CSV Ian is NLF and larry is Allied

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines in T4. There's not really a "front line" per se. There are units out there that I need to hunt down and kill.

[larryfulkerson]

T5 and I found another bad guy. I'll have to use the 1st Cav for that bad boy.

[larryfulkerson]

And at event 98 there's yet another one.

[larryfulkerson]

And at event 113 there's one of them that is approaching some of my airfields. He's way too close for comfort. I need to clear out more of the coastal areas yet. Further away from my facilities.

[larryfulkerson]

I just woke up to the fact that I had theater options to view. These are they. None of them tickles my fancy except for one of them, the early Vietnamization option. I'm familiar with some of the TO's but this one I don't seem to remember. I'll have to read up on it and decide if it's a good deal or not. However, I've spent a lot getting the troops I've got in-country right now and I don't really feel like spending a lot more just now. The price of the option would really have to be worth it. And if it's what I think it is then it's not such a great idea. I think it's that I get a lot of ARVN troops and I've learned through hard experience that the ARVN troops cannot be counted upon from one turn to the next. They seem to have labor strikes or something similar, where they go into reorg for at least one turn and are liabilities you have to protect using American assets. As it is now I'm using the ARVN as bait. It's not working out so great near the DMZ. I'm replacing all the ARVN units up there with Marines as soon as I can make it happen.

[devoncop]

So at turn 5 I see another VP to to the US/ARVN and it makes my mind up...I need to try and increase VC boots on the ground to increase my hold on the countryside and hopefully increase my VP's.

As such a limited incursion is made against ARVN pickets South of the DMZ by regular NVA troops forcing them back before combat and overruning Con Thien but then in moving back West parallel to do he DMZ the NVA hit some US armoured recon so stop and dig in....this is unlikely to end well.

In the interior half a dozen new VC units spawn and for the first time, bearing in mind we are in the monsoon season, I decide to not disband most of them and try and force the ARVN out of their cosy city barracks....more bridges get blown and a VC artillery unit gets two rounds off at some US Marines in the northern uplands before a proficiency test fail leaves them facing imminent destruction [&:]

[larryfulkerson]

I found this in the supporting documentation:

Vietnamization

The Vietnamization program was designed to shift responsibility to the ARVN by providing to them the training and tools to do the job. Begun shortly before U.S. withdrawal, it was in reality a thinly disguised effort for the U.S. to save face. Nevertheless, there were some in U.S. military circles that believed if it had been done sooner and with more enthusiasm it might have made a difference.

The ARVN field divisions, Ranger groups, and the ACRs (Armored Cavalry Regiments) all have elements that mobilize only when Vietnamization takes place. In addition, all Border Rangers and Outposts are subject to this event. The total mobilization time takes about 2 – 3 years (24 – 36 turns). In addition to extra troops, Vietnamization will result in the Corps garrison lock being removed. Vietnamization automatically takes place when the U.S. begins to withdraw (EEV = 95). The Allied player may opt for this earlier by choosing the appropriate Theater Option. But it doesn’t come cheap. Choosing this option will add +10 to the EEV but will expand the ARVN by about 40%. It’s an option that makes sense only if you plan to keep U.S. involvement low.

[devoncop]

Turn 6

The "limited" NVA incursion in the north across the DMZ turns into ferocious fighting around Con Thien as the infantry and mechanized NVA battalions are confronted with the entire 1st US Marine Division...one battalion is wiped out and another mauled but significant numbers of US tanks were taken out and a few more aircraft downed before the NVA withdraws back across the DMZ.

The efforts up north by the US allow the few VC units to survive into this turn in the interior and more pacification is achieved this turn along with more bridge demolition. The ARVN down in the Delta will hopefully find supply is getting poor as a result going forward.

This turn VP's remained steady with no US increase which is gratifying.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like around the DMZ now. After the NVA pull out to the north having two Marine divisions along the DMZ seems a bit much. I'm wondering if I can get better coverage by leaving a light screen at the DMZ and spread out the rest of the troops around the perimeter. Too bad the game excludes any invasions of North Vietnam.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like with a light screen around the perimeter, ready for any NVA incursions but no reserve. I need a reserve. I can hardly use the ARVN as the reserve, in fact I'm planning on moving the ARVN 1st Division southeast to Chu Chi, or Da Nang. There's an airfield at Khe Sanh but I'm afraid to base some aircraft there because of the NVA arty and rocket units that might have the range to hit Khe Sanh. Quang Tri is much safer for planes.

I'm not sure if Ian knows it but he can float NVA units from the most northern port, south along the coast to empty Allied ports. I've got my ships poised around the ports just in case.

[devoncop]

Before I check out Larry's moves I will just chip in here.

With respect to naval usage by shipping troops down the coast to find unoccupied ports I am keeping that under review but the heavy air interdiction of the US air assets plus naval patrol boats makes me think this would be a short trip to hell for any units sent on such a mission...still....never say never

[devoncop]

Move 7

Firstly a nice surprise from Vinh Binh Province where the surrounded VC Vinh Binh battalion (evidently using local knowledge of the terrain) without taking any losses not only forced back an encircling riverine unit to temporarily escape the encirclement, but also downed 9 Cobra helicopters and an AD-A1 Skyrider plane from 1st Air Cavalry Division that tried to get in on the action.

The VC build up continues and although largely concentrated close to the Cambodian and Laotian border also includes nuisance raids further south and a coastal airbase was temporarily overrun by one battalion forcing a hasty evacuation of fighters.

In less positive news heavy interdiction bombing took out both an AA unit and the few NVA fighters in Hanoi.

What is interesting is as a result of the proactive policy of disbanding exposed VC units in the first few turns, coming turns show a much greater number of VC units due so Larry may finally need to justify his ridiculously high wages as US C-in C.[:)]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's some ARVN Rangers disembarking from their helicopters and spreading out along the tree line and establishing a perimetsr. From here they are going to move north into the HoBo Woods and do some search and destroy for a couple of hours. Then it's load back on the choppers and back to base for supper and a rest. And do the same thing again tomorrow. Sometimes they stay out overnight and set up ambushes but that hardly ever leads to any drama.

[larryfulkerson]

There's a VC Sapper unit SW of Da Nang at a place called Hoi An and he's caused the evacuation of all the planes from the airfield so I need to grab the airfield from him and put the planes back where they were. I've got all kinds of air power coming down on his head.

[larryfulkerson]

I've received some moves from the system and I'm going through the playback and already I'm seeing enemy units sneaking up on my units. Here's one near Pleaku and I need to track him down and kill him before too much longer.

[larryfulkerson]

Ian has brought in some heavy arty in the form of the Command HQ unit for all VC forces of South Vietnam and I'm wondering if I ought to bomb it now. I can't see why not. It's probably got all kinds of organic AA guns. While I'm going for the two other LCU's I'll go after the HQ unit as well.

[larryfulkerson]

All three of the VC units disappered to the north into Cambodia and I'd rather not chase them down because I've already got one border incursion violation so I don't need another one just now. Although just one ARVN Ranger unit landing in the midst of them would expose them to INT and some direct attacks. I might be able to kill one or more of them. I'd really like a crack at that HQ unit. But the border incursion thing would cost me +1 on the EEV thingie and I don't know that I would recover that much VP's out of any excursion of that kind. Especially during the monsoon season. It's going to be a long war, there will be other, better, opportunities to kill the bad guys.

[larryfulkerson]

At event 51, near Tay Ninh we see the HQ unit and one of the regiments of the 9th VC division moving SE toward one of the elements of the ARVN 25th Division I believe.

I have something to say about this situation before we proceed, because I'd like us to have some fun together with this.
(1) Which way are they going to go next?
(2) Do they attack my outpost or do they
(3) try to go around it?
(4) Are there more regiments yet in train or is there
(5) just the one regiment?

I have the playback paused at event 51 and *I* don't know the answers to those questions either. Going frame by frame, I mean event by event we can watch it all unfold.

The ARVN 25th Inf Division is usually pretty reliable and I think there's a 75% chance I can call upon some more ARVN troops for backup this turn. I've got the 1st Cav ready to respond this turn. I'm thinking we might be able to make some war with this situation.

[devoncop]

Turn 8

I benefited last turn as the US/ARVN failed their proficiency test early so a couple of apparently doomed VC battalions were able to sneak off back into the jungle.

The VC artillery resumed shelling US Marines and ARVN garrisons north of Quang Tri just south of the DMZ again this turn and caused some decent losses. A VC battalion attacked by Air Cavalry down in the south east managed to down more helicopters as well as several planes and the VC are proving surprisingly adept against air attack.

There are now close to a dozen active VC battalions operating in South Vietnam and though Larry is getting cute about protecting his bridges I am able to pick up a few more points from pacifying territory than previously and last turn was the first one that net VP's were positive for the forces of Liberation as the score ticked down from -4 to -3.

Hanoi got hit again and interdiction claimed another 2 VC units this turn so movement has to be in small steps.

Activity in and around the Cambodian border is the most profitable for the VC at present and I am happy if the US wants to chase me across the border at a cost in EEV.

[larryfulkerson]

Ah, shoot....not much fun out of this situation this turn...The regiment moved on top of the HQ unit and the playback switched to this view: