The Smell of Napalm

Introduction
These rules are designed for Skirmish rules in the Vietnam War. Each player is in charge of 1 squad of men and/or a vehicle. They are ideally suited to LRRP or Special Forces games but may be used with any squads. The Umpire may run the VC if so desired. There are no morale rules as players only have a few figures to run and they should be encouraged to play the flavour of the period.

There are a variety of dice used and are represented in the usual way (i.e. D6 is a six sided dice, 2D10 are two ten sided dice). A deviation dice is a 6 sided dice with arrows painted on each side. It is used for artillery, mortars, airstrikes, grenades that miss their target.

Scale
1” = 5 metres.
1 figure = 1 man.

Squads
Each squad has an NCO as the leader and a number of grunts under him. All the grunts must stay within the maximum possible roll on their skill dice in inches of their squad leader at all times. If a figure is beyond that distance he may not fire and must move back towards his Squad Leader, so he is within the distance. Squads vary from 4 to 12 men and lists are provided in the squad organisations.

(e.g. An NVA soldiers skill dice is a D8 he must, therefore, remain within 8" of his NCO).

A squad card is made up for all members of that squad showing the weapons and dice to roll.

Skill Dice
Each figure has a dice to roll, which represents his skill when checking to see if he has been hit. He also rolls the dice to perform certain tasks. Some examples are shown below. These are not cast in stone and depending on the scenario they can be adjusted accordingly.

The NCO of a unit usually has one higher dice than the unit (e.g. A US Infantry squad would have 7 grunts with D8 skill dice and an NCO with a D10 dice).

Turn Sequence
At the beginning of each turn each NCO in a squad rolls his skill dice . He then adds the following modifiers:

+1 In soft cover
+2 In hard cover
-2 per casualty the squad has received
-2 under HE fire

The squad with the highest number moves first, the squad with the lowest number moves last. If there are any draws rolls a D6 per unit the highest number moving first.

During his turn each figure moves individually and he may perform one action. Permitted actions are: move, move then fire, fire then move, fire, search, pass a radio message, enter or leave a vehicle/helicopter, interrogate prisoners, go prone, stand up. (Notes: heavy weapons may not move and fire).

Movement

Halve movement in bad going. Note wheeled vehicles cannot be used in paddies or jungles. Tracked vehicles can be used in lightly wooded areas but not jungles.

Figures who go prone or stand up may move up to half or may fire (with a -1 modifier).

Firing
Each weapon rolls a particular dice.

Procedure
The attacker rolls the appropriate dice from the weapon table above and adds any attack bonuses from the movement table.

Modifiers:
-1 to his dice roll of going prone/standing up this move.

The defender rolls his defence dice and adds any modifiers:

In Soft Cover +1
In Hard Cover +2
+ Defence Bonus

If the Attacker score is greater than the Defender score then the defender is hit. Targets that are hit are considered casualties and cannot move under their own volition nor may they return fire.

All other results are a miss.

(e.g. a LRRP armed with an M16 is prone waiting in ambush for a VC patrol in the jungle. When the LRRP fires he rolls a D6 he rolls a 5 he has no attack bonus. The VC rolls his defence dice a D6 and rolls a 2, he gets +1 for being in cover giving a total of 3 he is hit as this is less than the LRRPs roll. One of the dead VC’s friends returns fire on his next turn. He is armed with an AK47 and rolls a D6, he rolls 6 he has no attack bonuses. The LRRP rolls his defence dice a D12 and rolls a 4 he is in soft cover so gets +1 and is prone so gets a defence bonus +4 giving a total of 9. He is not hit.)

M60,HMG’s and Miniguns may split their firing on more than 1 target. They select the main target and may also elect to choose to fire at any other figures within 2” of the main target. Instead of rolling their normal dice they roll one dice lower than normal per additional target. (e.g. a HMG firing at one figure uses a D10, however if there is another figure within 2” of the target he could elect to use split fire and would roll a D8 at each target – if there was2 figures within 2” of the main target he could roll a D6 at each of the three targets).

Indirect Fire
There are 2 types of indirect fire:

By Line of Sight (LOS) – this includes M79 launchers
Support Fire – artillery requests and airstrikes.

By Line Of Sight
To hit with a LOS weapon (e.g. M79 grenade launcher) roll the firers skill dice. A roll of 6 or more is required for a hit. If a hit is obtained place the blast radius on the hit point and dice for each figure within the radius seperately.

Blast radii:

If the round misses roll the deviation dice and the appropriate dice for distance above to see how far the grenade is off target. Roll skill dice each time to see if the target is hit until on target but add 1 to the roll each round until on target. (e.g. the next round +1, the round after that +2 etc.).

*Claymore mines have a 60 degree firing arc and when laid the player must specify the firing arc. The 4" radius is in that firing arc.(They were marked "FRONT TOWARD ENEMY").

Support Fire
To request support fire the NCO of the squad rolls his skill dice. To net through to the support base he must score 7 or more. The artillery will arrive in a further 2 turns. When the artillery arrives he again rolls his skill dice to see if he is on target. He again requires 7 or more. If this is scored then the rounds fall on target.

If the round misses roll the deviation dice together with the appropriate distance dice to see where the round falls.

As you can see a squad who calls in artillery too close and is off target could end up with his squad being wiped out if he's not careful.

Booby Traps
The trap rolls attack dice as follows:

The defender rolls his normal dice. The defender adds the following modifiers:

+1 to the roll if crawling
-2 to the roll if running.

If the trap score is less than the defenders score the trap is spotted. If, however, the traps score is greater than the defenders score the trap is activated casuing a casualty to the defender. If it is an explosive trap roll within the normal blast radius for every other figure.

Anti Vehicle Fire (RPG,Tank Guns, Chopper Rockets)
LAWs and RPGs have a range of 20", tank guns and helicopter rockets have enough range to cover the table. All fire from these weapons must be aimed. Roll a D10 on the following table, the figure to the left of the / is the minimum score required to immobilise the target, the figure to the right being the minimum required to destroy the target.

If a vehicle is destroyed roll a D8 for each person within the vehicle, each figure rolls his normal skill dice as per the firing rules.

Helicopter Rules
Helicopters hovering over the table or passing over it cannot be shot at. If a helicopter drops to a height where it is using its door gunners against ground targets then any ground forces with M60 or HMG may fire at the helicopter. (See below).

Choppers spend 1 move on the ground dropping troops off. At this time small arms may fire at the chopper.

When eligible to fire at a chopper the weapon rolls its normal weapons dice. Choppers roll a D20 as their skill dice. If the attackers dice is greater than the choppers dice roll on the above table using a D10 a 10 shoots the chopper down otherwise the aircraft absorbs the hits.

To decide where the chopper crashed roll a deviation dice and a D20 for the distance of the deviation in inches.

Squad Organisations

The details below are the authorised strength of squads, due to casualties and a shortage of recruits squads were often short of men.

ARVN SQUAD
1 Sergeant
1 Corporal
2 x M79
6 x Riflemen

AUSTRALIAN SQUAD
1 Corporal (SLR later M16)
1 Lance Corporal
1 M60 + loader (SLR)
1 First Rifleman M79 +SLR
2 Scout Riflemen (M16 or SLR or Owen Machine Carbine)
2 Riflemen (SLR)

NEW ZEALAND SQUAD
1 Corporal
2 Riflemen (Scouts)
1 M79
3 Riflemen

AIR CAV SQUAD
1 Sergeant
1 Corporal
1 M60
2 M79
1 RTO
3 M16

US INFANTRY SQUAD
1 Sergeant
1 Corporal
2 M79
6 Riflemen (M16)

US INFANTRY WEAPONS SQUAD
1 Sergeant
2 Corporal
3 M60
3 Riflemen (M16)

US MARINES SQUAD
1 Sergeant
3 Corporals
1 M79
3 Riflemen M14 modified
6 Riflemen M14

Divided into 3 Fireteams:
1 Corporal
1 M14 modified
2 M14

SPECIAL FORCES A TEAM
1 Captain (Commander)
1 Lieutenant (Executive Officer)
1 Master Sergeant (Operations)
5 Sergeant 1st Class (1 heavy Weapons, 1 Light Weapons, 1 Intelligence, 1 Medical, 1 Radio Operator)
1 Staff Sergeant medical
1 Staff Sergeant Demolitions/Engineer
1 Specialist 5th Class Demolitions/Engineer
1 Sergeant Radio Operator

(The men were armed with their own personal preference of weapons).

 LONG RANG RECONNAISSANCE PATROL
1 Team Leader
1 Assistant Team Leader
1 Radio operator
3 Riflemen

(These troops could use whatever weapons they wanted to). 

VC LOCAL GUERILLAS SQUAD
9-12 men old rifles

VC MAIN FORCE SQUAD
1 Sergeant
1 Corporal
1 RPG
6 Riflemen AK47 

NVA SQUAD
1 Sergeant
1 RPG
1 LMG
6 Riflemen AK47 

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Sample Squad Card

 Blank Record Sheet

Acknowledgements
I'd like to thank the comments of the Vietgaming List available from e-groups. Especially JH and John Barker.

For more free rules visit: http://www.freewargamesrules.co.uk

© Pete Jones 2000, these rules may be freely distributed.