VENETIC

Village Assault

Cambodia, 8 July 1970

A village north-east of Phnom Penh, July 1970.

A unit of the Cambodian Army is assaulting a ville held by the Khmer Rouge.

FANK AMX-13 tanks and infantry move cautiously through the bush.

This is RPG country and is dangerous for tanks.

Some of the FANK troops deploy south of the ville to cut off any potential flank attacks.

The engine noise soon attracts the bad guys….

The FANK troops open fire but they only manage to shoot over the heads of the Khmer Rouge detachment.

One shot is all it takes for the RPG team to knock out the AMX-13, still rotating its turret when it is hit.

The FANK M60 team opens fire, but its aim is erratic.

FANK troops across the field also fire at the Khmer Rouge, pinning them down.

They then assault across the field.

The FANK platoon takes the Khmer Rouge position, but find it empty, the bad guys having withdrawn.

Keeping their heads down, they have managed to pull back to a safer position.

Sight unseen by the FANK, the Khmer Rouge commander also orders in reinforcements from the north side of the village.

The Khmer Rouge crossing the road attract the attention of more FANK troops advancing up the edge of the road. They open fire and cause casualties.

The entire Khmer Rouge squad is wiped out.

Dodging flying bullets, the Khmer Rouge commander moves his team away from the roadside, seeking refuge on the southern end of the field behind his men.

The FANK commander sends troops up the road to occupy the village.

They clear the ville and form a blocking line north of the Khmer Rouge position.

Meanwhile, another FANK squad and AMX-13 move around south of the Khmer Rouge in an attempt to outflank them.

The FANK squad assaulting the Khmer Rouge from the front takes losses in an exchange of fire.

But the FANK vice is tightening around the Khmer Rouge position.

The Khmer Rouge commander finds himself under fire.

The Khmer Rouge commander stands his ground and returns fire on the FANK advancing from the road.

Meanwhile, the flank attack proceeds.

AN RPG team pops up and fires at the AMX-13 but misses.

The tank commander orders HE and lays down rapid fire at near point-blank range.

The AMX-13’s fire is devastating.

Having lost nearly all of his force, the Khmer Rouge commander decides to withdraw, leaving the ville to the FANK force.

It was a hard-fought battle, with the Khmer Rouge causing losses disproportionate to their strength, but the FANK forces have cleared the village.