Samuel
Doe came to power in a bloody coup in 1980, and the years that followed
saw Liberia on a path to devastation. Doe's economic policies served
to destabilize the national economy and saw Liberia become heavily
dependent on foreign aid. The United States provided Liberia with $50
Million annually, but much of it went to the pockets of the corrupt
officials of Liberia, including Doe himself.
The
civil war saw Samuel Doe becoming more and more desperate as his AFL was
unable to suppress the NPF and INPFL rebels. His desperation finally drove
him to attempt to escape Liberia by traveling towards the ECOMOG
headquarters to request asylum. He was intercepted by Prince Johnson
and a group of INPFL rebels.
Doe's
60 accompanying Satue were overpowered by INPFL troops and executed. Doe
himself was stripped, mutilated, and shot as Johnson questioned him about
the Liberian treasury. Doe's ears, fingers, and hair--believed to be
a source of magical powers--were removed and Doe was then left to bleed to
death in a nearby girl's washroom. The last hours of Doe's mutilation
and life were captured for posterity on VHS videotape by an INPFL
cameraman.
This
scenario simulates a scaled-down meeting engagement between Doe and his
Satue and Johnson's INPFL. Players command either Satue or INPFL
troops.
INPFL: Johnson
and his INPFL have heard that Doe is moving towards the ECOMOG
headquarters, presumably to seek asylum. Johnson, the INPFL leader,
sees this as an opportunity to end the war and locate the Liberian
treasury, so he has led a force to intercept Doe. INPFL troops must
capture Doe. They set up on the south side of the street.
INPFL
Units
Johnson
Green
AK-47, Colt Python 6"
4
Green
AK-47
5
Militia
Beretta M12S
5
Militia
AK-47
Ammunition: All
units carry 3 magazines FMJ. Johnson carries 24 rounds of JHP for his
python.
Satue: As
part of Doe's elite bodyguard battalion, the Satue received many
privileges and much of the anger of the Liberian people opposed to Doe. The
Satue were also in a substantial position of power over Doe, and they
promised that Doe would not leave Liberia without them during the several
months when he barricaded himself in his presidential mansion, indicating
that Doe was under a form of house arrest. Now, Doe has finally tried
to go into exile, and has taken some of his Satue to the ECOMOG
headquarters to seek asylum, but the party has been intercepted by an
INPFL force. Satue troops must get Doe to the ECOMOG headquarters
which means exiting off the south edge of the map. Satue troops set
up on the north side of the street.
Satue
Units
Doe
Green
S & W M-19 6"
2
Line
M-16A1
4
Green
M-16A1
Ammunition: All
Satue troops carry 6 magazines FMJ. Doe carries 24 rounds JHP for his
M-19. Doe and the two Line troops also carry 2 M26A2 hand grenades
each.
Victory: If
Doe is captured, it is a major victory for the INPFL. If Doe is
killed, however, the encounter is a draw, because Johnson does not get to
question Doe and there is the potential for making Doe a martyr. If
Doe manages to exit off the south edge of the map, it is a victory for the
Satue.
Variant
1: This
scenario had forces scaled down by a factor of 10. Teams of players
may wish to try using the actual forces involved and a larger map area. If
this is the case, multiply the number of units involved by 10 and provide
Doe and his troops with 5 pickup trucks as transport.
Variant
2: There
were stories that Doe actually made it to ECOMOG headquarters and they
turned him away. Players may wish to extend the scenario or variant 1
by rolling a d10 should Doe make it past the INPFL forces. On a 0-2,
ECOMOG grants asylum, and Doe wins. However, on a 3-9, Doe finds the
ECOMOG doors closed to him and to win in this case, Doe must then travel
back to his presidential palace past the INPFL forces again.