This game is often referred to as “brilliant”, “seminal”, “ingenious” and any other number of superlatives in terms of its breathtaking ability to capture the essence of the Vietnam War. To many, shall we say experienced, grognards, this is because they have direct experience with the game and have spent many long hours immersed in its grip as the gameplay drives a narrative that easily places you in the mindset of a Westmoreland or Giáp.

However, for new players, statements like that alone don’t tell them why they should be interested in the game, too. So, we will, herein, describe the way the game works so you can decide if, perhaps, this is the game you’re looking for.

We’ll start by looking at the components which will come with the game and noting the differences from the original.

MAPS

By far the biggest change is that the map count is increasing from two to three. This is primarily to accommodate the larger unit counters. Functionally it only affects two things: the Masher/White Wing scenario and all full map scenarios (three non-Campaign scenarios and the two Campaign scenarios – not listed) as shown in the table below. “North”, “Central”, “South” all refer to general orientation and placement of the maps with respect to each other.

Non-Campaign Scenarios	Turns	GMT Edition	VG Edition
Starlite	1	“North”	“North”
Silver Bayonet	2	“Central”	N/A
First Volley	2	“North”	“North”
Masher/White Wing	2	“North”/”Central”	“North”
Battle for I Corps	3	“North”	“North”
Quyetchien	5	“South”	“South”

Smaller map changes include removing an extraneous road from Quảng Trị, moving Khe Sanh south a bit, and fixing the highway to run through the port of Chu Lai. Grognards will recognize these as known issues. We’ve also, to the best of our ability, used the Vietnamese spelling for provinces, cities, and towns. We’ve also removed many of the charts from the map itself in favor of Player Aid Cards (more on that later). We have added one “chart” to track SVN Population (again, more later).

And, of course, I’d be remiss not to mention that the graphics are getting a much needed and superb overhaul.

COUNTERS

Speaking of a graphics overhaul, the counters are also getting a good workover. The GMT Edition will come with four sheets of 9/16″ counters and two sheets of 1/2″ counters. The former will have the units and some large markers, while the latter will contain small markers for tracking in game functions.

The units will mostly remain the same although we are changing the designations on a few VC and NVA units. We’re also adding a few ARVN infantry and armored cavalry battalions to the order of battle, and, finally, the US 11 ACR is getting a bit of an upgrade (which helps account for an at start discrepancy and mid-war upgrade in equipment). The biggest changes are that the VC front sides will be black (the backs will remain blue), the US Marines will get their own shade of green, and the Free World Allies (ANZACs, Australians, Koreans, Thai, and Philippines) will all get their own color as well. We are also providing some symbology on the counters to indicate which units are permanently airmobile, motorized, or ground-bound (not airmobilizable [is that word?] or riverinable [nope, not a word either]).

On the marker front, we’re providing a bunch of 9/16″ markers for things like Free Fire Zones and Captured Capitals as well as markers to account for in game activities such as invading Cambodia or Laos, building (Partially or Fully) the McNamara Line, and the various points (VP, Air, Airmobile, etc.). On the 1/2″ marker front, we’re providing a bunch of Ops Complete markers (200+ in both red and green), as well as Hold, Patrol, and Interdiction markers. We’re also including some news to assist players with marking various states for units such as Airmobilized, Riverines, or Operating. And, finally, we’re including some markers for us on the SVN Population Chart mentioned above with a population number on them along with a “+” or “-” to indicate that status for the Campaign game.

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PLAYER AID CARDS

The original edition had no Player Aid Cards (PACs) really. They had some charts you had to pry out of the middle of the rules, and many of the charts/tables were printed on the map itself. In keeping with the desire to modernize the presentation, the box will include two 8.5″x11″ PACs containing the Combat Results Table (CRT) and Terrain Effects Chart (TEC). This will be the main PAC used during a turn. There will also be two 11″x17″ PACs containing the charts needed for the Seasonal Interphase which will contain the morale/commitment costs for various items as well as the Strategic Bombing, Naval Blockade, and Population Control charts and tables. There will also be a Sequence of Play (SOP) and several records sheets for use in the Campaign game (US, SVN, NLF, and Population Control). Finally, there will be two Holding Box PACs for players to use to store their units off map when they’re not in use.

RULES (and PLAYBOOK)

Finally, we’re splitting the rules from the scenarios (in standard GMT fashion). The rules are getting a makeover in terms of layout and presentation, and, in consultation with the original designer, we’ll clarify all the ambiguities that nearly 30 years of play have highlighted. The scenarios will get an updated presentation making it easier to figure what goes where during setup. In addition, the Example of Play will get updated, and we plan to include some instructions on how to use the record sheets (you grognards should appreciate that!).

That’s it for a component overview. In the next article, we’ll start to take a look at some of the facets of game play.

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