perhaps the Martians begin to have infighting to divide up the spoils. That buys a couple year reprieve for the humans while seriously weakening Martian resources.
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Post by charleybourne on Feb 21, 2016 15:33:35 GMT
I like that idea. Combined with the above we may have a chance. Meanwhile Tesla et al continue to work their weird and wonderful magic; Zeppelin mounted Tesla bombs anyone?
On another note why not add to the human arsenal. It seems that France are the instigators in the anti-British Franco/German alliance. What if the Kaiser decided to win mummy's affection by siding with his Royal cousins; enter a highly mobile Germany - a young Rommel leading lighting armoured car raids, motorbike and sidecars with HMG's, storm troops and anything but walkers (hated that idea).
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Post by mikedski on Feb 21, 2016 16:38:08 GMT
The Germans have Krupp, Haber, Planck, and Einstein. I'm sure they'd come up with something.
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Post by charleybourne on Feb 21, 2016 16:42:49 GMT
Exactly! And why not on the 'right' side for a change ?
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