During Operation Crimp, a platoon from the 173rd Airborne was tasked with searching the hamlet of Dang Xa. This small collection of huts has been long suspected of concealing the far eastern extremites of the tunnel network so far discovered during the operation. So far enemy activity in this area has been non-existant and the patrol seems fairly routine.
As the patrol commences its way to Dang Xa it is joined by a Kit Carson scout but the weather seems intent of hampering the US forces with all helos grounded due to a heavy downpour at FSB Kentucky. As the US Force moves slowly towards the houses they are unaware they are being watched. For a time they proceed unhindered until without warning a
VC MMG Team open fire from a hidden position. As US troops scatter for cover this fire is joined by more small arms fire from the village and as two US rifle teams try to move on the flank, two
VC Recoilless Rifles open up from hidden positions. A single round from one of them causes horrific losses, killing or injuring all members of Corporal Turner's rifle team. In only a matter of seconds three US Airborne lay dead with another seven seriously wounded. The jungle continues to erupt with fire from many directions and further US casualties mount and all before the US forces have reached the stream. Things get worse as a monsoon begins hampering observation and then one rifle team finds its weapons jamming and suffering several stopages. Even worse is the loss of both M60 gunners in the support squad. One is killed by a spike board trap, while the other avoids a small trap, only to miss its secondary device which explodes seriously injuring him. With screams for a medevac coming from all sides, the medic makes a brave dash to help the wounded and himself is hit, but fortunately its just a flesh wound. He reaches Turner's team and begins to stabilise the wounded with help from the remains of one of the M60 teams. Then as enemy fire seems to slacken, a hidden
MG bunker opens up on the flank of the teams trying to cross the stream, causing further casualties.
By chance the US Forces gains help from two Ranger sniper teams who happen to be in the area. One sniper team is operating on the hill side above the valley, while the second moves into the immediate area. By luck the team operating on the hill side eliminate the
VC bunker and the other team despatches the
VC commander with a single round as he is seen moving about the village. With this reinforcement two teams make it into the village and clear the first huts. A couple of lucky blooper rounds knock-out the recoilless rifles and a close range beehive round from one kills a number of
VC hiding in a hut. As the sun begins to set, the
VC force withdraws from the battlefield leaving the US force in control of Dang Xa.
This was the first Ambush Valley game we have played since the book was published, and I have never seen two players draw as many Fog of War cards as Thomas and Gary. The game swung one way and then the other and I dont think either player felt too confident at anytime. Certainly Gary playing the US had a tough time of it from the start when a lucky recoilless round dropped all the members of one rifle team, knocking out 25% of his riflemen in one go. This was followed by several more casualties, and if he hadnt of got support from two sniper teams, then it would have been a massacre. The game ended with the US on 67 victory points, having cleared three houses, and the
VC finished on 52 points. The US however suffered very heavy losses, with five KIA and 13 WIA. Due to this we called the game a draw as although the US had won on points and cleared some of the village, their losses were horrific, and as the
VC objective was simply to cause as many US casualties as possible, they had certainly achieved this.
All miniatures are 20mm figures from Britannia Miniatures, Elhiem Figures and Platoon 20.
