Glad to see you are back at it Chico.
I think there is a slight continuity problem with GDW's version of the Mexican invasion of the American Southwest.
Namely, they have the PRI-PPS taking power "in summer of 1998" (RSLS), promptly ordering an invasion of Texas (RSLS), the Soviet Division Cuba moving out of Cuba in June (RSLS), and crossing over into Texas (with the rest of the Mexican Army) on June 2 (Howling Wilderness). That's pretty darn efficient work in a couple of days.
I would recommend a modest retcon to have the PRI-PPS take over in Feb, and start mobilizing from there. In the timeline I am building for the 2001-2002 Texas Almanac, I have:
Jan 1998 - Mexico initiates general draft and mobilization (mainly for disaster relief an internal security at this point)
Feb 1998 - Fuel + food shortages leads to rioting and widespread unrest in Mexico, refugee situation in Southwest turns critical (no food there either), and massacres of tens of thousands of refugees follows
Mar 1998 - PRI & PPS join forces and overthrow PAN government. Military ordered to begin planning intervention into Southweset US. Government begins negotiations with Soviets in Cuba.
Apr 1998 - First group of mass draftees graduate to their units, Soviet Division Cuba begins transferring by sea to Veracruz
May 1998 - Mexican army begins deploying to jump off points near the border. Communist guerillas (PRS) and cartel gunmen attached to army as irregularos. Soviet Division Cuba completes deployment to Mexico. US President commits suicide, civilian government collapses.
2 Jun 1998 - Mexican military crosses border into Texas
The above, IMHO, solves a couple of continuity problems; 1 - the original timeline doesn't work, and moving up the PRI-PPS takeover and the Soviet Division Cuba deployment solves that...it takes a while to logistically prepare an invasion. 2 - the invasion force listed in Challenge 27 is too small; the initial force is only about a 4 division equivalent (and that's being generous, including Division Cuba). Even with token military resistance, you basically have a scenario similar to what the Russians faced in Ukraine in the initial invasion - not even enough troops to defend the supply lines against partisans, much less pacify the country. The altered timeline gives the Mexicans the ability to, at least initially, have something between a hope and a prayer before your version's logistical nuke strikes kneecap them and most of their forces wither on the vine anyway.
|