[Raellus]

@Swag: A narco-puppet state is a really interesting concept. I was going with a more left-leaning PRI administration irked by U.S. border/immigration/trade policy but I kind of like your scenario better. Any offensive by a narco-puppet would instantly benefit from established smuggling routes and distribution cells.

@Web: I also like your idea of setting up shop to license-build light AFVs for the China market.

@Olefin: In the scenario I posited, the Mexicans purchased Chicom armor prior to the Second Sino-Soviet war. And I agree with you that heavy armor isn't needed to explain/justify the Mexican army's early successes. IMHO, it just makes the setting more interesting. Also, IRL, the Mexicans did have some first-hand experience manufacturing tracked AFVs in the form of the short-lived Sedena-Henschel HWK-11s. It's not too far a stretch to take a reverse-engineered ERC-90 turret and slap it on there. That said, I prefer theidea of Mexico license-building Brazilian EE-T1 Osorio MBTs or Argentinian TAMs to Chicom or Russian equivalents.

@ArmySGT: It's about making it work. Yeah it's implausible, but it's not impossible. Timing the invasion after the TDM, when most regular U.S. army and guard units are already deployed on foreign soil, it doesn't seem all that crazy to see a Cuban/Soviet-supported Mexican invasion of the American SW having some success, at least early on. It certainly makes for an interesting campaign setting.