SPI (1971, $3.00)
Designed by John Kramer
Players 1 or 2
Playing time 2-2.5 hours
Period Modern, Vietnam
Scale Tactical
Turn not stated
Map not stated
Unit squad

Components
1 SPI flat tray, white box, or S&T 26
1 22"x27" unmounted mapsheet
255 die-cut counters
1 rules folder

Counter Manifest

Dark brown

9 hard-core VC
6 VC militia
3 VC leader
47 dummy
14 casualty
12 improved position
12 peasants
10 pinned
8 rice cache
6 sniper
6 porter
4 ambush
4 ammo cache
4 arms cache
4 booby trap
1 radio
1 records

Light brown

8 platoon
24 squad
1 battalion HQ
2 company HQ
1 ARVN Ranger
1 ARVN Recon
14 casualty
10 pinned
12 improved position
6 medical teams
4 ammo supply
4 forward observer
4 mortar personnel
2 artillery impact
11 blanks

SPI says:

“This game is unique in many ways. It uses a combat system in which the defensive value of a unit depends on the terrain the defender is in ... The game provides for true hidden movement for one player (the guerillas). A wide selection of scenarios and Orders of Battle are provided.”

The reviewers say:

“Grunt does an excellent job of capturing the period ‘feel’ and flavor of the war in Vietnam in the mid-60’s ... there are rules covering U.S. air strikes, Medevac evacuation by helicopter of U.S. casualties, ‘body count’ victory points, NLF ambushes and booby traps - in short, the bitter realities of the tragic conflict.” --Rodger McGowan (et alia) in F&M 18.

“Rarely seen now, and never very popular.” --Nicholas Palmer in The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming.

Comments

Grunt first appeared in S&T 26. It was the first S&T game to include die-cut counters. It was also the first commercial board wargame to focus on squad level units. However, it was not the first to address the Vietnam conflict (I believe that distinction goes to Gamescience’s Viet Nam).

In 1975 SPI released Search & Destroy, a heavily revised version of the Grunt game system. Designed by John Young, S&D successfully fleshed out the concepts introduced in Grunt, thereby effectively rendering the earlier game obsolete. As stated in the S&D Game Notes: “Grunt ... like many games of the period was inadequate in the map, the counters, and, most especially, the rules.”

Collector’s Notes

My standard SPI warning applies here — beware of price gougers and fanatical bidders. Boone lists low, high and average prices of 14/45/22.81 at auction and 5/80/26.95 for sale. In comparison, Search and Destroy is listed at 7/30/15.20 at auction and 10/50/26.42 for sale.

Other games by this designer

None that we can find!

More G is For Capsule Reviews

Introduction
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Gladiator: Men vs. Animals and Gladiator: Men vs. Men
Grand Imperialism A Game of Discovery in the Victorian Era
The Great Redoubt A Game of the Battle of Borodino, 1812
Grunt Company Commander in Viet-Nam
Guerilla Malaysia and Indonesia from 1963 to 1966.
Gunslinger Dead or Alive