BodyCount

Vietnam War Rules

review by Dick Bryant

BODYCOUNT: Wargame Rules for the Vietnam War by Ian C. Rury and Nigel J. Drury, Arclight Products, 1984, 33 pages, $8.00.

BODYCOUNT is an expanded skirmish game for Vietnam. Scales-1 inch = 5 meters, 1 turn = I minute, and 1 figure = 1 man. Players control forces ranging in size from sections (2-5 men) to platoons (30 plus).

The rules are very ambitious for BODYCOUNT is an attempt to bridge the gap from the skirmish game (one player controlling 2-5 men maximum) and the battalion game (one player controlling 1-2 companies minimum). The rules reflect the author's desire to retain the individual figure's characteristics and flavour while at the same time allowing for the deployment of substantial forces armed with a wide variety of highly sophisticated weapons systems. This is a lot of ground to cover in a very complex and confusing tactical situation.

A simultaneous movement and fire system is employed, with morale checks being made whenever needed. Troops on foot have 5 different movement rates to choose from, varying from a 3 inch search to a 24 inch run. The choice of movement rate is very important for it will influence a figure's ability to detect traps, spot enemy troops, escape detection'by enemy troops, lay fire accurately, and its vulnerability to enemy fire.

Troop characteristics are depicted by six ability ratings: Aggressiveness (willingness to advance under fire), Discipline (response to orders), Endurance (response to enemy fire), Fieldcraft (aware ness/spotting), and Technical Competence (weapons proficiency). The troop characteristics are backed up by a large variety of weapons and system characteristics ranging from pungi pits to M16 and AK-47 to fighter-bombers; all of which are assigned an efficiency and lethality rating.

The fire systern is unusual in that fire is normally determined by groups of troops firing at zones. An example would be a section of GIs returning the fire of a group of VC emplaced along a wood's edge. A number of factors would be used to determine the casualties inflicted; the number of GIs firing, their technical competence, their weapons, the range, the target's stance (are the VC dug-in, prone, or upright?), and the number of VC in the fire zone. The factors would yield the number of possible casualties inflicted on the VC. Thus the fire procedure will be slow but with practice, straightforward.

The wide scope of the game (both in the number of troops deployed and the weapons) coupled with an attempt to meet and deal with every possible contingency has resulted in an overabundance of tables and procedure, that could be better organized. The employment of an Umpire, who is soundly grounded in the rules and the period, is manditory. All in all; even though the authors are only partially successful in dealing with the requirements of a Vietnam Game; BODYCOUNT is a very good effort with innovative ideas and an unique grasp of the conflict.

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