Battle for South Vietnam 1965-75

[Grymme]

Thanks Lion. It truly is a great boardgame. Sadly i will probably never play it. But this actually feels quite similar.

Back to the AAR after a short break. Mainly caused by me thinking i had sent the round when i had not.

January 1966, R8, Free World turn

After an outcry in public opinion on the idea of invading North Vietnam it seems that the US forces has withdrawn from North vietnam for now. Instead they have launched a fullscale invasion of Laos and Cambodia to try and root out my bases there. Invading forces are threatening my bases in Tchepone (3rd Brigade,1st Cavalry Division), Saravanneh (ARVN Paratrooper Division) and Ban Tasseng (1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division). O'Rang is captured by ARVN forces working together with a US battalion from the 4th infantry division.

In I Corps, Quang Nam province, the final defenses of my 324th Divisions HQ crumble and the division with most of its men is destroyed taking more than a 1 960 men in losses but dragging 370 US servicemen from the 101st Airborne Division with them. A solitary battalion is reported to still be holding out in the mountains. Radio contacts with them confirm that the remaining US forces are starting to move south.

[Grymme]

R 8

In II Corps my newly created 325th Division comes imediatly under fire. One of its battalions loosing 330 men to attacks from airmobile infantry from, which looses 110 men itself. My scouts from my 2nd NVA division tasked with defending the Kontum province provide disturbing reports of helicopter sightings.

In the almost liberated Binh Dinh, II corps province a incapabale ARVN battalion walks into an ambush during a search and destroy mission loosing 150 men and only managing to lightly wound one sapper in the foot.

[Grymme]

R8

There is little action in Corps III/IV during the Free World round. Mainly because there are few guerillas left there.

In Tuyen Duc province one of my screening VC companies is destroyed. Other than that my division seem to be left alone. Free World forces not willing to attack the prepared defenses of my 323rd Division.

My lone Battalion in Long Khan province see no action, but reports harrasing aircraft trying to bomb it. No losses though.

There is little action in the delta, but shelling across the border to Cambodia causes some 60 men in casualties.

[Grymme]

R 8 Communist turn, North Vietnam & Corps I

In North Vietnam i send the main part of my 1st NVA division towards Tchepone to try and defend the base. 200 untrained infantry and a sapper company of 100 men is also rushed into the city My artillery in North Vietnam is reorganized and shelling causes 40 ARVN and US casualties. Saravaneh is abandoned because of the approaching ARVN paratroopers. The 559th Transportation HQ retreats into the Laoitian mountains to try and avoid complete destruction.

In Quang Nam province i order the last battalion holding out in the mountains to disperse. Lowering my draft level with 3. Operation Cowboy hat can officially be declared over.

[Grymme]

R 8, Communist turn, Corps II

Kontum province, Corps II. My entire 2nd NVA division ambushes the lead battalion from the 1st brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Losses are big on both sides with 170 NVA regulars dead but the US takes the worst of it with the battalion is more or less destroyed 460 dead or wounded and practicly all helicopters destroyed or disabled One US company of infantry survives the fray intact and retreats towards the rest of the brigade.

Parts of my 319th NVA division marches doubletime back to Kontum to provide additional reinforcement to the defenses of Kontum city.

The NLF base of Ban Tasseng is evacuated due to the approach of US forces.

In Binh Dinh the ARVN battalion that walked into the ambush is destroyed to a last man for 10 VC losses. Life in the liberated province is starting to return to normality. Capitalists are sent to retraining camps and people are quickly learning the ways of communist an vietnamese nationalism.

My 325th Division regroups for the fight over the provincial capitol Hau Bon. It expect to see hard fighing in the upcomming months, but will sell itself costly.

I seem to have misplaced my screenshot of this area.

[Grymme]

R8, Communist turn, Corps III/IV

There is not much action in III/IV corps. In Tay Ninh Province three battalions directly attached to the COSVN HQ attack 2 ARVN infantry battalions patrolling the border. the ARVN forces are beaten back with more than 450 men in losses for 160 VC.

In Hau Nghia province the local VC companies rise against the capitalist oppressors and try to take the capitol Kim Cuong which is lightly held by an ARVN infantry battalion. Fighting lasts for several days but in the end the guerillas are forced to retreat into the swamps loosing some 70 men for 130 killed ARVN infantry.

The mekong delta does not se any combat this round (and no screenshot) but i regroup my 322nd VC division towards the city of Ha Tien where local VC report the city is approached by a single unsupported battalion of US infantry.

[Grymme]

February 1966, R9, Free World turn

This will most likely be a short report since not much has happened. Losses are very light during the Free World turn. Less than 110 VC dead all over Vietnam.

In Corps I area ARVN paratroopers capture Saravaneh. No other action is reported.

In Corps II area, Kontum province, Both the US airborne divisions are concentrating together with 2 armored squadrons and reinforced with artillery in an operation aptly named Operation Storm, Trach & Destroy (STD) . The US forces have reoccupied Dak To and Kontum city.

There is no action in Corps III but some troop movements. In Corps IV the ARVN battalion that held its ground last month now abandones Khim Cuong. The US battalion approaching Ha Thien retreats back to An Binh

[Grymme]

R9, Corps I

In Corps I area i once again begin the shelling of Can Thien across the DMZ. 60 US and ARVN servicemen are disabled. The 1st NVA Division is rushed into Tchepone and skirmish with the US airmobile infantry on the roads leading to the city but with no losses for neither side.

I deploy a VC company to cut of the ARVN paratroopers in Saravaneh.

[Grymme]

R9 Corps II


In Kontum province the battle for Kontum city continues between my NVA regulars and the US airmobile infantry. An assault after artillery preparations on the lead airmobile battalion drives it back loosing with the US loosing 460 men and some 70 helicopters. NVA losses stop at 170 men.

Meanwhile my 321st VC division advances along the coastline north towards Quang Ngai province.

[Grymme]

R9, Corps III

In Corps III my 323rd VC Division decide to send a regiment and a battalion towards O'rang in an effort to open the Ho Chi Minh trail. They will coordinate with 3 battalions directly subordinated to COSVN HQ.

The now victorious VC companies occupy the provincial capitol of Khim Cuong and pursue the fleeing ARVN out of the city killing some 150 ARVN troops. The liberation of a important city so close to Saigon which will most likely teach the people of the province the lesson that there is nothing to gain in trusting the goverment.

[Grymme]

R9, Corps IV

In the Mekong delta i place my second VC company and attack the US battalion sheltering in An Binh head on together with another company and a battalion. The US troops manage to avoid destruction but is captured on the peninsula, loosing some 220 men for 200 in VC losses.

[Goodmongo]

Great AAR and I'm really interested in the game once you can get the AI working.  And with that in mind can you give an update (seasonal would be fine) from the perspective of the Free World side?  maybe a couple of sentences on his thoughts and why he did what he did for the last three turns?

[Grymme]

Hi
 
The Free World player is currently on vacation. I can ask him when he comes back if he can write something. But i think it will be difficult to get him to comment on his long time strategy since he is my opponent.
 
Sincerely
 
Toma

[Goodmongo]

It's not that I want the Free World player to talk about his upcomming or current plans but more about his prior strategy.  For example it seems that on turn one he decided to start with a US commitment of over 50.  (Based on the +3 and +10 the NVA got).  This is a pretty big start.  I'm just curious why.  Or his invasion of North Vietnam and Laos which must of had a pretty big negative impact on US morale.  And also his general feelings on if he thinks he's winning or losing.

[Grymme]

March 1966, R10 Free World turn (Seasonal interface)

Moonsoonseason starts giving all aircraft operations a negative -50% modifier.

The political situation in South Vietnam is calm. Bao Dai is still head of state. SVN morale is still low at 65. My controlled population has again risen from 427 to 444. The most likely influence is due to SVN low morale which gives SVN a -5 modifier on all pacification rolls. NVN morale has risen from 59 to 85 indicating another major US buildup.

It seems that the Republic of Korea (ROK) has decided to Support the South Vietnamese puppet regime and sent both its Capitol and 9th Division to the area. Intelligence sources also report that the 82nd Airborne Division, the 26th Marine Regiment and several detached mechanized and infantry battalions and armored squadrons have been sent to Vietnam.

In Quang Ngai, Corps I area, The 82nd Airborne together with ARVN forces begins Operation "Go Fish" to clear the coastline of NLF guerillas. Just south of Quang Ngai city an NLF battalion is shattered loosing 310 men 190 US and ARVN losses.

In Laos the ARVN paratroopers easily moves through the weak NLF forces blocking the border area killing 110 NLF. The paras decide to stay in Laos though and still hold Saravaneh. The rest of Corps I area see little or no combat.

In Kontum province, Corps II, Operation STD is raging and heavy battles around Kontum city causes major casualties on both sides. Forces from the 1st Cavalry Divsion and the 101st Airborne Division reoccupy Kontum city and Pleikku. The casualty leavel reaches its highest peak yet with 1 570 US dead, wounded or missing compared to 1 650 NVA losses from the 319th and 2nd NVA divisions.

The situation does not look good for my units in this battle but the people of Kontum province will be difficult to convince going back to being loyal to the SVN government. None of them are currently loyal to them.

In neigbouring Phu Bon province US forces make a catastrophic frontal assault agains my forces dug into mountains. US losses reach 450 men and 10 helicopters shot down for only 40 dead guerillas.

Corps III/IV see little combat. B-52s bomb the border area of Tuyen Duc province, causing 60 casualties.

Korean units shell the provincial capitol of Khim Cuong in Hau Nghía province with heavy artillery causing 40 men lost. The city is still held by the VC though.

In An Giang Province ARVN fight their way to rescue the beleagered US battalion brushing aside weak NLF cover forces causing some 90 NLF casualties. The rescue forces are still a long way from the US battalion though.

Screenshot shows operations STD and Go Fish.

[Grymme]

R10, Corps I

Of my 30 commitment to spend i use 10 commitment to upgrade the Ho Chi Minh trail to 4 status opening Lomphat as my first NLF base in Cambodia. I also spend 10 commitment on the 4th NVA division with 3 divisions and then send them down the trail towards Tchepone. Finally i spend 9 commitment on military supplies which nets me 77 supplies. I also have created the first armored unit, the 24th Tank Coy with 10 PT-76 tanks and five squads of infantry.

The 1st NVA division that was protecting Tchepone marches down towards Saravaneh. I create 2 guerilla battalions in Thiua Thien that will hide and entrench themselves in the mountains.

Artillery shelling across the DMZ causes 110 US and ARVN casualties.

In Quang Ngai province i strike back against operation Go Fish by attacking the lead collumns with my 321st NVA division and an attachen NVA regiment. I throw back two US and an ARVN battalion. My losses end at 290 men 850 US and ARVN, a major victory. I press on and attack the HQ of 82nd Airborne Division that is protected by an ARVN regiment a US artillery battalion and the remains of the retreating US and ARVN forces. This second attack stalls with 560 NLF casualties for 670 ARVN and US casualties. I also manage to overrun and destroy some 10 engineer vehicles in the attached engineer battalion. (this battle is visible in the next screenshot)

[Grymme]

R10, Corps II

In Kontum province my 2nd NVA division makes a break for the Laoitian border. I create another NLF Division with 7 battalions and an independent regiment to protect the retreat. 2 battalions make an unsuccessfull assault on a US airborne battalion, loosing some 350 men for only 110 US casualties.

I also create 2 more battalions that move to take back the NLF base in Ban Tasseng.

My 319th NVA Division with an attached NLF battalion is far from the border and has nowhere to run. They decide to attack a US airborne battalion protecting a firebase with a 105mm Howitzer Battalion. The assault is successfull with 210 casualties for 400 US casualties, i also destroy a battery of howitzers and destroy or damage at least 100 helicopters. In the ensuing pursuit another casualties rise with 40 NLF versus 60 US and 20 additional helicopters.

In Phu Bon province one of the US battalions that was exhausted from the previous frontal assault is caught in an ambush and destroyed loosing all of the remaining 130 men and 8 helicopters for only 20 NLF casualties.

[Grymme]

R10, Corps III

III corps see little fighting. I move the remainder of my 323rd NLF division across the border into Cambodia except for one battalion.

O'Rang is surrounded and recaptured by units under direct command of COSVN loosing 30 men and pursuading the demoralized ARVN battalion to surrender with all 450 men.

[Grymme]

R10, Corps IV


In Corps I area the US besieged battalion surrenders with all men after light figting with 40 or so NLF casualties.

Finding an opportunity i create a new division in the Angel Beak and use all of my remaining military supplies to build 12 battalions and assualt the provincial capitols of Kien Tuong, Go Cong and Kien Hoa. Go Cong falls after loosing some 260 men to 780 men from the ARVN regiment defending the city. In the ensuing pursuit the ARVN regiment looses another 540 men for 60 dead NLF.

The ARVN Regiment in Kien Hoa disolves with all men lost for 240 NLF and Moc Hoa, the capitol of Kien Tuong is ungarrissoned so it is taken for no loss.


SIDENOTE: This AAR started when the scenario was not completely finished. As it turns out a couple of the rules that were not included at the start of the game were such that would favour the Free World player. There are no ARVN Rangers, No defensive Air Support and no RF-PF free battalions. So if the game seems a little loop sided in favour of the Communists i think that this is at least somewhat remedied in the final released version. But play balance is always tricky and it might be that something more might have to be done.

[Goodmongo]

Sorry to say this but I think this one needs to be restarted.  The Free World side needs those rangers as they are super great interdicting the road net from Laos into Vietnam.  Plus the Rf-Pf are required else the NVN side is too each when capturing capital cities.
 
Finally, the Free World player needs to change the strategy from a WW2 frontal advance to a hammer/anvil search and destroy type.  Always start with an artillery bombardment before doing any ground combat.  In fact never ever attack unless you soften up the enemy with artillery.  Try to surrond the enemy and force them to attack which gives you the benefit of defending in this terrain.