Essequibo 2010 - Century of Warfare, TOAW III, and TOAW IV

Essequibo 2010
The Bolivarian Army baptism of fire

In August, 2010, Venezuela invades the Essequibo territory, in the Guyana Republic, South America. It is an attempt to quickly conquer the area before the UN Security Council decides to authorize a militarily intervention by the USA and Great Britain.

Background

After the Cold War, the Berlin wall fall and end of the USSR, freedom winds blow in the world. South American Nations people also pursuit democracy, but the new generation of local Politian, taking advantage of the low education level of the population and through normal and regular elections, by means of “wonderful promises”, began to assume the governments, based upon populism, demagogy, violence and corruption.

The Venezuela’s government has assumed an anti-imperialism speech and saying to be necessary to defend their homeland against an American invasion, financed by the high international oil prices, began a military rearmament program and the Armed Forces were being equipped with Russian and Chinese weapons, like AK assault rifles, Sukhoi fighters, T 72 tanks, Kilo submarines etc… New military units were created and trained, including a popular militia controlled by the President himself. The Venezuela’s army was renamed as Bolivarian Army. For the population, however, there is lack of consumer goods, electrical energy rationing, high inflation and unemployment and the censorship over the media and press was getting harder.
The Guyana Republic, a former British colony, is a very poor country and its government even been influenced by its western neighbor, never got under its control and acts independently keeping a close relation with the British Commonwealth.
The Venezuela – Guyana border is under contest and the area till the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela as being part of the former XIX Century Spanish Colonial Empire. In 1966, an Agreement was signed, in Geneve, which has frozen the border at the status they were then, until a definitive Border Treaty can be achieved between both countries.

Recent events
The World Economic crisis of 2008 reinforced the chronic unemployment and the governments were facing people unhappiness all over the region. The new situation precipitated the Nations to assume firmly their positions and to look externally to get the population unified around their leaders.
In September 2010, Venezuela will face legislative elections and the government is concerned with the lower popularity of the President and its party. The opposition is well organized and there is a chance of winning the elections and then win the next Presidential election. The road to keep peoples submission depends on this election so it is time to bring the population back to the President support. An external adventure is considered to be the easiest way to gather people’s credit again, so the Geneve Agreement of 1966 was denounced and Venezuela gave an Ultimatum to the Guyana Republic to withdraw any troops from the area. Guyana complained in the United Nations (UN). The United Kingdom assumed Guyana’s side and got Suriname’s accordance. Even not being Venezuela’s ally, Brazilian representatives, due the ideological similarities between the governments, asked the UN to take Venezuela’s arguments into consideration before any resolutions and sanctions.
The Venezuelan preparative and military plans were assigned to be a fast occupation to avoid giving any time to the UK support Guyana militarily. A secret agreement between Venezuelan and Brazilian governments let Venezuela’s Army to use Brazilian territory.


Strategy for Venezuela
The main goal is to occupy the Essequibo area which goes from the eastern Venezuela border with Guyana till the line defined by the Essequibo River (Hexes are marked with *). Due to the probable Great Britain reaction, and even from the United States, Venezuela has to achieve its objectives as fast as possible.

Strategy for Guyana
For Guyana the main objective is to slow down the initial attacks till the UN and/or Great Britain and/or the United States intervene. Even not been Brazil a Venezuelan ally, a political identification between Venezuelan and Brazilian governments will do Brazilian army to be static and even let Venezuela’s army to pass through Brazilian territory.

House rules:
As Brazil is not a military ally but politically supports Venezuela, Brazilian forces are not intended to be used unless Guyana or UK and/or US forces invade Brazilian territory or air space. If manually controlling Venezuela, keep Brazilian forces static.

Armies’ colors:
Guyana: Yellow on light green
UK: White on light green
US: Blue on olive green

Venezuela: Army Headquarters forces: Yellow on red
III Infantry Division: ……. White on red
IV Armored Division: …… Black on red
V Jungle Infantry Division: Brown on red
Air Force/Navy/Marine Infantry: Red on red
Brazil: Green on yellow

This is a fictional scenario so the histories, involved forces, figures, units and weapons may differ from actual existing armed forces. Any similarity with real world is a mere coincidence.

By Mauro Medina
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