Fire in the Lake Playbook Example 3

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Game finished on May 29, 2016

Continuing through the Fire in the Lake Playbook, we come to Example 3: The NVA March then Ambush.

The first step is setting up the medium scenario as the playbook calls for. For the purpose of the example, I'll remove Period capabilities, etc. After the example plays through, will play the rest of the medium game out, including the various capabilities.

I'll be playing VC in this game, with US, ARVN and NVA in non-player mode.

Round 1

1. SA-2s (34)

The NVA is first up and played by the Bot. The card doesn't have a halo around the eligibility but it is a Capability. Rolling a 3 is not below the number of coups cards out (3), so the NVA choose Op & Special Activity.

Let's see if I can match the Player Handbook with what I get from the Bot chart. Since there are 20 troops in available, and the Trail is at 4, the flow chart says "March/Ambush." Here's what's available:

  1. 8 troops in North Vietnam.
  2. 8 troops in Central Laos.
  3. (Missed) 2 troops and 2 guerrillas in The Parrot's Beak.

These leave 2 troops and 1 base each in North Vietnam and Central Laos.

There is an NVA Base available, but all spaces in Laos and Cambodia already have bases.

My guess from Bot instructions is March to Binh Dinh and Kien Giang.

Checking:

  • I missed the part about marching an underground guerrilla onto the LoC between Hue and Da Nang. This is cost 0 because marching onto LoC is 0.

  • Also missed marching into Kien Phong, which was an option I considered, but didn't realize I had 3 groups of NVA to march, not two.

Rolling dice puts the NVA from Parrot's Beak into Kien Giang. Zero cost since these spaces are adjacent.

The other Marches play out per play book, and on to Ambush.

Looks to me as if the NVA can remove the ARVN base in Kien Giang at the cost of activating a single guerrilla.

Guerrilla on LoC ambushes SF Irregular.

VC exercise LimOp, Rally 3 into Tay Ninh for 1 resource.

2. Brinks Hotel (97)

Halo on US which is first up, let's see what the Bot card says. It says to reduce the Patronage if the ARVN is a not a player. Thus 4 Patronage are transferred to Resources. The Coup card is also flipped, so resource cost is back to 3 instead of 4 for Pacification.

ARVN also has a halo, but this event is already spent. Let's see what the flowchart has for us for operation. It says to Sweep, but conduct a Raid or Transport first. Doing the Raid in Saigon and Tay Ninh gets rid of the underground guerrilla and VC base in Saigon and two underground guerrillas in Tay Ninh. (See 4.3.3) Then Sweep in Tay Ninh activating 1 VC guerilla.

3. To Quoc (84)

VC is first up, event has no halo, hence Op & SA. Actually, I'm playing the VC as a player, so I get to choose, and I'm taking the event to subvert 3 ARVN with VC. These are going to be in Delta provinces.

NVA next, with halo on event, but it's already played! The directions say that if the VC is a player (that's me), choose Op & SA.

NVA spends 1 resource and attacks in Binh Dinh, as 4 enemy can be removed. For Bombard, remove 1 US Troop from Quang Tin and 1 from Phu Bon.

And that's To Quoc.

4. MiGs (33)

US is up first, no halo, Op & SA.

The Bot seems to indicate it wants to remove NVA control from Binh Dinh. With the Patton M-48 Capability in play, 2 US troops get 2 NVA, plus 2 more NVA for the capability, then with an ARVN airlifted in one more NVA for 5 total eliminated.

Airlift 1 US/1 ARVN from Quang Tri and Binh Tuy to Binh Dinh. Cost is 3 resources per destination space for ARVN.

Except that Binh Dinh is Highland w/o base, so it's 1 NVA per 2 FWA troops. Airlift another 2 from Can Tho for 1 more NVA leaving 3, then take 2 for M-48. That gets rid of 5 NVA and reverts it to COIN Control.

ARVN: no halo for ARVN, will Raid/Sweep.

The Raid occurs in Tay Ninh using Rangers from Tay Ninh and Saigon, and removes two VC. For the Sweep, Yay Ninh is a jungle space, so 4 ARVN can activate 2 VC. Also Sweep in Binh Dinh and Quang Duc. 9 resources spent.

5. RAND (52)

NVA up first, looks a like a Rally.

  • First thing is to Rally into Kien Giang for 1 resource, replacing the two guerrillas there with a base.

  • In Kien Phong, the NVA outnumber the VC so shift to Neutral, infiltrate with 1 guerrilla. Then infiltrate Kien Giang with 4 Guerrillas.

VC, that's me.

  1. Rally into Tay Ninh with 3 VC for 1 resource.
  2. 2 VC into Binh Tuy.
  3. 1 VC into Quang Duc.
  4. 1 VC into Kien Hoa.
  5. 1 VC into Ba Xuyen.

5 Resources, 14 to 9.

Subvert:

  1. Subvert in Quang Duc, emplacing last VC guerrilla.
  2. In Binh Tuy, remove 2 ARVN.

And that's enough for 2016-05-21. Other stuff to do for the rest of the weekend.

6. Khe Sanh (37)

US: Op & SA, but cannot do Airlift/Assault without ceding COIN control. Looks like a Sweep: Quang Tri, Phu Bon, Binh Tuy, Tay Ninh, Khanh Hoa and Pleiku. Follow with Airstrike on Kien Phong to take out 6 NVA regulars. Degrade the Trail.

ARVN: Train, as there are a 13 pieces in Available (which includes Troops and Police). 4 Troops and 1 Police into Saigon, 1 Troop into Binh Dinh, replace 3 ARVN Troop in Binh Dinh with ARVN Base, total 9 resources. Now Govern in Quang Tri and Quang Tin to add 12 total to Aid.

7. Kissinger (2)

NVA is up first, will Rally and Infiltrate, with the infiltration coming first.

Infiltrate:

  • Kien Giang: 4 Troop for Trail = 3 + Base, then replace 4 guerrillas with Troops for 8.

  • Parrot's Beak: 4 Troops and replace 2 guerrillas for 6.

Rally in both putting the guerrillas back into play. Spend two resources more to improve Trail to 4.

VC, which is me, will play the event which puts two NVA pieces in Cambodia, and 2 US pieces into Out Of Play. The US Pieces will come from Casualties, as apparently the US gets to choose where they are drawn from.

8. War Photographer (60)

ARVN is up first, directions say to use Op and SQ rather than Event, which would pull 3 US from Out of Play. Transport 4 ARVN Troops from Saigon to Kien Phong and Assault to eliminate 2 NVA and get COIN control back.

US: should Train according to Bot, but there aren't enough ARVN resources to do that. So the rules say assault with airlift. Looks like assaulting in Quang Tri would remove 2 active NVA guerrillas and the NVA Base, since there are 3 US Troops and a US Base there in the highlands. A previous Sweep has paid off.

9. Bombing Pause (41)

NVA is up first: the Bot says March, which is probably not what I'd do, I'd probably try to get the last base emplaced.

  • March guerrilla to random LOC, Mekong (north) is the only thing which makes sense here, from Parrot's Beak.
  • 5 NVA Troops from Parrots Beak to Kien Phong. (free by trail)
  • 4 from Kien Giang to Kien Hoa (2 Resource)
  • 3 from Kien Giang to Ba Xuyen (1 resource)

Ambush in Kien Phong and Can Tho (from LoC), 1 US and 1 ARVN Troop removed.

VC: Terror in Ba Xuyen, Kien Phong, Quang Duc, Binh Tuy, and Kien Hoa. Spent 5 resources, will need to tax next time around.

Subvert removed 2 ARVN from Quang Duc and 2 from Tay Ninh.

10. Top Gun (4)

US up first. Bot says Sweep, since LBJ, Airstrike. The Sweep will happen in Tay Ninh only. Airstrikes in:

  • Tay Ninh remove 2 VC, regain COIN control, already at Active Opposition.
  • Kien Phong, remove 1 VC, 1 NVAG, 2 NVAT. This won't get to COIN control, but it gets close.

ARVN: Train in Saigon with 6 Troops, Govern won't work, so Transport, which is what I'd do as a player anyway. Bot says to bolster Police presence in Binh Tuy.

11. Detente (77)

NVA up first, has halo on event, will choose the event to put resources at 24. Place 5 available NVAG into Kien Giang, Parrot's Beak, etc. Bot is supposed to randomize placement, too lazy.

VC: Missed the boat here, cannot march because Monsoon, and that's what I really need to do right now. Will rally instead, placing bases in Kien Hoa and Binh Tuy. The 3 VC into Tay Ninh removing COIN.

12. Coup! Failed Attempt (130)

Desertion, ARVN removes 1 in 3 (rounding down) from each location applicable on the map.

This was pretty straightforward. Starting to get the hang off the strategy involved, particularly how ARVN police may be used.

13. Kent State (103)

VC is up with a halo'ed event, Kent State, which would put 3 US casualties out of play. However, there are no US casualties, and the VC are out of resources, so it's time to tax. The March is on to 4 LoCs, with 2 VC from Ba Xuyen moving to Kien Hoa to protect the VC Base since the single VC that was there moved on to the Route 4 LoC.

Taxing nets 5 Resources.

NVA: Rally. This is going to be an Infiltrate first, then the Rally. Action is in Parrot's Beak and Kien Giang for both. Improve Trail to 4 total 4 Resource spend.

14. Cobras (13)

US: Sweep and Airstrikes, turned over a lot of VC, and getting some COIN control back. Lost 1 Support, but that's ok because that prevents VC from terrorizing it easily.

ARVN: Train in Quang Duc, place a base. Govern in Can Tho and Cam Ranh, take the Patronage.

15. Thanh Hoa (35)

NVA: March and Ambush into Can Tho, 1 US moved to Casualties.

VC: Rally to spend, then collect Tax on the LoCs which were so conveniently left alone with my VC sitting on them. Most of the Rally is to flip over Activated VC. Easy peasy.

16. PT-76 (45)

ARVN to Train in Tay Ninh to acquire COIN, and Govern in Da Nang.

US: Airlift ARVN Troops into Kien Phong for Assault to gain COIN control. These will probably be crushed by NVA next, but that's what the Bot wants to do, and the NVA is going to run out of gas at some point.

17. Light at the end of the Tunnel (80)

NVA: March and Ambush into An Loc and Kien Phong. NVA is just tearing it up, this faction might win if the Coup card comes up next. Currently have 19 VP.

VC: Terror in Pleiku, Binh Dinh and Phu Bon, Tax for 5 to get back to 11 Resource. Cannot Tax unless VC is Underground and gets Activated. Basically, Tax on a LoC is one shot deal. Tax requiring Underground VC to work is almost a zero sum. I think the way to do it is get them on the LoC for free, Activate for the Tax, wait until ARVN comes to Patrol and Assault them off, then Rally back. It's the Rallying back which is the key: get many VC into an area which has LoCs for a single Resource, then move onto LoC for free and Tax. In any case, Resources go back to 6.

18. An Loc (71)

ARVN: Patrol with Police on LoC out of Saigon, Assault on Route 4 to remove VC. No Govern or Transport can be done.

US: Airlift and Assault in Kien Hoa.

This is roughly the half way point, statistically, a bit more than half way. Expecting a Coup card to come up any moment.

19. Cambodian Civil War (62)

NVA: Infiltrate and Rally.

VC: Rally to place a base and infiltrate.

And now for the Coup round.

20. Coup! Failed Attempt (129)

Desertion first.

Now VP calculation:

  • NVA: 9 bases, 7 Control for 16.
  • VC: 8 bases, 20 Opposition for 28.
  • ARVN: Patronage 13 with 26 COIN Control for 39.
  • US: 5 Available with 25 Support for 30.

So far the NVA Bot seems to be doing the best.

Sabotage: only at Route 1.

Resources:

ARVN: 72. VC: 12 NVA: 40.

Pacification: US is going to go nuts here, hopefully there will be enough Police to make this happen. 4 provinces, Quang Tri, Quang Tin, Hue and Tay Ninh. Cost of 21 by the time all the Terror markers are removed and the Support bumped. No ARVN pacification.

Agitation: VC spends 2 to remove Active Support from Can Tho.

Since this isn't the last round, no final victory check.

21. Son Tay (54)

NVA takes the event, even though it doesn't move any casualties to out of play per the event text. If I were NVA, I'd probably march.

VC Terror in Quang Tin and Tay Ninh. Tax on Routes 1, 14, and 20.

22. USS New Jersey (30)

ARVN should take the event here, which can remove up to 18 NVA Troops in coastal spaces, but the Bot says not to do that unless 2+ COIN can be achieved. So it's Ops & SA. Train in Quang Nam and Quang Duc, gets COIN Control in both. Govern in Hue and Quang Tri netting 4 Patronage.

US is out through this card, bring in NVA and VC eligible, NVA is up.

NVA: Huge March into Kien Hoa, Quang Tri and Quang Tin, NVA control changed really big, NVA + Bases = 22. This is going to get chewed back up with Air Strikes and Assault to be sure.

23. Capt Buck Adams (12)

US makes huge sweep, and airstrike into Kien Hoa to reduce the NVA threat to Saigon.

VC: I see I've been playing this wrong: as the player, I'm limited to a LimOp when the Bot takes Op & SA. That righteously sucks, and I don't see how it could be possible to beat the Bot without having SA. This is NVA without the ability to Infiltrate, or the VC without being able to Tax or Subvert. And that's just the insurgent side. For the FWA, no Airlift or Airstrike. Doesn't make sense. I'm concerned because the all 3 non-player factions have used, at best, 2 events each. Most often, the Bot is directed to Operation and Special Activity.

I'll start playing LimOp from here on out as the VC.

Terror in Binh Dinh, easy enough. This will speed up the game to be sure.

NVA is eligible, managed to Attack with Ambush by using the NVA on the Route 1 LoC south of Hue.

ARVN Patrols Route 20, Removes VC. Nothing to Transport, need to play Vietnamization.

25. Peace Talks (3) Tet Offensive (124)

US trumped by Tet Offensive. VC go crazy! Doesn't look like they gained much in the way of Opposition, but they did lay down a lot of Terror markers which will be spendy to remove.

US will Train in Kien Hoa and PAcify 2 from Active Opposition back to Neutral. A following Airstrike in Kien Hoa send 6 NVA packing.

26. My Lai (119) Vietnamization (123)

Time for the Vietnamese to play their pivotal event and get a load of Troops from Out Of Play on to the board. This is easy enough. Got COIN Control back in Quang Tin and Tay Ninh.

NVA: Attacking removes US Base in Quang Tri, and 4 other attacks, and Bombard in two spaces. NVA is on a roll.

27. Lam Son 719 (74)

US: 6 Police cubes down for Train, pacify in Kien Hoa.

VC: March to remove COIN Control, which turns out to be brutal on ARVN. Since there are no Underground VC, no SA.

28. Coup! Nguyen Van Thieu

This is the final card, game over! I'm betting NVA wins.

VP:

  • NVA: 17.
  • VC: 30.
  • US: 41.
  • ARVN: 36.

I'm tempted to call this an NVA win and go with that. If the US hadn't Trained to reacquire COIN Control in Quang Tin, this would be the game.

Redepoloyment didn't change Control, now to recount after Pacification and Agitation:

  • VC: 26.
  • US: 39.

NVA win.

AAR

Questions

  • Airlifting as a player allows 4 origin locations, but the Bot appears limited to using 2 Airlift origin locations. Is this errata or is the change specifically to account for the Bot?

Marching the NVA

In short:

  • March is moving troops to an adjacent space.

Blunders

  • Forgetting to Pacify after US Training operation.
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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.