"Adding the Combat Medic" Topic

I recently added a Combat Medic to my units via slight modification of a WestWind figure. I then took a field trip and researched Vietnam medical operations & care. Welcome any comments/feedback from Veterans on their experiences with such and any rules to best incorporate using a medic on the table.

My post is here:
link

A medic should add to morale.

Unless your rules are really granular in regards to wounds, I think a medic's affect would be in a campaign.

We use the Vietnam variant for Force on Force, Ambush Alley and medics are critical in the course of the game.

How so?

I believe that when a figure is hit, it is placed on its side and can not act until another figures comes into base to base contact. At that time the downed figure has its status determined. It can be dead, wounded, or back in action. If I recall correctly, a medic can improve the roll.

I would say proximity to a medic would make troops more willing to take risks – ergo something to do with morale.

I would actually make it a penalty for 'no medic within X metres and line of sight' rather than a bonus.

Having a wounded unit member who is not being treated would also have a severe impact on morale. Many players may prefer to ignore such casualties and proceed with 'the mission', but they could suffer a mini-mutiny if they did so.

It may be overdone in literature and films of the war, but it seems NLF/PAVN forces often tried to wound and incapacitate US troops because they knew the rescue efforts would consume time and resources and allow opportunities to inflict more casualties.

The book titled 'The Tunnels of Cu Chi' has an account of a veteran NLF tunnel fighter luring the US into a tunnel complex, wounding the first tunnel rat in the legs on purpose, then waiting for the inevitable rescue before killing all with a grenade. The NLF guerilla's mission having been to prevent an armoured column reaching a village that contained NLF/PAVN forces and allowing them to withdraw.

The Tunnels of Cu Chi is a selection of personal accounts taken down as told to the authors [Vietnamese and US personnel are interviewed]. As such – there may be another side to the above story.

Skarper, thank you for this post. I just went and ordered the book. I had not thought about such actions until you put it this way. Highly informative. Thank you, again.

You are very welcome, ToySoldier80.

I indeed get the impression that the troops, whether US Army or Marines, had incredible faith in the medics/corpsmen abilities. Universally known as "Doc", in practice there was little anyone could do in the front line, other than maintain an airway, staunch haemorrhage with packing and pressure and restore blood volume with IV plasma. Which, hang on, made all the difference between life and death, so the "all they could do" decided who got home sometimes. Anyone who has tried to get IV access via a peripheral vein, in someone who is half exsanguinated, knows your best chance is while the veins still have some blood in them. Central lines are for the experts.

Gringos 40 do a nice medic kneeling in 28mm. Similarly, the new company Full Metal Miniatures does the famous medic off the tank, with the octopus in this helmet band, as part of the stretcher party. He is great, carrying an IV bottle and the best figure in the set. Just finished him and will post. Today is photo the Dong Ba Tower though!

Looks good