Charlie Don't Surf Human Wave card.

Had an amusing moment yesterday while throwing some dice around with Charlie Don't Surf.

First let me explain that I have been unable to finish off my latest batch of Commandos, and my M113's needed the lower half's varnishing to fix the weathering powders. The weather has been very cold, wet and windy so my garage is unsuitable to do this in right now. I instead put a heater on in my games room to warm it up for this purpose and thought I'd might as well play a bit of my ongoing CDS game.

I had left the game with the VC holding the South end of the river where the new bridge was just being finished by some engineers. The VC had taken out the bunkers and had the M48 suppressed with MMG's and Mortars which had not had a chance to do anything. He then destroyed the tank with an RPG. The Bulldozer driver had been taken out by a sniper and I then drew the critical wound card which pinned the remaining engineers.

A fresh squad of FNG's were just entering the North end of the Bridge when I pulled out the Human Wave card from the deck. I had used this card several times previously with very little success. This time however I had three full squads of VC and two half squads with Commissars and Officers all within six inches of each other, all lined up at the bridge entrance.

The first squad hit the FNG's hard killing half and making the rest run away. The second squad finished off the remaining engineers. Then everyone else piled on to the bridge with nothing between them and the HQ tent and mortar platoon. (Just a Sergeant was left but he cannot do anything by himself.)

At this point I had done a bit of clear coating and the fumes were getting too much for me. So I had to open all the windows a crack and leave the room for a few hours. I went back in this morning to set up for another round of clear coating and will try and throw a few dice to see if the base is overrun and lost to the US forces. However I had managed to move two squads with command etc from the other end of the table in a Chinook who may just be able to save the day. Or the M113's could be ready next weekend to come on and disrupt the VC attack.

I have learnt a lesson about having listening posts set out from the bridge and having someone higher in Command capable of rallying the Tank. I also really need another platoon on each side for a game this size.

Here come the Cavalry.

I have bought another truck and also a MUTT.

The VC fully in control of the bridge.

Vietnam Demo Game conclusion.

I have finally gotten the scenario to a point where I can say that it is done. The US forces have taken the tunnel complex but have failed to find anything of interest (using the CDS chart). All VC resistance has ceased in the area of the farm on the Free Worlds right flank. Any VC on the left rear of the area has either withdrawn or has gone to ground. The Free World forces have only found one rice cache out of the suspected three, but has razed the Farm complex to the ground and removed the civilians from the area.

The game took three full days of gaming at home plus the two short days at the convention. I feel that the rules are not really designed for a game of this size so it would be unfair to judge them on that. I have been playing the last couple of sessions using dice to determine the units orders rather than using the cards. I will write these up once I have sorted out a couple of things that have been bothering me, such as the random events you get when using cards.

After the game I started to rearrange the table as if the Free World forces have been there for a week, and have been clearing trees to make space for Helicopter pads as well as other improvements. I also extended the playing area to give the VC some space to work in. More photos of that when I am happy with the set up. In the meantime here are the last photos of this scenario.

Tunnel Rat locating the Tunnel entrance.

Did I mention that I shot down a Helicopter (finally)?

Hill and Tunnel entrance secured.

Left Flank finally in good shape with a fresh Platoon arriving.

Remaining VC infantry in bad shape.

VC support in bad shape and about to withdraw.

I had planned to bring a Bull Dozer by CH47 but only half of it arrived from the factory along with a midget Driver. The supplier said that they would sort out the problem with the missing parts. I intend to replace the driver with one from Westwind Productions pictured lower right, and use the Dozer Driver as a Vietnamese youth to drive a wagon.

The Dozer is a WWII D7 but I have seen these used by the Koreans in Vietnam and figure that the ARVN Army probably used these as well. I'd love to get a Rome Plough but have not found anything suitable yet.

1st proper game in my new gamesroom.

Just a quick note to say that a few friends came around for the first proper game in my room. Michael and Ray Hutcheson who I have played with for years took the part of the Americans. Colin Phillips of Radio Dishdash publishing Wargames rules took the VC, while I umpired. The game was just a continuation of my ongoing Vietnam Campaign which ended in a Minor victory for the Americans.

Some parts of the game seemed to struggle along which we felt was due to the unpredictability of the movement, giving me some thoughts on some House Rules for them. Much hilarity was had when the US dropped some Napalm on the hill containing the tunnel system. So much damage was done that we thought that it should be a once a game occurance. It also meant that the US could not advance for three turns over the bombed area.

I did not take any photos of the game but my partner took a couple on her iPad.

These are my ideas for House Rules for movement. I have highlighted the changes.

We (I) also forgot to use the modifiers which would have further slowed down the game. 

Infantry

First dice =D6 move + 6 inches for each added dice.

TERRAIN TYPE                EXAMPLE                                   EFFECT

Hard ground                Road, trail or open ground                    1” per pip rolled

Light or Broken          Wet paddy fields, fords, light woods      -1 pips per dice

Heavy                          Stream, heavy jungle                            -2 pips per dice

Impossible                  Swamp or dense undergrowth              -3 pips per dice

Vehicles

First dice =D6 move + 6 inches for each added dice.

VEHICLE TYPE   HARD GROUND   BROKEN TERRAIN   HEAVY TERRAIN

Slow tracks           No adjustment          -2” per dice                   -3” per dice

Average tracks      +1” per dice              -1” per dice                   -3” per dice

Fast tracks            +2” per dice               -1” per dice                  -3” per dice

Wheeled               Double pips               -2” per dice                   No move

Note. Impossible terrain no move for all types.