War Plan Dropshot

[Graham2001]

I have a copy of Anthony Cave Browns book in my collection if anyone is interested.

 

[Timerover51]

I have a copy of Anthony Cave Browns book in my collection if anyone is interested.

I would be more than happy to hear your $1.50 worth. (Allowing for inflation since the origin of the phrase "two cents worth", plus the opinions of a member of the forum are not to be properly valued.)

 

[Timerover51]

The Laptop that I have been using has decided to throw a fit, and not let me access any of my data. I will need to see about getting the data off, if nothing else, and get the laptop working again. As I have problems sitting for any extended period of time, like more than a couple of hours, I use the laptop a lot with my legs elevated. This will slow things down a bit.

 

[Timerover51]

After going over War Plan Dropshot again, and plugging in some of the political developments during the 1960s that they could not discern in 1949, this would have been a fun period to operate in. It would not have been in the way that GDW portrayed though, as the Poles, the Czechs, and the Hungarians would be been battling Soviet supply columns trying to get through to East Germany, while the Red Chinese were blasted by U.S. nuclear weapons into a non-issue.

And it would be very hard for anyone to pull off the "handwavium" for eliminating all of the Western navies. It would have made sense for the Soviets to try something in 1957, as the U.S. had just landed all over the U.K. and France for trying to retake the Suez Canal, and also had refused to intervene in the Hungarian Revolt. Curtis LeMay's boys would have absolutely loved it.

 

[kilemall]

Here's a USAF training film showing a version of nuclear war, presumably to give USAF personnel an idea of how a total SIOP would go, and I suppose a sense of mission. It's 1958 so pretty much shows mindset even if not exact procedure and tactics.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pps1xNGRzdY

 

[jcrocker]

Thanks for posting that!

 

[Timerover51]

I keep thinking about actually putting this setting into some sort of game format, as in the spring of 1957 the Soviet Union would have thought that the NATO Alliance was disintegrating with the U.S. so upset with the UK and France trying to retake the Suez Canal from Nasser of Egypt, and had basically let the Hungarians die alone in the streets rather than attempting to help them out. Communist China was beginning to flex its muscle in the Formosa Strait by threatening Quemoy and Matsu, and getting into air battles with the National Chinese Air Force over the Straits.

The scenario would have the Soviets deciding to settle the German question once and for all by taking over West Germany, with the idea of once taken over, stripping both East and West Germany of all industry, and letting the Germans starve down to a population that their agricultural output could support. Basically make Germany an agricultural colony. Then also hit Yugoslavia to bring Tito to heel, and grab the Bosporus and the Dardanelles on the side. Communist China would keep the U.S. occupied in the Pacific by trying to attack Taiwan, so that the Soviets could grab what they wanted in Europe. Denmark would be an added bonus to grab, and Sweden would be turned into another Finland.

All sorts of possibilities exist with that sort of scenario, from a Polish uprising with Hungary blowing up again, this time with Western help, guerrilla fighting in the Balkans, the Israelis taking it to the Arabs along with getting the Sinai back, and lots in the Pacific, between Malaysia, the HUKs in the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Korea again, and landing in Siberia near the Bering Sea.

The nice thing is that all of the hardware is still pretty much World War 2, so not too esoteric. And no wiping out the Western navies with a hand wave.

 

[Timerover51]

Actually, since War Plan Dropshot actually included a detailed history of how the U.S. thought the war would be fought, once you set the scenario start, you can take the posted history and use that for the fighting. I will have to get my copy out, and also figure out where I put the download on my computer and see what could be done.

I wonder if I could talk Marc into a Twilight 1960 variant, or simply go with Drop Shot 1960? Break out the Skirmish Wargaming rules for combat? Put on back burner and let simmer for a bit.

 

[Timerover51]

I outlined a fairly plausible scenario earlier. I keep looking at it, and thinking that I need to flesh it out a bit more, and do some work on what would be the weaponry used. For one thing, you would have the option of using the B-36 bomber in a conventional role, with a payload of 72 one thousand pound bombs, or some of the very large conventional bombs the U.S. had. The British would putting the V-bombers into use, while the French were getting the Mystere into production. Lots of possibilities with aircraft and small ground action, especially in the Balkans and Mid East.

Put on thinking cap.

 

[AtlanticFriend]

How would you get to a Twilight 2K situation though? In the 1950s-1960s, would the USSR be able to wreak havoc in the US to the point of having stranded US soldiers in Europe, with any semblance of military order dissolving? I've always thought that was what made T2K different.