Turn 3 March 1965: III Corps and IV Corps
1: The VC Bn that took Cam Lanh last turn moves out of the loose cordon around it and heads northeast into the marshes. The Rangers that had been blocking to the north trail it
until another Ranger company airmobs in to form another cordon. The 7th ARVN division artillery and HQ reoccupy Cam Lanh and are in position for the bulk of its arty to engage
the VC. The furthest rangers are out of range of defensive support though and will have to rely on air support if attacked.
Early attacks show that the VC bn here only have about half strength remaining after the damage done to it last turn. Even though I did not bring up the nearby infantry
from the 7th ARVN (I wanted them located so they could react back towards Moc Hoa or the central delta) I will try to finish this unit off if preparatory fires go well. In the
end the Bn is destroyed but for some reason there is no advance and the hex is not converted. It will convert automatically next turn for being in my uncontested zone of control
but that will be after pacification checks and VP awards. At least I suffered no loss.
2: The remnants of two VC companies turn out to total less than a company and are easily killed but they just would not fold to an RBC. It may have cost me a single squad. Many
of the units involved here in Long An last turn lifted out early to Long Khanh province there are still six maneuver units tied down for the turn. Once I saw how weak the VC were
I could have lifted the Marines out and replaced them with some ranger companies. (Airmobile movement is awesome. Even after multiple combat rounds you can be very mobile
as long as you are lifting units that have not moved or attacked yet. In a perfect world you should keep some kind of airmobile reserve to take advantage of opportunities or to fix
disasters or things you just overlooked until late.) I felt that the rangers were needed where they were however so I sucked it up.
3: In Long Khanh province it took a bit of searching from the first units to lift in before I found the VC unit. I could not get good enough intel to determine its size so it took
even more patrolling to make sure that it had not split up. No artillery is available so I had to rely on air attacks to attrite the VC before attacking them. This was the focus of
almost all air not bombing the NVA this turn. Results were poor and in the end I decided I did not want to risk the likely exchange rates involved in an attack to finish them
this turn. I take consolation in the fact that none killed here next turn will go to Curt’s replacement pool.
4. About half the 173rd Abn Brigade arrives at ports near Saigon along with their skeleton helicopter unit. A battalion of these and a battalion of MPs move to bolster the
defenses of Saigon. Saigon has four battalions and the Chief of Staff unit to defend its self. It is proof against anything except a multi-regimental attack. This early in
the game that’s not coming before I can react. I still need to replace the screen I like to keep around the city. That and part of the interior defenses have been pulled
away to the fighting in Long An and Long Khanh.
