"Vietnam war Rulesets, sound off!" Topic

I was wondering if I can get you guys to list off some Vietnam rulesets that you like, and perhaps why you like them. I'm mostly looking for Platoon or platoon plus level sets. being able to handle multiplayer games is a plus.

I have Force on Force, and I like it with the exception of the Vietnamese starting on the table. However, my group does not like them. I also have FNG that I like, but that is a little difficult for me to run quickly, and I feel that it is at its strongest with the players all as the Americans. I have used Charlie Company, but with all the prep work for the GM, I was looking for something that has the VC player run.

I use Charlie don't surf and Charlie Company for company sized actions

My thoughts were trying to modify Chain of Command or TW&T possibly

any help would be appreciated

Buck Surdu's Fireteam Vietnam is similar to his Beer And Pretzels Skirmish (BAPS). Both would easily work at the size of forces you are looking at and even include a couple of vehicles. He also has a new WWII set called Combat Patrol that would work in the unit size you are looking at. All are rather simple to pick up and run with while being deceptively accurate in simulation.

My group is talking about doing an Aces campaign set in Vietnam using Flames of War rules. Works really well when someone plays the Local Force VC army out of the Brown Water Navy book.

Keeps you down to platoon scale, but gives you lots of uncertainty about what exactly is out there. Especially when you add real civilians to the mix that randomly move just like the Local VC.

At my local LGS we played a multi player FoW Vietnam game. I was very skeptical. It was my favorite wargame of 2015.
That's my two cents.
Dennis

The best Vietnam games I've experienced have been Ambush Alley the Force on Force variant. The games have always been tight and with the Fog of War cards specific to the conflict it makes for some great changes in fortunes.

Charlie Don't Surf is really good, and it's one of the few that treats the VC as not just a regular force to get gunned down.

Each side actually plays in a completely different manner.

edit: I can't read. Disregard me :-)

I know you mentioned your parameters and what you use, but my cote goes towards Charlie Company for platoon sized actions. For smaller, I like Ambush Valley (Force on Force). For super skirmish I want to try modifying Giac My, just haven't done that yet.

I have not tried many of the others mentioned above. I know a local chap uses FNG and loves them.

Sorry I did not read the OP message all the way through. Mea culpa. Regardless I still find that Ambush Alley works great.

I use CDS but use the platoon activation cards as sections. I find it really works well.

It's been a while, but I think FNG was geared toward a squad or two, not a company. If you like FNG (and the chain reaction system), you might try using some of the ideas from 5150:Star Army (which is geared towards company actions even though it is sci-fi). You'll have to tweak that to your tastes, though.

You could treat each squad as a single mini. Move your company around the table until they resolve a PEF. Then put the squad and enemy force on a separate 'battle board' for the fire fight.

I play Iron Ivan's The Long Road Soath. The play is balanced for the Allied forces/ American forces and the Viet Cong/NVA forces. The game is played using small squads as activation units. I like the ease of play, the teachablility, and the mirror of actual Vietman War results. Cheers and have fun.

The Long Road South, great game.

Gi'ac my link

link

On the topic of FNG, in Nuts, we messed with treating a 3 man stand as a single figure.
it worked decently well, but we never did follow it up.

I regularly run FNG with a platoon plus vehicles on the table. All single figures.

Tom

Long Road South is great for multiplayer company sized games with each player handling a platoon. Easy to learn and plays quickly. Does need tweaking for terrain effects on movement and visibility as well as booby traps.

Charlie Company has much more period flavor for platoon and above. and FNG simply goes unsaid for skirmish, but for me, too detailed for players handling anything more than one or two squads.

Heard a lot about FOW's Vietnam rules, but do not have them nor have seen them played.

Try 'Men of Company B' from PeterPig
designed for 15mm but suitable for other scales.
Another set in the RCFM stable of rules.
Game designed to be played in an evening.