Multiplayer Vietnam game at Sanctuary Gaming Centre

Whilst the four of us were at Sanctuary Gaming Centre after Christmas, Owen, Mick, Phil and I got in a multiplayer Flames of War Vietnam game in. The scenario was simple enough, ANZAC forces billeted in a local village come under attack from the PAVN, and a Cavalry Troop is dispatched to relieve them. As long as they can get up the treacherous road of course....

(We played the Elephant Grass as knee high, so the infantry would be concealed)

An ANZAC force resting in a sleepy little village in the middle of nowhere...

... and the Cavalry sent to save them

A PAVN company appears out of the tree line to surround the village.

Add the M113s have driven straight into a minefield

A second PAVN company appears, and is harassed by a pair of Huey Hogs

The command tries to get his reinforcements to land inside the perimeter of the village, not an easy task

The M113s get themselves some Helicopter support to try and escort them down the road

The Hogs take a heavy toll on the PAVN south of the village

Whilst a full company of PAVN attempt a frontal assault on the ANZAC perimeter

AA guns reveal themselves, hidden in the paddy fields, to give the helicopter pilots a bad day

The M113s get going again

But one of them was destroyed by the minefields

The Hogs guarding the Cavalry patrol are called up to the village for much needed fire support

The Hogs are seen off by the AA

Meanwhile the other platoon of Hogs takes its toll on the infantry assaulting the village

Then relocate to try and fend off another attack on the village from the other direction

A Medivac slick is called in to deal with the mounting casualties inside the perimeter, and more troops are called in by helicopter

With no Helicopters left to harass them, a third attack is opened up on the village

Whilst the M113s drive into both another minefield and an ambush, they are massively outnumbered

With Recoiless Rifles hidden at the end of the road taking their toll

These RcLs were then taken out in swift retribution by a pair of Hogs

With the relief force destroyed, the ANZACs in the village were holding out, destroying the bulk of the forces facing them in the village, but they would not be able to hold out forever.

We ended the game here, as we were out of time, but multiplayer games, and large tables seem to suit Vietnam quite well, given the mobile nature of the forces involved. Definitely something we will be coming back to.

Reluctant Conscripts will be running 'Storm Over Saigon', a Flames of War Vietnam campaign weekend Tommy has been planning out this summer, and I am hoping to get some Americans assembled for a 7th Cavalry force in time for that.