Another run through the jungle

John was going to come around today for a game of Pikeman's Lament, but I had to cancel as I have come down with my third bot of the year and didn't want to infect anyone else. I'm thinking I need to get some more exercise in order to gain a bit more of a robust constitution, but everytime I think about it, I get sick. Maybe therein lies the problem?

'He painted us!'

Anyway, rather than do nothing, I decided to have another go with the Portable Wargame in Vietnam. I see this as very much a squad based game, with one man being one man, and the rules, I hope, reflect this. So here are some basics:

Name of unit	Strength Points	Movement	Firing dice	Firing distance	Unpinning
US infantry team	4	2	1	3 squares	4+
US M60 team	2	2	3	4 squares	4+
NVA infantry team	4	3	1	3 squares	4+
NVA RPD team	4	2	2	3 squares	4+
Officer/NCO	3	3	+1 to roll	-	+1 to roll

As you will see, I use the pinning rules, but models must pass a test to unpin. If successful they can move or shoot. Otherwise all units move and shoot.
I've also changed the role of Officers/NCOs, whose main function is to motivate their men in unpinning, close combat and aimed fire.
The US exhaustion point is 50%, the NVA, to reflect their dedication to the cause, is 75%.

To improve game play, I painted all of the figures - 14 US troops and 17 NVA. I used the demon dip, and I'm quite happy with the results. It was certainly a quick paint job to do - one evening!

On with the game:

The US consisted of 2 infantry teams, 2 M60 teams an Lt, and a Sgt. Deployment was random on the baseline, the objective was to check and potentially clear the two hamlets.

Bird's eye view. The cards are flipped over every time a US unit moves. If it is a face card, they are ambushed by NVA.

The right hand teams advanced either side of the road. Sgt. Titus Pullar was with this MG team.

On the left, the first hamlet was checked and found empty. Lt. Luke Warner was with the MG team over here.

Contact! NVA appear in the woods and open up on the US troops.

Who are pinned.

Another surprise for Lt Warner and his MG team.

The M60s lay down some suppressive fire, while on the far left flank NVA troops charge the pinned US infantry team.

The US team is defeated and falls back, eventually ending up next the Lt's M60 team. The NVA follow up and occupythe woods.

US suppressive fire forces another NVA unit further back into the woods.

But they rally when support arrives from the other side of the road.

The US team in the woods on the right are taking a fair amount of fire.

But on the left the US forces are starting to get the upper hand. The NVA troops fall back behind cover to regroup.

When they finally come back to the fight they are met with a hail of lead.

 'Left flank clear. Let's move up!'

The last intact NVA unit is forced back from the road and pinned.

And their comrades are mopped up.

'Look ma, no enemies!'

The NVA have lost 75% and the game is over. Incidentally, the US troops were only 1 casualty away from being exhausted, so it was a close run thing.

Learning points:
With the US troops, always activate your M60s first. Suppressing the enemy is a good thing.
When the enemy are in cover firefights can get very protracted, basically needing a 6 to hit which can be quite a mission when you only roll 1 die. So - stay in cover if you can!
The plan had been to use the US infantry team to flank the enemy, but because they activated ambushes, in the open, this wasn't such a great idea. On the left the terrain limited the impact of the M60 fire support with the Lt.

At one point I started to test the idea that a unit that was already pinned would not be able to retreat, and would simply lose a figure instead. I'm still not sure about this. I may make that the rule i the troops are in the open, but if they can retreat into or behind cover then they can do so and remain pinned.

As much as I love my daughter's building blocks, I've ordered some Fairy Garden ornaments from China for a few dollars (how do they make any profit), which I will start to use when they arrive.

A fun way to spend 3/4 of an hour. Now where is that Tour of Duty soundtrack?

Nate