Late 1967 starts poorly for the ARVN and US Armed Forces. Starting with setbacks in Pleiku Highlands and Kien Phong province the RVN sees itself invaded and under constant VC subversion.
The NVA launch an invasion into Binh Dinh and a showdown is set against the strongest concentration of ARVN Forces.
Meanwhile outside Saigon the VC launch land reforms and promise more to the people if they openly revolt.
The VC subvert Kien Hoa and Binh Tuy as well as foster new guerilla units. The US loses control of Binh Tuy. The VC victory point total climbs to 32. It's a tight race now with ARVN falling to 38 and the USA to 42.
Outside the US Armed Forces base in Binh Dinh the ARVN launch an attack against the mass of NVA stationed there.
Using the Assault operation they drain their resources and find ousting the NVA troops out of the Highlands to be difficult. The NVA lose almost 1000 men though and the ARVN losses are light.
The good card luck continues for the Communists. Light at the End of the Tunnel sees reduced American involvement in the war. The NVA play the event and stay eligible. The US withdrawals 4 units from the war and the opposition across South Vietnam stiffen. The NVA musters more troops in Laos and Cambodia.
The US is forced to commit it's Saigon reserves to take out the VC threat in Binh Tuy. They sweep out 2 units and discover VC activity. The US then launches massive air strikes in Kien Hoa, Binh Tuy and Pleiku. The VC are wiped out of Binh Tuy and the NVA lose many exposed men in Pleiku. COIN forces regain Binh Tuy.
The ARVN take initiative and assault again in Binh Dinh after moving a division out of Qui Nhon. The attack is swift and determined and the Communists are beaten back to leave little or no presence there.
VC presence appears in Saigon as they dish out terror in the city streets. They were directly funneled in through Tay Ninh.
THE GAME NEARS THE END. The final push for the control of South Vietnam has begun. The NVA plays the event on Phan Quang Dan and gain oppositionist support in the RVN govt. assembly. The US trains and focuses on Armed Forces advisor support. They work to pacify Khanh Hoa and remove terror there. Support there goes neutral and the terror marker is removed. The VC lose 2 VP's. The US Air Force strikes Quang Duc eliminating exposed VC units and a base there. Control goes back to COIN.
ARVN remains ineligible due to Phan Quang Dan and we flip out last card as monsoon season rolls in.
The VC are the only eligible faction as the game winds down. They are not close VP wise either the US or ARVN so they look to cause havoc. Due to the MONSOON the VC cannot march. Through propaganda the VC rally in Binh Dinh, Kontum and ever contested Khanh Hoa. Even though guerrillas appear the VC are not able to shift the provinces from COIN control but they try one last Subversion. With subversion Khan Hoa once again is lost to the COIN factions. The game ends and we go to the final Coup! phase.
The final Coup card is a doozy: Failed Attempt. Quite true to the status of how the war is going many ARVN troops see no hope of ousting the VC presence in their country and flee or change aides. This devastates ARVN presence in South Vietnam and really thins the game board out. We enter the Coup round with no one having a straight up victory.
After redeployment, earnings and pacification and agitation the point totals are as follows:
NVA 15
ARVN 40
USA 44
VC 34
Victory margins are: 1 for VC, 3 for NVA, 10 for ARVN, 6 for the United States. Due to victory margin the VC are declared the winners! The countryside has surrounded the cities and public order crumbles as the South Vietnam government collapses.
FINAL BOARD SHOT
I started off pretty skeptical about COIN games. But now with the depth and the multitude of choices and ways too win...I do understand the hype. Overall it was a great gaming experience even playing single player and I am sure I did some of the BOT stuff wrong. The outcome was still a nail biter though and as I got into the game I started to see the ways to win and what I did wrong.
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