NAM Nationalist Forces – Part 3 PAVN Armored Forces

by Tom Burgess

Welcome back Comrades,
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BRIEFING

Now that we have covered our glorious foot soldiers who take the fight to the Capitalist Dogs, let us turn our attention to our Ironclad warriors. Many are unaware that we have such powerful legions of steel and that we know how to use them even in the jungles.

When most people think of combat in the Vietnam War they think of infantry fights in the deep jungle. But Vietnam’s terrain is much more than just jungles and rice paddies. Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) completed a study which showed that actually, a large percentage of South Vietnam could support armor operations. Later units like the US 1st Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, and 11th Armored Cavalry achieved great success in their armor and mechanized operations in Vietnam. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) also made great use of tanks and mechanized cavalry units throughout the war.

Despite all of these operations we still don’t think of Vietnam as a “tank war” because we seem to lack for examples of Nationalist forces using armor. For us in the US that is primarily because we stop looking for examples after the US ground force involvement was essentially over. But in the later stages of the war, particularly the Lam Son 719 Operations in 1971 and the 1972 “Easter Offensive,” the Nationalist employed a significant amount of Ironclad formations with tanks and mechanized units.

And yes, there are plenty examples of tank on tank clashes during the later stages of the war. My favorite is the action at the Dong Ha Bridge during the “Easter Offensive.” In this battle M48’s of the ARVN 20th Tank Battalion and 3rd Battalion Vietnamese Marine Corps (VNMC) secured a bridge from North Vietnamese attack that included K2 (T-54)s trying to storm the main bridge at Dong Ha while PAVN K3 (PT-76)s swam the Mieu Giang River trying to flank the South Vietnamese defenders.

So yes Comrade, you should happily add PAVN armor formations to your force when you so choose. The PAVN forces generally avoided tank on tank fights until the later stages of the war, but they did employ tanks in their operations as early as 1968.

The first tanks supplied to the PAVN were the outdated K-1 (T-35/85). The first PAVN tank units in South Vietnam were T-34/85 equipped. But they went as dismounted crews to learn the enemy’s tactics with armor. Still, the T-34/85 was retained and used throughout the whole war. They would generally only be employed where the enemy was known to have poor anti-armor abilities, like in Laos, or they would be used in secondary roles such as reserve of flank security elements.

In ‘Nam, the T-34/85 is inexpensive at just under 2 points per tank. A full company of 13 T-34/85s can be had for just 16 points total. Not too bad for a tank that can destroy another tank it meets, save the M48 and the Centurion which are only vulnerable to the T-34/85 on their flanks.

The T-34/85’s armor though is nearly irrelevant when M72 LAWs have an anti-tank value of 12. The key with the T-34/85 is to max them out.

The PAVN knew that, eventually, they’d need heavier and more modern tanks to deal with the M48s being brought into South Vietnam. The Soviet Union meet this requirement by supplying K-2 (T-54)s and the Chinese also supplied their version of the same tank.

In ‘Nam the T-54, at under 5 points a tank is cheaper than the M48, at 6 points per tank, and Centurion, at 7 points per tank.  All three have a front armor of 13, but the T-54 has a slow firing ROF 1 main gun and the two big Free World tanks have the “Accurate” special rule for their guns. All three main guns for these tanks have an anti-tank value of 16, but T-54’s 100mm gun has a firepower of 2+ while the other two make due with a 3+.

I’d not expect T-54s to generally win in gun duels against M48s or Centurions unless the T-54s got off the first volley. Though, I have ten T-54s in my own collection, I have yet to get them into a game supporting my PAVN troops. That will soon change.

The K-3 (PT-76) Battalion adds another interesting option to the PAVN arsenal. The armor of the K-3 is enough to withstand heavy machinegun fire. The 76mm main gun of the K-3 will not punch through the front armor of M48 or centurion, but it does have the advantage of HEAT and, very uniquely for a Soviet vehicle, it has ROF2 and stabilizers.

The K-3 will be a very viable option due to its low cost. At 5 points for three up to 13 points for 11, the K-3 is slightly cheaper than the K-1 (T-34/85) but seems to have much more potential with a higher AT, stabilizers, and even amphibious. I have yet to add any K-3s to my PAVN collection but I am beginning to think I have overlooked them for too long. If only they were available in plastic, I’d order a company today!

PAVN Ironclad formations can take a Mechanized company as a formation unit. The dismounted component of this company has the exact same composition as a normal PAVN infantry company. A full PAVN infantry company would have 13 AK-47 teams, nine B40 RPG teams, and three LMG teams at 21 points.

It has the option of upgrading the B40 RPGs to the much better B41 RPG at 1 point each which would make the fully upgraded PAVN Infantry Company cost 30 points. The full Mechanized PAVN Company cost the same 30 points, but includes the B41 RPG as standard and then adds in ten BTR-50PK APCs.

On the surface that makes the Meccanized PAVN Infantry Company look like a much better value than its dismounted standard counterpart, but then you have to consider that the Mechanized PAVN Infantry Company does not get the Guerrilla Fighter and Born in the North to Die in the South rules. You also have to be aware that those ten BTR-50s could give away another three Battle Points for Political Victory considerations. Nonetheless, the Mechanized PAVN Infantry Company is worth taking, especially when fighting Free Word forces that use a lot of helicopters. Those ten extra heavy AA Machine-guns will be of great use there.

The last unit of the PAVN Ironclad formations to look at is the ZSU-57-2 Anti-Air Company. These cost just one point for two up to three points for four. Quite a bargain for the high rate of fire on the from the 57mm guns.

Of course, these will excel in the anti-helicopter role, but with AT 9 and FP 4+ they will also be of great service when engaging Free World light tanks and APCs. I would consider adding a minimum strength K-1 or K-3 Ironclad formation just to add this unit as there is no other way to add one to your PAVN force.

Conclusion

PAVN “Ironclad” armored formations definitely have a place in your ‘Nam gaming. There were very prevalent in the “Third Stage” of the Vietnam war but actually were available much earlier. It’s just a case of if the People’s Army of Vietnam had chosen to commit them to battle earlier.

Hypothetical engagements with US and other Free World forces beyond “Third Stage” ARVN opponents are also an option. It was just mere kilometers between the tank and mechanized units of the US 5th Infantry Division and the PAVN K-2 (T-54)s and K-3 (PT-76)s in two tank regiments supporting the five PAVN Divisions involved in this operation. The “what ifs” were very close to happening here.

I have been exclusively a Guerilla player when pitting my PAVN forces against my local Free World opponents, but now ‘Nam has inspired to move my own gaming into the “Third Stage” and start to experiment with Ironclad formations in my PAVN forces.