By Steve MacLauchlan
It had been quite a long time since Sean and I got in a game of Vietnam, and he had yet to see his ANZACs on the table, so we decided it was time to remedy that!
Australian List (from easyarmy.com)
PAVN List (from easyarmy.com)
Points wise, this was on the large size of our Vietnam games, but we chose to roll with it. We decided on Blocking Force- a mission we hadn't played yet. The Elephant grass was very tall, blocking infantry further than 6" and offering concealment to all infantry. The ANZACs were the attacker.
Centurions rumble down the road.
ANZAC infantry move out after clearing the village.
M113s navigate the woods.
On the PAVN right flank, 2nd platoon scouts ahead.
A US Pink Team offers air cover.
The PAVN lie in wait.
M113s scout ahead, and spot some enemy infantry! Contact! Contact!
Just then tracers fill the sky as PAVN AA opens up on the US helicopters.
And all hell breaks loose behind the ANZACs as well! Recoilless Guns arrive from Guerrilla Reserve in the absolute worst place imaginable for the Centurions- directly behind them!
The result is disastrous! Both centurions go up in flames!
The RcLs are completely exposed as dust and debris fill the air behind them!
The AAA strikes the US choppers...
And with that, on the bottom of turn 1 the PAVN have earned 5 victory points! (2 units destroyed for 2 points, 2 tanks for 2 bonus points, and 2 helicopters for 1 more bonus point).
The M113s and ANZAC infantry move back to deal with the RcLs
And destroy the unit down to the commander who eventually runs away!
The village is now secure... ?
On the right, the ANZACs dig in to await the rest of the force.
While the M113s eventually work their way back to the front and center.
But more PAVN Guerilla reserves arrive on the left flank!
The enemy infantry race forward as the ANZACs furiously try to dig in!
The left flank.
The PAVN would be insane to launch an assault with all of those SLRs.
On the right, the Aussies move up and secure the crash site.
They establish a perimeter and hunker down.
But just as they get comfortable they realize they've stumbled upon a PAVN bunker complex! Three HMG nests open up on them!
As a PAVN infantry company surges forward!
The assault is hopeless, but the PAVN don't have much to lose!
The SLRs spit more than enough defensive fire to stop it, just as a medevac shows up to evacuate the wounded.
The wounded are handed off and then airlifted out.
On the left, the PAVN dig in after losing their company command- and the battalion command is just a bit too far away to help! D'oh! The Aussies surge forward.
The M113s provide support in the form of direct fire and ammunition.
Paving the way for an ANZAC assault!
Which guts the PAVN.
The PAVN are battered but launch a counterattack.
The PAVN company is obliterated to the man, but immediately arrive from Guerilla Reserve the following turn.
On the right, the HMG nests continue to pump fire into the ANZACs who dig in- just barely within 16" of a PAVN objective to keep the game hot!
Nevertheless, at this point we've gone several turns and the game appears to be reaching a stalemate. We decide night falls- the ANZACs hold their position and the PAVN recede. The PAVN score 5 points (which they all got on turn 1!), while the ANZACs have 2 (RcLs and one infantry company).
Closing Thoughts: This was a really fun game! I can't believe the PAVN tore up the ANZACs so horribly on turn one! It was good to dust off the 'nam figs and get them on the board.
