Grignotage | 25 May 2015 2:26 p.m. PST |
I'm curious what level of combat gamers are playing for the French Indochina War. Small skirmish? (Man-to-man, each side consists of a half squad or squad, players the precise actions of individuals) Platoon action? (Each side has a few squads to a reinforced platoon) Company action? (Each side has a few platoons to a reinforced company) Battalion action? (Each side has a few companies to a reinforced battalion) Related question: What rules are you using? What scales/sizes of miniatures? |
Katzbalger | 25 May 2015 2:41 p.m. PST |
I've seen Dien Bien Phu played a couple of times, so I guess that's a battalion(s) action. Other than that, I don't remember seeing much else for the French phase of that war. Rob |
randy51 | 25 May 2015 4:38 p.m. PST |
I painted up a 10mm (Pendraken) Viet Minh grouping a few years ago but haven't used them yet. Not sure what rules/ratio etc. I'll be using. link |
Just Jack | 25 May 2015 8:11 p.m. PST |
You're killing me!? ;) A couple years ago I painted up both sides for French Indochina, but I sold them off last year as they'd sat and sat. I need later war; I just finished up some US/ARVN (M-16 equipped), need to finish up my NVA and VC. V/R, Jack |
Jcfrog | 25 May 2015 10:52 p.m. PST |
North, post 1949 looks very much like classic jungle etc. combat. Batallion/ companies and up would be ok. South is guerrilla can be platoon level. |
Johny Boy | 25 May 2015 11:46 p.m. PST |
For me the terrain is the main attraction, the landscape plays a big part in the strategy and tactics so smaller scale choice. In 10mm Pendraken do a superb range plus you can get all the kit from manufacturers such as Arrowhead minis and Pithead minis. Rules wise I'm in the process of looking at Too Fat Lardies "Charlie don't surf" company orientated rules. Although aimed at the second conflict they capture the elements of hidden movement well. Also like their use of "big men" leadership approach, captures the French "heroic" tradition well , that comes up time and again in accounts. The company level structure means you can use the mass effect tactics as well. Good luck in what is a much overlooked but fascinating campaign. |
Thomas Nissvik | 26 May 2015 2:48 a.m. PST |
I am collecting in 28mm (Red Star and TAG so far) intending to run games using a post-war version of Chain of Command currently being worked on. That means platoon vs platoon at to start with, hopefully expanding to Big CoC with several platoons in the future. |
RobH | 26 May 2015 6:17 a.m. PST |
20mm figures for at least company sized games, using the Crossfire variant rules. |
Johny Boy | 26 May 2015 8:54 a.m. PST |
Got to admit I'm finding it ever harder to resist Paul Hick's awesome sculpting work, will no doubt be buying into these as well for Chain of Command at some stage for some platoon level skirmish games. |
The Gray Ghost | 26 May 2015 1:10 p.m. PST |
I limit myself to Company size and under. |
mashrewba | 27 May 2015 2:38 a.m. PST |
I'm thinking of using Peter Pig's PBI rules for company sized actions in 20mm. |
Grignotage | 27 May 2015 5:54 a.m. PST |
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catavar | 27 May 2015 11:51 p.m. PST |
I do battalion sized games using 15mm. The smallest unit represented is the platoon, though patrols are allowed too. The largest game has been a viet regiment vs several CEFEO battalions using CD3. |
Virginia Tory | 02 Jun 2015 8:32 a.m. PST |
I'm doing up figures in 1:1 for use with Bolt Action or Force on Force Vietnam variants. Mostly platoon sized fights, though I have ambitions to run larger ones. There's a bit of interest in trying this with my usual gaming group, so I have to keep on painting… |
catavar | 27 Aug 2016 12:51 p.m. PST |
This is for those considering what scale of combat they want to do for Indochina. I've been reading A War Of Logistics. In the notes it has Gen. Giap putting the Indochina war into three distinct stages. Guerrilla warfare from 1945-1947. A time of change towards conventional warfare from 1947-1950 and large-scale conventional combat from then on. |
Rick Don Burnette | 28 Aug 2016 6:32 a.m. PST |
catavar The works of Bernard Fall deny the categorization of 1945 to 47 of guerrilla war, 1947 to 1950 of moving to conventional war etc etc the small actions against the "PK" forts on the de Lattre line occured at the time of Dien Bien Phu. Te ambush of GM 100 also took place during the runup to Dien Bien Phu What is worse is that for no matter what scale you want to game, the VM figures should NOT be on the table except wben they are attacming The PKs and GM 100 never knew what hit them7 |
catavar | 28 Aug 2016 3:39 p.m. PST |
The VM were able to expand their military forces into regiments, and then divisions, with the help of China by 1950. It wasn't long before a typical VM battalion had more heavy equipment than it's French counterpart. General Giap made use of these larger units to make a conventional attack on the De Lattre line in 1950. He was only repulsed after the French sent in their heavy mobile formations and an excessive use a air power. Prior to then the french had disarmed it's battalions making them lighter and faster to counter the VM's guerrillo tactics. From 1950 the French started playing catch-up building larger and stronger units. The GM's were one such answer. GM100 was attacked and destroyed after DBP. While GM100 was spread out it constituted a brigade size unit and was assualted by a VM regiment. VM formations were spotted by aircraft prior to the battle. I consider that more conventional than guerrillo warfare. Fall's Street Without Joy has two chapters titled: Set-Piece Battle-1 and Set Piece Battle-2. Both detail events post 1950. Just saying. |