This scenario uses command decision rules The battle starts 09:00 hours Background On the night of 5-6th June 1969 North Vietnamese troops occupied the village of Binh Ba. The South Vietnamese local forces and villages fled the village.. On the 6th of June South Vietnamese Regular forces operating in the area reported to the Australian Task Force HQ that a Viet Cong (VC) platoon had occupied the Village.. and so the Ready Reaction Force was dispatched to clear the village. ATF (Australian Task Force) Ready Reaction Force: "D" company, 5th Bn RAR, 1 command stand (Major Blake) (RoF 2 X,CA,5,10 P) 2 Infantry stands (RoF 2 CA,5,10,15 P) attached No 3 trp B sqn 3rd Cav Regt (APC), with: (Vet 9) 1 command M113A1 (w T-50 turret HMG, MG) (Cpt De Vere) 2 M113A1 (w T-50 turret 2 MG) attached composite trp B Sqn 1st Armoured Regt, with: 1 Centurian Tank (20 pdr) (2nd Lt Sullivan) Artillery in DS: Task Force: 3 btys Aust 105 mm How , 1 bty NZ: 105 hwtzs Artillery in GS: US army: 6 batteries 105mm Howitzers Friendly forces in area: 5th Vietnamese Regular unit... 5th Vietnamese Local Forces (Militia).. Reinforcements: 11:00 hrs: 1 recon Observation Helicopter (US?) (Exp 9) 12:00 hrs: 1 RAAF UH-1 Gunship Helicopter (Aust) (Exp 9) 13:00 hrs: "B" company, 5th Bn RAR, with: (Vet 9) 1 command stand (Cpt Arrowsmith) (RoF 2 X,CA,5,10 P) 3 Infantry stands (RoF 2 CA,5,10,15 P) attached No 4 trp B sqn 3rd Cav Regt (APC), with: (Vet 9) 1 command M113A1 (w T-50 turret HMG, MG) (Sgt Browning) 2 M113A1 (w T-50 turret 2 MG) North Vietnamese Army I Bn 33rd NVA Regiment: probably with: (Exp 9) HQ: 1 command stand 1 Staff Telephone stand 1 recon Infantry stand (in ambush position on Route 2) 3 Rifle Companies 3 Infantry stands (RoF 1/3 CA,5,10,15 P) Hvy Weapon company, with: 1 57mm RCL stand 1 12.7mm HMG stand 1 60mm mortar stand All Infantry stands have Integral RPG-2 Binh Ba Village: Most buildings Masonry with tiled roofs. Trees and shrubs in Gardens Map: (need to find one! from description) Binh Ba Village: Central, 700 yards E-W, 350 yards N-S roads enter village from Route 2 to the East side. Route 2 runs N-S (~700 yards) East of Binh Ba. SE of Binh Ba Route 2 passes over a rise, to the SW of this (and South of Binh Ba) is a Rubber Plantation (Open Wood). Wide Paddy Fields on other three sides , before reaching other cover. (Where the 5th Vietnamese forces are) Deployment: The NVA Bn is deployed in Binh Ba village, except for the recon infantry stand which may be deployed anywhere on table. The Australians enter along Route 2 from the South. (as an alternative have them enter from any direction) Objectives: Australians: Clear the Village of Bihn Ba. Rules of Engagement: The village and nearby (within 18") area is reported as clear of Civilians and Friendly forces. Artillery may be called on the village itself but will count against victory conditions. North Vietnamese: Hold the Village for as long as possible, then exit as much of your forces as possible. Victory The NVA get 1 VP for each full half hour that they have stands in Binh Ba Village after 09:00 hours. They lose 1/2 VP for each stand that is lost. The Australians get 6 VP if they clear the Village of Binh Ba of enemy forces. They lose 2 VP if they use Artilley on the village.They lose 2 VP for each Aust stand destroyed, they get 1 VP for each enemy stand destroyed. The side with the most VP is the winner, if this is twice (or more) than the others VP total then it is a resounding victory. Historical Outcome The Ready Reaction Force took fire from about a platoon of NVA as they travelled along route 2 to Binh Ba, not stopping the force continued towards the rise overlooking the village where the lead Centurions came under RPG (and RCL?) fire (no penetrations), the force then swung into the village with the intention of clearing it from East to West along the 4 streets.. each street had a Centurion followed by about 2 sections of infantry and 3 APCs with the Command elements netted in to the artillery following. Against heavy fire the buildings were cleared (20 pounder Canister followed by infantry). Small arms fire was so heavy that the infantry remounted their APCs and the force swept through the village mounted and reformed on the Western side at about which time B coy (and No 4 trp) arrived and the re-inforced force then swept back though the village mopping up any further resistance. By the end of the day the Village and Rubber plantation had been cleared of enemy, while the Helicopter Gunships had caught many of those trying to escape across the paddy fields. NOTES: The above is drawn from Australian Armour. It is probably lacking/wrong in some (important?) details as it concentrated on the armour side of the story. RPG (and other AT Fire): Two Centurions had to withdraw to clear wounded crewmen, they later returned to the clearing of the village.. I believe that the wounded were as a result of partial penetration of the armour by RPGs (etc), I'm sure there is a more detailed report somewhere (Armour School at Pukapannal???).. it just might take some searching.. Footnote: One M113 was disabled by HMG fire penetrating its front. Back to Frontline Vol. 2 Iss. 1 Table of Contents Back to Frontline List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Rolfe Hedges 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