FOW Vietnam AAR

Played a 1000 point game of FOW Vietnam today with Gary A. at 7th Dimension Games in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.   This was our second game of FOW Vietnam and we're still learning the rules.  There's quite a bit to learn.

Gary played a U.S. Infantry Company, backed up by an Armored Cavalry platoon, 2 Huey Hog Gunships, and an off board battery of 155mm guns.  The beautifully painted and modeled US armor and Hueys are by Gary, a very accomplished modeler.

I played the NVA.  An Infantry Battalion of two companies, one with 2 platoons, the other with 3 platoons.  An anti-air platoon of 3  x 12.7mm AA guns, a Mortar Platoon of 3 82mm mortars, and one HMG nest.

The scenario was Blocking Force.    In this scenario the attacker has been cut off by a blocking force to its front and additional enemy forces are coming on from its rear.   US was the attacker.   The US wins by taking either of the two objectives on the north side of the table.  The NVA wins by preventing them from doing so.

I started with only the 3-platoon infantry company and the 82 mm mortars on the table.  The other two companies (platoons-- NVA companies are the equivalent of US platoons) were in Guerrilla Reserve.

Battlefield looking south towards the US deployment area.

Looking North toward NVA deployment area.  The objectives are on the North side of the table.

Looking East

NVA Infantry Company deploys hidden in the jungle on the Northeast side of the table.

NVA Infantry lying in wait. 

NVA mortars deployed in the Northwest corner of the table.  Their FO was deployed in the jungle  further east

US Infantry advance northward on the west side of the table. 

The Armored Cavalry is a daunting sight to the NVA.  The US attacked  with two platoons abreast, the  Armored Cav. platoon in the center,

And the Huey Hogs watching from above.

The silence is broken by an NVA HMG nest concealed in the jungle.  It opens fire on the  US Infantry platoon moving up the west side of the table. 

US Infanty hit the dirt under fire from the concealed HMG next.

Shortly thereafter the NVA 12.7mm AA guns come on from Guerrilla Reserve, right behind the Huey Hogs and shoot both of them down!

  

Dead Hogs!

The Armored Cav have reached one of the objectives (the purple smoke is the objective)  and the NVA Infantry have to confront them or lose the battle.  The NVA swarm from the jungle firing their B40's.

 

Two Sheridans are bailed by B40 fire while an ACAV is destroyed.

NVA attempt to assault the bailed Sheridans

But are driven off by defensive fire from the ACAV's and supporting US Infantry

The US Infantry platoon on the east side of the board assaults the NVA that have just failed to close with the Sheridans.

A rash decision as the larger NVA, which is also rated Fearless for Morale, takes the blow, counterattacks and  swamps the Americans.   They wisely choose to break off after one turn of combat.

After several back and forth turns of fighting for the clearing  in which the objective was located, the  second NVA Company comes on from Guerrilla Reserve.

We played seven turns when I had to leave due to time.  By that time I'd lost the AA Platoon (they'd finally been taken out by the ACAV's after having killed the two Hogs and an ACAV) and the Infantry Company that had started the game on the table.  (I'd voluntarily withdrawn that when it was down to 3 stands--unfortunately I failed the Motivation test and thus it counted against my Company Morale).  

The US had lost the Helicopter platoon, 2 or 3 Sheridans  and a handful of ACAVs.   The US Infantry had taken a few casualties from each platoon. They hadn't been of much help as they'd spent a good part of the game pinned.  (These must have been short timers as they were simply not interested in moving again after taking a few hits).

I think that the NVA had he upper hand, although the result was still in doubt.  Kiling the Huey Hogs before they'd had a chance to unleash their Rocket Pods and Miniguns was huge.