First of all, I don't want to be in the neighborhood the first time the main guns on the Texas are fired for practice. There's no telling what might have accumulated in those barrels since Normandy. Also, if we are going to acquire a carrier, the Nimitz would be a better choice, for nostalgia if no other reason.
This week, we finally got around to seeing the most recent zombie documentary: "I am Legend." As a result, it is necessary for me to revise my estimate of their capabilities. As anyone who has ever had the benefit of a 2-shop briefing (S-2, G-2: Intelligence) will tell you, the conservative approach is not to attempt to assess your enemy’s intentions (“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men .... Only the Shadow knows.”). It is wise to do the best you can to determine their capabilities and prepare to counter what the enemy can do if they take their best shot. (While I have equated "conservative" with "wise," in this instance this is not related to those matters ranted upon in West Maul.)
Bad Factors:
These critters can move. My previous impression was that zombies could only lurch around like they had badly soiled their briefs. Arms outstretched without a lot of joint flexibility. In this obviously authentic film (the cameraman was so scared that he was shaking pretty badly) they appeared to be at least as fast as a normal human and perhaps much faster. As shown by the chap dismantling the ceiling to get access to the roof, their physical strength is also elevated. Colonel Neville remarked on this creature feature.
They can scale walls that provide any sort of sufficient handholds; like those climbing walls that scare the s__t out of me.
They might deploy zombified K-9 assets.
This variant of the undead is more than ready to cross over and become really dead in order to accomplish the objective. All desperation, no hesitation.
Not clear why (probably not the 72 virgin thing) but they do not seem to flinch at the prospect of suicidal sacrifice. They do flinch, a lot, when they are in their dark rooms--chilling out, resting, or whatever.
They have the ability to mimic minor engineering tasks. We know this because they were able to snare the late LTC Neville, D.S.C., after seeing him use a snare to trap one of their own.
They are responsive to commands and the smaller unit leaders lead from the front when necessary.
Positive Factors:
It is a good thing just to know what the bad factors are. Ignorance is not bliss, at least not for as long as you might like.
Maneuver: they do not seem to have developed the high art of maneuver. Their attacks are always “High Diddle Diddle, Right up the Middle” --sort of like U. S. Marines (recall Gulf War I). One must still guard against it, but this recent film shows no organized movement “sur la derriere” as Bonaparte put it.
Perhaps the most important intel from this film is that the zombies are vulnerable not just in the skull. They can be wasted by killing rounds in the torso and respond appropriately to high explosives and burning agents. Thus they can be killed (?), or at least rendered hors de combat, in the same old ways used against more conventional naked apes.
They have not learned the use of firearms, nor any other weapons other than a neolithic, at-hand, club. They do not have any commo.
They seem to have no medical support. The film, brief though it was, did not show any evidence of Red Cross armbands, stretchers, or wounded zombies gumming-out calls for “MEDIC!”
Conclusions: (We have now switched to Operations: S-3.)
Because of the increased vulnerability, limiting ourselves to accurate, hopefully long-range, rifle fire is not necessary. They do move quickly. So, however desirable, pinpoint headshots at great distances are not required. Accurate rifle fire is still one of the mainstays of any defense; but it can be supplemented and made more effective by other means.
In contemplating a defense, naturally the first objective is to keep the bad guys as far away as possible. Diplomacy seems not to be an option, so we have to assume at some point they will come within range. LTC Neville attempted to offer terms there at the end, but this resulted in no parley.
Since we have no air support, it is hoped we can find some engineer assets: personnel, materials, and equipment, to “shape the battlefield.”
As much as the gross terrain permits, there should be clear fields of fire going out as far, and then some, as the range of all direct fire weapons. (Direct fire weapons are those which the person handling the weapon can see the target.) Someone should shoot a message to those folks up in Vermont to start cutting trees around their concrete perimeter out to about 2000 yards. The cut timber should always be burned, any enemy capable of making a snare trap might be able to fashion scaling ladders.
No activities should be undertaken which might give them a single clue as to methods--when they might be able to observe the activities. I know that's vague, but think about it.
If there are any terrain features that would allow them cover (“defilade”) these spots should be pre-registered for mortar fires. This precaution might not be necessary since these guys do not seem inclined to cower behind cover.
It is obvious that one aim of the engineers should be to slow these SOB’s down. Their ability to cover ground very quickly makes them difficult targets for small arms. Another aim is to force the enemy onto ground of your own choosing. Wellington is said to have had the Waterloo battlefield “in his pocket” for several weeks or months before Bonaparte moved toward Charleroi.
There are many time-honored techniques for accomplishing these objectives. Trenches, mines, and wire are among the more popular if there is time and the means are available.
Bringing these elements into play is really a matter for a skilled military engineer, not a mere lapsed Military Police Captain such as your author. There is a reason all your top West Point grads (Lee, McClellan, Meade, MacArthur, et al.) used to be commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. OK, Meade was actually a topograhical engineer, but you get the point.
In general though, trenches and mines can be used to deny the use of “High Speed Avenues of Approach” to the enemy. Doctrine would require that these minefields be marked and carefully mapped. Princess Diana would clearly prefer mines not be used at all. Oops, I forgot; she’s dead. Not sure that this enemy would pay much heed to a marked minefield anyway. These buggers might just use their abundant personnel to clear the minefield, a tactic not unknown East of the Vistula.
High explosive anti-personnel mines are all that is necessary, and nothing fancy like Bouncing Betties. (I doubt this adversary is concerned about genital wounds.) Claymores are wonderful, you can never have too many. As mentioned a few weeks ago, they can also be used to command-detonate 55 gallon drums filled with gasoline and Tide (napalm). This last device is perhaps best used when the enemy is concentrated in the kill zone.
While the High Speed Avenue of Approach is an armor concept, these folks are analogous to armor in that they move fast and are, in gross, impervious to small arms.
Wire is a good, but passive, tool. Modern razor wire is absolutely vicious. Shredded zombie. Six rolls, stacked and well staked, should deter anyone traveling on foot. Again, however, this particular enemy might simply send semi-human waves into the wire to clog up the works and get over them. Still, if they choose to do this, as with using their “infantry” to clear minefields, massive casualties will be inflicted. Not a bad thing. If the wire and the mines divert them to our killing field, OK. If not, we should still face reduced numbers.
If the surrounding terrain includes rivers, streams, swamps, or bogs, these approaches should not be wired, mined, or entrenched on either side. Crossing any water or mud will slow down anything; making the assaulting forces easy targets for small arms fire. They should be lured onto such 'ground.'
All these tools should be used, as alluded to above, to channel these unfortunates into our kill zone, possibly right before our walls. They will be trapped like rats.
Mortars and machine guns can be used because head shots are not necessary. A good mortarman can probably be trained in a week. Firing the things could not be simpler; it is the targeting and adjusting fire that involves mathematics and stuff like that. Both 4.2" and 81mm mortars should be found. They might find the illumination rounds from the 4.2 perplexing, and the light will enormously assist targeting all aimed fire. Night vision devices should be widely available.
All those operating aimed weapons should be able to adjust their fires on command, i.e., we should have appropriate commo.
A good weapons mix should include a wide variety of crew-served automatic weapons, i.e., machine guns. Starting with the venerable Ma Deuce (M2 .50 caliber) and working our way down to the modern SAW (squad automatic weapon). Someone needs to know how to adjust the head-space on the .50. The M60, adapted from the German MG42, is a good all-purpose killer-provided you have a pretty burly gunner if use in a portable mode is needed. Change out those barrels!
With respect to other, heavier ordnance, no need for any anti-armor technology such as LAWs or recoilless rifles (do they still have those in the inventory?).
Artillery, even the lighter 105 guns, probably require too much training and are of limited use unless there is a method to acquire targets and adjust fire at really long ranges.
As much fun as a few Multiple Launch Rocket Systems would be, the MLRS (or Grid Square Removal System) might be, pardon the expression, overkill.
It is to be hoped we have time to discuss, elaborate, and implement a plan of this nature before the balloon goes up. As my coach used to say: "These guys are Agile, Mobile, and Hostile." (It rhymed.) They are also primitive as hell.
"Forlorn Hope" my ***!!