Welcome to the Jungle: Purple Haze - Vietnam Tactical RPG

I was closely watching this game (Purple Haze) , having spotted it a long. long time back and although I did not step in at the Kick Starter phase I joined the fan-base when I pre-ordered it through Zatu Games (after too much sitting on the fence). It is Vietnam, it is very atmospheric, the playing material of of great quality, the mechanisms look very intriguing and apart from the game itself (that looks so good) it meshes with my existing 20mm kit and in the end it was just too good not to get (see below, can you hear the Hendrix guitar rifts and "All along teh Watchtower" kicking off in the background? I can"): 

The unboxing took quite a lot of time, this was a very heavy box! Elements of it will also graduate to teh tabletop.

Another go at "Ghosts of the Jungle"

In the interests of diverse game play I introduced my D&D group to Ghosts of the Jungle to see how these lads (RPG'ers, aka none mainstream wargamers) played it (see below, I was also experimenting with new novel markers [sourced from the random wood decoration department in "The Works" shop] - 'big feet' markers to say that a square had been entered, and as a "trail" marker [VC tracker to pick up, but teh method was a bit cumbersome]):

As I explained the rules, appropriate beverages [for the Aussies at least] were imbibed (see below, the exotic range of non-standard glassware down to what was left in the cupboard - aka stuff that teenagers like to drink their fizzy pop from): 

Sarge leads his troops off into the jungle and stops when he sees something suspicious. Is it a villager or VC? (see below, green squares are jungle vegetation hiding spots, red ones rural village houses, the warped cardboard sufficed as make-shift road [appropriate as it is a poor quality dirt track]): 

The gameboard gets a bit more complex as the VC and village encounters pose challenges for the strung out ANZAC patrol. The RPG'ers tried not to "shoot first and ask questions later" as the D&D "send the thief scouting forward" strategy came through in droves (see below, edging forward quietly and then ... the shooting started and all hell burst forth): 

Things looked bad as the SAS LRRP got trapped in a mathematical puzzle (insufficient actions to safelt do it and nobody wanted to get stuck in the middle) in trying to safely cross the road (despite all those scary 1970 BBC educational cartoons helping children to cross the road safely), but eventually they "reset" and went round the longer way (see below, the end result was a pile of VC [or are they really just innocent villagers] as the SAS exited safely off table):      

The RPG boys found the rules at first a bit of a challenge in understanding the [simple] game play, but their RPG problem solving skills ensured collaborative play so they got out alive and made devasting use of the "grenade" rule (when the VC attraction to noise makes them "clump" together). All-in-all a  nice diversion, but back to wizards, orcs and fireballs next time!

"Ghosts of the Jungle" Playtest - Charlie fights, er Charlie!

I hit the critical mass (or Minimal Viable Product [MVP]) for the cast of characters, fully painted and ready for "The Ghosts of the Jungle", so it was time for a play-test  (see below, [the "specials" from a previous post are still 'in progress' - what you see here are 15 VC [Platoon 2- and Britannia Miniatures] and 8 US Special Force LRRP [Platoon 20]):

The game board is set up (see below, I chose to use 'explore mode' by giving the US insertion force a grid map, but only exposing "stuff" in LOS and not hidden from view): 

The US player (confusingly called Charlie) has been given an information extraction mission/ Get to a designation spot and retrieve some "information" and then get out. Body count was of no consequence to him, the mission's success rested on getting the "information" off the board and having all members of the LRRP intact (as in, at least with one hit point left). I added a layer of pre-game rumour "acquisition" - some helpful, some wrong and some just pla-in contradictory (in classic D&D fashion). What was ascertained was that there was little air support because teh Americans were busy elsewhere and you could and could not trust the villagers (who were VC, maybe or just "sometimes").  Although not a regular wargamer, Charlie took to the game like a duck taking to water.

Foot Note: In his own words, Charlie's success, came from his days of playing an old 1980/90's problem-solving computer games, in particular one called X-COM. This seems to fit into the "tower style" puzzle solver game, where you break through the enemy's defences by seeing weaknesses in their patterns. X-COM recently gained a second lease of life, with a 2015-20's revamp and series of follow on releases.

Back to the mission, which was played with an impressive amount of stealth and patience (waiting for the correct moment to 'move on' or to 'strike hard' ..good enough being far better than waiting "too long" for complete safe option). Reaching "X marks the spot", the "information package" turned out to be a downed (and wounded)  USAF airman, "Oh!" said Charlie (a bit of an understatement). The flyboy was promptly patched (and drugged) up by the SAS lads to get him as a "walking wounded" - the LRRP back-tracked out the way they had came in (while pushing, pulling, carrying and cajoling the Yank). The [exciting] "helicopter evacuation" option was not activated .. which would probably mean "hold a designated Alamo position" until the helicopter gunships and rescue helicopter came in. In the end the LRRP had a few scratches to show from a bit of fighting, but had successfully extricated themselves in a very professional manner! Beer on the USAF at the Australian NAAFI bar!

Ghosts of the Jungle .. More Nam Figures .. (1/72, 20mm, 1/76)

When you are preparing for a game like "Ghosts of the Jungle" (allegedly a player cooperative play game, which also means you can be left at the mercy of other players "intelligent" decisions), there are always the game "odds and ends" you need to paint up .. just to oil the mechanics and make-up "special events" or have in the "background". They are typically not the sexy, sexy exciting figures that jump onto the painting table, but they have an important game function to do. For example, a VC truck (on loan to North Vietnam from the USSR, via the Plastic Soldier Company WWII Russian transport collection) to terrorise anybody trying to cross a seemingly deserted jungle track in the game, a couple of VC figures who can nicely fit in the back of said truck [of ESCI/Italeri 1/72 VC origins - waiting to be painted for some twenty years], some (as in eight) Platoon 20 Villagers [who under the game the mechanics could turn into VC], eight Platoon 20 SAS LRRP soldiers [OK they are pretty sexy, but were an upgrade from the US LRRP that I was previously using] and finally a downed helicopter pilot, in wounded and walking poses (see below, the primed and Vallejo brown washed ready for the "real" painting to start): 

It is "good for the soul" when you get figures at least to this stage ;) 

Vietnam War - US News Broadcast of the (Surprise) Tet Offensive (NBS News Saigon) - You Tube Footage

Sometimes history is thrust upon a sleep walking nation and they are rudely awakened to unpalpable truths (see below, incredible News footage from 1968): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=wA8n114eYXc&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo

Amazing that was shown as a "special broadcast" to the US people outside of direct political control!

10mm Vietnam Game

The objective, pacification of a Vietnam village that has been reported as "taken over" by teh NVA and VC but still has "friendlies" inside it or so what the precursory Huey overflight can tell us (see below, Kallistra terrain again serving up the goodies - water = paddy fields no cover; Orange with scatter = broken ground which offers partial cover;  green = dense jungle counting as cover; huts = hard cover; brown tracks = roads or raised bridge over paddy fields; grey = secret tunnels): 

Each hex in the set up is scaled to represent 50m across and each figure represents approximately five men. Two figures to a squad and four squads to a platoon with a heavy weapons squad assigned to each ans a light mortar tagged along for the ride with the Company Commander (see below, first and second platoon cover ten hexes of the baseline to give the US the maximum amount of fire support - to give back plenty if they took any "incoming fire"):  

The "blue" counters represent what Charlie see, a lot of US strung out in a continuous skirmish line and opens opens up, also revealing "his" position. First blood went to Charlie but the intense retaliatory fire cleared the dense jungle outpost and the VC/NVA threw forces forward to bolster their 'point position' (see below, there were no clever scouting rules but recon by contact): 

This VC/NVA tactic ran into a stream of American firepower as the US MGs hard a beaten zone cutting down and pinning any visible "enemy". The exchange cost the US too, especially as the VC/NVA brought some mortars down (see below, a 10:3 ratio was within the 3:1 (min) to 4:1 (preferred) trade the US were prepared to pay as per their Victory Condition [although the term "victory" in itself seemed a trifle dubious for this scenario]): 

xx

The VC/NVA resistance stiffened as they received an additional two platoons of infantry - as the America testified to higher level of incoming fire coming in from around the flanks. The US Commander at first engaged in the fire fight but then pulled back and informed the umpire of his intention to assume a more defensive position and let the VC/NVA come to him. Either than or until he received reinforcements. To go forward would be to court disaster. In the meantime he requested and plotted an artillery strike on the VC/NVA positions outside the village. The umpire announced battalion had committed a platoon of M113s to help push towards the village and a Huey Gunship was "on call" (see below, the M113's were a huge morale boast to the US having MGs and effectively gaving hard cover to US troops behind them - the left flank received one M113 to "pin" the enemy, while two M113s were allocated to the right flank along with the artillery strike and Huey with the intention to punch through to the village on the right): 

The concentration of force on the tight flank played dividends as the defending VC/NVA troops were wiped out by the unexpected artillery "stonk", followed up by the Huey and armoured infantry assault (see below, the track/path to the village was now open):  

The quiet village itself lay dormant in the background (see below, no signs of any activity as nothing above ground was spotted but in Vietnam appearances can be very deceptive):

The Huey took incoming fire from two HMGs hidden in the village (see below, the AA fire missed but spooked the chopper to call the "on call" Phantom to eradicate this threat): 

"The Air don't care" about friendlies when heavy weapons are being fired at fellow "fliers" and the bomb run came down with sadly a bit of drift variation missing the HMG nests (see below, one tunnel complex was taken out which included some friendly prisoners and a luckier hit on the NVA/VC mortar positions):     

The final line of VC/NVA resistance was a series of poorly constructed booby-traps was "driven through" by the M113s leaving the remaining VC/NVA troops to disappear back into the jungle (see below, all that remaining was to take a tally of casualties to ascertain the "winners" in this chaotic mayhem):  

In total the US took seven squad hits, but that Phantom killed four poor civilians rather than VC/NVA - although it did convince the VC/NVA it was time to "bug out". This was a total of eleven, to forty seven NVA/VC casualties. 11: 37 was a greater than 3:1 so no US loss (of face) but below the desired/preferred 4:1 required by Westmoreland. The only thing to add would be that the war was getting attritional for the US as one thing was for sure, "Charlie would be back" and the US platoons would have less or be filled out with rookies learning their trade.

It did feel like Vietnam although the rule mechanisms lacked patrol/cover nuances it did play well with a "flip-flop" rather than IGOUGO sequence of play. The rules were a home set that was ad-libbed and in development but showed really good promise. I think I will take another look at Peter Pigs "Men of Company B" rules and "Buckle for your Dust" by the late Paddy Griffith. Many thanks to Ian for putting the game on and Adrian who was a worth VC/NVA opponent.  

Vietnam - Tour of Duty: Major Robinson's Challenge

Covid-19 social distancing rules are a game changer fro the tabletop wargaming experience, but where there is a will there is a way (see below, weather permitting you can always go outdoors - note hand sanitiser for the post figure/dice exchanges - each player having "their own" side's set of dice): 

The venue is Vietnam and a beautifully modeled A3 terrain piece to model a Firebase and three "friendly" villages [from Pendrakon] - (see below, the jungle mat and trees courtesy of the  https://www.themodeltreeshop.co.uk/ with the trails made with the assistance of an electric razor, I kid you not): 

The figures were from Prendrakon's 10mm Vietnam Range (https://pendraken.co.uk/post-war/vietnam/) range and enhanced with flags denoting nationality and factions (see below, red VC and NVA and blue US):

The ubiquitous Huey .. essential for any Vietnam game, transporting the troops from Firebase to village and adding additional support fire (see below, not sure what manufacturer, I just remember it was a very heavy piece of metal): 

The big thing about the helicopter is that it gets the troops there and back in the same turn, not one turn out and one turn back with the constant danger of a VC/NVA ambush (see below, it certainly looks neat):  

The final touch was the playing cards, a normal deck but with nicely styled decals (see below, the game itself is based on Wayne Thomas' Small Wars, in particular .. "Six months in the Sahara" courtesy of the History of Wargaming Project https://wargamingco.blogspot.com/2018/01/small-wars-new-perspectives-on.html (see below, I can highly recommend the book which is available at https://www.amazon.com/Small-Wars-Perspectives-Wargaming-Insurgency-ebook/dp/B079QRN5QV): 

The game is ready to start, the US safely in their Firebase and the friendly villages with orange intelligence counters for the US to collect (see below, oops one of the villages already does not seem to be so friendly with VC and NVA "educating the villagers", so much for a quiet start): 

The Americans have the advantage in the firepower department, hitting on 4, 5, or 6; the NVA on 5 or 6 and the poor old VC needing a six. To the US Player's horror "Charlie" (VC) should never be underestimated in his ability to throw sixes at the most awkward of moments (see below, the US Player gets a nasty wake-up call early on, two boys not going home - also note the flags denoting ownership of the villages, "all bells and whistles" for this game): 

Mid-game action shot, VC and NVA presence in all three villages, the US Player has to clear them out while the garrison is small and before they "grow" too big [the US Player does not want to be drawn into a sucking firefight] and the twist is that only "cleared villages" can start generating the vital intelligence (see below, the game is very attritional for the US Player - intelligence helps generate reinforcements [a positive reinforcement mechanic])

The Huey is not guaranteed (a six being required at the start of each turn) but when it comes it is a good safe way of getting to a village and adds an additional firepower punch (3d6) which is a welcome to the grunts intrinsic squad firepower (see below, "fun-time" here is over quick-time for Charlie): 

As the game progresses the danger is that the US Player gets drawn into "sucking firefights" that draw in resources and linger over several turns. This means that the VC/NVA Player gets stronger elsewhere and the US Players finds himself running from firefight to firefight (see below, the US Player prefers 2:1 odds in his favour .. it just takes one lucky dice throw to upset the balance):   

Night time falls, in character to the setting jungle midges appear in swarms (my bite count was close to twenty [a bald head was a killer here] akin to the tally of US casualties but nowhere near the NVA/VC losses) and the game is lit by an atmospheric "false moon" on the table (see below, the game sequence "pack of cards" has almost run its course and the last turn "Tet Offensive" is about to start): 

After the last normal card is turned "The Tet Offensive" begins in earnest. All on table VC and NVA attack the fire-base, US troops on patrol cannot assist. That caught the US Player with six defenders against ten [4 VC and 6 NVA] attackers, but the attackers needed a natural six to hit, the VC are the first wave and hence are killed first. The dice is rolled and all go down by of the ten NVA/VC dice three natural sixes are rolled. Four more round follow, with shamefully poor US combat dice. Major Robinson and his staff are captured by the remaining three NVA (see below, epic ending to a great game [yes, I was the VC/NVA Player]):  

A great start back to face-to-face wargaming, with hopefully much more to come as normality slowly resumes!