Quote:
Originally Posted by Adm.Lee
I suspect you could support this background with just saying that oil prices were higher than historical. That weakens the West while getting Iran & Iraq the money to buy that stuff, and probably heads off the collapse of Gorbachev's reforms.
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I was trying to explain how a "2nd rate power" (which Russia DEFINITELY was in the 90's) could take on NATO and actually have a chance of success; especially when they are already involved in a war with China. In my timeline, a major conflict in the Gulf (which threatens the oil supply) would require the US to split its strength between the European and Gulf theaters. I also follow real world history in so much as the US (mainly the 10th Mountain) is also involved in Kosovo against Russian-backed Serbs (creating yet a third theater).
The sale of weapons in Africa, South America, Serbia and the Middle East allows Russia to either upgrade equipment or sell old equipment to replace it with new equipment.
This sale of equipment also allows countries that would stand NO CHANCE against The US (like Mexico) to upgrade their equipment to the point where they can challenge The US. Additionally, the need for replacement equipment in multiple theaters means that only second line equipment and conscript troops are available for the somewhat "unexpected" Mexican invasion. This helps explain the Mexican's success in driving into CONUS.
In fact, The US is inadvertently responsible for the war in Europe too. The Russians are angered at clandestine US involvement in the Russo-Chinese war, and in retaliation, begin backing Socialist dissidents in democratic (and pro-NATO) Poland. The Russians back these insurgents in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate Polish government. The Polish government seeks the assistance of Germany in defeating the Socialists (because East Germany and Poland were strong economic partners before and after the fall of the Warsaw Pact). Things get out of control (like in The Ukraine today) and The US is drawn into the conflict in early 1997 (after the US Presidential election).
This is the reason that some Polish towns are friendly to NATO and some are not. Allegiance depends not only on the behavior of various units towards a given town during the war; But also on the town's "political allegiances" during the initial revolution of the Socialists.
All of these events "conspire" to allow a Russian-led coalition to cause havoc across the world.