GVChamp

Hi, folks. I'm looking for all information pertinent about the defensive capabilities of West African nations, and, specifically, how situations like Sierra Lionne and Liberia were dealt with.
I'm concerned that it might become a battleground again, with some foreign power funding insurgents/rebel armies/what have you. I, however, have NO idea how one goes about fighting a battle in that area of the planet. All I know is that France is in Cote D'Ivoire and that Ghana is neutral.

Anyone enlighten me, please?

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"The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood"-Otto Von Bismarck

glyn

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Semper in excretum. Solum profunda variat.

-{SpoonmaN}-

When the UKAF went into SL, there was no effective government fighting them as such, so the capabilities of the Armed Forces there were a moot point. They did take on the "West-side Boys", who were primarily renegade soldiers, and totally defeated them, killing any number into the hundreds of them, for the loss of one soldier KIA. So to put it simply, in SL and Liberia, and such small nations, the defences are minimal and I doubt many troops would be loyal enough to the government to put up a serious fight. Nigeria is more of a worry, and it is a potential battle-ground for UN/US/EU/UK/AU troops (probably personnel working for all them at once) in the future. However I doubt once again that there would be a strong coherent resistance to any foriegn intervention, instead there would more likely be sporadic organized resistance and then more protracted fighting with disperate armed factions until some sort of resolution occured, Somalia-style.

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Ironduke

Most of West Africa is France's backyard. They repeatedly intervene militarily in the affairs of many of its ex-colonies in the region.

One problem facing West Africa is overpopulation and desertification which is causing migration toward the coastal areas, leading to conflict.

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The Buck Stops Here

GVChamp

Does anyone have the capacity to challenge France's soft power dominance? How exactly do they maintain control over the area? I know, of course, that they do have some heavy assets in the area, as they were able to swiftly destroy the entire air force of Cote D'Ivoire. Would they be capable, though, of trying to put down a large rebel army in Guinea?

And how do the rebel armies typically fight? Do they try to operate in a guerilla fashion, or do they seek pitched engagements? Terrorist attacks? Assassinations?

Also, there was a mercenary group opearting in West Africa, IIRC. SL, right? What were their objectives and how did they acheive them? (I think there was even a member of this group on this board who took control of a ship. Posted under funny stories)

sappersgt

The French maintain a semblance of control because there is no one else there. Their limited force projection ability is enough to overcome the opposition before it gets too strong.

Fighting in Africa is characterized thin force ratios. Small forces covering enormous distances. The distances involved can be both an asset and a liability. It can make your fixed assets less vulnerable but also make it difficult to respond to attacks in a different area. This why initiative is so important.

Outside capital cities the infrastructure ranges from limited to primitive to nonexistent. Transportation assets are usually limited. The side with more transportation usually has better intelligence and is able concentrate their limited combat assets in such a way to guarantee local superiority.

EOs aviation assets provided tactical flexibility and enabled them to get real time intelligence that their opponents lacked. Those assets, a gunship and several transports, provided critical interdiction and enabled small amounts of troops to be placed at critical locations when and where the were needed most. The result was an enemy that lost the initiative and then never regained it.

The contribution of those few helicopters backed by fixed wing aircraft cannot be over estimated. Flying overhead constantly they provided real time intel as to the enemies location and intentions. Together with the rest of the forces on the ground driving mainly unarmored trucks this was enough to permit a small professional force to defeat an opponent many times their size.

The maritime assault you're referring to occurred on the other (east) coast of South Africa, just off the coast from Durban.

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