10 January, 2012

Snatch and Grab

With the Tet Offensive in full swing, many Americans units are left without a clear role and some just don't know what's going on.


'D' Company's HQ is out in the middle of nowhere, it's sent patrols and has stationed piquets to catch Viet Cong trying to escape the counter-offensive, but little does it realise that it's caught the very special attention of a Vietnamese commander who's sent in his best men on a snatch and grab mission.

Broken Down

Captain Fanning assumes that the VC he can see are in flight, having never seen the enemy duke it out before - they obviously haven't spotted his position in the dark

VC moving in

But these VC know exactly what they're after - a sniper team set up in the jungle

Snipers set up

The Assault group charge in - virtually all the Viet Cong are armed with sub-machine guns and in close range that should prove decisive

Assault Group

Too late Fanning realises his mistake and gets every available man to the edge of HQ's position to open up

Meeting the assault head on

It's too little, too late and the HQ is overrun. The Viet Cong's intelligence officer races to the command track to look for anything useful

Overrun

One of the Company's patrols are coming in

US Patrol incoming

They engage some of the Viet Cong in a long-range firefight, able to pick out the snipers who give their position away

Long-range firefight

The patrol tries to cover the open ground as quickly as possible

Covering the ground

The Viet Cong hold out while they ransack the American's HQ

Holding out

A brief counter-attack stalls the American advance

Counter-attack

Not for long, as the left hook of the patrol starts to make an impression on the VC's defence of the outpost

Second wing of patrol

Some of the VC start to withdraw under fire - they've taken one of the HQ staff prisoner

VC withdrawal under fire

The other section of the American patrol starts to cut off the retreating VC, taking down one of the senior guerillas

Cutting off the retreat

The Americans open fire on the supporting light machine gun, winning that firefight with ease

Engaging the VC support

VC casualties start to mount up but everyone is dragged into the jungle

VC taking casualties in cover

Leaving the Americans to retake the HQ and count the cost

Retaking the objective

A hectic night battle, where Charlie really did rule the night. Massed SMGs are hugely effective (so long as you are able to close the range).

Once again, I gave this another go solo, and a more aggressive start from the Americans and some lucky rolling from the HQ team see the VC embroiled in a tough firefight before they can even start their intelligence-gathering operation.

4 comments:

  1. Must have been a tense game -especially for the US player after losing the command post so early.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great looking table and AAR, any chance of the full scenario Briefings?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful AAR, as always. Those scenario are from AA: Ambush Valley?

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  4. Thanks guys - unfortunately these scenarios are someone else's, so I can't share them at the moment

    ReplyDelete

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