[Olefin]

The AMX-30 is an idea but again it may come down to the Mexican transport systems - and if NAFTA occurred or not

Keep in mind that much of the improvement in Mexican roads, railroads and airports came about because of NAFTA - which would definitely allow them to better operate heavy tanks and armor

now that's not a big factor once they are in the US with its better roads and rail networks - but it is a factor pre-war - i.e. you dont buy equipment you cant operate in your own country

One of the reasons they went with the lighter armor wasnt just that they didnt expect to fight a foe equipped with heavy armor - it was because their road and rail network would never be able to sustain heavy armor using it

Actually if I had to go with a tank buy for Mexico I would be looking at the AMX-13 - much lighter than than the AMX-30 and perfect for Mexico's road and rail network - and still has a decent punch

and obviously the AMX-13 would fit in with the real life Mexican Army - i.e. the AMX-VCI that they did end up buying is the infantry carrier variant of the AMX-13 tank - so that plays right into the same general tonnage

remember they werent expecting to fight anyone armed with M1A1 tanks - their main foes were countries like Guatemala or Honduras or internal rebels

Also keep in mind who they initially faced - the light divisions and MP units they faced would have had very little in the way of armored vehicles and may have had almost no anti-armor weapons - i.e. by mid 1998 most stateside anti-tank missiles and launchers would probably have long ago been sent to Iran or Korea or Europe or Africa

I would hate to be facing a platoon of AMX-13 or X1A tanks with nothing but possibly a battery of 105mm howitzers to back me up and my heaviest weapon being machine guns

the other reason they may have had such success - if you read up on the 46th it says they were dispersed big time doing stuff like security and disaster relief and supporting food distribution - they may not have even had heavy weapons on them when the Mexicans came storming across the border -

i.e. those 50's and anti-tank weapons and even most of their armored vehicles (because of fuel shortages) that they did have may have been sitting safe back at their base area and not even in place when suddenly it went from distributing food to trying to fight Mexican armored vehicles