Dien Bien Phu games

[Pictors Studio]

Nov. 20, 1953, French Paras drop into the valley of Dien Bien Phu on top of the elite 148th Communist regiment.

We played three battles representing different aspects of the fighting.  The first was the initial drop with parachutists dispersed along a line running down the table.  The Viet Minh were located in two groups and had to respond to the parachutists.



The French player got pretty lucky and his troops landed in clumps of two's or three's almost the whole way with only one guy getting placed well away from the main body.



Some of the paras were in the open though and became easy targets of the Viet Minh. 



The rest managed to give pretty good but the Communist forces proved superior in this engagement. 

The second scenario saw 4 Paras start the game opposed to 8 Viet Minh.  There were four markers scattered on the table.  Two representing paras and one each representing a mortar and an ammo crate. 



The markers were revealed when any model drew line of sight to them. 



The para markers could take reaction shots at the Viet Minh when revealed or try to stay hidden. 



The Paras suffered two casualties before driving the Viet Minh from the field.



After recovering their equipment the French set up some mortar positions which the Viet Minh were attacking in force.  As movement was detected and radioed down a force of paras moved to intercept the Viet Minh attacking.



This game was in some ways the neatest because the camp of the paras worked on the table.  The French player moved two paras into a position covering an opening.  The hope was just to slow the Viet Minh down by causing them to take a less direct route, most of which had been covered by other teams.  The Viet Minh player forgot that the paras had been moved there and didn't see them when moving. 



Two Viet Minh moved into the clearing and were instantly killed for their lack of observational skills.



Those paras became over confident and then tried to rush the remaining Viet Minh.  One of them was taken out and the other forced to retreat.

This caused the French to take more conservative actions and wait for better opportunities.  As the Viet Minh had to reorganize after having their commander killed the French consolidated and moved up on the flank.



Two Viet Minh were caught in the open and cut down and the rest fled.

[CptJake]

Fantastic looking terrain and figures.


Ever since reading Hell in a Very Small Place years ago I've thought it would be a cool battle to game.   

[juergen c. olk]

Great job! love the para camo.

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

 

[Pictors Studio]

Thanks guys.  We used the Infinity rules for the game. 

The only exception to the normal infinity rules were that models had to move in groups of at least two (coordinated order, which didn't cost B values when shooting) and that if you failed a WIP roll for being shot you had to pass one before you could move again, which we forgot more often that we remembered it.

Rifle Short 0-8/0 medium 8-16/+3 long 16-24/-3 max 24-48/-6 B 2 S 13

Sub MG short 0-8/+3 medium 8-16/0 long 12-16/-3 max 16-24/-6 B 4 S 13

LMG short 0-8/0 medium 8-24/+3 long 24-36/-3 max 36-48/-6 B 4 S 13

Grenade short 0-4/+3 medium 4-8/0 max 8-12/-3 B 1 S 13

French paras
Mov 4-4 CC 13 BS 12 PH 10 WIP 12

Viet Minh
Mov 4-4 CC 10 BS 11 PH 9 WIP 12

[Marine0846]

Great photos.
I like the use of a small number of figures.
And still have excellent games.
As I get older I find that I tend to like those type of games best.

[commissarmoody]

Great idea on using the infinity rules and a great looking game.