Battles Magazine #3 : Hue 1968

[Silent Invader]

Battles Magazine #3 from January 2010 included a free solitaire board game called “A Week in Hell: The battle of Hue 1968”.

The mag is now out of print and the publishers are offering it as a free PDF download (though you might have to register for the links to properly work):

https://www.battlesmagazine.com/eshop/achat/produit_details.php?id=16

https://www.battlesmagazine.com/eshop/retro/handicap/index3.php

The game rules are also available separately, in PDF form:

https://www.battlesmagazine.com/eshop/doc/3/WIHRULES.pdf

Has anyone played the boardgame and if so does it lend itself to reproducing in part or in whole as a wargame with minis?

Unfortunately the game requires a map and counters that aren’t included with the PDF. I’ve mailed the publisher to see if they can provide files but if anyone on here has a scan that’d also be much appreciated.

[Paratrooper 42]

Did you ever hear back from the publisher?

[Silent Invader]

Not a sausage 

[axabrax]

There’s a good review by Maranudo on the BGG page. It looks like it captures the flavor of the battle well but may get repetitive over multiple plays. Like any traditional wargame it might lend itself to play with very small scale minis but the combat system looks too abtract and simple to really lend itself to being a serious wargame. Maybe you could use the game as a larger framework and play out battles on a miniature terrain board with other rules? I actually ordered a rare copy from eBay for a pretty penny so I might be able to help more out when it arrives...

[Arrigo]

I always found puzzling when miniature wargamers complain about the lack of seriousness of map based ones...  and the usual mistake to equate abstractions due to different command level to lack of seriousness. Hue combat system is quite sound for the scale involved, and the mechanic involving the different roles for different attacking US platoons is not simplistic at all. At its level it is one of the best game about urban combat I have tried.  Certainly it is more serious than the roll a bucket of dice and roll sixes than plenty miniature rule sets use.

The game is pretty effective for what it is doing. If you are so inclined you can reproduce the map on a 3D board and use miniatures for counters (you will have to find a way to replicate the cup system to generate hidden NVA units, too).  Yes, you canjust  reproduce it in miniatures, but frankly put, I do not see any need to do it, and except if you are extremely talented with terrain just having a table at the same quality of the game map will be daunting and extremely expensive.

Generally speaking I found the miniatures rule to usually lack seriousness. But I have also found, despite few stark exceptions like myself  , a basic lack of understanding between the two halves of wargaming. If you think I am condescending... you have to read what players of map based games think about miniatures... they have to be built and painted!!!! Horror, rip off from the publisher!).


As for scans of map and counters... without the publisher express permission is basically illegal, and it is the same as recasting miniatures.  I am not surprised Olivier did not even bothered to reply...

[Silent Invader]

I always found puzzling when miniature wargamers complain about the lack of seriousness of map based ones...  and the usual mistake to equate abstractions due to different command level to lack of seriousness.

No complaints from me 

Hue combat system is quite sound for the scale involved, and the mechanic involving the different roles for different attacking US platoons is not simplistic at all. At its level it is one of the best game about urban combat I have tried.  Certainly it is more serious than the roll a bucket of dice and roll sixes than plenty miniature rule sets use.

That’s helpful thank you 

The game is pretty effective for what it is doing. If you are so inclined you can reproduce the map on a 3D board and use miniatures for counters (you will have to find a way to replicate the cup system to generate hidden NVA units, too).  Yes, you canjust  reproduce it in miniatures, but frankly put, I do not see any need to do it, and except if you are extremely talented with terrain just having a table at the same quality of the game map will be daunting and extremely expensive.

I love making detailed terrain    I don’t particularly enjoy playing board games but I like reading the rules as I find they can be a useful learning experience..

Generally speaking I found the miniatures rule to usually lack seriousness. But I have also found, despite few stark exceptions like myself  , a basic lack of understanding between the two halves of wargaming. If you think I am condescending... you have to read what players of map based games think about miniatures... they have to be built and painted!!!! Horror, rip off from the publisher!).

  Each to their own. TBH I like playing aesthetically pleasing games for fun - the rules are secondary - but I’m interested in the approach taken by a set of rules given my  interest in the history (I wanted to read the game for the history).

As for scans of map and counters... without the publisher express permission is basically illegal, and it is the same as recasting miniatures.  I am not surprised Olivier did not even bothered to reply...

The mag is available from them as a free download - which suggests they want downloaders to play it.    I would have thought it was a marketing exercise so I am surprised that Olivier (who ever he is) hasn’t replied.

[Silent Invader]

There’s a good review by Maranudo on the BGG page. It looks like it captures the flavor of the battle well but may get repetitive over multiple plays. Like any traditional wargame it might lend itself to play with very small scale minis but the combat system looks too abtract and simple to really lend itself to being a serious wargame. Maybe you could use the game as a larger framework and play out battles on a miniature terrain board with other rules? I actually ordered a rare copy from eBay for a pretty penny so I might be able to help more out when it arrives...

Thanks. Useful insights which are appreciated. As mentioned above I’m mostly interested in how the game is ‘historically/realistically’ structured rather than actually playing it.

[Silent Invader]

From the above replies by me, it’s clear that my original post wasn’t sufficiently informative. Sorry about that. While I was (am) wondering how  the board game might play out as a wargame, I’m not actually intending to do that. I’m more interested in the historical and realistically tactical approach to the subject matter. Again, apologies for being less than fully informative. 

[axabrax]

As I stated above, I haven’t played the game. The info I got is from Marnaudo’s review, whom is a respected board/wargame reviewer with over 1400 reviews on BGG and YouTube. I tend to trustt his opinion, but if you have any quibbles, take it up with him. I haven’t even received the game yet. As stated above I can provide more personal info when I receive it and have had a chance to play...

[Silent Invader]

As I stated above, I haven’t played the game. The info I got is from Marnaudo’s review, whom is a respected board/wargame reviewer with over 1400 reviews on BGG and YouTube. I tend to trustt his opinion, but if you have any quibbles, take it up with him. I haven’t even received the game yet. As stated above I can provide more personal info when I receive it and have had a chance to play...

I’m sorry if I’ve offended, I certainly didn’t intend to. But many thanks for posting.