Indochina again

[Westbury]

Another Indochina game with the gang.
The supply convoy guarded by Moroccan troops is winding it's way northward to supply two Foreign Legion camps and dispense medicines to a nearby village. The camps are manned by a squad of Legionnaires each and a medium machine gun is set up covering the road. Viet Minh activity has been noted but where exactly they are is unknown.
French objectives: distribute the supplies & medicine and hold on to the camps
The Viet Minh have a full platoon in the area; two assault squads plus a support squad and small HQ element.
Viet Minh objectives: destroy the convoy and overrun the camps if possible.
 

[Westbury]

The game started quietly with the Viet Minh manoeuvring through the jungle and the column starting up the road

[Westbury]

Wrong photo's in the last post!
Anyway.....
First fire came from the VM 1st squad on the Legionnaires at the southern camp, inflicting several casualties, including the Sgt. The return fire from the lmg quietened down the VM as they tended to their wounded.
The firing alerted the northern camp and a fire team was sent out to investigate.
Meanwhile on the road the second truck hit a mine 

[Westbury]

Not to be outdone the 2nd VM squad opened up on the half track and the lead truck which was generally unsuccessful but it did provide the Moroccans the excuse to let rip with their .30 cals from the half track and alerted the mmg up the road to a target rich environment 
After a couple of rounds of fire that saw a .30 cal gunner dropped and the driver of the mine damaged truck downed but a third of their own number dropped the 2nd VM pulled back into the jungle and took no further part.

[Westbury]

Sticking to it's brief the lead truck turned down the road to the southern camp where the firing had died down and the unloading process began - this was rather fortuitous because the other half of the VM squad which had been watching that road had just faded back into the grass to reinforce it's troopers who had taken losses in the earlier firefight.
Back with the main column, the Greyhound manoeuvred round the stricken truck and headed up the road to the half track which was now under fire from the VM support squad hidden in the ruined temple.
This was one hell off a fire fight; the two lmg's of the VM raked the half track downing several of the Moroccans while one lone gunner fired back supported by the mmg up the road. Ultimately the half track ground to a halt with the driver and co driver wounded and most of the troops in the back having their wounds treated. The good news was that the support squad was in no better shape with most of the team down and being tended to by the survivors.   

[Westbury]

Back in the jungle around the southern camp the northern fire team came across the VM who had been firing on the southern camp and gunned them down mercilessly but capturing one for later questioning. With a job well done they began retreating through the jungle but not before the other half of the VM squad caught up them and gunned them down in exchange - should have checked your surroundings JC 

 

[Westbury]

Unfortunately we had to call time 
But we'd got far enough for a result to be adjudicated:-
For the French; the lead truck was being successfully unloaded, the second truck was damaged but repaired in the last round of the game so could carry on and, given the VM casualties along the road, probably pretty unmolested and of course both camps were secure. All of this was of course exactly as the lieutenant safe in the HQ hooch had planned and he took the thanks of the village elders graciously 
For the Viet Minh not a good day; the support squad was out of action and the 2nd assault squad was licking it's wounds in the jungle, the 1st squad was feeling pretty flush after shooting down the retreating legionnaires (and conveniently killing the prisoner) but that fight still had something left in it and then they had the camp to attack again so no objectives achieved.
Vive La France!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Vive La France!  🇫🇷

Another great looking game that sounds like it was fun. Thanks for sharing.

[commissarmoody]

Looks like a fun game.

[trev]

Nice report!  I see some TAG VM figures.  What did you use for the French?  Empress?

[has.been]

Thanks for the game Ian (& food courtesy of Lin).
As the Moroccan player I couldn't possibly comment on the HQ unit,
who spent the entire action not moving from the safety of their hootches.
  .
My pictures, & further comment, hopefully tomorrow.

[CapnJim]

Alrighty then.  Another win for the Brave French Defenders of the Free World.  Or maybe the Cowardly French Imperialist Dogs.  Depends on what side you are...

[flatpack]

Alrighty then.  Another win for the Brave French Defenders of the Free World.  Or maybe the Cowardly French Imperialist Dogs.  Depends on what side you are...

Cowardly French Imperialist Dogs - Mon du Rodney, mon du. 

I was one of those Brave French Defenders yesterday during this battle.

Thanks to Ian for putting the game on, and running it.

I successfully defended my camp, from the marauding masses that were appearing from the jungle.

Here are a few pics.

My boys defending their base.


Supply truck approaching my base.


HQ section machine gun, giving covering fire.


Supply truck takes a hit at the back of the convoy.


Battle cut short due to me, as I had to go home to let the boiler man in. 

[has.been]

144 = My lead vehicle. It took most of the incoming fire.
146 = 1st truck heading for its destination.
147 & 160 = Ambush!!!!!
161 & 162 = Greyhound on the hunt. Moving from the tail of the column, it
                   swung around the damaged lorry forcing the Viet-Minh to melt back
                   into the jungle. It also allowed the surviving crewman to get the lorry
                   moving again.
165 = 1st truck reaches its destination.

[has.been]

Views from the other end of the road.
145, 154, 156, 163 & 164 The Legion's MG bunker. Of note as the only part of
                                       HQ squad to do any fighting.
155 & 158 = The DOOMED patrol. This was the last sighting of them alive.
                    Hell its a JUNGLE out there!!!!!