ANZAC's in Vietnam - Chain of Command

Members of 5 Platoon, B Company, 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), just north of the village of Phuoc Hai, beside the road leading to Dat Do.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:7_RAR_Vietnam_(AWM_EKN-67-0130-VN).jpg

Today I organised a Chain of Command game, set in Vietnam 1964. The protagonists were the ANZAC forces against the North Vietnam Army (NVA). I wrote up a fictitious scenario briefing for both sides, which you can read below. 

The core CoC rules were modified for the period using Jason Sendjirdjian’s supplement DMZ Second Tour. You can find a copy of this supplement here:

http://carportgaming.blogspot.com.au

The engagement is scenario six in the core rules book – attack on an objective, which is a small NVA supply dump. 

The victory conditions are either per the core rules book, of a political victory per the DMZ supplement.

The ANZAC political victory is to secure two jump of points with their force morale of +4. The NVA political victory is to withdraw their forces from the table with a force morale of above 0 and reduce the ANZAC’s morale to +3 or less. 

Both sides are regulars with 5 command dice.

Most of the terrain is covered with a rubber tree plantation, in the photos this is the green area that cover most of the table, there are some trees on it but otherwise please use your imagination. 

The plantation gives a variable line of site of 12”+1D6. There is a stream bisecting the table but the banks are deep; troops inside the stream are out of LOS, unless the observer is directly on the lip of the stream. The stream counts as a major obstacle to cross to.

Briefings

ANZAC BRIEFING: Patrolling is the cornerstone of our operations in Phuoc Tuy Province. Rather than wait behind the wire for enemy attacks, our patrolling denies the enemy the element of surprise.

However, things may be about to change as SIGINT reports the transfer of the 129th NVA Regt to Phuoc Tuy Province; the 129th are known to be a hard-core NVA regiment. 

Federal Elections are due in Australia and HQ suspect that an all-out attack may take place shortly, to undermine domestic support for Australia’s involvement in Vietnam. Brigade HQ has ordered a significant increase in the number and size of patrols in our AoO, to detect and disrupt the enemy.

Despite air reconnaissance efforts, no significant sign of the 129th has been detected. This is probably because the 129th is dispersed below the canopy of the various rubber plantations here abouts. 

This Province is known for many good fresh water sources and it is reasonable to assume that units of the 129th will not be far away from these.

NVA BRIEFING – 129th REGIMENT: 

Our regiment has seen continuous high intensity action against US capitalist forces and their local lackies, for the past six months. Despite much successes, High Command recognised that our regiment needs a period of rest, reinforcement, and resupply, before returning to the liberation struggle. 

Our regiment has been sent to Phuoc Tuy Provence, a quiet coastal area where supplies and men can be smuggled in by sea, rather than using the arduous jungle route. You are reminded comrade, that “rest” does not mean idleness; both new and established comrade-soldiers are to be subjected to both physical and ideological training. 

The regiment will be distributed amongst the many rubber plantations that dominate the country here abouts. Local volunteers report that the area has abundant clean water sources and food will be provided by the local population. 

Construct a simple camp and training area for your platoon, near a suitable water source and await further orders.

How the game played:

As with all the games I put on at the club, they never play out as I expect; I suppose that is part of the fun of being the GM. This is especially so when there are experienced CoC players involved and today was no exception, with two of our club CoC stalwarts involved against each other. I think it was Napoleon Bonaparte who said “Don’t give me a good general, give me a lucky one” and today’s game had a good deal of unusual luck. 

For those familiar with the CoC rules, will know that rolling double-six on the command dice entitles the phasing play to a repeated phase, rather than passing the next phase initiative to the opposition. I don’t think I have ever seen a CoC game with so many double-sixes rolled.

The ANZAC’s started with a good force morale dice roll, putting their morale at 11. The NVA weren’t

so lucky with their dice roll, but they did get a force morale increase of 1 for being highly indoctrinated, putting their morale at 9. 

The ANZACs used their support points for a fourth infantry section and an ambush. The NVA opted for an entrenchment, which they never used and for local knowledge, which allowed them to move a JOP 18” without the need for an accumulating Chain of Command dice.

As attackers the ANZAC’s were the first phasing players and away the game went with a big start. The ANZAC’s rolled double-six with their five command dice, which allowed them a second go. With the almost certainty of being able to bring on a large force over two consecutive phases, the ANZAC’s went big on deployment. As well, the ANZAC sections had dedicated scouts, which were pushed forward towards the nearest NVA jump of point (JOP). 

Now it was the turn of the NVA, who replied in kind, as they rolled double-six too. Wishing to seize an early advantage, the NVA, knowing they were going to get the next phase, used their local knowledge to advance one of their JOP’s to outflank the ANZAC’s. 

Two NVA sections were deployed in a reverse L deployment. One section on overwatch and the other engaging the ANZAC’s directly.

Now the ANZAC’s replied expecting a back and forth engagement, but on the next NVA roll of the command dice it was double-six again and the double phases were causing the ANZAC’s casualties to pile up. 

Realising the need for a determined response to wrest back control of the situation, the ANZAC’s used their ambush support option to deploy the fourth section to face off against the NVA and bring on more firepower.

Next the NVA rolled double-six on their command dice again and the volume of fire directed at one of the ANZAC sections became too much and it routed away. With an extra section and a good force morale, while unexpected, this wasn’t a major setback for the ANZAC’s. 

Now it was the turn of the ANZAC’s to roll double-six on their command dice as they moved another section into a better firing position and laid down a heavy fire on the NVA, causing some casualties, but a lot more shock on the NVA. 

And how did the NVA reply? With yet another double-six command dice which enabled them to reduce their shock in the first phase. Unlike the man rules set, in the DMZ supplement, units can go up and down on the combat shock effectiveness ladder, provided there are sufficient command initiatives to do so.

With the second roll of the command dice the NVA returned fire.

By now the ANZAC forces were starting to outflank the NVA position, allowing more and more figures to get into a good firing position. Again the ANZAC’s laid down a withering fire causing casualties and a lot of shock on the NVA; it looked like it was getting to be the end for at least one of the NVA sections. 

You guessed it, the NVA rolled their command dice and up came double-six. With an elated smile the NVA repeated what they had done the previous phase, using the first phase to remove shock and rolling again for unit activations to fire back – but – the dice gods were generous but not in the way expected.

All the NVA dice end up showing a 5!

For those of you who have played CoC, you will know that a roll of five on one of the command dice increase the accumulating Chain of Command dice by one step; once it gets to six the owning player has other options. 

In one sweep the accumulating dice came good for the NVA, with some more points carried over. But without being able to fire back at the ANZAC’s this was a very mixed blessing. 

Sure enough, the ANZAC’s didn’t miss their chance; with another round of casualties and shock inflicted on their enemy, the NVA’s position looked increasingly precarious.

The next phase was decision time for the NVA, now they had six on the accumulating dice they had the option to move their JOP again. Perhaps move it to where the troops were and then disappear down the hole? 

Unfortunately, the rule requires the JOP to be out of site of the enemy before this is allowed and the gradually outflanking ANZACS were too close now. The NVA took off some shock and hoped for the

best.

The next ANZAC phase pretty much settled things as the ANZAC firepower superiority started to dominate. 

One of the NVA units routed and the other was in a helpless way; the NVA overall company force morale was down to four as well. At this point the game was as good as over for the NVA, since the ANZACs now out-numbered them three to one and would easily capture two JOP’s per the political victory.

All agreed it had been a ferocious game, dominated by some very unusual command dice throwing!

Thanks to Bob the ANZAC and Nathan and Ian as the NVA who’s good plan was thwarted by the dice gods. 

Figures by The Assault Group, Empress Miniatures, Gringo 40, Command Miniatures amongst others.

Stephen Huntsman.