Local Force Battalion

8/12/2019 Local Force Battalion

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By Phil Yates

UPDATEDON

19 DEC2013


2/17

Nationalist Local Forces

2

Te media portrayal of the Vietnam War focuses almost exclusively on the guerilla operations of the Local Forces andthe seemingly endless patrolling by the Free World forces operating against them. While Tour Of Duty, the Flames OfWarhandbook on the Vietnam War focuses on the larger-scale operations, this Intelligence Briefing looks at the LocalForce battalions that fought the daily war against the US, ANZAC, and ARVN forces.

During the Indochina War, the Nationalist forces operated asguerrillas against the Japanese and then the French, gather-ing in large forces for big battles, then melting back into thepopulation to avoid retaliation. When the Geneva Accordsof 1954 created separate North and South Vietnams, thePeoples Republic of Vietnam in the north formed a regulararmy, the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN), while continu-ing to support the struggle being fought in the south againstthe Republic of Vietnam by the guerillas of the PeoplesLiberation Armed Forces (PLAF) of the National LiberationFront (NLF).

By 1965, the PLAFs successes against the Army of the

Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), led to the commitment ofPAVN regulars intent on overthrowing the Republic ofVietnam and unifying their country. Te United States andother Free World forces responded by sending armed forcesof their own to prop up the Republic of Vietnam, startingthe Vietnam War (or the American War as the Vietnamesenationalists called it).

With the decision to move towards a general insurrectionin 1965, many of the separate PLAF Local Force battalions

were grouped into Main Force regiments and divisions,supplemented by the PAVN regiments that had marchedsouth down theH Ch Minhrail. Regardless of origin, they

were known to the South Vietnamese as VC or Vit Cng, acontraction of Vit nam Cng sn(Vietnamese Communist).

Many new Local Force battalions were formed from scat-tered companies and new recruits to replace those joining

the Main Force. One of these was D445, theB RaBattalionformed in the B Raarea encompassing Phc Tuyand LongKhnh provinces. While the Main Force formations wereintended for major operations across the whole region, theLocal Force Battalions were expected to remain in theirareas, recruiting, harassing the enemy, and assisting any localMain Force operations.

Like most Local Force battalions, D445 gained an intimateknowledge of their area of operations and the opposingforces there. Tey had a live and let live relationship withmost of the ARVN forces in the area, neither side attackingor provoking the other. Tis did not apply to the ANZAC

forces opposing them, and clashes were numerous, occasion-ally breaking out into larger scale battles such as the fight atLong Tn on 18 May 1966. Tere, D445 fought alongsidethe 275th Main Force Regiment, having taken part in thebombardment of the ANZAC base at Ni tseveral nightsprior to the battle.

In the ten years of its existence, D445 suffered 1000 casu-alties (it only fielded around 300 soldiers at any point intime!), and claimed to have wiped out more than 10,000enemy soldiers (a claim not supported by the known lossesto Free World forces). While not as effective in battle as theybelieved themselves to be, the Local Forces did tie down

forces that would otherwise have been hunting down theMain Force and PAVN troops, and contributed significantlyto the eventual victory by the nationalist forces.

THE LOCAL FORCE VIET CONG


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PAVNLOCALFORCE

BATTALION

3

rung on 4(4thRegiment) untilApr 1968Name: ng Nai (Name of province)

rung on 33(33rdRegiment) fromJul 1968Formed from 101B and 101C, 325th

DivisionName: Trn Cao Vn (Anti-Frenchleader)

Trung on16 (16thRegiment) untillate 1967Previously 101A Regiment, 325ADivisionName: Trn Cao Vn (Anti-Frenchleader)

Trung on52 (52ndRegiment) Sep toNov 1967Previously with 320A DivisionName: Ty Tin (Western Progress)

Trung on209 (209thRegiment) fromJan 1968Previously 209A Regiment, 312thDivisionName: Sng L (LRiver)

rung on 1(1stRegiment)Previously 812thRegiment, then 271ARegiment or Q761 of B2 FrontName: Bnh Gi (Name of battle)

PAVN divisions and regiments had a confusing variety of names. In part this was caused by the need to send reinforce-ments south to rebuild destroyed regiments. Regiments could be rebuilt with the letter B (or C or even D in some cases)after their number, or simply replaced with another regiment. As a result 33/7, 101/7, 101B/325, and 101C/325 allrefer to the same regiment, which might also be referred to as 4/7 after the regiment it replaced. Te Vietnamese also

deliberately caused confusion by referring to units by code names, such as Cng Trng 9(Construction Site 9) for the9thInfantry Division.

rung on 5(5thRegiment) untilJun 1970Known to US as 275 thRegiment

rung on 3(3rdRegiment) from Jul1970Formed from 1stBattalion, 5thRegiment

rung on 88(88thRegiment) fromSep 1967 to Sep 1968. Previously 88A,

308thDivisionName: Tu V (Name of battle)

Trung on174 (174thRegiment) fromOct 1968Previously 174A Regiment, 316thDivisionName: Cao Bc Lng (1949campaign)

rung on 12(12thRegiment)Previously 165A Regiment, 312thDivisionName: Lao H Yn (Name ofprovince)

rung on 14(14th

Regiment)Previously 141A Regiment, 312thDivisionName: Ba V (Mountain range)

rung on 2(2nd

Regiment)Previously 272A Regiment or Q762 ofB2 FrontName: ng Xoi (Name of battle)

rung on 3(3rdRegiment) untilSep 1968Previously 3rdor 273rdRegiment of B2Front

rung on 3B(3B Regiment) fromOct 1968 to Sep 1969. Previously 88th,5thDivisionName: Tu V (Name of battle)

Trung on3 (3rdRegiment) from Oct1969Previously 95C Regiment, 325CDivisionName: Nguyn Thin Thut(Revolutionary)

It can be very hard to find information on Nationalist units, so I have summarised the main force divisions of the PeoplesLiberation Armed Forces (PLAF) fighting under B2 Front around Saigon. In late 1969, the Front also commanded three(4th, 7 th, and 8th) c cng(special tasks or sapper) battalions, several independent regiments, two rocket regiments, ananti-aircraft battalion, and numerous local forces battalions. By this stage PLAF manpower was waning after twenty fouryears of war, including three years of fighting the Free World forces, and the losses in the et offensive, and many of thesoldiers in PLAF main force units were Peoples Army of Viet Nam (PAVN) soldiers from the north rather than locals

from the south.

S on 5(5thDivision)Formed Sep 1965. Operated in theMekong Delta. Rebuilt with PAVN regi-ments after et offensive. Tese regimentshad been formed for the First IndochinaWar against the French.

S on 7(7thDivision)Formed Jun 1966. Operated south ofthe Mekong Delta. Created from 312 thVictory Division which then rebuilt itsregiments as 141B and 165B.

S on 9(9thDivision)Formed Sep 1965. Operated in the Ironriangle. First division formed in the south.Created from independent regiments.Suffered heavy casualties in OperationJunction City.

MAIN FORCE DIVISIONS OF THE B2 (SAIGON) FRONT

FIELDING MAIN FORCE UNITS

Local Force battalions often cooperated with Main Force regiments in major operations. TeB Binh (Infantry) Companysupport option can represent either part of a Main Force battalion supporting your Local Forces battalion, or later in the

war, part of a regular PAVN battalion operating with your Local Forces. Te Main Force wore the same peasant clothingas the Local Forces at the start of the war, but as time passed and the supply line from the north down the H Ch Minhrail improved, they started to wear standard military uniforms, becoming indistinguishable from the regulars of thePAVN sent from North Vietnam.

If you want to field your Local Forces in support of a Main Force or PAVN battalion rather than the other way around,you can use the Tiu on B Binh (Infantry Battalion) Intelligence Briefing from our Of Duty. Tis gives a core ofheavily-armed and well-trained regular soldiers supported by up to two Local Forces companies, allowing you to tacklethe Imperialist invaders head-on.


4/17

Local Force Battalion

4

SUPPORT PLATOONS

INFANTRY

7

8

INFANTRY

7

COMB

ATPLATOONS

HEADQUARTE

RS

Tiu ona Phng Qun HQ

HEADQUARTERS

5

a Phng Qun(Local Force) Company

INFANTRY

6

B Binh (Infantry)Company

B Binh (Infantry)Company

c Cng (Special Tasks)Company

CIVILIANS

6Local Resistance


INFANTRY

6


INFANTRY

6 ARTILLERY

9

9

Front Artillery Company

Front Jet-artilleryCompany

FORTIFICATIONS

10Booby Traps

FORTIFICATIONS

10Minefields

TIU ON A PHNG QUN

You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from eachbox shaded grey.

(INFANTRYCOMPANY)


5/17

PAVNLOCALFORCE

BATTALION

5

TIU ON A PHNG QUN HQ

D TRNG

DTRNG

Battalion HQ

Company CommandRifle team

2iC CommandRifle team

BTRNG

Machine-gun Platoon

Type 57 HMG Type 57 HMG Type 57 HMGor or or

BTRNG

gun Platoon

Type 36 57mmrecoilless guns



BTRNG

mortar Platoon

Type 5382mm mortar

Type 5382mm mortar

Type 5382mm mortar

HMG NestHMG Nest HMG Nest

VETERAN

RELUCTANT

CONFIDENT

FEARLESS

CONSCRIPT

TRAINED

HEADQUARTERS

MOTIVATIONANDSKILLLocal forces were determined to free Vietnam from Saigons puppet forces, American im-

perialist aggressors, and their Australian vassals. Tey also recognised the folly of tacklingheavily-armed troops head on and were willing to retreat if necessary. A Tiu on aPhng Qun(Local Force) Battalion is rated as Confident rained.

TIUONAPHNGQUNHQHEADQUARTERS

Battalion HQ 25 points

OPTIONS

Add Type 57 HMG teams for +20 points per teamor HMG Nest bunkers for +60 points per nest.

Replace one Type 57 HMG team with a Type 5412.7mm AA MG for +5 points.

Add Type 36 57mm recoilless guns for +15 pointsper gun.

Add Type 53 82mm mortars for +15 pointsper mortar.

Add up to three Sniper teams for +50 pointsper team.

Te a Phng Qun (pronounced dya foo-ung kwun),or Local Forces, were known as Vit cng, or VC, by theirenemies. Te expression Vit Cng, a contraction of Vitnam Cng sn, (Vietnamese Communist), or alternativelyVit gian Cng sn (Communist raitor to Vietnam), first

appeared in Saigon newspapers beginning in 1956, soonafter the creation of the Republic of Vietnam.

A Tiu on a Phng Qun(Local Force) Battalion usesthe Born in the North to Die in the South special rule on

page 11, the Guerrilla Reserves special rule on page 14, andLocal Forces special rule on page 15.

VIETNAMESEBUNKERSTe Vietnamese built bunkers around their bases and inareas they planned on ambushing American forces. Tebunkers were so well concealed that they could not be seenuntil they opened fire. While not as robust as concrete pill-boxes, the Vietnamese bunkers were still difficult to locateand knock out.

HMG Nests from a Tiu on B Binh HQ are held inAmbush (see page 266 of the rulebook) rather than being

placed at the start of the game. When revealed fromAmbush, they may be placed in any part of the table, notjust their Deployment Area.


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A PHNG QUN (LOCAL FORCE) COMPANY

C TRNG

B TRNG

infantry platoon

C TRNG

HQ Section

Command Rifle team

B TRNG

infantry platoon

B TRNG

infantry platoon

Rifle team

Rifle team

Type 58 LMG team Type 31 60mm mortar

Rifle team

Rifle team Rifle team

Rifle team



Rifle team



Local Resistance

B TRNG

B TRNG

Special Agents

Resistance

Team

Resistance

Team

Resistance

Team

Resistance

Team

Resistance

Team

Resistance

Team

COMBAT COMPANIES

SUPPORT COMPANIES

D445 battalion grew from the local forces of the B Raarea. When ANZAC and American forces arrived in theirprovince, the soldiers were exhorted to Go forth for victory- attack to the end, and Overcome every difficulty, fight anddefeat every enemy! Outstanding soldiers were honouredas Valiant Killer of Americans. Despite the best efforts ofD445, the artillery band and the NZ orchestra causedmany casualties in battles like the ambush at Long an.

APHNGQUN(LOCALFORCE) COMPANYCOMPANY

HQ Section with:

3 Infantry Platoons 250 points

2 Infantry Platoons 170 points1 Infantry Platoon 90 points

OPTIONS

Replace up to one Rifle team per platoon with a B40team for +5 points per team, or with a B41 team for+10 points per team.

Replace all Rifle teams with AK47 Assault Rifleteams for +20 points per platoon.

Add Type 58 LMG team for +15 points.

Add Type 31 60mm mortar for +20 points.

LOCALRESISTANCEAGENTS

6 Resistance teams 150 points5 Resistance teams 125 points4 Resistance teams 100 points3 Resistance teams 75 points2 Resistance teams 50 points1 Resistance team 25 points

Resistance teams use the Resistance Fighters special rules onpage 16.

Te soldiers of the local forces were supported by an exten-sive resistance movement. Any man, woman, or child of thelocal population could be working for the resistance, report-ing on enemy movements, providing false information, andeven sniping at the enemy or planting hidden bombs.


7/17

PAVNLOCALFORCE

BATTALION

7

B BINH (INFANTRY) COMPANY

infantry platoon

HQ Section

Command AK47 Assault Rifle team

infantry platoon

infantry platoon

B40 team

B40 team

AK47 AssaultRifle team




B40 team

B40 team

Type 58 LMGteam





B40 team

B40 teamType 58 LMGteam

B40 team





B40 team

B40 team

Type 58 LMGteam

C TRNG

B TRNG

C TRNG

B TRNG

B TRNG

CONSCRIPT

TRAINED

VETERAN

RELUCTANT

CONFIDENT

FEARLESS

BBINH(INFANTRY) COMPANYCOMPANY

HQ Section with:

3 Infantry Platoons 485 points2 Infantry Platoons 330 points1 Infantry Platoon 175 points

OPTIONS

Add Type 58 LMG teams for +20 points per team.

Replace all B40 teams with B41 teams for +20points per platoon.

Te b i, foot soldiers, are the core of the infantry com-panies. As the troops of B3 Front are some of the best in thePAVN, they have an almost equal mix of the newer AK47assault rifles and older SKS carbines. Te squad automatic

weapon is the RPD machine-gun, a modernised, belt-fedversion of the WWII-era DP record player machine-gun.

Each squad also contains a B40 rocket launcher, a Chinesecopy of the Soviet RPG-2.

Noting the success of Chinese bayonet charges in drivingthe US forces back into South Korea, the Vietnamese havepractised bayonet tactics. Every soldier is eager to close withthe enemy and use their bayonet to kill Americans.

MOTIVATIONANDSKILLTe Peoples Republic of Vietnam values its soldiers, unlikethe Capitalists who spend their soldiers lives like theyspend money. Te soldiers of the Peoples Republic are welltrained and dedicated

to the liberation of theirbrothers in the south.

A B Binh (Infantry)Company is rated asFearless rained.


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C CNG (SPECIAL TASKS) COMPANY

C TRNG

B TRNG

C TRNG

HQ Section

Command PioneerAK47 Assault Rifle team

B TRNG

B TRNG

Special Tasks platoonSpecial Tasks platoon

Special Tasks platoon

Type 58 LMGteam

Pioneer AK47Assault Rifle team

Pioneer B40team

Pioneer B40team

Pioneer B40team

Pioneer B40team

Pioneerteam

Pioneerteam



Pioneer B40team

Pioneer B40team

Pioneerteam

VETERAN

RELUCTANT

CONFIDENT

FEARLESS

CONSCRIPT

TRAINED

CCNG(SPECIALTASKS) COMPANYCOMPANY

HQ Section with:

3 Special Tasks Platoons 370 points2 Special Tasks Platoons 260 points

1 Special Tasks Platoon 150 points

OPTIONS

Add up to one Pioneer AK47 Assault Rifle or PioneerB40 team per platoon for +40 points per team.

Replace all Pioneer B40 teams with Pioneer B41teams for +5 points per team.

Add Type 58 LMG team for +25 points.

ONESLOW, FOURQUICKSTe c Cng special forces are masters of slow andcareful preparation, taking as long as needed to crawlinto position before they launch their quick surpriseassaults. Teir expertise in small-unit tactics allows themto continue the attack, even if their leaders are killed.

All teams inc Cng (Special Tasks) Companies are Recceteams, and use the Reconnaissance rules on pages 193to 195 of the rulebook. In addition, when attacking inDarkness or at Dawn, their Reconnaissance Deploymentmay take them closer than 16/40cm to enemy teams, aslong as they remain more than 2/5cm away from all enemyteams.

If the Platoon Command team of ac Cng (Special Tasks)Companyis Destroyed, remove another Infantry team fromthe company that is within 6/15cm instead and replace itwith the Platoon Command team. If there is no appropriateteam, the Platoon Command team is Destroyed as usual.

A c Cng (Special Tasks) Company uses the GuerrillaReserves special rule, but does notuse the Born in the Northto Die in the South special rule.

Well-organised attacks on Imperialist fire bases were alwaysled by the sappers of ai i c Cng(pronounced die doydak chung) special tasks company. Attacks were rehearsed inadvance so that every soldier knew their part once night felland the attack began. Usually the first thing the enemy knewof an attack was the demolition charges blowing their wire asthec Cng rampaged through their positions.

FLAME-THROWERSVietnamese sappers made good use of flame-throwers intheir assaults on Imperialist fire bases.

You may replace up to one Pioneer AK47 Assault Rifle teamper Special asks Platoon with a Flame-thrower team at thestart of the game before deployment.

MOTIVATIONANDSKILLTe cry Sappers on the Wire was dreaded by every grunt defending a fire base, and with

good reason the special tasks commandos were highly trained infiltration and demolitionspecialists. Ai i c Cng (Special Tasks) Companyis rated as Fearless Veteran.


9/17

PAVNLOCALFORCE

BATTALION

9

Front Artillery company

C Truong

B Truong

Gun platoon

M46 130mm gun

C Truong

HQ Section

CommandAK47 Assault Rifle team

ObserverAK47 Assault Rifle team

Staff team

M46 130mm gun

M46 130mm gun

B Truong

Gun platoon

M46 130mm gun

M46 130mm gun

M46 130mm gun

Front Jet Artillery company

C Truong

B Truong

Rocket platoon

KB 122mm rocket

C Truong

HQ Section

Command

AK47 Assault Rifle team

Observer

AK47 Assault Rifle team

KB 122mm rocket

KB 122mm rocket

B Truong

Rocket platoon

KB 122mm rocket

KB 122mm rocket

KB 122mm rocket

CONSCRIPT

TRAINED

VETERAN

RELUCTANT

CONFIDENT

FEARLESS

FRONTARTILLERYCOMPANYCOMPANY

HQ Section with:

6 M46 130mm 300 points3 M46 130mm 160 points

Te Free World rules of engagement prevented ground op-erations in Cambodia and Laos. Tis allowed the Peoples

Army to bring their heavy artillery into action withouthaving to worry about how to defend their static positionsagainst a highly-mobile enemy.

FRONTJET-ARTILLERYCOMPANYCOMPANY

HQ Section with:

6 KB 122mm 155 points3 KB 122mm 90 points

As the war progressed, the North switched more and moreto conventional warfare, sending rocket artillery regimentsinto South Vietnam to harass Imperialist fire bases and airfields. Tese Trung on Pho Phn Lc(pronounced troongdoh-ahn fow fan louk, literally Jet Artillery Regiment) were

well suited to guerrilla warfare as they could move on footthrough remote areas into their firing positions.

GUERRILLAROCKETSKB 122mm rockets are fired individually from sin-gle-tube launchers. Once the battery starts scoring hits,the rest of the salvo are fired to saturate the target.

KB 122mm rockets use the Guerrilla Rockets rules onpage 13. When Ranging In, reduce the number of rocketsfiring by one for each failed attempt to Range In. Keeprolling to Range In until you succeed or run out of rockets.

FIREASSAULTLong-range M46 130mm guns fired from safe havens inCambodia and Laos in support of Vietnamese attackson fire bases inside Vietnam.

Te Artillery Company must be held off table using the FireAssault special rule on page 13. Only the Observer teamappears on table.

FIREASSAULTTe rocket artillery battalions were expert at setting upfiring positions, undetected by the Imperialists and theirpuppets, to support planned operations.

Te Front Jet-artillery Company must be held off table

using the Fire Assault special rule on page 114. Only theObserver team appears on table.

MOTIVATIONANDSKILLPAVN artillery soldiers know how much blood and sweat their brothers shed on the HCh Minhrail to bring them each round, and make sure that every shot counts. A Front

Artillery Company or Front Jet-artillery Company is rated as Fearless rained.


10/17

Fortifications

10

Fortification

Minefields

Mines

Fortification

Minefield Minefield

Fortification

Booby Traps

Booby Traps

Fortification

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

Booby Trap

BOOBYTRAPS8 Booby Traps 80 points7 Booby Traps 70 points

6 Booby Traps 60 points5 Booby Traps 50 points4 Booby Traps 40 points3 Booby Traps 30 points2 Booby Traps 20 points

MINEFIELDS2 Minefields 100 points1 Minefield 50 points

BOOBYTRAPSANDMINEFIELDSTe Peoples Army and Local Forces were masters at layinghidden booby traps, whether singly or in whole areas asa virtual minefield. Free World troops usually had little

warning of booby traps and relied on their skill to detectand neutralise any they encountered. Tose unwaryenough not to notice them suffered accordingly.

Minefields and Booby raps follow the rules on pages 229 and230 of the rulebook with the following exceptions.

PAVN Booby raps and Minefields do not need to be deployedbefore the game begins. Instead, they may be placed at the sametime as Ambushing platoons during the Starting Step. Teymay be placed anywhere on the table, including under enemytroops. However, you may not place Booby raps or Minefieldsunder teams already in or on Booby raps or Minefields, nor

under teams that are Dug In or that Deployed in PreparedPositions and have not yet moved.

If a Booby rap or Minefield is placed under a team, the teamsplatoon will take a Motivation est to Cross a Minefield whenthe first team from the platoon moves or digs in on a Minefieldor Booby rap.

PAVN Booby raps and Minefields are mostly anti-personnelrather than anti-tank. As such they have an Anti-tank ratingof 3 and a Firepower rating of 5+.

Landed helicopters are affected by Minefields and Booby rapsin the same was as other vehicles. Passengers Dismounting fromthe Slick will trigger a Booby rap. Slicks and their Passengersalways pass their Motivation est to move off a Minefield orBooby trap and return to the Pick-up Zone.

Flying helicopters ignore Minefields and Booby raps. eamsattempting to Search or Evacuate Objectives using the unnelRats mission special rule on page 122 of our of Duty test as if

they moved if they are on a Booby rap or Minefield. If they arehit and Pinned Down, they cannot Search or Evacuate this turn.

Booby traps are one way for a guerrilla force to equalise theimbalance in power favouring of the Imperialist forces. Tese

whittle away the Imperialist strength, slowing their advance.

Dense fields of booby traps take much more effort to prepare,but are even more disruptive to the enemy plans.


11/17

Local Force Special Rules

PAVNLOCALFORCE

SPECIALRULES

11

THE PEOPLES ARMY

CENTRALISEDCONTROLTe Nationalist government of the Democratic Republic of

Vietnam emphasises conformity and obedience in its citizensand soldiers. Communist soldiers are indoctrinated and verypolitically aware, but relatively poorly trained in tacticsby Western standards. Teir attacks tend to be centrallyplanned and controlled with their lack of communicationstechnology hindering their flexibility.

o reflect this, Nationalist forces are organised different-ly from other armies. For game purposes, a Nationalistcompany is treated as a single platoon and a whole battalionoperates like most armies companies.

Wherever the rules talk about a platoon, read that as a

Nationalist company. Where the rules talk about a company,read that as a Nationalist battalion.

Tus a Nationalist company is led by a Platoon Commandteam and operates like a large platoon. A Nationalist bat-talion is led by a Company Command team and operatesas a large company. Tis means for example, that while an

American platoon must remain in command to move freely,an entire Nationalist company must be in command to dothe same. Similarly, while the enemy shoots at a US platoon,they shoot at a Nationalist company.

QUALITYOFQUANTITYMost North Nationalist soldiers are committed to liberatingthe South from the horrors of Capitalism. Teir commissarslecture them on politics and they undertake self-criticismsessions in their three-man cells and squads motivating themto a do-or-die approach summed up in the popular inscrip-tion Born in the North to die in the South.

A platoon (Nationalist company) with at least fifteenInfantry or Gun teams In Command has Quality ofQuantity. Include any attached teams, and any Warriorand Independent teams that have Joined it when deter-mining if a platoon (Nationalist company) has Quality of

Quantity.

A platoon (Nationalist company) starting the ShootingStep with Quality of Quantity must take at least ten hits(instead of the usual five) in a single Shooting Step beforethey become Pinned Down, although a single hit from an

Artillery Bombardment still Pins them Down.

eams from a platoon (Nationalist company) starting theAssault Step with Quality of Quantity may Charge intoContact and Counterattack from 12/30cm away from theenemy rather than 8/20cm as usual. eams further than12/30cm are still Non-assaulting teams.

A platoon (Nationalist company) with at least fifteenAssaulting Infantry teams must take at least ten hits inDefensive Fire before they are Pinned Down and forced toFall Back.

BORNINTHENORTHTODIEINTHESOUTHLacking heavy weapons, the Peoples Army often resorted

to numbers in an attempt to defeat the opposition, feedingadditional companies into the fighting as they arrived.

When aB Binh (Infantry) Company ora Phng Qun (LocalForce) Company is Destroyed, it is placed in Guerrilla Reservesas if it were a new platoon (Nationalist company). When itarrives from Reserve, the company will return to battle usingthe Guerrilla Deployment special rule on page 115.

While all teams that are a permanent part of the platoon(Nationalist company), such as its AK47 Assault Rifleteams, B40 and B41 teams, and ype 58 LMG teams,return with it. All attached teams (such as HQ Support

Weapons from the Battalion HQ and Independent teams)do not return with the platoon. Tey are permanentlyDestroyed when the platoon is Destroyed or removed to be

placed in Guerrilla Reserve.

VOLUNTARYWITHDRAWALEven while making wave attacks on Imperialist positions,the Peoples Army kept in mind the need to keep a cadre toreform badly battered units.

Te Nationalist player may choose to withdraw a BBinh (Infantry) Company or a Phng Qun (Local Force)

Companyand place it in Guerrilla Reserve in the StartingStep just before taking Company Morale Checks (afterany Sole Survivor Motivation ests). If they do this, theymust take a Motivation est for the platoon (Nationalistcompany).

If they pass the Motivation est, the platoon (Nationalistcompany) does not count as Destroyed for Company MoraleChecks, it is simply removed from the table. However, it isstill counted as Destroyed when determining Victory Points.

Otherwise, the platoon (Nationalist company) is Destroyed.

Either way, the platoon (Nationalist company) is placed in

Guerrilla Reserve ready to return as reinforcements.

If the Company Command team or 2iC Command teamwas leading a platoon (Nationalist company) that vol-untarily withdrew in this way, they can return with thatcompany provided it passed its Motivation est when it wasremoved. If it fails its Motivation est, any Company or

2iC Command teams are Destroyed and cannot return.


12/1712

HEARTOFTHEREVOLUTIONBecause the Nationalists are not always concentrated as aforce at the start of the battle, they are less concerned withearly casualties, seeing them as necessary to pin the enemy

while sufficient forces are mustered to destroy them.

Tiu on B Binh (Infantry) and Tiu on a PhngQun (Local Force) Battalions do not need to take a

Company Morale Check until it has had at least three BBinh (Infantry), a Phng Qun (Local Force), c Cng(Special Tasks), or Thit Gip (Ironclad) CompaniesDestroyed.

Tiu on c Cng(Special asks) and Tiu on Thit Gip(Ironclad) Battalions use the normal Company Morale rules.

Infantry and Guns

QUICKADVANCETe Nationalists moved rapidly over long distances at nightand through thick jungle to reach their assault start points.

Infantry and Man-packed Gun teams may move At theDouble in Rough errain and at Night. When moving At

the Double these teams can move 16/40cm.

RECOILLESSGUNSWhile the recoilless guns the Vietnamese used were lightand ideal for a guerrilla war, they had a huge backblast thatrevealed their position when they fired.

ype 36 57mm recoilless guns use the Recoilless Gunsspecial rule on page 119 of the rulebook. Tis means thatthey never count as Concealed when they fire, and cannot

fire from buildings or if there is a friendly Infantry teamwithin 2/5cm behind them.

RPG SALVOOne of the more effective tactics used by the b i (footsoldiers) of the Peoples Republic is the RPG salvo in whichall of a units rocket launcher teams fire at one target nominat-ed by the commander. Tis makes it difficult for the chosentarget to react effectively and its destruction more certain.

Nationalist B40 and B41 rocket launcher teams that didnot move in the Movement Step may re-roll failed o Hitrolls in the Shooting Step.

Te RPG Salvo rule does not apply when firing DefensiveFire in the Assault Step, nor when firing a Ambuscade.

VIETNAMESEBUNKERSNationalist bunkers were so well concealed that they couldnot be seen until they opened fire.

Nationalist HMG Nests are held in Ambush (see page 266of the rulebook) rather than being placed at the start of the

game. When revealed from Ambush, they may be placed inany part of the table, not just their Deployment Area.

Having Bunkers and Obstacles does not make a Nationalist

force a Fortified Company.


13/17


14/1714

GUERRILLA TACTICS

GUERRILLADEPLOYMENTAlthough they are regular soldiers from the Peoples Army ofVietnam, the forces fighting in the south fight as well-organ-ised guerrillas. Tey emerge from hiding to strike at isolatedgarrisons and convoys, attempting to overrun them beforehelp can arrive. When faced with overwhelming force, theyvanish into the jungle, preparing to strike again.

When a platoon (Nationalist company) is placed using theGuerrilla Deployment rule, the Nationalist player dividesthe table into quarters and numbers them from 1 to 4.

Tey then roll a die to determine where the platoon isdeployed.

On a roll of 1 to 4, deploy the platoon (Nationalistcompany) on the table in the table quarter correspondingto the die roll.

On a roll of 5, deploy the platoon (Nationalist company)

in any table quarter that contains an Objective placed bythe Nationalist player. If the Nationalist player did not

place any Objectives, then deploy in any table quartercontaining an Objective.

On a roll of 6, deploy the platoon (Nationalist company)in any table quarter.

roops using Guerrilla Deployment are placed on the tableanywhere in the table quarter rolled instead of movingon from the table edge. Tey must be placed more than12/30cm from all enemy teams (not counting Independentteams and helicopters), and more than 16/40cm from

all enemy Recce teams (unless Wounded) and M113ACAV tracks (unless Bailed Out or Bogged Down), regard-less of whether the Free World forces can see them or not.

If there is insufficient space to deploy the troops in the rolledtable quarter, the player may select another quarter todeploy in instead.

roops using Guerrilla Deployment can choose to move orremain stationary in their Movement Step as normal. Ifthey remain stationary, they can Go to Ground or use RPGSalvo as usual.

GUERRILLARESERVESLacking modern radio communications, PAVN forces simplymarch to the sound of battle, arriving from all quarters toreinforce their beleaguered comrades.

Some platoons (Nationalist companies) can be held in

Guerrilla Reserves. In missions that use the Guerrilla Reservesspecial rule, these platoons (Nationalist companies) aretreated as Reserves, except that they do not arrive in the usuallocation. Instead, when the platoon (Nationalist company)arrives from Reserves use the Guerrilla Deployment rule todetermine where it is placed.

If the mission requires the Company HQ (NationalistBattalion HQ) and Independent teams to start the gamein Guerrilla Reserves, it arrives with one of the platoons(Nationalist companies) held in Reserves.

Platoons (Nationalist companies) that cannot be held in

Guerrilla Reserves arrive from Reserves as specified in themission as usual.

CHARLIEOWNSTHENIGHTTe North Vietnamese recognised that the Americans hadfar more firepower, so attempted to negate this by attackingat night whenever possible.

A player commanding a Company (Nationalist battalion)may elect to make a Night Attack in missions that do notuse the Meeting Engagement special rule (see page 264 ofthe rulebook). When making a Night Attack, the company

has the Always Attack special rule (see page 257 of therulebook).

If they make a Night Attack and are the Attacker, allNationalist platoons containing only Infantry and Man-

packed Gun teams can use the Spearhead Deploymentspecial rule (see page 261 of the rulebook), and the gameuses the Dawn rules on page 273 of the rulebook (unless themission already uses the Darkness rules, in which case theDarkness rules are still used).

GUERRILLA RESERVES

Roll a Die to see which table

quarter the Nationalist Company

appears from Guerrilla Reserve in.

Guerilla Reserves must appear at least 12/30cm from all Free

World teams, at least 16/40cm from M113 ACAV & Recce teams.

Helicopters do not hinder

Guerrilla Reserves.

12/30cm

16/40cm


15/17

PAVNLOCALFORCE

SPECIALRULES

15

NATIONALISTTACTICSTe principle of one slow, four quick prevailed in bothattack and defence. Planning and preparation shouldbe done thoroughly and without haste. Tis is the slow.Te four quick are: quick advance, quick attack, quick

clearance of the battlefield, and quick withdrawal.Te quick attack was further broken down to incorpo-rate the three strongs - strong fight, strong assault andstrong pursuit.

Local Forces Resistance Fighters

Known as the Vit cng (a contraction of Vit nam Cngsn, Nationalist Communist, or alternatively Vit gian CngsnCommunist raitor to Vietnam) in the south, the aPhng Qun(local forces) are a mix of southerners returnedfrom the north since the partition, and local recruits disaf-fected by the Saigon regime.

One of the big advantages the local forces have is the abilityto blend in with the population. Tis makes it difficult forImperialist and puppet forces to detect ambushes and attacksbefore the local forces are in position.

eams from a Tiu on a Phng Qun HQ or a aPhng Qun (Local Force) Companyare Disguised teams atthe start of the game.

Disguised teams may not be shot at, used as the AimingPoint for an Artillery Bombardment, or assaulted until theyor another team in their platoon (Nationalist company)have been Identified by Free World Forces.

In order to Identify a Disguised Platoon, a Free Worldplatoon must attempt to shoot at it or select it as the AimingPoint for an Artillery Bombardment. Before rolling to hitwith the shooting platoon, roll a Skill est for the platoon.

If they pass the Skill est, they Identify the Disguisedplatoon or company and shoot at it as normal. TeNationalist unit is now Identified to all enemy platoons.

If they fail, they do not Identify the unit, but may shootat (and Identify) other Nationalist units instead.

Aircraft cannot choose an Disguised team as the target of

an air strike.

If a Disguised Platoon shoots, fires an ArtilleryBombardment, or launches an assault, they are immediate-ly Identified by all Free World platoons.

Te Communist cause has the advantage of the support ofthe local resistance, be they simply locals who contributefood and medicines, or active fighters who scout out imperi-alist and puppet positions and plant bombs.

Resistance teams are Independent teams of one to four

civilian figures creating a diorama on a medium base. Teyare considered as friendly teams by the opposing side.

Resistance teams can be Deployed anywhere on table,as long as they are 12/30cm away from all table edges,12/30cm away from all other Resistance teams, 6/15cmaway from all ANZAC teams, and 2/5cm away fromother Free World teams.

Resistance teams cannot be shot at, nor assaulted. If they arewithin 4/10cm of a team that is Charging Into Contact(whether Assaulting or Counterattacking), they are auto-matically Destroyed.

If caught under the template of an Artillery Bombardment,they are liable to be hit and Destroyed like any other team,but they cannot be the Aiming Point for a Bombardment.

MOVINGRESISTANCETEAMSTe resistance cannot reveal its hand by rushing about, so anymovement by resistance fighters needs to appear harmless taking the buffalo down to the stream for water, bringingrice in from the field, or walking to market.

In the Nationalist players Movement Step, they can roll adie for each Resistance team and move it the distance given

in the Resistance Movement able below.In the Free World players Movement Step, they may choosea single Resistance team and move it in the same manner asthe Nationalist player.

RESISTANCEMOVEMENTTABLE Score Distance Moved

1 or 2 2/5cm

3 or 4 4/10cm

5 or 6 6/15cm

GUIDINGRESERVES

Local resistance members are invaluable in guiding attackingtroops into place without alerting the enemy.

In the Nationalist players Starting Step, instead of Rolling forReserves, the Nationalist player may make one attempt (re-

gardless of the number of Resistance teams available) to GuideReserves. o do so, select a Resistance team and roll a die.

On a 4+, replace the Resistance team with the Commandteam of aa Phng Qun (Local Force) Companyand therest of the company immediately appears from GuerrillaReserves (with the usual restrictions on distance fromenemy teams) so that they are In Command. Any teams

that cannot meet these restrictions are removed.

Otherwise, the Resistance teams efforts were too obvious andit is Destroyed before it can guide the reserves into place.


16/1716

MOVINGOBJECTIVESTe local resistance have spies everywhere, warning them ofimpending imperialist operations. Tis often allows them tomove caches, hide evidence, and spirit away captured pilotsbefore the imperialists and their puppets arrive.

At the end of their Starting Step the Nationalist player maymake one attempt (regardless of the number of Resistance

teams available) to Move an Objective (other than the LZObjective selected by the Free World player, see page 107).o do so, select a Resistance team within 8/20cm of theObjective and roll a die.

On a roll of 4+, the Objective is moved to the locationof the selected Resistance team, and the Resistance teamis removed.

Otherwise, the Resistance team is caught in the act andDestroyed before it can move the Objective.

Once moved, an Objective cannot be moved again.

LOCATINGTHEENEMYCommunist sympathisers keeping their eyes and ears opencan learn a lot about the enemy plans. A few discrete marksand signs allow their soldiers to spot Imperialist machine-gunand gun positions and bring them under accurate fire.

At the start of their Shooting Step the Nationalist playercan attempt to Reveal Gone to Ground enemy teams or Spot

for any Artillery Battery with any or all Resistance teams.Roll a die for each Resistance team attempting to do so.

On a roll of 4+, the Resistance team can either Revealenemy teams using the Eyes and Ears special rule as ifthey were a Recce team, or Spot for any Artillery Batteryas if they were its Observer team.

Otherwise, the Resistance team does not succeed, but nordoes it give itself away.

SHOOTINGWITHRESISTANCESome resistance fighters and special agents take a moreaggressive approach, placing bombs, opening fire with ma-chine-guns, and throwing hand grenades. Tese heroes ofthe revolution are maligned as terrorists by the imperialists.

Te Nationalist player can attempt to shoot with any or allResistance teams at the start of their Shooting Step. o do so,

roll a die for each shooting Resistance team. On a roll of 4+, the Resistance team can shoot, but is

then automatically Destroyed.

Otherwise, the Resistance team does not attack, butneither does it give itself away.

QUESTIONINGRESISTANCETEAMSOf course, the imperialists and their puppets are constantlypersecuting the hard-working peasants, making the life ofthe resistance fraught with danger.

In the Free World players Assault Step, a Free World platoonthat is not Pinned Down and did not shoot may attempt toQuestion and detain Resistance teams instead of Launchingan Assault. Te platoon rolls a Skill est for each Resistanceteam within 4/10cm of it.

On a successful Skill est, the Resistance team is Destroyed.

Otherwise, the Resistance team bluffs its way through theinspection and is unharmed.

Any teams within 4/10cm of a Resistance team beingquestioned cannot be Gone to Ground.

Independent teams and Helicopters cannot Question

Resistance teams.

Resistance teams are

considered to be friendly

teams by the opposing side.

RESISTANCE TEAMS

In the Starting Step, a Resistanceteam can guide reserves or move an

objective within 8/20cm, but are

removed after attempting to do so.

In the Movement Step,

roll a die to see how

far each Resistance

team can move.

In the Shooting Step, A Resistanceteam can Reveal Gone To Ground teams,

Spot for Artillery, or Shoot, but are

removed after attempting to shoot.


17/17

Nationalist Arsenal

PAVNNATIONALIST

ARSENAL

INFANTRYTEAMS

Team Mobility Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower Notes

Rifle team Infantry 16/40cm 1 2 6

AK47 Assault Rifle team Infantry 8/20cm 2 1 6 Full ROF when moving.

B40 team Infantry 8/20cm 1 9 4+ Tank Assault 4.

B41 team Infantry 12/30cm 1 11 5+ Tank Assault 5.

Flame-thrower team Infantry 4/10cm 2 - 6 Flame-thrower.

Resistance team Infantry 4/10cm 1 3 4+ No penalty for moving.

ADDITIONALTRAININGANDEQUIPMENT

Pioneer teams are rated as Tank Assault 5.

GUNTEAMS

Team Mobility Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower Notes

MACHINE-GUNS

Type 58 LMG Man-packed 16/40cm 5 2 6 ROF 2 when Pinned Down or moving.

Type 57 HMG Man-packed 24/60cm 6 2 6 ROF 3 when Pinned Down or moving.

Type 54 12.7mm AA gun Man-packed 16/40cm 4 4 5+ Anti-aircraft. Turntable.

MORTARS

Type 31 60mm mortar Man-packed 24/60cm 2 1 3+ Minimum range 8/20cm.

Firing bombardments 32/80cm - 1 6

Type 53 82mm mortar Man-packed 24/60cm 2 2 3+ Minimum range 8/20cm.

Firing bombardments 40/100cm - 2 6

RECOILLESSGUNS

Type 36 57mm recoilless gun Man-packed 24/60cm 3 7 4+ Recoilless gun, Tank Assault 3.

ARTILLERY

M46 130mm gun Immobile - - - -

Firing bombardment 112/280cm - 4 2+

KB 122mm rocket Light 72/180cm - 3 3+ Guerrilla Rockets.

BUNKERS

HMG Nest Bunker 24/60cm 6 2 6 ROF 3 when Pinned Down.

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Local Force Battalion

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