If being attacked by a superiorily equipped force of 100,000 troops and you have only 10,000 poorly equipped?

Question

if you are so outmanned and outgunned, and you are in charge of defending your country, what would be your strategy.

(this is a hypothetical strategy question...and is not indicative of any ongoing conflicts in recent history or currently going on)

Answer 1

I would retreat further and further into the country, burning crops and killing off any means the enemy has to sustain himself.
Then I would attack his supply convoys and supply lines...all clandestinely. Keep sniping away, hitting and running, keep moving around, target their officers, and generals. I would even lure their officers to be with our women, and then cut their throats...whatever it takes.

When I captured them as prisoners, I would make sure they die the most gruesome of deaths, so the rest of them know what they will be facing.

Answer 2

This is a classic use of guerilla action to thwart an attacking force. See the Phillipinos in WWII for an example. Use the terrain to your advantage, snipers, landmines, delay and demoralize as the Afgans did against the Russians. Once technology was aquired by them such as Stinger missles which finally ended the total air superiority and allowed the Russians to attach with helicopter without fear, they situation on the ground was quickly reversed.

Hit and run tactics are typical. Avoid stand and fight situations where the large force can bring their strength to bear. Snipers are extremely useful in this type of situation. I've seen a few snipers hold up an entire company for almost a full day. Typically the underdogs will aquire weapons and supplies from the larger force. Ambushing a supply column, taking weapons from the dead, etc.

As a general rule of thumb, attacker going against prepared, fortified positions must have at least a 3-1 numerical superiority to overcome to position, so whitling their numbers down before engaging in set battles is helpful as well. of course you also have to consider air superiority, artillery support, logistics, physical obstrutions, rivers, mountains, swamps, etc.

Success breeds success as well so the more successfull the inferior force is, the more they can recruit. The current fiasco in Iraq is a good example. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Then you must use ruses and unusual strategies.

You must look for the very weaknesses in your opponent that are caused by their superior numbers and weaponry.

This always suggests guerrilla war tactics.

In the American revolution we saw what was then thought of as very ungentlemanly strategies. Shooting from cover, ambushes, sneak attacks and sabotage.

These are the best tools of an outnumbered force.

And used well, they can eat away at the opponents superior position until you've managed to even things up a bit.

Answer 4

Asymmetrical warfare.

Disperse and render the weapons of the superior force ineffective.

Make them fight YOUR war. Enlist and hide behind civilians and religious institutions.

Open the prisons.

Create martyrs real or imagined.

Make your case to the international community and lie if necessary.

Stage criminal activity by the enemy.

Petition support from the enemy of your enemy whether they are YOUR enemy or not.

Define your goals as idealistic rather than material regardless of the reality.

Play the victim.

Declare victory in some engagement whether it happened or not.

Claim ethnic cleansing.
Use religious references to justify immoral activity. (invoke god)

Claim you have POW's even if you don't.

Train and motivate sappers.

Live off the land.

Terrorize your own citizens and blame it on the enemy.

Just getting started.....I could go on all day. The above are all tried and true methods.

Answer 5

Set up a good defense in depth. Leave soldiers behind enemy lines to attack supply convoys. A good lesson to learn from would be the Finish defense against USSR at the start of WWII. They were out numbered more than 10 to 1 but still managed to kill close to a million soviets.

Answer 6

Sounds like you are describing the war of northern aggression
when the north attacked the South,
when Lincoln attacked the States who just wanted to cancel their membership in the country club called the United States of America,
when Sherman burned Atlanta

Answer 7

The thing to do here is not to take this behemoth on straight up as that would be to your obvious detriment. I think a good strategy here is to put fear in the enemy that they will be killed if ever found in small enough numbers to be attacked. I would even threaten my fellow citizens that if anyone cooperates with the invaders in any way, they and their entire family will pay with their lives.

Answer 8

Consolidate. Attack with all you troops against small portions of theirs when possible. There is a good chance they will be more spread out than need be. And they will not be expeting an attack. Then move quickly to a fortified defensive position.

Dig in hard and force the enemy to attack you from a single point of attack. This dillutes their effective attack rate and brings it more in line with yours.

A strong leader is priceless in this situation to inspire and keep morale from breaking.

Answer 9

If it was me, I would do whatever it took to win while protecting my fellow citizens. However if the majority of my people actually supported the "invaders" because of the tyranny that we had been forced to live under, I would not take up arms to begin with. Living in a free country it is hard to think of a case where the people would be supportive of a hostile takeover but if I lived in many rag tag countries under a vicious dictator I would feel differently

Answer 10

Study the South during the Civil War.