Vietnam Solitaire Redux

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Second play through of Vietnam Solitaire using the rules for the original game. I'm putting this game on my H-Index because it's fun enough to allow for at least a dozen plays. If my H-Index ever gets to 12, I'll re-evaluate it then.

In the meantime, let's play game 2 a lot more aggressively than the first game. The strategy for this game will be to get as many of the Allied units on the board as fast as possible while minimizing NVA entry via trail. The B52 strikes to control the Trail are expensive, and will become prohibitive later in the game, so best to slow the NVA down as much as possible while using remaining political points to get the troops on the board.

Turn 1

  1. Trail Roll 3,4 place in both Laos trail areas.
  2. Attack Trail B52 cleared southern Laos, B52 and both Green Beret failed to clear N. Laos, cost 7 political points. Bummer.
  3. Raise/Move US/ARVN ARVN into Hue City (Region 1, Area 3-40, Air Cav and US into Highlands 1-2. Risky, at 13 PP, better be lucky or game will end this turn!
  4. US/ARVN Combat Remove VC from Highlands 1-2. This gives me a PP back, maybe.
  5. Place VC/NVA VC placed into Region 1, Area 1-2. NVA placed into Highlands 3-4. This is an "uh oh."
  6. Insurgency Combat Insurgency in Highlands, both roll 3, ARVN retreats to Area 5.
  7. NVA/VC Offensive Cu Chi, ARVN carries the day.
  8. Air Cav Movement none this turn.
  9. Victory Check Cu Chi has only ARVN, PP moves from 13 to 12 (whew!). Political Events roll 6 - 1 (Turn 1), no US/Allied ground units next turn. Bummer.

I should have moved Air Cav to Region 5 in Highlands to guard against possible NVA offensive next turn.

Turn 2

  1. Trail Roll 6, 2.
  2. Attack Trail Cambodia B52, roll 6, again roll 4. Hanoi GB roll 1. Laos GB roll 2, Super lucky! This is the turn to spend these points as I can't place any ground troops. Except, bummer, can't use Green Beret in Hanoi… I'll know next time.
  3. Raise/Move US/ARVN none this turn.
  4. US/ARVN Combat Napalm in Mekong, roll 5, miss, napalm in Hue Area 1-2 roll 3, 1 VC eliminated. PP is 8.
  5. Place VC/NVA VC placed in Hue Area 5, NVA Hue Area 1-2.
  6. Insurgency Combat none.
  7. NVA/VC Offensive Roll 3, Cu Chi has no VC/NVA, no offensive this turn.
  8. Air Cav Movement none this turn.
  9. Victory Check Cu Chi has only ARVN, final PP for turn is 7. Political Events roll 2 - 1 Play As Normal. This is good as I'm going to try and get as many US and ARVN forces on the map as possible.

Turn 3

  1. Trail roll 5, 6.
  2. Attack Trail Hanoi B52 roll 4, N. Cambodia B52 roll 5, S. Cambodia GB roll 2.
  3. Raise/Move US/ARVN ARVN in Hue, makes 3 in Hue City, should be safe for a few turns. Air Cav in Saigon Area 1-2 (rice paddy), another ARVN in Saigon Area 1-2. PP 13, risky.
  4. US/ARVN Combat Saigon Area 1 roll 3, VC destroyed, roll 4 VC miss on return fire.
  5. Place VC/NVA VC place Mekong Area 6. NVA place Saigon Area 2.
  6. Insurgency Combat Saigon NVA roll 4 miss, Air Cav roll 6 miss, ARVN roll 4 miss, Allied forces retreat to Area 3-4.
  7. NVA/VC Offensive roll 4 Saigon area, NVA roll 2 eliminate ARVN (oh noes!), ARVN roll 5, 5, Air Cav roll 3, choose retreat, PP at 14.
  8. Air Cav Movement 1st AC moves to Area 1-2 of Cu Chi.
  9. Victory Check Cu Chi has only Allied force, PP back to 13. Whew. May need to start playing a little less aggressively. Political Events roll 4, no B52 or GB, which is fine because this lets me get the rest of my units on the board.

I think I can hold out 3 turns pretty easy to at least get to the next to worst victory condition ("Hamburger Hill"). Possibly even a Draw.

Turn 4

I'm definitely doing better than the last game. I'm pretty sure if I just "skate" the next three turns I can pull out a marginal defeat. Probably take some work and some luck to get to the draw.

  1. Trail roll 4, 4 place one trail in S. Laos. Lucky, I'll take it.
  2. Attack Trail none this turn, bummer.
  3. Raise/Move US/ARVN 3 ARVN spread into Saigon, US in Saigon 1-2, Highlands 3-4, move Air Cav into Highlands 3-4.
  4. US/ARVN Combat
    • Highlands: NVA roll 4 miss, US roll 6 miss, Air Cav roll 3 NVA eliminated.
    • Saigon: NVA roll 1, ARVN eliminated, ARVN roll 1, 2 NVA eliminated. PP 13.
  5. Place VC/NVA VC roll 5, Mekong Area 1-2. NVA from S. Laos into Cu Chi Area 3, N. Cambodia into Saigon Area 1-2.
  6. Insurgency Combat Cu Chi NVA roll 5 miss, ARVN roll 6 miss and retreat to Area 5. Saigon NVA roll 1 eliminate 23rd Division, 23rd rolls 4, miss. PP at 15.
  7. NVA/VC Offensive Cu Chi NVA roll 4 miss, ARVN roll 6 miss and retreat to Area 6.
  8. Air Cav Movement none.
  9. Victory Check One region without VC/NVA moves PP counter to 14, game over. Bummer.

I was too agressive this game, and not aggressive enough the first game. Will have to find the happy medium. I was just sure I was going to be able to get past Turn 4 this game.

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What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

  • Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
  • Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
  • Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
  • Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
  • Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
  • Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
  • Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
  • Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

  • Have a solo game ready to play.
  • Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
  • Referee a game in progress.