Shock and Awe

[Builder]

OK, this thread is just for fun. Lets say you are in Randland, and you have everything at your disposal from all the militaries in the world today. What method would you use to kill all Shadow creatures in the Blight, and destroy the Blight itself?

 

Take into account that if you use nuclear weapons it would affect the rest of the world, and etc.

 

You would also have satellites and everything at your disposal. Really anything can be used, both men and material, but it can't be like the Death Star or anything form the future (in other words anything from sci-fi). Also remember that if you want to invade the Blight with like 10 million Chinese troops you must have the adequate food and other support for that army.

 

If you want air strikes then you would have to have airbases and so forth.

 

Look at it as a game where you are the attacker, and the DO and everyone else on his side is the defender. Also take into account that they might infiltrate your bases and do some funky shit.

 

One last thing. You can also say what you would do to improve the morale of your soldiers because they wouldn't just gladly go to a place that's practically rotting in front of your eyes.

[lt;(^-^)gt;]

Fun!

 

Don't use nukes!  Think of the crap the Blight would spit out if it was ALSO radioactive!  Zombie trollocs!  Godzilla!

 

I say we set up a Blight border patrol: Hummers with roof-mounted M61 Vulcans every mile or so.  Let's see a fist of trollocs go head to head with one of those!  We use Aes Sedai, Asha Man, and warders in the patrols to detect shadowspawn threats.  Then we start to shell the whole area, cutting the border back with conventional mortars.  We also send air raids with napalm bombs.  Eventually the blight is pushed back to the Mountains of Dhoom, and we start phase 2.  We continue with the napalm strikes and mortars, but now instead of pushing the border of the blight back, we target Shayol Ghul itself.  The whole area of "cleared blight" is made into a minefield, and we just keep shelling until the Shadow launches a counterattack which destroys most of their number in the minefield.  When they are sufficiently weakened, we go on to the final phase: cleanup.  A bounty is placed on all shadowspawn.  This brings people to the blight, and slowly the destruction will be replaced with human settlement.

 

 

***EDIT***

How to prevent darkfriends from infiltrating our ranks or raiding our weapons?  With today's military technology, it would be easy to require soldiers to report their position every few minutes through an automated radio device on their person.  The device could be attached so it can't be removed without alerting the monitoring system.  Then you know who is doing the sabotage, and who they have met with, and where they have gone.  The whole operation would be revealed.  You can use the oath rod to find out if channelers are darkfriends, then allow them to remove whatever oath you used to verify it.  Maybe you require it every year, or before every important mission.

 

To improve the morale of the soldiers, I think there are enough in Randland and our world that we could do very short stints of active duty without forcing many people to go to the Blight more than a few times.  Also, I would focus some of America's entertainment industry toward morale boosting.

[metria31183]

To improve the morale of the soldiers, I think there are enough in Randland and our world that we could do very short stints of active duty without forcing many people to go to the Blight more than a few times.  Also, I would focus some of America's entertainment industry toward morale boosting.

 

Send Paris Hilton to entertain them.  The Blight would then been an improvement.

[Kaznen]

Burn back the blight with naplam and Daisy Cutter bombs (most power bomb that isn't nuclear).

 

Then have F-22s fly clean-up because F-22s are cool.

 

And to keep the moral up, give everyone an Ipod with Bluetooth, because everything is better with Bluetooth.

[Builder]

I really like your strategy, but what if the Shadow counter strikes before the minefield is placed? I know Hummers with M61 Vulcans are great, but even that could be overpowered with enough trollocs and fades.

 

Before I go on with my plan, I must tell you that even though I like to build cities, I also enjoy bases and when I destroy/kill my enemies in strategy games!

 

--- phase 1 ---

The buildup

 

This is what I would do. Make as many people as available build up your economy and industry. We would have to do it within Rand controlled ground- and airspace (lol, WOT strategy :D). Erect whatever you need for your war machine, make highways, basically do what Hitler did before WW2. Build up your countries but in a smart way so to aid the military in transport and other things. Become good friends with Rand and co.

 

I would also  try to negotiate peace with the Seanchan and others with Rand and co. Try to unite the world.

 

--- phase 2 ---

Defense

 

Because you now have a humongous well develpoed 21. century industry and everything, you can now quickly (speed is of the essence) build a large wall near the Blight border. Something similar to the Berlin Wall or the one separating Gaza from Israel (at least I think it is there ???). Mount automatic machine guns with heavy electric lights towards the Blight so they can light up the area where they shoot even though they are automated but still. Have cruise missile sites and other artillery sites up and running 24/7. Also have air patrols with F35's and Apache helicopters. Have satellites go over the entire region plus all over the Blight to see if there is any movement going on.

 

I would have garrisons throughout the border in small bases within the border (you guys know what side I'm, talking about) so that in any case, they could take up positions on the wall and have a blast with autocannons similar to the Vulcans.

 

I would have airbases and refueling stations all over the place to refuel and repair (lol repair??) aircaft so they can go on more missions.

 

Even though a large fleet isn't very necessary, I would have one built anyways.

 

--- phase 3 ---

Intelligence

 

Every good general knows that intelligence is vital to any victory.

 

I might add that satellites also go in this section, but I'll leave that for now.

 

Have every and I mean every citizen have an ID chip implanted inside their bodies, but in such a way that it can't be removed unless the person undergoes much surgery. I would totally go bananas with that, and add a lot more to it than just ID chips. I would have something similar to wiretapping that's present in the US right now  :o

 

Satellites would be able to track every person from orbit using GPS tracking devices. All of this would minimize the risk of infiltration, and would render the most potent weapon of the Shadow almost useless  ;D

 

--- phase 4 ---

The attack begins!

 

After some years of buildup and defense, I have managed to make the population quite patriotic. Using subliminal messages through TV and other communication devices I have effectively readied the population to fight just as well as the borderlanders did, and the borderlanders would be my elite forces.

 

To help the morale I would pay starts to come sing for our troops and I would make some seriously great speech before we launch the invasion.

 

Before I send my first wave of that big mass of people over there, I carpet bomb the shit out of the Blight up to the mountains. I move my troops up north, and continue to carpet bomb further north. I see to it that I especially hit vital targets. As I take control over the mountains, I make some sort of entrenchment there, but I leave almost no one there because that line is there just in case. I move forward and mop up all forces that have survived.

 

Basically I call back my forces from the Blight because I don't want them scarred too much. My airplanes and eventually in the future spaceships will deal with any forces that might try to attack.

 

After that my biggest concern are DF and Black Ajah, but my intelligence teams (they are really just secret police) would have executed them.

 

--- phase 5 ---

At long last...

 

... the world is in peace, and it will last until sometime in the future the DO does something really wicked and Randland is gone. Until then humanity and other species would have settled on other planets and moons.

 

Until then many guys and girls will have though out some sorta way to deal with the DO once and for all, but the wall will never come down. It will stand as a testimony for that bit war that happened a long time ago. I would also instruct that all casualties would be written into the wall to remember those who fell (it would have probably be of friendly fire from aircraft bombing  :-\)

 

--- end of transmission ---

[Builder]

Wow I really just wanted to get that out. I I have kinda gotten frustrated over the situation and how the Shadow just ballplays with the Light so I fantasized how I would be some sorta hero that would come from nowhere and save everyone, but I would make Rand the ultimate hero and I just a senior adviser even though I did it all ;)

[Nasty Butler]

What technology level is the Shadow at?  Is it equal to what we use?  Is it what they are at during the series?  I'm just thinking that if it is at the series level, we could wipe them out without blinking, but if it is at AoL time, they had technology comparable if not better than ours and they still lost to the shadow basically.

[CUBAREY]

What technology level is the Shadow at?  Is it equal to what we use?  Is it what they are at during the series?  I'm just thinking that if it is at the series level, we could wipe them out without blinking, but if it is at AoL time, they had technology comparable if not better than ours and they still lost to the shadow basically.

 

Its not what technalogy level the DO is or even the Chosen it's what technalogy they can actually manufacture in their time. For instance they all know about shock lances and at least some would know about biological weapons, but could they produce them at the moment? The answer is no or at least not in great enough numbers to make a difference so the Darkside will have to fight at the technalogy level of Randland (or below, as Trollics are probably not smart, motovated or disciplined enough to use in ore then mass attacks where their numbers can overwhelm their opponents).

 

[Ahaz Flagg]

I would send a few Stealth Bombers of Tar Valon and wipe that nest of vipers.  The Dark one would than have less witches to deal with.  I would than send out the Israeli Army to hunt down and kill Falie and Perrin. I think this would assure the Lord of the Dark a smashing victory. 

[animegirl]

Perhaps infect shadowspawn with bird flu, which can easily be passed from trolloc to trolloc etc.

 

Give the Dark One cancer by surrounding Shayol Ghul with tanning beds and mobile phone masts?

[Shard]

I don't think the DO can get cancer, since he's not a physical being persae.

 

I'm not even sure bird flu would kill a trolloc, they probably spread much worse things.

[Obligatory WOT Reference]

We're probably forgetting the most important morale builder of all....conjugal visits!!!!!!

[Lord Nik]

I would send in 5 million Chinese troops armed with butter knives and have 5 million bringing them food.

 

I believe with this strategy the blight will fall in 5 days.

 

And for the seal of the DO's prison instead of making 7 seals that are focus points I would command the immense army to simply spread the DO everywhere till he is to thin to do anything useful. He will feel like "butter spread over too much bread"

 

Simple is always the best way to do things

 

 

[Builder]

Lol in square. Seriously guys/girls, real strategies, not millions of Chinese soldiers going into the Blight with butter knifes.

 

This is set to present day, so I guess you wouldn't much time. Time is of the essence, and the most powerful weapon the Shadow possesses is spies and other infiltration somethings.

[Mr Ares]

Scorched earth. Leave nothing alive. Also, retreat=death. No need to build morale if the only way to stay alive is to keep fighting.

[CUBAREY]

Lol in square. Seriously guys/girls, real strategies, not millions of Chinese soldiers going into the Blight with butter knifes.

 

Actually, butterknives aside, a mass advance would seem to make sense, you would suffer large losses but the trollics and other badies could not overwhelm such a force with numbers.

[Builder]

Lolz you wouldn't need to continue fighting when everything is burnt/killed  ;)

 

Actually, butterknives aside, a mass advance would seem to make sense, you would suffer large losses but the trollics and other badies could not overwhelm such a force with numbers.

 

Well, maybe one could put in a little bit of strategy, and maybe not so many would die.

[CUBAREY]

Well, maybe one could put in a little bit of strategy, and maybe not so many would die.

 

HMM, strategy is all good but there is something called being too smart for yourself. Yes if Rand let's LTT and Mat plan the attack their might be some lessoning in casualties however, if they fail then a lot more then those attacking would die thus erring on the side of conservatism would suggest sending in as many fighters as possible even if you have some strategy that might cut down the numbers of killed.

[Majsju]

Since we get to use our technology...

 

1. Set up 2-3 airbases in the Borderlands, and one further south for support if any of those bases are attacked. Use the Borderland bases for an initial bomb campaign. Strike at breeding pens, food&water supplies, and everything that even remotely looks like infrastructure.Combined with surgical strikes at Shayol Ghul. The DO ill of course not be killed, but it would be a serious blow for his chances at communicating with his minions.

 

2. Send in special ops like Spetsnaz/SAS etc and clean out the mountains. Once that has been achieved, fortify the mountains with every bit of artillery you can find. Toss in a bunch of snipers if anything tries to sneak through.

And of course, a minefield in Tarwins Gap.

 

3. Now that the defences are set up, and the Shadows ability to reinforce has been severly limited, time to send in the infantry, supported by motorised troops. The infantry will enter from three points: From the air, through Tarwins Gap and from the sea, just north of Worlds End. Keep pne team of specialists with polar experience on stand by, ready to be deployed in the far north.

 

That should do it.

[Roxinos]

I'd say it's pretty difficult to imagine what our forces would manage in The Blight. Setting aside the obvious environmental effects that would hinder any large army severely (perhaps outright killing most of them), you have nasties like Worms. And who knows what flying beasties there are to take down any aircraft we might send into the air. Light knows the Shadow isn't afraid of sacrificing people.

[Lord Nik]

Scorched earth. Leave nothing alive. Also, retreat=death. No need to build morale if the only way to stay alive is to keep fighting.

 

That fits in nicely with my strategy Mr Ares. To make that happen give all the troops a candle and were set!

 

Thank you for the input!

[Majsju]

I'd say it's pretty difficult to imagine what our forces would manage in The Blight. Setting aside the obvious environmental effects that would hinder any large army severely (perhaps outright killing most of them), you have nasties like Worms. And who knows what flying beasties there are to take down any aircraft we might send into the air. Light knows the Shadow isn't afraid of sacrificing people.

 

Well, the only flying beastie we have seen the shadow possess are draghkar, and they are no threat to someone who sits in the safety of a cockpit. I strongly dout that there are any other beasties, as those should have been seen.

And even if there were other beasties, I can not see them pose much of a threat to a modern fighter, with the greater speed and ability to attack from a long distance.

 

As for ground dwelling nasties, that is why I would start with a bomb campaign that would go on for several days. Unlike modern warfare in our world, there are no civilians you have to worry about. If it lives in the Blight, it is a baddie, fire away.

[Roxinos]

And even if there were other beasties, I can not see them pose much of a threat to a modern fighter, with the greater speed and ability to attack from a long distance.

 

True. That's where the kamikaze aspect came in. I mean, I can't imagine a draghkar flying all that fast, but I can imagine it being pretty damned stealthy.

 

Yeah, there would be no Last Battle. There would really be no battle. *laughs*

[Shard]

Well, maybe one could put in a little bit of strategy, and maybe not so many would die.

 

HMM, strategy is all good but there is something called being too smart for yourself. Yes if Rand let's LTT and Mat plan the attack their might be some lessoning in casualties however, if they fail then a lot more then those attacking would die thus erring on the side of conservatism would suggest sending in as many fighters as possible even if you have some strategy that might cut down the numbers of killed.

 

So just sending in hordes of forces in with no strategy and you expect to win? You do realize the Blight has far more then just Trollocs in it right? Charging the front gates in broad daylight rarely wins the day.

[Roxinos]

Why would you have to send anyone into The Blight?

 

You have today's armies with today's weapons. You just have forces standing along the Borderlands and it's no-contest. The Blight can send whatever the hell they want at you, and you won't be defeated. One man with a machine gun could take out hundreds of trollocs and Myrddraal.