In a counter-attack during the 1972 Easter Offensive, 2nd
Battalion, 18th ARVN Division approaches the outskirts of Lộc Ninh to
clear it of VC.
M41s support the ARVN infantry as they approach the
outskirts of Lộc Ninh.
A squad is sent forward to reconnoiter the outskirts,
with tank support.
In the absence of opposition, more squads move
forward.
A VC sniper is their first opposition: he is soon
silenced by heavy return fire
The advance continues.
The tanks attract fire from VC hiding in a local
factory.
The VC RPG gunner misses, and the M41 returns fire,
initially with its machine gun.
Followed by its main gun.
More VC reveal themselves, firing at the ARVN by the
shrine.
A firefight develops, with the ARVN troops taking
losses.
Things take a drastic turn for the worst for the VC
when they find themselves under point-blank tank gun fire from 2 M41s.
The three survivors seek shelter behind the shack.
The include an RPG team, which moves forward to engage
with the closest M41.
They are spotted by the M41’s commander as they deploy
and are blown away.
Seizing the initiative, an ARVN squad rushes across
the road to penetrate the gap in the VC line.
Another RPG team moves forward to engage with the
second M41.
The second M41 blows them away too.
The second M41’s crew have not been watching their
flank however, and they fall victim to a 3rd RPG team.
ARVN infantry open fire on the bar where the VC are
concealed.
The ARVN are also moving up on the other side of the
intersection.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the crossroads, a VC
machine gun opens up on the ARVN troops on the left flank.
The flank squad takes cover as machine gun bullets fly
overhead.
They return fire and deal with the MG team.
A firefight starts on the ARVN right flank as VC open
up on the troops there.
The VC start receiving shell fire from an M41 on the
main road.
At this point, the VC commander decides to withdraw;
holding the crossroads with little more than one squad is not going to be
feasible in the face of overwhelming ARVN firepower. His tactical mistake was
not deploying his RPG teams far forward enough, and failing to site them in
positions with good fields of fire. He was also frustrated by the fact that,
fortuitously, the ARVN tanks managed to avoid rolling over his few road mines.
It was a win for the ARVN.
This game was played using Death Card rules, available
on the Fields of Fire Reloaded Facebook page.
© W.S. McCallum 26 September 2024
Web site © Wayne Stuart McCallum 2003-2024