EXAMPLE OF PLAY: AUGUST '64 - THE FIRST VOLLEY IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
by Stefan Anton Federsel

Event Chit Draw: both players get 2 Event Chits at start. Free World (FW) player draws HELO SUPPORT and TRAIL WATCHERS. The VC player draws RALLY x1 and RPG +2. 

Initial Forces:
Players "buy" their initial troops and units secretly by paying VP to the other player. The FW player buys 4 CIDG camps (12 VP), 5 A-Teams (10 VP), 1 AIR unit (5 VP), 1 ARVN regiment (2 VP) and 1 ARVN Ranger unit (3 VP). This is a total of 32 VP, which is given to the VC opponent at start. 

The VC player buys 6 cadres (12 VP) and 5 Guerrilla Companies (5 VP), which gives 17 VP to the FW player. 

Setup:
The FW player sets up first.
2 A-Teams + 1 Camp + 1 ARVN regiment in PLEIKU (2) (the number in parentheses is the Population Index of the Area), 1 A-Team + 1 Camp each in PLEI ME (1) and BUON BRIENG (1), 1 A-Team + 1 Camp + 1 ARVN Ranger in BAN ME THUOT (2). The Air unit is located off map and will be used during combat.

VC player sets up second.
As he knows all FW positions now, he can arrange his forces optimally. One VC cadre each in the following Areas: AN KHE (1), HAU BON (1) in the east of the highlands, DUC CO (1) at the Cambodian border, in the CAMBODIA (0) sanctuary Area itself. To interfere with FW recruitment and Area control, he places one more cadre each in PLEIKU (2) and BAN ME THUOT (2). Two Guerrilla Companies are set up in BUON DON (1) and DUC CO (1), and one Guerrilla Company in PLEIKU (2).

Events Phase
The turn begins with a chit draw to check for initiative. 

FW player draws NEW FORCES x1 (MOP 2) , VC draws TRAINING SUCCESS (MOP 3). As the VC player drew the larger military operation Phase (MOP) number, he has the initiative to determine missions. 

The higher chit also determines the number of MOPs for this turn. Therefore, this turn there will be a maximum of 3 MOPs during the turn, with each side able to perform up to 5 missions (2 + 3 = 5) in each MOP. 

Psychological Warfare Phase 

Control Determination Segment Each Area is checked for control now (all Areas are neutral at the beginning of the first turn of the game). 

DAK TO (0) and IA DRANG (0): stay neutral, as there are no units present at all;
DUC CO (1): a VC Cadre + 2 Guerrilla Companies have 2 + 1 + 1 = 4 control points versus no FW presence, so the Area turns to VC Partial Control; BUON DON (1): the 2 Guerrilla Companies equal 2 control points, versus no enemy, so VC Partial Control;
The situation in PLEIKU (2) is interesting: 2 A-Teams with 1 control point each and the ARVN regiment (0 points), plus 1 Camp with 2 Control Points, total 4 FW. VC has 3 Control Points (VC cadre (2) + Guerrilla Company (1)). So there is no 2:1+ control point advantage for any player, and the Area stays Neutral;
BAN ME THUOT (2): Units there total 3 FW and 2 VC Control Points, so it stays Neutral;
PLEI ME (1) and BUON BRIENG (1): change from Neutral to FW Partial Control as there are 3 FW Control Points and no enemy units present; GIA VUC (0) and KHANH DUONG (0): have no units at all in them so stay Neutral;
AN KHE (1) and HAU BON (1): the unopposed VC cadre in each Area turns them to VC Partial Control. 

Recruitment Segment
Recruitment may be done in each Area under partial or full control of a player. Note: the FW player doesn’t know the details of VC new units, as they are all hidden; he only realizes VC recruitment successes on the map as new hidden VC units arrive. 

BUON BRIENG (1) and PLEI ME (1) are each under partial FW control and each has A-Teams present; one in each mode, for a total Training Rating of 3 (2+1). In BUON BRIENG, he rolls 1, so succeeds and draws a CIDG Strikeforce at random from the available units pool (he gets a 2-2-3), in PLEI ME (1) he rolls a 4 and misses. Additionally the FW player plays the NEW FORCES x1 chit he has drew in the Events Phase: he chooses an ARVN ranger unit (3-4-4) and places it in KONTUM. 

As automatic reinforcements, the VC player gets 1 Supply unit (0-0-0, and this one is worth 4 VP) in Cambodia and 11 dummy units (12 minus the number of CIDG Camps in Areas bordering on Cambodia, which is currently just the one camp in PLEI ME) to be placed anywhere. He places 3 dummies each in HAU BON and AN KHE to hide more effectively the VC cadres there and keeps the other 5 in Cambodia. 

The VC player can recruit in CAMBODIA (which is always under full VC control), DUC CO (1), HAU BON (1) and AN KHE (1). VC cadres (Training Rating "3") are located in all these Areas, and they are all under VC Full or Partial control. 

First Military Operations Phase (MOP 1 of 3) 

Each MOP begins with the Organisation Segment, when all units of a player in an Area are reorganized in stacks of 1 or more units, which can do a mission together in this MOP. Note: the VC player is limited to stacks of 3 or fewer units! 

Organisation Segment 

Both sides organize their stacks as follows: 

WESTERN AREAS (Cambodian Border from north to south): DAK TO (0) and IA DRANG (0) valley Areas are empty. DUC CO (1): the VC cadre and two Guerrilla Companies form 1 stack (3 units). BUON DON (1): 2 Guerrilla Companies stack together. 

CENTRAL AREAS (from north to south): PLEIKU (2): FW forces create 2 stacks, one of 2 A-Teams + CIDG camp (the A-Teams do not improve the Camp's ratings, but they will be safer there and there's cold beer) and one of the ARVN regiment. The VC Cadre and Guerrilla Company stack together.
PLEI ME (1): 1 A-Team + CIDG camp together;
BUON BRIENG (1): one stack of 1 A-Team and a CIDG Strikeforce, and another of a single CIDG camp.
BAN ME THUOT (2): one stack of 1 A-Team + CIDG camp, and one of a single ARVN Ranger battalion. 

EASTERN AREAS ( approach to the coast from north to south): GIA VUC (0) and KHANH DUONG are empty.
AN KHE (1) and HAU BON (1): the VC player forms 4 stacks of 1 unit each in each Area, after mixing around dummies and VC cadres to hide their identity. 

Mission Segment



The VC player drew the chit with the higher MOP number, so he has initiative - he can decide which player does the next mission. Each player gets to do 5 missions (2+3: the sum of the MOP numbers the two players drew in the Events Phase). 

The VC cadre units disputed FW control (and hence recruitment) effectively, but are now rather exposed – although hidden - to the enemy, so he declares two March missions: one for the VC cadre in BAN ME THUOT back to BUON DON; one for the VC stack (cadre + company) in PLEIKU back to DUC CO. 

This is 2 missions completed, he offers the FW player to initiate a mission, but he declares a Pass. 

So the VC player now moves his new Supply unit from CAMBODIA to DAK TO, for his third mission – he next declares a Pass, so as to have two chances left to spring Ambushes. 

Now the FW player can make his decisions. He moves a stack of one A-Team and one CIDG Strikeforce from BUON BRIENG to GIA VUC (moving via PLEI ME and PLEIKU, which are empty of enemy) to hunt down VC there later in the turn. 

All other FW units stay put and guard their Areas. 

Second Military Operations Phase (MOP 2 of 3) The game proceeds with the same Segments as pointed out above in MOP 1. As before, each side will be able to carry out 5 missions in this MOP. 

Organisation Segment 

At this point each player can rearrange his stacks of operable units. The FW player does not make any changes. The VC player reorganizes the units in DUC CO into two stacks: one of one Guerrilla Company and two Cadres, and one of two Guerrilla Companies. 

Mission Segment 

The VC player has the initiative. He conducts a March mission: two Guerrilla Companies move from BUON DON to BUON BRIENG, where only a lonely CIDG camp is located. 

The FW player passes – he wants to wait for more VC activities to counter later on. 

The next VC mission is to move the two Guerrilla Companies from DUC CO to PLEI ME. Then he passes. 

Now the FW player reacts: he does a Patrol in BUON BRIENG by the CIDG camp, rolls a 2 against the camp’s Troop Value of 2, a success: the 2 Guerrilla Companies are flipped face up and are shown to be a 1-2-3 and a 2-2-3. 

Although there are no mobile units in the Area to bring the VC to battle here, the FW player declares: Airmobile Assault! He plays his HELO SUPPORT chit and Airlifts the A-Team and 2-2-3 CIDG Strikeforce from GIA VUC directly into BUON BRIENG.
Combat is joined: FW is the attacker, and his total firepower is 9 (2 for the Strikeforce Firepower, +3 for the Strikeforce's Troop Rating (2+1 for A-Team support), + 1 for the helicopter chit, + 3 for using his Air Support unit). The VC firepower is 5 (2 + 1 for the unit Firepower Ratings, +2 for the best Troop Rating). The FW player rolls a 4 on the 9-11 column, for a M+1 result. The VC rolls a 4 on the 4-5 column, result is No Effect. Now both Guerrilla Companies are checked: the 1-2-3 rolls a 2 and survives (2+1 is equal to its Morale of 3), but the 2-2-3 rolls a 6 and is eliminated. The VC player does not want a second round of combat, so he rolls against the Troop Value of the sole remaining company (2). He gets a 1 and escapes cleanly. 

The VC player passes; the third FW mission is to have the single CIDG camp in PLEI ME do a Patrol: he rolls a 2 and is successful: a 2-4-4 and 1-3-4 Guerrilla Company are flipped face up. 

This time there are no helicopters handy, so the next mission for the FW player is to move the ARVN regiment from PLEIKU to PLEI ME for further action in the next MOP. 

Third Military Operations Phase (MOP 3 of 3) 

Organisation Segment 

First, the VC player flips all his revealed units face down but does not change any of his stacks. In PLEI ME the ARVN regiment stays on its own. In BUON BRIENG the CIDG Strikeforce and A-Team make a stack with the Camp. Finally, the Air Support unit is reset to the “ready for mission” box. 

Mission Segment 

The VC player, with the tactical initiative, declares his first mission of MOP 3: an Assault on the PLEI ME camp. The total VC score is 10 (3+1 for the units' Firepower, +4 for the best Troop Rating, and he plays his RPG +2 chit). The FW score is 6 (1 for the Camp's Firepower, +2 for the Troop Rating (the A-Team in Mobile mode does not add to this), +3 for the AIR unit the FW player decides to use). The VC player rolls 6 on the 9-11 column, for an M result; the FW player fires back, rolling a 4 on the 6-8 column, which is an M result for the VC attackers. Both VC units check, rolling a 3 and 4, and pass. The Camp, with a Morale of 6 (again, the A-Team in Mobile mode does not improve this), will automatically pass an unmodified Morale Check.
The VC player declares a second round of combat. The CIDG Camp is a static unit and cannot withdraw. This time VC rolls a 3 and gets an M+1, and the FW rolls a 2 and gets an M+1. The FW player rolls a 6 for the CIDG Camp, good try but it falls! Both A-Team counters are placed in the “Units Eliminated this Turn” box, the VC player scores 4 VP for eliminating the A-Team in amp mode and 2 VP for the A-Team in Mobile mode. The 2-4-4 VC Guerrilla Company rolls a 4, +1 is 5 so it is eliminated; the other Guerrilla Company rolls a 2 and passes. The battle for PLEI ME is over with the Camp destroyed, the other A-Team scattered and a VC Company lost. 

Now the VC player passes and the FW player will take a mission. The FW player decides to Assault the remaining exposed Guerrilla Company in PLEI ME with the 4-1-4 ARVN regiment. It attacks with a score of 5 (4 Firepower +1 Troop Rating). The Guerrilla Company´s score is 4 (Firepower of 1 +3 Troop Rating). In the first round of combat, the FW player rolls 1 on the 4-5 column, for a M+1; the VC player rolls 4 on the same column for No Effect. The VC player rolls 5 on his Morale Check, +1 is 6 so the company is eliminated. 

Next, to keep on the offensive the VC player makes a Move of his VC cadre in BUON DON to BUON BRIENG. 

The FW player conducts a Patrol in BUON BRIENG with his Camp to try and find out what moved in there, he rolls a 6 and misses. 

Next the VC player takes a Pass. 

The FW player doesn’t want to end the MOP and so takes another mission: ARVN rangers plan to move from KONTUM to AN KHE via PLEIKU to prepare for action there later on. 

The fourth VC mission is to Move the Supply unit in DAK TO to KONTUM, which is free of the enemy now, to bring it into position for a breakthrough to the coast in the next turn. 

The fourth FW player mission is to have the ARVN rangers in BAN ME THUOT patrol the Area, but they roll a 6 and find nothing. 

Both players pass in succession and this ends the action for August 1964. 

VP Adjustment Phase 

Eliminating units: During the three MOPs, the FW player eliminated 3 Guerrilla Companies for 3 VP. The VC player eliminated the two A-Teams in PLEI ME, one in each mode, for a total of 5 VP. 

Area control: The FW player has Partial Control of PLEI ME and BUON BRIENG, for 2 VP. The VC player gets 4 VP for Partial Control of BUON DON, DUC CO, AN KHE and HAU BON. 

So, the score at the end of the turn is 41 VC VP (32 + 5 + 4) to 22 FW VP (17 + 3 + 2). 

Turn End Segment
At this point the FW player could redeploy any A-Teams in Mobile mode he wished, and/or close out any Camps. He moves one A-Team into PLEI ME to start the process of rebuilding and replacing the destroyed Camp there. The VC player reinverts his detected VC units. He could remove any dummies he wishes and place them in the “Units Available for Recruiting” box, but he decides not to.

All units in the 'Units Eliminated This Turn' box move to the 'Units Available for Recruiting' box. Ready for the next turn.

Vassal Module