'Nam project - first Viet Cong painted

Ok, so I didn't tidy up the game room as I wanted to do, but no surprise there.

It was rather hot around these parts over the weekend and with the temp around 38 degrees yesterday amd 35 degrees today (that is Celsius) I couldn't be bothered to do much.

I did finish off four of my VC figures during the cool of the morning though:

 I still need to base them, and try to get a better photo graph with the camera, but you get the general idea.

'Nam project - game rules and VC figures

Of Rules

I have two sets of rules to try out for my Vietnam project: "FNG" by Two Hour Wargames, and "Disposable heroes Point Blank" by Iron Ivan Games.

 The "FNG" (first edition) rules were kindly given to me by cmnash in a figure exchange. This was done with approval from Ed from Two Hour Wargames.

 A big thanks to Colin for sending me the rules - I wasn't expecting this when we arranged to exchange some minis.
 I will give "FNG" a play test, but I am still not sold on the rules.  This might be because I want to play a team of six LRRPs which isn't really covered by the rules.
 I understand that the 2nd Edition FNG rules recently released will have a supplement allowing for the use of LRRPs, but I want to see a review before diving into getting the 2nd ed. rules and the supplements.

 Regardless of whether I use "FNG" for my games or not, there are plenty of useful charts that I can incorporate into my games.


 The other set of rules really lends itself to what I want to do with my Vietnam game: "Disposable Heroes Point Blank" from Iron Ivan Games.

 I own and have played a number of Iron Ivan Games, so I don't need to relearn the majority of the rules as they all follow the same formula (for want of a better word).

 The Good thing about "DHPB" is that it can be used for skirmish games from the early 20th Century to the Present, although I am sure it could be used for any period/setting with very little effort.

 The rules include stats for WW2, Vietnam and Modern (today's conflicts) and mentions that the rules are compatible with all of the other Iron Ivan rules.

 This means I can use them with my WW1, Pulp, and Zombie rules, as well as the supplements such as the Rhodesian Bush War "Man Among Men" book that I want for my planned African campaign.

 As I purchased "The Long Road South" Vietnam war supplement form Iron Ivan at the same time as "DHPB" I have almost every thing I need to play the game I want.

 I am currently reading over the "DHPB" book which arrived in the mail whilst I was busy with my 'military sojourn'. The more I read the rules, the more I like them, and the keener I am to get the game up and running.


 Of Figures

A week after my Iron Ivan books arrived my TAG Miniatures VC arrived in the mail.

 Thanks to the TMG poll prize I was able to get two packs for free, and I ordered three other packs at the same time, including a Mortar and crew pack.
 This gives me a full VC section/squad plus a few extras to play with.

These are the figures I now have:

 

 Having finished experimenting with my RLI I have started to paint my first pack of VC.  Hopefully it wont take too long to paint them up so that I can get a game up and running.

 The fantastic folk at TAG also pandered to my request and sent me the Freebie figure of the Downed Pilot. The Rambo figure also came with the pilot, but I most likely wont paint him up, and might even contemplate selling it or holding a competition and giving it away as a prize. Or even use it as part of a figure exchange is someone has something to swap.

One last bit

 As Iron Ivan games uses counters I ordered four different coloured counters from EM4 games in the UK. They might turn up next week or the week after (most likely).

Vietnam War Project - planning the enemy troops Part 2

The NVA

 The North Vietnamese Army, or NVA, were the regular troops from North Vietnam that infiltrated into South Vietnam from 1965 on wards.

 Lacking exact information of the ORBAT for NVA troops I will go with what could be a gross error and follow the guide lines as for the Main Force Troops mentioned in part 1.

The following are TAG NVA figures:

RPD LMG

AK 47 w/ folding stock

MAT 49 SMG

Dragunov sniper rifle

RPG-7s

AK 47s

.30 cal MG

60mm (?) Mortar

Baker Company also make some NVA that will be useful additions to these figures.

Vietnam War Project - planning the enemy troops Part 1

Back in the mid 1990's I found a gem in a second hand book shop - an actual military pamphlet on the Enemy forces of the Vietnam War printed in 1970. This book lists the equipment, tactics and orbats for VC and NVA troops, although the majority of the NVA is to be found in part two, which I don't have.

Basically I can break my enemy troops down into three groups: the Village Guerrillas, VC Local Main Force Troops/Main Force Troops and NVA.

 These troops are trained and equipped at levels according to the order they are listed: Village Guerrillas are the poorest equipped and trained, with the NVA having the best training and equipment.

 The photos below are from links on the TAG web site. I do not own the photos and have not saved them on my PC - they come from the URL for the photos on the TAG web site.

Village Guerrilla

     Basically farmers by day and VC by night, the Village Guerrilla forces will have older weapons and they could  have an LMG or a single Mortar to play with.

 Generally organised in village or hamlet forces, with a number of hamlets being able to form in to a Village Platoon if the need arises.

 Hamlets seemed to have troop strengths between 10 to 15 in number, with up to four Hamlets forming the Village Platoon.

  At the Hamlet level you could find VC armed with Rifles or Carbines, but once you gather the VC into a Village Platoon you might expect to find up to 3 SMGs, 2 LMGs and 1 Mortar.

old French MAT 49 SMGs

old French MAS-36 bolt action rifles

Chinese type 56 carbine

VC Local Force Troops/Main Force Troops

- full time VC troops organised into district platoons/companies, or provincial companies/battalions. Local Force troops are better equipped and trained than the Village Guerrillas, but have a lower standard to the VC Main force troops.
 Local Force troops will operate within the confines of their own districts or province, where as the VC Main force troops are used through out the country.
 VC Main Force Troops are also used for the principal task of mounting a counter offensive. VC Main force troops are usually trained and supplied in friendly populated areas, and can be expected to be found near neighbouring Communist countries whilst being formed and trained.

 PPSh SMGs

Type 56 RPD LMGs. 

RPG-2 grenade launchers. 

Captured US weapons 

AK 47 Assault Rifle

LMGs and RPGs

Mortar

30 cal MG

M16 Assault rifles

A typical ORBAT for a VC Local Force squad is one of 7 men equipped with  1 x LMG, 1 x SMG, 4 x older rifles/carbines and 1 x RPG-2.

A typical ORBAT for a VC Main Forces squad is one of 8 men equipped with 1 x LMG, 2 x AK 47, 1 x RPG 2 and 4 x older rifles/carbines. 

Three such squads made a platoon within their own force type.

A Heavy Weapons platoon for both type of forces consisted of the following:

1 x 7.62 mm HMG, 2 x RPG-7, 2 x 60mm Mortar.