SOUND OFFICERS CALL!: The 'Nam Battle Report: Hill 124

Saturday, October 8, 2011

The 'Nam Battle Report: Hill 124

Vietnam 1968, Somewhere North of Cu Chi:

It was a relatively quiet morning in the Division TOC (tactical operations center) when suddenly the radio on the Operations Net burst to life:

....CONTACT TROOPS! THIS IS DEALER TWO-ZERO I SAY AGAIN CONTACT NORTH OF HILL ONE-TWO-FOUR WE ARE IN HEAVY CONTACT REQUEST IMMEDIATE EXFILTRATION VIA PAPA ZULU BRAVO... HOW COPY, OVER?" The background was filled with noises of automatic weapons fire and small, muffled explosions.
The Specialist sitting at the table looked over at the Division G-3 Battle Major with a ghost-white face. "Sir? I think we should wake the G3....Dealer Two Zero sounds like they're in trouble." Indeed they were.

I was finally able to take my newly painted US Vietnam, VietCong, and North Vietnamese Troops out for a "spin." The scenario was a "downed pilot" scenario however instead of an aircrew, I used troops from the Division LRRP Company and put them in some trouble. Terrain is unsuitable for a Helo pickup so Dealer 20 must be walked out of the combat zone. Enter a platoon or two from the US Army's "Wolfhounds"

Between the Wolfhound elements and the pinned LRRPs are a large cadre of heavily armed VC with NVA Troops who were conducting training missions with the VC Cadres.

"Dealer Two-Zero" SITREP Follows: Ammo is Amber, Four Whiskey India Alpha, holding right now

Dealer Two Zero's Patrol - stands are roughly fireteams.

The plan was to advance into the bush with elements of first platoon on the left and second platoon, led by the Company Commander on the right. Unbeknownst to the Americans, they would have to advance through the VC security element and cut through them to get to Hill 124. Meanwhile, the NVA Cadre were at the base of Hill 124, pouring automatic weapons fire from the RPD, RPG-2, and numerous AK's and SKS into Dealer's position. Dealer took heavy casualties immediately on turn 1 and lost 1 fireteam.

Rules used were Pete Jones' excellent Cold War Commander rules although I think they were unsuitable for the scale I was playing and next time I will try the same rules with "CrossFire" before playing the Dealer Two Zero Mission in Force on Force.

Infantry don't get save throws but since Dealer are elite, I gave them a save of 6 to make the game last longer LOL. The NVA RPD and RPGs really were cutting them to pieces, and the US Company Commander on the right rolled a command blunder (on his first move!) and couldn't get himself unstuck at the Landing Zone to get moving. Meanwhile, the US Platoon on the left advanced almost haphazardly into a linear danger area (large clearing) and were chopped up brutally by a well-coordinated VC Ambush from hidden units.

Base of Hill 124. NVA preparing to assault the LRRPs at the top. Note the VC RPD gunner to your left. He was responsible for many US casualties in the first platoon at the clearing.

Finally, after the almost annihilation of the first platoon the US Second platoon with the CO got its rear in gear and rolled a Command bonus and moved up to the other side of the clearing. Finally the M60s from the weapons squad got to do its work and the Second Platoon almost single-handedly opened the way for their movement.

Meanwhile, the LRRP team mowed down 3 NVA fireteams in the open as they attempted to close-assault their position. It was getting down to the wire at this point as the US forces closed in on their breakpoint, however the VC/NVA reached their breakpoint first and bugged out. The US forces reached the time limit and were still attempting to reach the LRRP team. The battle was a draw. I would imagine the Company Commander would have pressed on and reached the LRRP team within another few turns.