Last night I played this rules last night with the regular crew from Anton's wargame blog. Being a Vietnam veteran I was asked to play the VC. Being old a treacherous with knowledge of how the VC operated I was yes.
Here is the basic idea game is below.
Charlie Company
– A set of rules to game Vietnam on a tabletop with miniatures!
The players are all American NCOs and officers
“in country”; the referee designs each scenario and controls the
hidden forces of the NVA/VC enemy. This makes Charlie Company a unique
tabletop miniatures game, for a substantial amount of role-playing is
involved; you will have a figure on the tabletop that is you – 100%.
You can’t even talk to the other players unless your figure is in a
position to do so! You have to survive twelve missions (12 months game
time) to complete your tour and rotate home.
The question: What is winning?
A: Defeating your enemy
Or
B: Surviving your tour of duty?
The choice is yours. Charlie Company is unique in
the fact that you must balance the achievement of your short term goals
– defeating the VC – with your ultimate objective – lasting until
your DEROS date comes up and you (your miniature at any rate) can hop
that freedom bird back to the world.
In most other miniature battle simulations, players
are in a contest with one another and the miniatures do the dying – a
certain detachment is achieved and artificial morale rules are required
to represent your men’s sense of self preservation.
Charlie Company
places you – the player – virtually on the tabletop, in harms way,
so to speak. The other players are with you on the table, facing the
enemy. You must co-operate together, execute and follow mission planning
and orders to win and survive – good luck, have fun and get some!
“The enemy may be operating from the delusion
that political pressure combined with the tactical defeat of a major
military unit might force the US to throw in the towel” – Gen.
William C. Westmoreland. November 1967
Nine Rules for Personnel of US Military Assistance Command,
Vietnam
The
Vietnamese have paid a heavy price for their long fight against the
Communists. We military men are in Vietnam now because their government
has asked us to help its soldiers and people in winning their struggle.
The Vietcong will attempt to turn the people against you. You can defeat
them at every turn by the strength, understanding and generosity you
display with the people. Here are nine simple rules:
1.
Remember we are guests here. We make no special demands and seek
no special treatment.
2.
Join with the people! Understand their life, use phrases from
their customs and laws.
3.
Treat women with kindness and respect.
4.
Make personal friends among the soldiers and common people.
5.
Always give the Vietnamese the right of way.
6.
Be alert and ready to react with your military skill.
7.
Don’t attract attention by loud, rude or unusual behavior.
8.
Avoid separating yourself from the people by a display of wealth
or privilege.
9.
Above all else you are a member of the US Military Forces on a
difficult mission, responsible for all your official and personal
actions. Reflect honor upon yourself and the United States of America.
Needless to say the American players broke every rule listed above. They hammered the surrounding countryside is mortar fire. Recon by fire on everything. They should of ran out of ammo. No fire control. One of the player who just return form Afghanistan who was a platoon kept tell them don't do that. You will get shot! Was the only player being in control of his troops. He use sound tactics. But he may one mistake. The M48 driver was buttoned up in tank. In order to get attention to fire on target. Sarge waved his arm and pointed to the target. That was his only mistake of the game. The VC sniper said to himself. That guy must be important. Sarge got hit. Lucky for him it wasn't serious.
The game major objective was to run a truck convoy across the broad. The trucks moved well over ten inches a turn. 4 turns they could of been off the game broad. The VC objective was to destroy as many trucks as possible. They ended up taking out three of the 8 truck, 7 kias, 5 wounds G.I's. Not sure if I made enough points to have victory of not. The VC lost 20 KIA, 20 wounded. Their job was to hit hard and run.
In the end the players turn the villagers against Americans. So any a convoy ran down highway one. They would be taking a lot of fire. So much for hearts and minds. Check out Antons blog is the future. As pictures of the battle will be posted in all of it glory.
All in all is was a fun night of gaming.