In 1998, the Mexican Army is probably getting its fuel from the same place the other combatants are: pre-Exchange stocks. It can't have escaped the notice of the Mexican leadership that in July NATO and the Pact start exchanging nuclear fires. Given the importance of oil to the world's economy and the war effort, everyone with an oil rig in-country probably starts thinking about stockpiles, if they haven't thought about this already. After 1998, though, the Mexicans probably switch to alcohol like everybody else.
Stupid is as stupid does. While I'm inclined to agree that the invasion of the US was ill-considered and that its real purpose is to advance the game, I'm willing to play along because people do insane things when they feel they are under pressure. After the Germans had very clearly lost the war on the Eastern Front, Bulgaria joined the Axis and declared war on the Soviet Union. This was an insanely stupid thing to do, but it was done. The Japanese started a war in the Pacific under the assumption that the US would not use its overwhelming manpower and industrial advantage if the Japanese could establish a favorable position before beginning negotiations. We all know how well this turned out.
The Mexicans have a couple of reasons to think that a border skirmish with the US might turn out in their favor. The first is that the US has been very badly hurt. There hasn't been a chance like this in 150 years. The second is that the PRI needs a foreign adventure. In the wake of the nuclear attacks on Mexican oil, the collapse of the global economy, and the unequal distribution of relief supplies (in keeping with the racial and economic themes of Mexico), the PRI needs something to distract the people and unite the country. There's nothing like a little foreign adventure to fit the bill. With a nuclear guarantee from the Soviet Union (or maybe France?), the Mexican leadership might have felt that a border skirmish was practicable. A few fights, a few setbacks for the Americans, and they would come to the table with some modest territorial concessions. The Mexican Army would relinquish territory captured in excess of the concessions, and the PRI could claim to have reversed 150 years of shame. Everybody wins--except of course that the Americans chose to go nuclear instead of coming to the bargaining table.
The PRI invades the US for essentially the same reasons the Sauronski regime goes nuclear: they're out of power and probably dead if they don't do something decisive. [Expletive deleted] the fate of the nation--these guys have their lives and personal fortunes on the line. Neither government probably imagined things getting so out of hand. With the Americans NOT suing for peace, the Mexicans are forced to push ever deeper into US territory. Pretty soon, they are at the limits of their strength, and both sides are locked in a stalemate.
Webstral
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