Vietnam AAR: Hot LZ!

After Sean and I's last game, Sean was eager to try the airmobile list.  We decided to add some offboard artillery to each list and try out the "Hot LZ" mission again.  We've been taking turns as the US and PAVN, so I was also eager to try the PAVN with the 2 platoon strong companies and see if I could push the Imperialists off their LZ.  The Elephant Grass is waist high, providing concealment to all troops and guns on the ground.

Sean's Airmobile Infantry HQ + Medic Airmobile Platoon Airmobile Platoon 4x Slicks Pink Team w/ 1 Loach and 1 Cobra Pink Team w/ 1 Loach and 1 Cobra Heavy Hog w/ Grenade Launcher 105s in fire support

Steven's PAVN Infantry Battalion HQ + 2 HMG Nests 2 Platoon Strong PAVN Company w/ 2 LMGs 2 Platoon Strong PAVN Company w/ 2 LMGs 3x Type 54 AAA Guns 6x 75mm Recoilless Guns 120mm mortars + observer in fire support

 The board.  US LZ in the flooded field, with the PAVN objective just southwest of it.

TURN ONE

 A PAVN company shows up moments after the first US platoon takes up position on the LZ.  Captain O'Hara places his troops along a tree line overlooking the LZ.

 The first PAVN company

 The NVA surge forward, with AK fire bringing down one US Rifle team from 1st platoon.

1st Platoon remains pinned under fire!

2nd Platoon and Captain O'hara put their slicks down wherever there is room.  Sean takes a gamble landing so close to the PAVN...

But all of his gunships arrive to see them off.

Door gunners provide fire support.

The Frog comes in from the East.

As the Loach marks an enemy team, the rockets and MGs begin devastating the PAVN.

Cobras zero in on the teams marked by the Loaches.

The PAVN suffer heavy casualties.

The board as turn 1 comes to a close.

TURN TWO

With only two dice for reserves, the few survivors of the first PAVN company decide to stay on the board and hit the dirt.  They go to ground, amidst the destruction of the previous turn.  The US 2nd platoon deploys from their slicks, and forms a line along the creek bed.

The remaining PAVN are hunted down by vigilant gunship pilots.

Leaving a swathe of destruction.

At the end of it all, one team remains.

TURN THREE

The single stand from the Yellow PAVN company passes his motivation check and sole survivor.  He then also passes the voluntary withdrawal check, returning to Guerilla Reserve.  Though the US earn their first point, the PAVN have no losses.

US: 1   PAVN: 0

The recycled yellow company arrives in the North East.  Directly ahead of them is the flank of the US platoon deployed along the treeline.

While in the south, Red Company arrives near the 2nd US platoon.

Red moves out.  RPGs zip past the choppers while AK fire tears into the infantry knocking out 1 team. The US 2iC is wounded.

The US infantry is pinned, but manages to dig in.

The Pink teams begin redeploying.

Red company begins taking heavy fire.

The medic is unable to tend to the wounds of the 2iC, and the 2iC is removed.  We *think* this counts as destroyed for victory points purposes, but we aren't 100% sure.  He's destroyed, but doesn't count for morale.  Your thoughts?
US: 1   PAVN: 1

Yellow platoon is struck by a Pink team, but suffers minimal casualties.

TURN FOUR

Suddenly tracer fire lights up the sky and a Loach goes down in flames.

PAVN Type 54 AA lights up the sky.

In the East, Yellow company unpins and surges forward.

Meanwhile, a Cobra lingers too long in one place and falls to massed RPG fire from Red company.  With two choppers down, the PAVN earn another point.
US: 1   PAVN: 2

Red company continues firing on the US position.  The medic goes down to a hail of AK fire.

Red company attempts to launch a fairly reckless assault, and are pushed back.

Yellow company are more successful.

The US lose one team before falling back and consolidating in the wood.

Bottom of four.

A lone cobra moves out to avenge his teammate, zeroing in on the Type 54 guns.

Despite slamming into the guns with minigun and rocket fire, only one type 54 goes down.

US 2nd platoon opens up on the Red Company.

TURN FIVE

After the Red PAVN company were shot to pieces, they are pulled off the board...

US: 2   PAVN: 2

And arrive closer to the objective as the game enters the last turns.  The Battalion commander commits himself at this late stage in the game.

RcLs arrive to put fire on the US 2nd platoon.  Likewise, the 120mm mortar observer arrives on the hilltop.

The Type 54s, having weathered the storm from the Cobra, return fire.

And bring the chopper down, resulting in the first unit loss for the US.
US: 2   PAVN: 3

In the East, Yellow Company again launches an assault on the US First platoon.

The assault goes back and forth over several turns.

The US fight like crazy, but the PAVN keep coming.

The US emerge victorious, though below half strength.  Thanks to the Company Command, the US do not lose any additional teams.

The situation from South to North.

The game is reaching a stalemate as neither side seems able to grab the other's objective and both companies are holding strong.

The Frog moves behind Red platoon.

And lets loose with all rockets.

The company sustains heavy casualties.

The Frog chews up Red company.

TURN SIX
With both objectives now hot, the remnants of the PAVN Yellow company in the North are recycled.  They fail motivation for Voluntary Withdrawal, leaving the Vietnamese with 1 destroyed unit for morale purposes.  Red company, despite taking heavy losses from the Frog, holds.

US: 3   PAVN: 3

120mm mortars slam into the US position, but don't cause any significant harm.

Urged by the Battalion commander, Red company launches an assault.

But are driven back.

Having failed to earn further points (bringing down any of the 2 remaining choppers would have resulted in TWO points for the PAVN), we decide the game is drawing to a close only because it is getting late.

Sean goes for the longshot and tries to score 2 points on his final turn (killing both the Battalion commander and possibly Red company).

With the battalion commander markes, everything fires on the PAVN but to no real avail.

US 2nd platoon launches an assault.

But the PAVN withdraw, and stay on the board.  At this we decide to call it a draw at 3-3.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
It's hard to say what would happen given a few more turns.  The US are certainly pushing my objective, but they also don't have much left defending theirs.  Their mobile firepower has dwindled with the loss of 3 choppers.  My 6 RcLs are dug in and covering the objective- they could potentially bring the pain combined with the 120mm mortars.

Ultimately, we're both happy with the draw after another fun game!