Flames of War Vietnam - test game

We played out a test game at the club tonight.  Way too much Free World armour on the table, meant the VC/NVA player was shot up pretty badly, but at least we tried out quite a few of the rules.  I had a small ANZAC force comprising a mechanised infantry platoon in turreted M113s, with support from two Centurions and two Saladin turreted M113s.  Steve deployed a US force with a mechanised infantry platoon in M113 ACAVs, plus two Duster AA vehicles and two M48s.  Phil deployed a mixed bag of NVA regular infantry platoons with various support weapons (MMGs, HMGs and recoilless rifles) and local force VC with fewer supporting weapons teams.  All figures, models and most of the scenery we used was from Steve Black's superb collection.

My ANZAC force deploying on and adjacent to the roadway.

Steve's deployment using elephant grass for concealment.

Phil's local force VC deployed around the wooded hill in the middle of the table, the adjacent plantation and the village beyond.

Direct fire from the US and ANZAC forces pinned Phil;s VC in the woods and the ANZACSs moved in to close assault, routing the VC.  Later, the ANZACs successfully searched the objective using tunnel rats.

Steve's Cobra gunship targets the fleeing remnants of Phil's local force VC.

The ANZACs consolidating on both sides of the river.

The Cobra supporting the ANZACs prepares to rocket attack the VC reserves racing towards the centre of the table, catching them in the open.

The centre of the table, now effectively cleared of VC.

Towards the end of the game, the VC player brought on a pair of regular T-55s but one was bailed out by US Cobra attacks and the other knocked out by an ANZAC Centurion.  Free World losses were one Anzac infantry squad and an M113.  The VC lost a full platoon, which failed to resurrect using the Born in the North to die in the South rule, while the supporting infantry and heavy weapons platoons were no longer even remotely combat effective and the T-55 pltoon had been effectively neutralised.

All in all a fun game but a little too one sided for my tastes.  The rules played quite well.  However, we felt they were best suited to scenarios like massed VC infantry assault on a firebase, city or runway, or actions like Khe Sahn, Dien Bien Phu or possibly the Ia Drang valley.  Small scale infantry sweeps and ambushes are best kept to rule sets like CWC or Force on Force.

A big thanks to Steve for the use of his minis and scenery and thanks to you for looking.