Free Fire Zone

Vietnam Skirmish Rules

Reviewed by Bill Rutherford

FREE FIRE ZONE (FFZ) is a well-tested set of skirmish rules that are intended to be a comprehensive guide to skirmish-gaming the Vietnam War. They're 78 pages long, not counting the sheet of (cut your own) info counters and 2 two-sided sheets of game charts. The game scales are 1 figure/model equals one soldier/vehicle, one inch equals between 5 and 1 meters, and one turn equals between 2 and 5 minutes (determined by the throw of an average die). The first 8 pages introduce the rules, provide notes on figure basing and scenery making, and a short, concise, description of how to generate scenarios, determine victory, and a generic victory point schedule chillingly reminiscent of the well-known "body counts" of the 1960s…

The turn sequence is sequential, though the player with the initiative is determined each turn by modified die roll to see who moves and attacks first, and certain activities – artillery strikes, morale checks, etc. – take place outside this sequence. Command control receives some attention – troops are organized into units which operate under specific orders. Communications – voice, radio, runner, etc. – are covered in some detail; changing a unit's orders can be problematic… Units take motivation tests to do just about anything; failure restricts their actions to firing or communicating. Terrain, as might be expected, is addressed in some detail, and unit movement varies based on a modifying die roll. Spotting is VERY probabilistic and makes clear just how hard it was to find something to shoot at in the brush.

Fire combat is resolved by a die roll against a weapon's fire factor, and readily lends itself to units (squads and such) firing as groups. Casualties are randomly allocated, taking into account target cover and proximity. Mines, recce by fire, special weapons, and helicopters are all detailed to a degree consistent with the Vietnam War. Indirect fire is more complicated in its acquisition than in its resolution and reflects its differing availability to the two sides. Air-to-ground combat (in a skirmish game???) is reasonably detailed and well reflects the unbalancing effects the sudden appearance of a couple of Spads had on the typical small firefight… Close combat is simple and generally quick, and relies heavily on situational die modifiers for the combatants. Snipers, PWs, booby traps, fortifications, sappers (of course!), and noncombatants are all detailed to one degree or other, as is the ENTIRE subject of riverine warfare, and generally provide irritating distractions to the players (as they should…)

The final 12 pages of FFZ consists of an informal collection of designer's notes, troop classification notes, a welcome annotated bibliography, and even notes on popular films about the period! Basically a well-detailed set of skirmish rules, the combined unit fire factors noted above lend FFZ to platoon and company engagements as well. My review copy, kindly provided by the publishers, was a beta copy, but I understand the rules sell for $14.95 and ARE available from the publisher, Brookhurst Hobbies (see advert elsewhere in this issue).

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