“That’s a lot of perimeter to secure against the infiltration of supplies. What size force do you have to accomplish this?”
Not really. Roads, waterways, railroads, and airways are needed. Controls those and you control supplies.
“Not really. Roads, waterways, railroads, and airways are needed. Controls those and you control supplies.”
The smallest Megacity I found listed is Chennai, India at about 460 square miles. By quick survey subject to correction, it’s got about 30 sizable roads going into it, 2 or 3 times that number smaller roads and streets if I estimated correctly, 3 rivers, 5 or 6 lakes on its edge, and around 30 miles of coastline. Except for the coastline, the perimeter is irregular with somewhat irregular distribution of the entry points.
The question still stands: “What size force do you have to accomplish this?” Additionally:
What size force do you have to have to control supplies and prevent infiltration to the opposing enemy force?
Assuming you can prevent the infiltration of materiel to the enemy force, can you prevent them getting food and so forth once it’s in the megacity without your forces entering the megacity itself? Or do you propose starving the general population of the megacity, which may start out as friendly to you if not actually on your side, in order to get the relatively small number of enemy combatants? The article is not about seizing a megacity, it’s about neutralizing an opposing force within a megacity.