After consolidating into their night defensive position (NDP) following Mission 2, 3rd platoon receives a new tasking:
MISSION 33rd Platoon, B Company will conduct a squad-level ambush in the vicinity of An Loc Dong in order to interdict enemy movement. 2LT Shull has tasked 2nd Squad with the ambush, and will accompany SSG Panza with the medic and an M60 team. SFC Stevenson and the balance of 3rd Platoon will remain in their NDP.
I decided to change things up on this mission and use just a reinforced squad instead of a platoon. This will let me play more on an individual-basis and give me an excuse to create some more tokens.
The above rosters show the soldier, his quality, his shoot value, his defend value, his morale, his weapon, and any special add-ons. I went a little grenade-happy with the Americans, and this would later prove to be a bad idea.
2nd Squad gets in position along a trail leading into the village. SSG Wallace sets a claymore (red square). It isn't long before 2nd Squad hears the sounds of movement.
A reinforced NVA squad is moving down the trail towards An Loc Dong.
Picking up the detonator, 2LT Shull blows the claymore and starts the ambush.
(Instead of drawing a token after each activation, I decided to give all of the US troops 1 free activation as their ambush action. The standard turn order will restart after the opening salvo).
The claymore (the red d4) goes off and kills 1 NVA infantryman and wounds a second.
On the right flank, SPC Baldwin throws a grenade at the NVA Point Element and kills one. SGT Miller's shots are ineffective. Nelson opens up with his M60 and wounds two NVA, one of whom is carrying an RPD.
SSG Panza throws a grenade and kills two more NVA, including the RPG gunner
On the left flank, SGT Clock and PFC Bonilla are able to kill one of the NVA Trail Element.
The first onslaught of US fire is deadly and sees 5 NVA KIA, 3 NVA WIA, and a number of NVA suppressed.
The first token pulled following the ambush is for PFC Allen who promptly guns down the NVA survivor of the trail element.
Following up on the success of the claymore, 2LT Shull takes out his grenade, pulls the pin, and throws it towards the NVA Squad Leader. However, he fails to check for overhead obstruction. The grenade bounces off a branch and lands at his feet where it explodes, sending shrapnel into the lieutenant's chest and SPC Dooley's lower left leg. The RTO, SPC Kauffman, is unhurt but suppressed.
(I have been lucky so far with my area fire weapons and have not had any catastrophic misses. My luck must have run out. In order to throw a grenade you take 2LT Shull's shoot value (d8) and roll it against the defender's d8. If 2LT Shull's roll would be higher than the NVA Squad Leader, the grenade would have been on target. In this case, the NVA Squad Leader won the roll, making the grenade scatter d8 inches in a random direction. Naturally the scatter was directly back at 2LT Shull and I rolled 5'' - making the grenade land almost in his lap. Oops.)
Enraged by the botched grenade, SPC Baldwin charges from cover and subdues the surviving NVA point man in hand to hand combat.
The NVA Squad Leader then activates and takes cover behind the paddy dike. He then readies his one grenade and throws it at SPC Nelson and the M60 team.
His aim is off, and the grenade goes wide to the right landing next to the wounded SPC Dooley. The ensuing blast sends shrapnel into the medic's chest, killing him.
In an act of revenge, PFC Allen then moves onto the road and throws a grenade at an SKS-armed NVA infantryman behind the paddy dike. In his haste, he miss-judges the throw, and the grenade lands at the feet of the NVA MMG team. The ensuing blast kills the NVA RTO.
Recovering from the multiple grenade blasts, SPC Kauffman blasts the M79-armed NVA with his shotgun, taking him out of the fight.
At this point, 2nd Squad begins to advance into the road to hunt down any surviving NVA.
SPC Baldwin, continuing his one-man assault, fires his M79 at the NVA Squad Leader behind the paddy dike. The 40mm grenade is on target and kills the NVA Squad Leader.
With this last act, the few surviving NVA fade away into the jungle.
This mission was a blast to play. In hindsight, I should have had some NVA reinforcements arrive, or given the Americans a set number of activations instead of the entire squad firing off on the first ambush round. The NVA really had no chance to respond after the opening salvo. If it wasn't for 2LT Shull's botched grenade throw, the end result would have been even more in favor of the Americans.
The final results:
US - 1 KIA (SPC Dooley)
- 1 WIA (2LT Shull) - moderate wound, will return after 2 missions
NVA - 8 KIA
- 7 W/C
- 1 C
2nd Squad itself is unscathed, but the platoon headquarters will need some reorganization.
With the platoon leader out of action for 2 missions, SFC Stevenson will become the acting platoon leader, while SSG Wallace will become the acting PSG. His first action as acting platoon sergeant will be to contact Bravo 6 and request a new medic to replace SPC Dooley.
On the painting front I have almost finished a batch of US infantry replacements (I currently have just about enough for two full-strength US infantry platoons with no signs of stopping). I received an order for Vietnamese hooches from Paint and Glue Miniatures (
https://www.paintandglue.co.uk/vietnam - excellent service, would recommend), and my foxholes came from Ironclad Miniatures (
https://www.ironcladminiatures.co.uk/ourshop/cat_870021-Field-Positions-28mm.html - again, excellent and would recommend).
Once those are all painted I will start some work on some hills for 3rd Platoon and the NVA to fight over in the future.
Finally, the current 3rd Platoon roster:
Thanks for reading!
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June 05, 2023, 08:20:08 PM
March 22, 2009, 03:35:48 PM
