What Went Wrong - Ap Bac '63

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Another game in Paul Rohrbaugh's Vietnam series of card draw area movement, and again covering a little known battle. In this case, a 1963 skirmish between ARVN and NLF forces operating in the hamlet of Ap Bac.

I am aware of any other games simulating this battle.

As usual for HFD Games, the production quality isn't bad, striking a middle ground between pretty good art and about the best one can do with print-and-play.

Here's the set up:

What Went Wrong set up

That's Brain Train's Green Beret underneath, it's next on the table (with Fire in the Lake under that, a whole stack of Vietnam).

Turn 1

Briefly outline the situation for both sides.

Prelimary Activity

  • Shuffle deck with 1 Joker.
  • ARVN rolls d10 for when or if the 1/4 Mechanized Cav. enters, for the amount of Artillery Support (4.3) and the number of Air Strikes (Day and Twilight only, see 4.4)
  • ARVN decides whether 8th Airborne enters this turn.

Operations sequence

Players draw cards to determine initiative and number of allowable activations for each operational phase. An activation is a move or combat. Joker ends the turn.

I think I'm missing something with respect to ARVN reinforcements, specifically the 1/11, but not finding what I'm looking for in the rules. I think I'll just kick this thing off instead.

  1. Given Exception to 3.2, it looks like the ARVN gets to roll a d10 to kick off the games, with the number of activations equal to half, rerolling 0 and 1. Roll 1, 0, 2/1 is 1 activation. Not that impressed. 1/1 CG fires on concealed unit in A33, which turns out to be a sniper, which is removed per 6.1.

  2. Draw red 1: 1/261 attacks 1/1 CG in A38: draw 8 - 0 (terrain) - 3 (DF) = 5 > 3, reduced. That doesn't make any sense. There is no use for the Attack Value in the description of combat in the rules. This is almost surely an oversight, but still, if so, that's a pretty major oversight.

    Score: NLF 1, ARVN 0.

  3. Draw red 2: move NLF unit south, goal is taking out ARVN artillery.

  4. Draw black 1: move 4/2 CG into A38 to support artillery. Next ARVN activation needs to be an artillery mission.

  5. Draw red 7 for 3 ops: move 3 NLF from A28 to A34.

  6. Draw red 7 for 3: 2 NLF fire into A39, draw 2 - 0 - 3 = -1, no effect with combat conducted according to rules. Using Courage Under Fire combat, we have 2 + 3 (AF) + 1 (2/2 CD) - 0 (terrain) - 3 (DF) = 6 > 3, ARVN reduced.

    Score: NLF 2, ARVN 0.

    So which is it? I'm going with Courage Under Fire rules I think,

  7. Draw red 9 for 4: Move 2 NLF south, engage into A38 again: AF 5 + Q (redrawing) + 10 - 0 - 3 = 12 > 3 eliminated.

    Score: NLF 3, ARVN 0.

  8. Draw red 10 for 5: Attack ARVN in A40, AF 5 + 6 - 0 - 3 = 8 > 3, step reduced. AF 3 + 10 - 0 - 2 = 11 > 2, eliminated. 4th activation, AF 2 + 5 - 0 - 3 = 4 > 3, reduced. Last activation is a move.

    Score: NLF 5, ARVN 0.

  9. Draw red 6 for 3: 1/261 attacks ARVN 2/1 CG, AF 3 + 2 - 0 (terrain) - 2 (DF) = 3 > 2, eliminated.

    Score: NLF 6, ARVN 0.

  10. Draw black K, for 2: 4/2 CG attack 1/261 in A33, AF 2 + 8 - 0 - 2 (terrain) - 4 (DF) = 4 == 4, no effect. Dang. Artillery, draw 4 - 2, no effect. Again, draw 3, no effect.

    I think a big part of this game is going to be card counting. There have been a lot of high value red cards played, which means a lot of low value cards remain in the deck.

  11. Draw black Q: need to try and return a unit into play, 50% chance, roll 4, bringing back 2/1 CG into A38.

  12. Draw black J: ARVN attack with 2 units from A40 into A34, 3/514, AF 4 + 9 (draw) - 0 (terrain) - 4 DF = 9 > 4, reduced.

    Score: NLF 6, ARVN 1.

  13. Draw red 3 for 1: move one NLF south.

  14. Draw red 4 for 2: 4/261 and 3/514 in A34 attack 2/2 ARVN in A40, AF 4 + draw 7 - 0 - 6 = 5 > 3, reduced.

    Score: NLF 7, ARVN 1.

  15. Draw red Ace for 1: NLF will move south.

  16. Draw red 5 for 2: 4/261 and 3/514 in A34 attack 2/2 ARVN in A40, AF 4 draw K which is a redraw I think in this game, draw Ace + 1 - 0 - 2 = 3 > 2, eliminate.

    Score: NLF 8, ARVN 1.

  17. Draw red 3 for 1: 3/514 move from A34 to A33.

  18. Draw black 9 for 4: attack into A33, see blunder below. AF 2 + 1 + J (0) + 8 - 2 - 3 = 6 > 2, NLF 3/514 eliminated. That was two activations, need to use artillery or airpower on the next two. 1/2 CG from A40 attacking into A34, AF 2 + 1 (Airstrike) + 10 (card) - 0 (terrain) - 2 DF = 11 > 3, reduced.

    Score: NLF 8, ARVN 3.

  19. Draw black 9 for 4: Move 3/1, 4/1 CG from A36 to A31 for 2 activations. Attack concealed unit in A32 with 3/1 and 4/1, AF 4 + 6 (card) - 1 - 4 = 4 > 5, reduced.

    Score: NLF 8, ARVN 4.

  20. Draw red 4 for 2: 2/261 and HW attack into A31 from A32 attacking 3/1 CG, AF 4 + 8 - 0 - 3 = 9 > 3, reduced.

    Score: NLF 9, ARVN 4.

  21. Draw red 10 for 5: Move some units, then attack 3/1 CG as previous card draw, AF 4 + J,Q, 6 - 0 - 2 = 8 > 2, eliminated.

    Score: NLF 10, ARVN 4.

  22. Draw J, Joker, Turn 1 is done.

    Score: NLF 10, ARVN 4.

End of Turn 1

  • Check for automatic NLF Victory or NLF Withdrawal (5.1, 5.2).
  • End of Turn 3 resolve replacements with d10 (3.2.1 and (6.0).

ARVN Morale is -4 for eliminations, with +4 for NLF steps reduced for 7. ARVN did not occupy any of the hamlets, which would have gained victory points.

NLF Resistance Level stays at 9 due to all the ARVN kills they got.

Score: NLF 10, ARVN 4. (Note: ARVN used an activation to restore a unit to full strength.)

Turn 2

Briefly outline the situation for both sides.

So far, the NLF is chewing up the ARVN big time. I think this is partly because I'm not playing the combat correctly, but there is an element of luck whereby I was pulling red cards for successive activations, with the black cards coming up for combat resolution when the NLF was attacking. Vicious circle to be sure. On this turn, I am probably going to need to bring in some ARVN reinforcements, and I will certainly try to get the ARVN into some of the hamlet areas to accrue victory points.

Prelimary Activity

  • Shuffle deck with 1 Joker.
  • ARVN rolls d10 for when or if the 1/4 Mechanized Cav. enters (after Turn 2, 2.3), for the amount of Artillery Support (4.3) and the number of Air Strikes (Day and Twilight only, see 4.4)

  • ARVN decides whether 8th Airborne enters (after Turn 3, 2.3).

  • Artillery roll 5.
  • Airstrike roll 7 - 2 = 5.

No reinforcements or replacements available yet, so we're off to the operations cycle.

Operations sequence

Players draw cards to determine initiative and number of allowable activations for each operational phase. An activation is a move or combat. Joker ends the turn.

  1. Draw black 5 for 2: ARVN rolls to remove step loss on 2/1 CG, roll 3, restored. Attack from A40 into A34, AF 2 + 1 (Airstrike) + 7 (CD) - 0 - 2 (DF) = 8 > 2, eliminated.

    Score: NLF 10, ARVN 5.

  2. Draw black 6 for 3: Airstrike on concealed unit in A34, which is a sniper, so that one is gone; 1/2 moves to A35, attacks unit in Ap Bang, AF 2 + 3 - 2 - 4 = -1 < 4, no effect; Airstrike by the numbers, draw 10 - 2 - 4 = 4, no effect. This is interesting, as it looks like 2/514 and similar units are immune to airstrikes if in a -2 area, and very difficult to affect otherwise (need very high card draw to overcome DF 4. Very odd. ARVN passes on last activation. Not enough units to matter.

  3. Draw red J for 2: NLF moves south.

  4. Draw red K: NLF continues to move south.

  5. Draw black 8 for 4: move 1 units south, attack into A31 4 + 9 - 0 - 3 (DF) = 10 > 3, reduced. Move another unit south.

  6. Draw black J: Fire on 1/261 in A33, draw 2, no effect, fire again, draw K, draw K, draw 2 no effect. Fire on A28, AF 2 + 2 (draw) - 2 - 4 = - 2 < 4, no effect.

  7. Draw black J for 2: Fire on A33 draw 5 - 2 < 4, no effect, again draw 9 - 2 - 4 < 4, no effect. Artillery cannot affect full strength NLF units in cover either. What am I missing? Last unit attacks same as above: 2 + 4 - 2 - 4 = 0 < 4, no effect. I need a 9 or a 10 card draw to have any affect on these.

  8. Draw black 10 for 5, not sure I have 5 activations left… 1 artillery against unit in A32, draw 6 - 2 - 3 = 1 < 3 no effect. Ok, so artillery and airstrikes are useless to me the way I understand the rules. The remaining activations are used by ARVN troops to close into A33.

  9. draw red J: fire on on 2/1, 5 + 7 - 1 - 3 = 8 > 3, reduced.

    Score: NLF 11, ARVN 5.

  10. Draw black Q: attack into A33, 3 + 3 (CD) - 2 - 4 = 0 < 4, no effect.

  11. Draw black 4 for 2: same as previous, 3 + 3 (CD) - 2 - 4 = 0 < 4, no effect.

  12. Draw black 9 for 4: same attack as above, 3 + 7 (CD) - 2 - 4 = 4, no effect. Again, draw Joker, 6, no effect.

End of Turn 2

  • Adjust Morale markers on Game Record Track.
  • Reset ARVN air and artillery markers to 0, unused are lost.
  • End of Turn 3 resolve replacements with d10 (3.2.1 and (6.0).
  • Check for automatic NLF Victory or NLF Withdrawal (5.1, 5.2).

This is really not satisfying. I must really be missing something.

Seven more turns.

Anyway, getting on with it, ARVN Morale moves to 6, which is -1 on all CD. Airstrikes and artillery now unviable for even reduced NLF with DF 3.

Turn 3

Briefly outline the situation for both sides.

Prelimary Activity

  • Shuffle deck with 1 Joker.
  • ARVN rolls d10 for when or if the 1/4 Mechanized Cav. enters (after Turn 2, 2.3), for the amount of Artillery Support (4.3) and the number of Air Strikes (Day and Twilight only, see 4.4)
  • ARVN decides whether 8th Airborne enters (after Turn 3, 2.3).

Ok, let's get on with it:

  • Artillery roll 2.
  • Airstrikes roll 1 for 0 (-1 on Turn 3).

  • 1/4 Mech cannot enter on die rolls as the NLF are too far ahead on VP. I would need a die roll of less than -3. Bringing these in without a die roll gives the NLF even more victory points. Very odd that the imbalance reinforces itself with this mechanism.

    I'm going to bring these units in on the north west side in A1 and A5 to put some pressure on NLF.

Operations sequence

Players draw cards to determine initiative and number of allowable activations for each operational phase. An activation is a move or combat. Joker ends the turn.

  1. Draw red 2 for 1: A33 attack A37, AF 3 + 1 (CD) - 1 (terrain) - 2 DF = 1 < 2, no effect. Amazing.

  2. Draw 5 for 2 - 1: 1, roll for restore in A37, result 8, no restore for 2/1 CG.

  3. Draw red 2 for 1: same as above, 1/261 against 2/1 CG, AF 3 + 7 (CD) - 1 (terrain) - 2 DF = 7 > 2, eliminated.

    Score: NLF 14, ARVN 5.

  4. Draw Joker, end of Turn 3.

End of Turn 3

  • Adjust Morale markers on Game Record Track.
  • Reset ARVN air and artillery markers to 0, unused are lost.
  • End of Turn 3 resolve replacements with d10 (3.2.1 and (6.0).
  • Check for automatic NLF Victory or NLF Withdrawal (5.1, 5.2).

ARVN Morale 5, NLF Resistance Level 9.

Resolving replacements:

  • 1/1 CG out
  • 2/1 CG reenters
  • 3/1 CG out
  • 2/2 CG reenters
  • 3/2 CG out
  • 3/514 out
  • 4/261 out

Restoring steps:

  • 2/261, no
  • 4/1 CG, restored.

ARVN is back in the game, here's going into Turn 4:

End of Turn 3 with replacements added

Turn 4

Briefly outline the situation for both sides.

The situation for ARVN doesn't look good, but the reinforcements are on the map, and some replacements are in. If the cards run right, ARVN could really hammer the NLF.

Prelimary Activity

  • Shuffle deck with 1 Joker.
  • ARVN rolls d10 for when or if the 1/4 Mechanized Cav. enters (after Turn 2, 2.3), for the amount of Artillery Support (4.3) and the number of Air Strikes (Day and Twilight only, see 4.4)
  • ARVN decides whether 8th Airborne enters (after Turn 3, 2.3).

Rolling d10:

  • Airstrikes 7
  • Artillery 0.

Not that I've been able to use these effectively.

Operations sequence

Players draw cards to determine initiative and number of allowable activations for each operational phase. An activation is a move or combat. Joker ends the turn.

  1. Draw red 7 for 4: move 3.

  2. Draw red 9 for 4: move 2, attack into A38 with AF 5 + 2 - 0 - 2 = 5 > 2, eliminated. This is an ARVN reduced unit which came back into the game.

    Score: NLF 15, ARVN 5.

  3. Draw red J for 2, attack into A38 with AF 5 + 10 - 0 - 2 = 13 > 2, eliminated.

    Score: NLF 16, ARVN 5.

  4. Draw black 2 for 1: move into A2.

  5. Draw red 5 for 2: move into A38, A34. ARVN artillery unit is gone, permanently.

    Score: NLF 17, ARVN 5.

  6. Draw red K for 2: ARVN attacking AF 4 + 3 (draw) - 0 - 4 = 3 < 4, no effect.

  7. Draw black Ace: ARVN attack onto A38 AF 2 + 6 - 0 - 3 = 5 > 3, eliminated.

    Score: NLF 17, ARVN 6.

  8. Draw Joker, Turn 4 finished.

End of Turn 4

  • Adjust Morale markers on Game Record Track.
  • Reset ARVN air and artillery markers to 0, unused are lost.
  • End of Turn 3 resolve replacements with d10 (3.2.1 and (6.0).
  • Check for automatic NLF Victory or NLF Withdrawal (5.1, 5.2).

Stats:

  • ARVN Morale 3.

Since the Morale is 3, we need to roll to determine whether the ARVN breaks off, with the DRM of -2 for each ARVN unit eliminated. Well, since there are 5 ARVN units eliminated, that gives us a -10 DRM, on a d10. How about that.

Game over.

The best thing about this turn is that went really fast, about 20 minutes, and I can pack the game away.

AAR

The only real issue I have with these card draw games is that I'm finding it very difficult to evaluate the balance from playing solitaire.

One thing I really like about card draw is the granularity of operations is very small. While the turns may be long, it's not necessary to play an entire turn. Playing a single card draw is very fast. This lets me run the game over a period of several days quite easily. Whenever I have a few moments, say before or after work, it's easy to draw a few cards and advance the game.

Blunders

I wasn't going to record any blunders this turn, but I've learned enough of the rules to make it worthwhile, and I'm a bit more engaged with it.

  • Massive: I've totally punished ARVN by attacking from A33 into A38, but that's not allowed: there is A37, a narrow strip of woods, between these two areas. For game balance, I allowed a last ARVN attack back across from A37 to A33, but no more after that.

  • Did not subtract 1 for firing on concealed units, and in fact, removed concealment on one of them when I fired on it by ARVN. This is not correct, concealment is only removed when the unit itself fires.

  • Concealment comes off when an NLF unit moves (6.4). I didn't play it this way.

  • Reducing ARVN CD activations for low morale in Turn 4. This would have prevented one of the NLF eliminations as an Ace would result in 0 for the CD.

Questions

  1. The card draw system for resolving combat seems slightly odd. As I write this having played through Courage Under Fire and through part of the first turn in What Went Wrong, I don't have any sense of tactical game whatsoever. So far, the most obvious thing to do is just blast away and hope the cards support the decision. The card draw allows hopelessly weak units to defeat any opposing force, simply by getting lucky. The attack factor on the units seems totally irrelevant. Perhaps I'm playing it wrong?

  2. DF units in hamlets are apparently immune to airstrikes. Reading the rules literally, the best card which could be drawn is a 10, and that doesn't do it. Adding an ARVN unit in the AREA means only drawing a 10 card will reduce. This is so odd. Combat seems to be either guaranteed reduction, or virtually invincible. Very few resolutions come out to be right in the balance, they are either many points ahead, or behind. I cannot be playing this correctly.

Concluding remarks

I'm probably going to purchase the remaining HFD Vietnam games mostly because they cover battles nobody else has covered, or possibly even heard of. To me, this might be worthwhile enough.

There is a real chance I'm "playing totally wrong." Perhaps I will figure it out after a few more plays.

Also, this is my second area movement game, Courage Under Fire being my first. If this is what area movement games are like, I can categorically state right now that I prefer hex and counter. I take that back, actually, Fire in the Lake probably qualifies for area movement, but it's at regional scale instead of tactical scale. So far, not sold on area movement for tactical scale.

Accurately keeping score requires paying attention to the record track after every card draw. There are several ways to score for each side, and will be hard to remember unless the scores are immediately advanced after gaining.

Given the maps and OOB are reasonable facsimiles of the battle, it should be possible to bolt on a different rule set. I think the combat system should be totally overhauled though. While an odds-based CRT might not be a good solution, a differential CRT similar to what's used in Snoopy's Nose might work quite well.

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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.