Here is the second of two scenarios Gene and I have dug up from the InsideGMT archives. Also included are the solitaire rules required for this scenario.

Silver Bayonet Scenario #14: Battle for the Villages

This scenario uses the Solitaire Rules as detailed below.

Game Length: 7 Turns (US/ARVN is the first player)

Setup:

NVA (Sets up first):

All NVA and VC combat units except the 20th Artillery Battalion (which is not used in this scenario) are available at start. They are placed as follows:

The Tea Plantation (3310): B,C,D of VC H15, LF VC Art

3309: A/H 15, 1 x LFVC Hex

3311: I x LFVC

3410: 1 x LFVC

Each of the nine village hexes are controlled by a battalion of NVA troops. In each village hex set up companies C and D and 1 divisional artillery; in one or two hexes adjacent to that village hex set up companies A & B.

The units and their villages are:

996/32: Plei Gong (2421)

334/32 Plei Ngoc (3017)

365/32: Plei Loung (2116)

1/33: Thanh Binh (2812)

2/33: Plei Dan Ngoi (2308)

3/33: Plei Pan Lan (1508)

7/66: Plei Ya Krel (0715)

8/66: Plei Mok Den (1017)

9/66 Plei Ya Tong (1519)

After all units are set up, take 6 Hidden Unit markers from the countermix, and turn them to their blank side (they’ll be used as dummies). Then take the three HQ units and the Hospital unit, and turn them to their back sides. Randomly pick units from this pile of 10, and place them, blank side up, one per village and Tea Plantation hex. These units will have no combat value, no movement capacity, and may not retreat. If a US/ARVN unit destroys all other units occupying a village or plantation hex, then the “blank counter” is captured. In this way, the player will occasionally capture HQs and the Hospital. He receives a victory level bonus if he captures enough “real” HQ or Hospital units.

US/ARVN (Set up second):

Duc Co (1614): 1 x CIDG

Plei Mei (3228): 1 x CIDG

1st Cav HQ (3702):D/ I /9

Old Pleiku (3803): 1/42, 2/42, 4/42 ARVN mechanized

All other US and ARVN ground units (yes, the whole countermix!) begin the game in the Pleiku “Ready” box on the US Player Aid Card.

All helicopter units (except the 1/9 OBS helicopters) begin in the Ready boxes of the US helicopter display. OBS helicopters are not used in this scenario.

Air Points: 30 on GT 1. Roll on the Air Points Table on GTs 2-7.

Reinforcements / Replacements:

There are no reinforcements/replacements in this scenario.

Special Rules:

Because of the refugee traffic on the roads, road movement is more difficult. Combat/Motorized units pay 1 MP per road hex, while all other units pay 2 MPs per road hex.

Tea Plantation and village hexes have been fortified by the NVA. All nine occupied village hexes and the Tea Plantation hex have a Terrain Defense Value of 3 instead of 2. Also, NVA and/or VC units defending in such a fortified hex may ignore retreat results on the Maneuver Combat Table. Both of these special characteristics of fortified hexes last until a US/ARVN unit first occupies a fortified hex. The hexes then return to normal in all respects.

NVA movement and combat: Because this is a solitaire scenario, certain parameters must be established for NVA movement and combat. They are as follows:

NVA/VC units never move, retreat, or refuse combat from a village hex. They fight to the last man. If stacking permits, the highest efficiency unit adjacent to an attacking village hex will attempt to react into the village.

NVA/VC units not in a village hex during their movement phase will move as quickly as possible to the nearest friendly occupied village hex. If stacking permits, they will stack in the village hex. Otherwise, they will stop adjacent to the village.

An NVA/VC unit in a village hex will only attack out of that hex by Maneuver combat when it can achieve a 4-1 odds attack against a hex (before reaction movement and modifiers). The unit will not advance after combat. Units in villages will never Assault out of the village hex.

NVA/VC units not in village hexes will attack by Maneuver combat any time they can achieve 4-1 odds. They will advance after combat. These units will Assault  anytime their attack factors outnumber the defending factors by 2-1.

NVA/VC artillery will Bombard any unit in a hex with a Terrain Defense Value of 1 or 2. They will Support (offensively or defensively) any combat within range, and will fire Defensive Bombardment in support of any unit within range.

NVA units always attempt Air Defense Fire when eligible to do so.

Victory:

The US/ARVN player is judged by the number of village hexes, including the Tea Plantation, that his forces physically occupy at the end of game-tum 7 as follows:

9-10 hexes occupied: Decisive Victory

7-8 hexes: Substantial Victory

6 hexes: Marginal Victory

4-5 hexes: Marginal Defeat

2-3 hexes: Substantial Defeat

0-1 hexes: Decisive Defeat

The player receives a victory level bonus in his favor for capturing the NVA HQs and hospital units, as follows:

1 level of victory if at least 2 units are captured.

2 levels of victory if all 4 units are captured.

The player loses 1 victory level if 15 or more steps of US/ ARVN ground units are destroyed during the game.

The player loses 2 victory levels if 25 or more steps are destroyed.

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Silver Bayonet: Advanced Game Solitaire Rules

Don’t use the Hidden Unit markers. All NVA units are placed in full view on the map.

Don’t use Observation helicopters or Patrol rules.

Skip both Observation and Concealment phases in each player turn.

NVA units may be attacked by Maneuver and Assault combat normally. Only NVA units that are  within two hexes of friendly (US, ARVN, or CIDG) units may be Bombarded.

Increase the NVA replacements in scenarios 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 to 2 points per game-turn.

Draw three automatic victory chits for each side at the end of every game turn. If one side currently meets ALL objectives, that side wins and the game ends. If neither side, or BOTH sides meet ALL conditions, play continues.

Basically, these suggestions allow the advanced game to be “FUN” when played solitaire. You’ll miss a little of the suspense and a fair amount of realism, but you’ll gain a playable solitaire GAME that should be a different experience each time you play. We hope you like it.

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Silver Bayonet Archival Material Part 1