Vietnam 1965-75 Hex & Counter (Victory Games)

A unit counter can be assigned to an Operation once each turn (2 turns per season). A Search & Destroy operation is most common where your forces try to seek out and eliminate the enemy. The operating player designates acting forces and a target hex. They can then allocate support in the form of in-range artillery or air points. The operating player may impose offensive interdiction around the target hex to limit enemy movement. They make their movement, possibly incurring incidental attacks and, if they reach the target hex, combat ensues.

Total opposing strengths are tallied to determine the combat ratio, which modifies the roll of a single d6. Attacker and defender casualties are read off a corresponding table based on their unit strength plus the enemy’s artillery and air point total. Target forces have an opportunity to retreat, paying extra movement costs for terrain, leaving enemy hexes and zones of control and for interdiction placed. The combat result gives a Pursuit modifier which is added to a unit’s inherent bonus to see how far they can move in pursuit. Offensive and defensive reserves can be activated, potentially bringing new units into the fight or re-positioning them to cut off avenues of escape. If the attacker can reach the retreating unit’s hex, combat continues.

Casualties can be paid by removing units (costly, but sometimes the only option – greatest morale penalty if US counters removed). They may also be paid by replacement points, a resource generated for scenarios and in the campaign.

Other operations available to all include:

Hold – no zone of control, but increased strength and artillery values
Patrol – increased penalties to enemy units moving through zone of control
Bombardment – direct attack using only artillery or air points

The US player also has a few special operations available:

Clear & Secure – a search & destroy with reduced pursuit bonuses, any unit can switch to holding or patrol operations at the end of a combat round.
Security – allows a US stack to move entirely along a road, paying only movement costs to enter and leave enemy zones of control. May not move off-road, but engages in combat immediately if they encounter enemy unit on road with no Alert movement allowed.

When all units have acted or both players pass on conducting operations, the round ends and continues to the next. In a campaign game, a separate phase occurs between seasons called the seasonal interphase. This is where the effects of population pacification is determined, strategic bombing and blockades actions are issued, SVN politics are adjusted, new recruitment happens and new morale levels are set.

I’ve yet to finish a campaign, but each attempt brings new knowledge and a different experience that provides a glimpse into the myriad of factors that made this such a complicated struggle. The Vassal module is well supported with recent updates and a fairly active community reached from the Vassal site or even BGG. The rulebook is available with a little search-fu. If one is inclined to tinker with a full-blown strategic simulation of the Vietnam conflict, this is a great place to start.

I’m playing through one of the starting scenarios with a friend online and will try to post results. I’m the US player and he’s NLF, which means I dont get to see his VC units. He’ll have some screenshots for me after we finish, which I can compare to what I had during play.