28mm BOLT ACTION - VIETNAM BIG GAME - UPDATE 14 MAY

[bill5549]

On Thursday I went to Hugh Wilson’s for our latest 28mm Bolt Action game.   This game is set along the Mekong River in the Vietnam War.  This allowed us to adapt the terrain that Hugh provided for the Don River game. Colin Jack and Dave O’Brien provided most of the figures.  Colin provided the scenario and the Vietnam buildings whilst Hugh Wilson built the excellent terrain.  We used the rules I developed for a Vietnam game last year.   These revise the weapon effects, deal with helicopters and river gunboats.  Campbell Hardie, Dave O’Brien and I commanded the Vietnamese troops and Hugh Wilson, Bart Zynda and Tim Watson the US forces. Colin Jack umpired.  

View over the firebase and brown water squadron base - US forces parade before the action

The NVA and the VC are blockading a US firebase and infiltrating the local villages.  The US players have to defend the firebase, get a relief/supply convoy thru by road to the base, control the river traffic to prevent arms reaching the VC and pacify the villages.   Quite a set of objectives but they have lots of equipment.

River monitor inspects an innocent sampan
  
My VC forces were assigned to block the north road, Campbell’s troops were across the river on the south bank and Dave’s troops engaged the firebase.  We had effectively 3 platoons of NVA and VC troops but only a single RPG, RCL, mortar and MMG for immediate support.  Somewhere in distant support of table were 2 T54s and a PT76.  The US players’ plan was to force their relief convoy along the north bank road whilst their heliborne force captured the villages on the south bank.  The brown water squadron would sail to inspect the river traffic and support the operations on the north and south bank.

All my photos with descriptions at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157643797616734/

More of the action at my blog
http://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/28mm-bolt-action-vietnam-game.html

UPDATE - Vietnam equipment and rules for Helicopters and boats now added here
http://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/ ... pment.html


Burning US transport

[Elk101]

Very nice set up. What are the figures and vehicles? It looks like the M48 is a Corgi but what are the others (especially those river craft!)?

Cheers

[bobblezbob]

Elk101 you beat me to it, I didnt know there was Riverine craft made for 28mm. Nice AAR bill5549 

Regards

[Elk101]

Elk101 you beat me to it, I didnt know there was Riverine craft made for 28mm. Nice AAR bill5549 

Regards

I've been stockpiling Vietnam stuff for a little while now so I'm always on the look out for stuff! I seem to recall being told that West Wind once did riverine craft in 28mm but I've never seen them.

[bill5549]

The river craft are by Grand Manner see link below
http://www.grandmanner.co.uk/shop.php?p=category_products&category=10&page=2

They are really superb models.  The bigger local river craft are all conversions by Hugh Wilson.  Originally intended for our China based BOB games.

The helicopters and most of the vehicles are by CORGI and the rest by SOLIDO.  The diecast Hueys are attached to their flying stands using mini magnets.

I have updated the original post with a link to my Vietnam rules
http://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/bolt-action-vietnam-new-equipment.html

[Legion1963]

That's a very nice set up you got there. I really enjoyed reading your blog and will return there. Funnily enough when i looked at your Don river game thread seeing the pictures i thought...with some easy changes this could very well be a piece of Vietnamese realestate.  

[bill5549]

Many thanks. 
After Vietnam the terrain is going to be adapted again for a large Musket and Tomahawks game.  For that game I will be working up the scenario and supplying most of the troops.

[Elk101]

Thanks for the info! Cheers

[Asienieboje]

And the same game, but with my point of view :

http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-mekong-river-1-rzeka-mekong-1.html


Frustrating RPG team. It takes me fourn turns to finally kill those two guys 


Ambushed and hidden NVC - reason of my convoy failture...


the TABLE 

[Marine0846]

Wow, what a super set up.
Lots to like with all the great figures and terrain.

[gamer Mac]

Amazing set up

[bill5549]

Here are the ideas which have been tried out in the 2nd run through of the game.  They mainly reduce the effects of assaults and ambushes.  I think they could be applied for any game in dense terrain - other jungle warfare and urban games.  I missed the game as I was away on vacation but will get to the next game in 2 weeks. 

VIETNAM IDEAS

JUNGLE TRACKS/ROADS
ARE NOT GOOD ROADS SO NO DOUBLING FOR ROAD MOVEMENT BUT VEHICLES MAY STILL RUN. I WOULD REDUCE TRUCKS TO 9” RATHER THAN 12” MOVEMENT.

FIRING
NO POINT BLANK FIRE

JUNGLE/VISIBILITY/HIDDEN TROOPS
ALL TROOPS ARE SPOTTED BY GROUND UNITS AT 6”.
VC/NVA CAN RUN THRU THE JUNGLE

ASSAULTS
TROOPS CAN ONLY ASSAULT 6” IN JUNGLE
ASSAULTING UNITS CAN ALWAYS BE FIRED AT BY TARGET IF THEY HAVE NOT ACTED – SO IGNORE THE 6” RULE.

AMBUSHES
IF FIRING RANGE IS LESS THAN 12” THE TARGET MAY REACT FIRST AS THEY MAY DETECT THE ENEMY.  EACH SIDE ROLLS A D6 AND ADD ANY DIFFERENCE IN COMMAND VALUE.  THE HIGHER SCORE SHOOTS FIRST IF ABLE TO.  IF EQUAL SCORE BOTH FIRE SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Also here are some clarifications regarding the helicopter rules.

HELICOPTERS

EMBARKING
HELICOPTERS UNLOAD/LOAD AS PER TRANSPORT VEHICLES
WHEN ON THE GROUND/HOVERING
THEY FIRE AT NORMAL RANGES
COUNT AS OPEN TOPPED AFVS SO CAN BE AFFECTED BY ANY FIRE OR AT LEAST PINNED

WHEN FLYING
COUNT AS ADVANCING - MOVE FULL AND FIRE
THEY ALWAYS FIRE AT LONG RANGE
WHEN FLYING THEY CAN ONLY BE HIT BY AA WEAPONS
COUNT AS OPEN TOPPED AFVS  [NOTE SO CAN BE PINNED BY AA MMG FIRE]

[Eric the Shed]

Wowser - great set up & photos - love the flame effects

[Dr. Zombie]

This looks hella cool.

I would love to know a bit more about the junks.

[bill5549]

The junks are a variety all conversions by Hugh Wilson.
 
The big green one is a heavy conversion from an old Waddington's game called Ghostly Galleon and a game called Blackbeard's Treasure (the battle for pirate gold).  Of all the models Hugh has done over the years he likes this best..

The brown junk is a conversion from a Revell Kit (if Hugh's memory serves him correctly) of The Santa Maria.  I think it was a 6mm kit. The brown barge type junk (not yet finished) is converted from Blackbeard's Treasure.  The large light coloured one is an ornament.

Re the smaller ones...one is a conversion from a Pirates of The Caribbean Toy.  One is a conversion from a business card holder and one is an incense burner!