"Dogbone 6, this is Dogbone onefive. Request Dustoff. Have two kilos, one sierra whiskey, and two lima whiskeys. Dogbone one-six-actual is lima whiskey. We are pinned down by sniper fire from hidden position in tall grass three inches southeast of LZ Tan. Request Dogbone four- six fire smoke danger close-, target six inches from north edge, twelve inches from west edge, over." "Dogbone one-five, this is Dogbone two-six bravo. In contact with enemy force, estimated squad size, along creekbank six inches SE of Hill 221. Have one lima whiskey. At least three victor charlie kilos we can see, over." "Dogbone six, this is Horsefly 33. Have two Skyraiders inbound with napalm. Can you use them? Over." "Dogbone six, this is Flapjack 3. Flapjack six wants a sitrep, over." "Dogbone six, this is Bent Spear 6. The press is enroute to observe your operation. Give them your cooperation and protection, out." The slicks set 1st platoon and two squads of 2d platoon down on the east side of the table along with the new Dogbone six. Luckily, the LZ was cold, and no one fell into the punji stake traps that were scattered around it. Moving westward, searching as they went, members of 1st platoon found the mutilated body of one of the LRP team and a broken radio on the west slope of Hill 225. They also found tracks leading NW. Other members of 1st platoon moving W from LZ Blue later discovered a boobytrapped cache of munitions. 2d platoon has not fared as well. The platoon command group and 2d squad landed at LZ Tan in the NW corner of the area of operations. While 2d squad fanned out and began search the woods and Hill 221 to the SE. The platoon command group stood around out in the open LZ waiting for their lieutenant to make up his mind until a sniper opened up on them. Two dead and two wounded later (wounded including the 2LT), they fled into the forest E of the LZ to gain a little respite. But the sniper soon followed them, wounding the 2LT a second time. 2d squad met a small group of VC apparently moving supplies and began a firefight with them (sixteen dice to two dice); some of the VC were apparently unarmed bearers carrying some sort of supplies. 1st platoon and its reinforcements have observed movement in the village of Ap Tau, apparently civilians. While the 2d platoon's command group cowers in the trees and its 2d squad is crushing their VC opponents, everyone else wonders.... Tactical lesson of the day: Don't stand around out in the open waiting for someone to shoot you in the ass! Observation: Wild and Crazy Alan has done it again! Huey sillouttes for on board landings! Will he ever stop? Good show, Alan. Other Notes: Captain Hawk (Nate) has been relieved for cowardice; he never got off of his helicopter during the mission to Ap Loh. Captain Melbourne (Alan) has taken command of Dogbone. Ken is working on some great jungle pieces. Carl is continuing to paint US, VC, and NVA types to expand the action. Bryan and Chris M. have picked up a few US figures; lets see how the Moody brothers paint! Another Report by Carl J. SITUATION A regimental LRP team operating in the vicinity of Ap Tau has not reported in since making contact and cutting off in midtransmission. The team was investigating reports that civilians had reoccupied Ap Tau after the Vietnamese government had relocated the villagers. In addition, the team was monitoring enemy activity in the vicinity, searching for caches of weapons and munitions. Squad size elements of Main Force VC have been operating in the area supporting infiltrators from the north. Ap Tau lies NW of Ap Choi, N of Ap Loh, and close to the infiltration routes inside Laos. MISSION Delta Company minus 3d and Weapons Platoons will search Ap Tau and its immediate vicinity with the intent to locate and extract the missing LRP team. As a secondary mission, the company will detain and evacuate any civilians encountered as well as inventory and evacuate or destroy any caches found. AFTER ACTION REPORT. The company HQ, 1st platoon, and two squads of second platoon landed on the E edge of the board in two relays of slicks in a cold LZ. They discovered some pungi stake traps, but luckily avoided any losses. As they worked their way westward, one squad in 1st platoon discovered the mutilated body of one of the missing LRPs on the W slope of Hill 225 as well as Ho Chi Minh sandal tracks going NW. One squad later discovered a boobytraped cache of munitions. Rather than evacuate it, they blew it up. Unfortunately, the squad tasked with the demolition did not move far enough away from the charge and were showered with failing trees and other debris when it detonated (Lucky die rolls--the GIs avoided injury!). The rest of 1st platoon and its reinforcements secured Ap Tau and detained its inhabitants, even catching some that tried to escape across the rice paddies to the south. The detainees were subsequently evacuated for interrogation. 2d platoon HQ and 2d squad landed at LZ Tan in the NW corner of the table. While 2d squad moved out smartly, the platoon HQ dallied on the LZ and soon found itself pinned by sniper fire. Before being eliminated, the sniper killed two GIs including the medic, wounded the platoon leader twice, and seriously wounded another GI who later died of wounds before he could be evacuated. Another member of the unit went crazy and tried to frag the platoon leader. 2d squad was much more successful. They caught a VC squad crossing the creek SE of the LZ and shot it up (The American threw 16 dice to the VC player's 3!). Just as 2d squad close assaulted the remnants of the VC unit, the missing LRPs appeared to lend a hand. Next, a second VC squad tracking the LRPs jumped in as well. Before the fray ended, the GIs had taken two prisoners and shot up the second VC squad, whose survivors disappeared into the bush. Elsewhere, two VC LMG teams engaged members of 1st and 2d platoons at long range on both sides of the village, causing few casualties. Unfortunately for the VC, Dogbone six had already called in an airstrike in the vicinity of one of the teams. One of the Skyraiders missed his planned target, but managed to roast one the VC LMG teams when the napalm deviated. Other VC on the board escaped. ANALYSIS Definitely an American victory! The US players managed to meet all of their victory conditions. First, -they rescued the LRP team which suffered one KIA and one seriously wounded. Second, they detained and evacuated the residents of Ap Tau. Third, they discovered and destroyed a munitions cache. Last, they finally managed to inflict more casualties on the VC than suffering themselves. The GIs took two prisoners, counted eleven bodies, and recovered 23 weapons: one RPK, one LMG, one SMG, two SKSs, and 18 AK47s. The Americans lost four KIA, one seriously wounded, three lightly wounded, one heat stroke case, and one gone crazy. Congrats to the Americans! Back to Dispatch March 2002 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com