9/2397 Due to the Dominion’s shelling of the Antilles, the Caribbean Federation issues a nation-wide alert to all its citizens. The Caribbean, presiding on the brink of a volcanic ridge, has had centuries to prepare retreat systems during earthquakes or eruptions, especially in the Antilles. Most Caribbean cities already have underground networks as an extension; and, when hearing this alert, this is where the population would retreat. The underground is largely self-sufficient, hosting subterranean farming networks (more elaboration given if needed), transit systems, commerce, and so on. Though with a slightly lowered standard of living, the civilian population is guaranteed relative survival from Dominion attacks. Some people would have to stay behind, including those monitoring the drone waves and managing communications. The Yucatán and some islands vulnerable to Dominion occupation, would be laced with thousands of new mines of our own design. These would form another way of striking down their tripods, and one less predictable than the drones. Like the drones, but much more potent, each mine would host its own magnetic field to draw away the ionised gases of the tripods’ plasma shields. If the tripod steps into the mine, the greater part of it is blown up on the spot (the Dominion supposedly has world-destroying nukes, so I hope this explosion isn’t too far-fetched). But if the tripod notices and runs away, the mine gives an instantaneous wave signal to the nearest drones, which finish the job while the tripod’s shields are still de-activated. The Caribbean would then begin a large-scale operation: the seizure of Jamaica. While we could place thousands of our drones around the island, the enemy have doubtless prepared for such a manoeuvre; bunching up our military assets in firing range is a recipe for disaster. General Andrés, tasked with co-ordinating this operation, has opted for a different strategy, aimed at defeating the ‘Drone-myth’ that Caribbean warfare consists only of autonomous vehicles. Several hundreds of submarines would be fitted with guns which can expose themselves over the water while the rest of the ship is submerged; they can withdraw under the water at any time. This allows them to bombard the enemy without being checked by counter-fore as the drones were. Their navigation and targeting systems would be mostly managed by AI, but there would be a person at the helm for maintenance; the Caribbean has plenty of naval officers to spare, since many have experience in policing sea commerce. The ships are powered by on-site nuclear fusion reactors, with the possibility of relying on tidal power if the reactor fails. Ammunition-wise, this makes them self-sufficient, as their phasers only require concentrated energy to function. They too possess a store of torpedoes and underwater missiles in order to deflect an attack by the Dominion’s navy. These ships would launch one of the heaviest naval bombardments in history against Dominion facilities on Jamaica, striking anything at all within range. In the first few days of this bombardment, the majority of the Dominion’s artillery is taken completely by surprise and obliterated before it has chance of withdrawal. And even the artillery that does withdraw is not good for much, since it cannot shoot upon Caribbean ports without getting into the firing-range of the submarines. With the artillery out of the way, the drones launch a carpet bombing campaign over all Dominion facilities, suffering little fire in the process. This campaign is slightly limited due to the unwillingness to attack civilian camps, but it nevertheless does its job of disarming and neutralising the Dominion’s squadrons on the island. To finalise the operation, mines are put around their trenches and fortifications, so that the Dominion’s forces are completely denied the ability to escape from their withdrawal. In all respects, Jamaica is safely in Caribbean hands, and we await the surrender of the Dominion’s forces there. Suspecting major Dominion moves on the sea frontier, a naval deadlock codenamed the ‘Iron Belt’ is drawn up across the entire Caribbean Basin, from NASM-owned Florida down to Trinidad. It is extremely tightened at the Lesser Antilles and the strait at Trinidad, as the Dominion’s navy is concentrated heavily there and the area is vulnerable to attack. This frontline consists of thousands of these submarines, unseen at first by Dominion intelligence. It is slightly overstretched, so we await the NASM’s assistance in reinforcing the line.
Rushed project, sorry
