I've done terrain walks in both Sinai, and Golan when I was in Egypt as part of the MFO.
Regarding Sinai, the terrain in the immediate vicinity of the canal and the eastern shore, as well as the north coastal road are relatively open and good country for mounted warfare. However, the central and southern portions of the penninsula are very rugged, and not where I'd want to be riding... not that I prefer walking there as it's hot as hell, but it'd be safer.
Regarding Golan, I think we were on the same page as I wasn't as good as describing my opinion as I intended. In some spaces, the engagement ranges would be very close, and key avenues of approach are relatively easily covered there by the Wadi's, and draws, that allow you to drive into Irsrael proper of off the heights. I intended to infer that the reduced foliage cover, and the terrain (as apposed to the Northern European Plain), would change the character of any combat.
Regarding Poland, and defense, I believe that defense will pretty much always be in a more favorable position than an attacker, and we have discussed at length the fortified defensive belt on the eastern bank of the Oder. However, the terrain in Poland (wife's from Poland so I've travelled extensively there also), which is generally mixed cultivated farms, divided up by thin woodlines, with some deciduous forest, will be a mixed bag. IMHO the foliage there will allow aggressive dismounted infantry anti-armor hunter killer teams a great advantage (both offensively and defensively), which will also affect the outcome of armor engagements. I also think that the battlefield in europe will be come significantly more cluttered with debris generally, since the terrain is more cluttered to begin with (without taking into consideration the fact that the building density is way higher than either if the Arab-Israeli battlefields thus discussed. I think this clutter could significantly hamper the performance of older wireguided antiarmor systems employed at ground level by both sides.
Ultimately I think that the offensive in to Poland, is going to come down to two things. 1) the air situation over the battlefront, and the ability of NATO fixed and rotary wing CAS to support the offensive. 2) the abilty of NATO artillery to suppress WP ATGM systems and dismounted infantry.
We have some idea's regarding how this will be accomplished, but that is another thread, and I for one, would like to wargame the Oder Crossing before I comment on that at length.
|