BODYCOUNT

WARGAME RULES FOR

THE VIETNAM WAR

by Ian and Nigel Drury

 INTRODUCTION
BODYCOUNT is a new concept in modern wargaming. It is played by 2-6 players and
an umpire The firepower of modern infantry and that of their supporting weapon
systems is such that if you can see your target then you can usually kill it. The
problem, of course is finding the enemy before he finds you: and no previous
Wargames rules have tackled this adequately.
In BODYCOUNT the players are U.S. squad leaders and maneuver their men over
the Wargames table to seek out and destroy the Viet Cong. But no VC figures are
deployed on the table at the start. They are moved by the umpire on a scale map. If
the players spot the VC on the move then the enemy figures are placed on the table for
as long as they remain in view. Viet Cong who go to ground however, or are already
firing from cover are not put on. They can only be seen if you overrun their position,
or they get up and overrun you.
Additional difficulties for the players are provided by the presence of civilian figures
in some games. Harming them or their property will drive the neighborhood into
supporting the communists and so loses victory points Yet some villages might
already support the guerillas and some innocent looking civilian figures can be VC with
concealed weapons.
BODYCOUNT bridges the gap between role-playing skirmish games and rules for
battalion level modern warfare. As in a skirmish game, players have 'personal' figures
whose actions are central, whether you charge at the head of your squad towards the
enemy machine-gun post or hide behind a bush the whole time smoking Laotian red.
Unlike ordinary role-playing games however, BODYCOUNT contains full rules for the
use of whole Infantry companies supported by artillery, airstrikes and helicopter
gunships.
Copyright IAN C. DRURY, NIGEL J. DRURY and TABLETOP GAMES
January 1988 (Second Edition

CREDITS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED by

Illustration by Martin Cooley. ARCLIGIIT PRODUCTS 1983
Play testing :
Lewis Atter
Martin Cooley
Andy Dean
Ian Walker
Eric Wignall
Marcus Watney
Plus many members of the Winchester and Oxford Wargames Clubs.

1
CONTENTS
Page Number
Scales 3
Setting up a Scenario 3
Victory 4
Victory Points 5
Ideas for Scenarios 5
Sample Game 6
Troop Quality 7
Mines and Booby Traps 8
Movement 9
Acquisition 10
Small Arms Fire 11
Locating Firing Positions 13
Fire and Movement 14
Melee 15
Grenades and Grenade Launchers 16
Air Operations 17
AA Fire 19
Communications 21
Artillery Fire 22
Casualties from a single round 23
Casualties from a Barrage 24
Snipers and Aimed Fire 25
Tank and Anti-Tank Weapons 26
Hits on Armoured Vehicles 27
Hits on Unarmoured Vehicles 28
Casualties 28
Morale 29
Players Notes 30
Game Masters Notes 31
Troop Ratings 32
Troop Quality and Weapons 33
Model Availability 35
Bibliography 36

2
Scales
1) One inch on the table represents 5 metres
2) One game-turn represents one minute.
3)One figure or model represents one man or vehicle.
NOTE: Throughout these rules 'D' means a die, thus 'D10' is a ten-sided die.

Setting up a Scenario
The umpire decides the scenario and controls the play of the game. He positions
and maneuvers the VC, civilians, journalists and anyone else he includes in the game
while the players command US or allied squads. If there are not enough players to
have one per squad then give each player a platoon. One player must be designated
overall commander and a chain of command established. The commander will be
responsible for calling down artillery and air-strikes and summoning casualty
evacuation helicopters.
Essential preparation
The only essential preparation is for the umpire to have a scale map of the
Wargames table; it is a good idea to do this on graph paper. The Viet Cong, civilians
and any other non-player forces will move on this map. Figures to represent them will
only be placed on the table if the US players' figures spot them moving. In games
where the players have artillery and/or air support they ought to have a map as well,
but it need not be as detailed as the umpire's.

RUNNING A GAME
Having decided the scenario and drawn the map, the umpire then gives a map to
the players and briefs them on the situation and objective before giving them orders
from above. These may range from defend the firebase to searching a village and so
on. While the players ponder over their map and make their plan the umpire sets up
the table according to his master map.
It is important to keep close track of game time since air support will take some
time to arrive, 5 to 20 minutes depending on the scenario. Not all moves need be a
minute long. It is often sensible to make double, treble or even longer moves to
maintain the pace of the game. Just ask the players to move their figures for several
turns at once: many on-table actions like searching a hut will obviously take a fair
while if they are to succeed
Rules of Engagement
There were limitations on US action imposed by the High Command for political
reasons: to avoid overt violations of borders, and minimize civilian casualties etc. In
the area (laughingly) called the De-Militarized Zone, there were few restrictions but
near centers of population the use of heavy weapons was usually strictly regulated.
Typically, no artillery or air-strikes were allowed within 1,000m of a village unless it
was occupied by major enemy forces. Even then, clearance from superior officers had
to be obtained.

3
Wounded
Both sides made great efforts to evacuate their wounded and even their dead and it is important
for the umpire to make the VC under his control behave true to form. The players should do
likewise.
Use of figures
VC figures are only positioned on the table when seen by the players' figures. You will find you
need fewer VC figures than are actually engaged during the course of most games. It is vital to
remember that figures lying prone cannot be seen unless in unusually open ground. When the US
forces come under fire, they are told roughly how many weapons are firing and whether the fire is
single-shot or automatic. Even If they spot where the fire is coming from, no VC are placed on the
table. Only put the figures on if they are seen moving, are in close combat, surrendering or their
bodies are discovered.

Victory
The American strategy in Vietnam was to fight the Viet Cong in conventional style
battles while leaving the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) to 'pacify' the villages and
population centers. The theory was that massive US firepower and mobility would
inflict such massive losses on the VC that North Vietnam would find it too expensive
in manpower to keep supporting them and that, starved of North Vietnamese soldiers
and unable to recruit from the villages of the South, the VC would wither away. So,
with in a war without clearly defined front lines and with the US objective of simply
killing large numbers of VC for every American casualty, the success of a battle in
Vietnam could not be measured In the same way as in a conventional conflict, Victory
could not be judged in terms of ground won or cities captured. In this war of attrition
they were judged by the bodycount.

Players in BODYCOUNT win or lose according to the ratio between their own casualties and
those they inflict on the VC and have managed to find. No points are awarded for VC killed but
dragged away by their comrades. The player with the most points is the winner. Each player only
counts losses inflicted or suffered by his own squad. But the commander counts all casualties, US
and VC as he is responsible for the conduct of the overall operation. Players should be warned that
excessive competitiveness tends to be counter-productive: he who refuses to risk his men to assist
another unit in trouble will probably not receive much help in future games.

4
VICTORY POINTS
US gain points as follows:
5 pts for each VC body found
6 pts for each VC captured alive
10-30pts for capturing an arms cache or VC supply store
15 pts for capturing a heavy weapon e.g. mortar or 12.7mm machine-gun

US lose points as follows:

6 pts for each US soldier killed
4 pts for each US soldier wounded and not medevaced in under 30 minutes
2 pts for each US soldier wounded and medevaced in under 30 minutes
2-6pts for each civilian killed
1-4pts for each civilian wounded
5 pts for each tank or helicopter damaged
15 pts for each APC destroyed
25 pts for each helicopter destroyed
30 pts for each tank destroyed

IDEAS FOR SCENARIOS

Players can of course begin the game on the table with the VC making an attack, but be
warned: a VC attack on a Fire Support Base often involved hundreds of troops and both sides
employed some heavy fire power. Try plenty of smaller scenarios first, a small game fought to a
conclusion with time to conduct a leisurely de-brief in a bar afterwards is infinitely preferable to a
huge game which has to be abandoned half-way through. Study the books in the bibliography for
ideas for scenarios, here are three favorites:

C.A. (Combat Assault):

The helicopter-borne attack made famous by APOCALYPSE NOW, Combat Assaults
were often used to insert troops into blocking positions to catch the VC after they
withdrew from an ambush or, as In the movie, to give Charlie a disagreeable surprise.
Those players with bulging wallets can buy helicopter models for every squad but this
is not strictly necessary. Each player can simply place his squad where the chopper
lands it while one player (chose a megalomaniac) blasts every tree line with helicopter
gunships. Players tend to become very confident when given all this firepower but
once the first chopper goes down, their usual paranoia re-asserts itself!
React Force:
A common VC tactic was a double ambush: a patrol or convoy would be attacked,
luring out a reaction force which would itself run into an ambush. In this scenario, the
players try to fight their way through to the victims of an ambush and have to
balance the need for a speedy advance with the danger of being ambushed
themselves.
"Find the bastards then pile on!"
Two could play at this game of course: Patton's technique with the 2/11 Armoured Cavalry was
to tempt the VC into ambushing one of his units then crush the ambushers with the enormous
firepower of the rest of his regiment which would literally ride to the rescue. See General Starry's
book for just how effective this could be.

5
A SAMPLE GAME
The map following shows a simple ambush scenario, the starting positions of the
VC are marked on. The US forces - a weak company of 6 rifle squads, will enter the
table from the bottom right hand corner. Their orders are to search the small hamlets
of Vung Bac and Ap Bac for evidence of Viet Cong activity and to engage and
destroy any enemy they manage to contact. Support fire is provided from a nearby
fire base, a battery of 105mm guns being on call.

In addition to marking the VC positions on the map, the umpire writes orders for
them. In this case, squad 3 and the 12.7mm machine-gun are instructed to hold their
position as long as possible. Squad 1 is to open fire on the US troops the moment
they come on the table, the VC plan being to encourage the Americans to outflank
them, thus running on to the minefield to the north and being engaged by Squad 2.

Having no radios, the VC will obviously find it difficult to change their plan if the
US forces do something unexpected. Even in a game when the VC do have radio
communications, the umpire should always note what information they have to act
on. Unlike the umpire, the VC do not have satellite vision over the whole battlefield.

= 12 inches representing 60m

6
 KEY TO MAP
House Bridge Stream Dirt Road Jungle

Hill

(2) VOQ 2 terrain ie. Elephant grass

(3) VOQ 3 terrain ie. Scrub
(8) VOQ 8 terrain ie. Open paddy field

Concealed VC supply dump containing food and ammuniyion

One 7 manVC squad

Tripod mounted 12.7mm machine-gun and 2 crew (dug in)

Minefield made up of 4 home-made bombs

Flagpole with communist flag pulling it down removes pin from a concealed grenade

Troop Quality
To reflect the differences in both training and courage, troops are assigned numerical
ratings from 1 (worst) to 5 (best) for a number of abilities:

Aggression
This Is used to determine the willingness of men to advance under fire and/or charge
the enemy. A level of 5 indicates either enormous courage or an unfortunate
ignorance of modern firepower.

Discipline
This quantifies the rapidity with which troops respond to orders under difficult
circumstances eg. being ambushed, or trying to retreat while under fire. The better
trained and more experienced the unit, the better it's discipline. Green troops might
have high aggression but will not be highly disciplined.

Endurance
The ability of troops to keep their heads in a fire-fight or while under artillery fire.
Men with high endurance keep firing back when ordinary soldiers are cowering at
the bottom of the foxhole wishing they'd flunked the medical at boot camp.

Fieldcraft
How good troops are at spotting mines and traps before discovering their location
the hard way. It also rates how good they are at setting booby traps themselves and
how good they are at spotting enemy movement and moving quietly down a trail.
NVA sappers were adept at laying and avoiding traps, as well as slipping through the
jungle without being spotted. At the other end of the scale, US draftees new in
country ('Cherries' or 'FNG's) tramped about with their kit badly secured so that It
rattled and never saw the enemy until it was too late.

Technical Competence
This rates the mens' weapon handling: can they fire off a full magazine and reload
one after another without fumbling it, and can they control the muzzle-climb in the
process? With a grenade in their hands are they more of a menace to their comrades
than to the enemy? Bravery and fieldcraft are all very well but if they cannot clear a
jammed gun quickly, it could be body bags all around.

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Mines & Booby traps
Depending on how cautiously troops move and how good their fieldcraft rating is,
they might spot a booby-trap before blundering into it. Their chances of success also
depend on how well the trap was set. Troops can only dice to spot a trap if moving
at search speed, patrolling or crawling
Procedure
Subtract the fieldcraft rating of the moving unit from that of the man or woman who
set the trap. Cross-index the score with the movement rate to give the percentage
chance that the troops will spot the trap, resolve using percentage dice.
Result Searching Patrol/Crawl
-4 97 90
-3 95 85
-2 85 60
-1 70 50
0 50 35
+1 35 25
+2 20 10
+3 10 5
+4 2 1

Casualties from mines

Kill Zones are circular for all mines except the claymore type. Their diameters are as
follows in inches:
large mines eg. 'bouncing betties' 5
smaller mines 4
grenade traps 3
Note Very small mines eg. 'gravel' and pungi-stick pits dug for a single unwary foot
only effect the figure who steps on it.

Procedure:
If the mine/trap is not spotted and the figures step on it, dice to check that it
detonates. If it does them roll the percentage dice for each figure in the kill zone
using the column appropriate to his/her movement rate: any figure rolling less than or
equal to the number given must dice on the mine casualty table.
Mine Type % failure Crawl Search Patrol A. by R./Run Walk
Grenade in can 15 30 70 70 75 65
Pungi pit 20 25 40 60 90 90
Small AP mine 10 30 40 45 50 70
Medium AP mine 10 30 40 45 50 70
Large AP mire 10 40 60 70 70 90
Claymore * 10(5) 30 60 70 70 90
VC homemade bomb 20(30) 25 35 40 45 65
VC fougasse 15(25) 20 50 55 60 80
'Gravel' 50 (automatically hits figure stepping on it)
* claymores have a cone-shaped kill zone 10 inches long, 5 inches wide at the end.
Use number in parenthesis if these weapons are detonated electrically

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CASUALTIES FROM MINES
Roll a D10, +2 for the figure triggering the mine.
Type of mine Killed Wounded Pinned down OK
Grenade In can 0, 9 8, 7 (6) 5, 4, 3, 2 1
Pungi pit 0, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 4,3, 2 1
'Gravel' 0, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 3, 2 1
Small & medium mines 0, 9 8, 7, 6, (5) 4,3, 2 1
Large mines 0, 9 (8) 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 2 1
Claymore 0, 9, 8 7, 6, 5, 4 3, 2 1
VC homemade bomb 0 (9) 8, 7 (6) 5, 4, 3 (2) 1
Fougasse 0(9) 8, 7, 6 (5) 4, 3 (2) 1
Numbers In parenthesis mean shift one column to the right if the figure is wearing a flak jacket

Movement
ON FOOT
The maximum distance troops can move on foot during one game turn is:-
crawl 2 inches
search* 3 inches
patrol # 6 inches 3" only if moving in jungle, not on a trail
walk 9 inches 3" only if moving through flooded paddy field
advance by rushes 12 inches
run 24 inches
*search speed is a slow walk, looking for trip wires etc. just in front of the feet. # patrol
speed Is similar but less thorough.

Troops patrolling, searching, or walking will go to ground immediately they are shot
at. These movement rates may not be used by troops who are under fire this or last
turn. Troops advancing by rushes or running who are shot at may go to ground If
they wish which will reduce their casualties. Generally, the faster troops move, the
easier they will be spotted.

VEHICLES
Vehicle movement Is different: vehicles are allotted a number of movement points (MPs),
each inch moved across the table costing a different amount of MPs depending on the
terrain.
Vehicle Type Movement Points Terrain 2wheel drive 4wheel drive Tracked
Wheeled Ashphalt road 0.5 0.5 1
Light eg. jeep 72 Dirt road 1.5 1 1
Heavy eg. Lorry 60 Soft ground 4 2 1.5
Tracked Elephant grass 8 4 2
Fast eg. M113 60 Light scrub 4 3 2
Medium eg. M48 48 Orchard P 12 3
Heavy eg. bulldozer 36 Woods P 12 4
Jungle P P 12
P = Movement in this terrain is prohibited.

9
Acquisition
This procedure is used to determine whether one unit can see another. Stationary
units are invisible because troops lying down in almost any terrain except the middle
of a road will vanish behind the vegetation. For the US players, this means you will
only see the Viet Cong if you spot them moving or If you bump into them. Terrain is
allotted a number quantifying the relative difficulty of observing through or over it.
This number is known as the Visual Obscurity Quotient, or VOQ.
Procedure
1 Roll a D6
+ 4 If observing from high ground over terrain with VOQ 2 or more.
+ 5 if observing from a tree top
+ 6 if in a helicopter flying NOE
+ 1 per 2 figures moving on a 10 inch frontage
2 Subtract the moving unit's fieldcraft rating from that of the spotting unit and add
the result if positive, subtract it if negative.
3 Adjust as follows according to the movement rate of the moving unit:
crawl -6
patrol/search 0
advance by rushes +4
charging/running +8
standing unawares +3
4 Multiply the sum of the stages 1 to 3 by the VOQ of the terrain the moving unit
is in. If it was moving between different VOQ terrain, multiply by the highest.
VOQs are as follows:
dense rain forest 1/2
woods 1
5 foot high elephant grass 2
scrub, bushes & tall grass 3
uncultivated grassland 4
clear ground e.g. ploughed field 6
level open space 8
The final score is the range in inches up to which the moving unit can be seen by the spotting unit.
If the moving unit is further a way then It Is not spotted.
Example
An 8 man US squad, figures at 1 inch intervals, is advancing by rushes through elephant grass
towards the edge of the jungle 20 inches ahead. Marked on the umpire's map on the tree line is a
squad of 7 NVA regulars. To determine whether the NVA see the Americans, the umpire rolls a D6
and scores 2. He adds 4 because there are 4 pairs of figures advancing. The US fieldcraft rating is 3,
that of the NVA Is 4. Subtracting 3 from 4 gives 1, so another 1 is added, making the score 7. Going
to step (3], the US troops are advancing by rushes add 4, making the score 11. The Americans are in
elephant grass, VOQ 2.
1 1 X 2 = 22, so the NVA can spot their enemy if they are within 22 inches:
time to slip off the safety catch!

10
Small Arms Fire
Procedure
1 Total the fire points directed into the target zone according to Table (1).
2 Divide this number by the frontage of the fire zone.
3 Refer to Table (2) to determine the resultant fire effect, or RFE.
4 Multiply the RFE by the adjusted number of figures in the fire zone according to
Table (3) to give the expected number of hits.
5 Dice to determine the actual number of hits obtained.
6 Determine which figure receives each hit.
7 Dice for effect of each hit on the casualty table.
Notes
1) Table (1): see the glossary for examples of the weapons on Table (1). A
belt-fed LMG is assumed to have 2 men operating it if only 1 is present it
counts as a box-fed LMG.
2) The fire zone:
This is the area being fired into and may have a frontage of up to 2 inches per
firer. If the fire is directed against troops who have been spotted by the firing
unit then the frontage of the target may be used if this is less. The minimum
frontage of the fire zone is 1 inch. It is particularly Important that the ends of
the fire zone be made clear because often only part of an unseen hostile unit
will be in the area a player elects to shoot at. Depth of the fire zone varies:
figures prone or dug in are included if within 2 inches of the front of the zone;
kneeling figures 4 inches, standing or moving upright, 10 inches.
3) Trenches:
Troops dug in and not firing are invulnerable to small arms fire.
4) Over 30 fire points:
For values greater than 30 fire points on Table 2, count each 30 as 1 hit and
calculate the remainder as another shot.
5) Table (3)
The number of figures in the fire zone is adjusted according to their position.
6) Dicing for hits:
Consider the expected number of hits as a multiple of 0.5, plus a remainder,
then dice for each part separately with percentage dice. For example: given a
value of 1,70, roll 3 times on a 50% chance and once on a 20% chance.
Note that in this particular case, it is possible to score 4 hits, or none at all.
This reflects the randomness of fire directed into an area, at noises or at
muzzle-flashes as opposed to aimed fire at individual targets so carefully
taught in some armies but so rarely possible in the field.
7) Technical Competence:
When rolling for each 50% or fraction, modify the dice score as follows:
-10% if firer's are TC 5 +5% if firer's are TC 2
- 5% if firer's are TC 4 +10% if firer's are TC1
8) Other modifications:
+ 10% if target in terrain VOQ 2 or less +
20% if firer's are advancing by rushes.
9) Who is hit:
Dice randomly to determine who in the fire-zone is hit when hits are scored. If
some figures were in different categories for the purposes of Table (3), then
assign them chances of being hit in the same proportion i.e. men running are 6
times as likely to be hit as men lying down and firing.

11
TABLE 1 - FIRE POINTS
Weapon range in inches
2 5 10 15 20 30 50 70
Automatic rifle 7 5 4 3 2 1 1 1
Self-loading rifle 4 4 3 2 ? 2 2 1
Carbine 5 4 3 2 2 1 0 -
Automatic carbine 8 6 4 2 2 1 0 -
Sub-machine gun 8 6 4 2 1 - - -
Bolt action rifle 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 1
Break action shotgun 4 3 2 1 0 - - -
Magazine shotgun 9 7 3 1 0 - - -
Pistol 3 2 0 0 - - - -
Box-fed LMG 6 6 5 5 4 3 3 3
Belt-fed LMG 10 10 9 8 8 7 6 4
Medium machine gun 12 12 11 10 9 9 9 7
M79, M203 or flechette 7 6 5 2 - - - -
TABLE 2 HIT CONVERSION
Fire points + frontage 1 2 3 4-5 6-7 8-10 11-1 14-1 18-2 22-2 26-3
RFE 0.5 .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 1.0
TABLE 3 - FIGURES IN TARGET AREA
Stance of figure: count each figure as
Prone and hiding 1/4
Dug in and firing 1/4
Prone and firing 1/2
Patrolling or searching and go to ground 1
Advancing by rushes or kneeling 2
Running or walking & go to ground 3
Running 4

example
Six US figures are patrolling down a road in single file when a 12.7mm machine-gun fires at them
from directly ahead at a range of 10 inches. The men go to ground immediately. The fire zone is 1
inch wide, and, as all the figures are within 10 inches of each other, they are all included. The
machine-gun puts out 11 fire points at this range. The fire points are divided by the frontage of the
fire zone which obviously gives a result of 11 and this is converted on Table (2) to give a resultant
fire effect of 0.6. Looking at Table (3) we see that each of the target figures is counted as 1 so 0.6
is multiplied by 6, giving the expected number of hits as 3.6. This means that there are 7 rolls of the
dice with a 50% chance of a hit, and 1 of 10%. The umpire rolls the dice and scores 47, 32, 81, 22,
61, 75, 93, and 01. This gives 4 hits. All figures in the fire zone were moving in the same way and
therefore were on the same line in Table (3), so all have the same chance of being hit. When it has
been determined which figures were hit and how many times (it is possible for more than one hit to
occur on the same figure), refer to the casualty table to discover the effect of each hit.

12
Locating Firing Positions
This table is used to determine whether a unit can spot the position of enemy troops
firing at them, or indeed, at someone else.
Procedure:
1 Roll 2 D6 and add the scores
2 Add the VOQ of the terrain between the firing unit and the spotting unit.
3 Modify for altitude:
If on high ground +3
If in helicopter flying NOE or at low altitude +10 If in
helicopter at medium altitude +5
If up a tree +5
4 Deduct as follows according to the action of the unit which is trying to spot:
crawling, patrolling or searching -2
standing or walking -4
advancing by rushes -6
running -8
5 Add as follows according to the weapons being used by the firing unit:
+ 1 per automatic rifle, SMG or magazine shotgun used by the firer's.
+ 1/4 per bolt-action rifle, self-loading rifle or pistol
+ 2 per box-fed LMG
+ 3 per belt-fed LMG
+ 6 per medium machine gun (12.7 mm)
+ 12 per rocket launcher or recoilless rifle round fired.
6 Multiply the total score by the VOQ of the terrain the firer's are in. If the range
between the spotting unit and the firer's is equal to or less than this number then
the position of the firing unit is revealed.

Important Note
This table is very similar to the one used to spot moving units, but note that this table
uses a pair of D6 where the spotting movement table uses only one.

13
Fire & Movement
This is the turn sequence used when one unit which is moving comes under fire from
another, stationary, unit:

1) The stationary unit fires, casualties are calculated as usual if the target was
standing unawares, patrolling, searching, or crawling. If it was advancing by
rushes or running then its commander must immediately decide whether to go to
ground or try to continue the advance.
2) To continue the advance under fire requires a morale check. If the unit fails this,
then it goes to ground and fire is calculated as normal. If however, it succeeds,
and is able to reach the firing unit then the latter must take a morale test before
the effect of their fire is calculated. Some members of the stationary unit may
panic and run when they see their enemies accelerate towards them rather than
dive face down in the mud.
3) If, despite its morale test, the stationary unit still inflicts casualties on the
advancing unit then the latter must test on the GUNG HO table to see whether
they have the guts to get into close combat. If they fail the test then the close
combat procedure is not used even if the opposing sides are within close combat
range (6 inches).
The Gung Ho Table
Procedure:
Roll a D20 and score equal to or higher than the number given according to
the aggression of the unit. Subtract 2 from the score for each 10%
casualties the unit has suffered so far in the game.

Aggression 1 2 3 4 5
Score needed 20 16 11 4 0

4) If the advancing unit stops before reaching the firing unit, the firer's themselves
can attempt to initiate close combat if their opponents are now within 6 inches.
Calculate fire effect as above but divide the fire points of the unit originally
moving by 2.
5) A unit fired on while advancing may return fire during the same turn but at 1/2
effect. Its return fire is calculated after it has been shot at by the stationary unit
and after taking a morale test, so there may not be many people able or willing
to fire back.
6) A stationary unit which spots fire coming from an area may return fire at full
effect if it was directed at another unit, at 1/2 effect if it was directed at itself.

14
Melee
Troops within 6 inches of the enemy may engage them in close combat (see Fire and
Movement). Close combat is fought in rounds of which there can be up to 4 each
turn. In each round, the table below is used to determine how many casualties each
side inflicts then dice are rolled to decide which side has to take a morale test. If the
side which takes a morale test flees, then the victorious side uses the close combat
table once more to inflict more casualties on the enemy as they bug out. Otherwise,
close combat continues.

Using the table

To calculate the casualties inflicted by a unit, cross index the weapon carried by
each figure with the TC of the unit and add up the score. Divide this by 100 to give a
percentage chance of inflicting casualties. This is diced for as in small arms fire i.e.
count each 100% as 2 rolls at 50% and dice for other fractions as normal.

Casualties in close combat

Regardless of what weapons are being used in close combat, all hits are diced for on
the casualty table as if they were from 50cal. machine-gun fire. Figures which
suffer a 'near miss' result are not pinned down for the rest of the turn, but are not
included in the next round of close combat.

Grenades in close combat

A figure armed with grenades can count the value of his weapon plus 1 grenade per
round. Do not dice to hit the target as usual, just add the number given on the table.

Morale
At the end of each round of close combat roll a D6 for both sides. Add their
respective Aggression Ratings to their scores. If one side outnumbers the other by
2:1 it adds 1 to its total, if by 3:1 or more, it adds 2. The side with the lower score
must take a morale test. If the result is 'shaken' or worse, then it runs away. As it
does so, the victors get a free round of close combat.
Weapon Technical Competence
1 2 3 4 5
Automatic rifle 10 15 20 30 40
Light machine gun 3 5 10 15 20
M79 flechette 1 2 5 10 10
Automatic carbine 10 15 25 35 45
Carbine 5 8 10 15 20
Combat shotgun 5 10 25 40 55
Bolt action rifle 4 6 8 15 20
Self-loading rifle 5 8 10 20 25
Break action shotgun 2 5 5 10 10
Sub-machine gun 10 15 25 35 45
Revolver 2 4 8 10 15
Automatic pistol 3 5 10 10 15
Grenade 5 5 10 15 20

15
Grenades & Grenade launchers
Ranges:- Hand grenades may be thrown to the following maximum ranges:
2 inches by a prone figure
4 Inches by one kneeling
6 inches by one standing
Grenade launchers like the M79 and the M203 can fire at anywhere on the table
since their maximum range in scale is over 100 inches!
Accuracy
Both types of grenade have a chance of hitting the nominated target equal to their
TC rating multiplied by 20, i.e. a soldier with a rating of 3 has a 60% chance.
However, trying to hit a point target as opposed to just lobbing it in the general
direction of the enemy is harder. Refer to the table below to give the percentage
chance of hitting the following targets:
Target Stance
prone kneeling standing
Ground floor window/doorway 50 60 70
First floor window/doorway 5 40 60
Roof of small hut 10 30 60
Foxhole 40 60 70
Sandbagged position 40 55 75
Second floor window 1 20 30
Bunker firing slit 5 8 8
Missing
If the grenade does not hit the intended target, use the following tables to find out
where It lands.
a) For hand grenades and grenade launchers fired at a target over 30 inches away,
roll a D10:
1,2,3 under
4,5,6 over
7,8 right
9,0 left
Hand grenades miss by 1 inch. Grenade launchers by a D6 inches.
b) For grenade launchers fired at a target within 30 inches:
1,2,3, under by a D6 inches*
4,5,6,7,8 over by a D10 inches
9 left by a D6 inches
0 right by a D6 inches
*but there is a minimum distance from the firer equal to his or her Technical
Competence rating in inches, i.e. if a firer with a TC rating of 4 manages to fire a
round short of the target, it may land no closer than 4 inches. Less well trained
troops can actually end up in the burst zone of their own grenades!
Own Goals
Grenades are not the safest of weapons, especially in badly trained hands. Roll
percentage dice according to the Technical Competence of the grenadier. If the
score fails to exceed the number given below, the grenade goes off in the hand:

TC 1 2 3 4 5
Dice score 10 5 2 1 1

16
Failure to explode
Grenades have a basic 1 % chance of not exploding when they land. In damp
conditions this should be increased to at least 2%, home made grenades, sometimes
used by the enterprising villager, have at least a 5% chance of not going off,
according to the whim of the umpire. If a grenade fails to explode, the umpire rolls
the percentage dice:

Air Operations
Movement of aircraft
Airplanes make 1 pass per turn in a straight line, helicopters can move from any
point to any point, hover or land. All aircraft can elect to fly normally or 'evade'
which reduces the chance of being hit by ground fire but reduces the accuracy of air
launched weapons as well. They may fly at 4 different altitudes: High, Medium, Low
and Nape of the Earth (NOE). It takes one turn to move from one altitude to another.
Using the air-to-ground tables
Table 4: Accuracy of bombs & rockets
For all air launched weapons from 2.75 inch rockets to 1000 lb bombs, place a
marker on the table where you wish the center of the killing zone to land. Then roll a
D10 and cross-index the score with the weapon system being used to find out where
it actually lands. Example a roll of 5 for a grenade launcher (as carried by AH-1
Cobra helicopters) means that the kill zone center is a D6 inches to the left of the
marker. Note how altitude increases the error distance.
Table 5: Strafing
Airplanes strafing a target with fixed machine-guns/cannon simply point their nose at
the target, making for greater accuracy. This table gives the percentage chance of
hitting the intended target, if the dice roll is higher than the number given, dice again
on Table 4.
Table 6: Casualties
Anyone in the killing zone may be a casualty. Cross index the weapon being used
with the situation of the occupants of the killing zone. This gives a factor which is
converted to give a percentage chance of a hit per figure. Multiply this percentage
chance by the number of figures in the zone to give the expected number of
casualties. Dice for hits as for small arms fire.
Example: 4 Viet Cong are lying prone in the jungle when the US Air Force drops a
napalm tank on their position. The VC are in dense rain forest, VOQ 1/2, so on Table
6 this gives a factor of 1 6. On the conversion table, 1 6 yields a percentage chance
of 28 per man. This Is multiplied by the number of figures in the target area, which
gives 1.12 expected hits (4 X 28), roll for casualties twice with a 50% chance and
once with a 12% chance.
KILLING ZONES
7.62mm & 0.50 cal machine guns and
cannon can either hit a point target
4 X 4 inches or a linear target 9 inches
long and 2 inches wide.
Miniguns' point target is 6 X 6 and their
linear target 1 2 X 3 .
A salvo of up to 7 rockets hits an area
either 12 X 12 or 6 X 24.
A single rocket hits a 4" circle.
Napalm hits a 5 X 15 area.

17
TABLE 4 Accuracy of Bombs & Rockets
D10 score/error direction MG or GL rocket bomb
1,2,3,4, under D10 D10 D20
5 left D6 D6 D10
6 right D6 D6 D10
7,8,9,0 over D10 D20 D20
The die score for error is doubled if at medium and quadrupled if at high altitude.
TABLE 5 STRAFING (only possible if flying NOE or Low)
Aircraft Target
flying at: Point Target Linear Target
NOE straight 80 90
NOE evading 70 75
Low straight 60 80
Low eveading 50 55
TABLE 6 CASUALTIES
Weapon Target
Prone(1/2) Prone(1) Prone (2 + ) Trench Hooch Brick building
7.62mm MG 1 4 5 3/0 6 5
0.50 cal MG 2 4 5 3/0 6 5
Minigun 2 10 11 9/0 12 11
20mm cannon 2 10 10 10/0 14 13
750lb bomb <10" 16 17 18 16/0 18 18
750lb bomb <5" 19 20 20 18/10 20 20
1000lb bomb <10" 17 18 19 17/0 19 19
1000lb bomb <5" 20 21 22 19/12 21 21
Napalm 16 19 20 20/12 20 11
Rocket pod x 7 6 15 16 12/6 18 14
Rocket pod x 19 8 17 18 16/8 19 18
40mm GL 1 10 14 12/5 15 7
Single rocket 1 7 8 4/1 10 6
CONVERSION TABLE
factor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
% per man 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 10 12 14 17 20 24 28 34 40 48 57 67 80

Notes on table 6
1) The numbers in parenthesis after 'prome' are the VOQ of the terrain that the
troops are in, i.e. if lying down in dense jungle, use the (1/2) column.
2) A hooch is the average smelly hut found in South-East Asia, made of grass,
cardboard, corrugated iron, plastic sheeting etc. Easily knocked flat and rebuilt.
3) The number to the left of the slash in the 'trench' column is used if its occupants
are foolish enough to be up and firing when the aircraft attack. The number on
the right is used when they are hiding at the bottom of the trench.
4) A 19 round rocket pod either hits the same area as a 7 round pod in which case
use the numbers given for the 19 pod on the table, or hits an area 1 5 X 15 or
10 X 20 using the factors for a 7 round pod.
5) Add 4 to the factor if the troops are crawling about while under attack, add 8 if
they are upright.
18
Anti-Aircraft Fire
TABLE 7 ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE
Weapon Range Helicopters Jets Prop Damage
1 2 3 Aircraft
H M E H M E H M E
Fireteam 20 4 2 1 3 1 1 5 3 2 2 A
7.62mm MG 40 30 20 10 25 10 4 55 40 35 1 15 A
0.50 cal MG 60 30 20 10 25 10 4 55 40 35 3 15 B
0.50 cal MG 20 75 45 25 65 30 15 85 60 50 12 35 B
57mm AA Any 20 15 12 18 15 11 35 20 15 5 10 C
37mm AA Any 18 14 12 15 13 10 30 15 13 4 8 C
SA-7 Any 25 15 15 10 5 5 70 65 65 10 20 2xC
Quad 0.50 60 + 60 40 20 50 20 9 90 80 70 6 30 B
Quad 0.50 20 95 70 50 85 60 30 97 97 95 20 55 B

This gives the percentage chance of an anti-aircraft weapon scoring hits on an

aircraft. Roll equal to or less than the number given using percentage dice. Helicopter
targets are divided into 3 groups: (1) is for basic utility helicopters, UH-1's ('Hueys',
Kiowas etc). (2) is for small observation helicopters like the Loach plus the less
maneuverable but tougher helicopter gun ships. Category (3) is for big transport
choppers like the Chinook or Jolly Green Giant. The letters underneath refer to the
helicopter's movement while under fire. H = hovering, M = moving normally, E =
evading. The damage line will be used on Table 8 if a hit is achieved. All weapons
except fire-teams and 7.62mm machine-guns may engage aircraft at up to medium
height. Only 57mm and 37mm guns and SA-7 missiles may fire at aircraft at high
altitude. To hit aircraft at medium height and higher is however, more difficult: halve
the chance of a hit at medium altitude and quarter it at high.

19
TABLE 8 AIRCRAFT DAMAGE

Aircraft Type Damage 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Light Helo. A N N N N N N N N C C C C C C C F S S S S
B C C C C C F S S S S S S S S S S S X X X
C S S S S S S S X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Medium A N N N N N N N N N N N N N C C C C D F S
Helo. B C C C C C C C C C C C C S S S S S X X X
C S S S S S S S S S S X X X X X X X X X X
Gunship A N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N C D S
Helo. B N N N N N N C C C C D D D D S S S S X X
C S S S S S S S S S S X X X X X X X X X X
Transport A N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N C C D
Helo. B N N N N N N N N N N N N N D D D C S S X
C D D S S S S S S S S S S S S S X X X X X
Light Jet/ A N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N D
Prop aircraft B N N N N N N N N N N N N N C D D D D X X
C N N N N N N N C D D X X X X X X X X X X
Large Jet/ A N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N D
Prop aircraft B N N N N N N N N N N N N N D D D D D X X
C N N N N N N N C C D D D D D D X X X X X

KEY
N= No effect. ......
C= Crew member hit, dice which.
X= Aircraft explodes.
D= Aircraft damaged, must return to base.
S= If helicopter; must crash on table, crew dice on casualty table
If aircraft; crew must eject - 65% chance with ejector seat, 40% if not.

20
Communications
The standard radios carried by American units were the PRC 25 and the larger PRC
77 which had a scrambler device. The NVA often used captured radios in addition to
their Chinese or Soviet equipment. This sometimes led to troops intercepting the
other side's messages which can add an interesting twist to a scenario. Players can
only communicate with each other if their personal figures are within 2 inches of
each other, or by using radios. To establish radio contact a player informs the umpire
who then rolls a D10 and adds the following to the score:

+ 1 if it is raining heavily.
+ 2 if a tropical storm is in progress.
+ 1 if there are more than 5 figures or any machine-guns are firing within 20
inches of either radio set.
+ 1 if artillery fire is impacting within 40 inches of either set.
+ 2 if either operator is under fire.

If the score is 8 or less then communications are successfully established and remain
so until either operator breaks contact or has to dice on the casualty table.

As each turn only represents one minute, players should not be allowed to indulge in
lengthy communication. Each radio conversation should be strictly controlled by the
umpire who allows the players a D10 + 15 seconds talk per game turn, preferably
out of earshot of other players. This procedure also needs to be used when players
get in touch with off-table units eg. fire bases or CASEVAC helicopters. When using
off-table artillery, ranging can begin on the first turn that the player controlling the
Forward Observation Officer figure establishes radio contact. A player may take part
in a maximum of two radio communications per turn.

Alternative system
If a tape recorder, or better still a Dictaphone, is available, the following system is
strongly recommended as it assists greatly in the 'suspension of the disbelief which
is essential in a simulation game of this kind. Each player should have a radio call
sign which will often be the same for a company but with the number of the platoon
added. The dicing system is still used to establish radio contact, but if a player is
successful he goes to the recorder and tapes his message (again, obviously, out of
earshot of the other players). He should remember to identify himself and the
recipient of the message by the appropriate call signs and give map references
where necessary.
When communicating with off-table artillery all that needs to be recorded is the map
co-ordinates of the intended target and the type of ammunition required (smoke or
HE). Any messages from off table units not represented by players should be
recorded by the umpire who can also add to the confusion by taping spurious
messages from 'nearby' units and occasionally interfering with players messages as
well.
At the end of the turn all tape messages are played back to the assembled players,
once only. They must, as a real unit had to, listen out for their call sign and
messages intended for them. The umpire must also note carefully the map co-
ordinates given by players who are calling in air strikes or artillery shoots!

21
Artillery Fire
Ranging
Before hitting the target, artillery, mortars and tank guns must range in using the
ranging table. An aiming point is nominated, this will be the intended center of the
barrage. Single rounds are fired until the shells are hitting the aiming point or the
observer is satisfied they are near enough for him to order "Fire For Effect". A
battery may fire as many ranging shots per game turn as it has technical
competence points if it is firing direct i.e. the gunners can see the fall of shot
themselves. If firing indirect then a battery may fire as many ranging rounds per turn
as the forward observer has technical competence points.
Procedure
Roll the percentage dice twice, once for lateral error and once for vertical error.
Always remember that although the table says 'hit' on the 46-55 line, this only
means a hit in one plane. Thus it is possible to have no error in the lateral plane but
still have the shells landing over or under the intended center of the barrage.
Each successive shot is more accurate: the second shot's accuracy is improved by
allowing the player to add or deduct (his choice) the technical competence of the
gunners to both of the dice rolls, thus allowing him to reduce the error. The dice rolls
for the third ranging round can be modified by 3 x the gunners' technical
competence, and so on. Once a hit is achieved in one plane, the rest of the shells
are assumed to 'hit' in that plane.
Kill Zones
These vary according to whether a single round is hitting the table or whether a
barrage is being fired by a number of guns. Single shells have a circular Kill Zone
which has a diameter on the table of one inch for every centimeter calibre of the
weapon eg. an 81mm mortar round has a KZ 8 inches across, a shell from a 203
mm howitzer has a KZ 20 inches across.
Kill Zones of batteries come in two shapes: 'Sheaf or 'box'. Sheaf fire is a line of
individual Kill Zones pointing directly back towards the firing gun or battery, thus if
three 105 mm howitzers fired a sheaf pattern, the Kill Zone would be 10 inches
across and 31 V2 inches deep. In box fire, consider the individual Kill Zones to be
square shaped and placed in a rectangular pattern like beer bottles in a crate

Casualties from artillery

Figures in an artillery Kill Zone roll percentage dice to determine whether or not they
may become a casualty. Roll for every figure in the zone: if the score is equal to or
less than the number given then the figure must dice on the casualty table.
Use Table 9 if only one round landed eg a tank fires a shell into a house, an artillery
ranging round lands near some troops or infantry are using anti-tank weapons
against each other (RPG-2 & RPG-7 anti-tank rockets were often used by the VC
against US infantry and the American LAW system proved equally effective). All
such HEAT rounds have a Kill Zone 3" across.
Use Table 10 if troops are on the receiving end of a barrage.

22
ARTILLERY FIRE ERROR RABLE
Dice Roll Field Guns & Howitzers
Long Range Short Range Mortars Direct Fire Guns
01 L11 U33 L6 U21 L7 U10 L8 U6
02 L9 U28 L5 U17 L6 U8 L7 U5
03 L8 U25 L5 U16 L5 U7 L6 U4
04 L8 U24 L5 U14 L5 U7 L6 U4
05 L7 U22 L4 U14 L5 U6 L5 U4
06-10 L6 U19 L4 U12 L4 U5 L5 U3
11-15 L5 U15 L3 U9 L3 U4 L4 U3
16-20 L4 U12 L2 U7 L3 U3 L3 U2
21-25 L3 U10 L2 U6 L2 U3 L2 U2
26-30 L3 U8 L1 U5 L2 U2 L2 U1
31-35 L2 U6 L1 U4 L1 U2 L1 U1
36-40 L1 U4 L1 U3 L1 U1 L1 U1
41-45 L1 U2 L1 U2 L1 U1 L1 U1
46-55 HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT HIT
56-60 R1 02 R1 02 R1 01 R1 02
61-65 R1 04 R1 03 R1 01 R1 04
66-70 R2 06 R1 04 R1 02 R1 05
71-75 R3 08 R1 05 R2 02 R2 07
76-80 R3 010 R2 06 R2 03 R2 08
81-85 R4 012 R2 07 R3 03 R3 010
86-90 R5 015 R3 09 R3 04 R4 013
91-95 R6 019 R4 012 R4 05 R5 016
96 R7 022 R4 014 R5 06 R5 019
97 R8 024 R5 014 R5 07 R6 020
98 R8 025 R5 016 R5 07 R6 022
99 R9 028 R6 017 R6 08 R7 024
00 R11 033 R6 018 R7 010 R8 028

Legend L = Left, R = Right, U = Under and 0 = Over.

TABLE 9 CASUALTIES FROM A SINGLE ROUND

Stance Grenade HEAT round High Explosive round

frag WP up to 90mm 90mm + up to 100mm up to 130mm 130mm +
Prone 25 25 25 30 30 35 40
Kneeling 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Standing up 95 90 95 97 97 98 99
Running/A by R 50 45 60 65 70 75 80
In buildings * 60# 65# 60 65 55 65 70
In trenches (up) 10 15 12 15 12 15 20
In trenches(down) 1 1 1 1 1 2 3
* = brick or concrete only, a bamboo/grass/cardboard hooch provides damn little protection from
shrapnel!
# = Only if the grenade goes off inside the building. If it was thrown from outside and fails to go through the window
or door then it has no effect on people inside a brick or concrete building unless they are leaning out of a window
or doorway.

23
TABLE 10 CASUALTIES FROM BARRAGES
This is used to calculate casualties inflicted when artillery is used to bombard enemy
positions. Cross index the weapon firing with the number of gun/minutes the area is
shelled for. This gives the percentage chance of each figure being hit, roll for each
figure individually. A gun/minute is one gun firing for one minute, thus 60
gun/minutes could be either 2 guns firing for 30 minutes or 6 guns firing for 10
minutes etc. Figures on the receiving end of an artillery barrage are assumed to be
lying down and not firing. If troops run through a barrage, either because they are
bugging out or they succeed a morale test to advance under fire, calculate the
chance of each figure being hit by using only the number of guns and not multiplying
by the length of the barrage. Troops in trenches are assumed to be lying at the
bottom of them, if they have high enough morale to keep firing then count those in
light trenches as in the open and those in proper trenches as in light trenches.
Weapon Guns x Minutes
Target 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20 30 60
50/60mm mortar In open 2 5 7 10 12 23 34 42 52 75
In Jungle 2 5 6 7 10 18 27 34 47 71
In light trench 0 1 2 2 3 5 9 10 14 26
In trench 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 6
81 or 82 mm In open 3 6 8 10 12 23 32 41 54 79
mortar In Jungle 2 4 6 8 10 20 28 36 50 75
In light trench 0 1 2 2 3 6 9 12 17 31
In trench 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 4 6 10
107mm or 120mm In open 6 10 15 20 25 44 58 69 82 97
mortar & guns up In Jungle 5 8 13 18 20 36 49 58 74 93
to 90mm In light trench 2 3 4 5 6 12 17 23 31 52
In trench 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 6 12
Guns up to 125mm In open 10 18 25 32 38 62 76 86 94 99
& mortars up to In Jungle 6 12 18 24 30 51 66 76 88 99
160mm In light trench 3 5 6 7 8 15 22 28 39 63
In trench 0 0 0 1 1 2 4 5 8 15
Guns up to 180mm In open 10 20 30 40 50 75 88 94 98 99
In Jungle 10 20 30 40 50 75 88 94 98 99
In light trench 3 5 7 9 10 19 27 34 47 72
In trench 0 0 0 1 2 4 6 8 12 23
Guns over 180mm In open 10 20 30 40 50 75 88 94 98 99
In Jungle 10 20 30 40 50 75 88 94 98 99
In light trench 3 6 7 10 12 23 32 41 54 79
In trench 1 2 2 2 3 6 9 12 17 31

Target definitions
In the Open
means not entrenched and in terrain other than tropical rain forest.
Jungle
means not entrenched but in tropical rain forest. It was found in Vietnam that triple
canopy hardwood jungle afforded some protection from lighter calibre shells.
Light trench
means a shell scrape only a couple of feet deep in which a man can crouch.
Trench
means a proper slit trench or 'spider hole' 5 foot deep or more.
24
Snipers and Aimed Fire
Most fire-fights in Vietnam were fought against an invisible enemy. A US squad
might come under fire from a tree line and return fire but no-one could actually aim
his rifle at an individual Viet Cong. Instead, troops fired into the approximate area
and relied on sheer volume of fire: if enough bullets were fired, someone had to get
hit. However, there will be some situations in which troops can actually draw a bead
on a specific target eg a VC sniper in a concealed position has a clear view of an
advancing American unit or perhaps a cluster of people around a CASEVAC
helicopter or even in the (unlikely) event that Americans get a clear view of the Viet
Cong. It should be stressed however, that accuracy in combat is generally poor and
that the vast majority of fire is not carefully aimed. If there is any doubt as to
whether to use the normal firing system or this Aimed Fire system, stick to the
former.
Requirements
1) All troops have an aimed fire rating from 0 (worse) to 9 (best). The maximum
range up to which aimed fire is allowed is 8 times the aimed fire rating of a
figure, or if it is less, the maximum range on the fire points table for which the
figure's weapon has been given a rating of zero or more. Thus if a figure has the
exceptionally high rating of 7 then he or she may snipe at up to 56 inches if in
possession of a rifle.
2) The firer must be stationary
3) If the target is moving, the firer must spot it according to the visibility table. If
the target is stationary it must be in terrain with a VOQ of 4 or higher. If it is
firing then the firer must spot the target's location.

Procedure
Add the firer's rating to the weapon's fire points given on the fire points table or the
table below if using a purpose built sniping rifle or pistol with target sights. Add the
appropriate value from Table 11. Roll less than or equal to this number on a D20 to
score a hit, but always count a score of 20 as a miss. When dicing on the casualty
table after achieving a hit, add 1 to the die score if the target was stationary and the
firer has an Aimed Fire Rating of 7 or more.
Weapon/Range 2 5 10 15 20 30 50 70
Rifle 10 8 6 4 3 3 2 2
Pistol 8 6 3 1 0 - - -

TABLE 11
Target Stance VOQ Target is in
1/2-1 2-3 4 +
Prone -7 -5 -3
Running/A by R -6 -4 -2
Standing/Marching -3 -2 -1
Kneeling/Sitting -1 0 +1
In vehicle hatch 0 +1 +1
Patrol/Searching -2 0 +2

25
Tank and Anti-Tank Weapons
There were only a few occasions during the Vietnam war when tanks fought other
tanks, but armoured vehicles nevertheless saw a great deal of action. The US Army
considered Vietnam unsuitable for armoured operations although where tanks were
employed they proved very effective and M113 APCs turned out to be effective
combat vehicles in their own right. From 1972 onwards, the North Vietnamese made
increasing use of armour to spearhead their attacks against the doomed South
Vietnamese.
Table 12 is used to determine whether a weapon has hit its target, Table 13 is used to
determine what damage a vehicle suffers if it is hit. It is important to remember that
when shells are fired at infantry whether by tanks, infantry anti-tank weapons or field
guns, the artillery rules are used. Table 1 2 is used when firing at point targets eg.
buildings or vehicles, If a shell misses, then dice on the artillery ranging table to see
where it lands, using the direct fire artillery column and if a 'hit' result is achieved,
count the explosion as taking place right in front of the intended target.

Table 12
Cross index weapon and range in inches. This gives the basic factor which is modified
as shown. After modifying the basic factor, refer to the conversion table. This gives a
number which must be equalled or exceeded on a D20 to score a hit. If, when
referring to the conversion table you have a factor which falls between two listed,
count it as the lower one eg a factor of 52 counts as 50 rather than 53. EXAMPLE: a
75 mm recoilless rifle fires at an M48 tank at a range between 20 and 30 inches. The
firer's are TC 3, the tank moved less than 20" (no modification) but is a large vehicle
( + 2), giving a final score of 52. The crew need to score 7 or more on the die to score
a hit.

TABLE 12 TANKS AND ANTI-TANK WEAPONS

Weapon Range in inches
5 10 15 20 30 40 50 60 80 +
75 mm or 82 mm RR 57 56 55 53 50 49 47 45 43
RPG-7 or 57 mm RR 57 56 54 49 48 47 44 43 31
3.5 in RL 56 54 49 47 43 37 27 21 12
RPG-2 (B-40) 55 50 47 43 37 27 21 12 04
LAW 55 50 43 37 27 21 12 - -
90/106/107 mm RR 57 57 56 56 54 54 51 48 41
Tank guns 57 57 57 57 56 55 54 52 50

Modifications
Firer's Technical Competence 1 2 3 4 5
Modification -6 -3 + /-0 +3 +6

26
Target Movement Target Size
Over 20 inches -3 very large i.e. 2 storey building +6
Over 40 inches -6 large vehicle eg. M60, M48, M4 +2
Second and Subsequent shot medium sized vehicle i.e. T54, M24 +/- 0
At the same target +3 APC eg. M113 or Armoured car -2
Small vehicle eg. Jeep or car -3
Suppressive Fire on infantry very small target eg. window -6
Under machine-gun fire under artillery fire under fire from both
-10 if in open -1 2 if in open -20 if in open
-5 if dug in -6 if dug in -8 if dug in
CONVERSION TABLE
Factor 12 21 27 31 34 37 39 43 44 45 47 48 49 50 53 54 55 56 57 58 +
Score 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Table 13
Roll a D20 to determine results of hits on an armored vehicle. Line used are:-
(1) for shells of 40-66mm calibre unable to penetrate the armor.
(2) for infantry AT weapons up to 66mm calibre (LAW) able to penetrate the armour.
(3) for larger infantry anti-tank weapons able to penetrate the armor and 75 mm +
calibre rounds unable to.
(4) 75 mm + HEAT/AP rounds able to penetrate the armor.
(5) automatic weapons able to penetrate the armor.
TABLE 13 HITS ON ARMOURED VEHICLES
Damage Die Roll
Column
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - H W W H TJ TG
(2) - - - - - W W W H H H H H H H T TJ TG TJG X
(3) - - - HR H H H W W W HW TG TG HF HE HR HH TJG TG X
E E G
(4) - W W W WH WH HE HR HF HE HE HE HF H TG TJG TG TJGR X X
R GR GJ
(5) - W HW HW HW HH HH HE HR HR HF HE HH HH TG TG TG TGG X X
W F F E E HR R HR GR HH
KEY:
H = Crewman in the vehicle hull is hit, dice on casualty table using the 'rifle' line.
T = Crewman in turret hit as above. If the vehicle has no turret, count as H.
E = Engine knocked out, vehicle may not move. If hit from rear and engine at the
front, count as H, likewise if hit from the front and the engine is at the rear.
G= Vehicle's main gun is knocked out. Subsequent 'G' hits knock out co-axial
armament if any, if none, count as H.
R = vehicle radio destroyed
J = turret jammed in current position, if no turret, count as a 'W' hit.
W = Wheels/tracks damaged. Tracked vehicle cannot move, 6-wheeled vehicles lose
2/3rds of their movement points, 4-wheeled vehicles lose 3/4 of theirs.
X= Vehicle knocked out: crew must abandon it, each crew member dicing on the
casualty table, using the line used by shot down helicopter crew.
F = Vehicle catches fire. Dice each turn to put it out, starting with a 60% chance,
decreasing by 10% each turn. Each failed attempt counts as an 'H' hit,
when the chances to put it out have been exhausted it must be abandoned. A
dice score of 95 + and the vehicle blows up immediately counting as an 'X' hit.

27
HITS ON UNARMOURED VEHICLES
By Shells
If an unarmored vehicle is hit by a shell, roll the percentage dice and if the score is
equal to or less than the shell calibre in millimeters, the vehicle is destroyed. The
minimum chance of destruction is 50%, the maximum is 95%. If the vehicle is
destroyed, all occupants must dice on the casualty table. If the vehicle is not
destroyed it is assumed the shell passed through the vehicle without exploding so
count it as a miss.

By Automatic Weapons
When small arms are fired at unarmoured vehicles, add up the fire points as usual on the
Fire Points Table and calculate fire effect as if shooting at men in a kneeling position on a
one inch frontage. Count automatic weapons of 20mm to 57mm calibre as a pair of
12.7mm machine guns.
When calculating the casualties inflicted on the occupants of a vehicle it is vital to reduce
fire effect in proportion to the amount of the turn the target is fired at. A moving truck
might be speeding down a track when shot at, providing the driver is not a casualty it
might only be under fire for a tenth or possibly a twentieth of a turn. Casualties must be
reduced accordingly.

Casualties
Each figure hit dices on this table as many times as he or she was hit. The numbers in
parenthesis mean that a figure in a flak jacket is pinned down rather than wounded.

Key: K.I.A. = Killed in Action

W.I.A = Wounded: may only crawl at half speed, two wounds
incapacitate the figure, three cause death.
NEAR MISS This represents minor wounds and close calls: the figure Is
pinned down next turn i.e. may not move or fire.
CASUALTY TABLE
Weapon K.I.A. W.I.A. NEAR MISS OK
Rifle bullet 0, 9 8, 7, 6, 5 4, 3, 2, 1
Pistol bullet 0, 9 8, 7, (6) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Shotgun at more than 6" 0,9 8, 7, (6) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Shotgun at up to 6" 0, 9 8, 7, 6, 5 4, 3, 2, 1
0.50 cal/12.7mm MG 0,9,8 7, 6, 5, 4 3, 2, 1
Napalm bomb 0, 9 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 2, 1
Concussion grenade 0 9 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 1
Frag. grenade 0, 9 8, 7, (6) 5, 4, 3, 2 1
WP grenade 0, 9 8, 7, 6, (5) 4,3 2,1
Artillery shell 0,9 8, 7, 6, (5) 4, 3, 2, 1
Mortar bomb 0, 9 8, 7, (6) 5,4, 3 2,1
90 mm/106 mm flechette 0, 9, 8 7, 6, 5, (4) 3, 2, 1
Helicopter or Vehicle crew 0, 9 8, 7, 6 5,4, 3 2,1

28
Morale
When to test ....
1) Each turn some figures in a unit have to roll on the casualty table.
2) Being charged
3) When a unit wishes to try to use the Gung Ho table
4) When a unit, already under fire, attempts to move
5) When a unit with an Aggression Rating of 1 or 2 first sees casualties
Procedure
The unit rolls a pair of D6 and modifies the score as follows:
Subtract Aggression Rating if it is trying to advance or charge. Subtract
Endurance Rating if it is being charged or holding its ground under fire. Subtract
Discipline Rating if a unit comes under fire from a previously unlocated enemy
when moving or if a unit is attempting to retreat while under fire.

Add 1 for the following:

per figure which had to dice on the casualty table this turn.
per casualty in total in the game
under fire from a 0.50 cal MG.
in VOQ 1 terrain unless used to it.
hostile armoured vehicle within 10 inches.
unit has a frontage greater than 2 inches and is in terrain at VOQ 4 or more
Add 2 for the following:
surprised (do not count if moving at patrol or search speed).
under fire from a minigun.
under attack from flame weapons.
inexperienced troops under artillery fire.
experienced troops under air attack.
enfiladed.
Add 3 for the following:
fired at from the rear
experienced troops under artillery fire. .
inexperienced troops under air attack.
no friendly troops with 20 inches.
unit has a frontage greater than 2" per figure and is in terrain of VOQ 3 or less.
squad leader KIA or WIA
unit has no anti-tank weapons and enemy armour within 20 inches.
Subtract 1 for the following:
per flank/rear supported by a friendly unit at least half the size of the unit testing
its morale.
platoon officer with unit

Result
UNIT ACTIVITY OK STOP SHAKEN HIDE BUG OUT
Trying to advance under fire 4 5 6- 7 7 8 - 12 13 +
Being charged 6 -9 10 11 +
Stationary under fire Coming 5 4-6 6-87 9- 13 14 +
under fire while moving 3 -8 9- 12 13 +
Trying to retire under fire 6 7 8 9 - 10 11 +

29
Results
OK = The unit has no morale problems

STOP = The unit halts and may not advance towards the enemy for the rest of this turn
and the whole of the next. If the unit fires, dice for each figure with a 30%
chance each one keeps his/her head down and doesn't fire.

SHAKEN = The same as STOP but each figure has a 50% chance of not firing

HIDE = If In terrain VOQ 6 or higher, the unit runs to the nearest area with a lower
VOQ and not known to be occupied by the enemy. If already in terrain of VOQ
5 or less, the troops hide which makes them harder to hit with small arms (see
the Fire Points Table). However, each figure has a 90% chance of not firing. If
enemy troops succeed in getting into close combat with a unit in this state
then the hiding troops bug out instead.

BUG OUT = All unwounded men run away at maximum speed, they flee off the table, not
stopping for anything. If within 6 inches of the enemy each figure has a 50%
chance of surrendering, wounded figures of course have little choice but to
surrender

Players Notes
While the victory points system encourages a degree of rivalry between players, it should
be noted that when players fail to co-operate and do not obey the orders of the
commander, they tend to lose the game. If one player's squad takes fire from a tree-line,
the others should come to his aid, some forming a base of fire to suppress the enemy
while others move to the flank to catch the VC when they retreat. Co-ordination of the
squads is the job of the commander and unless the players work together this is almost
impossible. Of course, things can be even more complicated if allied forces are being
used. US players may well prefer to let the ARVN take the brunt of the fighting - it's their
damn country after all. On the other hand the ARVN might well take the view that since
the Americans have all that amazing equipment and money, they can get on with it
themselves.
Support Weapons
Remember to use your supporting artillery with care, barrages should not be ordered on
targets within 10 inches of US forces unless the situation is critical. A single 155 mm shell
landing short may do the Viet Cong's job for them. Be warned of one common VC tactic,
firing from the outskirts of a neutral village to encourage the Americans to shell the whole
area and turn the whole area against the government. So before you turn a ville into a
parking lot with the help of the air support, think!

The other side of the hill

This is the oldest military cliche, but no less true for that. When advancing across
the table, think where you would deploy an ambush if you were the Viet Cong
commander. Look out for good ambush positions, don't walk into obvious killing
grounds. Use Fire and Movement, squads covering each other with someone
observing at all times. Don't go through gates, climb the fence a few yard further
along and never leave wounded troops unattended.

30
Time
BODYCOUNT is different from run-of-the-mill Wargames which last about 10 turns whatever each
turn is supposed to represent. Although each turn in BODYCOUNT represents one minute, many
tasks from searching a hooch to calling in CASEVAC will take many minutes and the games
master/umpire will use multi-minute moves wherever possible. The 'Patrol' and 'Search'
movement rates might seem slow but in fact they are generously fast compared with the speed
some units probed in potentially booby-trapped jungle. Take your time, it will often save lives. A
glance at the Fire Points Table will reveal just how horribly dangerous it is to run about when
people are firing automatic weapons about the place. What worked for John Wayne did not
always work for the average Grunt. So, think ahead, co-ordinate your moves and support fire
and hey, let's be very careful out there!

Games Master's Notes

The central problem in low level counter-insurgency warfare is telling the difference between
civilians and guerillas. As a rule, civilians in games of BODYCOUNT should be neutral, that is,
while not exactly enthusiastic about the South Vietnamese government, they are not convinced
communists either. But their actions can often be mistaken especially by a foreign army which
does not speak their language and has no idea of their traditions, social attitudes or way of life.
Furthermore they are no strangers to conflict, the war has dragged on and on since the 1940s
so a little shooting in the distance is nothing new. This can lead to a US squad being mortared
and beginning to feel that the bunch of 'farmers' in the next field who are still working might be
the Viet Cong forward observation team. Sometimes, this might indeed be the case. Civilian
figures are a must in BODYCOUNT. They can pop up unexpectedly and generally get in the
players' way presenting a host of problems not found in any other simulation game: many
players will have little ides as to how to react. Sometimes, the 'civilians' will indeed by VC
relying on their innocent appearance to approach to close range. Remember the girl who lobs the
grenade into the CASEVAC chopper in APOCALYPSE NOW?
Players' objectives
The players will in most cases have the same objective eg. search the environs of a
village, defend the firebase and so on, but it can make for a very interesting game if
some players have slightly different objectives, particularly when Allied troops are
used. For instance, the ARVN objective might not be to find VC in a village, but to
steal livestock. Tribal irregulars like the Montagnards night be told by the umpire that
they lose less points for wasting civilians, after all, to the Montagnards, all
Vietnamese were the same: foreigners. This can place American units in quite a
dilemma.
American support weapons
US forces often had devastating firepower from artillery, helicopters and airplanes on
call and often supplied supporting fire for ARVN units. Full rules for all these
weapons are provided but it is a good idea to fight some smaller scenarios first, say,
with a weak company of troops supported by say 3 105mm howitzers. A small
game fought to a satisfactory conclusion is usually preferable to a huge game which
has to abandoned for lack of time.
Detached forces
Players frequently try to detach a couple of their men to perform tasks in isolation, searching a
hooch or checking out a bamboo thicket. If a squad leader does move his men out of sight of his
personal figure to perform a different mission from the

31
rest of the squad then the umpire should control their actions until they are re-united
with the rest of the squad. Men spending a long time out of the eye of their leader
might not feel so keen to lay their lives on the line.

TROOP RATING
Unit Troop Rating
TC AR ER DR FR Aimed Fire
US Special Forces, LURPS etc. 5 5 5 5 5 6-9
Good US Regulars 4 5 5 4 4 3 -9
Average US Troops 3 3 4 3 3 1-7
Australian/New Zealand Troops 5 5 5 4 3 5 -9
South Korean (the ROKs) 3 4 5 4 3 0-8
ARVN Elite Combat Units 3 3 3 3 3 0-8
ARVN Average Units 3 2 3 2 2 0-6
Popular Forces 1 2 2 1 2 0-4
Tribal Units (eg. Montagnards) 3 4 3 2 4 0- 7
NVA Sappers 5 5 5 5 5 3-9
NVA Regulars 4 4 5 5 4 1 -9
Viet Cong Cadre/Khmer Rouge 3 4 5 5 5 0-8
Viet Cong Main Force Units 2 4 3 3 4 0-7
Viet Cong Local Villagers 1 3 2 2 3 0-4
INFANTRY SQUAD STRENGTHS
Unit Strength (regulation/typical)
US Special Forces Various / 5 - 7
US Regular Infantry 11 / 7 - 9
US Marine Corps 13 / 7-10
Australians 10 / 8-9
South Koreans 10 / 7-8
ARVN Regulars 10 / 7-8
Popular Forces Various / 6 - 12
NVA/VC Main Force 10/7-8

32
Troop Quality
The ratings given here can only give a general picture, it is important to remember
that the same unit might have fought in Vietnam for many years but its personnel
might have changed entirely. The US system of limiting tours of duty to one year
ensured a continuing supply of green troops. It has been said that whereas the Viet
Cong had ten year's experience of fighting Americans, the US had only one years
experience, but repeated 10 times. On the other hand, the Viet Cong suffered heavy
casualties and sometimes threw very inexperienced troops into action, particularly
after the 1968 Tet offensive. Although the NVA sapper teams were first class
soldiers, the Viet Cong were not supermen and they should be rated accordingly.
Everyone is familiar with the sorry state of 'Marvin the ARVN': the 1 7 year old
peasant boy dragged from his village to risk life and limb for the distant government
in Saigon. Then there are the ARVN paratroops who spent most of their time in
barracks or bars and many Province Chiefs knew that the way to political
advancement lay in minimising casualties. In most years of the Vietnam war, the
ARVN lost more men by desertion than any other cause. On the other hand, some
ARVN units did very well, so its up to you. Keep reading.
Aimed fire ratings should generally be at the low end of the range given. Other
ratings can be increased over a series of games using the same unit and players in a
mini-campaign. Most Vietnam novels follow the progress of a squad or platoon over
a limited period, BODYCOUNT allows you to do the same. If a campaign progresses
over a long period then the players should have some fresh draftees (FNGs) to look
after.

Weapons
Most US Army soldiers used the M14 until 1968 when the first large consignments
of M16s arrived, although Special Forces and Air Force security troops used M16s
from 1962. M16s were billed as 'self-cleaning' but due to a change in the propellant
they weren't: the result was jammed rifles and dead GIs. Hence the poor reputation
of the M16 which lasted until the 1970s although relatively few weapons caused
problems. The M79 grenade launcher served throughout the war although
supplemented by the pump action single shot M203 from 1972 onwards. Guys
armed with an M79 carried a Colt M1911 .45 cal pistol as a sidearm. Anti-tank
weapons like the 90 mm Recoilless rifle were generally used to defend fixed
positions rather than lugged around the boonies but the 66mm Light Anti-tank
Weapon (LAW) proved handy in close range infantry fighting. The M60 General
Purpose Machine Gun was known as the 'Pig' for a bunch of reasons, and although
its worst problems had been ironed out by the late 60s, it remains a mystery how
such a mediocre weapon was ever adopted by the USA.
The Viet Cong and the bewildering number of pro- and anti-government militias were
armed with a host of firearms varying from the factory fresh to the truly antique.
The Main Force VC and the NVA were mainly armed with AK-47s after 1967 but the
mixture of Chi Corn K50 SMGs, SKS carbines and captured American guns continued
to give good service.

33
Weapon Classification
These are classified as follows for purposes of close combat and Fire Points Tables.
Automatic Rifle
A rifle capable of automatic fire such as the M16 or AK-47.
Self-loading Rifle
Semi-automatic rifle such as the FN used by the Australians or the M14 used by US
and South Korean troops before 1967 and by snipers until the end of the war.
Carbine
Short barreled self-loading gun like the World War II M1 carbine or the SKS or
Chinese Type 56 carbine.
Automatic carbine
A carbine capable of automatic fire such as the automatic models of the M1 series.
This category also includes the CAR-15, the cut down M16 used by Special Forces,
Air Base Guards and others.
Shotguns
Break action 1 or 2 barreled, found in Popular Forces and Regional Units.
Combat or magazine shotguns
Pump action or automatic shotguns such as the Winchester Model 12 or Remington
870 or Browning Automatic.
Belt-fed light machine-gun
Weapons like the M60 being operated by two men. If fired by one man on his own,
count as a box-fed machine gun unless on a fixed mount.
Box-fed light machine-gun
Weapons like the RPD, and the Browning Automatic Rifle.
Medium machine gun
A machine gun mounted on a tripod or pivot-mounting on a vehicle firing sustained
bursts from a belt feed. Note that both 7.62 mm and 0.50 cal weapons use the
same line on the Fire Points Table but different lines on the casualty table.
Ammunition
'Pistol rounds' are fired by all hand guns, sub-machine guns and the M1 carbine.
Machine-guns smaller than 0.50 cal and other shoulder arms, except shotguns, use
'rifle bullets'.
ARMOUR CLASSIFICATION
Light Vehicles
Armored Personnel Carriers such as the M113, M3, BTR-40, BTR-152 etc. are proof
against weapons of less than 0.50 cal from all angles. The M113 is proof against
0.50 cal machine-guns from the front.
Armored Cars & light tanks
The frontal armour of armoured cars like the M8 and light tanks like the M5, M551,
PT-76, and Chinese Type 63 are proof against machine-guns of up to 15 mm calibre.
Side and rear armour is proof against anything smaller than 0.50 cal.
Tanks
The M24, M41, M42, and Chinese Type 62 are proof against weapons of up to 30
mm cal or less from the front and up to 15 mm elsewhere. The T34 is proof against
recoilless rifles of up to 75mm cal and guns of up to 40mm from the front; its sides
and rear are proof against guns up to 25mm. The T54/5, Chinese Type 59, M48 and
the Centurion are proof against RRs of up to 75 mm and other guns of up to 85 mm
(except the US 76 mm gun on the M41) from the front. They are proof against guns
up to 40mm elsewhere
NOTE: There is not much difference between Main Battle Tanks In BODYCOUNT since most action
will take place at ranges of only a few hundred yards.
34
MODEL AVAILABILITY
FREIKORPS of 12 Beechfield Avenue, Conlig, Co Down, BR19 7ZY, produce metal
figures: The Platoon 20 range. These include a comprehensive and still expanding
range of Vietnam figures and some from other ranges can be adapted. Platoon 20
are used by the authors and are strongly recommended.
Esci have released a box of US troops and a box of Viet Cong figures allowing
large games to be conducted on a limited budget. Plastic figures by Airfix, Esci &
Matchbox can be converted, eg. Gurkhas and Australians etc. to Viet Cong and
their Second World War US figures for early war Americans or ARVN/ROK although
unless you can easily convert M16s and AK-47s from the weapons provided these
are only suitable for the early years of US involvement 1964-66.

Since the first edition of these rules were published there has been other model
manufacturers who have or will be producing suitable figures for the Vietnam War
Skytrex Ltd, Unit 3, Canal Bank, Loughborough, Leics. have a large range of figures
and vehicles in their Firefight 20 range many of them suitable or designed for
Vietnam

35
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Vietnam war has been the subject of a great mass of literature ranging from the
hysterical outpourings of the liberal press that LBJ believed lost him the war to
detailed political and military analysis. While tactical studies most interest the
wargamer, it is essential to read the novels listed below for some understanding of
the war - how it was fought, who by, and with what enthusiasm. The listed
non-fiction is the most easily available and most useful for the wargamer, although it
is only a small proportion of what has been produced on the subject.
Nark Baker: 'NAM' (Abacus 1981)
Not actually a novel, it is allegedly selected accounts by veterans but as no names
are given.... still, it evokes the boredom, fear & moral degeneracy which is now part
of the Vietnam legend.
Philip Caputo: 'Rumor of War'
An illuminating account of the dilemmas facing a U.S. officer in Nam.
Christopher Foss: Jane's World Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Gives full details of armour and armament of most vehicles used in South-East Asia.
Lt. C Albert N. Garland: 'A Distant Challenge' (Battery Press, Nashville)
Infantry actions in Vietnam 1968-72. A must!
Lt. C Albert N. Garland: Infantry in Vietnam (Battery Press, Nashville)
Detailed accounts of company sized actions now available in the U.K.
Micheal Herr: 'Dispatches' (Picador 1981)
Classic war journalism from the man who did the narration on 'Apocalypse Now'
Stuart A. Herrington: 'Silence was a Weapon' (Presidio Press/Navato/CA)
The Vietnam War in the villages, a close up view of one district in III Corps and the story of
Operation Phoenix.
David C. Isby: Weapons & Tactics of the Soviet Army (Jane's 1981)
The NVA's combat doctrine was heavily influenced by the Russian methods, their equipment was
largely Russian by manufacture or design. This book is the best analysis of both.
Micheal Maclear: Vietnam, the Ten Thousand Day War (Eyre Methuen 1981)
A broad outline of war strategies of both sides and the history of the conflict.
Robert Mason: 'Chickenhawk' (Corgi 1983)
Vietnam from the point of view of a helicopter pilot.
Tom Mangold & John Penycate: 'The Tunnels of Cu Chi'
The story of the Viet Cong tunnel complexes and the tunnel rats who fought in them. The subject is
a whole game in itself.
Tim O'Brien: If I Die In A Combat Zone.
Short, but valuable for his explanation of the circumstances leading to My Lai.
Tim. Page: Tim Page's Nam (Salamander 1981)
Vietnam was one of the most heavily photographed wars in history, Tim Page took some of the very
best pictures of which this picture book gives a fair sample.
John Clark Pratt: 'Vietnam Voices' (U.K. Publishers/Penguin)
The best anthology of Vietnam literature form the early days to the embassy roof.
James Webb: Fields of Fire (Granada Paperback 1981)
Widely regarded as the best Vietnam novel, by a highly decorated Marine officer.
Various: The Vietnam War (Salamander 1981)
There are several glossy large format Vietnam books, this is the best because the text is informative,
the coverage more comprehensive and the pictures mostly in colour.
The Department of the Army: The Vietnam Studies Series 1970-78.
One titled, 'Mounted combat in Vietnam' by Gem. Don A. Starry is published in the U.K. by Arms
and Armour Press. The others are Army paperbacks and equally readable.
John Del Vecchio: '13th Valley' (Sphere 1983)
The Vietnam novel that is better than Fields of Fire, a great commendation in itself. It deals with the
actual operation which took place near Laos in 1970. It is a must!
36
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