The promblem seems to lie that when you have so many good troops in an area, it's a lot easier to get those good troops killed. Let's say that you drop'd ten thousand Marines on Ravenette... They'd be slaughter'd because of the troop concentration. Yes, they could use more organic artillery, but it seems that they would be destroyed faster if there were more of them. The more targets you have, the easier it is to retaliate. Hence why gurrila actions are such a pain. Easier to hide when there are so few targets.
But that is all speculation.
The problem with that situation, and Dan stop me if I am wrong, is that with so many men under his command, he could afford to send his men out in droves, and when the artillery stars falling, Lyons could direct fire against the artillery and wipe it out if it was using continious fire. Then once the artillery is destroyed, he could then afford to sit back and pound the Marines and other Confederation forces into dust, and once that has happened, he sends in the rest of his men to finish the job... Say what you will, but not even the Marines could stand up without thier artillery in such a situation as that.
Unless a new beachhead was established elsewhere, and the bulk of the forces removed to that area, the Marines could quite easilly fall.
Also, there is a chance that an amphibious landing could be launched on the rear of the island with naval forces used to harry and disrupt the target areas, and catch the confederate forces in a vice. I'd also try for some paratroopers, too. Drop them in from high atmo in a three stage vehichle... where the first two stages could be used to absorb fire from air and anti-air elements of the invasion force, and the third stage used something akin to the essay's flight pattern and take positions with heavy/assault weapons.
(shakes head) But that's assuming that the men they send in have training akin to the Marines. Maybe... a former Marine trained them, or some sort of defector. . . .
DEUS EX MACHINA!!!