NAM 3: Fire Mission
By NDNG_Dane
Lieutenant Dan here,
This past weekend, I was able to get in my third ‘Nam game. This game had a completely different feel from our first two games. Again I faced off against Comrade Paul, Fearless leader of the Local Forces. We played the “Fire Base Assault” mission at 60+ points each.
We both changed up the standard force list a little bit. Comrade Paul took a Special Tasks Battalion with the support options for a PAVN Infantry Battalion. I took the TO&E authorized, New Zealand 105mm Battery, that fought as part of the US 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam.
Fielding the 173rd Airborne in Viet Nam
Airmobile Rifle Company HQ
Airmobile Rifle Platoon (x2)(short)
Support:
ANZAC – 105mm Artillery battery
UH-1 Huey C&C OP Helicopter
Gunship Aeroweapons Platoon
M48 Patton Platoon (2)
M551 Sheridan Platoon (3)
Comrade Paul’s Special Tasks Battalion
Special Tasks Battalion HQs
Special Tasks Company (x3)
Support
PAVN 82mm Recoilless Gun Platoon
PAVN 14.5mm AA Platoon
Front Artillery Observer
Front Artillery Company (3x 130mm guns)
Mission: Fire Base Assault!
Special Rules:
Night Fighting (Both players)
Delayed Reserves (Free world player)
Firebase Defenses (Free world players)
Immediate Reserves (Nationalist player)
Triage and Medevac (Free World player)
Firebase Defenses Preparation die roll = 5
Prepared Fire Base is given 1x 4” barbed wire entanglement for each 25 points in the agreed point’s total. Since we were playing 60+ points, the free world player places three – 4” barbed wire sections. These were placed around the Nationalist objective (ammo cache).
Turn one:
The Jungle is too quiet…and Dark!
Bugles sound in the middle of the night! Comrade Paul attacks with his Special Task Company#1 and attached Battalion HQ. The Special Task Company is on the barbed wire in the first turn! Nationalist shooting is largely ineffective against the 173rd Airborne infantry outpost, at night, and gone-to-ground. The Special Task Company assaults! Using ladders, three of the Special Task teams are skilled enough to clear the barbed wire entanglements. Defensive fire from the 173rd Airborne lights up the night and forces the retreat of Special Task Company #1.
Turn two:
The 173rd Gunship Aeroweapons Platoon and C&C OP bird pursue the retreating Special Task Company into the jungle, largely eliminating the few remaining teams. Comrade Paul invokes the Born in the North, to Die in the South rule and successfully rolls his 4th Special Task Company into reserve.
Comrade Paul receives his Special Task Company#3 in from reserve and moves them through the thick jungle toward the 173rd Airborne infantry outpost.
Turn three:
Radio Contact with 173rd Brigade HQs brings on a platoon of Sheridans as reinforcements.
Uncle Ho sends Comrade Paul Special Task Company #4 and the 82mm Recoilless Gun Platoon from reserve. Again Bugles sound in the middle of the night! Comrade Paul attacks the beleaguered 173rd Airborne outpost with Special Task Companies #2 & #3.
Special Task Company #2 assault goes in ahead of the assault from Special Task Company #3. Using ladders, five Special Task teams are skilled enough to clear the barbed wire entanglements. Tired and wounded, defensive fire from the beleaguered 173rd Airborne outpost only scores 4 hits. The Special Task Company Assaults!
After three rounds of brutal hand-to-hand combat, the victorious Special Task Company #2 consolidates on the weapons cache. Special Task Company #3 takes up positions on the outer perimeter, ready for the inevitable Yankee counter attack.
Turn four: Dawn!
Radio Contact with the platoon in the outpost has been lost. The 173rd BDE Commander directs a platoon of M48 Patton tanks forward to reinforce the NZ Artillery Fire Base. Combined fires from the Sheridan and the AH-1 Gunships, largely eliminates Comrade Paul’s Special Task Company #3. Comrade Paul invokes the Born in the North, to Die in the South rule. But this time, Uncle Ho will not be supplying him with Special Task Company #5.
Uncle Ho sends Comrade Paul an 82mm Recoilless Gun Platoon and the Front Artillery Company and observer from reserve. Cursing the Morning light, Comrade Paul attempts to dig-in Special Task Company #2 on the weapons cache and Special Task Company #4 at the edge of the thick jungle. Best not to expose his troops to Yankee firepower. The gleeful 82mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon Leader carefully lines up his shots against the side armor of the M48 Patton tanks. Disappointingly, both hits only result in two bailed tanks.
Turn five:
Cursing at his FNG Lieutenant, the M48 Armor Platoon Sergeant directs the armor crews to get back in their tanks, get away from the jungle edge, and proceed directly towards the last known location of the 173rd outpost platoon. There, the concentrated MG fires from the M48s, combined with the AH-1 Gunships, engage the Special Task Company #2 on the weapons cache and clears the area by fires! Comrade Paul invokes the Born in the North, to Die in the South rule. Sadly, Uncle Ho will not be supplying him with Special Task Company #6.
Comrade Paul decides it is better to live to fight another day, and orders the remainder of his Special Tasks Battalion to retreat into the safety of the jungle.
Observations:
This was my third ‘NAM game. This is yet another completely different game. It was a lot of fun!
In our table set up, both short edges of the table were covered by dense jungle. However, the area around the Firebase was “cleared” of jungle vegetation. This didn’t matter to the Nationalist player until Dawn broke.
Once daytime visibility was restored, there was no covered and concealing terrain for Comrade Paul to use to get close enough for an assault. Though we both agreed this was “realistic”, we might want to try this mission again with the terrain outside the firebase… less cleared.
Charlie Mike! This is November, Delta, Delta, Out!