CapnJim's Vietnam Stuff...Nam 68 Game 4 Scenario Info - Page 23 - 20 April 25)

[Doug ex-em4]

This promises to be a very entertaining read as per usual from the Capn

My knowledge of military terminology post WW2 is patchy at best so, FNG?

Doug

[oddball75]

FNG=F£&@ng New Guy. 

[mikedemana]

Yeah, a trooper just arrived from the States. Knows nothing about how to survive in the bush. Assumed to be not as useful in a firefight. Much higher chance of dying. People are reluctant to befriend them so they don't have another lost buddy to grieve. 

Mike Demana

[Doug ex-em4]

FNG=F£&@ng New Guy. 

Yeah, a trooper just arrived from the States. Knows nothing about how to survive in the bush. Assumed to be not as useful in a firefight. Much higher chance of dying. People are reluctant to befriend them so they don't have another lost buddy to grieve. 

Mike Demana

  Ok - so not official military terminology then…

Thanks

Doug

[CapnJim]

Particularly looing forward to this one Jim. Nice looking table set up too btw.

Thanks, carlos.  I'm happy with how the table turned out, myself...

When life settles down for me - a bit busy just now - I'm going to have to devote some serious time to devouring this thread.  Maybe it will kick me into working on my 10 mm Nam collection.  Maybe.

Hope you enjoy it when you go through it.  Several battle reports with various rulesets, as well as pics of my figures and vehicles...

Oh man that's going to be a hell of a party for the US players, looking forward to the AAR!

It should be interesting.  It has the potential to go sideways for both sides...

Sounds like a blast...well, actually, a number of them going off all game! 

Mike Demana

Yep - plenty of HE to go around...mortars, arty, satchel charges, grenades - what can go wrong?

Yep - i'm loving this and drawing tons of inspiration.   Interested in how much of your firebase is purchased (and from where) and what's scratchbuilt.

Thanks.  As for the fire base, I don't remember the brands of all of it, but here goes:

Perimeter fence:  Pegasus Hobbies pre-pained terrain, from Michigan Toy Soldier Store.
Tree stumps:  No idea.  I got 'em at a con several years ago, pre-painted.
Craters:  Resin pieces I picked up at a con a bunch or years ago. and painted and flocked myself.
Bunkers:  Pre-painted I picked up at a con several years ago.
Sandbagged positions:  Most are Pegasus Hobbies pre-pained terrain, from Michigan Toy Soldier Store.    2 are resin pieces I got somewhere along the line, and painted up.
Quonset Huts:  Dust 47 plastic kits I won at a con's raffle a few years ago.  I painted them up.
Shipping container:  Reaper Bones plastic kit I got at a game store in Toledo, OH.  I assembled and painted it.
Truck:  A 1/50 Solidos truck I got on Ebay.
Concertina wire around the supplies stockpile:  Pre-painted Flames of War terrain I got at a hobby shop in Toledo, OH a bunch of years ago.
Crates and boxes:  HO scale model railroad terrain, maker unremembered.
Fuel drums:  Pre-painted I got at at con several years ago.  Maker unremembered.

I hope that is at least marginally helpful...

Ok - so not official military terminology then…

Thanks

Doug

Nope - strictly unofficial...

I've finished a few more VC.  Pics should appear here tomorrow...

[CapnJim]

And here are those VC.  I needed some SMG armed VC for Friday's game (the sappers), so I did these up (28mm all).

These are from Crucible Crush, in their Black Sun range (the 3rd chap in this sapper team was already painted up).  Mind you, the fella on the left can also be part of an RPG team in future games...

 


These are from Empress Miniatures.  They will be another sapper team.   The gal in the middle must be wearing her good clothes...




Here they all are together.



The VC hit Firebase Edith Friday.  Stand by for news...

[carlos marighela]

Very nice! Good to know those Pulp figures blend fairly well with the Empress stuff.

The lady is sporting her red dress because she doesn't want her husband to know she's in the Vietcong. She just tells him every Friday that she's off on a girls night out. Five years in and the penny still hasn't dropped as to why she comes home looking like she's been dragged through a hedge and with a vague smell of cordite about her. Some couples just choose to ignore the obvious. 

[CapnJim]

Thanks, carlos.  They got blooded today, in some cases, literally (game-wise)...

Speaking of which, I still have to sort the photos out, and tomorrow (Saturday) I'll be at a small con in Dayton, OH, so the AAR from today's VC firebase attack will have to wait until Sunday or maybe Monday.  In the meantime, here's a teaser...

Charlie's in the Wire! 

     As the Hueys approached Firebase Edith on their return from rescuing that downed pilot, SFC Daltry could see the aftermath of the VC attack.  And he didn't like what he saw.  That just added to the anger he felt after losing 2 men on that rescue mission.  "F**k me!" he muttered under his breath.  The other guys in his bird uttered such things as "Holy s**t!", Jesus C***t...", and other such exclamations.  The sun was up now, shining at a low angle through the breaks in the clouds.  And it was hot and muggy.  Again.  But as their platoon's perimeter sector came into view, it is was bright enough to see a sight he would just as rather not seen.   He could make out the smoldering remains of 2 of the bunkers in their sector, including the command bunker.  "That ain't no good." he thought.  SFC Daltry could also make out figures carrying wounded toward the Battalion Aid Station, and he could see a few bodies lined up, covered with poncho liners.  He could also see the gap in the wire where the VC must have gotten in.  What he couldn't see was very many VC bodies.  His anger built, but he tried to remain as calm as he could.  It worked.  Kinda... 

     His overview of the situation on the ground was interrupted by The Old Man on the radio in the headset he was wearing.  "All Bad Bets elements, this is Bad Bets 6 actual.  Once we're on the ground, get your men to your sectors to help secure and clean up this mess.  All platoon command elements will report to my CP ASAP.  Out."  The Old Man didn't sound none too happy either.  SFC Daltry dutifully relayed his instructions to his subordinate leaders.  Once the helicopters were on the ground, his men dismounted and did what they were told.  Daltry was sure he really didn't want to hear what The Old Man had to say...   

[mikedemana]

Good seeing you at DayCon today, Jim! Hope you and Ted had a good time today and nice drive home. I forgot to ask Ted about the game, though...  Dang it! I wanted to see if he took credit for all the bad rolling... 

That said, someone played in my Viking Town Raid game today who has the worst dice rolling I've ever seen. Wow!! 

Looking forward morbidly to this batrep...

Mike Demana

[CapnJim]

Thanks, Mike.  Good seeing you too...

And now, on with the show.

SFC George F. Daltry, Platoon Sergeant for 3rd Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry, was right.  He did not in fact like what he heard at the debrief at the Co. CP.  First, HE now had to write the After Action Report for both actions (the rescue of the downed pilot, and the attack of the Firebase).  He had a chance to talk to Top and the XO, and was informed that his AARs were due by COB Monday, 14 Apr.  He grilled Top and the XO on what they knew about the firebase attack.  He also interviewed the survivors of the firebase attack.  Based on the information he gathered, he wrote this AAR on the firebase attack (mind you, he did not include the photos, just the text.  The photos are there for your viewing pleasure...):

14 April 1968
To:  Commander, B Co, 2-12 Cav
Subject:  After Action report - Attack on Firebase Edith, Sector Bravo 3.

     This AAR is a result of interviewing the Company 1st Sergeant (Top) and XO, as well as the surviving members of 2nd Sqd, SP4 Bartles' M60 team, the Plt Interpreter, and the 3 new replacements.  This AAR presents a narrative description of the events of the early morning of 11 April 68, as accurately as possible under the circumstances.

Description of Action.

     The new replacements, PFC Bigelow, and PV2s Barkus and Skowronski, were manning Bunker Bravo 32 at approximately 0612 hrs.   It was near the end of their watch, and the rest of the platoon had just departed on the rescue mission.

 

     They were alerted to the presence of probable VC troops at the perimeter wire in front of their position, by warning devices placed in that vicinity (C Ration cans with stones in them tied to the wire, and trip flares).  The men in Bunker Bravo 32 came under automatic weapons fire, as enemy troops breached the perimeter.  PFC Bigelow estimated that this force was at least squad-sized, and perhaps bigger.





Bigelow, Barkus and Skowronski engaged the enemy with their weapons, and hit at least 2 of them.  Other enemy troops moved further into the firebase.



PV2 Barkus stated that while they were engaged with at least 9 enemy fighters at the wire, at least 3 enemy fighters ran past Bunker Bravo 32.  He estimated that they were headed for Bunker Bravo 36.



At this time, 2LT Entwistle, not yet released for duty, and Nguyen (the Plt Interpreter) made their way toward Bunker Bravo 36.  Nguyen stated that it was the LT's intention to call for supporting fires once he got to the field phone in Bunker Bravo 36.



The men in Bunker Bravo 32 continued to engage the growing number of enemy troops at the breach point, while SP4 Bartles' brought his M60 up through the supply stockpile area. 





At this time, LT Entwistle and Nguyen were working their way into Bunker Bravo 36.  The men in Bunker Bravo 32 continued to engage the enemy in their sector, but were being pressed hard and running low on M16 ammunition.  But, they kept fighting, firing their weapons and throwing grenades.





It was at this point that SSG Jagger arrived behind Bunker Bravo 36.  He apparently sent PFC Panozzo into Bunker Bravo 36 to assist 2LT Entwistle and Nguyen.  SSG Jagger kept his Fire Team A back with him, immediately behind Bunker Bravo 36.



It was then that VC fighters, apparently sappers, made it to both Bunkers Bravo 36 and Bravo 32.  The men in Bunker Bravo 32 were still fighting, but enemy troops were slowly making their way toward the bunker, apparently providing covering fire for the enemy sappers.  SP4 Bartles' gun team engaged the enemy, providing suppressing fire.  And the enemy had started to employ inaccurate mortar fire.





LT Entwistle had finally made his way to the field phone located in Bunker Bravo 36.  But it was too late.  The apparent enemy sappers were able to throw demolition charges into both bunkers nearly simultaneously.  Bunker Bravo 36 was destroyed, resulting in 2LT Entwistle and PFC Panozza being KIA and Nguyen being WIA.  It is believed that blast also wounded enemy troops as well.  The detonation in Bunker Bravo 32 was less catastrophic.  While Bunker Bravo 32 was knocked out as well, PFC Bigelow had managed to kick the demolition charge into the grenade sump immediately prior to its detonation.  PFC Bigelow bore the brunt of the mitigated detonation, and was wounded, but all 3 men were able to evacuate the bunker.  It is likely PFC Bigelow's actions saved all 3 men from serious injury or death.

   





It was at this point SSG Jagger decided to pull the surviving members of 3rd Platoon back, and await assistance.  The enemy did not press the advantage - it is likely the actions of PFC Bigelow and PV2s Barkus and Skowronski to pin down the enemy at the breach point prevented any further penetration into Firebase Edith.  When the reserve from D Co arrived, the enemy had left the area, leaving behind only one KIA.





Upon commencement of the survivors' retreat, SSG Jagger was KIA, apparently by a stray round. The source of the stray round is not known at this time.  This concludes the description of the action of 11 Apr 68 at Firebase Edith.  The After Action Report of the mission to rescue the helicopter pilot was previously provided under separate cover.

Conclusions

1.  SSG Jagger, once again, proved hesitant to engage the enemy.  Had he survived this action, further action would likely be taken.  SGT Richards has now been assigned to lead 2nd Squad.

2.  PFC Bigelow and PV2s Barkus and Skowronski fought quite well, given the circumstances.  In particular, a request for commendation for PFC Bigelow will likely be forwarded for consideration.

3.  Due to Nguyen's WIA status, I formally request the attachment of a new interpreter.

4.  Due to 2LT Entwistle's KIA status, I formally request the assignment of a new platoon leader, at the earliest possible time.

Addendum

     As you are aware, SGT Plant has been arrested as a result of his actions at the NCO Club on 12 Apr 68.  I request his immediate removal from the Platoon Roster pending the result of his court martial.

George F. Daltry, SFC
Platoon Sergeant
3rd Plt, B Co, 2-12 Cav

[carlos marighela]

Nice write up Jim. Chalk one up to the VC.

It's also a reminder of the number of different types of 'Sergeants' the US Army feels necessary, when the rest of us can live with one or two, mostly one. It's long past the time when someone sits the US Military down in a room and explains 'This is what a Corporal does. This is what a Staff Sergeant does. This is what a Warrant Officer does.' 

[Hoagie]

Poor sods, you US players that is! And quite a glory day for the international worker's struggle against capitalist imperialist aggression!

Well written as always, but I'm also curious about the actual game mechanics played out as I've yet to have a game myself 😅 I guess Sgt Plant's conduct was a casualty of the post-game campaign events?

[Gunbird]

Nice fight, rotten luck for the US side. Better get those bunkers fixed up now....

[CapnJim]

Nice write up Jim. Chalk one up to the VC.

It's also a reminder of the number of different types of 'Sergeants' the US Army feels necessary, when the rest of us can live with one or two, mostly one. It's long past the time when someone sits the US Military down in a room and explains 'This is what a Corporal does. This is what a Staff Sergeant does. This is what a Warrant Officer does.' 

Thanks, carlos.  And at least I know what the Army's enlisted ranks are.  The Air Force has even more sergeants!  And don't get me started on Navy enlisted ranks and ratings.  Nobody can decipher those, my guess is including the Navy...

Poor sods, you US players that is! And quite a glory day for the international worker's struggle against capitalist imperialist aggression!

Well written as always, but I'm also curious about the actual game mechanics played out as I've yet to have a game myself 😅 I guess Sgt Plant's conduct was a casualty of the post-game campaign events?

Thanks!  And yes - SGT Plant was a Non-Battle Casualty in the post-battle procedure.  Instead of killing him, I just decided that the MPs hauled him off...

Also, SSG Jagger's death was a non-game KIA as part of Game 3's post-battle procedure.  Given how we fit the VC base attack into the storyline, and that it was SSG Jagger's squad that would be fighting it, we decided he would be KIA at the end of the battle, regardless of his fate during the fight.

Nice fight, rotten luck for the US side. Better get those bunkers fixed up now....

Yes - I'm sure they'll get right on that.

By the way, the firebase attack game took under 2.5 hours to play.  Now, our next game is set for 25 April.  Gonna be a biggie.  Apparently, the Americans are pissed.  Even though the threat level went down to Low as part of the post game process, just about the whole platoon is going out to clean out a village of VC.  I plan to post the updated Platoon Roster and Scenario Sheet for Game 4 early next week.

   
 

[mikedemana]

Fun report to read, Jim. I like the effort with the low light photos, but I really couldn't see much with them  Where did I put my damn night vision goggles?? 

Everyone having fun with the game? Who all showed up last Friday for the game?

Your reports are getting me inspired to starting paint my 28mm Vietnam figs I bought. As soon as I get these Colonial Marines from Another Glorious Day in the Corp finished off, I believe they're next...!

Mike Demana