The Fight for National Route One - After Action Report

I played the game with several of my friends from the Shrewsbury Wargames Society. Unfortunately one of the intended players dropped out at short notice and another failed to turn up due to an unexpected work commitment. This left one poor South Vietnamese player to cope with three NVA players. However, in the event it all worked out well and all the players seemed to enjoy themselves.

The initiative system was organised as normal but with the NVA players taking it in turn to lead when they had the initiative.

First Blood

The game started fairly slowly, commencing at 0600 hours. The initial NVA advance was quickly halted by some accurate fire from a South Vietnamese Marine heavy machine gun position which decimated the leading NVA platoon. The NVA armour was moved up to maintain the advance but the lead vehicle was ambushed by VNMC LAW teams and a 106mm RCL and knocked out, effectively blocking the road.

NVA Artillery Hits Back

While the NVA manoeuvred their armour around the blocked road the NVA infantry made full use of supporting artillery and mortar fire to move closer, their initial objective being the ARVN barracks. Heavy ARVN fire again halted the NVA advance but swift retaliation from the NVA artillery, which knocked out the 106mm RCL, threw the South Vietnamese troops into confusion.

Counter Attack Goes Wrong

A counter attack by some ARVN M113’s slowed the NVA assault on the barracks but an NVA RCL knocked out a couple of the APCs. The NVA gun was a major threat to ARVN movement along the road and was subsequently destroyed by an accurate air strike called in by the South Vietnamese Marine’s US advisor.

At about 0800 hours there was a lull in the fighting and both sides reorganised, the NVA consolidating their positions close to the barracks area

Fire in the Hole

The fighting flared up again at 0830 and the NVA were still struggling to fight their way into the barracks when a stray round hit the ammunition bunker in the barracks. The resulting explosion killed a number of the ARVN defenders and in the confusion the NVA managed to cross the wire perimeter and occupy a part of the barracks.

While the fighting flared around the barracks the NVA armour had manoeuvred onto a low ridge overlooking the eastern side of the town and were firing energetically (if not too accurately) in support of more NVA infantry who were attempting to outflank the barracks on the eastern side.

The End is Near

The Vietnamese Marine Corps defended themselves stoutly, using LAW teams to threaten the NVA tanks. However the massed fire from the T-55 tanks steadily began to tell on the defenders and one by one the Marine positions fell silent, including the VNMC machine gun position which had held up the original advance.

To counter the NVA armour two more air strikes were requested by the South Vietnamese and, although one T-55 was knocked out, the AA fire was sufficiently heavy to force the majority of the attacking aircraft to abort their attacks.

By this time however, about 0930 hours, the NVA were gaining the upper hand. An attempt by the South Vietnamese M113’s to restore the situation in the barracks was defeated when the two remaining M113’s were destroyed within seconds of each other just outside the barracks by well aimed RPG-7’s fired by NVA infantry who had approached close to the town.

Last Stand

The destruction of the ARVN APCs appeared to be the turning point. Despite suffering heavy casualties the NVA had managed to fight their way into the town and, by 1000 hours, had pretty much managed to cut the National Route 1 leading south to the Dai Dap bridge. At the same time the South Vietnamese defence was reduced to isolated pockets of resistance and was unable to restore the situation, despite some outstanding displays of gallantry by the remains of the South Vietnamese Marines (and some lucky dice rolling by the player). By 1030 hours it was all over.

Conclusion

The NVA suffered very heavy casualties throughout the battle, but they made the maximum use of their supporting firepower to suppress the ARVN defenders and also retained sufficient reserves to punch through any gaps that opened in the South Vietnamese defences.

The South Vietnamese troops, in contrast, were deployed with most of their troops well forward. While this meant that initially they could put down a lot of fire that held up the NVA, it also meant that there were few reserves available to plug the gaps once the casualties started piling up. The M113s were used as a mobile reserve until they were destroyed, after which the South Vietnamese were unable to prevent the NVA breaking through.

The troops on both sides fought hard and the ferocity of the fighting was apparent from the fact that neither side made any attempt to remove their casualties from the battlefield (in marked contrast to most Vietnam games) – both sides seemed determined to do or die.