Two thoughts: 1) a landing Starship is a helluva target; 2) sending an invasion force to Moscow is effectively sending a large number of big ballistic missiles to Moscow, how do you let the enemy know you are “just” invading them and not starting WW3?
The simple answer is that you would not send your rocket invasion to Moscow, since whatever ABM tech they have will destroy anything which has to slow to land, and because your attack would cause WW3 whether rangers or nukes were aboard. However when you are bullying small countries... that kind of blitz will turn a 4 week war into a 15 hour war. Maybe people will say "rocket pad diplomacy" in the future to describe this sort of thing.
Well it would be hard to tell a Starship from a ballistic missile. And even if you landed it would be at best an insanely hard fight. But that's not really the point. The point is if something is possible you have to include it in your planning. I've revamped my schedule to have an in-depth piece on this Sunday, but here's a taste: By most military measurements Doolittle’s Raid on Japan was a bust. A few factories, warehouses and military targets were destroyed, and approximately 50 Japanese were killed. The 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers flew west afterwards; headwinds and limited fuel caused 11 crews to bail out over China. Another four crash-landed, and one diverted to the Soviet Union.
Indeed, the only military objective Lt. Col. James Doolittle and his raiders achieved was to change the course of World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Plus if your starship was full of bombs it need not land, each one could be 250-500 lbs and be released in the troposphere (maybe many miles away) and individually glide to its target
It is an interesting concept of using a Starship to attack/invade another country. There would still be significant security and logistics to consider. First, you would have to secure the land and air of the landing site. Big Starship = big target. Second, loading and offloading process would have to be rapid…stationary targets are easy targets. Third, you would need logistics support to “catch” and offload a Starship in the target area. Not as easy as a helo with a small platoon to drop off. There are a lot of smart military logisticians that could figure it out. Food for thought.
You are correct, and I should have been clearer. What I was trying to say is that it would have to be a modified and updated version of the 24th Infantry plan, which required a 10,000-foot runway to launch Air Force C5 Galaxys, a similar landing strip, and a battalion of US Army Rangers to secure that landing zone.
Yes, space-based defenses would be useful against Starship Troopers. But the real value of Starship Troopers is that they would force the opposing force to play defense everywhere.
The value of having boots and armor arrive in minutes as Starship Troopers is that you don't have to burn the 45,000 troops of the Rapid Deployment Force just to keep the ports open, which was the previous Pentagon strategy.
Grasp all the points made below. But if you deliver and unload a dozen tanks, where's their fuel? And what are they going to do when a pickup truck shows up with a couple hundred drones and armor-piercing ammo?
You are correct, and I should have expanded that a bit more. (On the other hand I was already over 2,000 words!) What I was trying to say is that it would have to be a modified and updated version of the 24th Infantry plan, which required a fleet of Air Force C-5 Galaxys. Some carried tanks; some carried soldiers; some carried supplies.
Thanks to him and your family for his service. I'm old, but not that old; that was before I was born. And yes, my thought is it would be an updated and modified version of the 24th Infantry's Rapid Deployment Force deployment plan, which required a battalion of US Army Rangers to secure that landing zone. Much more in an updated piece on Sunday.
Two thoughts: 1) a landing Starship is a helluva target; 2) sending an invasion force to Moscow is effectively sending a large number of big ballistic missiles to Moscow, how do you let the enemy know you are “just” invading them and not starting WW3?
The simple answer is that you would not send your rocket invasion to Moscow, since whatever ABM tech they have will destroy anything which has to slow to land, and because your attack would cause WW3 whether rangers or nukes were aboard. However when you are bullying small countries... that kind of blitz will turn a 4 week war into a 15 hour war. Maybe people will say "rocket pad diplomacy" in the future to describe this sort of thing.
Well it would be hard to tell a Starship from a ballistic missile. And even if you landed it would be at best an insanely hard fight. But that's not really the point. The point is if something is possible you have to include it in your planning. I've revamped my schedule to have an in-depth piece on this Sunday, but here's a taste: By most military measurements Doolittle’s Raid on Japan was a bust. A few factories, warehouses and military targets were destroyed, and approximately 50 Japanese were killed. The 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers flew west afterwards; headwinds and limited fuel caused 11 crews to bail out over China. Another four crash-landed, and one diverted to the Soviet Union.
Indeed, the only military objective Lt. Col. James Doolittle and his raiders achieved was to change the course of World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Plus if your starship was full of bombs it need not land, each one could be 250-500 lbs and be released in the troposphere (maybe many miles away) and individually glide to its target
It is an interesting concept of using a Starship to attack/invade another country. There would still be significant security and logistics to consider. First, you would have to secure the land and air of the landing site. Big Starship = big target. Second, loading and offloading process would have to be rapid…stationary targets are easy targets. Third, you would need logistics support to “catch” and offload a Starship in the target area. Not as easy as a helo with a small platoon to drop off. There are a lot of smart military logisticians that could figure it out. Food for thought.
You are correct, and I should have been clearer. What I was trying to say is that it would have to be a modified and updated version of the 24th Infantry plan, which required a 10,000-foot runway to launch Air Force C5 Galaxys, a similar landing strip, and a battalion of US Army Rangers to secure that landing zone.
this the dumbest idea lol
Space based defences would be useful in defending against Starship Trooper deployment?
Yes, space-based defenses would be useful against Starship Troopers. But the real value of Starship Troopers is that they would force the opposing force to play defense everywhere.
What is the added value in having boots and armor arrive in ten minutes? Launchpads for forces already in Europe...
The value of having boots and armor arrive in minutes as Starship Troopers is that you don't have to burn the 45,000 troops of the Rapid Deployment Force just to keep the ports open, which was the previous Pentagon strategy.
Grasp all the points made below. But if you deliver and unload a dozen tanks, where's their fuel? And what are they going to do when a pickup truck shows up with a couple hundred drones and armor-piercing ammo?
You are correct, and I should have expanded that a bit more. (On the other hand I was already over 2,000 words!) What I was trying to say is that it would have to be a modified and updated version of the 24th Infantry plan, which required a fleet of Air Force C-5 Galaxys. Some carried tanks; some carried soldiers; some carried supplies.
Good stuff.
My grandpa was in the 24 ID, in Korea 52-53. He was a radioman/heavy weapons. Bronze star with two oak clusters.
Those landing rockets would make slow, juicy targets for any good AA system
Thanks to him and your family for his service. I'm old, but not that old; that was before I was born. And yes, my thought is it would be an updated and modified version of the 24th Infantry's Rapid Deployment Force deployment plan, which required a battalion of US Army Rangers to secure that landing zone. Much more in an updated piece on Sunday.