The Falkland Islands
- Thread starter imperialman
- Start date
imperialman
Admiral
The Royal Navy have an escort force of 19 ships, this deployment has been planned for over a year and was bound to come sooner or later when 6 out of the 19 escorts are this class of ship.
So the Argentinians load their troops onto a hundred fishing boats and make a dash for it
Something's going to detect that at some point.
Agreed, they're also easily re-enforceable. The Daring class ship deployed is arguably better at that role than the local air defences.
Quackers
The Frog
Again, uncomparable and if i remember correctly the majority in Ulster wishes to remain a part of the United Kingdom.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
At this point, it's more accurate to say that the majority of Ulster doesn't have any interest in leaving. An important distinction in the long-term.
Most of the people on the island were not living in the UK as of 1922 as the UK granted them independence.
A key point in the current situation where Cameron simply needs the patriotism to stand a chance of retaining power.
Another key point in the propaganda escalade is that populists and demagogues like Chávez or Correa are backing Argentina and trying to force them into further displays of bravado for their own internal policies of macho nationalism. Le sigh.
Yes of course, but it doesn't warrant such fanfare and Mr. Cameron looking smugger than a toad in a pail of mud.
A couple schooners and an armed merchantman should take care of 'em.imperialman said:Something's going to detect that at some point.Winner said:So the Argentinians load their troops onto a hundred fishing boats and make a dash for it
Wasn't the island still one island?
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
Isn't it a little silly to use very outdated past results as benchmarks on how to draw borders?
It's a bit like drawing borders in the Balkans using data from the turn of the century.
Winner
Diverse in Unity
Something's going to detect that at some point.
So what? You can't sink them all (ask Somali pirates). Enough of them will reach the Falklands to overrun the garrison
So what? You can't sink them all (ask Somali pirates). Enough of them will reach the Falklands to overrun the garrison
Defending Islands against invasion is a long tradition of ours
imperialman
Admiral
So what? You can't sink them all (ask Somali pirates). Enough of them will reach the Falklands to overrun the garrison
How do they bring over equipment and vehicles of any significance?
Winner
Diverse in Unity
How do they bring over equipment and vehicles of any significance?
What vehicles? All they need they will have on their backs (light infantry weapons, some RPGs and mortars, ammo and rations). Once they take the settlements, they can forage and use the civilians as human shields in the most literal sense to prevent any UK attempt to retake the islands. Then just wait a while until the ThirdWorlders shout you down in the UN.
So what? You can't sink them all (ask Somali pirates). Enough of them will reach the Falklands to overrun the garrison
If the Somali pirates were trying to invade a garrisonned and reasonably prepared island thousands upon thousands would die before on reached the beach (if one did). And amassing hundreds of ships and thousands of men would be noticable and allow for well prepared defences.
Their only way to win that would be to run the defenders out of bullets.
The pirates succeed because they operate within a huge area with numerous targets that can't all be defended.
Winner
Diverse in Unity
Bah. First, with a reasonable level of secrecy, Argentina can easily hide a couple hundred small ships getting ready for the invasion troops. Second, the Falklands are fairly large and the UK garrison can't possibly secure the whole coastline. Third, if the Brits find out, the Argentinians would just call it off at the last moment.
Which is a tried and proven tactic to destroy an enemy superior in pretty much everything else.
They also prove that spotting small, fast ships a large area isn't easy (and it is even harder to intercept them in time). Also, there are many more warships near Somalia than there are around Falklands. The Argentinians should pretend that they're giving up, lull the Brits into a false sense of complacency, and then strike.
(You do realize I am just having fun with this, right?
)
imperialman
Admiral
I still don't see them overpowering a well defended island containing a significant number of British military assets. I also don't see an assault going very well without vehicles (especially APC's).
Winner
Diverse in Unity
I still don't see them overpowering a well defended island containing a significant number of British military assets. I also don't see an assault going very well without vehicles (especially APC's).
A pair of legs is lighter and doesn't require so much petrol
As for the enemy APCs, they are hardly more than coffins on wheels/tracks if the enemy has decent anti-vehicle weapons. How big is the garrison anyway?
bathsheba666
Fast 'n Bulbous
So the Argentinians load their troops onto a hundred fishing boats and make a dash for it
That many boats ?
and don't forget the space needed for those bandaids with all those fishing hooks around ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_the_Falkland_Islands
The standing garisson is around 500 men, plus a light infantry company of local volunteers.
The airfield is large enough to land a hercules aircraft - so they had better capture it fast or neutralise it in some way if they don't want a rapid reaction force joining in the fight.
If they were going to do it, they would probably create a "peaceful re-occupation" fisherman's fleet, with armed soldiers on-board the ships. They would then probably either chuck their weapons overboard or launch an armed assault, depending on how it went.
