Tags
1968, Cold War, Indigo Girls, John Tiller, Squad Battles, Squad Battles: Tour of Duty, Steel Panthers, Tet Offensive, Vietnam, WinSPMBT
This is Part 2 of a two-part post about the Tet Offensive. Read the first part at the link. Or return to the master post, where this is the hundred-fifteenth post about the Vietnam War.
Less than impressed so far, I fired up another January 31st Steel Panthers scenario, this one called Ho Nai: Initial Contact. It is a similar story to that presented by Not Here, Not Now, but now the focus is a town near the American airbase at Biên Hòa. As before, the American (this time) defenders are understrength and unprepared* for the assault but there is a balance to the game that makes it challenging without being painfully so.
![](https://ettubluto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tet6.jpg?w=802)
In my first go around, I fought to a draw. Considering the details, I see this as a sign of a well-made, well-balanced** scenario. One that is built as a simulacrum of a tactical experience rather than a puzzle to be solved. I made some obvious mistakes, not the least assuming that a lull in the attack meant that I had already gained the upper hand. I also managed to lose my artillery for a couple of turns by inadvertently switching spotters. I feel like a little effort would allow me to make a decent showing for myself.
There is a third January 31st battle in the Steel Panthers library, that being Claws of the Black Panther. I would say last-but-not-least except I lack information about exactly when each of these scenarios took place. I am assuming, based on the very limited visibility on both of these scenarios, that they are in the dawn or pre-dawn hours of the morning. Contrast with the first of the three, which on turn 4 would already seem to have full daylight. My concurrent reading of Hue 1968 helps me to understand that the attack on Hue City was intended*** to start at 2 AM in a simultaneous assault. Online descriptions suggest that the Bến Tre assault began at 4:15 AM and the Ho Nai commencement sometime in between.
![](https://ettubluto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tet7.jpg)
Claws of the Black Panther exemplifies one of the stronger features of Steel Panthers. That being its suitability for user-designed scenarios and its unique position, in its prime, to support such for post-World War II tactical battles. This scenario depicts the initial engagement of the elite of the ARVN forces in Hue City. The recon force Hac Bao, or Black Panther, was the only front-line fighting force in the Citadel and had been stationed in reserve at the Tây Lộc Airfield when 1st Division commander, Brigadier General Ngô Quang Trưởng, learned that the Tet cease fire had been broken (courtesy of premature attacks in the South). Historically, the Black Panthers defended the airport and then retreated to the 1st Division headquarters at the Mang Ca Garrison, a Victorian-era French fortress built to control the Perfume River.
Playing the defensive means a scenario that is light on the tactical choices that often make for a compelling game. You control mostly emplaced positions plus a mere handful of effective maneuverable forces. The previous two scenarios taught me, the hard way, not to bring units out of cover against unknown (but nevertheless clearly superior) forces. In exchange, however, it presents an important bit of history modeling a critical part of the Hue battle that, absent the engagement of U.S. forces, would typically get ignored.
![](https://ettubluto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tet8.jpg?w=798)
Having now completed three Steel Panthers scenarios, I’ll open up the three Squad Battles scenarios that are also set on January 31st. These three are Tiller-authored sequential scenarios depicting the defense of Tan Son Nhut Air Base during a pre-dawn attack. I’ve said it before but I think these multi-part scenarios are meant to be digested as a whole rather than, necessarily, one-by-one.
![](https://ettubluto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tet9.jpg?w=1024)
Take, as an example, the screenshot above, showing the first player turn within Part I of the trio. The VC have just broken through the airbase fence and face a single security squad (5 men) manning a single M-60 from within a fortified position. That’s it. Nobody else on the map. Of course (as you can see in the dialog) two more security platoons are on their way along with two helicopter gunships. It’s a race against the clock, and the randomized entry turns, and when the scenario decides to end.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a scenario like this one. That said, it does show something of the nature of defending against a surprise attack. While Part One is fifteen turns long (and then some, for me), it is a very fast scenario because there are so few units on the board.
![](https://ettubluto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tet10.jpg?w=1024)
The second scenario is both small and short. Only six turns, it begins with an armored relief column already engaged at close range with enemy sporting RPGs. I took the above screenshot just as I lost my first AFV but I probably needn’t tell you there are many more burning wrecks to follow.
Once again, this feels like more of an instructional setup – a way to help guide the player through the events of the morning rather than, necessarily, provide a good game. My losses were terribly high but I think that the only way to do substantially better is to get better virtual die rolls. I did wonder if abandoning the victory locations to the enemy is a viable option, rather than staying on the road and duking it out. The victory point numbers suggest that the road must be defended. Incidentally, this is how it happened on the morning of the 31st but, as deadly as that fight was, I don’t think it turned out as bad as what happened to my guys.
![](https://ettubluto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tet11.jpg?w=1024)
As I’ve said time and again, the purpose of these multipart scenarios may be to set up the “main event.” In this case, Part Three is a 12 turn, properly-supported armored attack against positions seized by the VC earlier that morning. The final screenshot above shows the opening setup for the attackers – just before they move out.
But is this the main event? Maybe this one, too, is meant to be an educational experience. For example, if I had full planning capacity for this fight, I would never attack a built up area with armor unless I also used infantry support. Since I have been forced to do without, I can see the power of American armor when used properly against the VC. I had long read about how M113s were used effectively against the insurgents but this is my first chance to see them really work that way. I have no choice.
Given that they do work, this third scenario is as imbalanced for me as the other two were against me.
Allow me one last comment. In my first post, I tossed in that Tet was modeled by the First Person Shooter genre. Indeed, I was actually hoping to get to the Tet Offensive missions from Men of Valor in a way that coordinated with these, above, tactical games; one step closer to fine, if you will. The problem is I’ve been stuck on the Khe Sahn missions, still in the summer of ’67, for going-on four years now.
I probably shouldn’t have admitted it, but it is true. It’s a shame because I think I’d be impressed by the urban environments in Men of Valor.
Return to the master post or continue on for a Squad Battles take on the Battle of Hue.
*The lack of preparedness was less excusable at Ho Nai. American patrols had encountered the VC forces preparing for the attack. Leadership simply didn’t believe that it was part of something significant.
**I am not talking about a scenario that is the right level of challenge for me personally, although this one is that. One of my metrics is that a scenario is best when approached without preparation. If it takes multiple attempts to learn “tricks” for winning, the scenario loses points with me.
***The go-signal was to be a signal flare and mortar bombardment, which did not come off at exactly H-hour. It was close enough.