TEXT: UJADIIJIIIIOOKS® PIIESENTS: 
  I~ Ill~'TISI~I) 
  
  Warning! 
  Violence and War 
  The fictional World of RECON® is closely based on the Vietnam Conflict and is violent, brutal and 
  deadly. Combat, war, weapons, drugs and politics are all elements of this book. 
  Some parents may find the violence and other elements of the game inappropriate for young readers/play­
  ers. We suggest parental discretion. 
  Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage war, genocide, the use of drugs, 
  or violence. 
  ))ELlJXI~ IlIIVISlm 
  ............ _.-
  -
  ~--
  ------­
  A complete role-playing game. 
  RECON uses rules very different from most other Palladium RPGs. 
  1 
  
  The cover is by Kevin Fales and depicts a squad of soldiers being "inserted" into the bush. 
  First Printing -
  March, 1999 
  Copyright 1982, 1986, 1987 & 1999 Palladium Books Inc. & Kevin Siembieda 
  All rights reserved, worldwide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part 
  or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All 
  incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters 
  or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental. 
  RECON®, Palladium Books®, and Megaverse® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and 
  Palladium Books Inc. Ninjas & Superspies, Mystic China, and other names, titles, character names and character likenesses 
  are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. 
  Palladium On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com 
  Deluxe Revised RECON® is published by Palladium Books Inc., 12455 Universal Drive, Taylor, MI 
  48180. Printed in the USA. 
  2 
  
  l'l'IJ.J'))IIJIIIIOOI{S® l'III~SI~N'I'S: 
  I)I~I"'JXI~ III~'TIS I~I) , 
  Written by: Erick Wujcik 
  Additional Text & Concepts: Kevin Siembieda 
  Matthew Balent 
  Maryann Siembieda 
  Original Concepts & Rules: Joe F. Martin 
  Editors: Alex Marciniszyn 
  Jim Osten 
  Wayne Smith 
  Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein 
  Cover Painting: Kevin Fales 
  Interior Artists: Kevin Siembieda 
  Scott Johnson 
  Michael Gustovich 
  Wayne Breaux Jr. 
  Maps: Erick Wujcik 
  Art Direction & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda 
  Typography: Maryann Siembieda 
  Base on the original RECON® RPG & Miniature game and concepts created by Joe F. Martin. 
  Palladium Books On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com 
  Special Thanks to Joe Martin who first launched this venture, to Erick Wujcik who took it to the next 
  level in role-playing, and to the usual Palladium veterans for their dedication to duty. 
  -
  Kevin Siembieda, 1999 
  3 
  
  Contents 
  Revised RECON® 
  What is Deluxe Revised RECON® . 
  7 
  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 
  7 
  Bibliography ... ... . .. . 
  8 
  Fantasy Role-Playing Games . 
  8 
  Game Tenns ..... . 
  . 9 
  Creating a Character 
  10 
  Major Characteristics 
  10 
  Strength. 
  10 
  Alertness ...... . 
  II 
  Agility ..... .. . 
  12 
  Minor Characteristics . 
  12 
  Military Occupational Specialties. 
  12 
  Skill Selection. . . . 
  14 
  Weapon Skills .. .. 
  15 
  Hand to Hand Skills. 
  16 
  Skill Descriptions .. 
  18 
  Mercenaries . . . . . 
  22 
  Mercenary Skill Descriptions. 
  23 
  Experience Points . . . . 
  25 
  Character Improvement. . 
  26 
  Alignments . . . 
  . . 26 
  Combat System. . . . 
  28 
  Small Arms Fire. . . . 
  32 
  Artillery & Air Strike . 
  35 
  "Hogs" (Helicopters) 
  36 
  RECON® Teams. 
  .38 
  Insertion ... 
  · 42 
  Extraction . . . . . 
  · 43 
  Mercenaries.... 
  .44 
  Sgt. Bull Jacobs' Freelance Military Catalog. 
  48 
  Hardware .. ........... . 
  51 
  Inside "Red" Dukowski's Backpack 
  51 
  Weapons ...... . 
  52 
  Area Affect Weapons . 
  58 
  Hand Grenades . . . 
  59 
  Incendiary Weapons. 
  64 
  US Mines ..... . 
  64 
  Vehicles (US) . . . . 
  •• 66 
  Combat on the Waves. 
  69 
  Helicopter Rules 
  72 
  Helicopters (US) . . . . 
  73 
  AH-IG Cobra ..... 
  76 
  HH-3E Jolly Green Giant. 
  80 
  Helicopter Armament Systems 
  .80 
  A Few US Aircraft. . . . . . . . 
  83 
  The Viet Cong & North Vietnamese Army. 
  84 
  Creating the Enemy: Quick Roll NPC. 
  85 
  VC RECON® Teams . 
  85 
  VC Weapons .... . 
  86 
  Tanks ...... . . 
  92 
  Communist Aircraft . 
  92 
  Booby Traps. . . . . 
  93 
  Disarming The Trap. 
  94 
  Mission Director Section. 
  · 95 
  Counterinsurgency Warfare. 
  .95 
  How to "Role Play" . 
  96 
  The Mission Director . . . . . 
  · 96 
  Rewards & Punishment . . . . . . . 
  97 
  Maps in RECON® . . . . . . . . . 
  98 
  Designing RECON® Adventures . 
  100 
  Setting Up The Game . . . . . 
  100 
  The Viet Cong & Vietnamese .. . 
  101 
  Vietnamese Names ....... . 
  101 
  Tables (Encounters & Combat) . 
  101 
  Random Encounter Tables Start . 
  101 
  VC Encounter Table. . 
  105 
  Fire Fights. . . . . . . . . . . 
  107 
  Weather Change Table . . . . 
  108 
  Communications with Radios . 
  109 
  Barbed Wire & Cyclone Fences. 
  108 
  Guard Dogs ...... . 
  109 
  Sentries ........ . 
  109 
  Radio Communications 
  109 
  Radio Jargon. . . 
  110 
  Military Time . . . . . . 
  110 
  The U.S. Troops .... 
  110 
  Army Organization in 'Nam. 
  110 
  'Nam Game Populations. 
  113 
  Special (NPC) Personnel . . 
  113 
  Glossary .......... . 
  115 
  Palladium Modifications to RECON® . 
  119 
  Player Background. . . . . . . . . . 
  121 
  The World According to RECON® .. 
  121 
  Buntar ... 
  121 
  Delancort I . 
  . 22 
  Sangria... 
  123 
  San Isabel. 
  123 
  San Marcos 
  124 
  Tragnarl .. 
  24 
  Stateside (U.S.) 
  124 
  Boorland .. 
  125 
  Chandracia I 
  125 
  Dakali ... 
  126 
  Grugashan . 
  126 
  Iswandah.. 
  127 
  Southern 'Nam. 
  127 
  People's 'Nam. 
  129 
  Lao ...... . 
  129 
  RECON® Adventures. 
  132 
  A viator in Distress. 
  130 
  Three Stars Down . . . . 
  131 
  Killers by Night ..... 
  133 
  VC Stars of Stage & Screen. 
  134 
  Rescue at Phmon Na. . . . 
  135 
  Finding Mama's Favorite .. 
  136 
  Jungle Buster . . . . . . . . 
  137 
  Breaker! Breaker! Stop that Convoy! . 
  138 
  Viet Cong Rescue ....... . 
  139 
  Stop the Hit Men ....... . 
  140 
  Bridge over the River Song Tau. 
  141 
  The River Song Tau, Part Two 
  142 
  The Tax man Cometh .. 
  142 
  The Tunnels ofCu Chi ... 
  143 
  A RECON® Campaign •. 
  145 
  Map of the People's 'Nam. 
  148 
  Mercenary Adventures 
  151 
  Map of Delancort . . . . . 
  155 
  4 
  
  Advanced RECON® 
  Character Creation ... . . 
  160 
  Skill Table for Laos Characters . 
  161 
  RECON® Electronics. . . . . . 
  162 
  Small Unit Tactics ...... . 
  164 
  How To Stay Alive for the Next Game . 
  164 
  Preparedness. . . . . . . . . . . 
  166 
  Communications (hand signals). 
  166 
  Offensive & Defensive Warfare. 
  167 
  Strategy & Tactics. . . . . . . . 
  169 
  Large Unit Combat Resolution. 
  170 
  Combat Resolution Tables . . . 
  170 
  Communist Strategy & Tactics . 
  171 
  The Advanced RECON World 
  172 
  Southern 'Nam. . .. . 
  172 
  People's China . . .. . 
  174 
  The Kingdom of Laos 
  174 
  Maps of the Region . . 
  175 
  Currency ....... . 
  175 
  The Tripartite Government 
  176 
  The High Cost of Greasing Palms. 
  176 
  Laotian Military. . . . . . . . . 
  177 
  Foreign Agencies & Advisors . . 
  181 
  The OpiumlHeroin Network .. 
  182 
  Heroin Organizations in Laos. . 
  183 
  Air America . . . . . . . . . 
  183 
  Mission Director's Section ... 
  184 
  Assigning the Characters . . . . 
  184 
  Agency for Development Evaluation (ADE) . 
  184 
  Long-Term Assignment. 
  186 
  Vengalal. ... .. ... .. . 
  86 
  Noi Pot District . . . . . . . . 
  186 
  Advanced RECON® Tables. 
  187 
  Terrain Descriptions (Laos) . 
  187 
  Wanted Characters Table . . . . 
  194 
  Adventures . . . . . . . . . .. 
  195 
  Project Boot-Strap: The Spice Scam 
  195 
  The Opium War! 
  198 
  Radio Wars .... 
  201 
  The Spider's Web . 
  204 
  Suicide Squad . . . 
  207 
  All about Dominos .... 
  208 
  Shaping World Destiny .. 
  208 
  Player Character Failure Table . 
  209 
  Map of Southeast Asia . . . . . 
  210 
  Player Character Success Table. 
  211 
  Alone Against an Army (adventure) 
  213 
  Stirring Up Anti-Heroin Fever .... 
  215 
  Notes on the International Situation 
  216 
  The original RECON® Miniature Rules. 
  218 
  Assignments of Territory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 
  Notable Tables 
  Alertness & Suspicion (Sentry) . 
  109 
  Combat Resolution Tables . . . 
  170 
  Communications Call Letters . . 
  109 
  Communications Hand Signals . 
  166 
  Contact Table: Helicopter Combat 
  105 
  Contact Table: Dangerous Animal . . . 
  104 
  Contact Table: Non-Dangerous Animal 
  104 
  Contact Table: Non-combatants ... . 
  102 
  Contact Table: Random Village ... . 
  102 
  Contact Table: Random (mixed) Encounters . 
  103 
  Contact Table: Tunnel Systems. . 
  106 
  Contact Table: Tunnels of Cu Chi 
  143 
  Contact Table: Tunnel Contents 
  144 
  Contact Table: Tunnel Hazards . . 
  145 
  Contact Table: Viet Cong. . . . . 
  105 
  Creating the Enemy: Quick Roll NPC 
  85 
  Development Mission Table (adventures) 
  185 
  Developmental Occupational Specialty 
  185 
  Explosives Table . . . . . . 
  60 
  Fire Fight: Terrain Table .. 
  107 
  Fire Fight: Visibility Tables 
  107 
  Glossary .. .. ...... . 
  115 
  Hand to Hand Combat: Reaction Table. 
  106 
  Helicopter Combat Table . . . . . . . . 
  105 
  Hitting Chopper with Weapons ..... 
  73 
  Laos Contact Table: Animal Encounters 
  188 
  Laos Contact Table: Communist Encounters . 
  192 
  Laos Contact Table: Communist Traffic . . . 
  192 
  Laos Contact Table: Random Encounters .. 
  191 
  Laos Contact Table: Random Military Missions 
  194 
  Laos Contact Table: Village Events . . 
  188 
  Laos Contact Table: Village Disasters 
  190 
  Laos Contact Table: Wanted Characters 
  194 
  Military Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
  110 
  Modifications for other Palladium RPGs . 
  119 
  Player Character Failure Table . 
  209 
  Player Character Success Table. 
  211 
  Setting Up The Game . . . . . . 
  100 
  Skill Table for Laos Characters . 
  161 
  Terrain Table (General) . . . . . 
  107 
  Terrain Table: HighlandsIMountains . 
  108 
  Terrain Table: Laos . . . . . . . . . 
  187 
  Terrain Table: LowlandslPiedmont . . 
  108 
  Terrain Table: Mekong Delta . 
  108 
  US Military Ranks & Pay. 
  98 
  VC Encounter Tables . 
  105 
  Vietnamese Names .. 
  101 
  Weather Change Table 
  108 
  5 
  
  6 
  
  What is "Deluxe" 
  Revised RECON® 
  Wel1, back around 1982, a young entrepreneur by the name 
  of Joe Martin started his own game company. His first product 
  was bold, comic book sized game he called RECON®. A game 
  set in the modem era and inspired by real life military conflict 
  and history. 
  What made RECON® unique is that it was (I believe the 
  first) game designed to combine role-playing and miniature 
  wargaming. Joe Martin's RECON® was so modular that one 
  could also play it exclusively as a wargame or a role-playing 
  game (no minis). The game was a smash hit (selling close to 
  20,000 copies) and was even nominated for an award or two. 
  A few years later, family life, a couple of babies, a new job, 
  and the stress of trying to maintain a part-time RPG company 
  began to take its toll. Joe decided to sell his game. Around 1985, 
  he gave Palladium Books® a call, we cut a deal, and began to 
  plan how to repackage RECON®. Enter Erick Wujcik. 
  As much as we all liked the original rules (and, in fact, we 
  are currently considering releasing the Original RECON with its 
  3-4 sourcebooks combined into one big game package), Erick 
  and I felt we should focus on making Palladium's "revised" 
  RECON® a role-playing game, and leave the miniatures and 
  wargame aspects as optional (at that time, there were still plenty 
  of the original game floating around for those who wanted to 
  wargame with minis). 
  Erick leapt to the challenge. First, he engaged in comprehen­
  sive research regarding the Vietnam War and Southeast Asia. 
  As I recall, he read over 100 different books on the subjects. 
  Then he set about creating a game with disposable characters 
  (hence the fast creation process) and an atmosphere of realism 
  and true military action. 
  Revised RECON® hit the shelves the summer of 1986, fol­
  lowed by its first and last sourcebook, Advanced RECON®. 
  Unfortunately, Erick lost interest in the series and I was busy 
  with Robotech® and other projects. Despite excellent sales, the 
  line was left to languish. We let RECON® go out of print, but it 
  has maintained a cult following. Over the years, we've had so 
  many requests for it, that we decided to re-release it. Only this 
  time, we combined Revised RECON® with Advanced 
  RECON®, got a powerful new cover and some new interior art 
  (along with the old) and put them into one, big,juicy RPG book. 
  Hence it is the "deluxe" edition. 
  Revised RECON® really is an excellent game. Those of you 
  who enjoy realistic military settings will love it. Enjoy. 
  -
  Kevin Siembieda, 1999 
  Introduction 
  Welcome to the first and only role-playing game of modem 
  warfare. The RECON game system is designed to simulate the 
  kind of counterinsurgency warfare found in the Vietnam War. 
  RECON is designed for three to ten players with one of the 
  players serving as the Mission Director or Game Master. Each 
  player creates and 'plays' a make-believe player character (PC) 
  and tries to survive in a world designed and controlled by the 
  Mission Director (MD). 
  To put it simply, this is a war game where the good guys are 
  the U.S. troops and their allies. All the game players are good 
  guys. The bad guys are Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese 
  Army Troopers (NV A). The Mission Director 'plays' the bad 
  guys. 
  Having said that, let's put a few things into perspective. First, 
  this is not just a Vietnam game. RECON is designed to simulate 
  the kind of small unit jungle warfare evident in just about any 
  anti-guerrilla war. Which means the rules can be used for play­
  ing Contras (or Sandinistas) in Nicaragua, Freedom Fighters (or 
  Russians) in Afghanistan, or Mercenaries anywhere in the world 
  where there's trouble. In other words, RECON is actually a 
  game of small unit modem warfare. 
  Guerrilla Warfare: 
  What It's All about 
  Now we know that RECON is a game of anti-guerrilla, often 
  called counterinsurgent, warfare. That means the good guys' 
  characters are involved in maintaining control over territory 
  threatened by infiltration by the bad guys. 
  In a lot of ways that starts out being unfair. An old Bill 
  Cosby routine goes something like this, "Okay, America wins 
  the toss, that means the British will have to wear red and march 
  in straight lines, all you Americans can wear anything you want 
  and hide in trees." In Vietnam we lost the toss. 
  The good guys do have a few advantages. They've got tech­
  nological superiority, an asset that translates into complete dom­
  ination of the skies, pinpoint accurate artillery strikes, and all 
  the conveniences of modem electronics. In addition, they're 
  backed by the richest country on Earth, which means they get 
  unlimited supplies, weapons and ammunition. 
  The bad guys have a few advantages of their own. Having 
  low technology makes it hard for them to build electronics and 
  fix tanks but easy to live off the land. A single guerrilla with a 
  knife, a few handfuls of rice, a couple of hundred years of expe­
  rience in jungle warfare and knowledge of the land, can con­
  struct enough booby traps to eliminate quite a few of the enemy. 
  Give him a cheap SAM missile and he might even manage to 
  wipe out a multi-million dollar U.S. aircraft. 
  The World According to RECON ® 
  Real international tensions are as close as your local library, 
  or even, much of the time, on a T.V. broadcast right into your 
  living room. If you want to use the real world for your RECON 
  campaign it's just fine with us. 
  7 
  
  Yet RECON is a fantasy game. The problem with using the 
  Hogg, Ian V., Jane's Infantry Weapons, 9th ea., 1983-84. 
  real world for a game site is that you're liable to offend some­
  body. Take the Contras as an example; some people can them 
  Freedom Fighters and heroes, others call them terrorists trying 
  to set up another right wing dictatorship. We'd rather not get in 
  the middle of that argument. 
  To avoid that stuff we've developed a completely fictional 
  world. Instead of South and North Vietnam, there is People's 
  'Nam and Royal 'Nam. Instead of the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., 
  we've got Stateside and Big Red. And countries like Sangria 
  and Dakali substitute for a hodgepodge of smaller lands. 
  Sometimes it comes as a shock to realize that most of the 
  buyers of this game, youngsters under the age of 21, have only a 
  dim idea of the Vietnam War. Regardless of what you may have 
  heard, the soldiers who served there, and the soldiers that died 
  there, were brave and gallant and served their country glori­
  ously. The real shame of the Vietnam era is that our veterans 
  were abused and ignored. 
  The following books are only a few that give a real 
  flavor of that war. They are all strongly recommended. 
  Brennan's War. Matthew Brennan, 1985, Presidio Press. 
  The very best autobiographical account of one man's experience 
  in the Vietnam War. Brennen not only describes the war, but 
  also shows the changes in his own life and attitudes in two tours 
  of duty and 39 months of combat. 
  Chickenhawk. Robert Mason, 1983, The Viking Press. A 
  terrific first-hand account of a helicopter pilot flying Huey 
  'Slicks' in the Vietnam War of the late sixties. 
  Dear America. edited by Bernard Edelman, 1985, W.W. 
  Norton & Co. A selection of letters from Vietnam to family and 
  friends at home. This offers a unique cross-section of the war 
  while also describing the nitty-gritty detail of life in the war 
  zone. 
  Bibliography 
  Osprey, Robert B., War in the Shadows, 1975. 
  Brennan, Matthew, Brennan's War, 1985. 
  Dobson, Christopher & Payne, Ronald, Counterattack: The 
  West's Battle Against the Terrorists, 1982. 
  The Terrorists, 1982. 
  Donald [SiembiedaJ, Maryann, The Palladium Book of 
  Contemporary Weapons, 1984. 
  Dunnigan, James F. & Bay, Austin, A Quick & Dirty 
  Guide to War, 1985. 
  Dunnigan, James F., How to Make War, 1982. 
  DuPuy, R. Ernest, The Encyclopedia of Military History 
  From 3600 B.C. to the Present, 1977. 
  Edelman, Bernard, editor, Dear America, 1985. 
  Foss, Christopher F., Armour and Artillery, 2nd eOl., 
  1981-82. 
  Generous, Kevin M., Vietnam, The Secret War, 1985. 
  Guevara, Che, Guerrilla Warfare, 1961. 
  Heatley, Michael, The Illustrated History of Helicopters, 
  1985. 
  Kerry, John and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, 
  The New Soldier, 1971. 
  Mangold, Tom & Penycate, John, The Tunnels of Cu Chi, 
  1985. 
  Mason, Robert, Chickenhawk, 1983. 
  McConnell, Malcom, Into the Mouth of the Cat, 1985. 
  Mesko, Jim, Airmobile, The Helicopter War in Vietnam, 
  1984. 
  Morrocco, John, Rain of Fire, 1985. 
  Nixon, Richard, No More Vietnams, 1985. 
  Salisbury, Harrison E., edited, Vietnam Reconsidered, 
  1984. Stranton, Shelby L., Vietnam Order of Battle, 1981. 
  Terry, Wallace Bloods, An Oral History of the Vietnam 
  War by Black Veterans, 1984. 
  Tsetung, Mao, Six Essays on Military Affairs, 1972. 
  Tzu, Sun, The Art of War, edited by Griffith, Samuel B., 
  1963. 
  Von Clausewitz, Carl, On War, 1968. 
  Van Khuyen, Lt. Gen. Doug, The RVNAF, 1980. 
  Fantasy Role-playing Games: 
  If you've never played a role-playing game before, read this 
  section carefully. It's your introduction to an entirely different 
  kind of gaming. All you regular RPGers should also read the 
  following; it will show you some of the differences between 
  RECON and other fantasy games. 
  The major component in any role-playing game is imagina­
  tion. Being able to picture an imaginary world, imaginary peo­
  ple, even imaginary bullets, is the most important requirement 
  for play. In addition to the imagination you'll also need some 
  ordnance. A good supply of paper, pencils, and ten-sided dice 
  make this game complete. 
  Here's an example of a role-playing experience: 
  Imagine the Scene 
  Picture a lush green jungle. It's a gray, overcast day and a 
  light drizzle is falling. You're looking down a narrOw path 
  through the thick vegetation. In one direction the path turns the 
  comer, the other way it extends for about 50 feet before it turns 
  again. Just about everywhere you look there's an unrelenting 
  green, the only exceptions being the brown thorns in the brush, 
  bits of tree trunk and the red mud floor of the path. The only 
  noise is the occasional buzz of an insect flying by. 
  Can you picture this scene? Try to keep the image in your 
  head. Don't worry if you forget some details; one of the great 
  things about role-playing is the way it stimulates your memory. 
  Imagine the Setting 
  About 10 feet down the path there is a rusty tin can nailed to 
  a tree. It's hard to see through the thick leaves but it looks like a 
  large juice can with one end attached to the tree trunk and the 
  other end cut out and dark. Around the near comer can be heard 
  low voices speaking in a strange foreign language, their foot­
  steps are approaching. 
  8 
  
  Obviously someone is coming toward you. Just as obviously, 
  in order to move forward it's necessary to pass by the tin can (a Game Terms 
  booby trap?). Already you realize that whoever is standing here 
  is in some kind of trouble. 
  Imagine the Character 
  Now comes the tricky part. You are not on the forest path. 
  You are looking into this scene through someone else's eyes. 
  This person is your Character, an imaginary person, your 
  Playing Piece in this game. 
  Normally you would spend a few minutes developing this 
  new character. Once created, the character would become your 
  eyes, ears, hands and feet as you play the game. If you can keep 
  him alive you may continue playing the character for weeks or 
  even years. 
  In this example, let's assume that you are playing Bill "Red" 
  Oukowski, an infantryman in the U.S. Army stationed in 'Nam. 
  Just picture yourself (as Red!) standing on the jungle path. 
  Imagine Action 
  You still need one key ingredient to make this role-playing 
  game work, the Mission Director. The Mission Director (MD) is 
  another player (a real person!) who controls all the characters in 
  the game except for player characters like Red. In this case You 
  are the only player and I am acting as the Mission Director 
  (MD). 
  "You can hear the squish of sandals on mud as at least two 
  men approach. Since they are continuing to talk softly you can 
  assume they don't know you are here" the MD informs you, 
  "but they'll be coming around the comer any moment now. 
  What are you going to do?" 
  As Red you have an important decision to make. Should you 
  continue down the trail, hoping to avoid the tin can booby trap? 
  Should you ready your weapon and be prepared to ambush the 
  approaching Viet Cong? Should you try to squeeze into the 
  thick jungle and hide, hoping you won't be overheard? Should 
  you try to scare them offby making some kind ofnoise? 
  In a role-playing game there are no simple answers. There 
  are also almost no limits to what you can do. The only restric­
  tions are that you cannot go beyond the physical, mental and 
  emotional limits of your character. 
  Attribute: These are the numbers that rate the strengths and 
  weaknesses of your character. For example, one such attribute is 
  AL which refers to Alertness, how sensitive and aware a charac­
  ter is. An AL of 30 might indicate that someone tends not to no­
  tice much. An AL of 50 would be a normal, average, person 
  with good eyesight, good hearing and a good memory for detail. 
  Someone with an AL of 80 would have extraordinary sensitiv­
  ity, constantly on edge, and aware of the slightest change in the 
  environment. 
  Campaign: A word used to describe an ongoing game. If 
  you play the same characters with the same game on an ongoing 
  basis then you are in a Campaign. 
  Character: Every player (except the MO) has a character 
  that serves as an imaginary playing piece, also called a Player 
  Character (PC). 
  Combat Round (CR): This is a 5 second combat action or 
  melee. 
  Death: Just as in real life, characters can die. In RECON, a 
  game filled with frightening modern weapons, death is common. 
  Players should take a character's death calmly. Remember, this 
  is only a war game and war is a dangerous business. You should 
  try to learn from each character that dies. As soon as the MO al­
  lows, you can bring a new character into the game. 
  Dice: In order to play RECON you will need a few ten sided 
  dice. We call them "DIO". Often we let you know how many 
  dice to roll with an expression like "roll 2D I 0." This means 
  "roll two ten-sided dice and add the results". If you don't have 
  enough dice for, say, "6010," then roll a single die six times, 
  just keep track of the total while you're doing it. "4010+5" 
  means you should ro1l4DlO and add a five to the total. 
  Mission Director (MD): This is the person who controls and 
  coordinates the game "world". All the non-player characters 
  (NPCs), innocent peasants, senior officers and corrupt officials, 
  even the weather, is controlled by the MD. A generic term for 
  MD, used by all role-playing games, is Game Master (GM). 
  Player: A player is a person who plays a character in a 
  role-playing game. 
  Role-Playing Game: Sometimes called a role-playing game 
  (RPG), or fantasy role-playing (FRP), these are games with 
  game masters and imaginary characters. 
  Role Percentile (1-100): Take two ten-sided dice of different 
  colors. Let's say we have one green and one red. First you de­
  clare which die will be high ("I call red high"). Next you roll the 
  dice. First you read the High die and then the Low die. Put the 
  numbers together and you have a percentile. For example, "Red 
  is 4 and green is 8, so I have a 48%." 
  Run: This is just a term garners use to describe playing a 
  game. Examples: "He runs an excellent campaign," "My charac­
  ter got wounded when we ran last week," and "We are going to 
  run RECON this Friday nigh!." 
  Scenario: This is a specific mission assigned to the charac­
  ters in a role-playing game. A scenario is usually a story with a 
  beginning (an informer tells you that VC are hiding at the old 
  ~bber plantation mansion), a middle(scouting out the planta­
  tIOn), and an end (smoking out and eliminating the VC). Most 
  campaigns are developed around a number of scenarios. 
  9 
  
  Creating A Character 
  Major Characteristics 
  The first step in creating a character for RECON is to deter­
  mine the three major characteristics: Strength (ST), Alertness 
  (AL) and Agility (AG). Roll Percentile Dice and record the re­
  sult for each. 
  Characters whose combined rolls (ST+AL+AG) are less than 
  100, or those with any roll under 30, even if the total score is 
  over 100, can be declared 4-F. Players with 4-F characters may 
  reroll the entire character. Of course, if the player likes a partic­
  ular 4-F character he's free to use him. 
  Strength 
  All men are not created equal. We cannot all lift the same 
  amount of weight, run at the same speed, or survive the same 
  amount of damage. ST determines the relative toughness and 
  physical condition of the character. This will include the amount 
  of physical damage that can be sustained, carrying capacity and 
  speed of movement. 
  Physical Damage 
  Damage: The amount of damage a character can withstand 
  before dying is equal to his strength (ST). Although this is a 
  higher number than in some other role-playing games, the dam­
  age done by weapons in RECON is correspondingly higher. 
  Modern warfare has produced effective weapons; even with a 
  high ST do not assume that your character is invulnerable. 
  Anytime a character is wounded, there will be a dice roll for 
  the amount of damage. The resulting number is subtracted from 
  the strength (ST). The reduced ST will also alter the character's 
  speed and ability to lift. 
  Note: Don't make the mistake of erasing your original ST. 
  When the character is completely healed his ST will return to 
  that number. 
  If the ST reaches zero, the character is unconscious and can­
  not move or fight for the rest of the mission unless first aid is 
  applied. 
  If a character's ST goes below zero then the character is dy­
  ing. The character can linger for a time equal to his original ST 
  in minutes. During this time, intensive care is needed to save the 
  character by bringing the ST above zero. If this is not possible, 
  the character is dead. 
  Wounds and Recovery 
  Wounds and Recovery: Medics or characters (PC or NPC) 
  with the medic skill can treat a wounded person, stopping fur­
  ther damage and automatically restoring a certain amount of ST 
  points almost immediately. SEE the medic skill for specific de­
  tails. In addition to ST points restored by a trained medic, in­
  jured characters recover at the rate of two ST per day. A person 
  who has lost 80 Strength points would take 40 days to be fully 
  recovered. 
  Obviously, a character cannot be trekking around the coun­
  tryside on missions while recuperating. While a character may 
  decide to engage in another mission before he has returned to 
  full Strength, no more ST points will be regained while on ac­
  tive duty. This means he will be functioning at the reduced 
  strength level for the duration of the mission. 
  Carrying Capacity 
  Carrying Capacity: A character can comfortably carry a 
  load equal to half his ST in pounds. With a little effort and 
  sweat he can carry around stuff equal to his ST in pounds. The 
  normal carrying capacity is equal to the ST. The character with 
  an ST of 65 can carry 65 pounds around all day with minimal 
  effort. 
  The maximum weight a character can carry or lift over his 
  head is equal to twice his ST. Current wounds will reduce this 
  figure because they reduce his current ST. Characters may ex­
  ceed this figure only when carrying a body by using a fireman's 
  carry or some similar maneuver. 
  Just as a weight lifter can't press 200 pounds over his head 
  and run around the gym all day, you cannot carry your maxi­
  mum weight around for longer than five combat rounds (25 sec­
  onds). 
  A character's normal gear (uniform, pack, and weapon) are 
  not counted in carrying capacity. It is assumed that the character 
  are adapted to carrying his regular gear plus this extra weight for 
  short periods. 
  Example: Joe "Hunk" Webber is a Grenadier and has an ST 
  of 40. His team has been assigned a 45 pound M-19 mortar for a 
  mission. Fortunately, the mortar can be disassembled for easy 
  transport. Hunk can carry the 16 pound barrel around all day 
  without feeling any strain. Occasionally, he takes turns carrying 
  a bandoleer of six 60mm mortar rounds, that's 35 pounds, 
  enough to make him sweat and want to take frequent breaks. As 
  the group nears their objective they decide to assemble the mor­
  tar, now Hunk's carrying a 45 pound mortar and 35 pounds of 
  rounds. This 80 pound load is so heavy that he can only carry it 
  for 5 combat rounds before putting it down and resting. 
  Now the mission heats up. In an exchange of gunfire Hunk 
  gets shot. After the medic fixes him up he's down to an ST of 
  14. As the team retreats, he finds he can't even lift the mortar. 
  Deciding that a mortar won't do the enemy much good without 
  a barrel, he takes only that piece. The 16 pound barrel that used 
  to be no problem becomes a heavy load and he has trouble run­
  ning back to the extraction site. 
  Hunk enters the clearing gasping for air and running toward 
  the waiting helicopter. Suddenly he sees the team medic go 
  down with a bullet in the back! The Slick is ready to take off 
  and the medic isn't moving! Hunk's mind goes blank, he throws 
  the 180 pound medic over his shoulder and hoists him into the 
  10 
  
  chopper! Airborne, Hunk is amazed that in that life-and-death 
  situation, wounded and out of breath, he did something he 
  couldn't even do ifhe were totally healed. What a hero! 
  Movement 
  Movement: A character's current strength also determines 
  how far he can move in one combat round (in 5 seconds). A 
  character may run in full gear a distance in feet equal to his ST 
  in a single combat round. Maximum distance for slower types of 
  movement is determined by the movement table. 
  Movement Table 
  Speed 
  Maximum Distance Per Combat Round 
  Load :None to Half Full 
  Double (Max.) 
  Run 
  ST(Ful1) 
  ST/2* 
  ST/4 
  Walk 
  ST/2 
  ST/4 
  STIIO 
  Walk Quietly 
  ST/4 
  ST/4 
  STIIO 
  Walk Quietly 
  !Night 
  ST/5 
  ST/5 
  ST/ lO 
  Crawl 
  ST/lO 
  ST/lO 
  ST/lO 
  Climb (Basic) 
  ST/IO 
  ST/20 
  ST/29 
  * ST/2 (or any other number) designates ST divided by the 
  number. Example: ST=50; STI2 would mean 50 divided by 2, or 
  25. 
  Note: Round to the nearest whole number. Movement of zero 
  or less means the character is carrying too much to move at all. 
  Example: Let's take a look at how much ground our old 
  friend Hunk can cover in different cases. When his ST was 40 
  and he was carrying a light load (only 16 pounds), he would 
  walk 20 feet per combat round. Walking with a full load (35 
  pounds) cut him down to 10 feet per combat round. Staggering 
  under the load of the mortar and ammo he covered a mere 4 feet 
  per combat round. At all those speeds he was moving slow 
  enough so he could also keep an eye out for booby traps and 
  mines. 
  After Hunk got wounded his ST dropped to 14. 
  Just walking with the full load he could only move his ST/4. 
  That means dividing 14 by 4 with a result of 3.5 feet, he rounds 
  up, and is able to move 4 feet per combat round. Once things 
  start to heat up and Hunk is running, he moves STI2 and doubles 
  his speed to 7 feet (remember, it's not 8, this time there's no 
  need to round up) per combat round. It's fast, but he can't look 
  for traps and run at the same time. The best alertness in the 
  world won't help him now, all he can do is hope that no mines 
  lay in his path. 
  Exhausted and wounded but driven by desperation, Hunk 
  carries the medic to the chopper. Through superhuman effort he 
  can run with his full current ST, in other words, he makes a full 
  14 feet per combat round. 
  Note: Measuring for movement rates is only necessary if a 
  player states some unrealistic movement in a combat round: "I 
  run up this hill, jump over this creek, and crawl under this 
  ledge." As long as movements seem reasonable, avoid measure­
  ments which will slow down the game. 
  Alertness 
  Alertness (AL) is a measure of the character's ability to ob­
  serve or detect something hidden or not too obvious. Examples 
  of these types of things are trip wires, a camouflaged firing pit, 
  tracks, concealed weapons on a prisoner, the sounds of someone 
  moving in the bush, or the smell of a distant campfire. 
  When it is possible for your character to notice something of 
  this type, the MD will ask you to roll against the character's 
  Alertness (AL) on percentile dice. If the roll is equal or under 
  the character's Alertness the MD will describe what's been no­
  ticed. If the character fails, he will not notice anything unusual 
  in the area or on that person. 
  A successful AL roll doesn't mean it's time to relax and take 
  it easy. Instead of saying 'you find a booby trap,' the MD may 
  inform you that ' a trip wire is concealed on the path in front of 
  you,' 'there is a small mound of fresh earth to your right; ' or 
  'you notice a tin can nailed to a tree to the left.' These are clues 
  you need to keep your character alive. If you ignore or misinter­
  pret the signs then you can still die. 
  Failing an AL roll means that the clue remains undiscovered. 
  That could mean a booby trap will be triggered, a sniper remains 
  hidden, or the secret VC hideaway stays undiscovered. When 
  searching prisoners for concealed weapons an AL roll must be 
  made for each weapon to be discovered. 
  
  Agility 
  Agility (AG) is a measure of the character's dexterity, coor­
  dination and balance. Agility affects the character's ability to 
  throw objects, climb, and fight hand-to-hand. 
  To accurately throw a knife or grenade or to keep from fall­
  ing while climbing, you have to roll percentile under your AG. 
  In hand-to-hand combat your agility (AG) will determine 
  whether you get the first punch or stab (initiative). 
  Most of the hand-to-hand skills can be improved. As you 
  gain experience from your missions you can add new 
  hand-to-hand skills or improve existing ones. Each skill is inde­
  pendent. You improve an individual skill separately from your 
  AG. 
  Note: A character's major attributes (ST, AL and AG) are 
  never reduced permanently. They may be reduced temporarily 
  due to wounds, poisons, or misadventures during the course of a 
  mission. 
  Minor Characteristics 
  There are a few other characteristics which also need to be 
  determined to help "flesh out" the character. With very few ex­
  ceptions, these minor characteristics have no bearing on the 
  character's abilities. 
  Height And Weight 
  For western characters (guys from Stateside), roll 2D 10 
  inches and add this to a base of 58 inches to give a range of 60" 
  (5' tall) to 78 inches (6'6" tall). For indigenous characters 
  ('Nam, most third world hotspots) roll IDIO and ~d this to a 
  base of 58 inches to provide a range of 59 inches (4' 11" tall) to 
  68 inches (5'8" tall). The height gives a physical skeleton that is 
  fleshed out by the weight. 
  For western characters, roll percentile dice and add this to a 
  base of 110 pounds for a range of 111 pounds to 210 pounds. 
  For indigenous characters, roll 5DIO and add this to a base of 
  100 pounds for a range of 105 pounds to 150 pounds. 
  Combining the height and weight gives your character a ba­
  sic shape. He may be very tall and skinny, or short and stocky as 
  a beer keg. When you figure in his ST you may have a wiry 
  strong character or a fat hulk who is relatively weak for his size. 
  Age 
  Now for the character's age. For western characters, let's 
  start with a base age of 17 years and add 1 D 1 0 years old, in their 
  physical prime and young enough to have long careers as mer­
  cenaries ahead of them. Indigenous characters have a base age 
  of 13 and roll 2D 10 for a range of 15 to 33 years old. 
  Modifiers For Mercenaries 
  Mercenaries tend to be older and a little heavier than their 
  younger counterparts. Add 1 D 10 to age and 1 D 10 to weight for 
  the character. Both western and indigenous mercenaries should 
  do the same. 
  Military Occupational 
  Specialties (MOS) 
  Every player character in the game must have gone through 
  basic training. While there, the character learned the common 
  skills of Assault Rifle, Grenade Throwing, and Climbing. In ad­
  dition, every character learned Basic Infantry. 
  After basic training, characters were trained in two Military 
  Occupational Specialties or MOS. In alphabetical order, these 
  are: Demolitions, Grenadier, Heavy Weapons, Intelligence, 
  Medic, Pigman, Point, RTO and Sniper. 
  Each character selects both the primary and secondary 
  MOS. The primary MOS determines the character's number of 
  starting skills. The secondary MOS is the character's 'back-up' 
  specialty. Both MOSs must be selected when the character is 
  first created and cannot be changed later. 
  Demolitions 
  A vailable only as a secondary MOS, characters with this area 
  of specialization are able to use and place explosive and demoli­
  tion charges more effectively than non-trained personnel. These 
  are also the only characters capable of performing the difficult 
  job of bomb disposal. Demolitions, Underwater Demolitions, 
  and Disposal skills are available ONLY to characters with a De­
  molitions MOS . 
  Why I Love Being The Team Demo Man: "Blowing things 
  up is lots of fun! Why should the enemy have all the fun of set­
  ting booby traps and mines. With plastique, mines or grenades, 
  detonators, wires and a little imagination, I can make things hot 
  for any opponent! All you need is a steady hand and a high AG. 
  And a lot of self-confidence." 
  Grenadier 
  A character with the Grenadier MOS has special training 
  with Grenade Launchers. The Grenadier character MUST take 
  both the Grenade Launcher and Shotgun skills. The group's des­
  ignated Grenadier receives a +5 bonus when firing his Grenade 
  Launcher. These characters are usually restricted to pistols for 
  sidearms. Note: Only characters with an ST of 80 or better can 
  carry sub-machineguns for sidearms. Launchers and extra ammo 
  are heavy! 
  Why I Love Being The Team Grenadier: "Every team 
  needs a little bit of extra firepower. The kind of explosive dam­
  age you can only get from well placed grenades and mortars! 
  There's nothing quite like the deep 'thump' of a grenade being 
  fired; even more satisfying is the huge holes they make. Of 
  course, I also like having a variety of ammo available to me. 
  The only disadvantage is having to haul all this heavy stuff 
  around; that usually makes me one of the stronger guys on the 
  team." 
  Heavy Weapons 
  Used as a secondary MOS only. The character has special 
  training with various heavy weapons. Any Heavy Weapons spe­
  cialist with three or more heavy weapon skills gets an extra +5 
  bonus when using heavy weapons. 
  Why I Love Being A Heavy Weapons MOS: "If you really 
  want to inflict damage on the enemy you've got to use a weapon 
  12 
  
  with a little 'heft,' something that'll make Mr. Charles sit up and 
  take notice. Of course, not every guy has my kind of Strength, 
  enough muscles to haul around heavy mortars, flame throwers 
  and ammo around the jungle." 
  Intelligence (Intel) 
  Intelligence specialists are always trying to find out what the 
  enemy is up to. Intelligence, Interrogation, Impersonation and 
  SafecrackingILockpicking skills are available only to the Intelli­
  gence MOS. 
  Why I Love Being An Intelligence MOS: "I prefer using 
  my head for something other than keeping my helmet from faIl­
  ing on my chest. Anybody can shoot up the jungle; it's up to us 
  intelligence guys to find out what part of the jungle the VC are 
  hiding in. I'm the guy who learns the language of the land, who 
  interrogates civilians and prisoners and keeps the team from 
  making major mistakes. And who wants to walk up front like 
  the Point, or lug around a nasty-looking 'piece' like the Grena­
  dier or Pigman? It just makes 'em natural targets for the VC 
  snipers, if you ask me!" 
  Medic 
  This is a trooper trained in emergency medicine. First aid 
  with a little bit of surgical training. His job is not only to protect 
  himself but the other members of his group as well. The Medic 
  skill is available only to the Medic MOS. 
  Why I Love Being A Medic: "There's more to life than 
  putting holes in human beings! Sure, I can use a weapon as good 
  as the next guy, but I'd rather be saving lives than 'wasting' 
  them. As a Medic I also get a chance to help the civilians of this 
  war-tom country. Giving medicine to a sick child or helping the 
  wounded shows them that we Westerners are really their 
  friends." 
  Point 
  Characters must have an Alertness (AL) of 60 or better to 
  choose this MOS. The Point man is the first member of the 
  group down the trail. He is expected to detect ambushes, ene­
  mies and booby traps in time to warn the group. When a charac­
  ter is functioning as Point, he receives a +5 on all AL rolls. In 
  addition, he receives one extra round of small arms fire per 
  combat round during ambushes and other surprise situations. 
  The Detect Ambush, Detect MineslBooby traps, Land Naviga­
  tion and Tracking skills can only be chosen by those with the 
  Point MOS. 
  Why I Love Being Point Man: "This job calls for a quick 
  and deadly man; somebody just like me who sleeps with both 
  eyes open. Point men gotta be fast! We don't walk like the rest 
  of the group - we run! Especially across clearings and exposed 
  areas. The other advantage of being Point is that you don't usu­
  ally get shot at until you're warned, that's 'cause the enemy let's 
  you waltz on by, waiting for the bunch to catch up before they 
  spring their trap. Sure, it's the toughest, most dangerous job 
  around, but Point Men are the toughest, most dangerous Grunts 
  around." 
  Pigman 
  A Pigman is a character who has received extra training in 
  the use of machineguns. To select the Pigman MOS the charac­
  ter must choose at least one of the machinegun skills (light 
  and/or heavy machinegun). As a result of this training and ex­
  pertise, these characters can fire 10 rounds per each combat 
  round (the norm is 7 per CR). The last three shots (out of 10) are 
  usually kind of wild so they have a -5 penalty to hit. When car­
  rying a machinegun, the character is limited to a pistol as a 
  backup weapon, or a sub-machinegun if his strength is 80 or 
  better. 
  13 
  
  --
  -- --
  Why I Love Being Pigman: "Nobody, but nobody, can 
  out-pop as many targets as me and my 'Pig.' Of course, being a 
  Pigman usually makes you the VC's number one target. If you 
  want to be safe, then choose typing for your MOS, I'd rather be 
  in the middle of the action. Besides, it's the Point man who's 
  got a really dangerous job. OH! It also helps that I'm just about 
  the strongest guy in the group." 
  RTO: Radio Telephone Operators 
  RTOs carry radios and other communications gear. This is 
  essential for contact with Headquarters for helicopter extraction, 
  dust-off, air resupply or calling in artillery or air support. The 
  Forward Air Controller and Forward Observer skills can only be 
  chosen by characters with the RTO MOS. 
  Why I Love Being An RTO: "Calling in air strikes or artil­
  lery barrages is just as good as throwing lightning bolts or fire­
  balls! Even though I may be considered the wimp of the group, I 
  can do a thousand times more damage with a well-called strike 
  than the entire group can do in a year of fighting. Without me 
  there's no slick for dust-off or extraction. The only thing I don't 
  like about it is the way the VC aim for the guy carrying the ra­
  dio." 
  Sniper 
  Snipers are those characters who have above average skill 
  with rifles. The Sniper and Starlight Scope skills may only be 
  taken by characters with the Sniper MOS. A character with 
  Sniper must have a skill of at least 60 on either Bolt-Action 
  Semi-Automatic or Assault Rifle. That means you can reroll any 
  one of those rifle Percent Effectiveness until it's 60 or over. 
  Why I Love Being A Sniper: "The whole idea of fighting 
  pitched battles is stupid! Fire fights don't require quality, just 
  brute quantity. The smart way to kill the enemy is to shoot him 
  when he can't even see you. That way you don't take any 
  chances on getting yourself hurt. Using telescopic or starlight 
  sighting devices lets you take out the enemy at a safe distance." 
  Note: The "Why I Love Being ... a particular MOS," is a dra­
  matization depicting what a character in that position might feel 
  about his MOS in relation to others. 
  Skill Selection 
  Skills: To Be or 
  Not to Be Cannon-fodder 
  Anyone walking straight out of civilian life into a fire fight is 
  very likely to die. Luck might keep someone alive for a little 
  while. Training is what you need for long-term survival. 
  RECON characters are heavily trained by their military unit. 
  How much training, and in what areas, depends upon the Pri­
  mary MOS and the player's choices. Note that many skills are 
  available only for those with a particular MOS, but that MOS 
  can be either Primary or Secondary. 
  The primary MOS will influence the major thrust of train­
  ing and will indicate the number of skills in each category. 
  Small Arms, Heavy Weapons, Hand to Hand and Non-Weapon 
  skills. Skills selected should reflect the character's Primary 
  MOS. 
  The secondary MOS is a secondary area of expertise/train­
  ing within the skills already learned. This is not unlike declaring 
  a major (primary MOS) and minor (secondary MOS) course of 
  study in college. Demolitions and Heavy Weapons are the only 
  skill areas available exclusively as secondary MOSs. 
  Random Roll Method 
  Random Small Heavy Hand toNon-Weapon 
  MOS 
  Arms 
  Arms 
  Hand 
  Skills 
  I 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  5 
  2 
  3 
  2 
  2 
  4 
  3 
  3 
  I 
  3 
  4 
  4 
  2 
  0 
  2 
  4 
  5 
  2 
  I 
  2 
  3 
  6 
  2 
  0 
  2 
  7 
  I 
  3 
  8 
  0 
  2 
  9 
  I 
  2 
  10 
  0 
  2 
  The Random MOS is an optional method of assigning skills 
  to characters. Just roB I Dl 0 to determine how many skills are 
  available. You can not use the Random MOS table with the Pri­
  mary MOS and Mercenary MOS tables. Use either one method 
  or the other not both. 
  Skills by MOS 
  Initial Skills Table 
  Random 
  Small 
  Heavy Hand toNon-Weapon 
  MOS 
  Arms 
  Arms 
  Hand 
  Skills 
  Demolitions 
  (Not a primary MOS) 
  Grenadier 
  2 
  4 
  I 
  3 
  Heavy Weapons (Not a primary MOS) 
  Intelligence 
  2 
  I 
  2 
  5 
  Medic 
  2 
  I 
  6 
  Pigman 
  2 
  3 
  3 
  2 
  Point 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  4 
  RTO 
  3 
  5 
  Sniper 
  4 
  2 
  3 
  All 'Nam style characters receive the number of skills listed 
  after their Primary MOS. IN addition, ALL these characters re­
  ceive Climbing, Assault Rifle (M-16), Grenade Throwing, and 
  Basic Infantry. 
  Basic Training Skills 
  Almost everyone goes through the same Basic Training 
  course. That's where soldiers learn Climbing, Assault Rifle 
  (M -16), and Grenade Throwing. Every character learns these 
  things, they don't come out of the character's selected skills. 
  Except for certain Mercenary MOSs (aircraft and naval pilots), 
  everybody also gets Basic Infantry Training. Again, these skills 
  are automatic and free to all characters. 
  Climbing 
  All soldiers are taught to climb up walls, hills and trees. This 
  sort of climb'ing is NOT the same as climbing up the face of a 
  cliff or the outside of a building. The kind of climbing that re­
  quires special equipment is described in the Rappelling Skill. 
  The main danger in climbing is, of course, falling off. Each 
  combat round of a climb the character must roll against his 
  Alertness (AL). Whenever this roll fails the person has some­
  14 
  
  how lost his grip and starts to fall. The faIl can be prevented by 
  grabbing onto something; success is determined by roIling under 
  the character's agility (AG). If the character is faIling from a 
  long way (it took him more than one combat round (CR) to get 
  up that high), then he can attempt to save himself once for each 
  combat round of the fall. For example: 'Red' took TEN CRs to 
  climb a cliff face. After he loses his grip, Red wiIl get ten 
  chances to save himself by grabbing onto the rope or other ob­
  jects to halt his fall. Characters who save themselves from fail­
  ing take no damage and can resume the climb. Damage from 
  faIling is 10 I 0 for every 10 feet of height/faIling. 
  Assault Rifle 
  This is a general understanding, knowledge and skill in firing 
  all types of assault rifles. The player rolls percentile dice to de­
  termine the character's Base Effectiveness with this type of 
  weapon. With an Assault Rifle, that number must be at least 30. 
  If you roll less than that, you automatically bump it up to 30. 
  Whenever an Assault type rifle is used, the character must roll 
  under his or her base effectiveness with that weapon. However, 
  the character can be trained or be especially handy with a spe­
  cific weapon(s) within the assault rifle category, such as an 
  M-14, M-16, AK-47, and so on. Being fluent in the use and op­
  eration of a specific weapon provides skill bonuses when that 
  weapon is used. 
  Case in point; as a new recruit you've been trained with an 
  M-16. That gives you one grade of experience with that weapon 
  and a +5 on your base effectiveness with the M-16 only. 
  Formally learning the weapon also means you know how it 
  works inside and out; you can literally take it apart and put it 
  back together blindfolded. 
  Every extra grade you earn for that weapon will add another 
  +5 to your base effectiveness with an M-16. Characters gain 
  skill expertise through experience points, which can be applied 
  to raise one's skills. This is called "grade." See the section on 
  Experience Points. 
  If you decide to pick up a different kind of Assault Rifle, say 
  an M-14, then you will go back to your original base effective­
  ness. You' 11 have to spend experience points if you want to start 
  getting bonuses on the M-14. Also, just because you can fire the 
  M-14 doesn't mean you know how to unjam it, and you cer­
  tainly don't know how to disassemble it for cleaning. 
  Note: Assault rifles fire a maximum of 5 shots per combat 
  round on full automatic. 
  One last note: Using an enemy assault rifle, like the AK-47, 
  is somewhat more risky. You can still use your base effective­
  ness to fire the weapon, but the MD will roll to find out if some­
  thing goes wrong with the weapon. 
  Grenade Throwing 
  In training for Grenade Throwing, the character learns what 
  different kinds of grenades are available (fragmentation, high 
  explosive, smoke or CS gas) and how they are used. The basic 
  skill is the character's agility (AG) plus +5. Each additional 
  grade of expertise increases this ability by 5. A successful 
  throw, rolling under your agility on percentile dice, means that 
  you hit your target. 
  The maximum range a grenade can be thrown is the charac­
  ter's current strength (ST) times 2 in feet. 
  Example: Samuel 'Sammy' Wyandotte has an AG of31 and 
  an ST of 44. With only basic training in Grenade Throwing, 
  Sammy has a 36% chance to hit (31 +5) and can throw the gre­
  nade 88 feet (44x2). 
  Basic Infantry Training 
  This includes a variety of basic infantry skiIls. After comple­
  tion of the course the character has a rudimentary knowledge in 
  the use and disposal of common U.S. mines and claymores; base 
  effectiveness is 50%. He can use a walkie-talkie or a radio, has a 
  basic chance of detecting ambushes, mines or booby traps with 
  his alertness, and knows enough first aid to keep a badly 
  wounded soldier alive (ST of zero or less), but not enough to ac­
  tually heal any ST points. Rudimentary combat training allows 
  the character to use bayonet, unarmed combat, and garrote using 
  their unmodified AG as the base effectiveness. Finally, such 
  things as camouflaging, digging trenches and making bunkers 
  are learned. 
  Weapons Skills -
  Available to any MOS 
  The following is applied to all weapon skills: 
  I. Roll percentile dice to determine the Base Effectiveness 
  with that weapon type. 
  2. If the Base Effectiveness roll is below the listed minimum 
  the player automatically raises it to that minimum. Example: If 
  15 
  
  the percentile dice roll is 10% for the Base Effectiveness rolled 
  for pistol, but the minimum is 25%, that player voids the 10% 
  and raises it to a Base Effectiveness of25% 
  3. Characters can select a specific weapon within the general 
  category to be his or her special or regular weapon. He can then 
  increase the Base Effectiveness with that particular weapon by 
  buying skill "grades" with experience points. This means when­
  ever a pistol is used, whether it be a .22, a .38 or a .357 mag­
  num, the character rolls under his Base Effectiveness in pistols. 
  However, if the character has selected a particular or specific 
  weapon, say a .45 automatic, he can raise the "grade" of his 
  Base Effectiveness with that weapon by pumping in experience 
  points. For each grade or level of skill expertise with a .45 auto­
  matic pistol, he adds 5%. 
  Example: Samuel 'Sammy' Wyandotte has a Base Effective­
  ness of 42% with pistols (the initial percentage roll determina­
  tion). Sammy also has a .357 magnum which he has practiced 
  with and mised the grade of skill level (through experience 
  points) by 15% (3rd grade), giving him a base effectiveness of 
  57% when using his pistol. While in combat the .357 is dropped, 
  and Sammy pulls out a second small arm, a .32 automatic pistol. 
  In this case his Base Effectiveness is back to 42%, which would 
  apply to any pistol other than a .357 magnum. Also see the ex­
  planation under Assault Rifle and see the experience section. 
  Pistol 
  This covers the complete range of one-hand, single shot 
  weapons from .22 Pistols to .357 Magnums, and from the 9mm 
  Automatics to the .45 Automatic. Roll percentile for base ef­
  fectiveness; if the result is less than 25 (minimum) it may be 
  bumped up to 25%. Pistols fire a maximum of 3 shots per CR. 
  Sub-Machinegun 
  Weapons of this skill fire at high rates but use standard pistol 
  ammunition. Roll percentile for base effectiveness. The mini­
  mum for sub-machinegun is 30. Sub-machineguns on full auto­
  matic fire a maximum of7 rounds per CR. 
  Bolt-Action Rifle 
  These older weapons were relatively rare, but often favored 
  by snipers. The minimum base effectiveness for bolt-action rifle 
  is 40. They fire a maximum of2 shots per CR. 
  Semi-Automatic Rifle 
  These rifles were usually replaced by assault rifles except for 
  use by snipers. The minimum base effectiveness is 35. They fire 
  a maximum of 3 shots per CR. 
  Shotgun 
  Banned by the Geneva Convention, but a popular and widely 
  used weapon. The minimum base effectiveness is 25. They fire 
  a maximum of 2 shots per CR. 
  Grenade Launcher 
  This skill also covers automatic grenade launchers. The mini­
  mum base effectiveness is 20. Grenade launchers fire a maxi­
  mum of I grenade per CR. 
  Heavy Weapon Skills ­
  Available to any MOS 
  Anti-Tank Weapon 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 20. LAWs are single shot 
  weapons that require a full CR for preparation before firing. 
  Flamethrower 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 30. Fires a maximum of 2 
  bursts per CR. 
  Light Machinegun 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 25. Fires a maximum of 7 
  shots per CR. Only the Pigman MOS can fire 10 shots. 
  Heavy Machinegun 
  These are usually either vehicle mounted or used on a tripod. 
  Characters with this skill can serve as Door Gunners on chop­
  pers, and can operate the .50 caliber machineguns on tanks, 
  APCs and BPRs. Minimum base effectiveness is 20. Fires a 
  maximum of 7 shots per CR. Only the Pigman MOS can fire 10 
  shots. 
  60mm Mortar 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 15. Fires a maximum of I 
  shot per CR. 
  Hand-to-Hand Skills ­
  Available to any MOS 
  Bayonet 
  This skill deals with the use of a bayonet mounted on a rifle. 
  You don't have to be familiar with the particular weapon; any 
  rifle with a bayonet attached is just as easy to use as the one you 
  trained with. Spears and polearm-type weapons are additional 
  skills available under this category. A bayonet blade not at­
  tached to a rifle is just a knife. 
  Garrote 
  This is essentially a strangling cord of wire used for quick, si­
  lent attacks on an unsuspecting foe. It can only be used in the 
  1st combat round of hand to hand combat and only if a back at­
  tack is being made. 
  The initial score in this skill is equal to the character's AG 
  plus 5. Additional grades are each worth +4. 
  Knife Fighting 
  The use of knives, swords and club-type weapons in hand to 
  hand combat. 
  Knife Throwing 
  This includes the hurling of knives, rocks, or other small pro­
  jectiles. A clear line of sight to the target is required to use this 
  skill. The maximum distance in feet a character can throw is 
  equal to his current ST. The bonus to strike/hit a target is five, 
  plus the character's AG. 
  Unarmed Combat 
  The initial score in this skill is equal to the character's AG 
  plus five. Additional grade levels increase the base by five . 
  16 
  
  General Non-Weapons Skills ­
  Available to any MOS 
  Detect Food 
  Detect Water 
  Detect Concealment 
  Detect Dangerous Animals 
  Language Basic 
  Language Advanced 
  Ride Elephants 
  Night Fighting - Detect Enemy 
  Night Fighting - Rapid Movement 
  Silent Movement 
  S uppressors/S i lencers 
  Airborne Skills -
  Optional for any MOS 
  These skills should only be taken at the direction of the MD. 
  Many units will never have Airborne drops. On the other hand, 
  if the MD is planning airborne operations then everybody on the 
  team should have at least the Basic Airborne skill. 
  Basic Airborne 
  Pathfinder 
  H.A.L.O. 
  Underwater Skills -
  Optional for any MOS 
  Underwater skills are usually not a part of RECON team 
  training or operations. One exception are SEALs. If you are set 
  up as a navy team or if the MD announces that the group will 
  have underwater missions then every character should have at 
  least the Basic Scuba skill. 
  S.C.U.B.A.: Basic 
  Underwater Navigation 
  Subs: Tow 
  Subs: Two Man 
  Dry Subs 
  Spear Gun 
  Underwater Combat Unarmed: See Combat Section 
  Underwater Knife Fighting: See Combat Section 
  Demolitions Underwater: Must also have Demo MOS 
  Demolition Skills - Exclusive to Demo MOS 
  Demolitions 
  Demolitions Disposal 
  Demolitions Underwater 
  Intelligence Skills - Exclusive to Intel MOS 
  Intelligence: Basic 
  Intelligence: Detect Guerrillas 
  Intelligence: Detect Unit and Rank 
  Interrogation 
  Impersonation 
  Note: Language: Basic is an automatic additional skill for the 
  Intel MOS. 
  Medical Skills -
  Exclusive to Medic MOS 
  Medic 
  Point Skills - Exclusive to Point MOS 
  Detect Ambushes 
  Detect MineslBooby Traps 
  Land Navigation 
  Tracking 
  17 
  RTO Skills - Exclusive to RTO MOS 
  Basic Communication 
  Scramblers 
  Zip-Squeal 
  Satellite Relay 
  Forward Air Controller 
  Forward Observer 
  Sniper Skills -
  Exclusive to Sniper MOS 
  Sniping 
  Starlight Scopes 
  Alphabetical List of 
  Non-Weapon Skills 
  Airborne: Basic 
  Airborne: Pathfinder 
  Airborne: H.A.L.O. 
  Communications: Basic 
  Communications: Scramblers 
  Communications: Zip-Squeal 
  Communications: Satellite Relay 
  Demolitions 
  Demolitions Disposal (E.O.D.) 
  Demolitions Underwater 
  Detect Ambushes 
  Detect Concealment 
  Detect Dangerous Animals 
  DetectILocate Food 
  Detect Mines and Booby Traps 
  DetectILocate Water 
  Dry Sub 
  Forward Air Controller 
  Forward Observer 
  Intelligence: Basic 
  Intelligence: Detect Guerrillas 
  Intelligence: Detect Unit and Rank 
  Impersonation 
  Interrogation 
  Land Navigation 
  Language: Basic 
  Language: Advanced 
  Lock Picking 
  Medic 
  Night Fighting: Detect Enemy 
  Night Fighting: Rapid Movement 
  Repelling 
  Ride Elephants 
  S.C.U.B.A. 
  Silent Movement 
  Sniping 
  Spear Gun 
  Starlight Scopes 
  Submersible: Tow Sub 
  Submersible: Two Man Sub 
  (Also see Dry Sub) 
  Suppressors and Silencers 
  Tracking 
  Underwater Navigation 
  
  grenadier, rolls an 83% which means he lands 17 yards (51 ft) 
  away from the target site. Lucky Louey is having a bad day and 
  Skill Descriptions 
  he rolls a 21 which means he has landed 79 yards (237ft) away 
  The skills are listed in two categories: military (RECON 
  Teams) and those reserved for mercenaries only (merc's can ac­
  tually select from both categories; see the section on mercenar­
  ies). 
  All skills are listed in a strict alphabetical order. 
  Skill Proficiency or Base Effectiveness is determined by 
  rolling percentile dice just as one does for weapon skills. The 
  higher the number the more expert one is. The maximum skill 
  level possible is 98%. 
  The Base Effectiveness Minimum is the minimum skill pro­
  ficiency possible after training. This means if the minimum is 
  listed as 30% and the percentile roll is less than 30% (1-29), the 
  player automatically raises his Base Effectiveness to the stated 
  minimum (in this example, to 30). Although most skills work 
  this way, not all have a base effectiveness minimum in which 
  case the percentile number rolled stands as is. Airborne skills do 
  not have a base effectiveness at all. 
  Skill proficiencies (base effectiveness) can be raised by 
  +5% per each 35 experience points applied/spent on that spe­
  cific skill. No more than +15% can be purchased at a single 
  time. All purchaseS/skill increases may be made at the begin­
  ning or very end of each game, never during an adventure. SEE 
  EXPERIENCE POINTS for more details. 
  Airborne 
  The airborne skills involve training in the various forms and 
  techniques of parachuting for military purposes. 
  Basic Airborne 
  This is the fundamentals of parachuting, including checking 
  the parachute pack, concealing the chute once landed, the proper 
  method ofjumping and landing, and other rudimentaries. 
  Pathfinder 
  This is an individual with extensive additional training, mak­
  ing him/her so expert that the person can jump in ahead of the 
  group to radio in wind and terrain conditions and locate the most 
  ideal landing places. This skill includes knowledge in wind 
  movement/conditions, night drops, water landing, and tree/cliff 
  landings. + I 0% on aHlandings. 
  B.A.L.O. 
  Stands for High Altitude Low Opening; a type of skydiving 
  from high altitudes (30,000 feet) to avoid detection by the en­
  emy. In this way, the airplane cannot be seen nor heard by 
  ground troops, aHowing the paratroopers to land silently and un­
  detected. Radar would simply indicate a high flying plane. +5% 
  on landing. 
  Note: Characters MUST have the Basic Airborne skill before 
  selecting the Pathfinder or H.A.L.O. skill. 
  The success ratio in paracbuting is determined by rolling 
  percentile dice each time a jump is made. The higher the roll the 
  closer one lands to his intended target. Add one yard/meter (3ft) 
  for every percentage point away from a perfect 100%. Example: 
  Sgt. Stone has a roll of 60%+ 1 0% as a Pathfinder for a total of 
  70%. This means he has landed 30 yards (90ft) away from the 
  target site, a relatively short distance. Benny "the Bomb," a 
  from the target site; a dangerous distance in enemy territory. 
  Other conditions and Modifiers: Minus 15% during night 
  drops, water landings or especially rough or tricky terrain, such 
  as dense jungle/forest, cliff facings, etc. ONLY the pathfinder 
  does not suffer this penalty. Characters without basic airborne 
  training have only a 30% chance of landing within 50 yards of a 
  target site. If the roll is failed (31-100%) the individual will land 
  100 to 1000 feet (roll I D 10) from the landing site. 
  As with ALL skills, the level of proficiency can be upgraded 
  at a rate of 5% per every 35 experience points. See the experi­
  ence point section. 
  Communications 
  All these skills enable the character to effectively use various 
  communications equipment and techniques. ALL are exclusive 
  to the MOS or mercenary. 
  Basic Communications 
  This is the knowledge in the operation and maintenance of 
  field radios and walkie-talkies, wire laying, maintenance, instal­
  lation, radio procedure, communication security and visual 
  signs/communications, as well as knowing Morse Code. The 
  minimum base effectiveness is 50%. 
  Scramblers 
  This is training in the use of electronic masking and scram­
  bling (and unscrambling) equipment and codes for increased se­
  curity. The minimum base effectiveness is 40%. 
  Zip-Squeal 
  This involves skills and equipment for transmitting high 
  speed tape messages (one-way transmissions) as another secu­
  rity measure. This skill also includes a working knowledge in 
  basic listening (bugging) techniques and devices such as ampli­
  fied sound systems, miniature listening devices, telephone tap­
  ping, and recording methods. The minimum base effectiveness 
  is 30%. Note: Basic Communications and Scrambling Skills are 
  both required in order to take the zip-squeal skill. Adds a +5% 
  to all communication skills. 
  18 
  
  Satellite Relay 
  This is an understanding in the methods and operations of 
  satellite transmissions. The minimum base effectiveness is 25%. 
  Demolitions (exclusive to Demo MOS) 
  Demolitions provides the person with an advanced knowl­
  edge in the use and workings of explosives and detonation de­
  vices for the purpose of blowing up bridges, buildings, and 
  sabotage. This includes all types of explosives such as mines, 
  dynamite, plastics, nitro, blasting caps, etc. Minimum base ef­
  fectiveness is 60%. A failed roll means a dud; no explosion/inef­
  fective. 
  Demolitions Disposal 
  (or Explosive Ordnance Disposal) 
  This skill enables the character to safely defuse unexploded 
  mines, bombs, explosive booby traps, dud artillery rounds, dud 
  explosive charges, or any other explosive device. Minimum 
  base effectiveness is 60%. Add + 10% if AG is 70 or higher. A 
  failed roll means the item has exploded without warning. Exclu­
  sive to the Demo MOS. 
  Demolitions Underwater 
  (exclusive to Demo MOS) 
  Essentially this skill is identical to the regular demolitions 
  skill except that it involves an understanding knowledge and 
  practice in setting explosives and explosive devices underwater. 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 60%. 
  Detect Ambushes (exclusive to Point MOS) 
  Training which develops an eye for spotting locations and 
  terrain suitable for ambushes and being ambushed. It also pro­
  vides a rudimentary knowledge of guerrilla jungle tactics used 
  by the enemy. Minimum base effectiveness is 50%. 
  Detect Concealment 
  This is a jungle skill which enables the individual to spot and 
  recognize camouflage, tricks, concealed huts, buildings and ve­
  hicles as well as the ability to construct unobtrusive shelters that 
  blend into the environment. Minimum base effectiveness is 
  40%. 
  Detect Dangerous Animals 
  This is a knowledge of the indigenous animal life and their 
  relative danger to humans. This would include recognizing wild 
  cats, boar, and varieties of poisonous snakes and insects. Mini­
  mum base effectiveness is 30%. 
  DetectILocate Food 
  This skill enables the character to recognize and locate edible 
  vegetation, including roots, berries, tree bark and so on. It may 
  also include a knowledge of common, edible animals native to 
  the area. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. Add +5% if AL is 
  over 60. 
  Detect Mines and Booby Traps 
  (exclusive to Point MOS) 
  This is a basic understanding of the strategic placement of 
  mines and booby traps. This will increase a character's aware­
  ness of suspicious rope, string and wire (potential trip wires), 
  cans and boxes (to conceal grenades), dirt mounds (mines), bro­
  ken or disturbed underbrush (punji sticks) and so on. This adds 
  an AL bonus of+12% when the character is actively looking for 
  mines and booby traps. 
  DetectILocate Water 
  This training enables a person to recognize drinkable and 
  contaminated water. This includes a rudimentary knowledge of 
  likely water locations underground, on the surface and extrac­
  tion from certain plants and condensation (a survival technique). 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. 
  Dry Sub 
  Training in the operation of a dry sub; a small submersible 
  with a self contained environment. Such mini subs usually hold 
  six people and are limited to about 400ft depths underwater. Dry 
  subs were occasionally used in special covert operations and in­
  sertions deep in enemy territory. Minimum base effectiveness is 
  40%. Also see one and two man subs. 
  Forward Air Controller (exclusive to RTO MOS) 
  This is a crucial skill for the radio operator because it enables 
  him to accurately direct air strikes against the enemy. These he­
  licopter and plane assaults will be given target coordinates by 
  the RTO and later verbally directed and corrected as he observes 
  on the ground. Smoke grenades and natural landmarks may also 
  be described to identify a target area. Observation techniques 
  are standard. 
  The minimum base effectiveness is 40%. A failed roll means 
  the coordinates or directions are inadequate and 100 to 1000 
  yards (300 to 3000ft) off-target; a correction must be transmitted 
  immediately. A successful roll means the air strike is right on 
  target. Also see the "optional" miniature rules/grid system for 
  air strikes. 
  Forward Observer (exclusive to RTO MOS) 
  This skill trains the radio operator in observation techniques 
  to accurately direct artillery much like directing air strikes (For­
  ward Air Controller Skill). Initially, map coordinates are called 
  in to an artillery unit. After about a minute to a minute and a 
  half delay (15 combat rounds), the artillery bombardment will 
  commence. It is the RTO's job to radio in correct coordinates 
  and corresponding changes in the enemy's movement. 
  The minimum base effectiveness is 45%. A failed roll means 
  the artillery fire is misdirected and 100 to 1000 yards 
  (l D I Ox 100) off-target; a correction must be transmitted imme­
  diately. A successful roll means the artillery fire is right on tar­
  get. Also see the "optional" miniature rules/grid system for 
  artillery strikes. 
  Intelligence: Basic (exclusive to Intel MOS) 
  This is the specific training in the practices and principles of 
  recognizing and analyzing sources of information about the en­
  emy, observation techniques, counterintelligence measures and 
  proper procedure. This includes the practical assessment of 
  sights, and sounds; estimation of ranges, what to report, and 
  handling prisoners of war, captured documents and equipment 
  (tagging, and reporting to group leader or proper authority). 
  This means the character will be able to accurately estimate 
  ranges, the number of enemies/troops, direction, purpose, and 
  assess the importance of specific information, documents and 
  prisoners. Minimum base effectiveness is 50%. 
  19 
  
  Intelligence: Detect GuerrHlas 
  (exclusive to Intel MOS) 
  This is further intelligence training with an emphasis on 
  guerrilla activity. This includes a working knowledge of guerilla 
  warfare, practices, concealment techniques, appearance, and 
  current activities. This will enable the Intelligence officer to rec­
  ognize suspicious activity as guerrilla actions and identify guer­
  rilla operatives. For example: a particular booby trap or weapon 
  or mode of operation may be indicative of guerrilla activity in a 
  specific area. It may be up to the character (and supporting 
  RECON team) to confirm the existence of guerrillas, their 
  strengths and numbers there. Minimum base effectiveness is 
  40%. 
  Intelligence: Detect Unit and Rank 
  (exclusive to Intel MOS) 
  Another area of training available to intelligence is the identi­
  fication of enemy troops, officers and foreign advisors. This 
  means the person learns the many distinguishing ranks and 
  marks that identify specific military units, special forces and of­
  ficers of the enemy. Such identification can pinpoint and con­
  firm enemy operations, goals and movement as well as confirm 
  outside (Soviet) intervention/aid. Minimum base effectiveness is 
  40%. 
  Note: A failed roll in any of the intelligence skills means the 
  evidence is inconclusive or the character has incorrectly as­
  sessed the information/situation and is uncertain. 
  A failed roll involving individual clues may mean the Intel 
  officer has dismissed it entirely as being meaningless. (MD's, 
  use your discretion). 
  Impersonation (exclusive to Intel MOS) 
  This skill enables a person to impersonate another person or 
  type of soldier (in general). This means the person must have a 
  rudimentary (if not comprehensive) knowledge of the person or 
  general type of personnel that he is impersonating. This is likely 
  to include a knowledge of the enemy/subject of impersonation, 
  military procedure, dress, command, and rank, and will usually 
  require speaking the language fluently. This means the character 
  can disguise himself as a VC guerrilla or foreign mercenary or 
  Soviet aide and so on. This means the character can convinc­
  ingly impersonate a general type of person/soldier/advisor by 
  accurate disguise, proper action and language. 
  The minimum base effectiveness is 40% to impersonate gen­
  eral personnel and 20% to impersonate a specific individual 
  (which may require weeks of study and special disguises). 
  The success of one's impersonation/disguise can only be de­
  termined after exposing oneself to those whom you wish to 
  trick. A successful impersonation requires the player to roll un­
  der his skill for each of his first three encounters. AftelWard the 
  character must roll under his skill for each encounter with an of­
  ficer. If interrogated/questioned he must successfully roll for ev­
  ery other question or be revealed as an impostor. A failed roll 
  means his impersonation has failed and is recognized as an im­
  poster and is in immediate danger. 
  Interrogation (exclusive to Intel MOS) 
  This skill includes training in the questioning of prisoners, 
  captives and informers and the assessment of that information. 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 40%. 
  The interrogation skill adds a bonus of +5% to all intelli­
  gence skills and +10% to recognize an impersonator/ impostor 
  during interrogation. 
  Land Navigation (exclusive to Point MOS) 
  This skill allows the person to stay on course while traveling 
  over land by means of observation. This includes mentally 
  marking/recognizing geographic landmarks, estimating distance 
  20 
  
  and movement, recognizing sounds and other navigation tricks. 
  Techniques include night travel. Generally it is the Point-Man's 
  job to determine a path of travel, direct his teammates and stay 
  on course. The player should roll once for approximately every 
  three miles traveled. A failed roll means the group is drifting off 
  course by 200 to 2000 yards (roll 2DlOxl00 yards). Do not roll 
  again until the next three miles. A successful roll at that time 
  will allow the character to recognize his error and correct it. Of 
  course, errors mean lost time and traveling through unknown or 
  potentially dangerous areas. A second (and third) failed roll 
  means the team continues to travel 2D lOx I 00 yards further off 
  course. All failed rolls are cumulative unless corrected. Mini­
  mum base effectiveness is 40%. 
  Note: A group of average men can cover approximately 5 
  miles an hour at a brisk but relaxed pace through grassland, 
  along dirt roads or paved streets. Travel through dense forest or 
  jungle at a cautious pace with eyes open for danger is about one 
  mile per hour. At this rate, one can easily watch for booby traps, 
  snipers, ambushes, wild animals, tracks, clues and other obser­
  vations without fear of traveling too fast (and missing them). 
  Only at a faster pace will one begin to miss details and court 
  death. 
  Language: Basic 
  Learning to speak the indigenous language of a region can be 
  an essential skill in many ways. Interrogation, impersonation, 
  and simple communication with native civilians, scouts and al­
  lies are impossible unless one can speak the language. A spe­
  cific language such as the most common, indigenous language 
  (Vietnamese/Chinese), Russian, Spanish, French, etc., must be 
  chosen. If the person desires to speak an additional language he 
  must spend another non-weapon skill choice (or 100 experience 
  points) to do so. Each language is a separate skill. 
  The character is now able to understand the spoken language 
  as well as speak it well, but with a distinct accent. Reading the 
  written language is very poor, about equal to a child in first 
  grade. This means the person can only pick out the most basic 
  and simple words if any. Minimum base effectiveness is 55%. 
  Language: Advanced 
  This additional training enables the character to speak so flu­
  ently and without accent that he could be mistaken for a native. 
  He/she is also able to read and write the language accurately. 
  Language: Advanced counts as two skills or can be added to the 
  Language: Basic skill at a later date for the usual 100 experience 
  points cost for a new skill (basic language+advanced=2 skills). 
  Minimum base effectiveness is 70%. 
  Lock Picking 
  The character knows the methods, techniques and tools in 
  picking/opening key and basic tumbler type locks. 
  It takes I D6 combat rounds for each attempt to pick a lock. A 
  failed roll means the lock holds; try again. Minimum base effec­
  tiveness is 35%. 
  Medic 
  The skill enables the character to stop bleeding, set bones, 
  bandage and treat wounds, and provide other lifesaving treat­
  ment. The medic can restore 5 strength (ST) points lost from 
  damage per each "grade" of training. Thus a medic 2nd grade 
  restores a total of 10, medic 3rd grade, 15 and so on. Skill 
  grades can be purchased with experience points (SEE experi­
  ence points and skill introduction). 
  Note: The medic can NOT give a character more hit points 
  than his original ST allows. Furthermore, a particular wound can 
  only be treated once per mission, but new ones can be treated as 
  they occur. Minimum base effectiveness is 40%. A failed roll 
  means blood loss is stopped, but no ST points are restored. 
  Night Fighting: Detect Enemy 
  This is an understanding of observation techniques which 
  will reveal or indicate an enemy's position. These techniques in­
  clude looking for glare or shine from a light source such as 
  burning cigarettes, headlights, flashlight, gunflash or reflected 
  light. Flash and sound methods are used to estimate range and 
  exact position. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. 
  Night Fighting: Rapid Movement 
  This skill is a practiced method of movement which enables 
  the character to move quickly without tripping or revealing his 
  position at night by carelessly exposing light, sound or reflective 
  light. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. 
  Rappelling 
  Rappelling is a specialized rope climbing skill used in de­
  scending from helicopters, and scaling walls and cliff facings. 
  For game purposes rappelling will include ascending and de­
  scending climbs. Minimum base effectiveness is 30% A failed 
  roll means a slip or fumble; roll again to regain hold or fall. See 
  the climbing skill for damage and regaining one's grasp. 
  Rebreathers 
  Training in the use of specialized air tanks and underwater 
  equipment which do not release bubbles. Minimum base effec­
  tiveness 60%. A failed roll means a minor error or malfunction 
  which releases tell-tale bubbles. 
  Ride Elephants 
  This skill enables the character to care for, control and ride 
  trained elephants as a form of indigenous transportation, just as 
  one might ride a horse. Minimum base effectiveness is 40%. 
  Safecracking (exclusive to Intel MOS) 
  The character knows the methods, techniques, and tools in 
  opening ('cracking') tumbler and combination type locks. Mini­
  mum base effectiveness is 30%. Agility (AG) bonus +10% if 
  one's AG is over 70. 
  It takes one combat round to open a simple combination lock 
  and five melees to attempt to open a safe or complicated tumbler 
  type lock. To open either the player must successfully roll under 
  his skill two out of three times. Failed rolls means the lock 
  holds. but cracking may be attempted again (2 out of 3 ro\1s). 
  S.C.U.B.A. 
  The letters in S.C.U.B.A. stand for Self-Contained Underwa­
  ter Breathing Apparatus. Characters learn the methods of skin 
  diving and underwater swimming and use of oxygen tanks/appa­
  ratus, mask and flippers. Minimum base effectiveness is 50% 
  and reflects the degree of skill and expertise at S.C.U.B.A. 
  Note: A character can swim a distance equal to one half his 
  strength in yards per combat round. Also see underwater com­
  bat. 
  21 
  
  Silent Movement 
  persons in the party and whether the person knows he's being 
  This skill helps the character to move with stealth; quietly, 
  slowly and carefully. Techniques include balance and footing, 
  short steps and pacing, rifle positioning, prone positions for low 
  visibility, and crawling. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. 
  Sniping (exclusive to Sniper MOS) 
  This skill represents special training for long-range rifle fir­
  ing and marksmanship. The character must first have a 
  semi-automatic rifle or bolt-action rifle skill to which the sniper 
  skill bonus of 10% can be applied. This is a one time bonus. 
  Spear Gun 
  This is simply training in the use of the single shot (per CR) 
  underwater weapon, the spear gun. Minimum base effectiveness 
  is 30%. 
  Starlight Scopes (exclusive to Sniper MOS) 
  Another area of special sniper training involves the use of the 
  starlight scope. This night scope electronically amplifies ambi­
  ent light providing a very sharp, clear image. Range is about 400 
  meters (1600ft). There is no base effectiveness but, instead, the 
  sniper using the starlight scope attacks as if firing in daylight. 
  Submersible: Tow Sub 
  The training to operate a tow sub; a small underwater propul­
  sion device about the size of a large fire extinguisher that pulls a 
  single diver. Minimum base effectiveness is 40%. A failed roll 
  means a momentary loss of control, veering off course by 
  lDlOxlO yards. Roll for every 400 yards. Maximum speed is 
  about 4 miles per hour. 
  Submersible: Two Man Sub 
  These underwater craft are larger versions of the tow sub, 
  which can pull two divers. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. 
  All other conditions are identical to the Tow Sub previously de­
  scribed. Also See Dry Sub. 
  Suppressors and Silencers 
  Flash suppressors hide the flash of a fired weapon while si­
  lencers significantly reduce the report of a weapon to a mumed 
  thunk. Both a flash suppressor and silencer can be used simulta­
  neously. The skill in using these weapon supplements means 
  that the character is familiar with their maximum effectiveness, 
  and knows how to compensate for reduced range, trajectory, and 
  other conditions. Players without this skill CAN use flash 
  suppressors and silencers, but suffer a -10% penalty on their 
  weapon skill. Those with the skill suffer no such penalty. 
  Note: A weapon's range is reduced by about 15% when a 
  suppressor or silencer (or both simultaneously) is used. There is 
  no base effectiveness for this skill. 
  Tracking (exclusive to Point MOS) 
  Visual tracking is the identification of tracks and following 
  the path of men or animals by the signs they leave on the ground 
  and vegetation. Tracking is a precise art requiring much prac­
  tice. The skill includes the evaluation of tracks indicating 
  whether the person being tracked is loaded down with equip­
  ment, running, moving slowly (by measuring the space between 
  steps), male, female, walking backwards, injured (staggered 
  footprints), and so on. By this means the tracker can estimate the 
  persons rate of movement, apparent direction, the number of 
  followed. Other methods of tracking require recognizing other 
  tell-tale signs such as blood and other stains, broken and dis­
  placed vegetation, overturned rocks, 1 itter such as cigarette 
  butts, ration cans, candy wrappers, soiled bandages and remains 
  of campfires, and even odors carried by the wind. 
  Tracking also includes the recognizing of dangerous animals 
  by their tracks, habits and feces. Likewise, tire tracks of vehicles 
  can reveal much, such as size and type of vehicle, weight of 
  load, etc. 
  Counter-Tracking techniques are also known, such as cov­
  ering one's trail, avoiding obvious pitfalls such as littering, mis­
  direction, parallel trails and others. The minimum base 
  effectiveness is 35%. 
  A failed roll means that the signs are inconclusive, vague or 
  misleading. Additional signs must be found to verifY or clarifY 
  (r01l again). Three consecutive failed rolls mean the tracker has 
  completely lost the trail. Roll once for every 40 yards whenfol­
  lowing a trail. Persons attempting to f01l0w a skilled tracker are 
  -20% in following him if he is deliberately trying to conceal his 
  trail (however, his rate of travel is reduced by half). 
  Underwater Navigation 
  Like land navigation, the person learns how to recognize 
  landmarks and other tricks to maintain a correct course, estimate 
  distances, recognize sounds and movement. The player should 
  roll once for approximately every ~ mile traveled. A failed roll 
  means he's drifted off course by lD1Ox100 yards. Minimum 
  base effectiveness is 35%. 
  Mercenaries 
  Special Mercenary MOSs 
  Certain MOSs are not practical for the average guy in a 
  RECON unit. On the other hand, because mercenaries don't 
  usually have a huge army supporting them, they need these spe­
  cialists as part of their team. 
  Airplane Pilot 
  This must be taken as the Primary MOS. Learning to pilot 
  any but the most simple single-engine airplane requires years of 
  training. A character must have the Airplane Pilot MOS to learn 
  any of the airplane or fixed wing pilot skills. Most Airplane Pi­
  lots are from either Air Force or Navy backgrounds. 
  Artillery Officer 
  This is an officer trained in the effective use of artillery 
  weapons such as mortars, cannons and howitzers. Although 
  common in 'Nam, they were almost never assigned to 
  RECON-style missions. For mercenary operations they are in­
  valuable for training local forces in the use of artillery. 
  Desert Climate Specialist 
  Available as a Secondary MOS only. This is the kind of 
  training useful in a variety of world hot spots. Desert training 
  skills are available only to Desert Climate Specialists. 
  Helicopter Pilot 
  This must be taken as the Primary MOS. Flying a helicopter 
  is incredibly difficult. Only characters with this MOS can take 
  22 
  
  -- --
  any helicopter pilot skiJls. Slick (troop carrier) skills are com­
  pletely separate from Snake (gunship) skil1s. Each weapon sys­
  tem and many helicopters require separate skills. 
  Northern Climate Specialist 
  Available as a Secondary MOS only. Quite a few potential 
  world hot spots are in colder climates. Arctic and sub-arctic 
  skills are available only to characters with this MOS. 
  PBR Captain 
  This must be taken as the Primary MOS. This includes the 
  skills needed to pilot and control a variety of naval vessels, pri­
  marily riverboats and monitors. A separate skill is needed for 
  each kind of craft. 
  Track Commander 
  This must be taken as the Primary MOS. Track MaS is re­
  quired for learning to drive any heavy military vehicles like 
  tanks and armored personnel carriers. Each vehicle requires a 
  separate skill. 
  Skills: Mercenary MOS 
  Mercneary 
  Small 
  Heavy Hand to Non-Weapon 
  MOS 
  Arms 
  Arms 
  Hand 
  Skills 
  Airplane Pilot 
  2 
  I 
  I 
  6 
  Helicopter Pilot 2 
  I 
  6 
  Artillery Off. 
  5 
  3 
  Tank Command 
  4 
  4 
  PBR Captain 
  3 
  5 
  Cold Climate 
  (not a primary MOS) 
  Desert Training (not a primary MOS) 
  Mercenary characters can choose an MaS from either the 
  Mercenary MOS listed above or the Military MOS. Airplane Pi­
  lot, Helicopter Pilot and PBR Captains do not receive the Basic 
  Training skill automaticaJly, but they can select basic infan­
  try/training as one of their weapon or non-weapon skills. 
  Alphabetical List of Mercenary Skills 
  Airplane: Amphibious 
  Airplane: Jets 
  Airplane: Multi-Engine 
  Airplane: Single Engine 
  Cross-Country Skiing 
  DetectILocate Food 
  Detect Sandstorms 
  DetectlLocate Water 
  Dog Sleds 
  Gunship 
  Howitzers 
  Identify Mirages 
  Mortars 
  PBR Captain 
  Ride Camel 
  Ride Donkey 
  Ride Horse 
  Slick (Helicopter) 
  Snowmobiles & Snow Tractors 
  Snowshoes 
  Tanks 
  Winter Survival 
  Skill Descriptions 
  Mercenary or Specialist's Skills 
  Airplane Skills-
  Exclusive to Airplane Pilot MOS 
  Single Engine Propeller 
  Includes all training in takeoff, landing, refueling and instru­
  ment flying for all types of this kind of airplane. Weapon sys­
  tems (guns, rockets, bombs, etc.) each require separate 
  additional training. This skill must be taken before taking 
  Multi-Engine, Jets or Amphibious. Minimum base effectiveness 
  is 50%. 
  Multi-Engine 
  All training in takeoff, landing, refueling and instrument fly­
  ing for all types of this kind of aircraft. Each new aircraft 
  weapon system requires a separate additional skill. Minimum 
  base effectiveness is 40%. 
  Jets 
  All training in takeoff, landing, refueling and instrument fly­
  ing for small jet aircraft. Each new aircraft weapon system re­
  quires a separate additional skill. In addition, every model ofjet 
  airplane must be treated as a separate skill. Minimum base ef­
  fectiveness is 40%. 
  Amphibious Airplanes 
  All training in takeoff, landing, refueling and instrument fly­
  ing for this kind of aircraft. Each new aircraft weapon system 
  requires a separate additional skill. Minimum base effectiveness 
  is 40%. 
  Helicopter Skills ­
  Exclusive to Helicopter Pilot MOS 
  Slick Skill 
  All training in takeoff, landing, hovering, refueling, mainte­
  nance checks and instrument flying for helicopter troop trans­
  ports. Each different helicopter requires an additional skiJl (note 
  that most of the UH Huey line were pretty much the same, no 
  additional skills are needed to pilot the UH-IBtoUH-IH). A 
  Slick pilot can fly a helicopter gunship, but is not trained in gun­
  ship weapon systems. Even giant helicopters or small scouts can 
  be mastered at a cost of 100 experience points for each type. 
  Gunship is a separate skill. Minimum base effectiveness is 40%. 
  Gunship 
  This is the specific training in piloting assault helicopters and 
  the operation of their automated weapon systems. This would 
  include such choppers as the Huey Cobra and loaded "Hogs," 
  UH-IB or UH-ID helicopters. Training includes takeoff, land­
  ing, hovering, refueling, maintenance, instrument checks, flying 
  under the extra weight of armaments and a basic understanding 
  of weapon systems and their best applications in combat. Ma­
  neuvers to strafe, provide cover for evacuations and insertions, 
  seek and destroy, and other offensive and defensive air maneu­
  vers are crucial elements of training. Initially the gunship pilot is 
  trained in one basic armament system which usuaJly includes 
  23 
  
  the .50 Cal. machinegun and M-5 40mm grenade launcher. In 
  game context, each additional armament sub-system (rocket 
  pods, 
  multi-rocket launchers, smoke generators, 
  various 
  mini-guns and weapon combinations; see .helicopter armaments) 
  requires additional training and costs 50 experience points for 
  each. As usual, each weapon grade adds +5% to the base effec­
  tiveness with that weapon and costs 35 experience points. 
  Gunship pilots can pilot any gunship type helicopter, UH-IB 
  to UH-IH, but at a -5% effectiveness. They cannot pilot differ­
  ent or larger helicopters unless they take the Slick skill. Al­
  though the armamellt systems are often identical to those 
  mounted on tanks and armored ground vehicles, the gunship pi­
  lot does NOT know how to operate them. His helicopter systems 
  are automated, controlled by a joy stick or fired by a door gun­
  ner. Minimum base effectiveness to pilot is 40%; in each arma­
  ment/weapon 20%. 
  Artillery Skills ­
  Exclusive to Artillery Officer MOS 
  Mortars 
  These are large vehicle-towed or mounted mortars, not the 
  puny things that are listed under Heavy Weapons. TIle first time 
  an artillery officer selects a mortar weapon he should roll his 
  base efficiency. All subsequent mortar types learned will have 
  the same base efficiency. Learning new mortars takes 50 experi­
  ence points each. Each grade of improvement in a particular 
  mortar costs 35 points and is worth a +5 bonus. Note: With artil­
  lery mortar you CAN also take the smaller mortars (60mm or 
  81 mm, for example). Minimum base effectiveness is 25%. 
  Howitzers 
  Very large vehicle-towed or mounted guns are covered under 
  Howitzer skill. The first time an artillery officer selects a Howit­
  zer he should roll his base efficiency. All additional weapons 
  learned later will have the same base efficiency. Learning new 
  types of Howitzer (105mm, 115mm, 8", etc.) each require 50 
  experience points. For every 35 points of grade, you get a +5 
  bonus. Missiles can also be learned as separate Howitzer weap­
  ons. Minimum base effectiveness is 20%. 
  Armor Skills ­
  Exclusive to Track Commander MOS 
  Tanks 
  Armored fighting vehicles, from armored personnel carriers 
  through tanks, are all covered under Track Commander. Driving 
  is not a problem, all U.S. Track Commanders can drive all U.S. 
  armored vehicles. However, each weapon system requires learn­
  ing a separate skill. Every Track Commander must start with the 
  .50 cal. machinegun and roll his base effectiveness. Every other 
  weapon (90mm cannon, M-108 flamegun, 81mm mortar) re­
  quires a new skill (50 experience points) and a new base effec­
  tiveness roll for each. Grades give +5 bonus and cost 35 points 
  each. Minimum base effectiveness is 20%. 
  PBR Captain Skill ­
  Exclusive to PBR Captain MOS 
  PBR 
  Captains may navigate and steer any Patrol Boat, River. Also 
  included in the skill are rubber rafts, small boats and tugboats. 
  Exotic vessels like Armored Troop Carners, Amphibious Land­
  ing Barges, Air Boats and Hovercrafts each count as a separate 
  skill (50 points each). Initially the PBR Captain should roll for a 
  base efficiency with .50 cal. Machineguns. Each additional 
  weapon system (.30 caliber machineguns, Torpedo) costs 50 
  points. For example, adding Grenade Launcher would cost 50 
  experience points and require a new base efficiency roll for its 
  use. Each grade of weapon skill costs 35 experience points and 
  adds a +5 to the base efficiency with that weapon. Minimum 
  base effectiveness is 25%. 
  Northern Climate Skills­
  Exclusive to Northern Specialist 
  Cross-Country Skiing 
  The practiced skill in the use of skis, skiing equipment, cloth­
  ing and procedure. Cross-country skiing is not to be confused 
  with alpine or downhill skiing. Cross-country skiing entails sim­
  ple, quick, snow-walking on skis. 
  Rate of travel at a brisk, relaxed pace in an open field or tun­
  dra is about 5 miles per hour. Brisk travel through woodland or 
  broken terrain is reduced to about 3 miles per hour. Cautious 
  travel through woodland with eyes open for ambushes and traps 
  is reasonable at one mile per hour. 
  24 
  
  Minimum base effectiveness is 40%. A failed roll indicates 
  Identify Mirages 
  problems with equipment and travel, slowing the entire group 
  down by 20%. 
  Dog Sleds 
  This is the ability to organize and ride a dog sled, but only 
  with animals trained for that purpose. 
  Rate of travel is about 8 miles per hour at a brisk reasonable 
  pace through open land, 5 miles per hour through forests and 
  broken terrain, and one or two miles per hour at a cautious pace 
  looking for trouble. Maximum speed would be about 18 miles 
  per hour for short periods of time (one or two hours at a time 
  with proper resting and pacing of the dogs). Minimum base ef­
  fectiveness is 30%. A failed roll indicates problems in control­
  ling the dogs and/or traveling. Reduce speed by half. 
  Snowmobiles and Snow Tractors 
  The knowledge of driving and maintaining snowmobiles and 
  snow tractors. Snowmobiles are small, one or two man, sled-like 
  vehicles capable of high speeds and quick maneuvers. Maxi­
  mum speed is 90mph. Snow tractors are large, heavy-duty ma­
  chines that can usually seat four people and ride over rough 
  terrain. Maximum speed is about 60mph. Minimum base effec­
  tiveness is 50%. A failed roll means a slowdown in travel (re­
  duce by half) or a stalled vehicle (roll ID I 0 Combat Rounds). 
  Snowshoes 
  The use of snowshoes to travel across snow laden terrain. 
  Nearly identical in function to cross-country skiing, except the 
  speed is slightly less (reduce by 20%). Same conditions and 
  penalties for failed rolls apply. Minimum base effectiveness is 
  40%. 
  Winter Survival 
  This is training in fundamental survival techniques including 
  how to build a shelter, keeping warm, avoiding frostbite and 
  dangerous wind conditions, locating food such as edible bark, 
  care for feet and so on. The minimum base effectiveness is 40%. 
  Desert Climate Skills ­
  Exclusive to Desert Specialist MOS 
  DetectILocate Food 
  This skill enables the character to recognize and locate edible 
  vegetation including roots and cactus, snakes, lizards and in­
  sects. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. Add +5% if AL is 
  over 60. 
  Detect Sandstorms 
  The person is able to recognize the signs of an approaching 
  sandstorm and how to protect himself from it, e.g., find or build 
  shelter, protect eyes, nose and mouth, etc. Minimum base effec­
  tiveness is 30%. 
  Detect/Locate Water 
  This training enables the person to identify drinkable and 
  contaminated water. It also includes a rudimentary knowledge 
  of likely water sources, locations, extraction methods, and 
  bleeding plants/cactus, and the condensation method to create 
  water. Minimum base effectiveness is 25%. 
  The ability to discern between reality and optical illusions 
  created by reflection from sand and the sun. Minimum base ef­
  fectiveness is 30%. 
  Ride Camel 
  The ability to ride a camel. Average rate of travel in desert 
  conditions is about 6 to 10 miles per hour. Most durable in the 
  harsh desert environment. Can easily survive for over a month 
  with little or no water. Minimum base effectiveness is 30%. A 
  failed roll means these temperamental and nasty beasts of bur­
  den refuse to cooperate. Reduce speed by half. 
  Ride Donkey 
  The ability to ride a donkey, especially in desert conditions. 
  Rate of speed varies depending on conditions but averages at 
  about 6 miles per hour. More durable than horses for long treks. 
  Can last for weeks with adequate water and pacing. Minimum 
  base effectiveness is 40%. A failed roll means problems, reduce 
  speed by hal f. 
  Ride Horse 
  The knowledge of horsemanship. Average rate of speed at a 
  minimally taxing pace is 6 to 8 miles per hour. Short bursts of 
  speed and limited desert travel can range up to 20mph. Inade­
  quate for long journeys unless ample water supplies are avail­
  able accompanied by long rests and protection from the sun. 
  Horses are the most vulnerable to the heat. Minimum base effec­
  tiveness is 40%. A failed roll means problems (probably a horse 
  suffering from heat prostration), reduce speed by half. 
  See the mercenary sections for more details about their skill 
  selections, available militaryfRECON MOSs and specialist/mer­
  cenary MOSs. 
  Experience Points 
  Character Improvement 
  and Experience Points 
  Experience points in RECON are gained for player compe­
  tence in the game. Working together, planning, using skills and 
  equipment effectively, achieving mission objectives and win­
  ning encounters with the enemy are all worth experience points. 
  It's up to your MD to decide how many points are awarded. 
  Often the points in RECON are awarded to the unit. After the 
  Mission Director is finished evaluating the group's accomplish­
  ments the group's points will be divided up evenly between all 
  the players. Or the MD and players may prefer awarding experi­
  ence points to each individual character, reflecting that one per­
  son's actions. Either system is acceptable. 
  In order to make it easy for the MD. it's a good idea for the 
  characters to keep a written record of their missions. That way, 
  when it comes to the review. the MD can be reminded of any­
  thing that might be worth experience points. The MD should 
  keep a similar record. 
  Once awarded. the experience points can be saved or spent to 
  improve the character. The only way to get new skills, raise 
  grades in known skills or to raise character attributes is by 
  25 
  
  spending experience points. Players can spend experience points 
  ONLY at the end or very beginning of each game; NEVER dur­
  ing an adventure. 
  Awarding Experience Points 
  Points 
  The Action 
  3 
  Clever, but futile idea. 
  6 
  Clever, useful idea or action. 
  12 
  A critical plan or action that saves the character's life and/or 
  a few comrades. 
  20 
  A critical plan or action that saves the entire group or many 
  people. 
  40 
  Self-sacrifice (or potential self-sacrifice) in a life and death 
  situation (like leaping in front of gunfire meant for someone 
  else, to save that person, even though likely to die, or offer­
  ing own life to save the group or enduring torture without 
  breaking). 
  3 
  A void needless contact. 
  6 
  Deductive reasoning and/or insight. 
  12 Kill or subdue a minor enemy. 
  25 Destroy or subdue a major enemy force. 
  50 Destroy or subdue a great enemy force. 
  6 
  Playing in character bonus. 
  20 Perfect teamwork bonus. 
  Penalties 
  -10 Needless contact (not avoided). 
  -25 Rash or selfish action jeopardizes group or ally. 
  -35 Inferior teamwork penalty. 
  Note: The determination of a critical plan or a minor, major 
  or great enemy is ultimately up to the Mission Director. As the 
  coordinator of the adventure, the MD knows the strengths and 
  weaknesses of the player characters and their NPC opponents. 
  For example: a fresh Recon team of six members armed to the 
  teeth encounters two to six VC guerrillas of inferior ability; this 
  is definitely a minor enem) . Even if the VC guerrillas were of 
  equal strength, skill and numbers, they would qualify as a minor 
  enemy. However, waylaying a well armed group of 12 to 30 or a 
  couple tanks would likely fall into the major enemy category 
  (depending on circumstances). Destroying a fortified encamp­
  ment occupied by 100 or more men, an artillery base, and infil­
  trating a Viet Cong or North Vietnamese base crawling with the 
  enemy is definitely a great enemy force. MD's should be objec­
  tive, observant and fair when awarding experience points. 
  Character 
  Improvements 
  Spending Experience Points 
  Getting an entirely new skill costs 100 points. For example, 
  learning Grenade Launcher for the first time will cost 100 
  points. 
  Getting a new weapon or ability within an existing skill 
  category costs 50 points. Let's say you wanted a skill with an 
  AKA7. Since you already have Assault Rifle with the M-16, it 
  will cost 50 points to add the AK-47 to your Assault Rifle skill. 
  Getting an extra grade of proficiency in a skill will cost 35 
  points. Basic proficiency with the M-16 gives a +5% bonus. By 
  spending 35 points you can raise that to 2nd grade proficiency 
  and have a +10% bonus. Spend another 35 points and you'll get 
  to 3rd grade with a +15% bonus. Each additional skill grade 
  adds +5% to that skill. 
  Raising your character's attributes, ST, AG or AL, will 
  cost 100 experience points per each one attribute point. For ex­
  ample, by spending 100 points you can raise your ST by I. If 
  your AG is 32 and you spend 300 experience points, it will raise 
  to 35. 
  Note: No skill or attribute may be increased above 98%. 
  When a character even approaches this level he should be "ro­
  tated Stateside" and be assigned duty as an instructor. The only 
  way to have a skill or attribute of 100% is by rolling it up on the 
  original roll for that skill or attribute. 
  Alignments 
  What makes role-playing fun is interesting characters. So it's 
  up to every player to develop an interesting personality into his 
  character by the things his character says and does. Eccentric 
  characters help to liven up the game. Players should feel free to 
  "ham it up." 
  Part of the character's personality shows up in how he acts in 
  typical situations. A "wiseacre" is always making jokes, even in 
  the heat of battle. A "doomsayer" is always forecasting their im­
  minent disaster at every decision. "I've got a bad feeling about 
  that. Yep, we're going to die. If we attack that; we're all going 
  to get greased." 
  Other possibilities include the "bellyacher, "If I had MY 
  way, I'd run this chicken outfit completely different." The 
  "goldbrick," "I'd sure like to help you guys carry that 
  machinegun, but I cut my finger on that C-ration can last week 
  and it's still hurting something awful." The "hero," "That's all 
  right, Lieutenant, I don't need any help to knock out that pill­
  26 
  
  box. Just stick some extra grenades in the sling on my wounded 
  arm, tighten up that tourniquet on my leg, and point me in the 
  right direction." And the "coward," "You guys go ahead and at­
  tack that base. I'll defend this cave so you 'll have a safe place to 
  return to. 
  The Character Alignments: 
  Alignment in RECON represents a character's value system, 
  what that soldier thinks is right and wrong. Most characters (ex­
  cept possibly psychotics) believe that killing small children, 
  even by accident, is wrong. At the same time almost all soldiers 
  (except pacifists) feel that killing enemy troops is right. In be­
  tween those two extremes are a whole lot of gray areas. A mis­
  sion requiring you to "assassinate farm labor organizers for rich 
  landlords" might be alright for some people and very wrong for 
  others. A character alignment gives you some idea about how 
  your character will feel about different situations. 
  Alignments also affect the character's relationship with other 
  people. Since various NPCs will react according to alignments it 
  means that characters with scruples will tend to be liked by oth­
  ers and characters who do evil things will be hated and dis­
  trusted. 
  In all there are three major alignments and four minor 
  ones. Most combatants are either Idealistic, Opportunistic or 
  Malignant. Most moral, conscionable people fall into the Ideal­
  istic mold. People who get totally carried away with this philos­
  ophy become Pacifistic. 
  The vast majority of soldiers are Opportunistic. Basically 
  they want to win the war but not by killing themselves. When 
  self-preservation becomes secondary to winning people become 
  Righteous. A very few rare soldiers discover that they are more 
  interested in the game of war itself than in either survival or vic­
  tory, those become Karmic. 
  Malignant characters are primarily concerned with staying 
  alive. After that, power, prestige and money are important goals. 
  Occasionally, soldiers of this alignment will decide that killing 
  is more important than survival, and they become Psychotics. 
  Idealistic Alignment 
  A soldier's life requires killing and violence but that's ac­
  ceptable when the cause is just. An idealist will try to hurt only 
  the 'bad guys.' Seeing an innocent person killed, or worse yet, 
  killing bystanders himself (there was an old woman and a little 
  girl in the hooch that was shot up), will cause an idealist a lot of 
  emotional pain. To an idealist, people are always people, never 
  'Gooks.' 
  Idealists will try to stop injustice by any means possible, 
  even to the extent of threatening fellow soldiers or officers. For 
  example, an idealist will not put up with the shooting of a VC 
  who's surrendering. Physical torture for interrogation is not ac­
  ceptable for an idealist. 
  This character will often be 'adopted' by certain NPC during 
  any lengthy assignment. For example: "Little Joe,' a homeless 
  orphan, will hang around the character and warn him of any 
  dangers. Strangers, especially civilians, will react in a more 
  friendly way than towal d others. 
  Goals: To do good, helping people and trying to make the 
  world a better place. 
  Idealist-Pacifist 
  This is an extreme version of Idealistic. Killing another hu­
  man being is wrong! And it's fairly easy to avoid killing people. 
  Often a pacifist will only fire a round or two in an entire 
  firefight, or will always fire to miss or to scare rather than kill. 
  A pacifist will not kill to preserve his own life. The lives of 
  his buddies are another problem. Sometimes, in extreme cases, a 
  pacifist may have to take a life to protect his teammates. This 
  will cause great personal anguish. 
  The pacifist's relationship with civilians is the same as that 
  of idealists. Officers and team leaders tend to dislike and distrust 
  pacifists, often giving them the dirtiest jobs. 
  Goals: To avoid killing or hurting anyone. 
  Opportunist Alignment 
  Following orders is natural for opportunists. You aren't in 
  this for your health. Maybe you enjoy the life of a soldier, but 
  you wouldn't do it unless you got paid. And the guy who's pay­
  ing you has a right to see that the job is done right. Making that 
  omelet usually means breaking a few eggs. Innocents get killed, 
  non-combatants die in every war and you can't stand around 
  crying for every little kid who gets caught in the cross-fire. On 
  the other hand, you'd feel better if you could help people rather 
  than hurt them. 
  Staying alive means being an effective soldier. If you are 
  good at your job you'll kill the enemy before he kills you. 
  Your buddies are your absolute #1 priority, you'd risk 
  your life for theirs any day of the week. And you know they'd 
  do exactly the same for you! 
  Goals: Getting you and your pals out of combat alive is your 
  main objective. 
  Opportunist-Righteous 
  In the name of the 'cause,' all things are justified. Killing or 
  torturing the enemy is alright if it advances the cause. This is 
  usually the alignment of ideologies on both the extreme left and 
  the extreme right. Even though guerrilla leaders and nationalist 
  officers are natural enemies, they tend to share this alignment. 
  Characters with this alignment are possible but only in cer­
  tain circumstances. For Example, a Righteous character believ­
  ing in America and opposing godless communism would fit 
  right into a 'Nam campaign. That same character would NOT fit 
  into some mercenary campaigns where the issues are not clear 
  cut. 
  Most VC leaders and veterans are righteous followers of the 
  communist-nationalist cause. In other parts of the world, reli­
  gious fanatics and revolutionaries are often righteous in align­
  ment. 
  Righteous characters are willing to die at the drop of a hat. 
  Charging into certain death or holding a position after it be­
  comes hopeless is second nature. These characters also see noth­
  ing wrong with the deaths of innocents so long as the cause is 
  advanced. Accidents (Oops, turns out that prisoner wasn't a VC 
  after all! ) happen but there's no reason to get upset about them. 
  After all, some must suffer for the betterment of all. 
  Goals: Advancement of the cause is more important than 
  anyone's life, including your own. 
  27 
  
  Opportunist-Karmic 
  Some soldiers discover that the 'game' of war is more impor­
  tant than winning. This is the kind of character who will toss 
  away a weapon to make the fight more even or who will let a 
  particularly noble enemy escape. To their way of thinking, only 
  a select few on each side ofa war are true warriors. 
  Karmic characters think of themselves more as knights or 
  samurai than as soldiers. In their universe the concept of 'fair 
  play' has meaning. Killing lowly soldiers and civilians is unim­
  portant. Even his own death is irrelevant so long as it is at the 
  hands of a worthy opponent. The battles that are important are 
  the ones where one man tests his skill against another. 
  This kind of character will reenlist or become a mercenary so 
  that he can continue to find battles worthy of his talent. Karmic 
  characters are usually respected and feared by everyone. People 
  seem to sense that they are no longer afraid of death and they 
  will rarely be hassled by anyone. 
  Goals: To fight in challenging battles, and continually 
  'prove' oneself. 
  Malignant Alignment 
  Anyone who happens to get in the way of a malignant char­
  acter is just so much dirt to be scraped aside. Human lives count 
  for absolutely nothing. Getting paid and getting revenge are the 
  only things that really matter. 
  Your buddies should be protected and shielded from their 
  own weaknesses. This is because you need them to keep you 
  alive. When they become inconvenient, it may be necessary to 
  someday get rid of them as well. 
  People will just naturally dislike malignant characters. Their 
  fellow soldiers will think of them as scum and civilians will 
  look forward to betraying or tricking them. This is the kind of 
  character most likely to have traps deliberately set against him. 
  Even his teammates will be reluctant to save him in critical situ­
  ations. 
  Speaking of buddies, there are a few rules of conduct that 
  Malignant types follow: 
  l. Always borrow as much money as possible. If you die, you 
  come out ahead 'cause you don't have to pay it back. If they get 
  scragged, you don't have to pay 'em back. Never, never loan 
  money (or anything else), 'cause if either of you die, you come 
  out behind. 
  2. Take advantage of any opportunity to get ahead. If you 
  find an abandoned weapon then claim you killed a hostile to get 
  it. Killing a farmer is easy and makes very convincing evidence. 
  3. Helping other people is crazy. There is no profit in it at all. 
  On the other hand, it's fun to play tricks on people. A good 
  practical joke is removing the firing pin from a buddy's rifle 
  right before a mission. 
  Goals: Stay alive and stay ahead. 
  Malignant-Psychotic 
  In every war there are a certain number of people who are 
  just plain nuts! These are the maniacs who just go kill-crazy. 
  Since everyone is a potential enemy it's best to kill them all be­
  fore they kill you. Even your fellow soldiers are not to be 
  trusted. In extreme cases, the character just lives for killing, de­
  manding that he be assigned to the position (usually Point) 
  These characters generally have little or no regard for their 
  own lives. They either KNOW they are not going to die, or else 
  they KNOW that death is inevitable. Either way, they're the 
  most dangerous people around. 
  Psychotics are instantly recognized and feared by everyone. 
  Since they are simply time bombs waiting to go off, most people 
  will work to stay out of their way. 
  Goals: Kill as many 'enemies' as possible. 
  Combat System 
  Hand to Hand Combat 
  No matter how much advanced technology is available to the 
  modem soldier, 
  some things just 
  never 
  change. 
  The 
  blood-and-guts of close hand-to-hand combat is unchanged from 
  Roman times; it still boils down to slicing, sticking, hitting or 
  strangling the enemy. The only change in the future will be a 
  proton beam bayonet and a monomolecular fiber garrote. Just 
  new tools for an old job. 
  Rules of Hand-to-Hand Conlbat 
  1. Agility: All actions, including stab, slash, parry, evade, 
  grapple, reposte and buttstroke, are based on Agility (AG). To 
  succeed in any action requires a roll at or under AG plus skill 
  bonuses for that kind of action. Rolling above the AG+bonus 
  means the action fails. 
  Example: Humphrey Carstairs has an AG of 40 and 7 grades 
  of skill in Unarmed Combat (+35%). In order to succeed with an 
  Unarmed Combat action, Humphrey must roll a 75 or less. (1-75 
  is a success; 76-00 is a failed action). 
  2. Distance: To engage in hand-to-hand combat, the combat­
  ants must be within close striking distance of each other at the 
  beginning of the Combat Round. Generally that means they're 
  only about four feet apart, but the distance could be greater for 
  some weapons. 
  3. Surprise: Someone is surprised when they are attacked 
  from behind, or from an ambush . Successful surprise attacks 
  mean the defender does nothing to defend himself for the full 
  Combat Round. In a garrote attack, the attacker must have sur­
  prise on his side in order to use the garrote successfully. 
  In order to make a back attack the character must move qui­
  etly up to his target. Success requires that the attacker roll 
  against his Alertness (AL) for silent movement. The defender 
  does not roll. In other words, the attacker rolls to see if he 
  moves silently, and the victim is warned only if the attacker 
  fails. 
  In order to make a hand to hand ambush, the defender has to 
  fail his roll against Alertness (AL). In this case the attacker does 
  not roll. In other words, the attacker lies in wait for his victim, 
  it's up to the defender to roll for detecting danger. 
  4. Close Combat: AIl subsequent coinbat is determined by 
  both characters acting simultaneously. In other words, it's possi­
  ble for combatants to attack each other at the same time and 
  both do damage, or to both defend at the same time and end up 
  with no injuries on either side. Each character's percentile roll 
  where he can kill the maximum number of hostiles. 
  28 
  
  detennines success or failure. When an action results in damage, 
  roll the damage before the next combat round. 
  5. Actions: In hand-to-hand combat there are eight basic op­
  tions: Slash, Stab, Parry, Riposte, Grapple, Buttstroke, 
  Evade, or Shooting/Throwing. A character is allowed only one 
  action per Combat Round, regardless of Agility. Note that it's 
  quite possible for characters to do damage to each other simulta­
  neously. The specific hand-to-hand skills describe the following 
  in greater detail. 
  Slash: This is a 'small' attack. The advantage is thatit keeps 
  the attacker ready for another attack at any time. The disadvan­
  tages are that the damage is relatively small and that the attacker 
  leaves himself vulnerable to an attack. Using a bayonet or knife 
  means the Slash is a sweeping, cutting motion; with Unanned 
  Combat, a Slash is a chop with the edge of the hand. 
  Stab: This is an 'all-or-nothing' attack. The advantage is that 
  it inflicts maximum damage to the opponent. The disadvantages 
  are that the attacker leaves himself vulnerable for an attack and 
  that the attacker is left ofT balance and unable to attack on the 
  next Combat Round. Stabs are usually made with the point of a 
  weapon; in Unanned Combat they involve full-force strikes like 
  haymakers and jump kicks. 
  Parry: This is a defensive action. A Parry is used to prevent 
  an opponent from doing damage. The advantage is that a suc­
  cessful Parry will stop any usual striking attack by blocking or 
  dodging the blow. The disadvantage is that a Parry will not al­
  low any attacks on the enemy. Note: If a Parry is made against 
  two or more attacks (more than one attacker) the Parry must be 
  rolled separately for each attack. 
  Riposte: This is a combination defense and attack. In a Ri­
  poste, the character waits for his opponent to strike, then quickly 
  blocks and counterattacks. The advantage is that the character 
  can both defend himself and possibly damage the opponent. The 
  disadvantage is that a Riposte depends on the opponent's attack; 
  if there is none, then both opponents simply stand ready for ac­
  tion. 
  Grapple: A grabbing attack. With a knife, one hand is used 
  to immobilize the opponent's weapon and the knife hand is used 
  to strike. In Unanned Combat, a Grapple can be used to grab 
  away an opponent's weapon or to immobilize an unanned oppo­
  nent. 
  Buttstroke: Used with rifle and bayonet only. An action spe­
  cifically designed for unanned opponents. 
  Evade: This is an attempt to break out of close combat. The 
  disadvantage is that even a successful Evade will not prevent an 
  opponent from doing damage. If successful, it means that the 
  character can step back and draw a weapon to be fired in the 
  next Combat Round, or run away from the conflict. However, 
  the latter may open oneself to additional attacks by his oppo­
  nent. 
  6. ShootinglThrowing: Attempting to fire a weapon or 
  throw a knife during close combat means the character must 
  first have Evaded his opponent in the previous Combat Round. 
  Failure to Evade means that your opponent is right on top of you 
  and it's not possible to shoot or throw. Even if you manage to 
  Evade, the opponent can still do damage to you with a parting 
  swipe while you're getting away. 
  7. Run Away: After a successful Evade, a character can al­
  ways take advantage of the chance to escape. Of course their op­
  ponents can always shoot or throw knives at fleeing characters. 
  Running after somebody means trying to match or beat their 
  movement (see the Movement Table in the character attribute 
  section). 
  8. Combat Style: In RECON, hand-to-hand fighting is bro­
  ken down into five main categories; bayonet, garrote, unarmed 
  combat, knife fighting and knife throwing. Even exotic weapons 
  like nunchukas, spears, or battle axes are just variations on the 
  five main categories. Changing Combat Style is automatic. For 
  example, to go from bayonet to unanned, just drop the bayonet. 
  To go from garrote to knife, just drop the garrote and pull a 
  knife. Obviously you can't pull a weapon that you don't have! 
  Bayonet Combat 
  For most foot soldiers the first hand-to-hand skill learned is 
  bayonet. This is the use of a rifle with a bayonet attached. It's a 
  skill that must always be perfonned two-handed. 
  Spears, poleanns, two-handed swords, nunchuka, quarter­
  staff, and most other two-handed weapons are all treated as bay­
  onets in RECON combat. The only changes are that two-handed 
  swords and axes do 3DI0 damage on Slash attacks and that 
  weapons without sharp points (a bo staff, two-handed club, 
  nunchuka, or a handy length of pipe) do only I D I 0 damage for 
  Stabs. 
  Opponents taking damage from bayonet attacks will always 
  be unconscious when their ST reaches zero. Any bayonet strike 
  on an unconscious character does 4DIO damage. 
  In hand-to-hand bayonet combat, there are six basic actions: 
  1. Slash: Attempting to slice the enemy with the cutting edge 
  of your blade. Damage is 2DlO+5. Any action can be performed 
  after a Slash. 
  2. Stab: Attempting to penetrate the enemy with the point of 
  the bayonet. An all-out, do-or-die attack. Because the character 
  is off balance after a Stab he cannot Slash, Stab or Riposte in the 
  next Combat Round after a Stab, but can Parry. Damage is 
  3D10. 
  3. Parry: An attempt to block an opponent's attack. If suc­
  cessful, the opponent's attack fails no matter how well he rolls. 
  4. Riposte: A parry with your weapon followed by an imme­
  diate attack. If successful, the opponent's attack fails no matter 
  how well he rolls. The attack succeeds only if the opponent at­
  tacks. If the opponent Parries, Grapples or Evades then no fol­
  low-up 
  attack 
  is 
  possible. If both 
  characters 
  Riposte 
  simultaneously then neither do any damage. Damage is 2DIO. 
  5. Buttstroke: Used only against knife fighting or unarmed 
  opponents. If an opponent tries Grappling then a bayonet fighter 
  hits with an upward swing of the rifle butt. A successful 
  Buttstroke means that the bayonet is not lost (against Unarmed 
  Combat) and that no damage is taken (against knife). For a suc­
  cessful Buttstroke, damage is ID1 O. 
  6. Evade: If successful, this allows the character to Shoot or 
  Throw in the following Combat Round. Shooting can be done 
  with the bayonet weapon the character is already holding or 
  with another weapon. 
  29 
  
  5. Grapple: There are two kinds of Grapple. Grappling an 
  Garrote Combat 
  A garrote consists of two wooden dowels for handles con­
  nected by a loop of piano wire. The loop of wire is slipped over 
  the victim's head and the two handles pulled firmly. If the wire 
  is placed correctly below the larynx or Adam's apple it will 
  crush the windpipe and strangle your opponent. 
  The garrote is a weapon that depends for its success on a 
  back attack and surprise. In other words, you can't use a garrote 
  attack unless you surprise your opponent. 
  To successfully attack an opponent with a garrote, a roll must 
  be made by rolling under one's Agility (Plus bonuses). Note: 
  Using a garrote on an unconscious (sleeping, drugged or 
  knocked out) opponent is automatically successful. 
  A successful garrote attack automatically kills or knocks out 
  the opponent. Whether the victim dies or is merely unconscious 
  (with no ST damage) is the choice of the attacker. 
  If the garrote attack roll failed, then the garrote still does 
  IDIO points of damage to the opponent. Because of the failed 
  roll, the victim will fire a weapon (no chance to hit anything), or 
  give out a loud scream. Even if the victim dies from the ID 10 
  damage, he still makes a loud gurgle and struggles enough to 
  alert others in the area. 
  After the first Combat Round, if both characters are still con­
  scious, the combat goes on to any other form of hand-to-hand 
  combat. The garrote cannot be used after the first Combat 
  Round ofthe attack. 
  Unarmed Combat 
  Bare hand combat is just that, fighting without weapons. 
  There are two major advantages to unarmed combat; it's possi­
  ble to disarm or restrain an opponent without hurting him. On 
  the other hand it's difficult to inflict a large amount of damage 
  with bare hands. 
  Not that unarmed combat isn't deadly. In RECON, all char­
  acters are using military unarmed combat; that means every 
  blow is likely to be an attempt to cripple or kill. Soldiers don't 
  just hit the enemy in the face or stomach, they're trying for go­
  nads, kidneys, solar plexus, the bridge of the nose or the wind­
  pipe. 
  In unarmed combat, when an opponent's ST reaches zero, he 
  is unconscious. Striking an unconscious opponent with an un­
  armed combat attack does 3D 10 damage. 
  In hand-to-hand combat there are six basic actions: 
  1. Slash: Attempting to injure the opponent with the edge of 
  your hand or foot. Damage is IDIO+5. 
  2. Stab: This is actually a full force punch or kick. An at­
  tempt to strike with the point of your hand or foot. In the Com­
  bat Round immediately following a Stab the character is off 
  balance and cannot immediately Slash, Stab or Riposte, but can 
  parry. Damage is 1D1O+10. 
  3. Parry: An attempt to block an opponent's attack. If suc­
  cessful, you take no damage from the enemy attack no matter 
  how well he rolls. 
  4. Riposte: A parry followed by an immediate slash. If both 
  characters Riposte then neither take any damage. If the oppo­
  nent attacks and if the Riposte roll is successful, no damage is 
  taken and ID 1 0 damage is inflicted on the opponent. 
  armed opponent is an attempt to take away his weapon. Grap­
  pling an unarmed opponent is an attempt to immobilize the op­
  ponent. 
  If the opponent is armed, a successful Grapple will knock his 
  weapon away. Damage from attacks is not prevented. Even a 
  successful Grapple is no good against a Buttstroke (see bayo­
  net). 
  I f the opponent is unarmed, a successful Grapple will immo­
  bilize him. An opponent who successfully Parries or Evades 
  cannot be Grappled. Both combatants in a Grapple have arms 
  and legs pinned. While they may thrash and roll about, neither 
  can do any damage to one another. A character can keep some­
  one immobilized for a number of Combat Rounds equal to his 
  current ST. 
  6. Evade: An attempt to move out of close combat. If suc­
  cessful, the character can draw a weapon and Shoot or Throw on 
  the next Combat Round. Another option is to Run. 
  Example: In this example Nugen Ap and Red Dukowski are 
  engaged in hand-to-hand combat for 7 Combat Rounds. Note: 
  At the beginning of each combat round both characters simulta­
  neously announce their intentions to attack or defend. 
  Combat Round #1: Red does a stab, the MD rolls a slash 
  for Nugen. Both succeed in their attacks (the player rolls for 
  Red and the MD rolls for NPC Nugen, both make their roll). 
  Both Red and Nugen take damage. Red cannot attack in the next 
  Combat Round. 
  Combat Round #2: Red does a parry, the MD rolls a Parry 
  for Nugen. No one rolls anything because no one tried to attack. 
  No one takes any damage. Both simply eye each other as they 
  plot their next move. 
  Combat Round #3: Red does a riposte, the MD rolls a slash 
  for Nugen. Nugen and Red both succeed (they both made their 
  rolls). Red takes no damage because he blocks Nugen and 
  Nugen takes damage from the quick counter-strike. (Riposte: 
  block followed by strike). 
  Combat Round #4: Red does another riposte, the MD rolls a 
  parry for Nugen. Red stands ready to block and strike but 
  Nugen stands his ground ready to parry any attack Red might 
  try. No one rolls anything. No one takes any damage. 
  Combat Round #5: Red does a slash, the MD rolls an evade 
  for Nugen. Both Red and Nugen succeed. Nugen takes damage, 
  a parting shot from Red. However, in the next round Nugen can 
  run away or fire a weapon. 
  Combat Round #6: Red does a stab, the MD rolls that 
  Nugen runs away. No one rolls anything. Nugen is out of close 
  combat and flees. No one takes any damage. 
  Combat Round #7: Red has the choice of firing at Nugen or 
  running after him. Nugen can tum and fire or keep running 
  away. 
  Knife Fighting 
  Knife fighting includes the use of any edged or blunt 
  one-handed weapon. Included are clubs, daggers, bayonets 
  (when they're not attached to a rifle), machetes and other 
  one-handed swords and axes. Slash damage with small swords 
  is 2D1O+5. Succeeding with any knife fighting skill requires a 
  roll under Agility (plus any skill bonuses). 
  30 
  
  In hand-to-hand combat there are six basic actions: 
  1. Slash: Attempting to cut with the edge of a weapon. Dam­
  age is IDIO. 
  2. Stab: Attempting to stab with the point of a weapon. Right 
  after a Stab an attacker is off balance and can only Parry or 
  Evade. Damage is 2D IO. 
  3. Parry: Attempting to block the enemy's attack. If success­
  ful, no damage is taken no matter how well the opponent rolls. 
  4. Riposte: A parry with your weapon hand followed by an 
  immediate slash. If both characters Riposte then neither takes 
  any damage. If the opponent attacks and if the Riposte roll is 
  successful, then no damage is taken and I D I 0+5 damage is in­
  flicted on the opponent. If the opponent chooses to Parry, Grap­
  ple or Evade then no damage is inflicted. 
  S. Grapple: An attempt to hold the opponent with the free 
  hand while attacking (stab or slash) with the weapon hand. If the 
  opponent is armed, a successful Grapple will prevent any Slash 
  or Stab from doing damage regardless of how well he rolls. 
  Grapple is totally ineffective against a Parry, a Riposte, or an 
  Evade. A Grapple with knife combat lasts only for that combat 
  round. 
  6. Evade: An attempt to move out of close combat. If suc­
  cessful, the character can draw a weapon and Shoot or Throw on 
  the next combat round (However, his opponent gets a free action 
  as a parting shot). Another option is to Run. 
  Knife Throwing 
  Simply, this is an attempt to throw a knife into an enemy. A 
  character must have the knife throwing skill to throw a knife. 
  Roll percentile under AG (Plus skill bonuses) to succeed. Nor­
  mal visibility, movement and shelter modifiers all apply to knife 
  throwing. Knives are usually thrown while a person is in a 
  standing position. Two knives can be thrown in a single combat 
  round. 
  Other thrown weapons such as spears, axes and shuriken are 
  separate additional skills within the knife throwing category 
  (costing 50 experience points each). Base damage for spears and 
  axes is 3DIO. Although shuriken do only IDIO, up to 4 can be 
  thrown in a single combat round. 
  Knife throwing damage depends' on the distance from the tar­
  get. 2D I 0 for targets 10 feet and closer. 2D 10-5 for targets from 
  10 to 20 feet away. I D I 0 for targets further than 20 feet away. 
  A character's current ST in feet determines how far a knife can 
  be thrown. 
  Underwater Combat 
  Separate Underwater Unarmed Combat and Underwater 
  Knife Fighting Skills are available. 
  Underwater Unarmed Combat is the same as normal unarmed 
  combat with the following exceptions. All successful attacks 
  that do damage do only I D I 0 underwater. 
  A successful Stab attack can dislodge an opponent's breath­
  ing gear instead of doing damage. Finally, a successful Grapple 
  means that the attacker has succeeded in removing the oppo­
  nent's breathing equipment. 
  Underwater Knife Fighting is just like normal knife fighting 
  with the following exceptions. Damage is always at 112. A suc­
  cessful Grapple attack will disable an opponent's breathing 
  equipment. 
  Bayonet, garrote, and knife throwing are all impossible un­
  derwater. 
  Tavern Combat 
  Some characters are just naturally aggressive. Fighting a war 
  isn't enough for them, they also like fighting when they're on 
  vacation. The difference between Tavern Combat and the other 
  Hand to Hand Combat rules is that the damage is designed to 
  stun rather than injure. Strength points lost in Tavern Combat 
  heal at a rate of 2 per hour. 
  Most Tavern Combat uses Unarmed techniques. Also possi­
  ble are Bayonet (using a bar stool, a rifle without a bayonet, or 
  any other two-handed, blunt weapon), and Knife Fighting (using 
  a broken chair leg, a pistol, or anyone-handed blunt weapon). 
  Switching from Tavern to Deadly combat can be done by any 
  fighter at any time. The player just says, ''I'm trying to kill 
  him," and any damage will be of the more permanent kind. 
  Damage: See Unarmed Combat Stab and Slash. 
  Fighting Tavern Combat is also a way some characters use to 
  settle their differences as the following example illustrates. The 
  characters, Sergeant "Hunk" Webber, U.S. Army, and Sergeant 
  "Mad Dog" Johnson, U.S. Marines, have been drinking while 
  waiting to meet a VC informer. 
  MD: You've been drinking in the bar for a solid two hours 
  and the informer still hasn't showed up. 
  Mad Dog: We'll keep waiting. 
  Hunk: (to Mad Dog) What for? The jerk obviously isn't go­
  ing to show up. Let's leave. 
  Mad Dog: (to Hunk) I set up this meeting and I say we stay! 
  Hunk: (to Mad Dog) Just like a stupid Marine! You're too 
  dumb to know when you've been set up! 
  Mad Dog: (to Hunk) What did you say about the Marines? 
  Hunk: (to Mad Dog) Only that the smartest Marine in the 
  world has the I.Q. of the average turnip. 
  Mad Dog: (to MD) He's insulting the U.S. Marines! I'm 
  gonna' hit him right in the mouth. 
  MD: Are you going to try to kill him? 
  Mad Dog: No, just teach him a lesson! 
  MD: Going to give him any warning? 
  Mad Dog: What for? I just hit him. 
  MD: Let's see if Hunk sees this coming. Hunk, roll under 
  your Alertness. 
  Hunk: I roll a ... 82. 
  MD: That's way over Hunk's AL so he's going to be com­
  pletely surprised. Mad Dog, using unarmed combat, are you go­
  ing to Slice or Stab? 
  Mad Dog: Maximum damage! I slam into him. 
  MD: Roll for the Stab. 
  Mad Dog: My AG is 36. I've got four grades of Unarmed 
  Combat skill. I've got to roll a 56 or less and I roll ... a 10! 
  MD: Okay, Hunk is hit. Mad Dog, roll your IDIO+1O dam­
  age. 
  Mad Dog: I got a 6; that makes 16 points of damage. 
  31 
  
  MD: Hunk, you just got knocked off your bar stool and take 
  16 points of damage. Are you going to fight back? 
  Hunk: Yeah! He can't hit me again, so I'll ... 
  MD: Wait a minute! You're right, since Mad Dog just 
  stabbed (a roundhouse punch), he can't attack this next round. 
  However, since you're both player characters, you should write 
  down your action so the other guy can't see it. I'll give you both 
  a second '" (MD waits until he has two slips of paper) ... Okay! 
  Hunk is going to Slash. Hunk, make that roll. 
  Hunk: A . . . 23! I hit! 
  MD: Wait, Mad Dog is attempting a Parry. 
  Mad Dog: I roll a 31; I easily parry his pathetic slash. 
  MD: Next round, I'll need another note from each of you ... 
  Note: The purpose of the notes is so that both players' ac­
  tions are simultaneous and one's attack doesn't tip off the other. 
  Hand to Hand Combat Example 
  (With Garrote and Bayonet) 
  In this example two players are running the characters Red 
  Dukowski and Hunk Webber. 
  MD: You see two VC, one short and one tall, walking along 
  the path toward you. They're in single file, about 8 feet apart 
  and carrying rifles. 
  Red: Can we hide until they pass? 
  MD: Sure. Hunk, do you also want to hide? 
  Hunk: You bet! I'm getting my garrote ready. 
  Red: Good idea! I'll do the same. 
  MD: All right ... (rolls) ... they don't seem to notice you. The 
  tall one walks by. Are you doing anything? 
  Hunk: No, we'll wait for the short one. 
  MD: The short one walks by 
  Red: I'll silently step behind him and strangle him with my 
  garrote. 
  MD: Okay. What's Hunk doing? 
  Hunk: As soon as Red catches the short one I'll move 
  quickly and silently behind the tall one. 
  MD: Combat Round #1. Red, you step behind the short VC; 
  give me a roll for your garrote. Hunk, with your speed you eas­
  ily close with the tall VC up ahead. 
  Red: Let's see, my AG is 79, should be no problem. I roll ... 
  a 96? Oh no! 
  MD: Red fails to strangle the short VC. He yells and the tall 
  one spins around, falling right into Hunk. Red, roll 1010. 
  Red: Why? 
  MD: On a garrote attack you do 1010 points of damage even 
  if you fail. 
  Red: Okay ... a 4. 
  MD: Both of the VC are now in Close Combat. They each 
  have bayonets mounted on their rifles. You two figure out what 
  you want to do and I'll roll up their actions for bayonet combat. 
  Red: I'm going to use my Unarmed Combat skill and try to 
  Grapple the short guy's weapon away from him. 
  Hunk: I'm no good at hand-to-hand. Can't I just pull my gun 
  and shoot the tall guy? 
  MD: No, not unless you Evade first. 
  Hunk: Um ... I'll try to Evade him. 
  MD: Combat Round #2. The short VC tries to Stab; he rolls a 
  56 and misses. 
  Red: I try to Grapple his weapon away and I roll ... II! 
  MD: The rifle goes flying into the brush. The tall VC tried to 
  Parry so Hunk is unopposed in his attempt to Evade. 
  Red: Does this guy have any other weapons? 
  MD: No. Not that you can see. 
  MD: Combat Round #3. Red, what are you doing? 
  Red: Now that he's disarmed, I'm going to Evade. 
  MD: Hunk, you can pull a weapon and fire if you want, 
  Hunk: Sounds good to me. I pull my trusty .45 Automatic 
  and blow the guy away with my efficiency of 68. 
  MD: Okay, what do you roll? 
  Hunk: ... a 53. A hit. 
  MD: Okay, you roll up the damage and we'll get back to Red 
  and the short VC. 
  Red: As I said, I'm going to Evade. 
  MD: (he rolls and consults a table) Interesting, this VC 
  seems to know something about hand-to-hand himself. He's go­
  ing to Stab. He rolls ... a 3! 
  Red: That's alright, I rolled a 24, so my Evade succeeded. I 
  won't take any damage. 
  MD: Wrong! You did Evade, which means next round you 
  can fire at him, but this round the Stab did damage anyway! You 
  take ..9, plus 10 ... 19 points of damage! 
  Small Arms Fire 
  Firearm Combat 
  Weapon Check 
  During the middle of a fire fight, the MD will occasionally 
  say, "Weapon Check." All characters (players and NPCs) then 
  have to make an AL roll to see if their weapons are okay. Fail­
  ing a Weapon Check means that the character will have to stop 
  firing for the next Combat Round while he reloads or unjams the 
  weapon. 
  Visibility 
  Visibility can be restricted by darkness, weather or vegeta­
  tion. The MD will keep the players informed of current visibil­
  ity. Usually targets beyond the range of visibility cannot be hit. 
  Small Arms 
  Small arms include the range of small caliber weapons that 
  can be fired with one or two hands. Pistols, sub-machineguns, 
  rifles, shotguns and light machineguns are included . How effec­
  tive you are in hitting anything depends on your own skill and 
  the fire fight conditions. 
  The circumstances of a conflict with the enemy fall into three 
  possibilities depending on who's surprised most. If the charac­
  ters manage to surprise the enemy then it's a Turkey Shoot. If 
  both sides meet up, with or without surprise on both sides, then 
  32 
  
  it's a Shooting War. Finally, if the characters were surprised by 
  the enemy it's an Ambush! 
  Reading through this section you may occasionally think, 
  "Hey! NO fair! How can I possibly hit something when I've got 
  a modifier of -80 on my efficiency?" Just remember that one 
  guy's Turkey Shoot is another guy's Ambush! When you am­
  bush somebody else you don't expect them to wipe you out, do 
  you? Getting caught unprepared is no fun and very deadly. The 
  only way to make sure of your character's survival is to avoid 
  that kind of situation by being observant and clever. 
  One last thing about firearm combat. Please use a little com­
  mon sense. If opponents are standing together in the same small 
  room, obviously they can't use much in the way of cover. Some 
  hiding places are obviously much better than others. Even if it is 
  an ambush, the guy who jumped into the tank is not going to get 
  shot no matter what the modifiers are. 
  Minimum Possible Combat Effectiveness 
  A character's firing efficiency with modifiers can sometimes 
  be a negative number. For that reason the minimum combat ef­
  fectiveness is always 5 so long as the target is somewhere in 
  sight. This only applies to weapons that character is skilled in. 
  Unfamiliar weapons have no minimum effectiveness. 
  The minimum combat efficiency for firing totally blind is I. 
  If a character is just raking a nighttime jungle or smoke screen 
  for an unseen but suspected target then he's firing blind. 
  Silencer Modifier 
  Any weapon using a silencer automatically has a -5 modifier 
  because of the reduced velocity and potential for malfunction. 
  Full Automatic Fire 
  Firing weapons like assault rifles sub-machineguns, and 
  machineguns on full automatic or 'spray' fire is always less ac­
  curate even though more shots are fired. The modifier for fuJI 
  automatic is -10. For example, an M 16 on full automatic shoots 
  5 bullets with a -10 modifier. Note that minimum effectiveness 
  is still 5, even with full automatic. 
  Turkey Shoot 
  Remember your base effectiveness? That's the number that 
  you got when you developed the weapon skills for your charac­
  ter. The only time you'll use that complete base effectiveness 
  (plus grade bonus) will be when you're in a turkey shoot. 
  Turkey shoots happen when the enemy is unprepared and the 
  characters are ready (able to take careful aim, prone or braced), 
  and the enemy is not expecting an attack. 
  Modifiers are as follows: 
  The Enemy is Unprepared: No Modifiers to Hit. 
  The Enemy is Panicked and Running: You're -10 Modifier to 
  Hit. 
  The Enemy is Under Cover: You are -20 Modifier to Hit. 
  Example: Red Dukowski is walking with his RECON team 
  down a jungle path in broad daylight. Suddenly, the team's 
  Point Man slips back through the jungle. He whispers that a VC 
  patrol is right behind him. The group backs down the trail to the 
  other side of a wide clearing. By the time the VC show up, 
  they've all found good cover and have their weapons braced. 
  Since Red's base effectiveness with his M16 is 53 and he has 3 
  grades of skill, he has to roll under a 68 to hit. 
  33 
  
  The team waits as the VC move cautiously into the clearing. 
  Red starts firing as soon as he hears the team leader's first shot. 
  With a massed enemy, Red can fire at full automatic with no 
  penalty; that way he gets 5 shots. Rolling percentile he gets a 
  44, a 30, a 77 (Miss!), a 54 and 28. That's four hits in the first 
  Combat Round and damage is rolled for each. 
  By the beginning of the second Combat Round the VC have 
  scattered and started for cover. They are no longer sitting ducks 
  so there's now a -10 to hit. They are also no longer massed to­
  gether so firing at full automatic is an additional -10. Now Red 
  needs a 48 to hit. An 18, a 50 (Miss!), a 22, a 31, and a 65 
  (Miss!) means he hit 3 out of5 times. 
  Starting in the third Combat Round all the remaining VC 
  have found cover and are either crawling away or returning fire. 
  The modifier is now -20 so Red decides to switch to 
  semi-automatic so he won't have the extra penalty to hit; his 
  modified proficiency is still 48, (if he kept on automatic it 
  would be 38). He only gets 3 shots, but manages to roll 85 
  (Miss!), 90 (Miss!) and a 44. If he had shot full automatic he 
  would have had an extra two shots but the 44 would have 
  missed. 
  Stand-Up War 
  Generally, much of the time, characters will be shooting in a 
  stand-up war. That means that the enemy isn't just standing still 
  with big red circles painted on their PJs. No, they're either under 
  cover or moving fast for it. 
  Ambushes that don't quite succeed are usually Stand-Up 
  Wars. If the victims of an ambush notice that something is 
  wrong (by rolling under AL, for example) they'll move in much 
  more cautiously. When this happens, the side doing the ambush 
  is already under cover and the side getting ambushed is moving 
  toward cover. 
  There is another possibility. A character can just stand and 
  shoot without moving toward cover. This gives him a -30 modi­
  fier against hitting enemies moving toward cover. Unfortu­
  nately, since he's just standing there, the enemy can continue to 
  move toward cover and hit HIM with only a -20 modifier. 
  Modifiers are as follows: 
  Everybody Moving Toward Cover: All are -40 modifier to 
  hit the enemy. You're Moving Toward Cover, Enemy is Under 
  Cover: You are -60 modifier to hit the enemy. 
  You're Under Cover, Enemy is Moving Toward Cover: You 
  are -20 modifier to hit the enemy. Everybody Under Cover: All 
  are -40 modifier to hit each other. 
  Example: Humphrey Carstairs and his 8-man Mercenary 
  team have been securing a village in a remote comer of Sangria. 
  A dense fog has been hanging over the jungle all morning and 
  visibility is only 50 feet. As the group walks into a garden court­
  yard they discover a team of armed Guerrillas. The rebels were 
  aware of possible intruders, were alert and had their weapons 
  ready. Likewise, Carstair's team has been ready for trouble with 
  weapons loaded and ready. This is a Stand-Up War situation. 
  Since Carstair's group outnumbers the rebels by two to one, 
  he yells, "Advance and fire!" Carstairs himself is armed with an 
  Ingram sub-machinegun, opens fire and moves quickly towards 
  a large tree. His base effectiveness is 36, but he has 5 grades of 
  skill, so he usually needs a 61 or less to hit. However, he's ad­
  vancing toward cover so he's got a modifier of -40 to hit/shoot 
  the enemy. That takes him down to a 21. With that lousy num­
  ber, he doesn't expect to hit anything anyway, so he decides to 
  fire full automatic (another -10, his effectiveness is now down 
  to 11), hoping to panic the enemy. He rolls 7 times: 29, 43, 15, 
  26, 16,66 and 69. No hits at all. 
  By the second Combat Round Carstairs has dropped prone 
  next to a tree trunk. He sees that one rebel is already dead, two 
  are already under cover and one is still moving back towards 
  cover. Since Carstairs is under cover and the moving rebel isn't, 
  the modifier drops to -20. He decides to take careful aim, sets 
  his gun for semi-automatic (no penalty modifier), and squeezes 
  off 3 shots. He will need a 41 or less to hit and rolls: 30 (Hit!), 
  64 (Miss!) and 11 (Hit!). 
  Now there are only the two rebels left, both under cover. The 
  fire fight will continue with everyone, mercenaries and rebels, 
  using -40 as the modifier to hit. 
  Ambush 
  There are times when hitting the enemy is less important than 
  getting out of a tight situation alive. Getting caught in an enemy 
  ambush is a good example. In the first Combat Round of an am­
  bush the characters cannot fire at all. After that the characters 
  can fire with the modifiers listed. 
  The option of "Firing Without Seeking Cover" is important 
  because this illustrates a character giving cover fire. Although 
  his shots are not likely to be too effective with a -70 modifier, 
  he will attract the fire of the enemy. In other words, he can set 
  himself up as a target to give his buddies a chance to save them­
  selves. 
  Weapon Check: Since characters walking into an ambush 
  weren't expecting immediate combat, they occasionally get 
  caught with their weapon's safety on or with the ammo clip re­
  moved. A Weapon Check is always held the first time the char­
  acters have an opportunity to fire. 
  Modifiers are as follows: 
  Firing Without Seeking Cover: -70 modifier to hit. Firing 
  While Seeking Cover: -80 modifier to hit. Firing From Cover: 
  -60 modifier to hit. 
  Note: The modifiers are extremely high because you're on 
  the receiving end of a Turkey Shoot. The enemy is ready and 
  well under cover. All that can be seen of them is an occasional 
  glimpse, movement and flash from their weapon. But remember, 
  even if the modifier(s) place your effectiveness to hit in the neg­
  ative there is always a 5% chance of hitting your foe (see Mini­
  mum Combat Effectiveness). 
  Example: Hunk Webber and his team are slogging across a 
  rice paddy under a half-moon sky. Visibility is 160 feet and 
  they're moving toward a small village. Suddenly, the muzzle 
  flash of a machinegun lights up the field. Just as quickly, the 
  sound and fury of 7.62mm slugs sweep through the team. Mi­
  raculously, Hunk is unhurt by the first volley. 
  He starts running desperately towards the nearest cover, a 
  ridge alongside the nearby road. As he does so he fires his .45 
  Automatic toward the village only to discover the weapon is 
  empty (he missed his weapon check). In the second Combat 
  Round he has loaded the weapon and fires again. Using the pis­
  34 
  
  K . !:/EMBJ[I)A 
  tol, Hunk has a base effectiveness of 32; with 1 grade of skill, it 
  works out to 37. After the -80 modifier, his chance of hitting is 
  the minimum 5%! He rolls an 88, 73 and 45 . All the shots go 
  wild. While running, he's hit for 24 points of damage. 
  Bleeding, he keeps running. He decides to hold off on firing 
  again until he makes it to cover. This time, fortunately, the 
  machinegunner misses him. 
  After what seems an eternity Hunk throws himself behind the 
  ridge of packed earth. Bullets follow him, slicing right through 
  the dirt ridge, but miss once again. Hunk is left hoping that he 
  won't get killed. Once again he fires at the viIlage; even with a 
  -60 modifier he needs a 5 or less to hit. He rolls 22, 59, and 76, 
  all misses. 
  Note: The use of smoke grenades could set up a heavy 
  smoke screen (depending on conditions) which would essen­
  tially make the enemy fire at a mere 5% chance to hit (they 
  wouldn't fire as blind, I %, because they would still have a very 
  good idea of your approximate position).This is an ideal time to 
  escape or reposition. 
  Artillery & Air Strike 
  There's a limit to how much firepower a RECON team can 
  carry into the jungle. They will nearly always be outnumbered 
  and outgunned by the VC. When they're up against the North 
  Vietnamese Anny (NV A) then they are likely to find enemy 
  bunkers, heavy machineguns, artillery and, occasionally, even 
  tanks. 
  It may look bad but remember that the RECON team is look­
  ing for major enemy forces. The military's main objective is to 
  locate and destroy enemy concentrations. 
  Finding the enemy is the easy part. In order to destroy them a 
  RECON team needs help. The help can be a group of reinforce­
  ments with armored cavalry driving in, or airmobile lifting in a 
  few hundred (or thousand) guys. That kind of help is reserved 
  only for the really desperate situation. 
  When a RECON team finds the exact location of an enemy 
  they can call in Fire Support. Three flavors are available. Howit­
  zers and mortars are best if the team is in range of a fire base; 
  Air Support is the second and Helicopter Gunships are the third. 
  T ACAIR, Tactical Air Support consisting of fighter aircraft 
  with bombs, rockets, machineguns and cannons, can destroy 
  wide chunks of landscape. And just about anywhere in 'Nam is 
  their area of operations. 
  Finally, helicopter gunships or "hogs" can be called in for 
  close support operations. 
  All three types of Fire Support depend on your unit possess­
  ing a radio/telephone operator (RTO). The RTO Man should 
  also have Forward Observer (for directing artillery) and For­
  ward Air Controller skiIls (for directing aircraft). 
  Damage 
  When Napoleon conquered Europe, and modem warfare first 
  began, artillery was often called "the king of battle" because it 
  was so decisive. Whoever had the longest range and greatest 
  firepower had the advantage. And capturing the enemy's artil­
  lery was the fatal blow in any battle. Obviously, if losing the ar­
  tillery meant losing the battle, it would have to be protected. 
  Artillery was placed further and further behind the main lines, 
  where it had to have longer and longer ranges in order to be ef­
  fective. 
  Modem artillery now has effective ranges of many miles. Ar­
  tillery officers never actually see their targets (at least they hope 
  they never see their targets!). The amount of damage inflicted 
  by artillery varies according to the mission. It can range from 
  "let's put in a few rounds just to make 'em keep their heads 
  down" to "pop a pattern big enough to wipe out any effective re­
  sistance" to "holy hand grenades! They're getting too close! 
  Pound 'em and don't leave nothin' but craters!" 
  Since T ACAIR and Gunships act like portable artillery, 
  they're usually treated just like the big guns. 
  Because the area of effect is so huge, the MD should simply 
  assume that forces hit accurately by artillery shells will cease to 
  exist. Notice the word 'accurately.' Accuracy is determined by 
  whoever is playing Forward Observer (or Forward Air Control­
  ler). 
  There are two problems with using any kind of fire strike. 
  The first is the incredible power available. Characters can wipe 
  35 
  
  out huge elements of the enemy, which is fairly realistic. If you, 
  as MD, don't want the enemy destroyed wholesale then simply 
  don't make artillery available. In other words, if you don't want 
  the characters to wipe out their opposition then you should warn 
  them during the briefing that no support fire will be available. 
  Friendly fire, characters being wiped out by their own sup­
  port strikes, is the other problem with artillery. Sure, it's possi­
  ble that the characters would call smoke in on themselves. It's 
  even realistic. However, this is a role-playing game. Games are 
  supposed to be fun! What if you were playing and the MD said, 
  "Gee, an 8 inch shell landed right in the middle of your party. 
  You are all dead!" Would that be any fun? 
  Unless the characters deliberately call fire in on themselves 
  (a heroic thing to do if you're in close combat and outnum­
  bered), the MD should avoid this kind of 'accident.' It's much 
  more interesting to have the shell land close enough to just scare 
  the players. 
  "ARTY" 
  Let's take a look at the war from an artillery officer's point of 
  view. Captain Boom's artillery battery unit consists of a certain 
  number of big guns; in this case, six 155mm howitzers. These 
  are big, self-propelled, tracked vehicles. They look like tanks 
  but they have very little armor. 
  Captain Boom also has a lot of trucks in his command. Each 
  round fired weighs from 90 to 100 pounds just for the shell, the 
  powder is extra. That's a lot of stuffto lug around. The 155mm 
  has a maximum range of about 21 miles. It's none too accurate 
  at that range, but it can make it. In reality, the guns will rarely 
  be fired that far. 
  Captain Boom uses the old artillery rule of 1/3 and 2/3 dis­
  tance. What that means is that he'll usually fire at targets from 
  between 7 and 14 miles distant. 
  If the target is further than 14 miles then he should really ei­
  ther wait for the target to get closer or (if the enemy is retreat­
  ing) move his guns up closer. Artillery almost never fires on 
  anything closer than 113 of their maximum range. Every time a 
  target moves closer than 7 miles, Capt'ain Boom olders his units 
  back. Y'see, artillery is expensive and vulnerable. A single 
  round of annor piercing machinegun fire could turn a howitzer 
  into junk or, worse yet, set off his highly volatile pile o/ammo. 
  What if the enemy target falls within the 7 to 14 mile range? 
  Captain Boom still has to know where to shoot. That takes a 
  Forward Observer (FO) and a Radio Operator (RTO). Some­
  body has to be able to read a map and identify the exact location 
  of the target. 
  Once the initial coordinates have been received it's usually 
  only three Combat Rounds before the first shells are launched. If 
  desired, the first rounds can be targeting rounds that do minimal 
  damage. If the bombardment lands in the wrong place it's the 
  Forward Observer's job to can in corrections. This is simply a 
  matter of saying things like "300 yards left," "another 100 feet 
  further out," or "you're hitting dead on, just keep pounding." 
  Then all Hell breaks loose! From its point of impact, a 100 
  pound artillery round destroys everything within 125 feet! 
  Advantages of ARTY: 
  1. Weather: Unlike aircraft, artillery will shoot in just about 
  any kind of weather conditions. They also work just fine at 
  night. 
  2. Accuracy: Although artillery wasn't as precise as 
  Gunships, they were far more accurate than most T ACAIR. 
  3. Length of Fire: Aircraft can only carry a certain amount 
  of firepower. They also are severely limited by their fuel in how 
  long they can stay aloft. Artillery can keep firing as long as the 
  trucks keep bringing in ammo. 
  4. Quantity: 210 Batteries of Artillery were scattered over 
  'Nam at one time or another. In many cases the artillery fire 
  bases could even do overlap fire, bring,ing rounds from separate 
  locations. 
  5. Off-Shore Mobility: The battleship New Jersey and a 
  number of other Navy units could fire up to 25 miles inland with 
  a fair degree of accuracy. 
  6. Firepower: Although T ACAIR and Gunships were im­
  pressive, nothing could match artillery for pounding bunkers, 
  underground complexes and fortified strongholds. 
  "TAC Air" 
  Anywhere not covered by artillery was covered by tactical air 
  support. Bombing and strafing supplied by fighter aircraft could 
  be fairly precise. Long range, high altitude bombing was more 
  powerful, but spread over a wider area with a wider degree of 
  error. 
  Advantages of T ACAIR: 
  1. Antipersonnel: Weapons like "Puff the Magic Dragon" 
  or "Spooky," an AC-47 fitted with M-134, 7.62mm, 6-barreled 
  Miniguns, mounted three to a side. Each gun carries 1500 
  rounds with 15,000 extra rounds aboard the aircraft, and each 
  gun fired up to 6,000 rounds per minute. This could be used to 
  sweep whole jungles, destroying entire annies. Another fear­
  some antipersonnel weapon was air-dropped napalm. 
  2. Long-Range Operations: Bombers flying in from as far 
  away as Guam, 2,000 miles distant, could range over the entire 
  'Nam geography. Aircraft carriers off-shore added even more to 
  aircraft range and mobility. 
  3. Visual Signals: Colored smoke grenades could be used to 
  identify enemy targets and friendly positions. An advantage 
  over artillery where all firing was done over the horizon. 
  4. Surveillance: Information about enemy troop movements 
  relayed from overhead could be life saving. 
  "HOGS" 
  Helicopter gunships or "Hogs" come with a variety of arma­
  ment including rockets, machineguns and belt-fed grenade 
  launchers. With their slower speed, the RTO can call in their 
  rockets using direct communications with the gunship pilot and 
  gunner. 
  "I became a team leader in the Blues and was soon learning 
  firsthand how things had changed. The old Huey gunships were 
  being replaced with Cobra gunships. We called them "snakes." 
  The Cobras were faster and carried more weapons, but they did­
  n't have door gunners or fly at low level like the Huey gunships. 
  Most of the Vietnamese killed by gunships in Vietnam had been 
  hit by door gunners. The fancy miniguns, rockets and 40mm 
  cannon made impressive fireworks, but only rarely did they do 
  more than force the enemy soldiers to keep their heads down. 
  When they looked up, they were staring at a door gunner's 
  machinegun. Snakes were "area suppression" weapons that were 
  36 
  
  too sophisticated for guerrilla war. They became flying gun plat- .......,1Ei::::===:;;;;;;;;;;:;:;;;;;;;;;~~~~~!! 
  forms to support the scout choppers, and the number of dead en­
  emy soldiers dropped to about a third of what it had been. That 
  third was mainly the work of the brave scout pilots and gun­
  ners." 
  Matthew Brennan, Brennan's War 
  Advantages of HOGS: 
  1. Antipersonnel: Against a single sniper or machinegunner 
  there was nothing quite like the precision of a door gunner. 
  From his flying platform it was relatively easy to locate and pick 
  off a single man in the jungle. 
  2. Encircling Fire: Unlike any other kind of Fire Support 
  Gunships could simply circle around a surrounded unit and fire 
  on all elements of the enemy. 
  3. Visual Signals: Colored smoke grenades could be used to 
  identify enemy targets and friendly positions. An advantage 
  over artillery where all firing was done over the horizon. 
  4. Surveillance: "Pink Teams," combination scout and gun­
  ship helicopters, could do low altitude surveillance and identity 
  many VC and NYA forces. 
  S. Diversity of Fire: From .50 cal. machineguns to mini 
  guns, 40mm grenades to rockets with high explosive, white 
  phosphorous or annor-piercing rounds. The helicopters could 
  also supply smoke, flares, searchlights, or CS gas from the air. 
  6. Anti-Tank: No modem weapon even comes close to the 
  effectiveness of rocket-armed gunships versus tanks. 
  7. Safety: Since the helicopter pilot and gunner can see their 
  allies, they are far less likely to hit the wrong places. This alone 
  makes gunship support far more desirable for ground troops. 
  37 
  
  ® 
  Special Forces and CIDG 
  RECON Teams 
  The u.s. Army Special Forces is a descendant of the special 
  intelligence and guerrilla operative units that grew out of World 
  War II. Specific points of influence can be traced to the O.S.S. 
  (Office of Strategic Services) Jed Burgh units and Detachment 
  101 and the British Force 136 (which organized guerrillas 
  against the Japanese in Burma). The French would later set up 
  similar units such as the Groupe de Commandos Mixte 
  Autonomes in their Indo-China conflicts. The British Special 
  Air Service's (S.A.S.) success in their counterinsurgency efforts 
  in Malaysia would greatly influence the creation, training and 
  direction of the U.S. Special Forces as well as much of the 
  American strategy in Vietnam. 
  Initially the Special Forces were assigned to the South Viet­
  namese government to advise and assist in the organization, 
  training, equipping and deployment of the Civilian Irregular De­
  fense Group (CmG). By 1963, Special Forces were given com­
  plete control of the CmG program. One of the main objectives 
  of the CmG forces was to create a network of fortified camps 
  strategically located to provide reconnaissance and fire support 
  along enemy borders and remote areas. Many of these fortified 
  camps and villages were established near the Laotian and Cam­
  bodian borders on or near major Viet Cong supply and infiltra­
  tion routes in order to observe enemy activities. From these 
  camps, RECON teams, A-teams and patrols could easily slip 
  into enemy territory. The enemy's movements could be moni­
  tored and inhibited by the patrols/ Recon teams as well as pro­
  vide data for artillery or airstrikes on enemy concentrations. 
  The CmG Camps varied greatly in size and quality of 
  troops. Some camps might have as few as a hundred operatives 
  while others as many as a thousand. ALL CmG camps were 
  predominately composed of indigenous persons (natives) but 
  their combat training could range from capable guerrillas to lo­
  cal militia or local natives provided with small arms. The largest 
  or most crucial might include heavy weapons and artillery, but 
  most did not. An average CmG Camp would have a U.S. Spe­
  cial Forces "A-Team," a South Vietnamese Special Forces 
  Team and 200 to 500 armed indigenous personnel (militia) for 
  support. Although CmG camps were frequent targets of the 
  Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army (NV A), the U.S.'s mo­
  bility, firepower and air superiority could usually be called upon 
  to turn such assaults. 
  Note: In game context, the CmG Camps are ideal drop 
  points, bases and support for a RECON Team. A RECON Team 
  might be assigned to a CmG camp as additional support, for re­
  connaissance, enemy assault or other covert operations. 
  The U.S. Special Forces themselves engaged in a broad 
  spectrum of activities including psychological and civic opera­
  tions aimed at aiding and maintaining contact with Vietnamese 
  civilians; especially those in remote areas. This would lead to 
  over 49,900 economic aid programs, 34,000 welfare, 34,000 ed­
  ucational, 10,000 medical programs, agricultural upgrading, 
  civil engineering and other similar projects. 
  Military projects included the creation and supplying of na­
  tive guerrillas, CmG camps, intelligence operations, and so on. 
  Special Forces also sent out various long range units to conduct 
  guerrilla-type warfare against the Viet Congo Some of these 
  groups were as large as a company (150 to 200 men) and stayed 
  38 
  
  in the field for up to 45 days. These groups were highly success­
  ful in penetrating enemy bases, disrupting communications, at­
  tacking enemy supply lines and depots, as well as gathering 
  intelligence. 
  The A-Teams 
  Special forces are organized into C, B, and A detachments. C 
  detachments are command organizations. B detachments are pri­
  marily support and logistical coordination units for the A de­
  tachments. The A detachments are broken down into twelve 
  man teams (an A-Team). This A-Team is the essence of the 
  Special Forces. The 12 man team consisted of 2 officers and 10 
  non-commissioned officers (non-corns). The A-team com­
  mander is usually a captain; his executive officer, who handles 
  most of the paperwork and details, is usually a first lieutenant. 
  The non-corns are the backbone of the team. On a team you 
  would normally have one or more men trained as medics, demo­
  litions, intelligence, small arms, heavy weapons, RTO, and op­
  erations (planning) specialist. Each of these men is cross-trained 
  in one of the other specialties. The A-team can be split into two 
  six-man sub-teams due to this cross training, allowing for 
  smaller special forces units. Their commando-style training 
  placed a premium on independence, reliability, and team loyalty 
  which produced very skilled, although somewhat unconven­
  tional, personnel. 
  MACV-SOG 
  The Military Assistance Command, Vietnam-Studies and 
  Observation Group (MACV-SOG), called "SOG," was a joint 
  high command and CIA task force designed to engage in highly 
  classifie.d clandestine operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 
  cover name for the CIA in Vietnam was the Studies and Obser­
  vation Group (SOG). 
  From the earliest days of the American involvement in Viet­
  nam, the CIA had used special forces personnel to run covert 
  operations; this practice continued in the development of SOG 
  for intelligence gathering and covert activities. The original con­
  cept, operations plan 34A (OPLAN 34A), was to train and infil­
  trate indigenous personnel by parachute or boat into North 
  Vietnam for espionage and sabotage. The MACV-SOG training 
  center was located at Long Thanh, about 14 miles east of Sai­
  gon. 
  In early 1965, special forces detachment B-52 started Project 
  Delta to conduct "over the fence" operations into Laos where 
  the VC had set up bases. Its missions included the location of 
  enemy units, intelligence, bomb damage assessment, artillery/air 
  strike coordination, hunter-killer missions, special purpose raids, 
  and harassing and deceiving the enemy. The success of Delta 
  spawned two sister organizations, Omega and Sigma. Essen­
  tially, Delta operated out of I corps, Omega out of II corps, and 
  Sigma out of III corps. 
  Delta Recon Teams were composed of U.S. special forces, 
  Luc Long Dac Biet (LLDB or Vietnamese "special forces"), and 
  Nung or Montagnard mercenaries (these are two ethnic minori­
  ties who live in Vietnam). A typical team might consist of two 
  American special forces personnel (the "one-zero" or team 
  leader and the "one-one" or assistant team leader), two LLDB 
  personnel who supposedly performed the same roles, and two to 
  eight Nung or Montagnard mercenaries. Delta Recon Teams had 
  anywhere from four to twelve men with the bulk of the unit be­
  ing mercenaries. The American leader and his Vietnamese coun­
  terpart would both carry radios for simultaneous transmissions 
  to the American and Vietnamese command bases. 
  In late 1967 the whole Delta project was reorganized and 
  brought more directly under the SOG umbrella. Delta was re­
  named Command and Control North (CNN) , Omega became 
  Command and Control Central (CCC), and Sigma became Com­
  mand and Control South (CCS). This reorganization involved 
  more than name changes as the "new" SOG Recon Teams no 
  longer had any LLDB (South Vietnamese special forces), and 
  were composed solely of Americans and Nungs or Montagnard 
  mercenaries. 
  The primary responsibilities of these teams included 
  cross-border operations to disrupt the VC, KJuner Rouge, Pathet 
  Lao and NVA in their own territories; keeping track of all im­
  prisoned and missing Americans and conducting raids to free 
  them, dispatching agents into North Vietnam to run resistance 
  operations, and various psychological warfare operations. SOG 
  units were also entrusted with specific tasks such as kidnapping, 
  assassination, insertion of rigged mortar rounds into the enemy 
  ammunition supply system and the retrieval of sensitive docu­
  ments and equipment if lost or captured by the enemy. 
  CCC (Forward operations base in Kuntum) ran operations in 
  the tri-border area of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Their 
  Recon teams were generally named after states (RT Arkansas, 
  RT Indiana, etc.). 
  CNN (Forward operations base- in Danang and Phu Bai) ran 
  operations into northern Laos and North Vietnam. Their Recon 
  teams were generally named after snakes (RT Cobra, RT Py­
  thon, etc.). 
  CCS (Forward operations base in Ban Me Thuot) ran opera­
  tions in Cambodia. Their Recon teams were named after imple­
  ments (RT Hammer, RT Fork, etc.). 
  SOG Recon Teams (also referred to as "Spike Teams") were 
  generally composed of three U.S. special forces and nine indige­
  nous personnel. These indigenous personnel were drawn from 
  ethnic minority groups and selected for their intense loyalty and 
  excellent jungle-fighting qualities. 
  Phung Hoang/Phoenix Program 
  The Phung Hoang program or Phoenix Program, began as an 
  effort to neutralize the Viet Cong command structure, called the 
  infrastructure or VCI, operating in South Vietnam. The original 
  program began in 1966 as ICEX, the Intelligence Coordination 
  and Exploitation Program; this was reorganized as the Phung 
  Hoang program in December of 1967. 
  American participation in the program was coordinated by 
  the CIA, and as such, they could draw on Special Forces, Navy 
  SEALs, Army Intelligence officers or other U.S. personnel to 
  serve as advisors. Typically there would be two U.S. advisors 
  and ten PRU, Provincial Reconnaissance Unit, members in the 
  team. 
  Although the Phoenix Program has received publicity as be­
  ing an assassination squad, intelligence gathering was its pri­
  mary function (and you don't gain too much intelligence from 
  dead men). More often, the PhoenixlPhung Hoang units pulled 
  39 
  
  ambushes and prisoner snatches of known or suspected VCI. 
  The PRUs were especially effective at operating at night when 
  the VC were on the prowl, and, as a result, did more damage for 
  units their size than any other South Vietnamese units. 
  Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols 
  The Long Range RecolUlaissance Patrol (LRRP or "Iurp") 
  was an Army innovation during Nam. The LRRP operated on 
  reconnaissance and, later, hunter-killer missions to provide in­
  telligence for particular Army units. LRRPs were originally at­
  tached to division level headquarters detachments. As the war 
  progressed and the need for better intelligence was realized, 
  LRRPs were organized at lower levels. 
  The individual LRRPs were volunteers. Prior to coming into 
  Vietnam they had not necessarily received any special training 
  to be LRRPs. As LRRPs became established some of the recons 
  were sent to the Special Forces run Recondo (Reconnais­
  sance-Commando) School at Nha Trang; supposedly some 
  LRRPs trained at the Royal Malaysian Jungle Warfare School at 
  Kota Tinggi (a program developed by the British Special Air 
  Service in their counterinsurgency war in Malaysia). 
  As an ad hoc organization the early LRRPs were poorly sup­
  plied, but later in the war their gear would be similar to that car­
  ried by the other recon teams. 
  LRRPs operated within the borders of Vietnam and tended to 
  operate with only American team members. 
  Force Recon Company 
  The u.s. Marine Force Recon Company is the forerunner of 
  the Army's LRRP program. Force Recon operated in four and 
  six man units to gather intelligence for the higher level com­
  mand structure of the Marine Amphibious Force. Recon oper­
  ated primarily in South Vietnam in I Corps (First Corps or "eye" 
  Corps) in the northern part ofthe country. 
  Force Recon is a permanent part of the organization of the 
  Marine Corps; as such, Recons received training in the U.S. in 
  patrolling (at the Army Ranger School), airborne jump school, 
  SCUBA school, and demolitions school. During the manpower 
  shortage of Nam, every Recon did not get to go through all of 
  this training before shipping out to Nam. 
  Besides gathering for MAF, some Force Recon RTs operated 
  for the Studies and Observation Group on missions "over the 
  fence" or outside the borders of the Republic of Vietnam. 
  In-country, the RTs tended to operate only with American team 
  members. 
  SEALs 
  The u.s. Navy's Sea, Air and Land (SEALs) Recon teams 
  were trained in reconnaissance and counterinsurgency warfare. 
  Although SEALs receive their initial training at the same school 
  as Underwater Demolition Teams, SEALs were trained for pa­
  trolling and airborne qualified. 
  SEALs operated RTs like LRRPs and Force Recon along the 
  coastline and rivers (especially the Mekong River Delta). Some 
  SEAL RTs operated for the Studies and Observation Group in 
  over the fence operations. 
  A major difference between SEALs and both LRRPs and 
  Force Recon RTs, is that SEALs tended to operate more in con­
  junction with intelligence programs. Whereas LRRPs and Force 
  Recon had special functions for their parent organizations, the 
  Navy wasn't prepared to operate directly on the intelligence 
  gathered by the SEALs. Therefore, the SEALs tended to operate 
  more under the control of Military Assistance Command Viet­
  nam J-2 (MACV -12 an intelligence unit), and the Central Intelli­
  gence Agency (CIA). 
  SEAL teams sometimes operated with indigenous personnel 
  (Vietnamese) of the Provincial Reconnaissance Units (PRUs). 
  The PRUs ("prews") were a diverse group composed of Hoi 
  Chanhs (VC or NV A who had defected under the Chieu Hoi or 
  "Open Arms" program to fight for the South Vietnamese). 
  ClOG ("sidgees"). mercenaries who fought for the Special 
  Forces operated Civilian Irregular Defense Groups as guerrillas; 
  deserters from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN, 
  "are-vin") - the PRUs were paid better and operated closer to 
  home, and parolees from Vietnamese jails and prisons were re­
  cruited by the CIA if they were willing to fight. 
  Aerospace Rescue And 
  Recovery Service (Optional) 
  Another elite unit of the Vietnam war was the Aerospace 
  Rescue and Recovery Service (ARRS). Their main function was 
  to rescue downed pilots. These men were trained in airborne, 
  SCUBA, medic, survival, and small arms. 
  With the number of U.S. aircraft being shot down over North 
  Vietnam, the ARRS developed a rapid means of suppressing en­
  40 
  
  emy troops in the area and extracting the pilots and crews. A 
  common helicopter used in these missions was the HH-3E 
  "Jolly Green Giant" and the HH-53B "Super Jolly Green Gi­
  ant," a larger version of the former. The helicopter was 
  equipped with three mini-guns, one on each side and one on the 
  rear boarding ramp. These guns offered tremendous firepower 
  for this type of mission. 
  An ARRS extraction/rescue team was so quick and adept that 
  a unit could reach "most" persons requiring their aid within 15 
  minutes (roll 1D1O+5 minutes). 
  Indigenous Personnel 
  and Recon Teams 
  Indigenous Personnel are the inhabitants or natives of a coun­
  try. As with any country, Vietnam had many different ethnic 
  and racial minorities. Many of these groups were "recruited" to 
  participate in the U.S. war effort, even though some of them 
  hated the South Vietnamese government. An obvious advantage 
  of having a native in one's group is that he is less likely to be 
  spotted by the enemy and, since he speaks the language and 
  knows the lay of the land, he is very useful in interrogations and 
  other intelligence gathering operations. 
  For game purposes there are only four types of indigenous 
  peoples: Vietnamese, Cambodians, Nungs, and Montagnards. 
  Also, for game purposes, assume they all speak a common lan­
  guage, Vietnamese. 
  Vietnamese characters can be members of LLBD (Vietnam­
  ese "Special Forces") or Provincial Reconnaissance Units 
  (PRUs). 
  Cambodians are either Cambodian nationals or people of 
  Cambodian descent living in Vietnam. They operated with the 
  SEALs, SOG, and Phoenix Program Teams. 
  Nungs are a people of Chinese extraction. They were consid­
  ered to be the best of the indigenous peoples in terms of loyalty 
  to their U.S. advisors and jungle fighting capability. They could 
  be found on any team involving joint U.S.lnon-U.S. personnel. 
  They disliked the South Vietnamese government and looked 
  down upon the South Vietnamese soldiers, but worked well with 
  the U.S. Teams. 
  Montagnards are a tribal people from the mountain high­
  lands of Vietnam. The word "Montagnards" is French and 
  means "mountain people." An ancient hatred exists between 
  them and the Vietnamese and, as such, they fought out of indi­
  vidual loyalty to their American comrades. They could be found 
  on any team involving the use of indigenous personnel. 
  In order to operate with a minimum of difficulty on a team 
  with native people, one of the Americans will have to speak the 
  language of those people. This is essential unless you are going 
  to limit conversations to "run," "shoot," "VC," or other simple 
  ideas. In a team of this type, especially if operating outside of 
  South Vietnam, both the point and the sweep should be indige­
  nous personnel. 
  Maritime Operations 
  in North Vietnam 
  For SOG (CIA) operations in North Vietnam a few special 
  rules and situations need to be mentioned. 
  When operating in North Vietnam, Recon teams were often 
  composed mainly ofNungs from the northern Chinese region of 
  Vietnam. These characters would speak with a less obvious ac­
  cent. Team members would wear captured NVA unifonns and 
  weapons to avoid detection as well as to solve some supply 
  problems (spare ammo can always be stolen). Other supplies 
  were obtained from caches planted by earlier teams although 
  these may have been discovered and booby trapped by the 
  NYA. The last resort for supplies would be an airdrop, but this 
  would attract attention, often making such a drop impossible 
  without jeopardizing the mission. 
  Note: All contacts in north Vietnam are assumed to be hos­
  tile. 
  Maritime Operations along the coast of Vietnam would use 
  Recon teams composed of U.S. Navy and Marine personnel. 
  The most dramatic of these operations involved inserting teams 
  into the Haiphong Harbor Area for sabotage and intelligence 
  gathering. 
  Any operation that involves being in the water for several 
  hours will require a wet suit. For short swims the character can 
  wear just their normal upiforms with swim fins fitted over their 
  boots. Wet suits tend to be a little too glossy for adequate con­
  cealment in the brush so some sort of dark clothing is needed 
  when operating out of the water. 
  Some of the specialized underwater equipment which could 
  be used includes: ANIPQC-I "UTEL" Underwater Communi­
  cations System which allows swimmers to communicate by 
  voice at ranges up to 2000 yards. To talk while submerged, the 
  swimmer must be wearing a full face mask with a microphone 
  mounted in it. Another useful function of this unit is that it 
  homes in on a signal emitted from the extraction craft at ranges 
  up to I 0,000 yards. 
  The ANIPQS-IS is a hand-held Sonar unit. The range set­
  tings are limited to 20, 60 and 120 yards. Basically the swimmer 
  can tell if an object is between 20 to 60 yards or 60 to 120 yards 
  distant. The unit can determine direction by turning it to various 
  directions to get a reading. 
  Other equipment includes various swimmer delivery vehi­
  cles (SDV) or wet subs which pulled swimmers along (a handy 
  thing to have if a long distance is to be traveled). 
  Insertion was done either by aircraft, ship or boat. High alti­
  tude aircraft (flying at at least 30,000 feet up) could drop the 
  team, who would use H.A.L.O. techniques and bottled oxygen 
  for that altitude. Helicopters can fly close to the ground or just 
  above the water to avoid radar detection. When over water, the 
  team would then jump out of the helicopter as it hovered above 
  the site. The team would then swim or inflate small rubber boats 
  to reach shore or their objective. Fast patrol boats required the 
  team to "cast off' into the water by rolling off a rubber boat tied 
  to the side of the patrol craft. Submarines could be used too, ei­
  ther by surfacing or underwater, with the team exiting through 
  air locks. 
  When a Recon team is inserted into the water by a fast mov­
  ing boat, hovering helicopter or parachute drop, there is a 
  chance of losing equipment. This can be due to the impact of the 
  drop, the speed and/or wake of the vessel, or natural waves or 
  surf of the water. Depending on the type of body of water, ex­
  tenuating circumstances and the franticness of the Recon team, 
  the Mission Director may want each character to roll on the fol­
  41 
  lowing table or opt for one group roll. 
  
  The First table, the Jeopardy Table, indicates whether or not 
  any equipment is in jeopardy of being lost. One ten sided die is 
  rolled (101 0). If 1 to 5 is rolled, all is secure. A roll of 6 to 10 
  indicates some part of the equipment has shaken loose and is in 
  peril of being lost. The character or characters may try to grab or 
  secure the item by rolling under one's modified agility (AG). 
  The Jeopardy Table also lists the AG modifier/penalty that ap­
  plies to the situation. 
  The Second table, Equipment Lost, indicates the article(s) of 
  equipment lost or in jeopardy of being lost. 
  Jeopardy Table 
  Roll (IDIO) 
  01-05 No problems, gentle waves, no roll needed 
  06-07 Subtract 10 from Agility and make check to save equip­
  ment. 
  08-09 Subtract 30 from Agility and make check to save. 
  10 
  Subtract 40 from Agility and make check to save. 
  Equipment Lost (Individual or as a Group) 
  Roll 
  (ID10) 
  Equipment 
  1 
  Grenades, Claymore, or Law 
  2 
  Knife or Bayonet 
  3 
  Pistol, Sidearm or Spare Weapon 
  4 
  Main Weapon 
  5 
  All Spare Ammo 
  6 
  Canteens 
  7 
  Food 
  8 
  Map/Compass 
  9 
  RadiolDemo ChargeslMedic Kit or Other Special 
  Equipment 
  10 
  Hat or Headband 
  Insertion 
  In military parlance, placing a unit in enemy territory to be­
  gin a mission is called insertion. In Nam the most common form 
  of insertion was by chopper (for LRRPs, Recons or SOGs). In­
  sertion along rivers was accomplished by PBRs, the river patrol 
  boats. LRRPs and Recons could also be inserted by foot, simply 
  marching out of the perimeter of a firebase into the surrounding 
  bush. The fourth form of insertion is by parachute. Parachute 
  units must all be trained in that skill. 
  Patrol Boat, River (PBR) 
  A typical PBR has a crew of four men, the coxswain (who 
  steers the PBR), a forward gunner manning twin .50 caliber 
  machineguns, a grenadier firing an automatic grenade launcher 
  firing three grenades per combat round, and a rear gunner man­
  ning an M-60, 7.62mm machine gun. They often operated as 
  pairs out of visual contact but with radio contact. Up to 8 troop­
  ers could be carried out of sight (below deck) or more on deck. 
  Other river insertion vessels were Armored Troop Carriers 
  (ATCs) with up to 40 soldiers on board safely, and Airboats, 
  fast blower-driven craft a with two-man crew (one manning a 
  .50 cal. machinegun) and up to 5 soldiers, or even an ACV (Air 
  Cushioned Vehicle), the fastest thing on the river. 
  PBR insertions were often at night. The boat could simply 
  pull over to a convenient place along the river bank and drop off 
  the team. Alternatively the men could wade ashore or be ferried 
  in inflatable rubber rafts. 
  Chopper Insertion 
  Four choppers would be involved in the typical insertion. 
  The RECON Team would be transported on two "slicks" (troop 
  transport Hueys) with two gunships flying security. Each slick 
  contained a pilot, co-pilot, crew chief (a mechanic who also 
  handled a door gun) and up to 8 passenger troopers (the RECON 
  team). 
  With gunships patrolling overhead, the slicks would come 
  into the LZ (Landing Zone). This wasn't a slow drop down. The 
  chopper pilots weren't foolish enough to make themselves 
  standing targets. No, the choppers would fly in at an angle, 
  skimming the ground and waiting for only a few seconds while 
  the troopers jumped off. Sprained and broken ankles from inser­
  tions were a common problem. There was also a good chance, 
  especially in tall grass, ofjumping right onto punji stakes. 
  Not everybody was enthusiastic about jumping out of the 
  choppers directly into the war. First time or cowardly soldiers 
  were often pushed out. ARVNs were famed for needing a few 
  rounds of 'incentive' from the door gunner. 
  The gunships would send out suppression fire if the LZ 
  turned out to be "hot." A particularly hot LZ would be an am­
  bush. In this case, up to three enemy machineguns would wait 
  for the first troops to come off the chopper before opening fire. 
  At this vulnerable moment they could slice up both the soldiers 
  and the choppers with ease. 
  Airborne Drop 
  Airborne insertion refers to parachuting out of a high-altitude 
  aircraft. Usually Airborne RECON teams will all be trained in 
  airborne skills. This can be handled either by the MD declaring 
  in advance (before the characters are created) that there will be 
  airborne missions or the MD can direct that the entire team will 
  spend a few weeks in jump school learning the necessary 
  skill(s). 
  Humping It 
  The most basic form of mission insertion is on foot. The 
  RECON team can simply walk out of a base or beyond the per­
  imeter of a unit in the field. Another option is to hitch a ride on 
  a truck or tank convoy and just step off somewhere along the 
  road. Once out in the countryside, units could carry out 
  long-term scouting missions requiring from a few days to a few 
  weeks travel. 
  Operations in The Bush 
  Mobile Overwatch 
  Mobile Overwatch is an S.A.S. concept taught at the Jungle 
  Warfare School at Kota Tinggi. When moving through rough 
  terrain the RT will move single file. Each man on the team is as­
  signed an area to watch. Spacing is far enough apart so that a 
  mine or grenade will get as few victims as possible. 
  Ahead of everyone else is the Point Man. He stays well 
  ahead of the rest of the unit. The distance varies according the 
  boldness of the Point Man and orders from the team leader. If 
  42 
  
  the point hits an ambush, he's the only one caught. If ambushers 
  miss the Point Man, or, if they are smart, wait until point is 
  passed, then the main group could still get caught. However, 
  since the Point Man has gone ahead, he may be able to tum and 
  catch the enemy in the rear or create a cross-fire. 
  The second guy in line is the overpoint. His job is to look 
  high and to the left. He watches the trees or "overhead" for snip­
  ers and the left side of the trail. 
  Third in line is the guy who watches the right overhead and 
  right side of the trail. After that, each soldier alternates, the next 
  guy watching left, then right, all the way down the column. 
  Bringing up the rear is the sweep or tailgunner. He watches 
  the back of the trail so you don't get your butts shot off. He also 
  tries to cover up any sign of your moving down the trail. 
  Taking Breaks 
  When operating in "Indian Country" (enemy territory) the 
  RT still has to eat and sleep. To eat the RT gathers in a circle 
  sitting down and facing outward. Pairs of guys may always sit 
  back to back. Every other man eats, while the rest remain alert. 
  To sleep the RT gathers in a circle with heads facing out­
  ward. Each man is close enough to the next man to touch him 
  should he snore, cry out in his sleep, make other noise, or have 
  to be alerted to enemy nearby. At night you might take off you 
  pack, but you NEVER take ofT your web belt with ammo can­
  teens, grenades and knife. After a few outings your character 
  won't be able to sleep without continuously touching his pri­
  mary weapon. 
  Fighting The Enemy 
  Using the Mobile Overwatch fonnation gives the group mo­
  bility. If the point trips an ambush running up in single file to 
  back him up is dumb. You may be outnumbered or outgunned. 
  Offering cover fire while he backs down the trail is a better plan. 
  Attacking is better done by maneuvering around the enemy to 
  catch them in the flimk (off to the side) or rear. Getting ofT the 
  trail is also important. The enemy sets claymores, booby traps 
  and lines of machinegun fire to hit logical places of attack. 
  Therefore, you've got to attack where they don't expect it. 
  Breaking contact and hauling it out of there is another option. 
  The point, having rejoined the team, should be able to give you 
  an idea of how many were shooting at him. For example, if the 
  firing started ragged (one at a time) somebody got spooked and 
  they might not all have been firing (there may be more of them 
  out there). It's the point's job to be alert and spot the enemy and 
  traps without stumbling into them. 
  Extraction 
  Extraction of a Recon team after a completed mission was 
  usually by the same means that inserted them: helicopter or 
  boat. Helicopters fitted with floats could land directly on the wa­
  ter, otherwise, rescue lines or rope ladders had to be lowered. If 
  the means of extraction was by patrol boat, the members of the 
  Recon team would spread out along the shore about 30 yards 
  apart awaiting pick-up. The slow moving patrol boat would ap­
  proach with a small rubber boat attached to its side with a rescue 
  hoop/hook and diver. Each member of the Recon team would 
  swim out in tum, slipping his anns into the hoop as the boat 
  goes by and is hauled onto the rubber raft and then aboard the 
  patrol boat. Missed characters return to the shoreline to hide un­
  til a second or third pass can be made. Typically these retrieval 
  craft would travel at half to one third their nonnal speed (about 
  40 yards per combat round). 
  A special type of extraction system used in these operations 
  was the skyhook. Nonnally this was used only for rescue opera­
  tions of a single person, not entire teams. Basically the character 
  would don a special, reinforced overall suit to which a cable was 
  attached. A blimp-shaped balloon is attached to the other end of 
  the cable and inflated with helium. The rescue plane has a V 
  shaped guide on the nose to snare and guide the cable into a lock 
  and then jerk the person into the air. The cable is then winched 
  into the back of the aircraft with the person in tow and taken 
  into the safety of the cargo hold. 
  There is the possibility of the cable breaking or snagging on 
  something and being cut. If this happens the character is DEAD. 
  To minimize this risk, there are wires from the wingtips of the 
  plane that will guide the cable away from the aircraft's engines. 
  The system was time consuming and risky. Nonnally the re­
  trieval point and time were prearranged. An unscheduled pickup 
  request would require IDIO hours before the plane arrived. This 
  sort of system was often used to rescue downed pilots. 
  When using this system, refer to the Skyhook Extraction Ta­
  ble to detennine success. 
  Skyhook Extraction Table 
  Roll Percentile 
  01-02 Cable snaps, man falls to death. 
  03-09 Cable snaps, man takes 2D IO points of damage and bal­
  loon is lost. 
  10-20 Plane misses, must make another pass. 
  21-25 Pick-up impossible; balloon defective and won't inflate 
  (or gets shot down by pursuers). 
  26-40 Very rough pick-up, man takes 2DlO+5 points damage. 
  41-70 Rough pick-up, man takes lDIO+5 points of damage. 
  71-00 Successful pick-up; no problems. 
  Heavy jungle and forest or uneven terrain could prevent any 
  kind of helicopter landing. In this case it was possible to use a 
  "forest penetrate," a spring-loaded hoist designed to bring up 
  wounded through the vegetation. 
  The main problem was with hot extractions. No helicopter 
  could land if the LZ was covered by enemy heavy weapons fire. 
  That meant a pinned down unit might remain in the field for 
  days while artillery and gunships tried to drive back the enemy. 
  43 
  
  "," 
  ..."~'": : ~: :.:, ~ ~).,,"" 
  Mercenaries 
  Running The Mercenary Game 
  The Difference Between 
  Mercenaries and 'Nam Soldiers 
  In a game based on the 'Nam war the characters are backed 
  by a humongous war machine, given incredible fire support and 
  have a great technological advantage over the enemy, The en­
  emy VC are vicious and determined foes, seasoned by decades 
  of jungle warfare, guided by experienced, field-tested leaders 
  and supported by a large percentage of the native peoples. 
  In most Mercenary games the soldiers are also technologi­
  cally superior to the enemy. The Mercs are also much more ex­
  perienced, have (or are) better leadership and understand the 
  elements ofjungle warfare. 
  The Mercs' enemies, whichever side they happen to be on, 
  are usually somewhat lackluster. They are less than enthusiastic 
  about the business of killing and being killed. It's not that they 
  are wimps, far from it, it's just that they aren't much compared 
  to the average 'dedicated' VC. 
  A RECON character can easily be used in a post-Vietnam 
  mercenary role. Character generation, skill and combat systems 
  remain the same. Likewise, weapons and equipment introduced 
  in Vietnam are commonly found in third world countries and the 
  black market. In addition, the following section will cover re­
  cruitment, contracts, pay and expenses. 
  In most cases, the mercenaries will still be fighting guerrillas 
  armed with AK-47s, RPD machineguns, and RPGs supplied by 
  the same Soviet factories that supplied the Vc. Fighting guerril­
  las in Sangria isn't all that different from 'Nam. There are still 
  Local Force Units (Sangrian revolutionaries), Main Force Units 
  (San Marcos infiltrators), and even a version of the NYA (Advi­
  sors from Tragnar). 
  Other scenarios are quite different. Mercenaries may be hired 
  to fight on the side of the guerrillas against the government, to 
  fight other guerrillas, or even to fight in more conventional 
  wars. 
  The contact tables can be used with slight modifications. Vi­
  sualize the terrain of most guerrilla wars and you will realize 
  that the environment is basically rural, poorly developed, and 
  often jungle or rain forest. A Buddhist priest becomes a Catholic 
  missionary. A water buffalo becomes a burro. The woman cook­
  ing rice (common around the world) might be cooking 
  com-meal instead. Vary the contacts to fit the situation. 
  Playing a Mercenary Character 
  Freelancing 
  The definition of a mercenary is "one who serves for money 
  in a foreign army." They've been around for as long as there 
  have been wars. Before the great populist armies, starting with 
  Europe's age of revolution, mercenaries were the rule rather 
  than the exception on the battlefield. The whole concept has 
  never really disappeared. 
  Some combat veterans just can't adjust to peacetime. When 
  the war ends, boring nine-to-five jobs, monotony and frustration 
  will drive many to drink, drugs, suicide or violence. Really hard 
  cases find it impossible to adjust to society's restrictions. Their 
  choices are rather limited, in a lawful society they will die or 
  end up in jail. The alternative is to go back to the battlefield. 
  Wars aren't a1\ that difficult to find. There are always 'hot 
  spots' in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Central and South 
  America where wars flare up or drag on for decades. The skills 
  learned in 'Nam far surpass those of the average grunt in these 
  backwater conflicts. 
  Merc characters are just 'Nam characters with a little extra 
  seasoning. If you've already got a character then just roll an ex­
  tra I D I 0 for age and weight. Your MD may also allow you 
  some extra skills. 
  Generating merc characters from scratch is the same as gen­
  erating 'Nam characters (except for the age and weight). The 
  only difference is that you can take any of the MOSs, regular 
  OR mercenary, for Primary and/or Secondary. 
  44 
  
  If you generate a new character for mercenary missions, he 
  doesn't have to be an American. He could be a fonner Rhode­
  sian Selous Scout, British Special Air Service Trooper Dutch 
  Royal Commando, Israeli Detachment 101, or any other back­
  ground you would like to develop. Just make sure that you clear 
  it with the MD. 
  Employers, Contracts And Betrayal 
  Recruiting 
  Finding jobs as mercenaries requires a constant reading of 
  the contemporary political scene. First time mercs should keep 
  up with the international news. When the MD notifies them of 
  some small country whose anny is taking a shellacking, that 
  should be their cue to head over and volunteer their services. 
  Sometimes first time mercs will just luck out. A corporation or a 
  clandestine organization (like the CIA) may search through mil­
  itary records looking for experienced personnel and come up 
  with their names. 
  After their first mission, experienced mercs acquire a "rep," 
  and potential employers may come looking for them. Even­
  tually, when they build a solid reputation based on successful 
  perfonnance, they'll have more potential jobs than they can han­
  dle. 
  Contracts 
  Back in 'Nam you didn't worry about money. You only wor­
  ried about getting out alive. Besides, Uncle Sam took care of ev­
  erything, no need to worry if you used a few extra rounds of 
  ammunition. 
  Considering the risks that mercs undertake, most of them are 
  paid surprisingly low wages. Remember, most meres really are 
  in it for the way of life. No matter how they rationalize it, they 
  like the risks, the thrill and the constant opportunity to prove 
  themselves. 
  Mercenaries also tend to have rather expensive lifestyles. 
  When you could die any minute you usually aren't interested in 
  pinching pennies. For every week between jobs, your MD may 
  subtract a certain amount from your money reserve. If a merc 
  goes too long between jobs, he's liable to end up flat broke. 
  Besides living expenses, there are equipment costs; black 
  market prices for weapons and ammunition run from merely 
  outrageous to downright unbelievable. 
  The meres also have to consider the future. After all, you 
  may get greased or worse, buy part of the fann and be forcibly 
  retired. There are no retirement homes for old mercs, but then 
  you don't expect to die of old age anyway. As 'insurance' 
  against being incapacitated or to provide for their next of kin, 
  the merc should consider some way of banking his money. 
  Finally, the merc has to carry a large chunk of money around 
  to deal with the day-to-day problems and major emergencies. 
  When a government collapses, airline tickets out become very 
  expensive. If your chosen profession is suspected, it may take a 
  few dollars to convince the authorities that you're actually a 
  wealthy tourist on vacation. 
  A first rime mercenary is stuck with whatever jobs happen to 
  come his way. Any illusions of riches and glamour will quickly 
  be broken. Rich countries only hire proven mercenaries. The 
  new guys get stuck with poor countries and high risks. 
  Remember that third world countries operate on different 
  economic standards. Average fann or factory workers make 
  only pennies a day; their annies can hire dozens of men for what 
  the average taxi driver makes Stateside. The mercenaries have 
  to convince their employers that they are worth more than a cou­
  ple of hundred native troops. 
  The other problem with negotiations is the character's inex­
  perience with the whole art of bargaining. Stateside characters 
  usually pay retail prices and take whatever salary is offered. 
  Third world people are usually raised learning how to bargain 
  for the very best prices, doing it calmly and efficiently. Consider 
  the following. 
  Example: Sammy Wyandotte is negotiating with Foreign 
  Affairs Minister Khar-Urbbr about a job in Dakali. 
  Sammy: It sounds like an excellent opportunity. If you can 
  provide us with the artillery and air support we should be able to 
  wipe out the Al Muktah camp and make it look like it was really 
  an Iswandah strike. 
  Khar: Very Good. You have an excellent grasp of the tacti­
  cal situation. We will work well together. 
  Sammy: Now, how much will we be paid for this mission? 
  Khar: There are 18 men in your organization, correct? 
  Sammy: Yeah, 14 combat soldiers and 4 artillery specialists. 
  Khar: We propose paying you 150,000 Dak per day of your 
  operations, plus a bonus of 800,000 Dak upon the successful 
  completion ofyour mission. 
  Sammy: Wow! That sounds great! What does that ... 
  Khar: Roughly $500 per day and $4,000 bonus. 
  Sammy: Oh ... Well, $500 a day for 18 days per each man 
  will cover our operating expenses and still give them around 
  $5,000 to take home. Plus the bonus of course. 
  Khar: I am so sorry. We have a grave misunderstanding. 
  Sammy: What? 
  Khar: 150,000 Dak per day for the whole group, not per 
  man. 3,500,000 Dak is our allotted budget for this operation. 
  Sammy: That's ridiculous! (calculates) That's only $27 a 
  day per man! That's less than minimum wage! 
  Khar: I do not know of this 'minimum wage' you speak of. 
  However, 8,000 Dak per Jay per man is a princely sum! Our 
  common soldiers only earn 300 Dak per week! Not even highly 
  paid officers make that much! 
  Sammy: Back in Pittsburgh I can make $8 an hour just 
  stocking shelves and bagging groceries in my Uncle's supennar­
  ket. That's $64 a day without having to get shot at! 
  Khar: (disbelieving) I am sure that your wealthy Uncle can 
  afford to throw his money away by vastly overpaying his rela­
  tives! My poor country can afford no such luxury! 
  Ultimately (after hard negotiations) the contract pay will de­
  pend on the length of the mission. Short-tenn contracts will be 
  for one mission (a high risk, high pay assignment). Pay is 
  roughly 4D 10 times $15 per day. 
  Long-tenn contracts are easier on the players and the MD be­
  cause several missions can be designed together. For a 
  long-tenn contract, to calculate the base daily pay, roll 3D 10 
  and multiply times $\0. 
  45 
  
  Each character will be paid additional bonuses for certain ex­
  perience and skills. Mercenary experts like chopper and aircraft 
  pilots, boat captains, track commanders and artillery officers 
  will make twice as much, or more, than grunts. 
  It's the MD's option to keep the pay rates classified and dis­
  cussed only between the MD and each mere. If the mere is fool­
  ish enough to discuss it with the other meres in his unit, that's 
  his business. It may produce some resentment when certain 
  mercs are paid much higher than others. 
  The MD should also negotiate with the players whether the 
  employer will foot the bill for any special gear for each mission. 
  Ideally, from the mercs' point of view, they want to negotiate a 
  position where they get to keep all the equipment for later mis­
  sions. 
  Contracts for the CIA or big corporations will be much more 
  lucrative than contracts for poor underdeveloped, third world 
  countries. Occasionally, dangling the rewards offered by some 
  wealthy oil-producing nation may serve to blind the players to 
  the dangers of a particularly risky contract. 
  One final consideration. Since mercs are international, the 
  type of currency used for payment is important. Being paid in 
  local money is risky; it may end up being valueless if they lose. 
  U.S. dollars or swiss francs (I swiss franc = $2 U.S.) paid di­
  rectly into Swiss banks are the preferred methods of payment 
  for mercs. The very best option is accepting payment in gold. 
  The value ranges from $200 to $500 per troy ounce depending 
  on the current worldwide economic and military situation. 
  Boorland gold coins are 1 troy ounce each, 15 of them weigh 
  slightly more than a normal pound weight. 
  Expenses 
  Mercenaries tend to have rather extravagant lifestyles. Be­
  tween their life-and-death combat assignments they find it diffi­
  cult to be thrifty. After all, what good is saving money when 
  you may die on the next mission? Better to have a good time to­
  day and hang the cost! 
  As the MD, you should charge the characters for their ex­
  cesses. This should work out to $50 times percentile every 
  month. When the character reaches zero then he'll start living a 
  more frugal lifestyle. For every month until his next mission 
  he'll owe $10 times percentile (optional). 
  Example: Sammy Wyandotte is going to be at loose ends for 
  about four months between mercenary assignments. He's man­
  aged to save $5,000 from his last mission and hopes to put part 
  of it away for his old age. The first month he rolls an 11, only 
  $550 gone. The second month he rolls a 30, $1500 spent. The 
  third month he rolls a 77, (argh!) that means he spent $3850. 
  He's now in hock for $900. The last month he rolls a 53. Be­
  cause he's already in debt, he only spends $530, bringing his to­
  tal debt to $1430 when he leaves for his new mission. 
  Mercenaries of The World 
  Mercenary Outfits 
  Mercenary Captains: There are occasionally men who are 
  not just superior soldiers, they're also good leaders, administra­
  tors and negotiators. Here are some possibilities: 
  Colonel Manfried Stanzfergen 
  Description: Stanzfergen is a German with a capital 'G.' He 
  runs his outfit like a military prison. No drinking, no smoking, 
  no drugs, no women, no nothing while on duty. He also has a 
  reputation for accomplishing military miracles. Of course he 
  never takes a job unless he's positive that his unit can handle it. 
  He pays his men moderately well (from $15,000 to $55,000 per 
  year according to rank) and provides excellent retirement bene­
  fits and survivor's insurance. In his outfit you start at the bottom 
  and work your way up. Cross him or his rules and you'll be out 
  so fast your ears will spin. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attributes: ST: 82 AL: 66 AG: 82 
  Skills: Expert Grenadiers, Sniper, Airplane Pilot and Track 
  Commander. He has a smattering of all the related skills and 
  has an incredible 98% efficiency with semiautomatic rifles. 
  46 
  
  Organization and Equipment: The Colonel's unit is called the 
  Orange Battalion and it really is battalion-sized. Roughly 700 
  troops and 200 support personnel are kept on full-time. Ord­
  nance includes 12 choppers, 2 PBRs, 2Tanks, 4 APCs, and a 
  variety of artillery and weapons 
  Captain Humphrey Carstairs 
  Description: 
  Carstairs 
  is 
  an 
  atypical 
  Englishman, 
  happy-go-lucky and uninhibited. He operates a fairly small 
  unit of like-minded soldiers, each more interested in techni­
  cal perfection than killing. He is not interested in hiring any­
  one else for his own organization, but often acts as an agent 
  or broker, referring other mercenaries to jobs that he's too 
  busy to handle. One kind of assignment that he can't resist is 
  siding with an obvious underdog. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 50 AL: 40 AG: 47 
  Skills: Has all the skills of Sniper and Grenadier at a grade 6 
  level. 
  Organization and Equipment: Carstair's Caterwaulers are a 
  Platoon-sized group of incredibly efficient killers. Most are 
  malignant or malignant-psychotic in personality but some­
  how Carstairs can handle them. They also have about 20 
  full-time technicians and mechanics who support their two 
  choppers and other weapons. 
  Major Fred D'Angelo 
  Description: D'Angelo is a 'Nam veteran. He has organized a 
  fairly tight group of anti-communist mercenaries. He prefers 
  working for Stateside covert organizations and never works 
  for left-leaning govemments. He is unpredictable and danger­
  ous, often threatening to execute men in his command for mi­
  nor offenses. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 33 AL: 43 AG: 38 
  Skills: D'Angelo is an expert Intelligence officer as wel1 as be­
  ing an accomplished Demolitions expert (grade 8). 
  Organization and Equipment: The Eagles of Democracy, as 
  D' Angelo calls his group, range from 100 to 150 men de­
  pending on the current assignment. They have no real support 
  personnel and the largest weapons are a few anti-tank rockets 
  and some mortars. 
  Captain Yost Urveen 
  Description: A Swedish freighter captain who will take any­
  thing anywhere provided the price is right. His ship and crew 
  are available for $12,000 per day. 
  Alignment: Idealist 
  Attributes: ST: 94 AL: 69 AG: 24 
  Skills: Primarily an Ocean-going ship captain, but also skilled 
  in PT boat, PBRs, and hovercraft operations. 
  Equipment: His ship, 'Ibsen's Dream,' is an 1,800 ton freighter 
  with a crew of 24. Among the crew are a number of com­
  bat-trained specialists. He also carries four motor-powered 
  rubber rafts that can be used for shore landing or river opera­
  tions. The ship itself is capable ofmaking the trip from State­
  side to Delancort in 4 days or to Dakali in 12 days. 
  Captain Doug Spearling 
  Specialist For Hire: Often a group doesn't have all the special­
  ists they need for a particular job. This is especially true for 
  Description: This guy just loves flying. And acting as gunship 
  is even better. He will go anywhere provided the pay is right. 
  $3,000 per day plus fuel costs is standard. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 30 AL: 61 AG: 96 
  Skills: An incredible chopper pilot with skill in both slicks and 
  gunships. He will try virtually any stunt, sometimes just for 
  the heck of it. 
  Equipment: Spearling lovingly maintains his own chopper, 
  "Betty." Ordinarily it seems to be unarmed, but only a few 
  minutes are necessary to add two .50 caliber door-mounted 
  machineguns, an XM-3 48-tube rocket launcher, and a 
  six-barreled 7.62mm Minigun. He flies without a co-pilot 
  and carries up to 8 fully loaded soldiers. 
  Alternative Unit 
  A clear altemative is for the player characters to form their 
  own mercenary group. The only problem is money. In order to 
  buy all the choppers, artillery, weapons, equipment and supplies 
  they need they'll probably have to go on quite a few missions 
  and pool all their resources. Of course the MD can also create 
  his own mercenary groups and antagonists. 
  Government Agencies 
  Covert Government Actions: Stateside and other prominent 
  western nations will often wish to resolve third world conflicts 
  in their favor. Rather than risk political backlash from direct 
  military involvement (especially embarrassing in the event of a 
  loss - an all too likely result in guerrilla war), the secret organi­
  zations will hire independents. Without exception, their repre­
  sentatives will present themselves as "John Smith" or some 
  other, obviously fake, identity and never identify the agency 
  they are affiliated with. 
  Direct Contract with Hiring Nations: Although dealing di­
  rect with an employer has its advantages (no agent's fee), it is 
  also quite risky. Governments have a tendency to make extrava­
  gant promises that they rarely fulfill. This isn't being dishonest, 
  it's just that their military organizations are usually at each 
  other's throats (so they don't supply the help mercenaries need), 
  supplies are diverted to the black market or other government 
  agencies, and the payment depends on elected bodies or separate 
  accounting departments that are reluctant to pay once a job has 
  been completed. 
  Equipment Suppliers 
  Most mercenary supplies can be bought directly from manu­
  facturers or catalog dealers. Buying heavy weaponry (anything 
  from 7.62mm machineguns and on up) and munitions is a little 
  trickier. Producers of these items usually need some kind of 
  government permit for sale or export. Special agents and bro­
  kers can provide the proper paperwork (or forgeries), but charge 
  a fairly hefty commission. 
  pilots, track commanders and boat captains. 
  47 
  
  Sergeant Bull Jacobs' 
  Freelance Military Catalog 
  Why Bull Jacobs? 
  Bull Jacobs offers a worldwide network of buyers and dis­
  tributors. They can get what you want, when you want it and 
  they can deliver anywhere. Stop in at any of our warehouse out­
  lets (Stateside, Boorland, Dakali, Delancort, or San Isabel) or 
  have it delivered by truck, freighter or commercial aircraft. And 
  remember: Only Bull Jacobs offers an exclusive airdrop capac­
  ity. Just specify the exact latitude and longitude and your order 
  will be delivered within 48 hours by parachute (minimum order 
  $750,000). 
  Payment: All quoted prices represent current Stateside dol­
  lars. Payment is acceptable in U.S. dollars, gold or silver (cur­
  rent value in U.S. dollars will be computed at payment time), or 
  fund transfer to our Zurich Bank. 
  Delivery: All shipping charges are the responsibility of the 
  purchaser. Delivery times are estimates only. We cannot be held 
  responsible for delays caused by labor disputes, shortages of 
  materials, or civil unrest. Not responsible for shipment theft or 
  wrongful delivery. 
  Return Policy: Sorry! No returns. 
  Limitation of Liability: Bull Jacobs assumes no responsibil­
  ity for damage and/or injury resulting from the use of products 
  supplied by this company. In no event will Bull Jacobs be liable 
  for indirect or consequential damages. 
  Wool Sweaters: Finest British quality knit with leather rein­
  forcements at shoulders, elbows and neck. Available in cream, 
  green or black. Only $150. 
  Ponchos: Waterproof nylon. Useful for rain protection, 
  ground cover, emergency tent, etc. 5' by 5' square. Available in 
  choice of camouflage. Only $35. 
  Military Uniform: An Uncle Bull exclusive! Dress uniform 
  in the country of your choice! Dress uniforms include pants, 
  shirt, jacket, cap, gloves and any other standard accessories. 
  Your choice of unit and insignia. All ranks available! Note: Al­
  though many national uniforms are in stock, we may need 6 
  weeks to fill your order. Please specify exact sizes when order­
  ing. Only $570 for full Dress Uniform. 
  Accessories 
  Bandanna: In choice of colors. $5. 
  Combat Helmet: Complete with liner and camouflage cover. 
  $40 
  • 0°.. 
  .. 
  , 
  ... 
  ':'.. 
  ~ 
  , 
  ~
  Safari Hat: Our finest wide-brimmed hat. Perfect for shad­
  ing the eyes in tropical sunlight and classy enough for an eve­
  ning out on the town. Fasteners on each side for an easy ' Aussie 
  style' flip. Available in choice of camouflage, cream, green, 
  khaki, or black. $125. 
  Utility Cap: A classic 'marine cover.' Available in choice of 
  camouflage, green or khaki. $14.50. 
  Sergeant Bull Jacobs 
  Description: Uncle Bull started selling 'Nam military surplus 
  and gradually drifted into supplying mercenaries. He has vir­
  tually unlimited contacts and can get just about anything if 
  someone is willing to pay enough (he always takes at least a 
  25% commission on any deal). 
  Alignment: Opportunist-Karmic 
  Attributes: ST: 50 AL: 63 AG: 80 
  Skills: He was an expert Point Man before his retirement from 
  the service. 
  Equipment: See catalog. 
  Clothing 
  Battle Dress Utility: Uncle Bull's finest fatigues. Shirts and 
  pants in choice of artic, desert, jungle or autumn forest camou­
  flage. Shirt has two breast pockets, one pen pocket, and one 
  (left-side) interior pocket. Pants equipped with hip, butt and 
  thigh pockets. Lightweight (desert and jungle): $65. Medium 
  Weight (forest and mountain): $90. Arctic Weight (down lined): 
  $365. 
  Battle Jacket: Comes equipped with breast, hip and interior 
  pockets on both sides. A hidden pocket on the inside of the back 
  is also useful. Available in camouflage, khaki, green or black. 
  Only $225. 
  Arctic Parka: High quality down lining provides protection 
  in sub-zero conditions. Same pocket arrangement as Battle 
  Jacket. Available in green or white only. $450. 
  Beret: The classic wool beret. Available in green (of 
  course!), black, or jungle camouflage. $35. 
  Gloves: Lined non-conductive utility gloves. Not recom­
  mended for arctic conditions. Choice of camouflage, green, 
  khaki or black. $25. 
  Combat Boots: Uncle Bull's finest boots are available in 
  jungle (lightweight), temperate (medium), or arctic (sorry, white 
  only) versions. Choice of camouflage, green, khaki or black. 
  $185. 
  Socks: Cotton with padded sole. White, khaki or green only. 
  $7. 
  Dog Tags: Personalized metal dog tags. Complete with neck 
  chain. When ordering specify up to 5 15-character lines. Great 
  for body identification and medical warnings. Only $16. 
  Sun Glasses: The very finest in polarized sun glasses. Guar­
  anteed to screen out 100% of all harmful ultraviolet rays. Stan­
  dard: $80. Prescription: $155. 
  Commando Watch: Uncle Bull's own design. This watch 
  has a built-in stopwatch and silent alarm (vibrates instead of 
  making noise). Band is equipped with black velcro cover for 
  better concealment. $350. 
  Knives 
  Combat Bush Knife: Your old Uncle Bull wouldn't sell you 
  anything but the best carbon steel 7" blade. Sure, you can buy a 
  cheaper knife but imagine what'd be left when that cut-rate 
  blade snapped just as you were levering a mine out of a hole. 
  Only $225. 
  48 
  
  Slimpack Throwing Knife: With a flat lambskin sheath, this 
  knife is perfect for concealment. Also a perfectly balanced 6" 
  blade for only $50. 
  Belt Throwing Knives Set: 4 Ultrathin throwing knives in a 
  single belt sheath designed for an easy, fast draw. Only $135. 
  Polycarbonate Knife: This 7" knife (with silk sheath) is 
  guaranteed not to show up on metal detectors. Balanced for 
  throwing, yet with a keen edge for slicing. Only $340. 
  Load Bearing Equipment 
  Web Belt: Classic military belt complete with buckle and 
  pouch fasteners. Choice of camouflage, green or khaki. $20. 
  Bull's Battle Harness: Combination of suspenders and belt 
  designed for distributing the weight of ammo pouches and ac­
  cessories. In choice of camouflage, black, gray, brown, cream or 
  khaki. Only $120. 
  Battle Pack: Lightweight frame, heavy-duty water resistant 
  canvas. Multiple interior and exterior compartments. Fasteners 
  for exterior pouches/grenades. Choice of camouflage, green or 
  khaki color. Only $350. 
  Multi-Purpose Pouch: All around useful utility pouch de­
  signed for attachment to web belt or battle harness. In choice of 
  camouflage or colors. Only $8. 
  Magazine Clip Pouch: Each of our specially designed 
  ammo pouches is designed for 2 (slimline) or 4 (heavy-duty) 
  ammo clips. Choice of camouflage, green, khaki or black col­
  ors.. 
  Automatic Pistol: 2 clips, $10; 4 clips, $16. 
  Submachine Gun: 2 clips $12; 4 clips $18 . 
  5.56mm Assault Rifle, 20-red: 2 clips, $14; 4 clips, $20 
  5.56mm Assault Rifle, 30-red: 2 clips, $18; 4 clips, $24 
  7.62mm Assault Rifle, 20-red: 2 clips, $18; 4 clips, $22 
  7.62mm Assault Rifle, 30-red: 2 clips, $20; 4 clips, $26 
  Holsters: A quality waterproof canvas holster in full range of 
  camouflage and military colors. When ordering be sure to spec­
  ify the exact pistol to be used. Only $50. 
  Shoulder Holster: This leather harness can be worn proudly 
  outside of clothing or inside for concealment. Includes fine 
  grain holster (specify weapon type). $180. 
  Leather Clip Pouch: For shoulder holster above. Each 
  leather pouch holds one clip and it's made of matching leather. 
  $15 each. 
  Ankle Holster: Designed to be hidden under the pant leg. 
  High quality cloth construction. $50. 
  Shotgun Bandoleer: Bandoleers are made of brown leather 
  with a heavy-duty, brass belt buckle. Shotgun version will hold 
  56 rounds. 40mm grenade version holds 18 rounds. $24. 
  Wrist Cartridge Bandoleer: Perfect for concealing 3 extra 
  cartridges: $15 each. 
  Camouflage Supplies 
  Camounage Paint Kit: 4 Spray cans plus 6 stencils allow 
  for easy camouflaging of vehicles, bunkers, or any field equip­
  ment. One kit wi II cover approximately 100 square feet of sur­
  face. Specify jungle, forest or arctic. $35. 
  Camounage Tape: The ever popular duct tape. Comes in 
  rolls 26 feet long and two inches wide. Available in jungle, for­
  est or desert camouflage, or in olive drab. $6 per roll. 
  Camounage Compact: A one-man kit for camouflage or 
  night operations. Includes enough face and hand paint for 6 ap­
  plications. Mirror, brush and disposable cleaning pads also in­
  cluded in a neat black case, 4" in diameter and 1/2" high. Only 
  $18 each. 
  Optics and Electronics 
  Binoculars: Uncle Bull's best binoculars come with built-in 
  compass and range finder. A glance to the lower left gives you a 
  compass bearing. Switch on the range finder, focus the image, 
  and a glance to the lower right gives you range to the target in 
  feet AND meters. $650. 
  Backpack Radio: New! A Japanese updated version of the 
  old PRC-25. Comes with built-in scrambler and up to 1500 
  channels. Also capable of receiving commercial AM/FMlTele­
  vision (sound only) and Short Wave signals. RKO-68: $280. 
  Belt Radio: A lightweight unit designed to work with the 
  RKO-68. Scr:}mbler equipped, 2 to 3 mile range, up to 10 preset 
  channels. Only 2 pounds and complete with pouch and tele­
  phone-style handset. RKO-12: $115. 
  Headset Receiver: These receive-only units are easily at­
  tached to the helmet. Built-in scrambler and range of 2 miles. 
  RKO-03: $42. 
  Unit Supplies 
  Gas Masks: Sold in cases of 6 with 3 filters each (18 total). 
  These gas masks will filter out CS, smoke and a variety of mili­
  tary gas. NOTE: Not recommended as protection against nerve 
  gas or radiation! Shipping weight with crate is 30 pounds. Case: 
  $1100. 
  Climbing Kit: A complete set of equipment for rappelling, 
  rock scaling or climbing. Includes 3,600-foot reels of 4500 test 
  rope (each reel weighs 40 pounds). An adjustable harness with 
  49 
  
  clamps, 6 pairs of canvas climbing gloves. 48 clamps, 48 fasten­
  ers, 48 pitons, 3 hammers, 2 grappling hooks, and one pulley. 
  Shipping weight, with crate, is 190 pounds. $1100. 
  Rations: Our finest dry field rations. Each 15 pound case in­
  cludes 12 meals. Crate is stocked with 12 cases and a total ship­
  ping weight of 200 pounds. $470. 
  Unit Medical Bag: This 8 pound bag is a complete Medic's 
  field kit. Included are adhesive pads, bandages, gauze pads, ad­
  hesive tape, splints, sterile gloves, scissors, forceps, thennome­
  ter, needle, razor blade, pins, medicine (specify jungle, forest, or 
  arctic kit), ointment, and salt tablets. Bag has backpack and 
  shoulder straps; is available in choice of camouflage, green or 
  khaki. $275. 
  Command Post Tent: Only 25 pounds, provides 8' by 8' 
  floor surface, 5' high ceiling. Available in choice of camou­
  flage, green or khaki. $400. 
  Personal Equipment 
  Compass: High quality with glow-in-the-dark Indicator. $50. 
  Canteen: Aluminum or plastic. Complete with canvas cover 
  (choice ofcamouflage or colors). $23. 
  Machete: complete with canvas sheath (choice of colors). 
  $30. 
  Wire cutters: Our 8" wire cutter has non-conducting handles 
  to avoid the nasty 'shock' of electrified fences. Comes complete 
  with belt sheath (choice of colors). $65. 
  Ear Protector Headphones: The answer to the Demo ex­
  pert's and Grenadier's dreams. The same model used by airport 
  workers to preserve hearing in noisy environments. $35. 
  Utensil Kit: A quality knife, fork and spoon set with sheath. 
  $25. 
  Mess Kit: Complete with pouch. $11. 
  Insect Repellents: Spray can. $3. 
  Flashlight: With red filter specially designed not to affect 
  night vision. $30. 
  Disposable Lighter: A camouflaged butane lighter. $3. 
  Firearm Accessories 
  Metal Ammunition Boxes: These waterproof ammo boxes 
  are designed for easy storage and carrying ..50 caliber size: $10. 
  .30 caliber size: $8. 
  Pocket Range Finder: An optical range finder that's com­
  pact and easy to use! Just look through the viewfinder and adjust 
  the focus knob until the image is clear. The range in feet AND 
  meters will appear below the target. Comes with khaki, drab 
  green or black pouch. 6" by 4" by 2" and only $58. 
  Field Gun Cleaning Kit: Don't take chances! Our complete 
  cleaning kit comes with its own pouch (choice of camouflage, 
  khaki or green). $35. 
  Gun Repair Kit: This 4 pound gun repair kit is an annorer's 
  dream. Each tool is fitted into a separate loop and there's plenty 
  of room for spare bolts, screws, springs and cleaning rods. All in 
  a neat 12" by 8" by 2" case. Can be attached to harness or worn 
  over the shoulder with strap (included). $250. 
  Starlight Scope: Improved Korean version designed for di­
  rect mounting on an assault rifle. $380. 
  Magazine Clips: Any weapon, any size from 7-round pistol 
  to 30-round rifle. $.89 each! 
  Personal Weapons 
  Uncle Bull's Own .45 Automatic Pistols: A world standard 
  in reliability and stopping power. These are our own house 
  brand, specially manufactured to Uncle BuIl's exacting standard 
  of quality. $180. 
  9mm Browning Automatic Pistol: Our latest shipment is 
  second-hand. We picked up these never-used, still in original 
  packing, guns as part of a national liquidation sale. The savings 
  are passed on to you! Only $119. 
  9mm Ingram Sub-machinegun: Highest quality, new ord­
  nance. $369. 
  .45 M3 Sub-machinegun: Once again, Uncle Bull passes the 
  savings on to you! A certain third world country has shifted 
  from a .45 caliber to a 7.62mm standard due to a change in po­
  litical stance. Only slightly used and each one passed by our 
  house annorer. $249 each. 
  5.56mm Colt Commando Assault Rifle: No cheap imita­
  tion here! This is the real McCoy! Only $920. 
  7.62mm M-14 Sniper's Rifle: Government surplus inven­
  tory. Stored for over 10 years but never used. A bargain at $209. 
  This Season's Specials! 
  5.56mm M-16 complete with M-203 Grenade Launcher: 
  This unit is so popular that we're having a volume clearance 
  sale. You must buy a case (12) to qualify for this low, low price. 
  $8388 per case! 
  7.62mm AK-47 Assault Rifle: We've got to make room for 
  the new AK-74s!! All the old AK-47s must go! No reasonable 
  offer refused! Only $289 each. 
  Ammunition 
  .45 ACP Pistol Cartridges: Case of 1,000 rounds. Shipping 
  weight 45 pounds. $ 194. 
  9mm Pistol Cartridges: Case of 1,000 rounds. Shipping 
  weight 40 pounds. $156. 
  5.56mm Rifle Cartridges: Case of 500 rounds. Shipping 
  weight 40 pounds. $280. 
  7.62mm Rifle Cartridges: Case of 500 rounds. Shipping 
  weight 50 pounds. $240. 
  40mm Grenade Cartridges: Packed 6 rounds in a bandoleer 
  and 12 bandoleers to a box. Shipping weight 40 pounds. Your 
  choice of HE, smoke (white, green, red, yellow or violet), CS, or 
  parachute flare. $465. 
  Mines and Explosives 
  Smoke Grenades: Packed 48 to a box. Shipping weight 90 
  pounds. $98. 
  M-67 Grenades: Packed 48 to a box. Shipping weight 55 
  pounds. $315. 
  M-14 Antipersonnel Mines: Packed 48 to a box. Shipping 
  weight 38 pounds. $367. 
  Trip Flares: Packed 48 to a box. Shipping weight 26 
  pounds. $65. 
  M-15 Antitank Mines: Packed 6 to a box. Shipping weight 
  200 pounds. $750. 
  The Palladium Book of Contemporary Weapons contains 
  over 300 hand-held weapons from around the world. Included 
  50 
  
  are revolvers, pistols, sub-machineguns, machineguns, rifles and 
  various attachments. Each weapon is illustrated, with many de­
  tailed cut-away diagrams, pertinent information and notes of in­
  terest.$19.95. 
  The Palladium Book of Contemporary Weapons is a real 
  book and the only item listed here that is directly available from 
  Palladium Books or finer hobby stores everywhere. 
  Contemporary Weapons is an excellent quick reference book 
  which can be an invaluable aid to RECON and other modern 
  day games. It will be especially useful when playing mercenar­
  ies as the weapon selection is worldwide. 
  Hardware 
  Inside "Red" Dukowski's Backpack 
  Red Dukowski, newly arrived in 'Nam, has just been in­
  formed by his superiors that he's being assigned to a LRRP Pa­
  tro!. The sergeant tells him, "make sure you don't forget 
  anything 'cause we ain't comin' back for it." Here is Red's 
  complete list. 
  Clothing: Underwear (shorts and shirt), camouflage fatigues 
  (pants and shirt-jacket), official unit and rank insignia, flak vest, 
  helmet with camouflage cloth cover, sun hat, socks, and jungle 
  boots. Around his neck are dog tags, military identification and 
  medical information tags. Red is also wearing a watch with a 
  piece of black cloth covering the watch face. 
  Load Bearing Equipment: Red can carry some equipment 
  in the big pockets of his shirt-jacket and pants. For the rest of 
  the stuff he has a pack and a web belt with pouches attached. 
  The web belt is held up by suspenders also fitted with two 
  pouches. 
  Attached Gear: On the belt and suspenders there are sepa­
  rate cloth or canvas pouches attached to metal eyelets. These in­
  clude his first-aid dressing case, compass case, canteen cover 
  with canteen, entrenching tool cover and tool, two pouches for 2 
  M-16 30-round clips, bayonet sheath and bayonet, weapon 
  cleaning pouch and kit, and flashlight. Also on the belt would be 
  a colored smoke grenade, a CS tear gas grenade, two M-26 frag 
  grenades, and a White Phosphorous grenade. 
  Backpack Contents: Poncho, poncho liner, seven C-ration 
  meals, mess kit, rain jacket, extra canteen, an extra canteen 
  cover, blanket, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, 
  a camera, film, two paperback books and a small canned ham. 
  Also, extra socks and underwear. 
  Pocket Items: Lighter, wallet (with money, identification 
  and pictures), pocket knife, eating utensils (knife, fork and 
  spoon), notepad and pen, writing paper and envelopes, wire cut­
  ters, P-38 can opener, extra shoelaces, sewing kit (needles, pins 
  and thread), handkerchief, chocolate bar and chewing gun. 
  Carried or Strapped on Items: M-16 Assault Rifle, binocu­
  lars and map case. 
  Items Not on Red's List: When it came time to move out he 
  was handed a few extra items to carry, "if you don't mind shar­
  ing the load with everybody else." A bandoleer of M-60 
  machinegun ammo, a bandoleer of 40mm grenades for the 
  M-79, and an M-7 bandoleer containing a complete M-18 Clay­
  more kit. Jokingly, he asks the sergeant, "anything else?" He's 
  informed that he'll also be assigned to carry some of the Point 
  Man's equipment, "because being out in front like that, he can't 
  afford to be weighted down." 
  After six months in 'Nam, Red has learned a thing or two 
  about what's important. In general, he's discovered that he 
  needs a lighter load and more ammunition. When he tells a raw 
  recruit about going out on a mission, he says, "just make sure 
  you don't forget anything, once we're out there we ain't comin' 
  back." 
  Inside "Red" Dukowski's Backpack 
  Six Months Later .. 
  Clothing: Red still wears undershorts, but no undershirt in 
  the 
  steaming 
  jungle. 
  Camouflage 
  fatigues 
  (pants 
  and 
  shirt-jacket) are the same but the rank is missing and there's an 
  unofficial patch for his unit. On his helmet, there's a rubber 
  band that holds his toothbrush and paste. He also still has jungle 
  boots, socks and sun hat. He wears sunglasses pretty much con­
  tinuously. He still wears Dog Tags. 
  51 
  
  No Blak Vest: 4 pounds of useless, dead weight. Against 
  high-powered rifle ammo, the flak vest is worthless. This also 
  explains why there are no rules for personal armor in the 
  RECON system. 
  Load Bearing Equipment: He still carries a lot of equip­
  ment in the big pockets of his shirt-jacket and pants. On his back 
  is a small rucksack. In addition to the web belt, he also wears a 
  pistol belt. 
  Attached Gear: These include his first-aid dressing case, 
  compass case, canteen, bayonet, and weapon cleaning kit. He's 
  dumped the entrenching tool cover and tool, the flashlight (you 
  get used to seeing in the dark), and the Phosphorous grenade 
  (it's 2 pounds, too heavy to throw a safe distance). He's in­
  creased the ammo pouches to eight, each with 2 M-16 30-round 
  clips. He's got 2 smoke grenades and 2 fragmentation grenades. 
  The second belt contains a .357 Magnum backup pistol along 
  with 40 extra rounds of ammunition for it. Red has learned that 
  his M-16 may not be enough to keep him alive. 
  Backpack Contents: Backpack? What backpack? Red de­
  cided he just couldn't afford the extra weight. In the rucksack, 
  he carries extra ammo, an extra canteen, an extra rifle bolt, a 
  poncho, poncho liner, and 5 C-rations. Dangling on the outside 
  of the rucksack are two more smoke and two more fragmenta­
  tion grenades. 
  Pocket Items: Lighter, a fork, wire cutters, P-38 can opener, 
  extra shoe-laces, wire, deck of playing cards, local paper money, 
  and the all-important insect repellent. Packets of Kool-Aid also 
  make the water drinkable. Pencil, writing paper and envelopes 
  are even more important since he writes home every day. 
  Carried or Strapped on Items: M-16 Assault Rifle. 
  Items Not on Red's List: Red immediately volunteers to 
  carry two bandoleers of machinegun ammo. They're heavier 
  than a mixed load, but more balanced. Besides, the heavy bullets 
  won't blow up and may even stop a bullet. 
  Electronics 
  Although 'Nam and modem mercenary combat are fairly 
  "high tech," the average guy in the field still does not see much 
  of a change. He's stilI married to his rifle, he still sleeps in the 
  mud, and he still digs trenches when people shoot at him. The 
  following two items are the only electronics (other than a flash­
  light or transistor radio) that he's likely to see. 
  Weapons 
  The Main Weapons 
  In spite of all the weapons listed in this section, most soldiers 
  were equipped with the main issue rifle of their army. Likewise, 
  the sniper rifle, rocket, grenade launcher, machinegun and pistol 
  were likely to be the ones listed here 90% of the time. 
  U.S. Issue Weapons: M-16 (rifleman), M-14 (Sniper), M-72 
  LAW (66mm Rocket), M-79 (grenade launcher) and M-60 (light 
  machinegun). The .45 Automatic Pistol was the number one 
  back-up weapon. Common unofficial weapons were Winchester 
  and Remington shotguns and a variety of revolvers and pistols 
  for back-up. 
  All About Firearms In RECON 
  The most advanced personal firearms ever used in war were 
  introduced in 'Nam. What separates the new guns from the old 
  is their incredible firepower; they can fire dozens, even hun­
  dreds, more rounds per minute than their predecessors. The ba­
  sic infantry weapons on both sides of the war can fire at least 
  600 rounds per minute (rpm). 
  Yet, for all the bullets flying around, the war didn't produce 
  all that many more casualties than previous wars with less ad­
  vanced weapons. In World War II nearly 10,000 rounds of 
  ammo were expended for each enemy soldier killed! In 'Nam it 
  was even worse; in a single "mad minute" a fire base could ex­
  pend well over 100,000 rounds ... without killing a single en­
  emy. 
  The RECON system takes care of two game problems. First, 
  it eliminates the need for a lot of bookkeeping. Counting all the 
  rounds of ammo fired in a single fire fight just takes too long! 
  The system also compensates for the inaccuracy that comes with 
  high rates of fire . 
  What it boils down to is this; when a character is firing he 
  only rolls for the bullets that have a chance to hit. A 
  sub-machinegun on semi-automatic is fired by pressing the trig­
  ger once for each bullet, the same as a pistol. So every 
  semi-automatic weapon can be fired 3 times per Combat Round. 
  On automatic fire 30 or more rounds could easily be fired, but 
  relatively few of them have a chance to hit. So with a 
  sub-machinegun on automatic fire the character rolls for 7 hits, 
  even though he may be firing 30 or more bullets. 
  Pistols 
  In RECON, pistols are usually used as backup weapons. 
  Their short barrel limits their accuracy, their small cartridge 
  doesn't pack much of a punch, and only a few shots can be fired 
  without reloading. For U.S. forces in 'Nam only the .45 Auto­
  matic and .38 Revolver were standard issue, but it was common 
  for soldiers to carry personal, commercially available weapons. 
  Regardless of the weapon's actual ROF (Rate of Fire), in 
  RECON all pistols can be fired only 3 times per Combat Round. 
  High Standard Victor, .22 Automatic Pistol 
  Damage: 2DIO 
  Weight: 31bs (I 360gms) 
  Length: 5 inches (l15mm) 
  Magazine: 10 round box 
  Maximum Effective Range: 120ft 
  Mercenary Price: $110 
  Notes: Supermatic was a similar model with a longer barrel 
  and slightly more range. Sports King had an even longer range, 
  52 
  
  but only a 9-round magazine. Even though it didn't have much 
  power it was a handy backup weapon because it was so light­
  weight. 
  U.S..38 Combat Masterpiece Smith & Wesson Revolver 
  Damage: 20 I 0+5 
  Weight: 1.941bs (unloaded .9kg) Length: 10 inches (254 mm) 
  Magazine: 6-chamber cylinder 
  Maximum Effective Range: 132ft (59m) 
  Mercenary Price: $135 
  Notes: Usually assigned to military police and aircraft pilots. 
  Because some of the workings are exposed, it was not desirable 
  for jungle operations where dirt and mud could jam up the 
  works. 
  U.S. M-1911Al .45 Automatic Pistol 
  Damage: 3D 10+5 
  Weight: 2.91bs (IAkg) (loaded) 
  Length: 8.2 inches (215mm) 
  Magazine: 7-round box 
  Maximum Effective Range: 150ft (45m) 
  Mercenary Price: $120 
  Notes: Since 1911, this has been standard issue designed for 
  durability and stopping power. Even in the latest tests it still 
  scores better than any other pistol when subjected to foul 
  weather and jungle conditions. Given to commissioned officers 
  and to grenadiers as a backup weapon for the M-79. 
  U.S. Colt Commander, 
  9mm Automatic Pistol 
  Damage: 2010+5 
  Weight: 1.61bs (loaded) (.7kg) 
  Length: 8 inches (203mm) 
  Magazine: 9-round cox 
  Maximum Effective Range: 180ft (54m) 
  Mercenary Price: $185 
  Notes: This weapon never really was involved in combat. 
  That's because it was assigned only to U.S. Anny generals. 
  9mm Browning High Power, Automatic Pistol 
  Damage: 2010+5 
  Weight: 1.941bs (.9kg) (unloaded); 2.441bs (1 kg) (loaded) 
  Length: 7.7 inches (196mm) 
  Magazine: Metal 13-round box 
  Maximum Effective Range: 150ft (45m) 
  Mercenary Price: $ 150 
  Notes: Popular because of the larger clip capacity and be­
  cause it could be fitted with a silencer. Many were used and dis­
  tributed by CIA forces . A favorite backup weapon among 
  RECON teams. 
  U.S. Colt..357 Magnum Trooper MK III Revolver 
  Damage: 3010+ 10 
  Weight: 2lbs (.9kg) (unloaded) 
  Length: 11.25 inches (290mm) 
  Magazine: 6-chamber cylinder 
  Maximum Effective Range: 165ft (49m) 
  Mercenary Price: $188 
  Notes: Although fairly heavy and not the best weapon for the 
  jungle, it was desirable for its tremendous stopping power. 
  Sub-~achineguns 
  Sub-machineguns, no matter how much they look like assault 
  rifles or machineguns, are really only rapid-fire pistols. This is 
  because they use pistol ammunition; small cartridges with insuf­
  ficient explosive powder to do much damage. 
  Regardless of the weapon's actual ROF (Rate of Fire), in 
  RECON, all sub-machineguns have the same rate of fire. When 
  a character shoots at semi-automatic, squeezing the trigger for 
  each bullet, he has 3 shots per Combat Round. Shooting at full 
  automatic, just holding the trigger and hosing the enemy, gives 
  the character 5 shots per Combat Round. 
  Ingram M-IO, 
  9mm Sub-machinegun M-II 
  Damage: 3DIO 
  Weight: 81bs (3.6kg) 
  Length: 18 inches (548mm) 
  53 
  
  Magazine: 32-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 1090rpm automatic/40rpm semi-automatic 
  Maximum Effective Range: 375ft (112m) 
  Mercenary Price: $220 
  Notes: Supplied by CIA and Special Forces on a variety of 
  missions. The weapon is relatively light and easy to use. 
  u.s. M3Al .45 Caliber Sub-machineguns 
  Damage: 3D 10+5 
  Weight: 91bs (4.lkg) 
  Length: 23 inches (61Omm) with stock retracted 
  Magazine: 30-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 40-60 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 330ft (100m) 
  Mercenary Price: $250 
  Notes: A U.S. updating of the Thompson. Used only by Spe­
  cial Forces and RECON teams. 
  Thompson .45 Sub machine Gun 
  Damage: 3DIO+5 
  Weight: 10.5lbs (4.7kg) (unloaded); 12lbs (5.4kg) (loaded) 
  Length: 32 inches (836mm) 
  Magazine: 20 or 30 rounds 
  Rate of Fire: 120rpm automatic/40rpm semi-automatic 
  Maximum Effective Range: 660ft (200m) 
  Mercenary Price: $180 
  Notes: A long-time favorite of all U.S. armed forces . The VC 
  liked it so much they built their own copy. 
  Shotguns 
  Although shotguns are prohibited by the Geneva Convention, 
  the US. forces found them to be very effective in 'Nam. One of 
  their major intended uses was as last-ditch defenses. Many fire 
  bases had stockpiles of shotguns, to be opened only when the 
  base was about to be overrun. 
  RECON rules call for 2 shots for standard shotguns and 3 
  shots for pump repeaters. Older, break-open models would be 
  much slower, perhaps 2 shots every other round. 
  Typical Shotgun 
  Damage: 4DI0 
  Weight: 61bs 
  Length: 37 inches (950mm) 
  Magazine: Standard - two shots 
  Slide-Action Repeater Pump: 5 or 8 shot 
  Maximum Effective Range: 120ft (50m) 
  Rifles 
  The rifle is the primary combat weapon of the twentieth cen­
  tury. Two things separate the rifle from other firearms. First, the 
  inside of the barrel is "rifled," cut with tiny grooves that spin the 
  bullet as it travels out of the weapon. This spin gives rifles a far 
  greater range and accuracy than previous weapons. The second 
  54 
  
  difference is ammunition. Rifle bullets have a larger amount of 
  explosive powder than, for example, pistol bullets. As a result, 
  the damage from a 5.62mm rifle bullet is far greater than that of 
  a 9mm pistol bullet. 
  The major improvement in the evolution of rifles is loading 
  speed. In World War I rifles were bolt action. That meant that 
  the rifleman had to pull the bolt open (ejecting a spent cartridge) 
  and close the bolt (loading a new bullet) between every round. 
  In RECON, bolt-action rifles fire 2 times per Combat Round. 
  By World War II rifles had become self-loading. Each time 
  the trigger was pulled, the spent cartridge was automatically 
  ejected and the new cartridge was automatically loaded. This ac­
  tion is called semi-automatic. RECON semi-automatic rifles can 
  fire 3 times per Combat Round. 
  Modem assault rifles can perform cyclic fire, in other words, 
  as long as you hold down the trigger they'll automatically load 
  and fire. Usually automatic fire is optional; a soldier can fire ei­
  ther semi-automatic or automatic. RECON rules call for rifles to 
  be fired 3 times on semi-automatic or 5 times on automatic per 
  Combat Round. 
  SAlIPeR RIFLE 
  7.ii2_ .... MZI RIFLE 
  FLASH SUPPRESSOR 
  M-14, 7.62mm Springfield Armory Rifle 
  AN/PVS-2 Starlight Scope 
  Damage: 4010+10 
  Length: 457mm 
  Weight: 9.31bs (4.2kg) 
  Weight: 1.8kg 
  Length: 44 inches (Il05mm) 
  Magnification: X4 
  Magazine: 20-round clip 
  Range: Starlight: I 200ft (300m) 
  Rate of Fire: 20 rpm 
  Moonlight: I 600ft (400m) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 1 600ft (460m) 
  Power Supply: 6.75 disposable battery lasting up to 100 hours. 
  Mercenary Price: $ I 35 
  Notes: This rifle-mounted scope electronically intensifies 
  Notes: A semi-automatic rifle. This is the primary sniper's 
  very dim images. Outline shapes can be spotted clearly, but a 
  weapon in 'Nam. Prior to the introduction of the M-16, it was 
  man hugging the ground or concealed in heavy vegetation can 
  also the main assault ri fle. Another model of the M-14 is the 
  not be seen. Flares play havoc on starlight scopes, overloading 
  M-21. They are essentially the same weapon except the M-2 I 
  the electronics and requiring up to 20 minutes for a return to op­
  has been modified to make the weapon quieter and more diffi­
  erating condition. 
  cult to locate the fire source. 
  MI't 
  ~/FL( 
  FLASU HIOER. 
  .3D AlII SNlPER:S VYlflOAl 
  M-l, .30 Caliber Garand Rifle 
  Damage: 40 I 0 
  Weight: 9.51bs (4.2kg) 
  Length: 42.6 inches (l116mm) 
  Magazine: 8-round clip 
  Rate of Fire: 8-10 rpm 
  Notes: A bolt-action rifle, low in power but high in accuracy. 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 600ft (460m) 
  Very reliable even in the worst of conditions, it survived the test 
  Mercenary Price: $80-$200 
  of fire in both W.W. II and Korea. 
  55 
  
  M-2 .30 Caliber Carbine 
  ~o CALIBRE: M2 US ARMY CARBW£: 
  Damage: 4DlO 
  Weight: 5.5lbs (2.5kg) 
  Length: 35.5 inches (barrel only) (890mm) 
  Magazine: 15-round or 30-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 40-60 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 850ft (250m) 
  Mercenary Price: $220 
  Notes: A semi-automatic rifle somewhat outmoded but still 
  useful as a sniper rifle. Compared to more modem weapons, it is 
  underpowered and overly large . 
  . 30 Caliber, Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) 
  Damage: 4D I 0 
  Weight: 17.51bs (8 kg) 
  Length: 18 inches (457mm) 
  Magazine: 20-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 550 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 800ft (520m) 
  Notes: Although an assault rifle, it was often used with a 
  bipod for suppressive fire as if it was a machinegun. Highly val­
  ued in W.W. II and Korea, but largely outdated in 'Nam. 
  XM-177E2, S.S6mm Colt Commando 
  Damage: 4D10+15 
  Weight: 71bs (3.2kg) 
  Length:28~ches(711
  Magazine: 20-round clip mm)(butt~t~e~~~scio~p~e~d)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
  Rate of Fire: 12-15 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 600ft (460m) 
  Notes: An assault rifle, although often mistaken for a 
  sub-machinegun. The story actually starts with the AR-15 
  Stoner Armalite, a revolutionary new assault rifle developed in 
  the early sixties. The M-16 was actually modeled on the AR-15. 
  However, the Special Forces in 'Nam wanted something shorter, 
  7.62mm AR-IO Assault Rifle 
  handier and more reliable than the M-16. The result was basi­
  cally a return to the 
  AR-15, just made smaller and renamed the Colt Commando. 
  A favorite ofRECON teams everywhere. 
  56 
  
  M-60 7.62mm Machinegun (General Purpose Machinegun) 
  Rate of Fire: 550 rpm automatic/200 rpm semi-automatic 
  Maximum Effective Range: 4000ft (131 Om) mounted on tri­
  pod, 3300ft (1080m) 
  Mercenary Price: $922 
  M-16Al 5.56mm Assault Rine 
  Damage: 4D 1 0+5 
  Weight: 7.61bs (3.4kg) 
  Length: 39 inches (978mm) 
  Magazine: 20-round and 30-round clips 
  Rate of Fire: 12-15 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 1600ft (460m) 
  Mercenary Price: $200-$275 
  Notes: This assault rifle is the primary weapon for the States 
  in 'Nam. In spite of controversy early in the war, the M-16 has 
  become a respected and highly valued weapon. Initial problems 
  with a switch in ammunition (to a 'dirtier' powder) meant that 
  the gun could become fouled. 160 Marines were killed in a 
  fierce battle near Khe Sanh. Disassembled M-16s, hopelessly 
  jammed, were found next to many of the bodies. The resultant 
  congressional investigation led to changes in the weapon. The 
  incident also taught a lot of soldiers that their very lives de­
  pended on the cleanliness of their weapon. 
  Machineguns 
  A machinegun is to a rifle, what a sub-machinegun is to a 
  pistol. They fire rifle cartridges, but at far greater rates of speed. 
  Light machineguns can be fired from a standing position. Me­
  dium machineguns MUST be used with a bipod or tripod. 
  Heavy machineguns are fixed in place or vehicle mounted. 
  There are special RECON rules for the number of shots per 
  round with machineguns. The average soldier can fire 7 shots 
  per Combat Round. However, if a particular character is desig­
  nated the group's Pigman, then he can fire an extra 3 shots per 
  Combat Round for a total of 10, but the last three shots have a-5 
  modifier. 
  .~ -.. 
  M-2 .50 Caliber Browning Machinegun 
  Damage: 5DI0+15 
  Weight: 1261bs (57kg) 
  Length: 66 inches (1676mm) 
  . so CALIBRE BROWNING 
  MACHINE 
  ~l/N 
  Feed: Metallic Link Belt 
  Rate of Fire: 40 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 4000ft (I310m) 
  Mercenary Price: $1,000 
  Notes: This powerful gun MUST be on a tripod or vehicle 
  mount. The slugs can rip through concrete blocks or an engine 
  block. 
  Damage: 4Dl 0+ 10 
  Weight: 231bs (lOkg) 
  Length: 43.5 inches (l097.5mm) 
  Feed: Disintegrating Link Belt 
  57 
  
  30 CALIBRE 
  MODEL I'm A~ 
  BROWNIMJ Ml'CHfN£ (j1JN 
  o 
  c· 
  Notes: Although designed to be used with a tripod or bipod, 
  many Pigmen in 'Nam would fire the weapon from the hip. An 
  asbestos mitten was necessary to keep a grip on the hot barrel. 
  Since machineguns really tear through ammo (and 7.62mm belts 
  are heavy!), the whole RECON group would have to share the 
  carrying of the ammunition. There are three other versions of 
  the M-60 for mounting on helicopters or armored vehicles. 
  M-1919A4 Browning, .30 Caliber Machinegun 
  Damage: 4D I 0 
  Weight: 331bs (ISkg) 
  Length: 32.5 inches (825mm) 
  Feed: Metallic Link Belt 
  Rate of Fire: 75 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 3300ft (I 080m) 
  Mercenary Price: $580 
  Notes: This weapon is usually used on a tripod. A different 
  version, the M-1919A6, is designed with a barrel that is easier to 
  change and with a bipod fitting. 
  Area Effect Weapons 
  Small arms are generally line-of-sight weapons that only af­
  fect a small area. Area effect weapons, such as flamethrowers, 
  grenades, grenade launchers, mortars and anti-tank weapons, 
  can be used as area effect weapons. And the advantage of area 
  effect weapons is that you don't have to hit your target directly. 
  The old saying, "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand gre­
  nades," also applies to mortars and flamethrowers. 
  This means even a miss with a grenade can wipe out an entire 
  enemy unit. Use the following table for all area effect weapons. 
  Any result greater than the maximum range for the weapon used 
  is just a total miss. 
  For Example: a grenade could fall down a well and do no 
  damage to anyone. Or it could still fall close enough to inflict 
  substantial damage. 
  Whenever a hand grenade or rifle launched grenade, mortar 
  or similar area effect explosive is used and it misses its target 
  you MUST roll percentile dice on the following chart to deter­
  mine its approximate distance from the intended target. Because 
  these are area effect weapons, even a miss could be fatal if it 
  lands close enough and that person/target still falls within its 
  Blast Radius. 
  Players need to roll on this table only if they miss their tar­
  get/roil to hit. A successful roll to hit means a direct hit and full 
  damage is inflicted (SEE grenade and explosives table). 
  Target's Distance From An Area Effect Weapon 
  Percent. 
  Distance from 
  RoU 
  Blast Center 
  01-03 
  From 5 to 10 feet away 
  04-08 
  From II to 15 feet 
  09-13 
  From 16 to 20 feet 
  14-20 
  From 21 to 40 feet 
  21-30 
  From 41 to 50 feet 
  31-40 
  From 51 to 75 feet 
  41-50 
  From 76 to 80 feet 
  51-75 
  From 81 to 100 feet 
  76-80 
  From 101 to 150 feet 
  81-85 
  From 151 to 200 feet 
  86-00 
  Over 200 feet away 
  Example: Let's return to Hunk Webber, the grenadier hud­
  dling behind a dirt ridge. Hunk and his group got caught in an 
  ambush. Even though Hunk has found cover, he still has a -60 
  modifier for his rolls to hit. Fortunately, Hunk has his trusty 
  M-79 Grenade Launcher with him. 
  The first thing Hunk does is load up his M-79 with an HE 
  round. Hunk's base efficiency with an M-79 is 47, with 4 grades 
  of skill, that makes 67. He has a modifier of -60 for firing from 
  a pinned down position so he needs to roll a 7 or less. 
  Hunk decides to look over the ridge so he can see the target. 
  His roll is an 83 . The grenade misses. However, Hunk's miss 
  could still be pretty effective. He rolls to see how far from the 
  target his grenade hit. A 66 means the grenade has fallen over 
  80 feet away. That's too far away for a 40mm grenade to do any 
  damage. 
  58 
  
  The VC manning the machinegun starts sweeping around 
  back towards Hunk. By the next Combat Round the M-79 is 
  loaded again. Hunk rolls a 12, which is another miss. This time 
  his grenade distance roll is a 7; the grenade falls from II to 12 
  feet away. That means the VC all take 2010 of damage. Unfor­
  tunately, the VC machinegunner survived and hit. Hunk has to 
  be dusted-off to the nearest M.A.S.H. unit. 
  Hand Grenades 
  These grenades are operated by (I) pulling a pin or release, 
  (2) counting down the timed fuse, (3) throwing the grenade at 
  the target, and (4) taking cover from the blast. 
  Using the grenade damage table: First determine the blast 
  radius of the particular grenade (20, 40 or 75ft), this is the line 
  of damage done. Second ascertain one's distance from the blast 
  center (1-5, 6- 10, 11-20, 21-40, 41-75 feet) . The further away 
  from the blast the less (if any) damage is done. Example: An 
  M26 hand grenade is thrown and explodes 17 feet away. The 
  blast radius is 40ft for the M26; 17 feet falls into the 11-20 tar­
  get proximity of blast doing 1-100 points of damage. 
  Grenade Damage Table 
  Target Proximity to 
  Blast in feet) 
  1-5 
  6-10 
  11-20 
  21-40 
  20feet 
  IDIOO+25 10100 
  2010 
  40feet 
  IDIOO+50 \DIOO+25 \DIOO 
  IDIO 
  75feet 
  IDIOO+75 10100+50 \DIOO 
  IDIO 
  Note: Includes launched 40mm grenades and hand grenades. 
  soldier whose smoke grenade's pin was pulled off by accident. 
  The signal brought in a TacAir barrage on that spot. 
  M-7 Hand Grenade - Riot - CS 
  Weight: 17 oz (.5kg) 
  Casualty Effects: 20-60 seconds causes irritation to upper re­
  spiratory passages causing difficulty in breathing, nausea and 
  vomiting. 
  Size: 5.7 inch Cylindrical (195mm) 
  Note: Soldiers affected by CS gas take no damage. Instead, 
  they have a -30 modifier on all arms fire (including area effect). 
  Anyone using CS should check prevailing winds. A breeze in 
  the wrong direction could be disasterous. 
  MKJA2 Offensive Hand Grenade 
  Weight: 15.6 oz (447 ) 
  Blast Radius: 75ft (22.9m) 
  Size: 5.3 inches Cylindrical (136mm) 
  M591M68 Hand Grenade, Impact Fragmentation 
  Weight: 14 oz (396gms) 
  Blast Radius: 40ft (l2.2m) 
  Size: 2.5 inches Diameter (63.5mm) 
  Notes: This grenade didn't have a timer fuse like the delay 
  fragmentation type, instead it explodes on impact. 
  M261M61 Hand Grenade, Delay Fragmentation 
  Weight: 1.71bs (.8kg) 
  Blast Radius: 40ft (l2.2m) 
  Size: 2.25 inches diameter (60mm) 
  M331M67 Hand Grenade, Delay Fragmentation 
  Weight: 14 oz (396gms) 
  Blast Radius: 40ft (12.2m) 
  Size: 2.5 inches (63.4mm) 
  THE .s:4ME 8MIC 
  $TYLf OFCIWI$T£R 15 
  VSEO FOR SMOK' ANO 
  INCENOIARY HMO 
  C.AENAo£r. 
  M-8 White Smoke Hand Grenade 
  M-18 Colored (green, yellow or violet) 
  Smoke Hand Grenade. 
  Weight: 24 oz (.7kg) 
  Duration: 90-150 seconds - smoke 
  Size: 5.7 inches Cylindrical 
  Notes: These grenades were usually used either as conceal­
  ment from enemy fire (usually white) or as signals. Teams usu­
  ally prearranged color signals for Medivac or Support Fire. 
  Occasionally this could be very dangerous, as in the case of the 
  59 
  
  Explosive Damage Table 
  Explosive Damage From Rockets, LAW, Recoilless Rifles, & Anti-Tank Weapons 
  The following table is provided for determining damage or death from various types of artillery strikes. Real life damage and blast 
  radius are actually greater than this table shows. 
  Using the Explosive Damage Table: First determine the blast radius of a particular weapon, this is the line of damage done. Sec­
  ond, ascertain one's distance from blast center. The further away from the blast, the less damage (if any) is done. 
  Target's Proximity to Blast (in feet) 
  1-15 
  16-50 
  51-80 
  81-100 
  101-150 
  151-200 
  Weapon 
  Blast Radius 
  50 feet 
  lD100+75 
  IDIOO 
  80 feet 
  Fatal 
  IDIOO+50 
  IDIOO 
  100feet 
  Fatal 
  Fatal 
  lDIOO+25 
  IDIOO 
  150 feet 
  Gone 
  Fatal 
  Fatal 
  lDIOO+25 
  lDIOO 
  lDlO 
  200 feet 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Fatal 
  Fatal 
  I DlOO+25 
  lDIOO 
  250feet 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Fatal 
  lDIOO+25 
  Nuclear 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Gone 
  Note: Ifan anti-aircraft missile hits an aircraft there is a 30% chance of destroying it, otherwise it disables the plane. 
  Anti-Tank Weapons and Recoilless Rifles 
  The term "rifle" is somewhat misleading. Actually the weap­
  ons looked more like bazookas or artillery pieces and fired large 
  shells. Note: Use the Explosive Damage Table to determine 
  damage unless otherwise stated (such as, use grenade table). 
  3.5 In M20 Rocket Launcher 
  M-20 3.5" Rocket Launcher 
  Weight: 121bs (5.4kg) (front and rear tubes), 91bs (rocket) 
  Length: 61 inches (1549mm) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 3600ft (1200m) 
  Blast Radius: 50ft (15m) (see Explosive Damage) 
  Mercenary Price: $450 
  Notes: Called the "Super Bazooka," it was obsolete in 'Nam; 
  too heavy and not very high powered. Designed as an antitank 
  weapon, but sometimes used against bunkers. 
  60 
  
  M-72, 66mm Light Antitank Weapon (LAW) 
  Weight: 5.21bs (2.6kg) 
  Size: 35 inches (889mm) (extended) 
  Feed: Single shot and discard 
  Maximum Effective Range: IOOOft (325m) 
  Blast Radius: 100ft (30m) 
  Mercenary Price: $650 
  Notes: Light and disposable, this was a favorite weapon for 
  taking out "hardened" positions where the enemy had metal or 
  concrete protection. Against tanks it's not quite as effective, ac­
  tually killing only about 10% of the time. 
  M-67 90mm: Recoilless Rifle 
  Weight: 351bs (16kg) (unloaded) 
  Feed: Breech 
  Rate of Fire: (rapid) 10 rpm (max. of 5 rounds) - sustained rate 
  of I rpm. When firing at the rapid rate, a 15 minute cooling pe­
  riod must be observed after every 5 rounds. 
  Maximum Effective Range: 1 200ft (400m) 
  Blast Radius: 80ft (24m) 
  Mercenary Price: $800 
  Notes: This weapon looks like a bazooka or rocket launcher 
  (see antitank weapons). Fires a single antitank round. 
  XM-174 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher 
  Weight: 171bs (7.7kg) 
  Magazine: 12-round box or belt-fed 
  Rate of Fire: 300 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 3,750ft (1250m) 
  Mercenary Price: $1,500 
  Notes: Mounted 00, tripod, armored vehicle, helicopter or 
  PBR, this was essentially a portable artillery piece and incredi­
  bly effective. 
  61 
  
  ""20~ 40mHl 5EMIAlHONJATIC 
  GRENAlX LAI/NeHER MDVNTEC> 
  ON A MI"AI RIFLE. 
  Grenade Launchers 
  M-203 40mm Grenade Launcher Mounted on Rifle 
  Weight: Illbs (5kg) 
  Length: 15.6 inches (36Imm) 
  Feed: Single Shot 
  Rate of Fire: 3-5 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 150ft (350m) 
  Mercenary Price: $230 
  Notes: This was basically an M-79 installed under the barrel 
  of an M-16 Assault Rifle. A later development not commonly 
  found in 'Nam. 
  M-40Al Recoilless Rifle with Spotting .50 cal. gun 
  Weight: 460lbs (208.6kg) 
  Feed: Breech-Loaded 
  Maximum Effective Range: 2100 to 3000ft (700-JOOOm) 
  Blast Radius: 80ft (24m) 
  Size: 134 incheslll ft (3.3m) 
  Mercenary Price: $25,000 
  Notes: 
  Vehicle 
  mounted 
  weapon. 
  See 
  .50 
  caliber 
  machinegun for spotting gun information. 
  62 
  M-79 40mm Grenade Launcher 
  Damage: According to Grenade 
  Weight: 6.2lbs (2.8kg) 
  Length: 29 inches (737mm) 
  Feed: Break-open, single-shot 
  Rate of Fire: 5 to 7 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 150ft (350m) 
  Mercenary Price: $200 
  N~tes:. This is the grenadier's favorite weapon. The perfect 
  combmatlOn of area effect and reliability in a single unit. See 
  below for various rounds. 
  40mm Grenade Cartridges: 
  Packaging: There are 6 rounds in a bandoleer and 12 bando­
  leers to a box. 
  Fuses: The 40mm HE round has a fuse that isn't armed until it 
  travels about 10 feet. This means that the thing won't explode 
  until it's at least 10 feet away. Closer targets will be hit with the 
  round for4DI0 damage. 
  40mm HE (High Explosive): 20 foot blast radius (see gre­
  nade damage table). 
  40mm Smoke: Comes in white, green, red, yellow, and vio­
  let. 
  40mm Parachute Flares: Usually these were shot up at a high 
  angle. A bright flare would then drift down on a small para­
  chute. This would light up an area for up to 8 Combat Rounds. 
  40mm 
  Multiple 
  Projectile: 
  Designed 
  specifically for 
  antipersonnel. This round works something like a shotgun's 
  buckshot. Damage: 5DlO 
  
  Mortars 
  Mortars are muzzle-loaded weapons. First a tube is elevated 
  so that a round will "arc" onto the target. Firing is done by drop­
  ping the mortar round into the mouth of the barrel. When the 
  mortar round hits the bottom of the barrel, its propulsive charge 
  is detonated. It shoots out of the barrel at (relatively) slow 
  speeds and then detonates over (proximity or mechanical time 
  fuse) or when it hits (point detonating fuse) the target. 
  The major advantage of mortars is their simplicity. There are 
  no mechanical parts to break down and no complicated loading 
  procedure. Most mortars come with firing tables, a printed card 
  that tells you what elevation to set for a particular distance to the 
  target. 
  In RECON, mortars fire only once per Combat Round. 
  Mortar Rounds 
  Mortars come with a variety of charges and fuses. This is a 
  list of possible 81 mm Mortar Ammunition. Fuses can be me­
  chanical (set before firing), proximity (radar signal triggers the 
  explosive above the target), or point detonating (they go off 
  when the round hits something). 
  Slmm HE M374A2: A high explosive round with about 2 
  pounds (.9kg) of explosive. 
  Slmm WP M375A2: 725 grams of white phosphorous will 
  continue burning (and doing damage) for six Combat Rounds 
  after impact. 
  Slmm M30lA3: A parachute flare round. It will burst at 
  about 1800 feet and light up a 3000ft area for at least a minute. 
  Slmm M43Al: A target practice round. Loaded with black 
  powder, it can be used for range finding. If a target is very close 
  to friendly troops, a target round will determine whether or not 
  the next round is going to land in the right place. Pretty harmless 
  unless you get hit on the head with it. 
  e/~~ MZq 
  M-l9 60mm Mortar 
  Weight: 45.21bs (19kg) 
  Length: 32 inches (812m) 
  Feed: Muzzle-Loaded 
  Maximum Effective Range: 4700ft (1600m) 
  Minimum Range: 150ft (45m) 
  Blast Radius: 50ft (15.2m) 
  Mercenary Price: $3,500, $17 per round. 
  Notes: A portable mortar that can be disassembled into three, 
  fairly light sections. High explosive, white phosphorous, smoke 
  and parachute flare rounds are available. 
  M-29 Slmm Mortar 
  Weight: 1321bs (59kg) 
  Length: 45.5 inches (1140mm) 
  Feed: Muzzle-Loaded 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 0,800ft (3600m) 
  Minimum Range: 60ft (18m) 
  Blast Radius: 80ft (24.4m) 
  Mercenary Price: $4,200, $25 per round 
  Notes: Although heavy, the M-29 could be disassembled and 
  carried into the field by a three man team. Rate of fire varies ac­
  cording to the type of ammunition. 
  63 
  
  M-30 4.2" Mortar 
  Weight: 672lbs (30Ikg) 
  Length: 60 inches (I 524nun) 
  Feed: Muzzle-Loaded 
  Rate of Fire: 20 rpm or 5 rpm (sustained) 
  Maximum Effective Range: HE: 12,OOOft (4000m); Smoke: 
  9000ft (3000m) 
  Minimum Range: I 500ft (500m) 
  Blast Radius: 100ft (30m) 
  Notes: Must be vehicle transported. 4.2" equals I07mm. 
  However, 105mm artillery rounds weigh two to three times 
  as much as 107mm mortar rounds. 
  Incendiary Weapons 
  The use of fire has always been popular in U.S. wars. Clear­
  ing enemy bunkers with flamethrowers or incendiary grenades 
  is very effective. RECON rules allow for only I shot per Com­
  bat Round with incendiaries. 
  M-4 Incendiary Burster in Phousgas Barrel 
  Damage: 5010 per Combat Round of contact. Bums for 12 
  combat rounds 
  Weight: 2.251bs (lkg) for detonator. Gas container size and 
  weight varies. 
  Effective Casualty Radius: 5 gallon container: 120ft (35m) 
  55 gallon container: 285ft (85m) 
  Notes: This is actually a defensive booby trap weapon. Bar­
  rels ofphousgas (or 'foogas') would be set up around the perim­
  eter of the base. With a tripwire or remote firing, the barrel 
  could be detonated, scattering burning jellied gas in a wide area. 
  M-2Al-7 Portable Flamethrower 
  Damage: 50 I 0 plus ignition of all combustible material. 
  Weight: 42.51bs (19kg) 
  Feed: Manual 
  Maximum Effective Range: 70ft (20m), 150ft (45m) thick­
  ened. 
  Notes: With a solid stream of fire, a soldier could clear out 
  an entire enemy machinegun nest. In confined spaces (inside a 
  bunker, foxhole or building), everyone in the target area is 
  equally affected. 
  AN-M14 TH3 Incendiary Hand Grenade 
  Damage: up to 12 feet from impact -
  I D I 00+20 per CR, 12 to 
  24 feet away -
  lDIOO, 24 to 36 feet away -
  3DIO, 36 to 120 
  feet away -
  (IDIO). Bums for 6 combat rounds. 
  Weight: 24 ounces (.9kg) 
  Time Delay Fuse: 4 to 5 seconds 
  Effective Casualty Radius: lethal up to 60 feet (18m), danger­
  ous to 120ft (36m). 
  Mercenary Cost: $7.00 
  Notes: This was one of the most dangerous weapons in 
  'Nam. Not just for the enemy, it was difficult or impossible to 
  throw it far enough to avoid getting hit with fragments. 
  Napalm 
  Damage: I D I 00+50 per Combat Round of contact. 
  Notes: This is a Tactical Air weapon used in support of 
  ground troops in Southern 'Nam. Canisters containing 125 gal­
  lons ofjellied gas were dropped on enemy locations. The canis­
  ters ignite on impact, consuming oxygen and choking or burning 
  troops. A single canister could spread over an area 300 feet long 
  (90m). 
  Booby Traps and Explosives 
  'Nam was a war for control of territory. And it's cheaper and 
  easier to control territory with mines and booby traps than with 
  soldiers and guns. Both sides used tripwire explosives and 
  mines in an attempt at keeping the other side out of their turf. 
  Note that some of the U.S. mines were not developed until late 
  in the war. 
  , . "­
  Mi)l.OTOY cOCKTAIL 
  J1 A HAN()·/I1AP£ YOUTJU 
  MIXTlIRE WfTHA CL(nH 
  WICt<. 
  Molotov Cocktail 
  Range Thrown: 30ft (9m) 
  Damage: up to 12ft area,2D 10. Bums for 4 Combat Rounds. 
  u.s. Mines 
  M-14 Blast Antipersonnel Mine 
  Damage: 20 lOon immediate target 
  Weight: 3.30z (90gms) 
  Notes: Designed to penetrate a boot or tire and do localized 
  damage. Not usually a killing weapon. It looks like a car's dis­
  tributor cap, round and plastic. 
  M49Al Trip Flare 
  Weight: 20z (56gms) 
  Notes: This is really a signal trap that startles the enemy and 
  reveals their position. The flare bums for 55 to 70 seconds, illu­
  64 
  
  minating a radius of 600 feet. Set with trip wire. Does no dam­
  age. 
  M-16 Bounding Antipersonnel Mine 
  Weight: 81bs (3.6kg) 
  Blast Radius: 40ft (13m) (sec Grenade Damage) 
  Mercenary Price: $95 
  Notes: Once buried, this unit is sensitive to 8-201bs push or 
  3-8 pull (using tripwire). Bounds into the air to 204ft, then ex­
  plodes. 
  M-15 Heavy Metallic Antitank Mine 
  Weight: 30lbs (l3.6kg) 
  Blast Radius: 200ft (60m) (see Explosive Damage) 
  Notes: A classic land mine, it looks like a fat dinner plate 
  about 13 inches in diameter and 5 inches high. A pressure of 
  300 to 400lbs (180kg) is needed to set it off. It's very simple to 
  set up or remove. 
  M-21 Metallic (Killer) Antitank Mine 
  Weight: 181bs (8kg) 
  Blast Radius: 150ft (l30kg) (see Explosive Damage) 
  Notes: Another antitank mine, 290lbs of pressure is needed 
  to set it off. The trigger is also sensitive to tilt, so that a heavy 
  vehicle up to three feet away will also set it off. 
  M-18Al Fragmentation Antipersonnel Mine - Claymore 
  Weight: 3.51bs (1.6kg) 
  Blast Radius: up to 150ft (45m) (Explosive Damage) in front 
  arc and up to 40ft (l2.2m) (Grenade Damage) in back. 
  Mercenary Price: $120 
  Note: This is intended to be "live fired," set off by a soldier 
  watching the area. It comes with firing wire and detonator. The 
  front of the claymore throws out 700 metal balls in a deadly ex­
  plosion. It's about the size of a paperback book, slightly curved, 
  and with "Front Toward Enemy" clearly marked on it. A fa­
  vorite VC tactic was to sneak up on a claymore at night and turn 
  it around. The next day they'd show themselves and the U.S 
  troops would blow themselves up. 
  The M-18 Claymore comes in an M7 Bandoleer. Included are 
  instructions for use, an M-4 Electrical Blasting Cap, two rolls of 
  Insulation Tape, an M-57 Firing Device, an M-40 Test Set and 
  100ft of Electrical Firing Wire. 
  Artillery Weapons 
  Each infantry division had its own artillery battalions. Exact 
  number and type of weapons varied, but all the weapons in a 
  single battery were of the same type. Note that the ranges given 
  here can only be approximations, exact artillery ranges are clas­
  sified military secrets. Likewise, any information on nuclear 
  rounds for artillery is classified top secret. 
  M-I01Al l05mm Howitzer 
  Weight: 4980lbs (2245kg) 
  Time to Encamp: 3 minutes 
  Sustained Rate of Fire: 3 rpm (in the first minute up to 30 
  rounds could be fired) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 11,000m 
  Blast Radius: 100ft (30.5m) 
  Notes: Different versions of the 105mm varied only in how 
  they were mounted. A unit would carry 200 rounds of ammuni­
  tion for each 105mm howitzer. Every infantry division had the 
  105mm as the standard artillery piece. Ammunition rounds 
  could be high explosive, antitank, antipersonnel, flechette (see 
  Beehive below), or propaganda leaflets. 
  M-114Al 155mm Howitzer 
  Weight: 12,9501bs (5830kg) 
  Time to Emplace: 5 minutes 
  Max. first 3 min.: 12 rounds 
  Sustained Rate of Fire: I rpm 
  Blast Radius: 150ft (45m) 
  Notes: Towed, self-propelled and barge-mounted versions 
  were common. Each round weighs roughly 100lbs (45kg) and 
  150 rounds are kept with each gun. 
  M-115 203mrn (8") Howitzer 
  Weight: 3 1 ,800lbs ( 14,3 10kg) 
  Time to Emplace: 20 minutes 
  Rate of Fire: 30 rounds per hour 
  Maximum Effective Range: 16,800m 
  Blast Radius: 200ft 
  Notes: Firing 200 pound rounds, most 8" guns were self pro­
  pelled. Spotting rounds could be fired for target confirmation 
  before the real stuff pounded the area flat. Ammunition is lim­
  ited to high explosive and chemical (CS and nerve gas). 
  XM-546 Beehive Projectile 
  Damage: I D100+75 to each victim in the kill radius. 
  Size: 34 inches (840mm) 
  Kill Radius: 450ft (137m) range by 150ft (45m) wide 
  Notes: This was developed as an anti-personnel artillery 
  round. The warhead would explode, sending out 8,000 
  flechettes. Each flechette was 2.25 inches long. 
  Missiles 
  Use the Explosive Damage Table to determine damage. 
  HAWK Air Defense Missile 
  Damage: Anti-Aircraft; if it hits, there is a 30% chance of it be­
  ing destroyed, otherwise the aircraft is disabled. 
  65 
  
  Weight: I ,2951bs (585kg) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 85,000ft (26,000m) 
  Notes: HAWK missile batteries were assigned 24 units for 
  knocking down enemy aircraft. Rarely used. 
  u.s. SAM M-48 Chaparral Low-Altitude Self-Propelled 
  Combat Weight: 56,7001bs (12,600kg) 
  Length: 20ft (6.1 m) 
  Notes: Fairly rare. Used for air defense. 
  Vehicles 
  Armored Vehicles 
  M-113 Personnel Carrier 
  Weight: 24,2381bs (l0,900kg) 
  Length: 191.5 inches 
  Crew: I Max. 
  Speed: 42 mph (67kph) 
  Cruising Speed: 300 miles (482krn) 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. The un­
  derside was vulnerable to mines and the sidewalls could be eas­
  ily penetrated by antitank rockets. 
  Mercenary Price: $75,000 
  .SO CALllSRf MACJIINE GUN 
  5TANOARO MID 
  L 'fNX 
  510£ VIEW 
  Notes: Designed to carry II troops (one of whom would act 
  as gunner), often the soldiers would ride on top because of the 
  high temperature inside. Although the armor was useful against 
  small arms and frags, it would sometimes be deadly to the occu­
  pants when it contained the effect of mines and shape charges. 
  66 
  
  M-SS! Sheridan 
  Combat Weight: 35, I OOlbs (15,830kg) 
  Length: 21ft (6.2m) 
  Crew: 4 
  Max. Speed: 45 mph (70kph) (land), 3.5 mph (5.8kph) (water) 
  Max. Range: 470 miles (600km) 
  Typical 
  Armament: 
  152mm 
  gun/launcher, 
  7.62mm 
  Machinegun, .50 caliber HMO, and an 8-round smoke grenade 
  launcher. 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. The un­
  derside was initially vulnerable. Later, sand bags on the floor 
  stopped the worst problems. Eventually a layer of armor plate 
  was added to the underside. Somewhat vulnerable to anti-tank 
  rockets, only a 30% chance of survival. 
  Notes: This tank was designed to be light enough to be 
  air-portable. Because of the light armor, it wasn't particularly 
  successful. 
  M-12S 8lmm Mortar Carrier 
  Weight: 24,5271bs (II ,056kg) 
  Length: 191.5 inches (4865mm) 
  Crew: 6 
  Max. Speed: 40 mph (64kph) 
  Cruising Range: 300 miles (482kg) 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. The un­
  derside was vulnerable to mines and the sidewalls could be eas­
  ily penetrated by anti-tank rockets. 
  M-S77Al Carrier Command Post 
  Weight: 24,750lbs (I1,117kg) 
  Length: 191.5 inches (4865mm) 
  Crew: I Max. 
  Speed: 35 mph (56kph) 
  Cruising Range: 300 miles (482km) 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. The un­
  derside was vulnerable to mines and the sidewalls could be eas­
  ily penetrated by anti-tank rockets. 
  M-60 Main Battle Tank 
  Weight: 53 Tons 
  Speed: 30 mph (48kph) 
  Range: 3 \0 miles (498kph) 
  Typical Armament: 105mm gun with 63 rounds, 7.62mm 
  machinegun with 5,930 rounds, and a .50 caliber heavy with 
  900 rounds. 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. Just 
  about the heaviest armor in the war. Even direct hits with 
  anti-tank rockets or artillery fire were deflected 85% of the time. 
  Mercenary Price: $700,000 
  Notes: Although too heavy for travel in some areas, the 
  M-60 was a powerful armored fighting machine. More than a 
  match for anything in southeast Asia. 
  67 
  
  M-41A3 Walker Bulldog (Southern 'Nam) 
  Combat Weight: 52,2001bs (23,495kg) 
  Length: 27ft (8.2m) 
  Crew: 4 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. 40% 
  Max. Speed: 46 mph (72kph) 
  chance of destruction with anti-tank rockets. 
  Max. Range: 100 miles (160km) 
  Notes: Used by ARVN only. Designed as a light scout tank, 
  Typical Armament: 76mm gun with 65 rounds and 2 
  proved to be a good and reliable fighting machine. 
  machineguns. 
  M-48A3 Patton II 
  Combat Weight: 104,8201bs (47,173kg) 
  Length: 28ft (8.6m) 
  Crew: 4 
  Max. Speed: 30 mph (48.2kph) 
  Max. Range: 287 miles (463km) 
  Typical Armament: 90mm gun primary piece, 
  machinegun, and .50 caliber heavy machinegun. 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. Highly 
  resistant to mines and anti-tank rockets. Survives 65% of en­
  counters. 
  Mercenary Price: $500,000 
  Notes: The main battle tank in the 'Nam war, it was reliable 
  .30 caliber 
  even under rough terrain and climate problems. Outmatched the 
  Soviet in every conflict. 
  68 
  
  Transport Vehicles 
  Max. Speed: 56 mph (891 kph) 
  Cruising Range: 350 miles (562km) 
  The basic way of moving stuff around in 'Nam was by truck. 
  Convoy duty meant riding "shotgun" as trucks moved through 
  potential ambush and mine areas. A large variety of cars and 
  trucks were in service, many just standard Detroit models. 
  .25 Ton Truck, Utility Jeep 
  Weight: 3,600lbs (1620kg) 
  Length: 133 inches 
  Max. Speed: 65 mph (100 kmph) 
  Cruising Range: 300 miles (482km) 
  Notes: The classic and reliable jeep served as a great way to 
  move small cargo and personnel in safe areas. 
  2.5 Ton M-35 Truck, Cargo 
  Weight: 13,4251bs (6030kg) 
  Length: 264.5 inches 
  Notes: Although rated for 2.5 tons (5,000lbs), up to twice as 
  much could be loaded. 
  5 Ton M-816 Wrecker 
  Weight: 36, 100Ibs (16,245kg) 
  Length: 356 inches 
  Crew: 2 
  Max. Speed: 52 mph (83kph) 
  Cruising Range: 350 miles (562km) 
  M-88 Truck, Recovery Vehicle 
  Weight: 110,000lbs (49,500kg) 
  Length: 325.5 inches 
  Crew: 4 
  Max. Speed: 31 mph (49kph) 
  Cruising Range: 222 miles (356km) 
  Combat on the Waves 
  Ocean Craft 
  "Point" Class Coastal Patrol Boats 
  Battleship New Jersey, BB-64 
  Weight: 45,000 tons 
  Crew: 1,500 
  Armament: Nine 16" (406mm) guns, 20 I 27mm anti-aircraft 
  guns. 
  Notes: Retired after W.W. II. The 16" guns, mounted in bat­
  teries of 3, could fire 2 rounds per minute and had a range of 
  39,000 meters (almost 24 miles)! Used for off shore fire support 
  during the war. 
  Historical Note: During the recent Malvinas (Falkland) Is­
  land conflict it was demonstrated that modem missiles make 
  heavy armor useful again. Since then, a number of older, W.W. 
  II vintage ships have been restored to service. 
  Frigates 
  Weight: Roughly 1,500-2,000 tons 
  Crew: 150 man crew 
  Fuel: 300-400 tons 
  Typical Armament: 76mm anti-aircraft gun; a variety of other 
  weapon systems possible. 
  Notes: This is the 3rd World's version of a major navy ves­
  sel. Price, roughly $150 million. 
  Minesweepers (MSC class) 
  Weight: 350-400 tons 
  Crew: 45 
  Armament: Two 20mm anti-aircraft guns. 
  Notes: An essential element of any modem navy. Used to 
  clear underwater mines from harbors, channels, etc. Mine­
  sweepers are almost always mine-layers as well. 
  Weight: 64 tons 
  Crew: lOman crew 
  Armament: 12.7mm machinegun and 81 mm mortar. 
  Notes: Common among Stateside and Southern 'Nam navy 
  forces. Used as coastal patrol boats a\l over the third world. 
  Guided Missile Boat - OSA 1 
  Weight: 190 tons 
  Armament: 4 30mm anti-aircraft guns, 4 SS-N-2 Styx Missiles 
  (10 mile range, conventional 900 pound warhead). Notes: Pro­
  vided by the Soviets to Third World allies. They are good listen­
  ers, having heavy radar and sonar. All Big Red and her allies 
  use these versatile ocean-going attack/surveillance vessels. 
  River Craft 
  Note: Armaments are equivalents to those listed under heli­
  copters. 
  Assault Support Patrol Boats 
  Weight: 29 tons 
  Crew: 6 
  Armament: Twin .50 cal. machineguns amidship, 20mm bow 
  anti-aircraft gun, 81 mm aft mortar. 
  Notes: Used to support land actions. Over 80 in Southern 
  'Nam Navy. 
  "Swift" Class Patrol Boats 
  Weight: 16 tons 
  Crew: 6 
  Armament: Two 12.7mm machineguns and 81 mm mortar. 
  Notes: A speedy, reliable patrol boat. Over 100 in 
  South-Nam Navy. 
  69 
  
  RAtJAR 
  (PBR) THE PATROL BOg RIVER 
  .SO CALIBER MACHINE. GUN 
  .50 CALIBER MJIO//NE GliAl 
  PBR (Patrol Boat, River) 
  Weight: 18 tons 
  Crew: 5 
  Armament: Twin .50 bow machineguns, .50 aft machinegun, 
  grenade launcher. 
  Notes: These were specifically designed to handle the shal­
  low draft of the intricate delta river network. Almost 300 in the 
  Southern 'Nam Navy. Roughly $500,000 for mercenaries. 
  COXS'N 
  GRENACE 
  L.AU NCHE~----I 
  Crew: 8 
  Armament: .50 Cal. machinegun and 7.7mm machinegun. 
  Notes: 40 still in Southern 'Nam. This is an earlier version of 
  the U.S. PBRs. Still found in many fonner French colonies. 
  x M-60 
  STCAMIFOM (French PBRs) 
  Weight: 14 tons 
  70 
  
  RPC (River Patrol Craft) 
  Weight: 12 tons 
  Armament: Four .50 cal. machineguns. 
  THE .5KS' IlJR CC/SHION /I'£HICL£ 
  TWO 
  .sO-CAL/BC_~R'~_~~~liiYii~
  N\IICHIN£ GUNS 
  "" 
  .::.: 
  ' 
  .:: : 
  SK5 Air Cushion Vehicle 
  Weight: 15 tons 
  Crew: 4 
  Passengers: 20 
  Armament: Two .50 Cal. Machineguns, 40mm Grenade 
  Launcher. 
  Notes: This was absolutely the fastest thing on the rivers in 
  'Nam. 
  Air Boats 
  Weight: 1 ton 
  Crew: lor 2 
  Armament: Hand-held weapons 
  Notes: This was used in shallow waters by Special Forces. 
  Propulsion was provided by a huge fan mounted above the wa­
  ter. This is the same type of craft used in the Florida Everglades. 
  LCM Monitors 
  Weight: 75 tons 
  Crew: 11 
  THE LCM MONITOR 
  .SOCAL/BER 
  MACHINE GUN TURRET 
  GRILL WORK OF 
  STEfL BAR! FOR AOOEO 
  PROTEcrIOtll~ 
  ~ 
  Armament: 40mm bow cannon, 20mm aft cannon, two side 
  turrets with .50 cal. machineguns. Four 7.62mm machineguns, 
  two grenade launchers. 
  Notes: A massive grille work of steel bars gave this boat ex­
  tra protection from enemy shells . 
  8 1 ""~ MOF<TAR GUN 
  ;: 
  40",,,,, CANNON AND 
  TWO .50 CALIBER 
  MAo/lNE Gc/N.f 
  71 
  
  Use of helicopters where air superiority is not established is 
  just plain stupid. Helicopters are terrific against ground troops, 
  they are unbeatable as anti-tank weapons. They are dead meat 
  against fighter aircraft. 
  Do you wonder about a chopper versus chopper fight? It 
  would go something like this: choppers come in range, choppers 
  fire rockets, choppers (all the choppers) crash and bum. End of 
  chopper versus chopper fight. 
  How to Fly a Helicopter 
  First off, flying a helicopter takes two hands, two feet, as 
  many fingers as you can spare, and an extra hand if you've got 
  one. The foot pedals are the direction controls for right and left; 
  because a helicopter is constantly pulling to the right you've got 
  to be pushing these pedals constantly. With your right hand you 
  control the Cyclic Control (or joy) Stick which also has buttons 
  for microphone, hoist, force trim, armament fire and cargo re­
  lease. With your left hand you control the Collective Pitch Con­
  trol Lever which also has buttons for lights, engine idle, 
  collective pitch control friction, power control throttle, power 
  control friction adjuster, governor RPM increase/decrease, and 
  the starter ignition. People with third arms can try using the 
  other chopper controls. 
  Why all the complicated controls? Think about what a chop­
  per is. It's an engine with a large propeller attached to one end 
  and nothing on the other end. Just naturally the whole thing 
  wants to start turning. Then other forces like torque, aerody­
  namic lift, and wind, buffet the craft in a dozen different ways. 
  Routine Helicopter Skills 
  Evaluating landing sites: You have to know within an inch 
  whether the clearing is big enough for your chopper blades. That 
  means you can tell/measure, by eyeball alone, the exact size of a 
  72 
  I?/GJ.fT I-IAND 
  HOIST SWITC II 
  ~ORCE TRIM SWITCH 
  MICROPHOIVE 
  /ARMAIYltNT 
  TRIG6ER.., 
  FIRE CONTROL 
  5WITCH~ ~ 
  /SWITCH 
  landing zone. Most Hueys have rotors that measure 48 feet from 
  tip to tip; that means the LZ has to be at least 48 feet in diame­
  ter. 
  Huey Shuffie: This is a tail wagging movement designed to 
  distract enemy gunners. 
  Stationary Hover: It takes a few months of practice, but he­
  licopter pilots can keep their choppers pretty much motionless. 
  Not moving up/down, right/left, or forwardlback is actually 
  much harder than it looks. At full load, the chopper starts losing 
  rpm and will eventually sink. 
  Helicopter Stunts 
  Formation Flying: Flying in formation with other helicop­
  ters with one helicopters distance between each is a standard 
  skill. Flying in formation with tips touching or overlaping takes 
  a little more, roll under agility (AG). Night formation flying 
  means you want to be close enough to see the instrument lights 
  in the other guy's cockpit. 
  Overload Take-off: It takes lots of experience, a bit of skill, 
  and even some luck to take-off with greater than maximum load. 
  Basically you've got to make some really tight circles and even­
  tually speed your way up. From full to 50% overloaded. Roll 
  under AG. 
  Emergency Landing: It's called auto rotation and it means 
  setting up the chopper so that the blades keep moving while the 
  chopper sinks. It won't work if you do not have any forward 
  motion (another good reason why you don't just sit and hover). 
  If you fail, the chopper becomes an inert fall ing object. Roll un­
  der AG. 
  
  Making your own LZ: Sometimes there's just not a big 
  enough hole in the forest of jungle canopy. Your rotor blades 
  are 21 inches wide, weighted at the ends and moving at several 
  hundred rpm. In other words, they make great lawn clippers. So 
  long as you don't hit anything too big, then the blades come ofT. 
  Dying at that point is a matter of getting your head sliced ofT by 
  the loose rotors or crashing and burning in a dead chopper. No 
  agility roll necessary, just dumb luck. The MD rolls I D 100 on a 
  15 or less a large branch was a bit too large. 
  Passing between obstacles: Remember the 48 foot diameter 
  width of the chopper blades? Well sometimes you can pass 
  through a gap as small as 25 feet. Let's say you're heading to­
  ward a pair of telephone poles 30 feet apart. Just lean the chop­
  per to the side and angle between them. Roll under AG. 
  Hitting with Chopper Weapons 
  A helicopter gunship makes a great weapon platform. If you 
  just hover and fire, you can hit anything with no penalties, or 
  modifiers. 
  The problem is that if you just hover, you become the 
  world's best aerial target. With next to no armor, this is not 
  smart. 
  Firing from flying helicopters is also different for door gun­
  ners than for pilots. The pilot has to watch where he's going. 
  The door gunner can concentrate on the ground target. 
  Pilot Fire Modifiers: 
  -10 for each IOmph of speed ('cause he's going fast). 
  -10 for each 100 feet of altitude ('cause he's far away). 
  Door Gunner Fire Modifiers: 
  -5 for each 10mph of speed. 
  -5 for each 100 feet of altitude. 
  A couple of further notes on Helicopter weapons. For rockets 
  and grenade launchers, area effect weapons, roIl for distance 
  from target even on misses. (See Explosive Damage Table un­
  der artillery). All helicopter machineguns and miniguns can be 
  rolJed 7 times per melee. 
  Helicopters 
  'Nam, more than anything else, was a helicopter war. Part of 
  the reason for that was the failure of the U.S. Air Force to ade­
  quately supply close support for troops in the field . The Air 
  Force would not build the kind of slow, low-altitude planes nec­
  essary for the mission. Air Force officials also prohibited the 
  Army from putting armaments on their fixed wing aircraft. The 
  net result was that the Army was forced to find some form of 
  close support craft. They found their answer in helicopters. 
  The variety of weapons available for helicopters is described 
  at the end of this section. 
  About fuel; a helicopter typically carries 1200 pounds of fuel. 
  And that only lasts for a couple of hours. The helicopters in 
  'Nam were great for putting troops in the field, for gunship sup­
  port, for evacuating the wounded and for retrieving men. How­
  ever, it was all done at the cost of a huge support network. 
  Long-range missions were usually beyond the abilities of 'Nam 
  helicopters. 
  UH-IA Huey 
  Length: 53ft (16m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,0201bs (1800kg) 
  Payload: 2, 1751bs (952kg) 
  Cruising Speed; 127 mph (203kph) 
  Rate of Climb: I ,745ft/min. (524m) 
  Range: 248 miles (400km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $219,000 
  Notes First delivered in 1959, it was used to transport per­
  sonnel as well as supplies and equipment. Basically the proto­
  type for all of the UH choppers to follow. 
  73 
  
  UH-/B HUEY 
  UH -/8 TOP VIEW 
  FRONT VIEW 
  UH-IB Huey 
  Length: 53ft (l6m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,600lbs (2070kg) 
  Payload: 2,7041bs (l215kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 104 mph (l67kph) 
  Rate of Climb: 1,850ft/min. (564m) 
  Range: 208 miles (334km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $300,000 
  M5 '10"",.. GRENADE LAUNCHER 
  Launcher), then with the M-21 system (two M-134 six-barrelled 
  7.62mm Miniguns, two M-158 Rocket pods). When used as a 
  "slick" (troop carrier) two machineguns were suspended on 
  bungi straps and fired by the crew chief and door gunner. 
  This was the basic Iroquois and all other models followed its 
  Notes: Entered service in March of 1964 and was used as a 
  basic design. Versions of the UH-I are used in Australia, Aus­
  transport and aerial weapon craft. In 'Nam the UH-I B was 
  tria, Colombia, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Spain and 
  heavily armed, first with the M-5 system (M-75 40mm Grenade 
  Thailand. 196 were left abandoned in Vietnam. 
  74 
  
  XM3 ROCKET LAUNCHER 
  UH-IC HUEY 
  U5ED TO SUPPO!?T GROUND TROOPS, EVAC ulff! WOIINDEI?, 
  TRANSPOIIT GROUND TROOPS AND SUPPLIES. 
  FIRST DEL/VE!?£D TO VIETNAM 1%5. 
  M5' "'10"""" GRENADE LAUIIIC.HER 
  ____ ALSO CALLED " TIIIIMPER" AS" A R£.SULT 
  OF IT'S 
  DlmNCTIVE .sOUND. 
  X 1\113 
  ~OCKeT ARMAMENT SuasYSTEN\ 
  WHICH HAl) TWO 24-TIlBE 2 . 75 INCH rOLDING­
  UH·IC 
  Length: 53ft (16m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,830lbs (2 I 60kg) 
  Payload: 4,500lbs (2029kg) 
  Cruising Speed; 127 mph (203kph) 
  Range: 314 miles (504km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $200,000 
  Notes: First delivered in 1965. Marine assault support and 
  rescue helicopter. First introduced to the war in 1963 with the 
  same basic airframe as the Band C models, but with a hoist 
  housing on the cabin roof. 
  UH·ID Huey 
  Length: 57 feet (17m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,900 I bs (2209kg) 
  Payload: 3, 1161bs (1395kg) 
  Cruising Speed; 127 mph (203kph) 
  Range: 296 miles (480km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $220,000 
  Notes: Starting in 1963, this large tactical transport helicop­
  ter was used for up to II troops, cargo or support. 
  These helicopters are in service in Argentina, Australia, 
  Brazil, Chile, Israel, Laos, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, 
  Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela, West Germany and Yugoslavia. 
  FiN ROCKET LAUNC.HER PODS. 
  THE UH-IB ANI) UH-IC HELICOPTERS 
  COULD BOTH USE THIS ClIREC.T FIR£. AREA WEAPON. 
  UH·IE 
  Length: 53ft (16m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,750lbs (2137kg) 
  Payload: 4,OOOlbs (1800kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 110 mph (I 76kph) 
  Range: 300 miles (482km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $250,000 
  UH·IF Huey 
  Length: 53ft (16m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,600lbs (2070kg) 
  Payload: 2,7041bs (1215kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 100 mph (160kph) 
  Rate of Climb: 1600ftlmin. (488m) 
  Range: 300 miles (482krn) 
  Mercenary Cost: $275,000 
  Notes: An Air Force model with a General Electric T58-3 
  engine, an exhaust pipe and larger blades. 
  75 
  
  UH-/H HUEY 
  "LIGHTNING BUc;," .s€ARf:l.ILlGJ.rT ANI) 
  .SO CALIBER MK.HINE GUN 
  UH-IH Huey 
  Length: 57ft (17m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,900lbs (2205kg) 
  Payload: 3,I161bs (I 395kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 127 mph (203kph) 
  Range: 314 miles (406km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $344,000 
  Notes: Featuring a more powerful engine than earlier mod­
  els, it was otherwise the same as the UH-I D. By April 1969 
  some 2,202 UH choppers were serving in 'Nam. The chopper 
  pilots greatly preferred the UH-I H because of its extra (unoffi­
  cial) power. 
  This helicopter is used in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Can­
  ada, Cambodia, Chile, EI Salvador, Ethiopia, Greece, Japan, 
  New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and Venezuela. 625 
  were left behind in 'Nam by Stateside. 
  UH-IM Huey 
  Length: 58ft (17m) 
  Basic Weight: 4,7501bs (2137kg) 
  Payload: 3100lbs (I 395kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 126 mph (20 I kph) 
  Rate of Climb: I ,750ft (533m) 
  Range: 248 miles (40Ikm) 
  Notes: This was a modification using the infant remote and 
  direct view, image intensifier, surveillance systems. 
  AH-IG Huey Cobra 
  Length: 53ft (16m) 
  Basic Weight: 8,4041bs (3780kg) 
  Payload: 2,500lbs (1125kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 138 mph (225kph) 
  Rate of Climb: No data 
  Range: 359 miles (578km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $1,500,000 
  Notes: By July 1969 there were 441 Cobras active in 'Nam. 
  A typical 'Snake' was armed with a 40mm grenade launcher, 
  XM3 48-tube 2.75" rocket pod system, and two M-60 
  machineguns. Updated versions of the Cobra are available to 
  small nations and mercenaries for $1,700,000 each. These gen­
  erally have Norocarmor for the crew seats and sides, 2 M-18 
  Minigun pods, 2 M-157 rocket pods, a special turret-mounted 
  M-29 40mm grenade launcher and a Vulcan six-barreled 20mm 
  cannon. 
  20 Cobras were transferred to Spain, 12 to Israel, and 66 
  were left abandoned in Vietnam. These included 30 which were 
  still unassembled in their packing crates. 
  76 
  
  AH-IG HUEY COBRA 
  XMZS 
  StJBSYSTEM WITH A 
  XMI3"t MINIGVN 
  AND 
  \ 
  "fO"""" M7S 
  GFI.£NAO£ LAIJNCHER 
  n 
  
  --------
  THE CH'47 CHINOOK 
  CH-47 Chinook 
  Length: 98ft (29.5m) 
  Basic Weight: 18,500lbs (8325kg) 
  Payload: 1O,1141bs (4545kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 189 mph (300kph) 
  Range: 230 miles (360km) fully loaded 
  Mercenary Cost: $6.32 million 
  Notes: A large transport cargo ship that could handle up to 
  33 troops. 
  These helicopters are used in Australia, Canada, Iran, Israel, 
  Italy, Libya, Spain and Thailand. In 'Nam, Stateside abandoned 
  85 CH-47s. 
  I 
  / 
  I 
  OH-58 Kiowa 
  Length: 41 ft (12m) 
  Cruising Speed: 140 mph (224kph) 
  Basic Weight: 1,700lbs (765kg) 
  Range: 388 miles (622kph) 
  Payload: I ,300lbs (585kg) 
  Mercenary Cost: $233,333 
  OH-S9 KIOWA (ARMY VERSION) 
  THE NAVY VERSION 15 CALLED TH£ TH-S7 JET RANGER.
  Notes: Heavily used in combat for scout platoons. These he­
  USED FOR. CONWIANO AN()
  licopters are used in Argentina, Austria, Morocco, Peru and 
  CONTROL, OBSER.VATION AN!) TRANSPORTMIOIV 
  Spain. 
  78 
  OH- hA CAYUS~ (LOACW) 
  A LIGHT OBSERVATION J.lELICOPTER 
  OH-6A Cayuse (Loach) 
  Length: 30ft (9m) 
  Basic Weight: I, 160lbs (519kg) 
  Payload: 930lbs (415kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 150 mph (240kph) 
  Range: 380 miles (610km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $450,000 
  Notes: Light observation helicopter first del ivered in 1966. 
  By 1969 the army had 635 in 'Nam. The OH-6 provided the 
  scout platoon of cavalry with air reconnaissance. Typically 
  armed with 40mm grenade launcher and a 7.62mm minigun. 
  
  H-21 Shawnee 
  Weight: 13,5001bs 
  Speed: 127 mph 
  Range: 450 miles 
  Capacity: 2,5001bs of cargo, 20 combat troops or 12 casualty 
  litters. 
  THE HZI SHAWNEE 
  TRANSPORT 
  OH-23 Raven 
  Length: 41ft (l2.5m) 
  Basic Weight: 1,821lbs (810kg) 
  Payload: 8511bs (383kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 90 mph (l44kph) 
  Rate of Climb: No data 
  Range: 439 miles (707km) 
  Mercenary Cost: $90,000 
  Notes: First delivered in 1955 and used for light observation. 
  The same helicopter seen in older television shows (in The Pris­
  oner, for example). A cheap, easy to find and expendable vehi­
  cle. Different versions are in use in Canada, Columbia, 
  Thailand, and the United Kingdom. 
  CH-34C Choctaw 
  Length: 65ft (19m) 
  Basic Weight: 7,800lbs (351 Okg) 
  Payload: 2, 1751bs (976kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 115 mph (I 84kph) 
  Range: 325 miles (522krn) 
  Mercenary Cost: $125,000 
  Notes: This was used to transport cargo and personnel. First 
  delivered in 1955, it could carry up to 18 soldiers. These heli­
  copters are used in Brazil, Central African Republic, Chad, 
  Chile, France, Haiti, Israel, Laos, Phillipines, South Vietnam, 
  Taiwan, Thailand, and West Germany. 
  CH-54 Sky Crane 
  Length: 77ft (23m) 
  Basic Weight: 20,650lbs (9290kg) 
  Payload: 20,OOOlbs (9000kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 126 mph (201kph) 
  Range: 230 miles (369km) 
  Notes: This strange-looking chopper was designed to carry 
  the payload externally. Using the hoist mechanism it could lift a 
  tank or other heavy object. The Airmobile Surgical Center Pod 
  was specifically assigned for Sky Crane transport. The Surgical 
  Center was transported, deflated, then inflated until it was large 
  enough to hold 14 people and support 4 operations at the same 
  time. The surgical center pod weighed two tons and was 30ft 
  (9m) long. 
  79 
  
  Helicopter Armament Systems 
  HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant" 
  Length: 81 ft (25m) 
  Basic Weight: 22,0501bs (9920kg) 
  Payload: 5,000lbs (2250kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 162 mph (265kph) 
  Range: 465 miles (748km) 
  Notes: A large helicopter with long range and plenty of lift. 
  It was used mostly for recovery and rescue operations. 
  GIANT")
  SIKORSKY HH-:7E ('":TDLLY GIUEN 
  UH-190 Chickasaw 
  Length: 62ft (I8.9m) 
  Basic Weight: 5,650 I bs (2542kg) 
  Payload: 844lbs (3f'2kg) 
  Cruising Speed; 112 mph (I80kph) 
  Range: 360 miles (578km) 
  Notes: First delivered in 1950 and used as a utility helicopter 
  for cargo and up to ten soldiers. Used by all branches of the U.S. 
  military. 26 countries abroad also use the Chickasaw, these in­
  clude: Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Israel, Pakistan, Spain and 
  Turkey. 
  Virtually any of the following systems could be used on any 
  helicopter. The weapons were usually identical to the annored 
  vehicle, PBR or infantry version. However, because of the dif­
  ference in control devices (a chopper pilot uses a joystick 
  whereas an infantryman directly manipulates the barrel and trig­
  ger), skill in one didn't necessarily translate over. 
  MS" "10rllN\ GRENADE LAUIIIC.HER 
  _ 
  ALSO CALLED "TJ.lUMPER" AS A RESULT 
  OF IT:J OlffiNCTIVE SOUND. 
  M-5 40mm M-75 Grenade Launcher 
  Armament: An automatic 40mm grenade launcher 
  Range: 5400ft (I 650m) 
  Rate of Fire: 230 rpm 
  Effect Radius: 20ft (see Grenade Damage) 
  Rounds Carried: 300 
  )(M2B 
  SUBSYSTEM W/Tf..I A 
  XM 13~ MIN/GI/N 
  AND 
  \ 
  qO"'Nl M7S 
  GRENAO£ LAUNCf..I£R 
  XM-28 Combined System 
  Armament: Twin 7.62mm six-barreled XM-134 machineguns 
  and two M-75 40mm automatic grenade launchers. 
  Notes: An alternative had a single XM-134 and a turret 
  mounted M-75 . This is what's known as being "anned to the 
  teeth" 
  XM-30 30mm Automatic Gun XM-140 
  Range: II ,000ft (3355m) 
  Rate of Fire: 315 rpm 
  Damage: 6DlO+20 
  Rounds Carried: 400 
  Notes: An extremely high rate of fire was accomplished by 
  using six barrels in rotation. 
  80 
  
  Notes: This system employs ammunition with a dual purpose 
  Notes: See XM-J34 and XM-3 for details on damage and 
  shaped charge, enabling it to engage both "hard" targets, such as 
  range. 
  armored vehicles and concrete bunkers, and "soft" targets such 
  as open trenches, trucks and wooden buildings, with equal effec­
  tiveness. 
  X M3 ROCKET ARMAMENT 5U135YSTEM 
  WHICH HAP TWO 
  24·TUBE 2 . 75 INCH rOLDING­
  FIN RfJCKET LAUNCHER POD5. 
  THE UH-IB AND UH-IC HELICOPTERS 
  COULD BOTH USE THIS OIREC.T FIR£. MEA WEAPON. 
  XM-3 2.75" Rocket Launcher 
  Armament: 48 tubes of2.75" rockets 
  Range: II ,250ft (343 1m) 
  Rate of Fire: 48 rounds in 12 seconds 
  Effect Area: 40ft (see Grenade Damage) 
  Notes: A large box mounted on the side of the helicopter. A 
  varying amount of rockets can be fired simultaneously. It is also 
  possible to fire all 48 at once. 
  M-2! CO-ORDINATED SYSTEM 
  M (1'f 
  7. "2,.,,., MIN/GUM 
  ANO 7·ROUNO 
  2.7<; INCH ROCKET POD 
  XM-134 7.62mm Minigun 
  Armament: Six-barreled 7.62mm minigun 
  Range: 5000ft( 1500m ) 
  Rate of Fire: 2,000-4,000 rpm 
  Damage: 4010+ 1 0 per round 
  Rounds Carried: 4,000 rounds 
  Notes: Usually mounted on the sides. An alternative is using 
  the minigun as a door gunner's weapon. 
  XM/B 7.62N1""~~~~~~ 
  MACHINE G ()N.5 ANf) 
  / 
  Z.75/NO! ROCKET POD~ 
  MO{)NT£[) ON BOTH 
  WINGS. 
  XM-18 7.62mm XM-134 Machinegun 
  M-21 Coordinated System 
  Armament: 6 barreled 7.62mm minigun (machinegun) 
  Armament: Combination ofXM-134 six-barreled 7.62mm and 
  Range 2500ft (800m) 
  a seven-tube XM-158 2.75" rocket launcher. 
  Rate of Fire: 6,000 rpm 
  Damage: 4010+10 
  81 
  
  XM-32 .50 Cal. M2 
  Range: 2500ft (800m) 
  Rate of Fire: 500-650 rpm 
  Damage: 5D I 0+ 10 
  Notes: Used as a door gunner weapon or mounted on the out­
  side. 
  M2 Dual Machinegun System 
  Armament: Twin 7.62mm machineguns 
  Range: 3,750ft (l143m) 
  Rate of Fire: 2,000/2,600 rpm 
  Damage: 4D I 0+ I 0 per round 
  Notes: When in use, the M60 machineguns will automati­
  cally disengage when their target track leads the boresight too 
  close to the aircraft itself. 6,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammo are 
  supplied. 
  XM-25 20mm Automatic Gun 
  Armament: 20mm Automatic Gun 
  Range: 3000ft (lOOOm) 
  Rate of Fire: 6,000 rpm 
  Damage: 5D I 0+ 15 per round 
  Rounds Carried; 1,200 
  "LlGHTNJNG BUG" S£ARt:f..ILlGI-rT AND 
  .SO CALIBER MALHINE GUN 
  MACHINEGUN 
  M-23 7.hZ""", MbOD 
  M-23 7.62mm M-60D 
  Armament: 7.62mm machinegun 
  Range 3,000ft (1 OOOm) 
  Rate of Fire: 550-600 rpm 
  Damage: 4DIO+IO per round 
  Rounds Carried: 600/gun 
  82 
  
  Aircraft 
  Without a doubt, the States controlled the air in the 'Nam 
  war. Only over Northern 'Nam, on their frequent strategic 
  bombing missions, did the Air Force experience difficulties. 
  Most of the successful anti-aircraft actions were performed from 
  the ground. 
  Just a note on jet aircraft. Fighter aircraft bum an immense 
  amount of fuel. The faster they go, the faster it bums. Even 
  though some of the speeds are tremendous, they represent fuel 
  consumption rates that would leave the aircraft dry in minutes. 
  AC-47 Sky train 
  Weight: 26,0001bs (II ,700kg) 
  Speed: 299 mph (480kph) 
  Range: 2,125 miles (3414km) 
  Capacity: 75001bs (3275kg) of cargo, 28 combat troops, 18 ca­
  sualty litters. 
  Maximum Overload: 74 combat troops 
  Mercenary Price: $100,000 unarmed 
  Notes: The most famous AC-47 configuration is "Puff the 
  Magic Dragon" or "Spooky." Fitted with M-134 7.62mm, 
  6-barreled Miniguns, mounted three to a side. Each gun carried 
  1500 rounds with 15,000 extra rounds aboard the aircraft. Each 
  gun fired up to 6,000 rounds per minute. This firepower would 
  be used to rip right through enemy formations, destroying whole 
  jungles full of VC or NYA. 
  AC-130H Spectre II 
  Weight: 175,0001bs 
  Speed: 384 mph 
  Range: 2,500 miles 
  Armament: Four (4) 20mm Automatic Guns, Four (4) 7.62mm 
  Mini Guns, Two (2) 40mm Automatic Guns, Two (2) IOmm 
  Guns 
  Surveillance Equipment: "Black Crow" Direction Finding Ra­
  dar, low light level television, laser target ranger, infrared detec­
  tion set, searchlights, and ECM (Electronic Counter Measure) 
  Pods mounted under the wings. 
  Notes: The combination ofgreat firepower and high sensitiv­
  ity made this the best night support aircraft in the war. In full 
  darkness it could detect enemy smuggling into the south. Unas­
  sisted, it would destroy whole convoys. The Spectre grew from 
  the need for an improved counter-insurgency gunship to replace 
  the AC-47D Dragon Ship and the AC-119K Stinger. 
  Max. Speed: 546 mph (877kph) 
  Range: 10,000 miles (16,080km) 
  Length: 156ft (46m) 
  Armament: 4 4.5mm tailguns 
  Bomb Bay: (84) 500 pound bombs (225kg) 
  External Bomb Rack: (12) 500 pound bombs (225kg) 
  Notes: Used mainly for strategic bombing of Northern 'Nam. 
  C-130 Lockheed Hercules 
  Weight: 175,000lbs (78,750kg) 
  Speed: 384 mph (616kph) 
  Range: 2,487 miles (4006km) 
  Capacity: 45,000lbs cargo, 92 combat troops, 64 paratroops or 
  74 casualties. 
  Mercenary Price: $8.825 Million 
  Notes: The main cargo plane of the war. 
  F-4 Phantom 
  Max. Weight: 51 ,400lbs (25,830kg) 
  Max. Speed: 1,450 mph (mach 2.2), but with short sprint capa­
  bility of 1,606 mph (mach 2.43) (2575kph) 
  Operational Range: 1,860 miles (2508km) 
  Attack Combat Radius: 1,000 miles (l608km) 
  Air Intercept Radius: 900 miles (1448km) 
  Armament: Six (6) AIM-7E Sparrow AAM and Four (4) 
  AIM-9DIL Sidewinder AAM, One (I) M61AI Vulcan 20mm 
  Cannon w/640 rounds. 
  Ordnance Capacity: 16,000lbs (7200kg) on fuselage and four 
  wing pylons. 
  Mercenary Cost: $2,191 Million 
  Notes: Although there were a variety of other aircraft the F-4 
  was by far the most heavily used for air to air combat. A combi­
  nation fighter-bomber, it was often given "sorties," missions for 
  a single aircraft. Crew of 2. 
  83 
  B-52 
  
  The Viet Cong and 
  North Vietnamese Army 
  Victor Charlie 
  Opposing the RECON teams in the field will be members of 
  the National Liberation Front (NLF). These guerrilla soldiers are 
  called Viet Cong or VC. Nicknames among Stateside troops 
  range from "Victor Charlie" to "Mr. Charles" and from "the 
  Cong" to "Chuck." 
  The 'Nam guerrillas and the NV A are some of the most dedi­
  cated combatants ever seen. Their morale and bravery has 
  amazed invaders from the 12th century onwards. No doubt the 
  close ties of the 'Nam people to their land has much to do with 
  their valor. Villages were more than huts and rice fields. They 
  were the religious and cultural centers of life, the places where 
  the ancestors are buried, and where one's soul longed to return. 
  VC fall into one of three categories Support Forces, Local 
  Force Units, and Main Force Units. The main allies of the VC, 
  the Northern 'Nam regular anny (NYA), were also frequent par­
  ticipants on the battlefield. 
  Support Forces are the non-combatant clerks, tax collectors, 
  medical persOlUlel and maintenance workers of the NLF anny. 
  Consider that in Stateside military units only one out of every 
  ten soldiers actually got involved in combat. Even more support 
  military personnel were out of 'Nam altogether, stationed back 
  in the States. The NLF has just as many support people, but they 
  all live in the war zone. Whole villages of apparently peaceful 
  peasants are actually the infrastructure of the NLF military. One 
  of the reasons that the Stateside forces killed so many VC was 
  because a lot of the VC killed were actually non-combatants, 
  people who were never even trained to fire a gun. Typical Sup­
  port VC have only a couple of non-weapon skills. 
  Local Force Units are the local militia of the NLF. These VC 
  are part-time soldiers who work in the fields by day. At night 
  they make booby traps, set ambushes and snipe at government 
  troops. Local Force units are poorly equipped and trained. In 
  general, these part-time guerrillas are more of a nuisance than a 
  threat to the government, but they provide intelligence and serve 
  as auxiliaries to the other VC units during large unit actions. 
  Main Force Units are full-time "hard core" guerrillas. They 
  are better trained and equipped than the Local Force units, and 
  are the backbone of the VC effort in 'Nam. Their officers are 
  excellent, being either life-long veterans (many fought against 
  the French and Japanese, with 30 years of constant war experi­
  ence) or regular Anny advisors from the NYA. At least 20% of 
  the Main Force are actually NYA soldiers who dress and act like 
  Vc. 
  84 
  
  NY A Regulars sent south to accelerate the 'Nam war are of­
  ten as well equipped as Stateside troops. They may come with 
  Tanks, Howitzers, or Surface-to-Air Missiles. More commonly, 
  they are well armed with Assault Rifles, Grenades, Mortars and 
  Anti-tank Rockets. A prime RECON team mission is to locate 
  an NY A unit and call in smoke on them (artillery or air strikes). 
  Creating the Enemy: Quick Roll NPC 
  All VC and NVA soldiers should be generated by the MD. 
  Roll at least the ST, AG and AL for each soldier. The following 
  table allows the MD to quickly roll up the MOS and skills for 
  VC. Senior officers will have from I to 6 extra grades of skill in 
  everything. 
  01-40 Guerrilla Specialist: This is the VC version of the aver­
  age 
  rifleman. 
  His 
  trammg 
  includes 
  Assault 
  Rifle 
  (Semi-Automatic or Bolt-Action in Local Force Units), 
  Climbing, Bayonet, Garrote, Grenade Throwing, Detect Am­
  bush, Detect MineslBooby Traps and Jungle Survival. He has a 
  35% base efficiency in his primary weapon. 
  41-60 Sniper: Most of the VC Sniper's training is with his 
  primary weapon. He has all the skills of a Guerrilla Specialist, 
  but has a 75% base efficiency with his sniper rifle (usually a So­
  viet SVD or SKS). 
  61-75 Mortar Specialist: This VC learns how to set-up, main­
  tain, aim and accurately fire mortars. He also has skills in Gre­
  nade Throwing, Climbing, Detect Ambush, Detect MinesIBooby 
  Traps and Jungle Survival. He has a 40% efficiency with mortar 
  and only a 15% with rifle. 
  76-90 Booby Trap Engineer: All the skills of a Guerrilla Spe­
  cialist plus the knowledge to construct, detect and disarm booby 
  traps and mines, including Stateside versions. 
  91-00 Commissar: Communist party political officer who 
  gives lectures, enforces the rules and acts as a VC intelligence 
  officer. Weapon skill is exclusively pistol, with an effectiveness 
  of25%. 
  Note: This is a quick roll system of NPC generation. The 
  MD still needs to define some of the specific skills. Also, the 
  MD will want to create other NPCs of his own design without 
  the use of this table. 
  Most VC units do not wear uniforms. They only wear their 
  civilian clothes. This can be the black "pajamas" that, in fiction, 
  so typifies the VC. The common outfit can be long sleeve or 
  short, pants or shorts. They may also be wearing western styled 
  pants and shirts. A checkered scarf is a common insignia of the 
  NLF. 
  Main Force units may wear uniforms, anything from a dark 
  navy blue outfit to stolen Stateside or ARVN fatigues. The NV A 
  mayor may not be wearing their official People's 'Nam fa­
  tigues. Many times they will simply be dressed as Vc. 
  The political indoctrination of the men and women who oper­
  ate as guerrillas began in their teens. Many hours were dedicated 
  to discussion and criticism to ensure that every soldier under­
  stood and believed in the just nature of their cause. It was cru­
  cial that appropriate motivation and individual conscience were 
  properly attuned to perpetuate the guerrilla movement. Intimida­
  tion would have been folly considering the hardships, extraordi­
  nary conditions and deprivations the guerrillas faced. 
  Collaboration and protection from villagers were necessary 
  for the guerrillas' survival. They gained the majority of their 
  strength from the rural villages which made up 85% of South 
  'Nam's population. Reprisals against villagers were rare; or­
  dered only for critical acts of collaboration with the enemy. This 
  closeness with the peasants also helped to frustrate many of the 
  humanitarian programs of the Stateside forces and undermine 
  the morale of much of the South Vietnamese Army. 
  The weapons carried by the VC varied greatly in sophistica­
  tion. Many weapons were either stolen or homemade. After 
  1966, the Chinese made, AK-47 Assault Rifle became the stan­
  dard main unit weapon. Officers usually carried the Polish K-54 
  pistol as a sidearm. 
  VC RECON® TeanlS 
  VC teams do not have the MOSs of the Stateside teams. 
  They take turns acting as Point Men, they don't carry portable 
  radios or grenade launchers (no RTOs or Grenadiers), their 
  Medics don't travel with the teams and machinegun duties are 
  shared (no Pigmen). As for the rest, Intel is taken by the Com­
  missar, Heavy Weapons are handled by the Mortar Specialist 
  and Demolitions are the job of the Booby Trap Engineer. 
  VC RECON teams can come from Support Forces, Local 
  Forces, Main Forces or NV A. Support forces will carry no 
  weapons; they pretend to be loyal civilians and often carry gov­
  ernment papers to prove it. Local Force Unit RECON teams, of­
  ten teenage girls or old men, will carry only bolt-action, 
  single-shot rifles and a few grenades. Main Forces and NV A 
  units will carry assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and 
  (20%) mortars. 
  Traveling Light: Charlie's Load 
  Nugen Ap is an NVA advisor from the north. Unlike the lo­
  cal VC (who can return to a village frequently), Nugen must 
  carry everything he needs. When he leaves on a mission he's 
  ready to spend weeks, even months, out in the field. After he 
  reaches his base in the south he will operate in the field with 
  even less equipment; just clothing, weapon and ammunition. 
  Clothing: Black silk pants and shirt. His sandals made from 
  rope and a chunk cut out of a truck tire. He carries two hats, a 
  wide straw sun hat (so he'll look just like every other farmer in 
  the daytime) and a soft khaki hat for fighting. 
  Load Bearing Equipment: In addition to his web belt, he 
  has rolled the rest of his equipment up in a piece of black cloth. 
  Once rolled into a sausage shape, he ties the two ends together 
  and wears it across his chest like a bondoleer. 
  Attached Gear: Pouches for 3 extra ammunition clips, a 
  knife and a small water bottle. 
  Rolled up in the Cloth: Mostly he carries rice. So long as he 
  can find drinkable water and edible plants, he can live for many 
  days with the 15 pounds of rice on his person. Utensils are sim­
  ple chopsticks and a bowl. Ammuntion is scarce, so he carries 
  30 loose rounds hidden in with the rice. His survival kit includes 
  tea, antiseptic, plasma kit, scissors, tape, syringe, spices and 
  herbs, and gauze. Instead of leaving it to the Medics, he carries 
  most of the medical supplies he may need. 
  85 
  
  7.(,,2 "",.,., 
  WJlIOI IS 
  SOVIET 
  Pocket Items: A small pocket diary, identification papers 
  (two sets, Northern 'Nam and Southern 'Nam citizen papers), 
  family pictures and letters. 
  Carried Items: In addition to his Kalashnikov AK-47 he 
  will also carry 40 pounds of mortar rounds from the north. No 
  matter how good a soldier he is, he must always serve the sec­
  ondary role of porter for military supplies. 
  Weapons 
  VC Issue Weapons: AK-47 (rifleman), Soviet SVO 
  (Sniper), RPG-7 (85mm Rocket), and Soviet RPK (Light 
  Machinegun). The 7.62mm Tokarev Automatic Pistol is the pri­
  mary officer's weapon. The modified French MAT 49 was also 
  a fairly common unofficial weapon. 
  Communist Pistols 
  Soviet Makarov 9mm Automatic Pistol (PM) 
  Damage: 3DlO 
  Weight: 1.51bs (.7kg) (unloaded) 
  Length: 6.3 inches (I 63mm) 
  Magazine: 8-round metal box 
  Maximum Effective Range: 162ft (48m) 
  Mercenary Price: $70 
  Notes: Found only among NY A officers in 'Nam. 
  Communist Sub-machineguns 
  7.62mm PPSh-41 Sub-machinegun 
  Damage: 30 I0 
  Weight: 81bs (3.6kg) 
  Length: 30 inches (756mm) 
  Magazine: 35-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 700 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 580ft (175m) 
  Notes: The Chinese version of this Soviet sub-machinegun is 
  the SuK-50M 7.62mm. Many were supplied to the NY A and 
  FR.ENC~ M'lT' "f'l 
  CONVEFrrED TO TAKE THE 
  .JOVIET 7. (.2 )( Z5' PISTOL. 
  CAlITftIOGE. 
  Soviet Tokarev 7.62mm, Automatic Pistol (TT-33) 
  Damage: 20 I 0 
  Weight: 1.881bs (.9kg) (unloaded) 
  Length: 7.7 inches (I91mm) 
  Magazine: Metal 8-round box 
  Maximum Effective Range: 165ft (50m) 
  Mercenary Price: $55 
  Notes: This is one of the most common pistols in the world. 
  A Chinese model, the 7.62 Type 51, is a copy of the Tokarev. A 
  second Chinese version, the Type 64, is made with a built-in si­
  lencer and is meant as an assassination specialty weapon. VC 
  officers and administrators used these weapons to intimidate lo­
  cal officials and for executing traitors. 
  K·.>O >U8 ·/lMCHINE G/J/J 
  A MODIFlW COPY OF THf 
  PP5H-'-fI. 
  VC. The VC also manufactured their own version in jungle 
  workshops. The solid butt of the Soviet original is replaced by a 
  French style, sliding wire butt stock; the barrel jacket is short­
  ened, the muzzle break is omitted, a pistol grip is added and the 
  foresight is placed on the barrel. Another version, the Type 64, 
  is designed with a built-in silencer. 
  MAT-49 Modified 9mm Sub-machinegun 
  Damage: 3DlO for7.62mm and 3D 10+5 for9mm 
  Weight: 81bs (3.6kg) 
  Length: 28 inches (720mm) with stock 
  Magazine: 32 round box 
  Rate of Fire: 600 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 580ft (175m) 
  Notes: This was everybody's favorite sub-machinegun. First 
  the French brought the 9mm version to 'Nam. Then the VC 
  stole it from the French and converted it to 7.62 ammunition. 
  Finally the U.S. forces started stealing it from the VC and using 
  86 
  
  A VIET COI\K31 
  51MPLlFlE0 
  VER,ION/COPY OF iHE 
  AMERICAN tHOMPSON 
  SUB· MACHINE. GUN 
  it themselves. The VC conversion lets the weapon take a 
  7.62mm pistol cartridge by fitting on a longer 7.62mm barrel. 
  The result is called the 7.62 MAT-49 Mod SMG . 
  .45 Viet Cong Thompson Sub-machinegun 
  Damage: 3DIO+5 
  Weight: 10.51bs (4.8kg) 
  Length: 32 inches (810mm) 
  Magazine: 20 or 30 rounds 
  Rate of Fire: 120 rpm automatic/40 rpm semi-automatic 
  Maximum Effective Range: 660ft (220m) 
  Notes: The Viet Cong liked the U.S. Thompson Submachine 
  Gun so much that they made their own version. The copy is sim­
  plified, with a fixed firing pin and without the wood stock. 
  Communist Rifles 
  CHINESE TYPE S,"· 
  A5.5AULT RIFLE. 
  A COpy OF THE SOVIET AK·>f7 
  7.r.2 "'..... 
  Chinese Type 56 (also 56-1) 7.62mm Assault Rifle 
  Damage: 4D I 0+ I 0 
  Weight: 9.51bs (4.3kg) 
  Length: 35 inches (896mm) 
  Magazine: 30-round detachable box 
  Rate of Fire: 600 
  Maximum Effective Range: 1000ft (300m) 
  Notes: This assault rifle is an exact copy of the Russian 
  AK-47. Most NVA and VC main units were equipped with this 
  weapon. 
  AK-47 7.62mm Assault Rifle 
  Damage: 4D I 0+ I 0 
  Weight: 9.51bs (4.3kg) 
  Length: 34 inches (869mm) 
  Magazine: 30-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 600 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: IOOOft (300m) 
  Notes: Shorter and heavier than the M-16. Both had equally 
  BAYDNE.r ATTACHMEIYT" 
  effective ranges, but the AK-47 had a slower rate of fire as well 
  as slower muzzle velocity. On the other hand everybody loves 
  the AK-47's incredible reliability. A few specks of dust, a drop 
  of mud, or too much rain could jam up the M-16. There are sto­
  ries of U.S. soldiers finding a cache of AK-47s, unprotected and 
  hidden in a river for several weeks. Incredibly, in spite of mas­
  sive abuse, the rifle just keeps on firing. 
  87 
  
  -- -
  - --
  Soviet 7.62mm, Simonov Self-Loading Rifle (SKS) 
  Damage: 401 0+5 
  Weight: 3.85kg 
  Length: 40.5 inches (1021 mm) 
  Magazine: I O-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 575 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 1200ft (400m) 
  Notes: This is a semi-automatic rifle. The Chinese Type 
  56 carbine is an exact copy. 
  nO-I TELESCOPIC SIGHT· ~ MA6A1lrtCAT()AI 
  Soviet SVD 7.62mm Dragunov Sniper Rifle 
  Damage: 401 0+ 10 
  Weight: 9.51bs (4.3kg) 
  Length: 48 inches (1225mm) 
  Feed: Magazine 
  Rate of Fire: 660 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 4400ft (l300m) 
  Notes: The SVD was lighter than its U.S. equivalent, the 
  M-14. Both were the main sniper weapons on their respective 
  sides of the war. 
  Machineguns 
  Chinese Type-24 7.92mm Heavy Machinegun 
  Damage: 5DIO+1O 
  Weight: 39lbs (18kg) 
  Length: 55 inches (1397mm) 
  Feed: 250 round belt 
  Rate of Fire: 400 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 4000ft (131 Om) 
  Notes: A copy of the German Maxim of W. W.I vintage. The 
  first line of Northern 'Nam air defense consisted of normal in­
  fantry weapons, of which this heavy machinegun was most ef­
  fective. 
  CHIAIES£ TYPE 2.4 
  7. qz,.,,,, 
  UEAvY t'YIACWINE GUN 
  88 
  
  C 
  Soviet RPK, 7.62mm Machinegun 
  Damage: 4D10+1O 
  Weight: lilbs (5kg) 
  Length: 41 inches (1036mm) 
  Magazine: 40-round box 
  Rate of Fire: 660 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 2400ft (800m) 
  Notes: The VC main machinegun. Comparable with the U.S. 
  M-60 except that the RPK was much lighter than the M-60 and 
  also slightly shorter. The range for the RPK was also a little 
  shorter than the M-60. 
  Communist Grenades 
  RG-42 Anti-Personnel Hand Grenade 
  Weight: 436gms 
  Length: 4.6 inches (l2lmm) 
  Blast Radius: 75ft (22.9m) 
  FI FRAGMENTATION 
  ANTJ·PERSOMVEL HANO C.R£NAOE 
  RPG-L.lQ 
  !WG -33 ANn - PEilSOAM"l 
  JlANO GRENIlP~ 
  RPG -6 
  RGD-5 Anti-Personnel Hand Grenade 
  Weight: II oz (311.8gms) 
  Length: 4.5 inches (l14mm) 
  Blast Radius: 75ft (22.9m) 
  RPG-6 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade 
  Weight: 2.5lbs (I kg) 
  Length: 13.5 inches (343mm) 
  Blast Radius: 40ft (12.2m) 
  RPG-43 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade 
  Weight: 31bs (I Akg) 
  Length: II inches (279mm) 
  Blast Radius: 40ft (12.2m) 
  RDG-33 Anti-Personnel Hand Grenade 
  Weight: 24 oz (722gms) 
  Blast Radius: 20ft (6m) 
  ANT/-TANK HA/W GRENAV£ 
  R Pc. - ><.1 ANT/- TANK 
  HAM:> GRENAO£ 
  RG -"2 AInI·PEIl5OMYEL 
  HANO ll.(I;VAtIf 
  DRAWING.f . lIRE NOT TO .k:ALE_ 
  89 
  
  relatively light­
  CI 
  Type 56 Antitank Rocket Grenade Launcher 
  Weight: 31bs (1.4kg) (launcher), 21bs (.9kg) (rocket) 
  Length: 4.8ft (1494mm) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 470ft (150m) 
  Blast Radius: 50ft (15m) 
  Notes: This is a Chinese copy of the Soviet RPG-2 Portable 
  Rocket Launcher. Not much for range, but 
  weight. Another favorite VC weapon. 
  SOVIET RPG 7 
  RlXKET LAl/NCHER 
  Soviet RPG-7 Antitank Launcher 
  Weight: 151bs (6.8kg) (launcher), 51bs (2.3kg) (rocket) 
  Length: 41 inches (990mm) 
  Maximum Effective Range: I 500ft (500m) 
  Blast Radius: 80ft (24m) 
  Notes: The 84mm warhead can penetrate 12 inches of annor 
  plate at nonna1 range. It is fairly accurate in still air; any kind of 
  wind would throw it off course. A favorite VC weapon. 
  SOVIET SA-7 GRAIL 
  MAN-POlrrABLE AA MISfiLE 
  Chinese 75mm Recoilless Rifle Type 52 
  Weight: 1901bs (86.1 kg) 
  Maximum Effective Range: HE (High Explosive) Shell: 
  2100ft (700m) 
  Maximum 
  Effective 
  Range: 
  HEA T 
  (High 
  Explosive 
  Anti-Tank) Shell: 2400ft (800m 
  Blast Radius: 50ft (15 .2m) 
  Armor Penetration: 6 inches (I 52mm) 
  Notes: Very popular with NVA and VC because it combined 
  light weight and firepower. The HEAT round could penetrate up 
  to 6 inches of annor (152mm). Copied directly from the obso­
  lete U.S . M-20. 
  90 
  
  60mm Type 63 Mortar 
  Weight: 27lbs (I2kg) 
  Length: 24 inches (610mm) 
  Rate of Fire: 15 rpm 
  Blast Radius: 50ft (15.2m) 
  Notes: A Chinese updated version of a copy of the old U.S. 
  M-2 60mm mortar. Effectively, the Type 63 is a cheap, light­
  weight duplicate of the U.S. M-19. A favorite of the VC because 
  it could be easily carried into the field. Same stats as the U.S. 
  M-19 60mm mortar. 
  Communist Artillery 
  82mm Type 53 Mortar 
  Weight: 1251bs (56.7kg) 
  Length: 4ft (I 220nun) 
  Rate of Fire: 15-25 rpm 
  Bomb Weight: 6.81bs (3kg) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 9000ft (3000m) 
  Blast Radius: 50ft (36.3kg) 
  Notes: Consists of a barrel, bipod stand and circular base 
  plate. Could be disassembled and carried by a three man team. 
  Actually a copy of the Soviet M 1937, which was in tum based 
  on the U.S. M-29. This was the most widely used VC artillery 
  weapon. 
  SA- Z 
  GUII?£LlNE MI5'5ILE (SANl) 
  ON ITS ROTATABLE. LAUNCHER.. 
  M-38/39 Soviet Twin 37mm AA Gun 
  Damage: 5D I 0 per round 
  Mounted on 4 wheel trailer, optical sighting, 1.581b shell 
  Maximum Effective Range: 9,800ft (3000m) 
  Rate of Fire: 180 rpm 
  Weight: 49,1001bs (22, I OOkg) 
  Feed: 5 round clip 
  Notes: Used as an anti-aircraft weapon only. Included be­
  cause RECON teams would sometimes have the mission of cap­
  turing or destroying these units. Serviced by a crew of 8. 
  Soviet 130mm M-46 Field Gun 
  Length: 38.8ft (II.7m) 
  Weight: 7700kg 
  Rate of Fire: 5 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 27, 150m 
  Blast Radius: 150ft 
  Notes: This is one of the few VC weapons that outgunned its 
  U.S. equivalent. It fired a 74 pound High Explosive projectile 
  and out-ranged U.S. artillery. In other words, they could hit us 
  and we couldn't reach them. Took an 8-man crew for operation. 
  RECON teams would be assigned the job of locating these units 
  exactly. 
  Communist Missiles 
  Soviet SA-7 Anti-Aircraft Missile 
  Damage: Anti-Aircraft (same as HAWK missile) 
  Weight: 221bs (I0.6kg) 
  Length: 4ft (I 346m m) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 2.2 miles (3.5km) 
  Notes: A crew of 2 would be directed to fire on approaching 
  U.S. aircraft. Alerts through a sophisticated series of Radar units 
  allowed for a fairly high rate of success (about 4% chance of 
  hitting). 
  Russian SA-2 Surface to Air Missile System 
  Damage: Anti-Aircraft (same as HAWK missile). 
  Weight: 112,5001bs (25,000kg) 
  Length: 31 ft (9Am) 
  Maximum Effective Range: 500 miles (804km) 
  Fuel Capacity: 135 gallons (500 liters) 
  Notes: This long-range anti-aircraft missile required a crew 
  of 5. The success rate was about 5%. 
  91 
  
  Tanks 
  Soviet PT-76 Amphibious Tank 
  Weight: 13.78 Tons 
  Range: 155 miles on land; 62.5 miles (99km) on water 
  Speed: 27 mph (43kph) (land), 6.25 mph (lOkph) (water) 
  Crew: 3 
  Armament: 76mm D-56T gun, 7.62mm SGMT Machinegun. 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. 30% 
  chance of surviving direct hits with LAW, anti-tank rockets or 
  mortar. 
  Notes: For special missions the YC would sneak a tank or 
  two deep into the south. RECON teams were rarely prepared for 
  this kind of heavy-duty threat. 
  Soviet T -55 Tank 
  Weight: 35.9 Tons 
  Range: 310 miles (498km) 
  Speed: 30 mph (48kph) 
  Crew: 4 
  ATC (Armored Troop Carriers) 
  Weight: 66 tons 
  Crew: 7 
  Armament: 20mm machinegun, two .50 cal. machineguns, four 
  7.6mm machineguns, two grenade launchers. 
  Notes: Used for large troop movements and assault inser­
  tions. Could carry 45 men, a 150mm Howitzer or an APe. 
  Armament: 
  100mm 
  D-IOT 
  gun, 
  two 
  7.62mm 
  PKT 
  Machineguns. 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. Invul­
  nerable to grenades. 60% chance of surviving direct hit with 
  LAW, rocket or mortar. 
  Notes: The main battle tank of the NY A. Although tanks 
  were relatively uncommon, they would be deployed when it 
  seemed advantageous. 
  Communist Aircraft 
  MiG-23 
  Basic Weight: 37,7801bs (17,000kg) 
  Length: 57ft (17m) 
  Cruising Speed: I 520mph (mach 2.2) (2444kph) 
  Range: 1200 miles (1929km) 
  Armament: 23m m twin-barreled cannon 
  Notes: A powerful aircraft. In the hands of the right pilot 
  (Northern 'Nam had a few excellent 'aces'), it could prove a se­
  rious threat to the F-4 and other Stateside fighters. Mainly it had 
  a problem with range. After only a couple of high-speed maneu­
  vers, it would run out of fuel and need to return to base. 
  MiG 17 
  Length: 38ft (11m) 
  Basic Weight: 27,3401bs (6075kg) 
  Cruising Speed: 711 mph (1145kph) 
  Range: 422 miles (680km) 
  Armament: Three (3) 23mm NR-23 Cannon, 2,250kg bombs, 4 
  UV -16-57 rocket pods or 4 S-24 unguided rockets. 
  Notes: An older aircraft, not a real match for the latest in 
  Stateside equipment. 
  92 
  PT-7b AMPHI8/0iJ5 TANK 
  
  Booby Traps 
  The Passive Enemy: 
  Booby Traps, Mines and Claymores 
  The terror of mines and booby traps is that they strike with­
  out warning and there is nothing to fight back at. Troops can 
  suffer more from the strain of anticipating mines and booby 
  traps than from the anxiety over ambushes. Claymores are even 
  worse because they are not just dumb traps; somewhere a man is 
  watching and waiting to blow it up for maximum effect. 
  Booby Traps 
  Booby traps are as varied as the different ways to injure or 
  kill. From pit traps to crossbows, from drop-falls to underwater 
  snares, through all manner of rockets and grenades, the idea was 
  to eliminate the enemy cheaply. 
  For booby traps, if a person successfully rolls against their 
  Alertness (AL), they will be warned that something is wrong. 
  This can be a disguised trip wire, broken vegetation, an 
  odd-looking pile of leaves, or just a stick standing at an odd an­
  gIe. 
  Punji stakes, the cheapest kind of trap, were made of 
  fire-hardened bamboo or steel nails. These could be hidden in 
  tall grass, a pit less than a foot deep, or a pit large enough for an 
  elephant to fall in to. 
  Red Dukowski versus the Booby Trap: Red is walking 
  through the jungle when he notices a short clump of bamboo (he 
  rolled under his AL). "That's odd," he thinks, "maybe the bam­
  boo is short because it was cut down recently." Red slows down 
  and starts closely examining the ground. Nothing. Now he's re­
  ing the bamboo to prod the plants and ground. Sure enough, a 
  ally worried; he looks in the trees overhead. Nothing again. At 
  few feet later, his probe goes right through the dirt. He has man­
  this point he finds and cuts a long length (12ft) of bamboo and 
  aged to avoid stepping into a pit trap. The bamboo was used as 
  moves forward slowly, examining everything carefully and us-
  support for a layer ofleaves covered over by a layer of dirt. 
  93 
  
  VC Booby Traps and Mines 
  The Viet Cong worked to set up as many booby traps as pos­
  sible as cheaply as possible. Old traps were left all over the 
  countryside. At least half of the booby traps were ineffective be­
  cause of age, rain or erosion. 
  Punji Stakes 
  Damage: I D I 0 
  Notes: Placed in shallow pits or in tall grass. Did damage 
  mostly to the foot and was almost never fatal. A nastier version 
  featured spikes on the walls pointed down, then the victim 
  pulled his foot out to take another I D I 0 of damage. 
  Pit Trap 
  Damage: I D 10 per each stake 
  Notes: In deep punji stake trap the victim would fall on a 
  number of stakes (roll !DIO for quantity) and take damage from 
  each. 
  Crossbow Trap 
  Damage: 2D I 0 
  Notes: A crossbow in a shallow pit or attached to a tree 
  would be set to fire at a trail or crossing point. This device only 
  had a 25% chance to hit. 
  Drop-Fall Trap 
  Damage: 3D 10 
  Notes: A large weight bristling with spikes or nails is sus­
  pended up in the trees. It's released by a trip wire or lever and 
  either drops down or swings across the target point. 35% chance 
  to hit. 
  Mines 
  Notes: The VC often used stolen U.S. mines (they'd dig 
  them up and plant them somewhere else) or exact copies. See 
  U.S. mines for details. 
  Launched Grenades 
  Any U.S. or VC grenade could be used as a booby trap. Tin 
  can traps contained grenades attached to trip wires. When the 
  trip wire was pulled the grenade would be pulled out of the can. 
  The pin would be attached to the back of the can and would be 
  pulled as the grenade left the can. Note: Damage depends on the 
  type of grenade fired; See the 40mm Grenade Cartridge descrip­
  tion for damage. 
  Mines 
  Mines are really just one specific kind of booby trap. A mine 
  is always an explosive charge buried in the ground. It's simply 
  designed to go off when something steps on it or drives over it. 
  With mines, you hope you are alert enough to spot one before 
  you step on it, or that you are lucky enough to miss it. A suc­
  cessful roll against AL means you see an unusual mound of dirt 
  in the path or a partial piece of mine that has been exposed. 
  There are two kinds of mines: antipersonnel and antitank. 
  Antipersonnel mines are designed to go off at a relatively light 
  touch, the pressure of a boot with a hundred or so pounds of sol­
  dier. When triggered, they explode with the same effectiveness 
  as a grenade. 
  On the other hand, antitank mines are designed to blow up 
  vehicles. The pressure needed to trigger one of these is more on 
  the order of 200 to 400 pounds. The average soldier moving 
  down a trail will not trigger an antitank mine. Of course, if the 
  soldier is running or jumping and happens to put his heel in just 
  the right place then it may blow up. The damage will be the 
  equivalent to an 81 mm mortar round. 
  Hunk Webber versus the Mine: Hunk has been following a 
  set of clear VC tracks in the soft ground. He notices that the VC 
  all walked along the right hand edge of the path for about ten 
  feet. "Does that mean they were avoiding a mine?" thinks Hunk, 
  "or is Charlie trying to sucker me into walking along the same 
  path?" Since his buddies will be following and since he can't 
  take chances, he decides to make sure. He cuts himself a small 
  stick (about a foot long) and sharpens one end. Lowering him­
  self on his belly he starts crawling forward, pushing the stick 
  into the ground ahead at an angle. Sure enough, right under one 
  of the VC sandal-prints (looks like part of a Goodyear tire), his 
  stick 'clunks' into something. Now Hunk is faced with another 
  set of choices; should he dig out the mine (he'd have to roll un­
  der his AG), mark it for his buddies (but another VC might 
  change the mark), or continue searching for other mines ('cause 
  where there's one mine there are liable to be more)? 
  Note: You'll notice in the example above, it didn't say 
  whether or not Hunk rolled to notice the VC tracks. There are 
  two possibilities. If Hunk was specifically following the tracks, 
  then the MD would simply have told him about how they moved 
  to the side of the trail. If Hunk had simply been following the 
  path, then the MD would have had him roll under his AL, unless 
  the tracks were obvious. 
  Claymores 
  A claymore is an explosive device that can be used as a 
  booby trap set with a trip wire like a booby trap (see booby 
  traps) or, a more dangerous possibility, is a claymore that is 
  Command Detonated. That means that an enemy remains hidden 
  somewhere and fires the claymore by remote control. The clay­
  more itself and the wire leading to the operating personnel are 
  the only signs that can be spotted. 
  Claymores can be devastating. The blast is a triangle shaped 
  pattern fanning out in front of the claymore. Any character 
  within the killing ground (the triangle) will take damage. 
  Although claymores can be disanned, a common 'dirty trick' 
  was to tum the claymore around, then the blast would hit the 
  trigger man instead of the target. 
  Disarming The Trap 
  Mines and booby traps can be and should be avoided when 
  possible. However, there are often times when the only option is 
  to disann or deactivate. 
  To defuse a mine or claymore, a character not trained in de­
  molitions disposal has only his basic training to rely on which is 
  50% in the use/defusing of U.S. type mines and claymores, and 
  only 35% to use/defuse unusual or unfamiliar foreign designs. 
  Characters skilled in demolitions have a much greater success 
  ratio. 
  An alternative way of getting rid of traps is to deliberately set 
  them off. Throwing sticks, stones or logs may activate the trap 
  while the characters are at a safe distance. In urgent cases it's 
  94 
  
  sometimes best to clear booby traps with rifle rounds or gre­
  nades. The noise may alert enemy units in the area but is prefer­
  able to getting blown up. 
  ~., .., 
  J> 
  __" 
  ~' 
  ---> -
  ....
  - _.­ -
  ~ 
  -~--
  Mission Director Section 
  Counterinsurgency Warfare 
  What it's all about 
  "Ofparticular interest was Alexander's ability to adjust his 
  tactics and tactical formations to fit conditions of the moment, 
  as shown in his central Asian operations (329-327 B.C.). 
  Against guerrilla resistance he reorganized his army into light 
  mobile columns moving independently but in coordination. 
  Much use was made of light cavalry bowmen. Exhaustive ter­
  rain reconnaissance assisted his supply needs. Military colo­
  nies, established at important road junctions ... protected his 
  communications ... His accomplishments in mountain warfare 
  and against irregular forces have never been equaled. " 
  The Encyclopedia of Military History, R.E. DuPuy and T.N. 
  DuPuy, 1977 
  Alexander had the right idea. When you're fighting against 
  guerrillas in the field you've got to change your tactics. World 
  War II style warfare doesn't work if the enemy doesn't want to 
  fight you head on. The irregular army knows that it can't beat 
  95 
  you in a direct confrontation. Instead they will disappear into the 
  countryside, attacking at any weak points and falling back when 
  things look bad. Hiding among the civilian population, using 
  noncombatants as spies and saboteurs, is even more effective. In 
  order to fight that kind of warfare you've got to first protect 
  yourself. That means fortifying bases and regularly patrolling 
  your roads. 
  Taking the fight to the enemy meant using small units, too 
  small for the enemy to notice, as reconnaissance probes. Once 
  the enemy is located massive weapon and troop attacks can be 
  mobilized in support. 
  Dealing with the enemy hidden in the civilian population is 
  much more difficult. Attacking, interrogating or relocating civil­
  ians are effective ways of neutralizing the danger. Unfortu­
  nately, those means also tum the native popUlation against you. 
  The more they hate you, the more support they'll give to the 
  guerrillas. 
  
  As a RECON team you have the job of locating the enemy 
  out in the bush, protecting your bases and trying to deal with the 
  hidden enemy without hurting innocent by-standers. 
  How to "Role" Play 
  Although every RECON team has different mission objec­
  tives they all share a common goal. They all want to stay alive. 
  In order to do that they have to work as a team. Each team mem­
  ber has a specific job to do. 
  Every character must be assigned a different team position. 
  In order to take a position, the character must have a matching 
  Primary or Secondary MOS. For example, every team must 
  have a Point Man and the player character who takes that posi­
  tion must have Point as either a Primary or Secondary MOS. 
  Certain positions are required for every team. Every team 
  MUST have a Point Man. Although Medics and RTOs are not 
  required it would be pretty stupid to go on a mission without 
  them. Other team positions should be assigned according to the 
  requirements of the mission. A mission to blow up a bridge ob­
  viously requires that one character be the team Demo Man. 
  If there are enough players then every team position should 
  be filled . No more than one character can take any team posi­
  tion. For example, you can't have two or more Snipers on a 
  team. If the team has too many characters then the remaining 
  players should be Riflemen with no MOS bonuses for the mis­
  sion. Of course, if a particular soldier gets eliminated (badly 
  wounded, captured, separated, or killed), another character can 
  take over the official position. Very large groups can be sepa­
  rated into two or more teams, each team having its own posi­
  tions. 
  It's important for teammates to work together. Each position 
  is a unique and essential element contributing to the team's 
  long-term survival and success of the mission. 
  An interesting way to look at RECON teams is to compare 
  them to the groups in other fantasy role-playing games. Using 
  the Palladium RPG as a model, what are the parallels between 
  medieval characters and RECON positions? 
  For starters, the Point Man is very much like Palladium's 
  Ranger, a guy who specializes in understanding the lay of the 
  land and scouting ahead of the group. Snipers are comparable to 
  Long Bowmen, characters who can pick off the enemy at a great 
  distance. Medics are the Priests, good back-up fighters who can 
  also care for the wounded. 
  Grenadiers, Heavy Weapons and Pigman could be modern 
  equivalents of Mercenary Fighters, Soldiers and Knights, each 
  contributing specialized fighting skills to the party. The Demo 
  Man could be likened to the Assassin, able to set traps and other 
  dirty tricks. 
  Some members of the group tend not to be great fighters, 
  they have to be protected because of their other talents. Intel 
  Men are like Thieves, valuable for the subtler forms of combat 
  and interrogation. Finally, the RTO acts as the Wizard of the 
  group, able to command great powers (air and artillery strikes), 
  having the beasts of the air under his command (Puff and Slick 
  dust-offs), and with the ability to communicate over great dis­
  tances. 
  The Mission Director 
  The most important player in a RECON game is the Mission 
  Director or Game Master. The MD selects the mission and con­
  trols the enemy forces. However, RECON is not a game of the 
  MD versus the other players. The MD's task is to control the op­
  posing forces to make the mission challenging, but not impossi­
  ble. When both sides have so much deadly force at their dis­
  posal, the MD has to be very careful to maintain a balanced 
  game. 
  Remember that the MD's main objective is to make the game 
  fun for the players. That means the players should feel their 
  goals are realistic. If they succeed they should feel triumphant 
  because it was their own ingenuity that gave them victory. For 
  every scenario, ask yourself the following questions: 
  l. Will each player have a chance to participate? 
  2. Does the mission match the personalities and alignments 
  of the characters? 
  3. Are the skills and equipment of the group sufficient to ac­
  complish the mission? 
  4. Is the enemy or obstacle powerful enough so the group can 
  fail if they make mistakes? 
  The MD As Training Officer 
  After the characters are recruited or drafted in to the service 
  (in other words, as soon as ST, AL and AG are rolled up) it's 
  time for them to be trained. Characters with high strength (ST) 
  tend to be trained as Pigrnen, Point Men, Grenadiers or Heavy 
  Weapons. A high alertness (AL) will single a character out for 
  Point Man or intelligence training. Superior agility (AG) makes 
  a player for Sniper or Demolitions courses. 
  To a certain extent the MD can let the players choose their 
  own Military Occupational Specialities (MOS). The problem is 
  that certain skills are needed more then others. For Example, 
  most groups need at least a couple of Point Men and Medics 
  (primary and secondary MOS) because they need a back-up in 
  case one gets shot. Depending on the particular assignment, 
  Intel, Sniper or Demolitions men may be totally useless. 
  In order to avoid problems, the MD should suggest to the 
  players what's most important for their team. As the MD you 
  have the power of assignment, to tell the players, "That looks 
  like a really good character, but we have already got two 
  Pigrnen on the team! Why don't you save that one for later and 
  roll up another one, or choose a different MOS." 
  Just as the military trains new recruits according to what they 
  need, the MD can push a new character into a particular MOS, 
  "Listen Bob, our last Grenadier got killed so we could really use 
  a new one right now." 
  Most of the time, character skills should be chosen by the 
  players. However, there are times when the MD should require 
  that certain skills be chosen or, better yet, the MD should give 
  out (free) additional training. A good example is with a SEAL 
  team. If all the players are going to be SEALs then say, "for this 
  RECON game you'll all be playing Navy SEALs. Therefore, 
  you all have Basic SCUBA in addition to all your other skills. If 
  you want any other underwater skills you'll have to choose them 
  yourselves as part of your initial skill allotment." 
  96 
  
  The MD As Assignment Officer 
  In medieval fantasy role-playing games, characters meet up 
  in taverns and start traveling together. In comic book-style 
  role-playing games it's only natural for super-powered charac­
  ters to form groups; after all, there aren't that many of 'em 
  around. 
  It's different in RECON. Mission personnel are selected ac­
  cording to what specialties and skills they add to the group. It's 
  the MD, playing the part of the commanding officer, that makes 
  sure that the right men are assigned to the job. It's also up to the 
  MD to determine how many characters are needed for the mis­
  sion (or how many role-players he can deal with successful1y) 
  and what specialties and skills the group will need. 
  Rewards and Punishments 
  There are two kinds of rewards for player excellence. The 
  first is experience points. As a general rule, anytime a player 
  does something helpful, smart or brave, they should receive ex­
  perience points. See the Player Section for more information on 
  experience points. 
  The other kind of reward, at least in a 'Nam game, is service 
  recognition. When the Army (or Navy or whatever) realizes 
  that someone has done well, they'll award them with promo­
  tions. 
  Note that word "realizes." More often than not, the military 
  organization will be totally unaware of excellence in the field. A 
  guy taking on a whole unit of NYA single-handed and risking 
  his life to save others has no effect on promotion unless some 
  bureaucrat notices it. This explains why the General's personal 
  orderly is much more likely to get a promotion than a combat 
  grunt. 
  In general, ambitious characters wil1 get frequent promotions 
  by boot-licking and show-boating. For example, doing a feat of 
  minor heroism while a Stateside television crew is filming, is 
  likely to get someone a promotion or at least noticed. 
  Merely doing a good job will be rewarded occasionally. If 
  the team keeps bringing in prisoners and captured enemy equip­
  ment, they may eventually be noticed. One of the powers that 
  Intel and RTO specialists have is that they can recommend peo­
  ple for promotion (or sabotage their careers by bad-mouthing 
  them). 
  Promotions quickly won by combat personnel are often 
  quickly lost. Talking back to a superior officer or failing to fol­
  low regulations will result in a quick loss of rank. After all, the 
  closer soldiers are to combat the more informal they become. 
  MPs who expect neatly buttoned uniforms, regulation haircuts 
  and shaves will continuously harass combat soldiers. And fight­
  ing with an MP is an automatic loss of rank. 
  Rank also has a ceiling for combat soldiers. Anything over an 
  E-6 and the character ends up being rotated into administrative 
  duty. Even a promotion to E-6 is often turned down because it 
  means the character would be transferred to command a differ­
  ent team. 
  Characters can also be rewarded with medals. The Purple 
  Heart for wounds, Silver Stars for valor, and Bronze Stars for 
  action above and beyond the call of duty. Good Conduct Medals 
  and Campaign Medals (for everyone who participated in a par­
  ticular battle) were fairly common. Congressional Medals of 
  97 
  
  Honor are the highest awards and should be awarded only to 
  dead or retired characters. Once again, awarding medals de­
  pends more on who sees you than what you actually do. 
  In the final analysis, rank and medals are just part of a game 
  that most combat soldiers don't play. The real RECON team 
  leader is just as likely to be a private as a sergeant. For that mat­
  ter, the whole team could be nothing but sergeants! A supply 
  sergeant comes home with a chest full of medals because he en­
  dured a few mortar attacks on base. The Point Man veteran of a 
  hundred combat encounters could easily come home with noth­
  ing but a dishonorable discharge. 
  Stateside Army Rank and Pay 
  This is a listing of all ranks from lowest to highest in the 
  Stateside Army. All the base pay rates listed reflect the monthly 
  wages of a new officer. Extra pay was awarded for each extra 
  year of service. 
  Enlisted Men 
  Enlisted men are the common soldiers of the military. They 
  are 'enlisted' for a specific period of time. Usually they serve 
  for two to four years (although their enlistment period becomes 
  unlimited if war is declared). Some enlisted men continually 
  ore-up' and eventually become 'lifers,' people who choose the 
  military for a lifetime career. Enlisted officers are known as 
  Non-Commissioned Officers or 'NCOs.' 
  Title (Service Designation) 
  Monthly Pay 
  Trainee (E-I) 
  $288 
  Private (E-2) 
  $320 
  Private First Class (PFC or E-3) $333 
  Corporal (SP/4 or E-4) 
  $345 
  Sergeant (SP/5 or E-5) 
  $360 
  Staff Sergeant (SP/6 or E-6) 
  $410 
  Platoon Sergeant (SFC or E-7) 
  $475 
  Master Sergeant (E-8) 
  $681 
  Sergeant Major (E-9) 
  $811 
  Command Sergeant Major (E-9) 
  nla 
  Sergeant Major of the Army (E-9) nla 
  Other Ranks 
  Warrant Officers are basically officers in training. Most be­
  ginning chopper pilots are warrant officers. They are rated by 
  grades, Grade I being the lowest and Grade 4 being the highest. 
  Base pay is $473 a month. Brevet Officers are given temporary 
  rank in emergency conditions. For example, when a capable 
  Staff Sergeant is the last remaining officer in his unit, he might 
  be breveted to Lieutenant. 
  Officers 
  Officers are the educated elite of the military. They are 'com­
  missioned,' which means they take an oath that pledges lifetime 
  service. Officers are educated either at military academies (West 
  Point), through a Reserve Officer Training Program (R.O.T.C.) 
  in college, or through Officer Candidate School (O.C.S.). Most 
  college graduates, and some promising enlisted men, are given a 
  chance to go to O.C.S. 
  Title (Insignia) 
  Monthly Pay 
  Second Lieutenant (1 Gold Bar) 
  $530 
  First Lieutenant (1 Silver Bar) 
  $611 
  Captain (2 Silver Bars) 
  $700 
  Major (Gold Oak Leaf) 
  $755 
  Lieutenant Colonel (Silver Oak Leaf) $894 
  Colonel (Silver Eagle) 
  $1,119 
  Brigadier General (I Silver Star) 
  $1,509 
  Major General (2 Silver Stars) 
  $1,817 
  Lieutenant General (3 Silver Stars) 
  $2.006 
  General (4 Silver Stars) 
  $2.263 
  General of the Army (5 Silver Stars) $3,000 
  Extra pay for hazardous duty was also available. An addi­
  tional $65 a month is available for combat pay to all personnel. 
  The MD As Game Referee 
  RECON role-playing is a way of acting out our fantasies. 
  When we were kids we used to "play Army." We make a game 
  out of these fantasies so we can experience the thrill of danger 
  without the actual risk of pain, disfigurement, dismemberment 
  or death. 
  We've also got a lot of rules. Mostly, the rules are for settling 
  disagreements of the "I shot you! - No, you didn't!" sort. As the 
  MD you've got to decide when to use the rules and when to just 
  get on with the game. 
  Take dice rolls for example. Let's say that Sammy 
  Wyandotte, out on a search and destroy mission, is told to kill a 
  pen filled with pigs. Should the MD have Sammy roll the dice to 
  hit and the dice to damage for all the pigs? NO! The pigs are in 
  a pen, Sammy is trained in the weapon, and rolling the dice 
  would be a waste of game time. Just say, "You use up a full clip 
  of ammo and all the pigs are dead." 
  Maps In RECON 
  ® 
  Recon is a game whose design does not require the use of 
  many maps. This may come as a surprise to players who have a 
  strong fantasy game background with its many dungeons, an­
  cient ruins and towns. In RECON we are most often dealing 
  with a jungle wilderness environment and guerrilla fighters. The 
  environment changes continually in the sense that a jungle path 
  recorded three months ago is now completely over-grown be­
  cause it is no longer used. An area reported to be safe or "clean 
  of the enemy" may now be newly seeded with booby traps or 
  mines, or patrolled by a band of Viet Cong soldiers, guerrillas or 
  even a lone sniper. An active village recorded yesterday may be 
  abandoned tomorrow, while heavy rain could change the face of 
  a river, covering once known landmarks and creating new 
  streams, ponds and so on. Consequently, when a map is used it 
  is likely to incorporate only the most distinctive landmarks; and 
  will certainly have a handful of minor or major inconsistencies. 
  Furthermore, there is an everchanging internal hostility or dan­
  ger element within that same area/environment. Random and not 
  so random encounters could spring up almost anywhere with lit­
  tle warning. For example: the players might find themselves 
  standing before a small stream or shallow river that is clearly 
  NOT on the map. One of the players exclaims, "Hey, there isn't 
  any river between us and the suspected enemy camp on the 
  map." True, the river wasn't mapped, but it is an obstacle that 
  exists. Likewise, a little village may not be on the map either 
  and the suspected enemy camp may have moved 20 kilometers 
  south in uncharted territory. 
  Of course, the use of maps for game play orientation may be 
  needed and should be utilized in such a way that the Mission Di­
  rector (MD) and players feel comfortable. 
  98 
  
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  Since maps are kept to a minimum in the game, a number of 
  random terrain tables are provided to help the MD. Determine 
  what sort of environment the team is currently in. Refer to these 
  tables as you see fit. Be careful not to create an unrelated hodge­
  podge of terrain types, however, use common sense in this re­
  gard. Ideally, decide what sort of dominant terrain is present in 
  the area of operation as part of your original scenario design and 
  supplement or vary it by using the random terrain tables. These 
  can be especially useful in a quick "off the cuff' game. 
  Designing RECON® 
  Adventures 
  Remember when you're designing an adventure that you're 
  actually making up a story. The players control the characters 
  and the MD controls the background, incidental characters, 
  weather and details. More important than any of these things is 
  the story. And every story should have a beginning, a middle, 
  and an end. 
  For RECON scenarios the beginning of the story is the brief­
  ing. This is when the characters are informed of their mission 
  and the obvious obstacles that may keep them from fulfilling it 
  (the not-so-obvious problems are discovered later on). 
  The end of the story depends on the characters actions. Still, 
  the outcome must be either the success or fai lure of the mission. 
  Don't lose track of the end of the story. The players want and 
  deserve a good ending, even if that ending is having the charac­
  ters dying in ambush just in sight of their objective. Great games 
  usually end in a terrific climax, where victory or defeat depends 
  on a single brilliant action, a lucky roll or a coincidence of the 
  cavalry arriving in the nick of time. 
  Setting Up The Game 
  Before the first dice are rolled, the Mission Director has to 
  make some decisions. Then answer the following questions: 
  I. Is this going to be a 'Nam Game or a Mercenary Game? 
  Or is it going to be your own modification? 
  2. What's the primary mission group for the characters? 
  LRRP? Rangers? Special Forces? SEALs? or other? 
  3. What kind of missions will the group specialize in? Infil­
  tration and assassination? Reconnaissance and observation? Or 
  direct contact and battle with the enemy? 
  When you can answer those three questions you're ready to 
  start the game. That doesn't mean that the MD makes these de­
  cisions alone. Be sure to ask the players what kind of game they 
  are interested in playing. 
  Once you've decided what kind of game you're going to run, 
  then tell the players. They can't roll up the right characters un­
  less they know what kind of game they're playing in. 
  Mission Planning 
  Every mission starts with a briefing of some kind. This al­
  ways involves a discussion of: 
  1) Your mission objectives. 
  2) Your insertion technique. 
  3) Intelligence reports of enemy activity in the mission area. 
  4) Fire support available in the area. 
  5) Method of extraction. 
  Missions can vary from a highly specific request (capture and 
  bring back village chief, Lo Dag Ho) to the very general (we 
  want you misfits to stay off the base until after the Inspector 
  General is long gone). 
  Before leaving on any mission, the group must decide which 
  characters will be acting as the various MOS positions within 
  the team. 
  Planning a Mission 
  It's perfectly all right if you want to run a RECON mission 
  on the fly. Teams sent out for routine patrols can have an inter­
  esting time with just the random encounters available on the ta­
  bles. That's a quick and easy way to introduce new players to 
  the game and have a couple of hours ofgaming fun. 
  However, structured games usually work out better, espe­
  cially if you're planning on running a campaign. Elite RECON 
  teams with specific missions will find they have much more 
  challenging (and fun!) adventures. 
  We've included lots of adventures in this book. Here is an 
  outline of what you need to put together your own. 
  Scenario Outline 
  RECON Team Minimum Requirements 
  Every mission requires certain skills and firepower. The MD 
  should insure that the RECON team has everything they need 
  100 
  
  before the mission briefing takes place. If the player characters 
  lack some essential skills then assign non-player characters to 
  take up the slack. 
  Mission Briefing 
  Characters should be given a good idea of what their mission 
  objectives and resources are before leaving. The following items 
  should be covered: 
  1. Method of Insertion. 
  2. Fire Support Availability. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report. 
  5. Mission Objectives. 
  6. Special Rules (take prisoners/no prisoners, etc.) 
  7. Method of Extraction. 
  Note: The Mission Briefing isn't necessarily truthful. Com­
  manding officers may not be aware of changing conditions, se­
  curity measures may require that certain information be kept 
  from the characters, or in the worst case, the characters may be 
  given completely false missions in order to cover up covert or 
  subversive activities by intelligence sections. 
  Encounters 
  The MD should have worked out what kind of encounters, 
  booby traps, and problems exist in the mission territory. This 
  can be elaborately planned out (as with the missions in the 
  book) or simply rolled up according to where the players move. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Any essential NPCs should be developed so that the MD 
  knows their ST, AL, AG and any essential skills. At most, this is 
  only three or four characters. Since there is a good chance that 
  the characters will avoid encounters, there's usually no need to 
  roll up the VC fighters until just before the fighting starts. 
  The Viet Cong and Vietnamese 
  A Mission Director, like the Game Master in 
  any 
  role-playing game, plays many characters. Kwan, the orphan 
  child begging in the street, Mguyen Bi Fong, the turncoat Viet 
  Cong tax collector, Captain Yin Vadong, the surly ARVN offi­
  cer, and Captain Terrance Boom, the friendly Artillery Officer. 
  It's up to the MD to bring ail these characters to life. 
  All the incidental characters, friends, foes and innocent by­
  standers, are called Non-Player Characters or NPCs. As the MD, 
  you should try to personalize every NPC. 
  Let's say one of the players is interrogating a village peasant. 
  It's okay to say, "The peasant says there aren't any VC here." 
  The game gets a lot more lively when the MD actually plays the 
  peasant and says, "Oh, no Vc. VC very bad. We very, very 
  good. VC numba ten. Americans numba one!" 
  Appendix: Vietnamese Names 
  A - Ao, An, Ap 
  B - Ban, Ben, Bi, Bo, Bong 
  C - Chong, Chu, Con, Cu 
  D - Oak, Deo, Dai, Dong, Due, Do 
  F - Fvan, Fimnon 
  G - Gir, Ghe, Giong 
  H - Hai, Hong, Huong, Ho 
  J - Jak, Ju 
  K - Kinh, Ko, Kon 
  L - Lang, Linh, Ling, , Long 
  M - Ma, Mat, Mot, Me 
  N - Na, Nui, Nin 
  O-Oi 
  P - Phnom, Phu, Plei 
  Q - Queit, Qui 
  R - Ro, Ron, Rah 
  S- Son,Song, Sop 
  T - Tai, Tau, Tou 
  U - Uing, Uyen 
  V - Va, Vi, Van, Vinh 
  W- Wan 
  X - Xuan, Xim, Xuong 
  Y - Ya, Yang, Yen 
  Tables 
  Here are just a few of the possible non-combat encounters 
  that RECON teams will have with their own military: 
  I. Attempting to requisition replacement ammunition and be­
  ing confronted with paperwork and delays. 
  2. While on leave, the soldiers have a run-in with Military 
  Police who criticize their dress, manner and salutes. 
  3. Being assigned the duty of playing tour guide for a new of­
  ficer. 
  4. Encountering other units in the field commanded by com­
  missioned officers. 
  5. Needing some kind of support services from engineering, 
  intelligence, foreign troops or transportation. 
  In each case, everything depends on the personality of the 
  Commanding Officer. It's a good idea to choose a basic person­
  ality and alignment for each officer. 
  101 
  
  Contact Tables 
  Non-Combatants 
  Players will come across non-combatants in a variety of 
  places. Right outside their fire base Coca-Cola girls are selling 
  bottles of soda pop, and children (often orphans or children of 
  'Nam mothers and Stateside soldiers) ask for hand-outs. 
  Cities, especially recreation centers like Thu Sang (see map), 
  will have a variety ofpossiOle encounters. 
  01-05 Bar Girl: Usually standing outside of a bar. Will ask any 
  soldiers, "Hey soldier boy! You are cute! You lonely? Want 
  to buy me drink? Have good time? 
  06-10 Shoeshine Boy: On any street in any city, Hey O.I.! You 
  want shine? The boy will be from 6 to 12 years old and will 
  offer to sell or get anything, for the right price. 
  11-21 Sidewalk Food Vendor: Vendors are everywhere selling 
  rice balls, fresh vegetables, fruit, and live chickens, geese, or 
  goats. Small oriental pigs are also very common. 
  22-30 Sidewalk Cooks: Over a small fire or portable stove will 
  be cooking hot rice, soup, vegetables and/or stew. Pastries 
  and sweets will also be available. 
  31-40 Sidewalk Souvenir Vendor: Just about anything will be 
  available, from beautiful pottery to military paraphernalia in­
  cluding uniforms, patches, and insignia. 
  41-50 Sidewalk Newspaper Vendor: Sells all kinds of printed 
  newspapers, magazines and books. All language materials 
  will be available from 'Nam to Chinese to French to English. 
  Stateside newspapers and magazines may be several weeks 
  out of date. 
  51-60 Drugstore Cowboy With Motorbike: The 'Nam version 
  of rich young teenagers. These are usually the sons of 
  wealthy or influential people who keep them out of the mili­
  tary. 
  61-75 Buddhist Monks or Nuns: From I to 10 Buddhist in saf­
  fron robes will be walking through the streets. They may be 
  chanting and playing music (drums and bells), protesting the 
  war, or just walking along. There is a 20% chance that they'll 
  be accompanied by 4010 school children with shaved heads 
  and wearing robes. 
  76-85 Christian Missionary and School Children: Western 
  style religious personnel, can be either Catholic priests or 
  nuns, or Protestant missionaries. They will often (25%) be 
  seen with a group of2010 school children. 
  86-90 Military Police: From 2 to 6 Stateside MPs will be pa­
  trolling. In the Northern cities, like Thu Sang, they'll pretty 
  much ignore everything unless they find real trouble like bar 
  fights or arguments. In the south, where there's less combat, 
  the MPs will hassle combat troops about their appearance, 
  posture and clothing. 
  91-95 Local Police: These are older officers who will accept 
  bribes rather than cause any real trouble. 
  96-00 Drunken Grunts: A group of 2 to 12 soldiers who have 
  had too much to drink and are feeling no pain. They will be 
  from some military unit hostile to that of the RECON team 
  (for example, if the RECON team is Army, the drunks will 
  be Marines). They will definitely make some insulting re­
  marks in passing. 
  Villages 
  Most encounters with non-combatants will take place in the 
  villages. There are literally thousands of villages scattered all 
  over 'Nam. The ones named on the map are only the larger cen­
  ters, and are described in the Map Key. 
  The small villages will have huts, 4DIO women, 4DI0 chil­
  dren and 2DJO men (mostly old men or disabled veterans), 
  which is typical of most small villages. Small villages can be 
  rolled up on the following table. 
  Random Village Encounter Table 
  01-05 Deserted Village: The village has been burned down and 
  is now partially overgrown with vegetation. Local peasants 
  will describe the place as, "Bad ghosts there. One, maybe 
  two, year ago, soldiers come. Very bad. All gone now. 
  Maybe all dead now." 
  06-10 Burning Village: A few huts are all that remain of the 
  village. It seems totally deserted. At most, an old man or 
  woman may remain (although they will stay hidden). 
  11-15 Recently Deserted Village: The place was abandoned 
  not more than an hour before the group enters. Cooking fires 
  are still burning and all signs indicate a speedy withdrawal. 
  The people were somehow alarmed and decided to evacuate 
  rather than risk being killed by the soldiers. Note that the vil­
  lagers may have left because they suspected NYA, VC, 
  ARVN or Stateside trouble. Just because they left doesn't 
  mean they are VC, just that they're scared. All the villagers 
  will be either in underground tunnels, hiding in the jungle, or 
  102 
  
  taking shelter in crude spider holes or bunkers. There is a 
  30% chance that the village is filled with booby traps and 
  mines. 
  16-20 Tribal Village: This is inhabited by people who are from 
  a different ethnic group than the native 'Nam people. They 
  speak their own language and have different customs. At 
  least a few people will be able to speak French. They are 
  loyal to Stateside Special Forces, friendly to Stateside sol­
  diers, but will be hostile to any ARVN or native 'Nam people 
  Roll I D I 0 for type: 1 - Nung; 2, 3 or 4 - Montagnard; 5, 6 ­
  Chinese; 7, 8 -Cao Hoa; 9 - Meo; 10 - Kharg. 
  21-25 Armed Loyalist Village: Surrounded by trenches and 
  barbed wire, this village has an organized paramilitary orga­
  nization for defense. They are violently anti-VC and will be 
  extremely friendly towards Stateside troops. 
  26-35 Friendly Village: The people will seem friendly to the 
  Stateside soldiers. They are actually loyal to the government 
  and actively support the ARVN forces. They will offer infor­
  mation on local VC activities. 
  36-45 Hostile Village: The village is a mix of loyalties; some 
  people support the VC and others support the government. 
  They are hostile and unfriendly to avoid retribution by any 
  side. 
  46-60 Friendly Village: A village of mixed loyalties. They are 
  friendly because they don't want to look guilty of anything. 
  They will make up stories if asked for information. 
  61-70 Neutral Village: The villagers are of mixed loyalties. 
  They try to ignore any intruders and will be very reluctant to 
  talk to any outsiders. 
  71-80 Neutral Village: This village is full of VC sympathizers. 
  They don't want to appear hostile or friendly so they just ig­
  nore any Stateside visitors. They will claim to be ignorant of 
  any VC activities in the area. Hidden weapons, booby trap 
  components and VC documents can be found in a thorough 
  search. 
  81-90 Hostile Village: A village that has recently thrown in with 
  the Vc. They will refuse to cooperate and will act very un­
  friendly. In a search, nothing will be found. 
  91-95 Friendly Village: This is a VC hide-out and base. This is 
  where VC come for help and support. A well-hidden armory 
  (1-12 guns, 100-1200 rounds of ammunition and 12-120 gre­
  nades) is buried under a pig-sty or other unlikely place. Vil­
  lagers will be friendly and helpful but will lie and attempt to 
  direct soldiers into VC ambushes. 
  96-00 Friendly Village: Actually this village conceals the en­
  trances to a major VC undergr:mnd stronghold. Tunnel en­
  trances are concealed throughout the various buildings. 
  Villagers will be friendly and helpful. They will try not to lie 
  and will actually reveal some true information in order to 
  throw suspicion away from themselves. 
  Typical village activities include cooking meals weaving bas­
  kets squatting in doorways, women nursing infants, mending 
  clothes, caring for sick children, gossiping at doorways, planting 
  in gardens or rice paddies playing musical instruments, smoking 
  pipes, eating or sleeping. Children can be playing tag, asking for 
  chew gum, herding geese, riding water buffalo, reading (all the 
  children gathered around the oldest who is doing the teaching) 
  or helping an adult carry things. 
  In friendly villages, people will smile and offer water, direc­
  tions or food. People may ask for help for sick children, com­
  plain about the weather (is there a fanner anywhere in the world 
  who doesn't complain about the weather?) or ask how things are 
  going in the war. 
  Neutral villages will just pretend that there are no visitors. 
  They'll be polite but distant when asked any questions. In a hos­
  tile village, people will glare, curse or even spit at the soldiers. 
  Children will be yanked away and nobody will be willing to talk 
  about anything. 
  Random Contact Table 
  Wandering through the jungle or highlands of 'Nam is al­
  ways an adventure. The jungle grows so quickly, streams 
  change course, people construct buildings or move away. Maps 
  and experience are no substitute for scouting such a changeable 
  land. The following tables will help the MD provide encounters 
  for the players. 
  Note that the tables below are for random encounters only. 
  The MD is encouraged to map out and record all the potential 
  encounters before the game begins. A group will generally have 
  the chance of an encounter for every hour of travel. 
  Random Encounter Table 
  01-05 Booby Trap Contact: A booby trap or mine is in the area, 
  roll for specifics. 
  01-10 Crossbow Type. 
  11-20 Hand Grenade with trip wire. 
  21-30 Anti-personnel Mine 
  31-40 Claymore 
  41-50 Antitank Mine 
  51-60 Stake Pit 
  61-70 Wire Snare 
  71-80 Drop Fall 
  81-90 Hand Grenade with Stick 
  91-00 Large Tiger Pit 
  06-10 Possible Ambush Site: Sometimes the characters will find 
  ideal sites for ambush. This is useful for avoiding ambushes 
  in the future and for preparing turkey shoots of their own. A 
  good ambush site must have good cover, a clear view of the 
  victims and a back door in case things get too hot. 
  11-15 Village: See the Non-Combatant section for details. 
  16-20 Civilian or Allied Contact (roll percentile again to deter­
  mine contact type) 
  01-10 From 1 to 6 woodcutters are gathering wood and 
  bundling it up to sell as firewood. They are usually making a 
  103 
  
  lot of noise (whistling, singing, talking loudly) to avoid being 
  mistaken for soldiers. 
  11-20 From 2 to 20 refugees are travailing south with all 
  their possessions. Usually frightened and unwilling to talk. 
  The war was constantly forcing people to move. 
  21-30 From 2 to 4 hunters armed with bolt-action sin­
  gle-shot rifles and machetes. They are obviously peasants but 
  can easily be mistaken for VC at a distance. There is a 50% 
  chance that they'll be returning home carrying a slain hog on 
  a bamboo pole. 
  31-40 
  Black 
  market smugglers, 
  two 
  armed 
  with 
  semi-automatic rifles (usually dressed in fancy city clothes) 
  and from 10-20 porters. They will be carrying large bundles 
  filled with a variety of Stateside supplies and equipment. The 
  armed smugglers will be very friendly and will offer ciga­
  rettes, liquor, money or souvenirs. 
  41-80 From 2 to 12 peasants traveling along path. A 20% 
  chance that they'll be herding a water buffalo. They carry 
  hoes and farming tools. 
  81-83 From I to 6 Buddhist monks traveling silently. 
  84-85 Christian missionaries from Stateside with 2 to 12 
  children. 
  86-90 A unit of 6 to 60 . 
  91-95 Special Forces team out on patrol with ethnic 
  troops. From 1 to 6 Stateside soldiers and from 20 to 200 na­
  tive soldiers armed with a variety of weapons. 
  96-00 A team of 7 to 12 Stateside soldiers out on patrol. 
  They will be coming from the other direction, and will be in­
  terested in trading information on local conditions. 
  21-25 VC Contact: See the VC Encounter Table that follows. 
  26-32 Animal Contact: Animals and insects are a constant threat 
  to the average soldier. The jungle is filled with poisonous or 
  dangerous creatures of all kinds. Roll percentile dice again: 
  1-60 non-dangerous animal(s). SEE the two specific animal 
  tables and roll I D 10 to determine the type of animal. 
  33-40 False Alarm: A noise, smell or other disturbance that will 
  alert the group and keep them on edge for a few minutes. Just 
  birds, small animals or a freak change of wind. 
  41-00 All Quiet: The jungle is filled with its usual sounds and 
  smells. 
  Non-Dangerous Animal Contact Table 
  Roll1010Contact 
  I Monkeys 
  2 Flocks of Birds 
  3 Leeches Fall from Trees 
  4 Single Bird with Strange Call 
  5 Roll on Dangerous Animal Table 
  6 Large Plant Eater (elephant, water buffalo, etc.) 
  7 Small Rodents 
  8 Biting Flies 
  9 Non-Poisonous Snake 
  10 Lizards/Tree Frogs Croaking 
  The team may hear a strange noise or catch a fleeting 
  glimpse of something rather than coming face to face with the 
  animals. This can be scary and/or startling. The MD should 
  work in animal contact in such a way as to retain the element of 
  surprise and/or tension. For example: rather than saying you see 
  a monkey or water buffalo, say you hear a rustling of branches 
  only 20 feet away (it's only a monkey but the characters won't 
  know that until they investigate further or shoot it). Another en­
  counter could be, you think you see something move 30 feet 
  ahead. Yes, definitely; you see some movement in those bushes 
  ... large, dark ... it rushes out suddenly! It's really a frightened 
  water buffalo that only wants to run away. However, we've just 
  added a bit of tension to what could have been a blase encoun­
  ter. To add to things, a startled or trigger happy character might 
  shoot, which in tum may alert the NYA or VC guerrillas in the 
  area. 
  Dangerous Animal Contact Table 
  Roll 
  1010 
  Contact 
  Hit Pts 
  Damage 
  I 
  Large Cat (Tiger,Jaguar) 6D10+5 3DIO 
  2 
  Poisonous Snake 
  2DIO 
  5DIO 
  3 
  Poisonous 
  Centi pede/Scorpion 
  lDlO 
  2DI0 
  4 
  Poisonous Spider 
  lDJO 
  lDIO 
  5 
  Alligator/Crocodile 
  6DIO+40 4DIO 
  in swamp or river only. 
  6 
  Wild Boar 
  6D10+5 2DIO 
  7 
  Baboon 
  4DIO+5 3DlO 
  8 
  Ants or Bees (roll 2D I 0 
  one each special 
  for number which sting) 
  9 
  Poisonous Snake 
  4DIO 
  IDIOO 
  10 
  Wild Boar 
  With Young 
  6D 10+ I 0 2D1 0+5 
  Using this table, we will assume that these animals are hos­
  tile. That means that the character(s) has stumbled into a bad sit­
  uation and is about to be attacked. Baboons, cats and wild boars 
  are especially deadly predators who will fight until it or the vic­
  tim is killed. Feline predators and baboons are likely (60%) to 
  back off if attacked by three or more men but will go on a kill­
  ing spree if wounded (30% chance of stalking the group). Wild 
  boars will fight to the death regardless of the number of foes. 
  Snakes strike out instinctively and are not likely to attack more 
  than once unless threatened. Insects will usually bite a person 
  repeatedly until the person brushes it off or kills it and/or leaves 
  that area. Insects are usually not noticed until after its first 
  bite/sting. 
  Alligators are astonishingly fast when they decide to attack 
  and are able to run on land at speeds up to 30mph for a short 
  burst of about 100ft A hungry gator will attack a man-sized ani­
  mal (or bigger) without hesitation even if in a group. 
  104 
  
  Helicopter Combat Table 
  Helicopter Mishaps 
  Every time a chopper lands or flies low over a hostile area 
  there's a chance of a problem. VC will often set up ambushes in 
  the Insertion Landing Zone (LZ), fire at passing helicopters or 
  place mines at treetop level to knock out choppers. Slicks, the 
  troop carriers, are crewed by a Pilot Co-Pilot Crew Chief and 
  Door Gunner (both of the last two handling door guns). They 
  carry a maximum of eight soldiers with their equipment. 
  LZ Helicopter Mishaps Table 
  Roll Percentile Dice 
  01-03 
  Chopper 
  Downed, 
  heavily 
  damaged: 
  Heavy 
  machinegun fire or explosive does massive damage to the 
  chopper. Everyone on board takes 4D I 0 points of damage. 
  04-10 Chopper Downed lightly damaged: Either a stray round 
  takes out a vulnerable part (like the fuel line) or else there's a 
  mechanical breakdown. It results in the chopper having to set 
  down immediately in an unknown sector. No damage to per­
  sonnel. 
  11-15 Chopper Personnel Injured: Small arms fire enters the 
  chopper. No damage to the vehicle but every soldier on board 
  has a 10% chance of taking 2D 10 damage, usually from as­
  sault rifle fire. 
  16-20 Major Ambush: The VC wait until the choppers land 
  and the first troops are jumping off, then they open fire from 
  two or more directions. Since a chopper is NOT cover (thin 
  aluminum is not protective cover), the soldiers will have to 
  get off right in the middle of the Ambush! Usually gunships 
  flying cover will suppress the enemy within a few Combat 
  Rounds. Roll percentile for every NPC chopper: 0-20% 
  means it gets blown up (killing all the crew), 21-30% means 
  that it is disabled and the crew must join the RECON team 
  on the ground. 
  21-24 Sniper: A lone VC sniper opens fire as soon as the chop­
  pers land. The choppers will be unaffected, but the RECON 
  team will be subjected to enemy fire. 
  25-00 AU Clear: No problems. 
  The Viet Cong 
  VC Encounter Table 
  Roll Percentile Dice 
  16-20 Guards with Prisoner(s): From I to 6 prisoners are be­
  ing escorted by VC guards. The prisoners can be downed 
  Stateside airmen captured ARVN or loyalist Nam villagers. 
  For each prisoner there are two guerrilla specialist VC. 
  21-35 Porters: From 3 to 18 VC porters are carrying large bun­
  dles of food and supplies. There is a 25% chance that they 
  are walking bicycles laden with bundles (up to 300 pounds 
  per bike). There is a 15% chance that they are guarded by a 
  pair of guerrilla specialist VC. 
  36-40 Local Force Sniper: One man with a rifle couldcreate an 
  enormous commotion am011g Stateside forces. This will be 
  someone with the VC Sniper MOS. 
  41-45 Small Local Force Unit: From 2 to 12 local force VC 
  usually old men, teenagers or women. All are armed with sin­
  gle shot or semi-automatic rifles and carry equipment for 
  making booby traps. There is a 50% chance that the group is 
  taking a break and are totally unaware of any danger. There 
  is a 30% chance that the group will foolishly attack rather 
  than escape. 
  46-50 Large Local Force Unit: From 10 to 100 soldiers with 
  semi-automatic rifles and a few grenades. They will only at­
  tack if they totaIly outnumber the party. 
  51-60 Main Force Sniper: A highly trained sniper who also has 
  an antitank rocket hidden nearby. He is waiting to take a shot 
  at passing aircraft or ground vehicles. He will try to escape 
  instead of fighting. 
  61-70 Small Main Force Unit: From 3 to 18 welI armed VC on 
  a mission to a nearby village or base. They will avoid fight­
  ing if possible. 
  71-80 Main Force Mortar Squad: From 6 to 12 VC with a 
  mortar and extra rounds. They are either traveling to or have 
  already set up in a place where they can shell a Stateside or 
  ARVN base. They will attempt to escape rather than fight a 
  01-05 VC Medical Team: Unarmed team of I to 10 medical 
  doctors and nurses. There is a 50% chance that I to 6 
  wounded VC will also be with them (limping on crutches 
  bandaged or on stretchers). At most they will carry one or 
  two bolt-action rifles. 
  06-09 Propaganda Theater Troup: With musical instruments 
  theatrical props, costumes and baggage. From 2 to 12 VC 
  non-combatants travel among different VC units to perform 
  propaganda and entertainment plays and musicals. 
  10-15 Tax Collector and Escort: A tax collector with a pistol 
  (10% efficiency) and a briefcase will be guarded by a single 
  guerrilla specialist Vc. 
  pitched battle. 
  81-85 Large Maio Force Unit: This is a unit of 20 to 200 sol­
  diers, well armed and prepared for a full battle. They will attack 
  and attempt to stop any Stateside soldiers from escaping once 
  they've been spotted. 
  86-95 NVA Patrol: 
  From 3 to 18 NVA soldiers out on an ex­
  tended reconnaissance. They will all be carrying assault rifles 
  and grenades. They are extremely alert and will quickly fall 
  back when faced with any resistance. 
  96-00 NVA Strike Unit: 
  This is the most feared kind of en­
  counter. 10 to 100 NYA soldiers in standard fatigues, boots car­
  rying assault rifles and grenades. For every ten men, there will 
  105 
  
  be a mortar or antitank rocket. There is a 5% chance that the 
  unit is accompanied by one or more tanks. They will engage any 
  Stateside forces in battle instantly. 
  Thnnel System 
  Roll 1 D20 to describe 
  1-3 Dead end corridor (under construction). Air vent, small ver­
  tical shaft with bamboo ladder (up or down), probably no 
  more than 3 levels total. 
  4-5 Side corridor on left. 
  6-7 Side corridor on right. 
  8 T -intersection 
  9-10 Corridors on both left and right 
  11 Exit/entrance 
  12 Corridor increases in size 
  13 Corridor decreases in size 
  14 Corridor turns left 
  15 Corridor turns right 
  16 Contact (RoI1 1010) 
  I Single NYA coming toward you. 
  2 Single NYA moving ahead of you. 
  3 Single NYA coming up behind you. 
  4 1010/2 (1-5) NVA coming towards you. 
  5 ID I0/2 (1-5) NVA moving ahead of you. 
  6 ID I0/2 (I -5) NVA coming up behind you 
  7 pit. 
  8 Booby trap. 
  9 False floor/wall (requires AL to detect). 
  10 Snake pit with cobra attacks on 1-4 on I D 1 0, AG to 
  avoid; if hits, 5D 1 0 damage. 
  17-20 Room (Roll 1 D20) 
  I Diesel powered electrical generator. 
  2 Print Shop 
  3 Infirmary 
  4 Headquarters 
  5 Radio room 
  6 Documents stored in wooden crate filing cabinets. 
  7 Prisoner 
  8 Latrine (pit) 
  9 Mess hall 
  10 Arms factory/repair shop 
  11-14 Food Storage 
  15-17 Ammo storage 
  18-20 Barracks 
  Quick Roll N .P.C. 
  Combat System for the MD (Optional) 
  Hand to Hand Combat 
  Running hand to hand combat isn't all that difficult for the 
  MD. The actions of the combatants are simply determined by a 
  random roll. Of course you've got to carefully read the combat 
  section so that you understand the rules perfectly. 
  The reaction table is set up to take into account the mood of 
  the opponent. For example, a bar fighter defending the honor of 
  the Marines is likely to be Aggressive. Likewise, VC who are 
  attacking a Stateside position will be Aggressive. 
  Pragmatic is the mood of a combatant who's just trying to 
  stay alive. Most fights will use the Pragmatic column for reac­
  tions. 
  Finally, an NPC who is interested primarily in escape, or 
  who is frightened by combat, will be Timid. Anytime this char­
  acter feels his side is losing the battle, or when he's been badly 
  injured, he'll be Timid. 
  In hand to hand combat the MD fust lets the player declare 
  his or her action. The next step is to roll the reaction of the en­
  emy. Results will always apply to whatever technique the 
  non-player character is currently using. If an NPC is using a 
  bayonet and Grapple is rolled, just substitute. 
  Reaction Table (optional) 
  RolllDlO 
  Aggress. 
  Pragmatic Timid 
  I 
  Slash 
  Slash 
  Slash 
  2 
  Slash 
  Slash 
  Riposte 
  3 
  Stab 
  Riposte 
  Grapple 
  4 
  Stab 
  Riposte 
  Parry 
  5 
  Stab 
  Riposte 
  Parry 
  6 
  Stab 
  Grapple 
  Parry 
  7 
  Stab 
  Grapple 
  Evade 
  8 
  Riposte 
  Parry 
  Evade 
  9 
  Riposte 
  Evade 
  Evade 
  10 
  Evade 
  Evade 
  Evade 
  Distance between combatants is another consideration for the 
  MD. Take a dime and hold at full arm's-length it. That's as big 
  as a man looks from about 100 feet. A reasonable distance for a 
  fire fight is 100 feet; that's close enough for each side to see 
  each other clearly enough to make out small details. 1-100 feet 
  is also the reasonable maximum for hitting anyone with a pistol. 
  It's also about as far as a man can throw a grenade. 
  At 300 feet the combatants are relatively small targets but 
  can still be accurately hit by a trained rifleman. This should be 
  considered the maximum distance for an intensive fire fight. 300 
  feet is the maximum reasonable range for sub-machineguns and 
  shotguns. 
  Between 300 and 500 feet, the opponents can still hit each 
  other with a fair degree of accuracy using rifles or machineguns. 
  At that distance it's relatively easy for the enemy to break off 
  contact and escape. 
  Any target beyond 500 feet should be the Sniper's responsi­
  bility. Characters with the Sniper MOS can hit targets ranging 
  from 500 feet to the maximum distance of their weapons, but 
  may require special optics. (see MER in the Hardware Section). 
  Snipers shooting at distant targets 500 feet away can fire only 
  once per Combat Round. 
  Fire Fights 
  By far the most dangerous situation that characters can get 
  into is the receiving end of a Turkey Shoot. For that reason the 
  MD has to exercise a certain amount of restraint when setting up 
  fire fights. It's a good idea to avoid a lot of bad feelings by giv­
  ing the players some kind of forewarning of the potential disas­
  ter. This can range from providing a clue (gee, there are a lot of 
  VC tracks around here!) or simply using the old divine interven­
  tion ploy (you've got a really bad feeling about something!). 
  As the MD, you're in charge of the two crucial factors in set­
  ting up fire fights: visibility and terrain. The best settings are put 
  together to help create parts of an entire scenario. However, as 
  an MD, there will be times when you just want to randomly roll 
  the terrain and visibility conditions. 
  106 
  
  Visibility Table - Daytime 
  Roll Percentile 
  01-05 Heavy Fog, visibility is 30 feet. 
  06-10 Torrential Rains. In the tropics the rain sometimes 
  seems to come down in buckets, visibility is 50ft. 
  11-20 Heavy Rain, a constant downpour, visibility is 100ft. 
  21-30 Light Rain, visibility is 200ft. 
  31-40 Drizzle and light haze, visibility is 300ft. 
  41-00 Clear, visibility is limited only by terrain. 
  Visibility Table - Nighttime 
  Roll Percentile 
  01-05 Heavy Fog; dark objects can be seen up to 10ft away, 
  light sources can be seen up to 30ft away. 
  06-10 Torrential Rains; dark objects can be seen up to 15ft 
  away, light sources can be seen up to 50ft away. Lightning 
  flashes or flares will illuminate up to 30ft. 
  11-20 Heavy Rain; dark objects can be seen up to 20ft away, 
  light sources can be seen up to 75ft away. Lightning flashes 
  or flares will illuminate up to 60ft. 
  21-30 Light Rain; dark objects can be seen up to 25ft away, 
  light sources can be seen up to 100ft away. Lightning flashes 
  or flares will illuminate up to 100ft. 
  31-40 Drizzle; dark objects can be seen up to 30ft away light 
  sources can be seen up to 300ft away. Lightning flashes or 
  flares will illuminate up to 200ft. 
  41-60 Heavy Cloud Cover; dark objects can be seen up to 35ft 
  away, light sources can be seen so long as they are not ob­
  scured by terrain. Lightning flashes or flares will illuminate 
  up to 300ft. 
  61-70 Patchy, shifting clouds will vary visibility from 35 to 
  50ft. Light sources unobstructed by terrain will be clear. 
  Flares will i11uminate up to 300ft. 
  71-90 Clear and bright Starlight; visibility up to 100ft away. 
  Light sources can be seen in unlimited distance and flares 
  wi11 illuminate up to 300ft. 
  91-00 Clear and bright Moonlight; visibility up to 150ft, light 
  sources can be seen at unlimited distances. Flares will illumi­
  nate up to 300ft. 
  Note: Substitute snow for rain when playing in an appropri­
  ate climate. 
  Terrain Table 
  Roll Percentile 
  01-10 Plains: Grassy plains or mud flats. Visibility is unlimited. 
  The only cover are trenches (if there's time to dig them). 
  Characters are vulnerable to fire from bordering villages, for­
  est, jungle or any other source of enemy cover. 
  11-20 Rice Paddies: Rice is grown in mud covered by a foot or 
  so of water. Visibility is unlimited. The only cover are earth 
  ditches and mounds. Characters are vulnerable to fire from 
  bordering villages, buildings, forest, jungle or any other 
  source of enemy cover. 
  21-35 Swamp: Dense vegetation and mud many feet thick. 
  Maximum visibility is 75ft. Quicksand is a frequent problem 
  (quicksand makes a good natural booby trap). Insects and 
  leeches are everywhere. Cover is plentiful, but unpleasant, as 
  one must squash down into the mud behind a clump of 
  plants. 
  36-50 Elephant Grass: Grass tall enough to hide elephants and 
  thick enough to deflect light bullets. Maximum visibility is 
  107 
  
  20ft. Large animals and snakes are a constant problem. No 
  natural cover other than keeping low and out of sight. Any at­
  tackers have the same problem. 
  51-80 Jungle: Thick plant growth. Visibility is limited to line of 
  sight along cleared trails or 30ft through the vegetation. All 
  kinds of dangerous insects and animals abound. Cover is 
  plentiful, just jump behind trees and bushes. Hidden attackers 
  are very difficult to see, especially if they're firing from pre­
  pared positions with trenches or spider holes. 
  81-95 Highland Forest: Dense forests with heavy canopies. 
  Visibility is limited to 100ft during the day and 35ft at night (be­
  cause the forest cover blocks out star and moonlight). Animals 
  and some insects are a problem. Cover is plentiful; large trees 
  and frequent gullies and hills are useful for hiding. Ambushes 
  are usually made from high points. 
  96-00 Rocky Highlands: Clear, rugged terrain with lots of 
  rocks, gullies, hills and valleys. Animals and insects are rela­
  tively rare. Visibility is unlimited. Excellent cover is usually 
  available. Unfortunately, ambushers in these areas tend to pick 
  two or more points for a cross-fire, making even victims under 
  cover extremely vulnerable. 
  Weather Change Table 
  (Roll every 12 hours) (optional) 
  01-48 No change, 
  49-00 Weather Change - roll on visibility tables. 
  HighlandslMountain Plateau Terrain (optional) 
  RoIIlD20Terrain 
  I Crest of Hill 
  2 Stream 
  3 Bend in Trail 
  4 Wide Spot in Trail 
  5 GorgelNarrow Valley 
  6 Natural Clearing 
  7 Trail Intersection 
  8 Fork in Trail 
  9 TreeNines Across Trail 
  10 Dry Rice Field 
  II Dense Underbrush 
  12 Abandoned Field 
  13 Bombed Clearing 
  14 River (40'+6010' Wide) 
  15 Valley with Elephant Grass (7' High Grass, I D!Ox 100 yards 
  across) 
  16 Dense Bamboo Thicket 
  17 Marsh with Waist Deep WaterlMud (1D1Ox10 yards 
  through) 
  18 Log Bridge Over Stream/Rope Bridge Over Gorge 
  19 Cliff(20'+1D10' High) 
  20 Small Cave Opening 
  Medium to heavy vegetation would be predominant in these 
  areas. 
  Lowlands/Piedmont Terrain (optional) 
  RollID20Terrain 
  I Sand Dunes (1010+2' High) 
  2 Pine Trees 
  3 Scrub Brush 
  4 Rice Paddies 
  5 Road 
  6 Path 
  7 Stream 
  8 Bombed Out Clearing 
  9 Bend in Trail 
  \0 Forest 
  II Marsh 
  12 Low Hill (1010+10' High) 
  13 Tree Across Trail 
  14 Bamboo Thicket (lOIOxlO yards through) 
  15 River (40'+6010' Wide) 
  16 Mangrove Swamp ( I 0 I Ox I 0 yards across) 
  17 Scrub Brush 
  18 Rice Paddies 
  19 Forest 
  20 Waist High Grass 
  Light to heavy vegetation would be predominant in these ar­
  eas. 
  Mekong Delta Terrain (optional) 
  RolllD20Terrain 
  I Vines Across Trail 
  2 Tall Grass (7' High, 20'+3D! 0' through) 
  3 Rice Paddies 
  4 River (60'+4010' Across) 
  5 Marsh (50'+ 10100' Across) 
  6 Canal/Stream (10'+1010' Across) 
  7 Path 
  8 River (40'+3D!0' Across) 
  9 Marsh (30'+10100' Across) 
  10 Rice Paddies 
  II Canal/Stream (lO'+IDIO' Across) 
  12 Fork in Trail 
  \3 Mangrove Swamp (30'+3010' Across) 
  14 Marsh (40'+10100' Across) 
  IS Tall Grass (7' High, 30'+1D100' through) 
  16 Mangrove Swamp (30'+3010' Across) 
  17 River (30'+4010' Across) 
  18 Bridge Across Stream 
  19 Clumps of Trees 
  20 Mud Flats (I-3ft deep, 10'+2010' Across) 
  Medium to dense vegetation would be predominant in these 
  areas. 
  Barbed Wire/Cyclone Fences 
  If a character wants to cut an opening through a metal fence 
  or barbed wire, he first must have the necessary equipment (wire 
  cutters). Two strands of barbed wire can be cut each combat 
  round; to cut the strands quietly it requires one combat round 
  per strand and a successful agility roll. Various booby traps and 
  noise makers (usually tin cans) are sometimes rigged to barbed 
  wire defenses, especially at base camp perimeters. To wiggle 
  through wire without snagging or setting off these traps, the 
  character must first detect the trap (detect booby trap skill or 
  alertness roll) and second, roll against his agility to by­
  pass/avoid. 
  A man-sized hole, large enough to crawl through, can be cut 
  in a cyclone fence in five combat rounds, ten if it is done quietly 
  (a successful agility roll must be made). 
  108 
  
  Guard Towers 
  The height of a guard tower detennines observation over ob­
  stacles. Guard towers are generally made of wood and stand 
  about twenty to thirty feet tall. The platfonn atop the tower 
  would usually be surrounded by a three foot tall wall of sand­
  bags, wood or even concrete. This restricts aimed fire against 
  the guard's torso or above. Guards will be facing into the com­
  pound at P.O.W. camps or outward at a base. Roll on the Alert­
  ness Table, same as the sentry, to check for the alertness 
  modifier. 
  Roving searchlights from a guard tower might spotlight a 
  character in its beam. However, if the character is prone (laying 
  flat) the sentry may be so bored that he overlooks him (roll 
  against his alertness). If the character is standing or moving, the 
  sentry will automatically detect him. If an alann has been 
  sounded, the sentry will detect all characters hit by a searchlight, 
  even if prone. A searchlight will illuminate a six by six foot 
  area. 
  Guard Dogs 
  Guard dogs are specially trained animals that will attack in­
  truders. They will most likely be used at areas with sophisticated 
  security systems, e.g., embassies, P.O.W camps, missile sites, 
  air bases, headquarters, or nuclear reactors, and not jungle bases 
  or encampments. 
  For each guard dog, roll to detennine its alertness and 
  strength. Guard dogs have a +I0 bonus on alertness at all times 
  due to their acute hearing and smell. A dog's damage capacity is 
  equal to its strength minus ten; movement (running speed) is 
  equal to twice its strength. 
  If a guard dog is aroused, roll percentile dice on the follow­
  ing table to detennine its response: 
  01-75 Attacks the character detected (which is not necessar­
  ily the nearest person). 
  76-95 Growls a warning and barks, but does not attack; but 
  will attack if it is attacked or ifthe character runs. 
  96-00 Does not respond. 
  If the dog is with a handler, it will attack on command or if 
  the handler is attacked. 
  Guard dog attacks are a variation of hand-to-hand combat. 
  See hand-to-hand combat section. Dogs are pack hunters. A sin­
  gle dog will attack until it is killed; a group, however, will re­
  treat when two-thirds of them are killed. A dog bite does 1 D 1 0 
  damage per combat round. 
  Sentries 
  Sentry duty is so monotonous that a character's alertness 
  (AL) is greatly reduced. Contrary to common belief, the length 
  of time one spends on sentry duty, on guard or look-out has little 
  effect on one's alertness. Sentry duty is generally so routine that 
  boredom sets in quickly. We've all seen real life security 
  guards, so desensitized by the routine of their job, curl up with a 
  book or radio and be almost instantly distracted or even asleep 
  20 minutes after coming on duty. At different times during sen­
  try duty, the guard's alertness will peak and wane. This is influ­
  enced by boredom, fatigue, outside stimuli and general state of 
  mind. 
  The table that follows reflects the random peaks and valleys 
  of a sentry's alertness. A sentry should roll under his/her modi­
  fied AL for each unusual sound or movement. A failed roll 
  means the sentry has failed to notice anything unusual. A suc­
  cessful roll under his modified AL means he has spotted the 
  source of a sound or activity and can respond appropriately. 
  Note: Using this table may not be appropriate under combat or 
  tense situations when one's adrenaline is pumping like crazy. 
  Random Roll Per Noise 
  or Suspicious Activity 
  Alertness 
  Nonnal 
  2 
  -5 
  3 
  -10 
  4 
  -15 
  5 
  -20 
  6 
  -25 
  7 
  -30 
  8 
  -15 
  9 
  -10 
  10 
  Nonnal 
  If the modifier exceeds the character's alertness, he is asleep 
  or completely oblivious to what's going on. 
  Radio Communications (optional) 
  PRC-25 "Prick 25" Backpack Radio 
  Weight: 15lbs 
  Range with Backpack Antenna: Line of Sight to 5 miles 
  (8km) 
  Range on high point (hill/tower): 12 to 15 miles (20 to 24km). 
  Notes: The PRC-25 serves as a unit's main communication 
  link. The radio was capable of 920 different frequencies. Be­
  cause the RTO carrying this radio couldn't carry a regular back­
  pack (although he often attached grenades and personal gear to 
  the radio), other team members were assigned to carry his stuff. 
  Smaller headset and hand-held portable radios were used earlier 
  in the war, but abandoned because of limited range and constant 
  enemy surveillance. 
  Communications with Radios 
  Speaking on military radios requires learning to speak in a 
  special way so that your messages will come through clearly. 
  Nonnal speech can be distorted by static, enemy electronic 
  counter-measures or just plain weak signals. The following 
  words and phrases have a much better chance of being under­
  stood. 
  Letters and Numbers 
  'A' Alpha 
  'B' Bravo 
  'C' Charlie 
  'D'Delta 
  'E' Echo 
  'F' Foxtrot 
  'G' Golf 
  'H' Hotel 
  'I' India 
  '1' Juliett 
  'K' Kilo 
  'L'Lima 
  'M'Mike 
  'N' November 
  '0' Oscar 
  'P' Papa 
  'Q' Quebec 
  'R'Romeo 
  'S'Sierra 
  'T'Tango 
  'u' Unifonn 
  'V'Victor 
  'w' Whiskey 
  'X' X-Ray 
  'Y' Yankee 
  'z' Zulu 
  '0' Ze-ro 
  '1' Wun 
  '2' Too 
  '3' Tree 
  '4'Fow-er 
  '5' Fife 
  6' Six 
  '7' Sev-en 
  '8' Alt 
  '9' Nin-er 
  109 
  
  Radio Jargon 	
  9 a.m. 0900 ("oh, nine hundred") 
  I 0 a.m. I 000 ("ten hundred hours") 
  Authenticate: A demand for a code word to make sure that 
  the communication isn't by an enemy imposter. Response might 
  be "I Authenticate Zulu Nin-er" or "I Authenticate 1977 Tiger 
  Pitcher, The Bird." 
  Break: Announcing the end of part of the message. 
  Correct: Confirms that a repetition matches the message sent 
  out. 
  Correction: Announces that a previous message is to be sent 
  out with corrections added. 
  Flash: Announces the beginning of an emergency message. 
  From: Announces the source of the message. 
  Green: Safe conditions. 
  Hotel Alpha: "Haul Ass" or "Get out quick!" 
  Hotel Echo: "High Explosive" warns of immediate incoming 
  explosive rounds. A command to hit the dirt or find cover! 
  I Say Again: Announces the repetition of a message. 
  I Spell: Announces that the next piece of information will be 
  spelled out letter by letter. "Flash! Call Penny Nickle Fickle. I 
  Spell: Lima, Oscar, Papa, Sierra, India, November, Golf. Break" 
  means "Call 155mm rounds on Lopsing." By spelling out a dif­
  ficult word it eliminates the possibility of transmission garble. 
  Immediate: Announces the beginning of a priority message 
  Out: Announces the end of communication and an intention 
  to hang up. 
  Over: Used at the end of every section when a reply is ex­
  pected. If you're listening to someone you shouldn't say any­
  thing until you hear Over. 
  Radio Check: Just asking to see if there's still a connection. 
  Read Back: Read the message you just received back in or­
  der to confirm its correctness. 
  Red: A dangerous condition 
  Roger: Used to acknowledge that a message has been re­
  ceived. 
  Routine: Announces a non-priority message. 
  Say Again: A request that the last message be repeated. 
  Silence - Silence - Silence: Tells everybody to stop transmit­
  ting, often because enemy eavesdropping is suspected or be­
  cause the sound of the radio may alert a enemy nearby. 
  Silence Lifted: It's okay to start talking again. 
  Six: Means "Leader" or "Chief." 
  Wait: Announces a pause, stand-by for a few seconds. 
  Appendix: Military Time 
  The military works on a 24 hour clock, and to be more au­
  thentic you should adopt this in your mission briefings. The sys­
  tem works like this: 
  Time: Morning 
  I a.m. 0 I 00 ("oh, one hundred") 
  2 a.m. 0200 ("oh, two hundred") 
  3 a.m. 0300 ("oh, three hundred") 
  4 a.m. 0400 ("oh, four hundred") 
  5 a.m. 0500 ("oh, five hundred") 
  6 a.m. 0600 ("oh, six hundred") 
  7 a.m. 0700 ("oh, seven hundred") 
  8 a.m. 0800 ("oh, eight hundred") 
  II a.m. 1100 ("eleven hundred hours") 
  12 a.m. 1200 ("twelve hundred hours") 
  Noon 
  Evening 
  I p.m. 1300 (thirteen hundred hours) 
  2 p.m. 1400 
  3 p.m. 1500 
  4 p.m. 1600 
  5 p.m. 1700 
  6 p.m. 1800 
  7 p.m. 1900 
  8 p.m. 2000 (twenty hundred) 
  9 p.m. 2100 
  10 p.m. 2200 
  II p.m. 2300 
  12 p.m. 2400 
  Midnight 
  Time between hours is pronounced as follows 
  0135 (I :35 a.m.) is "oh one, thirty-five" 
  0705 (7:05 a.m.) is "oh seven, oh five" 
  1425 (2:25 p.m.) is "fourteen, twenty-five" 
  The U.S. Troops 
  Army Organization in 'N AM 
  Statesides's commitment to the war in 'Nam was immense. 
  Hundreds of thousands of different troops from all branches of 
  the service might be stationed in an area at anyone time. 
  In order to clear up the confusion let's look at one soldier's 
  view of the war. Here's Specialist Fourth Class, Bill "Red" 
  Dukowski's tour of the war organization. 
  Hi! My name's Bill Dukowski, but you can call me Red. I'm 
  a Corporal, otherwise known as a Specialist, 4th Class. In 'Nam 
  we just say I'm a Spec-4, a rifleman or just plain 'hey you, 
  Grunt!' 
  My assignment is to the 5th Squadron, II th Cavalry, 2nd 
  Brigade, 13th Division. Let me break that mouthful down into 
  manageable pieces. The last thing I said, the 13th Division, is 
  actually a name for a huge chunk of the Army. 
  13th Cavalry Division, Airmobile 
  Major General Sam Rombley is a 2 star General. I never met 
  the guy, but he sure looks impressive when we have parades and 
  stuff. He commands a combined force of grunts, choppers, 
  tanks, artillery and support units. I figure he's got something 
  like 16,000 men under him. Of course, mostly he only sees his 
  personal staff. His HQ (headquarters) a plush base in Thu Sang, 
  has two Colonels, four Majors and 150 lower ranking officers 
  and enlisted men. The staff is responsible for coordination, intel­
  ligence and administrative duties for the entire 13th Division. 
  Aside from the 2nd Brigade (the one I'm in), General 
  Rombley also commands the I st and 3rd Brigades, and another 
  dozen or so support battalions and companies. In other words, 
  he runs an outfit big enough to fight a war all by itself. 
  Just under the 13th Division is the 2nd Brigade. 
  110 
  
  13th Division, 2nd Brigade, Aviation 
  5th Squadron, 11 th Cavalry, Airmobile 
  This is my unit. That II th Cavalry means that it was the II th 
  unit of cavalry ever formed. That happened way back in the 
  Civil War. Even though the Army's not organized that way any­
  more we still use the same name. The 5th Squadron means 
  we're the 5th smal1 unit in the II th Cav. 
  We're a real special unit. Ordinarily a rifle squad would re­
  port to a Lieutenant, and he'd report to a Captain, and he'd re­
  port to a Major, and then finally the Major would report to the 
  Colonel. Whew! Our senior sergeant reports directly to Colonel 
  Yeager 'cause we're a RECON unit; we do reconnaissance for 
  the whole 2nd Brigade. 
  In our squad we've got Staff Sergeant Quincy Troy, Sergeant 
  Saul Bernowitz (our Point Man), and two sergeant team leaders, 
  Roy Livonia and Eric Royal. All the rest of us are Spec-4 s. 
  There's Hunk Webber and Tommy Chung, they're both grena­
  diers, plus Iggy Harper, Paul Gerard, Charlie Washington, 
  Vince Kline and myself. 
  For equipment we've got eight M-16 Assault Rifles, two 
  M-79 Grenade Launchers, two .45 Automatic Pistols (for the 
  grenadiers), and one PRC-77 Radio (carried by Paul, our RTO), 
  and one PVS-2 Night Vision Sight (that's for Eric Royal, our 
  Sniper). 
  Of course, there's lots of other rifle squads. For example, 
  there's the 15th Battalion. 
  15th Battalion, 27th Cavalry 
  Lieutenant Colonel Matt Walters is in charge of 3 Infantry 
  Companies, an HQ Company, and a heavy weapon support 
  Company. 
  Company "B," 27th Cavalry 
  Captain Rick Gabbin has got 5 Lieutenants and 158 Enlisted 
  Men under him. These guys are almost like regular Army except 
  they get inserted by chopper a lot. As far as equipment goes, 
  here's a list: 
  Vehicles: 5 Jeeps 
  Weapons: Six M-60 Machineguns, 24 M-79 Grenade 
  Launchers, 31 .45 Automatics, 140 M-16 Rifles, 18 5.62mm Ri­
  fles, three 81 mm Mortars, and three 90mm Recoilless Rifles 
  Other Equipment: 10 PRC-77 Radio Sets and 18 PVS-2 
  Night Vision Sights. 
  Altogether Gabbin's Company is divided up into an HQ, 
  three rifle platoons and a mortar platoon. Each rifle platoon gets 
  split up into three rifle squad kinds of like ours except they've 
  got more Privates and fewer NCOs. He's also got a heavy weap­
  ons squad for each platoon; they fire the machineguns and re­
  coilless rifles. 
  Gabbin's guys are the ones who rescue our butts when we 
  end up against a VC or NV A unit that's too big to handle. If it's 
  too big for them then we start cal1ing in more units. When Gab­
  bin runs out, he starts calling up the other battalions. 
  Colonel Jim Yeager is our real combat leader. He's the guy 
  16th Battalion, 27th Cavalry 
  who makes the real decisions about who to send where. Even 
  2nd Battalion, 28th Cavalry
  though he reports to General Rombley, Yeager can pretty much do 
  Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Mountain is in charge of the 16th, 
  what he wants with al1 the other battalions under him. Al1 the guys 
  and Major Norman Easter has charge of the 2nd. They've each
  have a lot of respect for Yeager because he's a real combat vet not 
  got three cavalry companies under them. 
  a dumb armchair jockey. 
  111 
  
  We wouldn't have much of a war if we couldn't get a ride 
  call artillery companies batteries, all these guns can fire for 
  out into the field. It's the Assault Helicopter units that get us out 
  miles around their fire bases. 
  there and give us a little extra firepower when we need it. 
  519th Aviation Battalion, Assault Helicopter 
  Colonel Henry Dearborn is an idiot and everybody knows it. 
  Fortunately, he doesn't move much outside of his tent. He just 
  pushes papers for all the guys in his 3 Companies. 
  121st Aviation Company, Assault Helicopters 
  Captain Wilbur Sanders has got 19 Officers, 20 Warrant Of­
  ficers (mostly chopper pilots), and 219 Enlisted Men in his com­
  mand. He really cares about us grunts out in the field. We know 
  that 'cause more than once he's personally landed his chopper 
  on a hot LZ to rescue wounded. 
  Here's a list of the equipment assigned to Captain Sanders' 
  Company: 
  Aircraft: Four Cobra Gunships (anned with 7.62mm MG, 
  2.75" Rocket Launcher and 40mm Grenade Launcher), Four 
  Huey Scouts (7.62mm MG, 2.75" Rocket Launcher), and 23 
  Huey Slicks (2 7.62mm door-mounted machineguns). 
  Ground Vehicles: Six 2.5-ton Fuel Trucks, One 2.5-ton 
  Crane, One 2.5-ton Mechanic's Van, Six 2.5-ton Trucks, 12 
  . 75-ton Trucks, One Jeep, and One Forklift. 
  Weapons: Two M-60 Machineguns, 219 M-16 Rifles, and 
  68 .38 Revolvers. 
  520th Aviation Company, General Support 
  Not all aviation units are for combat. Major Jack Morgan's 
  Company has a bunch of planes and choppers that are used 
  mostly for shipping freight around. Every once in awhile they'll 
  parachute drop some spare ammo or extra equipment. 
  Okay, so much for the birds. Let's get on to the heavy stuff. 
  2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry 
  You know in those old western movies, when they talk about 
  being rescued by the cavalry? Well for RECON units, or any­
  body in major trouble, there's nothing like a bunch of tanks and 
  annored personnel carriers to cheer you up. Major Eathan 
  Wiltrnere has 5 Lieutenants and 192 Enlisted Men in his com­
  mand. Mainly he's got lots of tanks. 
  Vehicles: Nine M-48 Tanks with 90mm Guns, three M-125 
  APCs with 81mm Mortars, 21 M-ll3 Personnel Carriers, One 
  M-88 Recovery Vehicle, One 2.5-ton Truck, one .75 ton Truck, 
  and three jeeps. 
  Weapons: 29 M-79 Grenade Launchers, one .50-cal. 
  Machinegun, 42 M-60 Machineguns, 123 M-16 Rifles, and 74 
  .45 Automatics. 
  Tanks are great when they can get in somewhere. Unfortu­
  nately in 'Nam we usually are in mud up to our eyeballs or jun­
  gle that's so thick you can't walk a bicycle through it. In those 
  cases we call for Arty, 'cause artillery shells don't worry about 
  terrain. 
  1st Battalion, 21st Artillery, I05mm 
  1st Battalion, 30th Artillery, 155mm 
  Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Calswell is in charge of three 
  105mm Batteries and Major Don Amberson is in charge of three 
  155mm Batteries. Just in case you were wondering why they 
  Battery 'M,' 155mm Towed Howitzer Battery 
  Captain Terrance Boom, with 5 Lieutenants and 119 Enlisted 
  Men, runs this artillery unit. Calling in artillery fire makes any 
  grunt nervous. A few misplaced 155mm 100-pound shells can 
  ruin your whole day. Captain Boom is one of the few guys we 
  really trust to put the shots where we tell him to. He's all right. 
  Here's a list of their equipment: 
  Vehicles: Ten 5-ton Trucks, three 2.5-ton Trucks, four .75 
  ton Trucks, and five Jeeps. 
  Artillery: Six M-114 Towed 155mm Howitzers, and eight 
  M-79 40mm Grenade Launchers. 
  Weapons: Eight M-60 7.62mm Machineguns, eight M-14 
  Rifles, 100 M-16 Rifles, and 17 .45 Automatic Pistols. 
  214th Engineer Battalion 
  Inside this Battalion are companies that specialize in building 
  bridges, constructing defensive positions, demolitions, construc­
  tion and repair, map making, and utilities (electrical generation). 
  In addition mine-laying and mine clearing are a primary job of 
  the engineers. Major William Corey is in charge . 
  371st Army Security Agency Company 
  These are the intelligence guys. The commander is Major 
  Alex Tierney, an evil character if I ever met one. He'd torture 
  his own mother if he thought it would get him a promotion. All 
  the local translators and scouts are under the control of this com­
  pany. I have no idea how many guys, official or unofficial, are 
  working for this bunch of Sneaky Petes. 
  545th Military Police Company 
  The MPs are responsible for traffic control, maintaining or­
  der and guarding prisoners. Mostly these guys are a pain in the 
  neck. After a couple of weeks fighting VC in the bush we don't 
  need some fancy pants MP telling us our ties are crooked. 
  Okay! That explains the whole 2nd Brigade. Of course, the 
  1st and 3rd Brigades are set up pretty much the same way. 
  Now let me tell you about some of the other guys we some­
  times run into. 
  In our patrol area we sometimes run into some of the squads 
  from Company "F" of the 31 st Infantry Division. These guys are 
  LRRPs, Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. They do the same 
  kind of thing we do in the 5th squad except they've got to walk 
  to work. Give me a helicopter any day! Captain Jack Finch is 
  their Company CO and two of their crack squad leaders are Sgt. 
  Greg Miller and Sgt. Andy Lionel 
  Another group of tough guys are the 4th Pathfinders. This is 
  a platoon of guys who check out landing zones (LZs) by para­
  chuting or walking into 'em at night. Scary stuff. They've got 
  this 2nd Lieutenant, "Axe" O'Hanlon, who's too weird to get 
  promoted. The guy is just plain kill-crazy! 
  Down the river, right where the Mu Tau meets the Song Tau, 
  there's a unit of river-boats. It's all Stateside Navy with Captain 
  Nonnan Fludson in command. They've got a couple of dozen 
  PBRs, six ATCs (Annored Troop Carriers) and some other 
  anned boats. They also have some SEALs stationed there. 
  112 
  
  Special Forces, or Green Berets, has a few units up in the 
  mountains. They're mostly scattered in with the native 
  Montagnards. The B-83 Detachment has only got about 100 
  guys, but they're leading a good couple of thousand 
  Montagnards. They've got a RECON unit, called the Mean 
  Green Team that is made up ofCaptain Paul Heitzman, Sergeant 
  Joe Groski, Sergeant Bob Smith and a dozen of these weird na­
  tives called Khargs. Those guys are just about invisible in the 
  jungle, I'm just glad they're on our side. 
  Finally, we've got some foreign guys fighting on our side. 
  The only ones in our area are a bunch of Aussie maniacs. 
  They're in something called the 12th Royal Highland Regiment. 
  I don't know what that means, but these guys march around in 
  kilts and play bagpipes that scare the bejezus out of the VC. 
  They also seem to be pretty good jungle night fighters. 
  Oh Yeah! We've also got some native 'Nam people fighting 
  on our side. It's easy to forget 'cause they always manage to be 
  somewhere else when the fighting breaks out. They've got the 
  whole 11th Infantry NV stationed just north of us. There's also a 
  unit of special forces, they're the 5th Ranger Group; they are 
  mean fighters, but are so cruel to the local tribesmen that they 
  do more hann than good. 
  The enemy doesn't have any problem with guts. These guys 
  are fanatics! I figure there's something like 3,000 VC spread out 
  among the 60,000 or so native 'Nam people in the area. Rumor 
  has it that three NY A units are infiltrating into our area also. 
  The 49th Sappers are tunnel diggers and mine layers. At least 4 
  squads of regular infantry from their 30 I st Infantry Division 
  have been spotted. The thing that causes the most worry is that 
  we found some identification on a body that said the guy be­
  longed to the NV A 576-B Artillery Battery. That could mean 
  anything from 81 mm Mortars to a 130mm Field Gun. Danger­
  ous Stuff! 
  'Nam Game Population 
  Officers and Administrators 
  Combat soldiers learn to kill for a living. They either learn 
  how to fight and survive, or else they die. Officers, whether they 
  know anything or not, have the power to order combat soldiers 
  around. 
  One way or another, every RECON team will have to deal 
  with officers. Some will be experienced combat veterans who 
  can discuss field tactics intelligently. Most officers will be expe­
  rienced enough to keep from interfering with combat soldiers 
  who are getting the job done. Every so often an officer comes 
  along who doesn't know his own ignorance. 
  Ever wonder why officers are occasionally killed by their 
  own men? 
  Example: The RECON team has just been assigned Lieuten­
  ant George Fresno as their commanding officer; George is the 
  result of a midwestern college ROTC program. He's been in 
  'Nam for all of two weeks and he thinks he's going to win the 
  war single-handed. According to him, he'll be returning State­
  side as a General. Needless to say, he won't listen to reason. 
  George insisted on coming along on a routine reconnaissance 
  mission up into the highlands around Nong Ben. Already some 
  of the men are ready to frag him 'cause he makes a lot of noise, 
  talks loudly and complains constantly about the rain. 
  Suddenly, Saul Bernowitz, the Point Man, appears out of the 
  jungle. He starts motioning silently for everyone to back up 
  along the trail. Everyone immediately tenses, all weapons are 
  checked and loaded. 
  Lt. George speaks up in a nonnal tone of voice, "What's go­
  ing on, Sergeant Bernowitz? Do we have contact with the en­
  emy?" 
  Whispering, Saul replies, "Shh! I followed some tracks up 
  ahead and spotted an NVA Sniper. We gotta' get outa' here be­
  fore they realize where we are." 
  Lt. George, now excited and speaking even louder, "What 
  makes you so sure they were Northern Regulars?" 
  "Sir, we gotta' get outa' here!" Saul continued in a worried 
  Whisper, looking nervously back up the trail, "I figure there's at 
  least a dozen of 'em, with a good sized mortar and plenty of 
  ammo! Plus, they have been in that area for at least a couple of 
  hours!" All the other men get even more nervous. They spread 
  out and start looking for cover. 
  "Sergeant! How do you know they're NY A troops? The man 
  you spotted, what was he wearing?" 
  "He had on black PJs and tennis shoes. What difference does 
  it make? We're standing in their fire zone! We gotta' go!" 
  "I'm surprised at you! NVA wear fatigues and helmets, just 
  like ARVN. Obviously the man you saw was just a Viet Cong 
  guerrilla. They're probably just hiding a few sacks of rice. We 
  should move in and take a few prisoners as our orders specify." 
  'Nuffsaid! 
  Specialty Personnel Available 
  for Temporary Assignment 
  There are often times when it's better to recruit an NPC spe­
  cialist than have the players create new characters. Here are a 
  selection from the 13th Infantry Division. 
  Staff Sergeant Quincy Troy 
  Specialty: Team Leader 
  Description: Sgt. Troy is the perfect NCO for breaking in a 
  team of fresh recruits. He is always ultra careful and can usu­
  ally smell an ambush miles away. Rather than getting angry 
  he tends to resort to dry, satirical comments when soldiers 
  make mistakes. After a bunch of wild shots, he might say, 
  "Now that you've cleared your weapon, maybe you'd like to 
  take a shot at that VC?" His Primary MOS is Pigman. 
  Secondary MOS is Point. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 56 AL: 93 AG: 53 
  Skills: Pistol (6 grades with .45 Automatic, 91 %), Assault Rifle 
  (4 grades with M-16, 78%), Machinegun (3 grades with 
  M-60, 40%), Bayonet, Garrote, Unanned Combat (5 grades), 
  Jungle Survival, Night Fighting, Basic Tracking, Estimate 
  Weapons, Estimate Distance, Basic Communications and a 
  smattering of French. 
  Equipment: Usually carries an M-16 (with 10 extra clips), a .45 
  Automatic Pistol (with two extra clips), and a variety of 
  smoke and fragmentation grenades. 
  113 
  
  Sergeant Roy Livonia 
  Specialty: Intelligence Officer 
  Description: Roy is a friendly, likable guy. Even the natives au­
  tomatically seem to trust him. Just the opposite of most Intel 
  MOS people. He has an excellent memory and can repeat 
  conversations word for word. He also is very good with maps 
  and has a Secondary MOS as RTO. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attributes: ST: 22 AL: 57 AG: 51 
  Skills: Perfectly fluent in both the 'Nam city dialects and coun­
  try slang. He can carry on conversations in French, German 
  or Spanish. Although not as extensively skilled, he can make 
  himself understood in Chinese, Russian and most of the lan­
  guages of the 'Nam hill people. Pistol (2 grades in .45 Auto­
  matic, 77% to hit), Assault Rifle (4 grades in M-16, 61 % to 
  hit), Interrogation 88%, Lock Picking 82%, Land Navigation 
  78%, Basic Tracking 60%, Estimate Weapons 66%, Basic 
  Communications 70%, Scramblers 58%, Forward Observer 
  70%, and Forward Air Controller 71 %. 
  Equipment: Carries lock pick set, notebook and pen. Generally 
  armed with .45 Automatic Pistol and several grenades. He 
  prefers not to carry an Assault Rifle (too heavy) and will not 
  volunteer to carry any extra group equipment. 
  Corporal Tommy Chung 
  Specialty: Sniper and/or Demolitions 
  Description: Tommy Chung is a dangerous guy to have around. 
  He will stop at nothing to kill the enemy. If he has an oppor­
  tunity to pick off a VC or two he'll do it, even if it might en­
  danger the mission. He's also pretty crazy as a demolitions 
  man. 
  Primary MOS is Sniper, 
  Secondary MOS is Demolitions. 
  Alignment: Malignant-Psychotic 
  Attributes: ST: 74 AL: 34 AG: 94 
  Skills: Semi-Automatic Rifle (8 grades with M-14, 94% to hit), 
  Demolitions (5 grades of skill, 85%), Bayonet, Garrote, 
  Knife Fighting, Suppressors/Silencers, Silent Movement 
  63%, Night Fighting 70%, and Detect Ambush 56%. 
  Equipment: He lives with his specially modified M-14 Sniper 
  Rifle. It has a hair trigger, special sights, a telescopic sight, a 
  starlight scope and a barrel modified so that a flash suppres­
  sor can be attached. Otherwise he likes to carry nothing other 
  than ammunition (12 extra clips), his demolition gear and the 
  bare essentials of survival gear. 
  Sergeant Saul Bernowitz 
  Specialty: Point Man 
  Description: Sgt. Saul is something more than human when 
  he's on Point. His supernatural Alertness keys him into every 
  movement, every smell, every sound in the area. However, 
  once the enemy is found he feels that his job is over! He will 
  not endanger himself once the fighting starts. Since he be­
  lieves that the muzzle flash from a weapon is dangerous, he 
  won't even fire his rifle. A Point Man Deluxe, he has no Sec­
  ondary MOS. 
  Alignment: Malignant. 
  Attributes: ST: 56 AL: 98 AG: 97 
  Skills: Assault Rifle with flash suppressor (7th grade with 
  M-16, 92% to hit), Garrote, Unarmed Combat, Find Food 
  and Water 42%, Detect Ambush 77%, Detect Booby Trap 
  85%, Night Fighting 80%, Silent Movement 86%, and Basic 
  Airborne Parachuting 60%. 
  Equipment: Carries an M-16 with three extra clips. 
  Corporal Joseph "Hunk" Webber 
  Specialty: Grenadier 
  Description: Hunk is a typical grunt, a good soldier, but not 
  very enthusiastic. He'd much rather pump a few rounds into 
  a hut than investigate it personally. Although he mainly just 
  wants to get out of the war alive, he also tries to do his bit to 
  help. 
  Primary MOS is Grenadier, 
  Secondary MOS is Point. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attribute: ST: 40 AL: 41 AG: 83 
  Skills: Pistol (2 grades with .45 Automatic, 42% to hit), Assault 
  Rifle (3 grades with M-16, 45% to hit), Grenade Launcher (3 
  grades with M-79, 55% to hit), Garrote, Unarmed Combat, 
  Silent Movement 50%, Detect Ambushes 35%, Detect Booby 
  Traps 39%, and Estimate Distance. 
  Equipment: He usually carries a .45 Automatic, an M-79 Gre­
  nade Launcher, and two bandoleers of 40mm grenades. On 
  his "utility" bandoleer he has four smoke grenades (2 white, 
  a green and a yellow), a parachute flare and a buckshot 
  (anti-personnel). The "weapon" bandoleer has 5 High Explo­
  sives and I buckshot. He'll get as many people in the group 
  as possible to carry extra bandoleers (2 'weapon' for every I 
  'utility'). 
  Corporal Red Dukowski 
  Specialty: None 
  Description: Red is a good all-around asset to any team. He is 
  honest and dependable, and he'll risk his life to save another 
  soldier (but he won't necessarily risk his life to accomplish 
  the mission). He has plenty of combat experience and he 
  knows enough to avoid really dangerous assignments. His 
  Primary MOS is Point, Secondary MOS is Demolitions. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attribute: ST: 91 AL: 82 AG: 79 
  114 
  
  Skills: Pistol (24% to hit), Assault Rifle (4 grades with M-16, 
  68% to hit), Grenade Throwing, Garrote, Unarmed Combat 
  (3 grades), Demolitions (5 grades of skill, 86%), Bomb Dis­
  posal (3 grades of skill, 70%), Detect Ambush 50%, and De­
  tect Booby Traps 57%. 
  Equipment: See "Inside Red Dukowski's Backpack," the later 
  list is appropriate. 
  Corporal Charlie Washington 
  Specialty: Medic 
  Description: Charlie has an attitude problem. At least his supe­
  riors think he does. He seems to feel that he can grant or re­
  fuse treatment to anyone he likes. If he's already working on 
  a wounded child and one of the soldiers gets hit, that's too 
  bad. The soldier will just have to wait. He treats everyone 
  equally, even if they're wounded VC prisoners. He'll also get 
  mad at anybody who messes with his workmanship. If a guy 
  gets hit who was previously fixed up by him, then it's en­
  tirely possible that Washington will charge out to kill who­
  ever did it. 
  Primary MOS is Medic, 
  Secondary MOS is Intel. 
  Alignment: Opportunist-Karmic 
  Attributes: ST: 88 AL: 18 AG: 47 
  Skills: Fairly fluent in the language 73%, Assault Rifle (58% to 
  hit), Medic (5 grades of skill, 80%), Detect Ambushes 36%, 
  Detect Booby Traps 42%, and Lock Picking 34%. 
  Equipment: Medical Kit, M-16, and all the bandoleers of extra 
  ammo that he can carry. 
  Corporal Vince Kline 
  Specialty: Pigman and/or Heavy Weapons 
  Description: Vince is pretty easy going. So easy going that he 
  often falls asleep. In fact, Vince is one of the only guys 
  around who can fall asleep in the middle of a fire-fight. He 
  lets no opportunity for a nap pass him by. He never com­
  plains, never objects, and always carries more than his share 
  of supplies and ammunition. He used to be a chopper door 
  gunner, but the noise of the engine kept him awake too much. 
  Primary MOS is Pigman, 
  Secondary MOS is Heavy Weapons. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attribute: ST: 86 AL: 43 AG: 58 
  Skills: Assault Rifle (M-16, 35% to hit), Light Machinegun (5 
  grades on M-60, 80% to hit), Antitank Weapon (2 grades on 
  LA W, 40% to hit), Flamethrower (5 grades, 32% to hit), 
  Heavy Machinegun (7 grades on .50 cal, 84% to hit), and 
  60mm Mortar (4 grades, 52% to hit). 
  Equipment: Usually carries just an M-60 and a lot of anuno 
  bandoleers. 
  Glossary 
  AA: Anti-Aircraft. 
  AAA: Anti-Aircraft Artillery. 
  AAR: After-Action Report. 
  AG: Adjutant General. 
  AH: Assault Helicopter. 
  A-I-K: Assistance In Kind (generally money). 
  Airborne: Personnel or equipment dropped by parachute. 
  Air Mattress: Nickname for 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne. 
  Airmobile: Personnel or equipment inserted by helicopter. 
  AIT: Advanced Individual Training. 
  AMTRAC: Marine Corps amphibious transport. 
  AO: Area of Operations. 
  Ap: Vietnamese word for 'hamlet' - Ap Tan Sin means Secure 
  Hamlet. 
  AP: Anti-Personnel or Armor Piercing. 
  APC: Armored Personnel Carrier. 
  APO: Army Post Office. 
  AR: Automatic Rifle or Army Reserve. 
  Arc Light: B-52 bomber strike. 
  ARLO: Army Liason Officer. 
  Arty: Artie; Artillery. 
  ARVN: South Vietnamese Regular Army. 
  ASAP: As Soon As Possible. 
  ASH: Assault Support Helicopter. 
  ATC: Air Traffic Control. 
  ATGM: Anti-Tank Guided Missile. 
  ATFV or ATFG: Australian Task Force, Vietnam. 
  AWACS: Airborne Warning and Control System. 
  AWOL: Absent Without Leave. 
  BAR: Browning Automatic Rifle (.30 caliber, used by U.S. 
  in W.W. II and Korea). 
  Barrage: A set of artillery rounds fired from each gun in the 
  unit. 
  Base Camp: Main fortified camp for a RECON unit. 
  Baseball: Baseball-shaped grenade about 2 1/2 in diameter 
  (M67, M68 orCNl). 
  Basic: Basic Training. 
  Battalion: Military unit of from 600 to l,OOO men. U.S. Bat­
  talions commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. There are 3 to 5 
  Companies in a Battalion. 
  Battery: Artillery or heavy weapons unit roughly equal to a 
  Company. Most Batteries had from 100 to 150 men. Weapons 
  could be 6 l55mm howitzers, a combination of HAWK missiles 
  and 3.5 inch rocket launchers, or 24 .50 caliber machineguns. 
  115 
  
  Believer: Slang tenn for a dead soldier. 
  B-52: Strategic high-altitude bomber used in conventional 
  drops in 'Nam. 
  B-40: Enemy anti-tank rocket. 
  Big Red One: Nickname for 1 st Infantry Division, also "Big 
  Dead One" and "Bloody One." 
  Boonies: The boondocks, jungle, remote area, or anyplace 
  uncivilized (i.e., all of 'Nam). 
  Bouncing Betty: A landmine that throws a 60mm mortar 
  round up to waist level before detonating. 
  Brigade: Military unit with roughly 3,000 men. U.S. Bri­
  gades are commanded by a Colonel. There are 2 to 4 Battalions 
  in each Brigade. 
  BS: Border Surveillance 
  C&C: Charley-Charley; Command and Control helicopter, a 
  chopper that would stay above the action and relay communica­
  tions and orders to the troops below. 
  C and S: Cordon and Search operation for sealing off and 
  checking out a village. 
  CA: Combat Assault or Civil Affairs. 
  Cache: A hidden supply of weapons, ammo or food. 
  Charlie, Charles, Chuck: All slang for VC. 
  Charlie Rats: Slang tenn for C-rations. 
  Cherry: Slang for new replacement. 
  Chicom: Chinese Communist. 
  Chieu Hoi (Choo Hoy): Amnesty program. Enemy wanting 
  to surrender would shout this before coming out. 
  Chinook: C-47 cargo helicopter. 
  Chogie: Slang for 'Move out quickly.' 
  Chopper: Helicopter. 
  CIA: Central Intelligence Agency, or 'The Company.' 
  CIB: Combat Infantryman's Badge; Army medal. 
  ClOG (Sidgee): Civilian Irregular Defense Group. 
  CINCPAC: Commander-in-Chief Pacific. 
  Claymore, claymore mine: An explosive charge that can be 
  set as a mine, but is usually detonated by a hidden observer. 
  Close Air Support: Air strike on immediate enemy targets. 
  CMH: Congressional Medal of Honor. 
  CO: Commanding Officer. 
  Co: Company. 
  Cobra: AH-I 0 attack helicopter 
  Commo: 'Communications.' 
  Company: A military unit of rougly 150 men. U.S. Com­
  panies are commanded by a Captain. There are 3 to 4 Platoons 
  in each Company 
  Concertina Wire: Coiled barbed wire. 
  CONUS: Continental U.S. 
  Crispie Critter: Soldier or victim killed or wounded by 
  burning or napalm. 
  Crunchies: Slang for infantrymen. 
  CS Gas: Riot control gas agent. 
  Cu Chi National Guard: Nickname of 25th Infantry Divi­
  sion. 
  Dac Cone: VC special forces . 
  Dai-uy (die-wee): Vietnamese term for chief or anybody in 
  charge. 
  Dead Space: Area not covered by fire. 
  Deep Serious: Radio or slang term for the worst possible sit­
  uation. Usually it implied a team overrun or about to be driven 
  back by the enemy. 
  Defcon: Defensive contact artillery fire. 'Ringing the perime­
  ter with steel!' 
  Delta Tango, DT: Radio term for Defensive Targets. 
  DEROS: Date of Expected Return from Overseas. 
  Det-Cord: Detonating cord for explosives. 
  DR-5, DR-I0: VC claymore mines. 
  Didi: VietnameselFrench term, 'di,' meaning 'to leave' or 'to 
  go.' 
  Dldi Mow: Vietnamese term for 'go quickly.' 
  Dime Nickle: 105mm Howitzer. 
  Dink: Derogatory term for Vietnamese. 
  Division: Military organization of from 12,000 to 18,000 
  men. U.S. Divisions are commanded by a Major General and are 
  made of3 Brigades. 
  DMZ: Demilitarized Zone. The no-man's land found on the 
  border of two nations at war. 
  Dong: Vietnamese money, one piaster. 
  Doughnut Dollies: Slang for Red Cross Women. 
  Dud: Failed explosive. 
  Dust-off: Medical evacuation by helicopter, 'medivac.' 
  DZ: Drop Zone. An area where airborne supplies or para­
  chutists are dropped. 
  ECM: Electronic Countermeasures. 
  Elephant Grass: Tropical grass that grows 8-15ft talI, with 
  razor sharp edges. 
  Eleven Bush: Radio term for Infantry Man (form code lIB). 
  E-Nine: Sergeant major, the highest enlisted rank. 
  EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal, bomb disposal unit. 
  EPW: Enemy Prisoner of War. 
  Evac'd: Evacuated. 
  Extraction: Whatever way a RECON unit is returned from 
  their mission site. 
  50-cal: .50 caliber machinegun. 
  51-cal: Enemy machinegun. 
  FA: Field Artillery. 
  FAC: Forward Air Controller. 
  FF: Fast Frigate (Navy). 
  Fire Base: Remote artillery base. 
  Firefight: An encounter with the enemy where everybody 
  starts shooting. 
  Flechette: Dart-shaped explosive projectile. Beehives were 
  filled with deadly flechettes. 
  FNG: Most common name for a new guy ... a F***n' New 
  Guy. 
  FO: Forward Observer. 
  FOB: Forward Operating Base. 
  Freak: Slang for 'Radio frequency.' 
  116 
  
  Free fire zone or free strike zone: Area where everybody is 
  assumed hostile targets. Artillery can fire into this kind of zone 
  without coordination. 
  Ghost: Slang for 'Taking Off,' or shirking duty. 
  GL: Grenade Launcher. 
  Gook: Derogatory term for any Vietnamese. 
  Gooney Bird: C-47 aircraft. 
  Green: Slang term for 'safe.' 
  Green Berets: Nickname for elite Special Forces. "We don't 
  wear hats, we wear berets!" 
  Ground Pounder: Infantryman. 
  Gunship: A helicopter outfitted with armaments and used 
  for air strike support. 
  GVN: Government of Vietnam. 
  GZ: Ground Zero - artillery term for impact point of barrage. 
  H & I: Harassment and Interdiction, random artillery fire 
  meant to unbalance the enemy. 
  Hand Frags: Hand fragmentation grenade. 
  HE: High Explosive rounds. 
  HEAP: High-Explosive Armor Piercing. 
  Heavy Stuff: Heavy artillery from big guns or offshore fire. 
  Hooch: Slang term for Vietnamese village huts. 
  Horse Pills: Chloroquine Primaquine malaria prophylaxis 
  tablet. A pill taken weekly to prevent malaria. 
  Hot: Slang for any active combat situation. "That LZ is too 
  hot for a landing," meant there was too much enemy fire. 
  Immersion Foot: After a few days of constant slogging in 
  mud and water, a soldier's feet would start to rot. Some of the 
  more exotic fungus and virus infections still bothered veterans 
  twenty years later. 
  Incoming: Receiving enemy mortar or rocket fire; 'Hit the 
  dirt!" 
  Iron Triangle: VC held area between Thi Tinh and Saigon 
  rivers next to Cu Chi district. Scene of much of the worst fight­
  ing in Vietnam. 
  Jump CP: Temporary command post. 
  Jungle-busting: Using tanks or vehicles to cut trails through 
  thick underbrush. 
  K-Fifty: Communist 7.62mm sub-machinegun. 
  KHA: Killed in Hostile Action. Since Vietnam wasn't a de­
  clared war this term was sometimes used instead of KIA. 
  KIA: Killed In Action. 
  Killer Team: Marine Mobile ambush team. 
  Kit Carson Scout: Ex-VCINV A soldiers used as friendly 
  scouts. 
  Klick: Short for Kilometer. 
  Lao Dong Party: Vietnamese Workers' Party, a communist 
  organization. 
  LAW: Light Antitank Weapon. The M72 LAW was a shoul­
  der fired 66mm rocket. 
  Lifer: Someone planning a lifetime career in the military. 
  Lightning Bug: Helicopter equipped with searchlights. 
  LP: Listening Post. 
  LRRP: or 'Lurps,' Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. 
  Lt: Lieutenant. 
  LZ: Landing Zone. 
  MAAG: Military Assistance Advisory Group. 
  MAB: Marine Amphibious Brigade. 
  Mad Minute: Concentrated fire of all weapons used to dis­
  rupt the enemy. 
  Main Force: Viet Cong and North Vietnamese military 
  units. 
  MAW:: Marine Air Wing. 
  MEDCAP: Medical civic action program. Starting in fall 
  1965, medical corpsmen would be escorted by armed squads to 
  give medical service to remote villages. 
  Medevac: Medical evacuation by helicopter. 
  MG: Machinegun. 
  MGF: Mobile Guerrilla Force led by Green Berets. 
  MI: Military Intelligence. 
  MIA: Missing In Action. 
  Midnight Requisition: Slang term for stealing supplies. 
  Mighty Mike: Air blower used to force smoke and gas 
  through tunnel systems. 
  Million-dollar wound: A wound serious enough to get re­
  turn orders but not serious enough to cripple or maim. 
  Mission ready: Helicopter or other equipment ready for use. 
  Montagnard: Ethnic mountain people of Vietnam often re­
  cruited by Special Forces. 
  MP: Military Police. 
  MUST: Medicat Unit, Self-contained, Transportable; inflat­
  able rubber medical ward that could be moved easily to different 
  battle zones. 
  Napalm: Jellied gasoline used as an anti-personnel weapon. 
  Public opinion in the U.S. kept it from being used widely later 
  in the war. 
  Native Sport: Slang for a mission of hunting Vc. 
  NBC: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical. 
  N.C.O: Non-Commissioned Officer. Enlisted man with a 
  rank of Corporal or Sergeant. 
  Neutralize: Wipe out an enemy. 
  NFL, NLF: National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. 
  The formal name for Viet Cong organization. 
  Number 1: Slang for 'the best.' 
  Number 10: Slang for 'the worst.' 
  Number Ten-Thou: Incredibly bad, the worst of the worst. 
  Number Sixty: M6C Machinegun. 
  Nungs: Tribal Chinese who provided special troops to the 
  Green Berets. 
  NV A: North Vietnamese Army. 
  OJT: On the Job Training. 
  105: l05mm Howitzer. 
  One-oh-worst: Nickname for IOlst Airborne Division. 
  Out-country: Anyplace outside of 'Nam, but still part of the 
  war, such as Laos, Cambodia or Thailand. 
  P (piaster): Vietnamese money. 
  117 
  
  Paramilitary: Refers to infonnal military units. In Vietnam 
  some regional areas had paramilitary units defending them. 
  Most of the different factions in Lebanon could be described as 
  Paramilitary. 
  Patrol: A Ranger unit of 6 men lead by an NCO. 
  PAVN (Pavin): People's Army of Vietnam. The tenn was 
  officially changed later to NV A for propaganda reasons. 
  PBR: Patrol Boat, River. 
  Penny Nickle Nickel: Radio slang for 155mm Howitzer. 
  PFC: Private First Class. 
  Phougas (fog-gas): Jellied gasoline set out in drums around 
  a camp. If the enemy tried infiltrating, explosive charges would 
  scatter burning gas over the enemy. 
  Piaster: 'Nam money, worth about a penny apiece. 
  Piss tube: Slang for mortar. 
  Platoon: Military unit of 25 to 50 men. U.S. Platoons were 
  generally commanded by a Lieutenant and broken up into 
  squads (an infantry rifle squad would have 10 enlisted men with 
  M79 and M16 weapons) or Patrols (usually Rangers had eight 6 
  man Patrols in each Platoon). 
  Point Man: Lead man in a patrol. 
  Poison Ivy: Nickname for 4th Infantry Division. 
  Pony soldiers: Nickname for LRRPs or cavalry grunts. 
  POW: P.W., Prisoner of War. 
  Prep: Blasting a field with heavy fire prior to insertion. "We 
  prepped the area with howitzer, mortar and rocket fire. It should 
  be safe for insertion now." 
  P-38: Can opener for C-rations. 
  PutT, PutT the Magic Dragon: C-47 aircraft used for mas­
  sive ground fire. 
  Punji stake: Sharpened bamboo stick used in booby traps. 
  Rarely fatal, but definitely effective since a guy with a punji 
  stake wound in the foot would be out of action for awhile. Punji 
  stake traps could have been left around since W.W. II. 
  Purple Heart: U.S. medal awarded to anyone suffering a 
  wound in combat. 
  PX: Store located on a military base. 
  PZ: Pickup Zone. 
  RA: Regular Anny. 
  Ramp Alert: Warning for aircraft to take-off in fifteen min­
  utes. 
  Ranch Hand: Defoliation and anticrop missions. 
  R & R: Rest & Relaxation, a leave period that was basically 
  a vacation from the war. From Vietnam many men took R&R in 
  Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan or Thailand. 
  Recon: Reconnaissnace. 
  Reconnaissance in Force: RlF, Sweep to find enemy. 
  Red ball: System for getting supplies quickly. 
  Redleg: Nickname for artillery soldier. 
  Retrograde: Any rear or retreat movement - 'back up!' 
  RL: Rocket Launcher. 
  Rock "n' roll: Firing rifles on full automatic. 
  ROKs: Rocks, Soldiers from the Republic of Korea stationed 
  as U.S. allies in Vietnam. There were up to 50,000 of these 
  tough, respected troopers every year. 
  Rolling Thunder: A sustained bombing. 
  ROTC: Reserve Officer Training Corps. 
  RPG, RPG-7: Russian rocket propelled antitank grenade. 
  RPV: Remotely Piloted Vehicle. Small, remote-controlled 
  airplane used for surveillance. 
  RTO: Radio Telephone Operator. 
  Ruck, rucksack: Slang tenn for a grunt's backpack. 
  Ruf-putTs: Slang tenn for South Vietnamese Regional and 
  Popular Forces, local paramilitary forces . 
  RVN: Abbreviation for Republic of Vietnam. 
  Salty Dog: Slang tenn for an item destroyed or lost to the en­
  emy. Whenever an aircraft or truck was blown up the supply 
  clerks would claim huge 'Salty Dog' losses to cover up previous 
  shortages. 
  SAM: Surface-to-Air Missile. 
  Same same: Slang for 'the same' or 'likewise.' 
  Satchel charge: A number of blocks of explosives taped to­
  gether, usually about 15 pounds, arranged for easy carrying or 
  attaching. 
  Scared horses: Nickname for II th Annored Cavalry Regi­
  ment. 
  Science Fiction Nickname for U.S. Anny Special Forces. 
  Screaming Chickens: Nickname for 101st Airborne Divi­
  sion. 
  SeaBees: Navy construction engineers. 
  SEALs: Sea, Air and Land Navy special warfare units. 
  Search and destroy: A mission to find any enemy, engage 
  in battle and eliminate them. 
  Shortimer, short: Someone close to the time for leaving 
  Vietnam. 
  Shotgun, Shotgunner The door gunner on a helicopter or 
  the anned guard on a vehicle. 
  Shrapnel: The metal chunks that flew out from an explosive 
  device. A large percentage of casualties are caused by shrapnel. 
  Silver Star: U.S. medal. 
  Six: Radio jargon for 'leader' or 'commander.' A senior 
  nurse would be a "Doughnut Dollie Six," or a VC commander 
  was called "Mister Charlie Six." 
  Sky pilot: Slang for chaplain. 
  Slick: Helicopter used as a troop carrier. 
  Slope: Another derogatory name for Vietnamese. 
  Sortie: A mission for a single aircraft. 
  Smokey Bear: Nickname for a helicopter-mounted smoke 
  generator. 
  Snake: Nickname for the Huey Cobra Gunship. 
  Sneak Petes: Slang for Special Forces guys way out in the 
  bush, also used to describe Intelligence units. 
  Snoop 'n poop: Slang tenn for a marine search and destroy 
  mission. 
  SOP: Standard Operating Procedure. 
  Spectre: AC-130 anned with miniguns, machineguns and 
  105mm howitzer. 
  Spider hole: A small, round, enemy foxhole. Often it was an 
  entrance to a complex tunnel system. 
  118 
  
  Squad: Unit of less than 10 men usually led by an NCO 
  (generally a sergeant). 
  Stand down: Term for a rest period. 
  Starlight scope: An electronic light amplifier, used as a rifle 
  sight or viewfinder to see clearly at night. 
  Strip alert: A warning that aircraft should be ready to take 
  ofT in five minutes. 
  Sugar reports: Slang term for letters from wives or girl 
  friends back home. 
  Tac air: Tactical air support. Usually referring to air strikes, 
  air command and communications, or insertion/extraction by 
  chopper. 
  Tail-end Charlie: Last man in the line on a patrol. 
  Titi: Vietnamese slang for 'a little.' 
  Tet: A Vietnamese national holiday, the Buddhist lunar New 
  Year. 
  Tet Offensive: A massive Viet CongINV A surprise attack in 
  January of 1968. Although not decisive militarily itserved to un­
  dermine public support for the war and made a lie out of claims 
  that a quick victory was possible. 
  The Herd: Nickname for l73rd Airborne Brigade. 
  Thump-gun, thumper: Nickname for the M-79 40mm gre­
  nade launcher. 
  TNT: Chemical explosive similar to dynamite. 
  Tracer round: An incendiary round used at night for sight­
  ing. Every few rounds an incendiary that would glow and create 
  a visible track for sighting. 
  Tracks: Nickname for tanks, APCs and other tracked vehi­
  cles. 
  Tunnel rat: Soldiers assigned to VC tunnel infiltration mis­
  sion. 
  UGS: Unattended Ground Sensor. An electronic monitoring 
  device designed to detect the passage of VC in restricted areas. 
  USAF: United States Air Force. 
  VC, Victor, Victor Charlie, Mr. Charles. Chuck: These 
  and many other words were used as slang to describe the Viet 
  Congo 
  Ville: Slang word for Vietnamese village. 
  Waste: Slang word for 'kill.' 
  WlA: Wounded In Action. 
  Willy PetelWP: White phosphorus, the active ingredient in 
  incendiary grenades. 
  World, the: Slang for the U.S., Stateside. 
  Xin Loi: Vietnamese language phrase meaning, 'sorry about 
  that. ' 
  XO: Executive Officer, the commanding officer of a unit. 
  Zap: Slang for kill or hit. "He got zapped" means "He got 
  hit." 
  Zippo raids: An assignment calling for the complete de­
  struction (usually burning) of a village. 
  Palladium Modifications 
  to RECON® (Optional) 
  Using Heroes Unlimited or TMNT 
  If you're a regular player or Game Master using some other 
  Palladium game such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (mutant 
  animals), Heroes Unlimited (comic heroes), Mechanoids (sci­
  ence fiction), or the Palladium Role-Playing Game (medieval 
  fantasy), then you may want to adapt RECON to work with the 
  other game systems. 
  First, let's look at the major difference between RECON and 
  other Palladium role-playing games. RECON is designed as a 
  somewhat more realistic high-mortality game where characters 
  are fairly easy to create. On the other hand, most Palladium 
  games are designed so that creating characters is a lengthy pro­
  cess and survivability is very high. 
  In other words, in RECON characters are expendable and die 
  readily. In Palladium characters are valuable and are harder to 
  kill. 
  The modifications listed here turn RECON into a game 
  where characters survive longer and can be developed more 
  completely. GMslPlayers should be able to interchange ele­
  ments from Heroes UnlimitedITMNT and the RECON system 
  easily. Thus, you might have a Heroes Unlimited game with 
  RECON firefight combat or RECON with super beings. 
  Attributes: Use the standard Palladium attributes of I.Q., 
  M.E., M.A., P.S., P.E., P.P., and Spd. Do NOT roll ST, AG, or 
  AL. 
  119 
  
  Carry Capacity: Unchanged from Heroes Unlimited, de­
  pends on P.S.; multiply the P.S. by 10 to give equivalent carry­
  ing capacity. 
  Movement: Depends on Spd. Using the movement table as­
  sume that each point of Speed represents 5 points of ST by 
  RECON standards. NOTE: This is for speed/quickness at run­
  ning and NOT additional ST points. 
  Agility Rolls: Depends on P.P. For all agility rolls, attempt 
  to roll under P.P. on twenty-sided. 
  Alertness Rolls: Depends on M.E. For all alertness rolls, at­
  tempt to roll under M.E. on twenty-sided. 
  Hit Points: Standard: An optional possibility, if using 
  RECON weapons and damage, is to multiply the P.E. by 4 times 
  for hit points (plus S.D.C.). 
  Weapons Skills: Every other grade of skill in a weapon 
  gives the character a +I bonus to hit. 
  Non-Weapon Skills: RECON skills operate normally, with 
  5% per grade level of skill per level of experience. Or players 
  may wish to substitute the RECON skiIVpointlpurchase system 
  and add Heroes Unlimited or T.M.N.T. skills as optional or ad­
  ditional skills which can be purchased later. 
  S.D.C.: Use normal S.D.C. values for all characters and arti­
  facts. Basic Training adds 30 points to a character's physical 
  S.D.C. Additional physical training such as high school boxing, 
  swimming, body building, etc., increase the person's S.D.C. 
  even more. 
  Note: Acrobatics and gymnastics should not be available as 
  high school or military skills. 
  A.R: All normal characters are considered to have an A.R. of 
  4. When characters are wearing armor their A.R. may be higher. 
  Initial Skills and MOS for RECON Characters: All mili­
  tary RECON characters are considered to have a High School 
  Education (take 5 secondary and 5 High School Skills). The 
  Military Training is the ten skills gained from selecting an MOS 
  as it's explained in the Revised RECON book. Skills such as 
  Hand to Hand Expert, Hand to Hand Martial Arts, cryptography, 
  criminal science investigative, surveillance systems and espio­
  nage may be considered as special training skills. 
  Mercenaries: "May" have a higher or different educational 
  or military background. Roll on the following table (a modified 
  version of the one in Heroes Unlimited, but specifically for 
  mercs). Roll 1010. 
  01-02 Survivalist: Hand to Hand: Basic, 3 W.P. (any), 4 
  Military (RECON), Non-Weapon Skills, 5 Secondary Skills, 5 
  High School Skills. 
  03-05 X-Military RECON: Hand to Hand: Basic, 5 W.P. 
  (any), 8 military (RECON), non-weapon skills, 5 secondary (or 
  more RECON skills), 5 high school. 
  06-08 Military Specialist: Hand to Hand: Expert or Martial 
  arts, 4 W.P. (any), 4 espionage skills (H. U.), or 4 intelligence 
  MOS skills (RECON), 6 military (RECON) non-weapon skills, 
  7 secondary (or more RECON skills) and 5 high school. 
  09-10 Mercenary Specialist: Hand to Hand: Expert or As­
  sassin (if evil), 4 W.P. (any), 4 military (RECON) non-weapon 
  skills, 6 secondary (or Merc RECON skills), 3 high school, 6 
  college skills (2 to 4 years college). 
  Note: The Heroes Unlimited Physical Training, Special 
  Training and Hardware characters can be easily translated 
  into Mercenaries. The Game Master and players may want to in­
  clude the RECON mercenary skills as secondary skill choices of 
  skills for the major area of expertise (or both). Furthermore, one 
  could extrapolate to include Bionics, Robotics, Mutants, 
  Psionics and super powered beings to create a sort of super 
  A-TEAM or mercenary group. YOU can combine these games 
  to take things as far as you would like. Just be creative and rea­
  sonable. 
  Experience 
  Experience can be handled like most of our games using the 
  standard system of experience points and levels. Or you may opt 
  to use the RECON system of points and purchases. 
  Levels of Experience 
  For RECON Characters 
  10-1,800 
  2 1,801 - 3,600 
  3 3,601 - 7,500 
  4 7,501 - 14,500 
  5 14,501 - 24,000 
  6 24,00 I - 34,000 
  7 34,00 I - 54,000 
  8 54,00 I - 70,000 
  9 70,001 - 95,000 
  10 95,001 - 135,000 
  II 135,00 I - 185,000 
  12 185,001 - 235,000 
  13235,001 - 285,000 
  Hand to Hand Corrlbat 
  Substitute the familiar Palladium combat system. Unarmed 
  Combat becomes the equivalent of Hand to Hand Basic. Knife 
  fighting and bayonet becomes fencing. Hand to Hand Expert 
  and Hand to Hand Martial Arts can be considered additional 
  skills which can be learned/purchased at later levels of experi­
  ence. 
  Firefights 
  There are NO modifiers to hit with weapons in the Palladium 
  adaptation of the system. There are, however, A.R. modifiers for 
  different situations. 
  Turkey Shoot: The ambushers all have an extra +4 to strike 
  for the duration of the combat. The victims of the ambush return 
  fire at -4 to strike. 
  Under Cover: When shooting at somebody who is under 
  cover, the attacker is -3 to strike. Note that this means when an 
  ambusher is also under cover, the defender has an additional -3 
  to strikelhit his attacker. 
  Note: The G.M. or Players could substitute either the Heroes 
  Unlimited/T.M.N.T. system or the RECON system into the 
  other. Both work well. Use the one that works best for you. 
  Equipment, Weapons and Armor: All RECON weapons 
  do equivalent damage in any other Palladium games. Equipment 
  is exactly the same. Certain kinds of armor, especially ancient 
  armor, are totally ineffective against modern weapons. 
  120 
  
  The World According To RECON® 
  Player Background 
  The map of the world in RECON is totally fictitious . We've 
  done this to avoid dating the game with current events and to 
  avoid any political antagonism that might be linked to real 
  world people and places. However, you will find many parallels 
  to common and existing conditions of the real world. Of course, 
  players who wish to play in real world places can do so with a 
  little research. Here's a briefing on the various nations and their 
  political problems as they exist in our fictitious, Palladium mod­
  em world. 
  Population: 2 Million Spanish Speaking 
  Government: Military Dictatorship 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 12,000, 16 Tanks, 28 , 14 Trucks. 
  Navy: I Destroyer, 9 Coastal Patrol Boats. 
  Air Force: 10 Jet Fighters, 34 Combat Helicopters. 
  Paramilitary Forces: 8,000 Guardia Civil 
  Note: Buntar's army, though small, is highly trained and 
  closely monitored by 'Stateside military advisors. On the other 
  hand, the Guardia Civil is little more than a pack of goons 
  armed with sub-machineguns. 
  Economy: Bananas, pineapples, beef, and sugar. 
  Literacy: 70% 
  Currency: I Balboa = 80¢ U.S. 
  History: Buntar gained its independence from Coluzia in 1937. 
  Since then it has kept a highly professional army alert to any 
  attack from the south. Seven years ago the Socialist govern­
  ment resigned over a disagreement with the labor unions. 
  General Iso Hanrhedi stepped into the power vacuum. 
  Allies: Buntar is a major ally of the States and follows Stateside 
  policy whenever possible. It is highly aggressive militarily 
  but frustrated by geography. To the south is the huge 
  Coluzia, to the northeast, the powerful, Marxist, San Marcos. 
  Finally, little San Isabel; the only possible conquest is an­
  other ally of the States and therefore forbidden. Buntar is 
  hostile toward Tragnar, San Marcos and Big Red. They are 
  neutral toward Sangria and Delancort. San Isabel is afraid of 
  Buntar. 
  KEVIN S"IEMBIEf)A 1'1£'fI 
  121 
  
  Buntar 
  PACIFIC 
  OCEAN 
  ATLANTIC OCEAN 
  BUNTAR 
  Delancort 
  Population: .2 Million 
  Government: Parliamentary Democracy 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 1,300, 8 Tanks, 15 Amphibious Landing Craft. 
  Navy: 8 PBRs, 3 Coastal Patrol Boats. 
  Air Force: 5 Combat Helicopters 
  Military Advisors: 65 British Commandos 
  Irregular Forces: Roughly 6,000 Yintua Indians 
  Guerrilla Forces: 3,000 San Marcos Rebels 
  Note: The British advisors keep the Delancort military in 
  top-notch condition. The main problem is that the country sim­
  ply isn't rich enough to afford a large army. The Yintua Indians 
  have an excellent relationship with the central government and 
  would help in any fighting. 
  Economy: Sugar, oranges, limes, and fish . 
  Literacy: 80% 
  Currency: I Sterling = $1 .85 u .S. 
  History: Britain had to just about force Delancort to accept in­
  dependence. The country is not wealthy but very comfort­
  able. Since the 1400s there has been no change in the local 
  economy. The Parliament and Prime Minister Malcolm 
  government are using Delancort as a base. A beefed-up river 
  Douglas are a mere formality since the well oiled civil ser­
  patrol was meant to stop the rebels, but Sangria is allowing
  vice (based on the British model) really runs the country. 
  them to cross through Sangria, around the Tashkent River, 
  Allies: Britain is De1ancort's primary ally and trading partner. 
  and into Delancort. 
  They are trying to make the country more independent mili­
  tarily but are having a hard time recruiting soldiers into the 
  Delancort army. San Marcos and Sangria are both completely 
  uninterested in Delancort, but that would change rapidly if 
  the country ever discovered any valuable assets. The main 
  problem is that right-wing rebels fighting the San Marcos 
  122 
  
  Allies: In spite of the average Sangrian's hostility, Stateside is 
  still Sangria's number one ally and trading partner. San 
  Marcos is not officially at war, but relationships are tense. 
  Sangria also has a habit of threatening its smaller neighbors 
  San Isabel and Delancort . 
  ...~. 
  Sangria 
  Population: I Million Spanish speaking Caucasians, 5 Million 
  Spanish speaking Mestizos, .5 Million Mindanisian Indians. 
  Government: Military Oligarchy 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 40,000,15 Tanks, 10 APC's. 
  Navy: 10 Coastal Patrol Boats, 2 PBRs. 
  Air Force: 15 Jet Fighters, 28 Combat Helicopters. 
  Paramilitary: 85,000 Guardia Civil 
  Foreign Troops: 500 Stateside Advisors 
  12,000 Mindanisian Indian Irregulars 
  6,500 San Marcos-backed Rebels 
  Note: Without Stateside support, Sangria could not keep 
  their military machine alive. Their pilots and officers are hope­
  lessly inadequate since only the ruling class (caucasians) are al­
  lowed in leadership positions. A simmering war between 
  Mindanisian Indian troops, led by Stateside and Mercenary ad­
  visors, and the San Marcos-backed leftists rages through the 
  Corazon Jungle. 
  Economy: Coffee, cotton, corn, beef and pork. 
  Literacy: 35% 
  Currency: 1 Colon = 40¢ U.S. 
  History: Sangria was discovered by the Spanish in 1502. It re­
  mained a colony until the revolution of 1821 . Temporary 
  membership in the Central American Republic was followed 
  by a tumultuous attempt to found an independent state. Bor­
  der disputes with neighbors have yet to be settled. 
  The Depression of 193\ led to political and social unrest 
  which prompted a U.S. Marine Expeditionary Force and rela­
  tive stability for the next 20 years. The election of a leftist 
  popular president, whose policy of land reform threatened the 
  extensive holdings of Consolidated Produce, again brought 
  Stateside involvement through a CIA-backed coup to over­
  throw this duly elected leader. 
  For the last 30 years the transition of power has been 
  through a succession of military coups which established var­
  ious military juntas and dictatorships. Each has remained in 
  power by oppressive use of the army and secret police. Need­
  less to say, this has not endeared the U.S. to the average 
  Sangrian. 
  AnAlffl( OCtAJ./ 
  San Isabel 
  Population: I Million 
  Government: Constitutional Republic 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 7,000,6 APC's. 
  Navy: 4 "Swift" Coastal Patrol Boats, 3 PBRs. 
  Air Force: 3 Jet Fighters, 6 Combat Helicopters. 
  Allied Forces: 600 Stateside Advisors 
  9,000 Mindanisian Irregulars 
  Economy: Copper, cement, fiberglass, fertilizer, coffee, cocoa, 
  hemp, salt, iron and beef. 
  Literacy: 90% 
  Currency: 1 Peso = 55¢ U.S. 
  History: Independence from Spain came in 1821. Since that 
  time, San Isabel has slavishly followed the lead of Stateside 
  in every internal and external policy move. President Alexan­
  der Valdez is popular and is expected to continue winning 
  elections so long as the country itself is not actually invaded. 
  Allies: Tied to Stateside and completely dependent on them. 
  The country is threatened by Buntar to the south and Sangria 
  to the north. Unfortunately, Stateside is pushing San Isabel to 
  participate in moves against San Marcos, a traditional friend. 
  123 
  
  San Marcos 
  Population: 
  3.2 
  Million 
  Spanish 
  Speaking, 
  .6 Million 
  Mindanisian Indians 
  Government: Constitutional Socialism. 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 75,000, 23 Soviet T-55 Tanks, 18 PT -76 Soviet Amphib­
  ious Tanks, 20 APCs, 30 Military Transports. 
  Navy: 5 Coastal Patrol Boats 
  Air Force: 10 Combat Helicopters 
  Secret Forces: 40,000 volunteer Guerrillas: 6,000 Tragnar Advi­
  sors 
  Anti-Government Forces: 3,500 Mindanisian Guerrillas 
  800 Sangria-backed Guerrillas 
  Note: All of San Marcos' modem weapons are newly ac­
  quired and new that no San Marcos soldier really knows how to 
  use them. Tragnar pilots, drivers and technical specialists are 
  still needed. In spite of their technical ignorance, San Marcos' 
  troops are well versed in guerrilla warfare, many are seasoned 
  veterans, and are highly motivated. 
  Economy: Textiles, bananas, cotton, coffee, com, beans, ses­
  ame, tungsten and silver. 
  Literacy: 87%. 
  Currency: 1 Cordoba = 9¢ U.S. 
  History: Conquered by Spain in the l500s, it became an inde­
  pendent republic in 1844. In 1929 the U.S. Marines occupied 
  the capital after a union strike threatened to evict Consoli­
  dated Produce. Before they left, General Tomaso Coraz was 
  made de facto head of state. He and his family managed to 
  bleed the country of every available Cordoba right up until 
  his ouster in 1978. Since then, Doctor Garvay Alasquez and 
  his Hubris Socialist Party has ruled. 
  Allies Tragnar has contributed advisors and Big Red is steadily 
  shipping arms and supplies. The States are covertly moving 
  arms through Sangria and Buntar to anti-government rebels 
  in the Corazon Jungle. San Marcos is countering by support­
  ing left-wing rebels in Sangria. San Isabel, in spite of politi­
  cal differences, is a traditional friend. 
  Tragnar 
  Population: 6 Million 
  Government: Communist Dictatorship 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 26,000, 11 Tanks, 45 Military Transport Trucks. 
  Navy: 8 Guided Missile Cruisers, 15 Coastal Patrol Boats. 
  Air Force: 18 Mig Fighters, 20 Soviet Combat Helicopters. 
  Guerrilla Forces: 7,000 are stationed in San Marcos. 4,000 are 
  stationed in Chandracia (Africa). Note: Tragnar's forces are 
  well-trained by Big Red. In exchange for massive military aid, 
  the country loans out guerrilla' advisors' to various weak, leftist 
  governments. Tragnar troops are some of the bloodiest, most de­
  termined killers in the world. 
  Economy: Coffee, cotton, bananas, rice and copper. A tropical 
  paradise, tourism for Big Red elite is a growing industry. Lit­
  eracy: 43%. 
  Currency: 1 Giver = 20¢ U.S. 
  AnANTIC 
  OCtJV.I 
  History: Formerly a French colony, their revolt in 1906 was one 
  of the bloodiest anywhere. The French still haven't forgotten 
  about the massacre. A repressive regime of terror by former 
  President-for-Life Michael Bovoir (now retired in the States) 
  was overthrown by the communists in 1959 after a 20 year 
  struggle. General Anastacio Grazar, age 87, still rules the 
  country. One of the most likely successors is Colonel 
  Francois Quisan, a firebrand who often smuggles himself 
  onto the front lines of the various guerrilla wars. 
  Allies: Big Red is Tragnar's biggest ally, customer and sup­
  porter. Tragnar also befriends most other socialist countries, 
  San Marcos and Chandracia in particular. One commie coun­
  try they are NOT friendly with is Iswandah. Tragnar figures 
  that if they can back Chandracia against Iswandah then 
  they'll have a permanent, cheap supply of oil. Tragnar also 
  tries to cozy up with Dakali and Delancort whenever possi­
  ble. 
  Stateside (U.S.) 
  Population: 250 Million 
  Government: Constitutional Republic 
  Military Forces ('Nam war forces only): 
  Army: Approximately 350,000 to 500,000 stationed in 'Nam. 
  124 
  
  Air Force: 450 Jet Fighters, Bombers, and Combat Helicopters. 
  Navy: Major contingent of Aircraft Carriers, Battleships, 
  Cruisers, Guided Missile Cruisers, Destroyers, Submarines, 
  River Boats, Hovercraft, Amphibious Assault Craft, Hospital 
  Ships and Freighters. 
  Allies: Average 45,000 South Koreans 
  6,000 Australians 
  5,000 Thailand 
  1,500 Filipino 
  500 New Zealand 
  10,000 or more multinational Mercenaries 
  Economy: A strong, vital and diversified economy with global 
  interests. Quite capable of spending several billion dollars a 
  year on the war effort. 
  Currency: U.S. Dollar 
  GRUGA5HAJV 
  CRAtJLAfVDS/FTJRfJT 
  CHANPRA CIA 
  800RLAND 
  Boorland 
  Population: 36 Million; 1.8 Million Whites, 7 Million Coloreds 
  (Mixed Race), .2 Million Oriental, 27 Million Blacks. 
  Government: Parliament System with Only Whites able to 
  vote. Military Forces: 
  Army: 200,000; 3,500 tanks, APCs, and artillery pieces. 
  Navy: I Helicopter/Aircraft Carrier, 5 Submarines, 11 Frigates, 
  6 Guided Missile Patrol Boats, 6 Coastal Patrol Boats, 14 Mine­
  sweepers, 40 PBRs. 
  Other Forces: 15,000 Secret Police. 
  Economy: Steel, tires, military hardware, motors, plastics, dairy 
  products, grain, fruit, grapes, gold, chromium, antimony, 
  nickel, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, vanadium, wool 
  and beef. 
  Currency: 1 Rant = 97¢ U.S. 
  History: Boorland separated from British rule in 1960. Since 
  then they have created a White-ruled state and grown 
  wealthy by prohibiting Black unions and political move­
  ments. Prime Minister Hubert Reich is trying to simply keep 
  things as they are, speaking of negotiations but stalling for 
  time. 
  Meanwhile, the moderate political groups are losing sup­
  port. The Black Hand of Kentaggi, a terrorist group, is start­
  ing to arm Blacks throughout Boorland. Arms and munitions 
  come from both communist and Al Muktah sources. 
  Allies: Close ties with Stateside. Boorland is hostile toward all 
  its 
  neighbors. 
  They back 
  some guerrilla groups in 
  Chandracia. 
  I.5WANPAH 
  'INGL' 
  BOORLAN{) 
  Chandracia 
  Population: 1.8 Million Total. 33% Loyalist Moslems, 28% 
  Al Muktah Moslems, 15% Christian Marianists, 11 % Huberni 
  Pagans, 9% German Protestant (Lutheran), 4% Jewish. 
  Government: Revolutionary Council 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 
  14,000, 
  100 Annored Dune Buggies with 7.62 
  Machineguns, 16 Tanks, 18 WWII German Half-tracks, 20 
  Trucks. 
  Tragnar Advisors: 8,000 
  Air Force: 24 Mig Fighters, 30 Combat Helicopters. 
  Anti-Government Forces: 11,000 Al Muktah Guerrillas: 6,000 
  Loyalists; 3,500 Christian Marianists. 23,000 Huberni Tribes­
  men. 
  Note: The Chandracian Air Force is staffed almost entirely by 
  Tragnar pilots. 
  Economy: A desert wasteland dotted with a few oases, 
  Chandracia didn't have much more than figs, dates, and pure­
  bred horses to offer the world. Suddenly, they've got the 
  world's second largest oil reserve. 
  125 
  
  Literacy: 58%. 
  Currency: I Mark = $2.57 U.S. 
  History: The worst thing that ever happened to Chandracia was 
  the discovery of some of the world's richest oil domes. Had 
  the former rulers even suspected that the oil was there, they 
  never \\Iould have sold the exploration rights to InteIDilCo. 
  Prior to the recent revolution the royal family of Chandracia 
  had ruled since the word of Islam arrived in the country 
  (roughly 840 A.D.). It was a peaceful land with only occa­
  sional bloodletting in family feuds. 
  The ruling family of Sheik Aha-Be-Yawel only entered into one 
  international alliance, with the Germans in World War I. 
  They broke off the relationship during the Nazi years (the 
  Sheik's mother had a dream about Hitler eating pork with his 
  left hand) but immediately resumed their casual alliance after 
  W.W. II with BOTH East and West Germany. 
  As soon as the new oil money started entering the country 
  in the form of communications and transportation systems, 
  everyone started to realize that the guys on the next oasis 
  were different. Religious warfare, ethnic warfare and political 
  warfare went on a rampage. Just two years ago, a Revolution­
  ary Coalition led by Akmed Samli managed to seize power. 
  Their grasp on the country is tenuous to say the least. 
  The Sheik, still a healthy 43, personally leads the Loyalist 
  Moslems in any battles. This makes things difficult all 
  around because nobody is willing to let him get killed. The 
  other Moslems (even Al Muktah) suspect he may be the only 
  true descendant of Mohammed. The revolutionaries know 
  that his death would cause a bloodbath and the Marianists be­
  lieve that his mother cast some kind of protective demon into 
  him. 
  Allies: The closest ally 	of the Revolutionary Front is Tragnar. 
  Iswandah makes no secret of wanting to annex Chandracia; 
  they are courting the Christian Marianists and the Huberni 
  Tribesmen for support. Grugashan refuses to accept a 
  non-moslem version of Chandracia and is supporting the Al 
  Muktah revolutionary movement. The States and Germany 
  are smuggling arms (and mercenaries?) in to the Loyalists 
  with hopes of bringing back the old sheikdom. Dakali, with 
  too many of its own problems, is the only local country with 
  decent relations. Dakali and Chandracia are now collaborat­
  ing on building a railroad to transport the oil to the coast. 
  Dakali 
  Population: 9 Million 
  Government: One Party Dictatorship 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 12,500 Regulars, 18 Tanks, 12 APCs, 14 105mm SP 
  Howitzers, 6 AA Tanks, 40 Trucks. 
  Navy: 2 Destroyers, 2 Coastal Patrol Boats, 6 PBRs. 
  Air Force: 18 Fighter-Bombers, 10 Combat Helicopters. 
  Paramilitary Forces: 5,000 Internal Security Police. 
  Note: All of Dakali's air force and most of the navy came 
  from the French. Since ties were cut, just about all this techno­
  logical hardware is unusable. In case of emergency, they'd be 
  lucky to get a third of their air force off the ground. The destroy­
  ers have been in drydock for over 6 years. 
  Economy: Aluminum mines and processing, palm products, co­
  coa, coffee. 
  GRUGASHIW 
  ~lJ(.MtfIJ/.rr>#UT 
  CHMPRACIA • 
  15WANPM 
  BOORLAND 
  Literacy: 34%. 
  Currency: I Dak = 3¢ U.S. 
  History: Although unsteady, the government has retained 
  power ever since they gained independence from France 30 
  years ago. The Presidency of Dakali has alternated between 
  Doctor Istanda Bokala, backed by the Utara Tribe, and Nun­
  cio Entre, backed by corporate interests. For the last 8 years, 
  Bokala has been in power and carrying a running feud with 
  the French. 
  Note: Greenhan Isle is officially a protectorate of Dakali. In 
  actuality, Greenhan is a state divided. The agricultural north of 
  the island is primarily Al Muktah and is supported by 
  Grugashan. The south of Greenhan is mostly swamp and thick 
  jungle inhabited by the Durja Tribe. Unfortunately, the DUlja 
  are as much at war with each other as with the north. 'Advisors' 
  from Iswandah, Tragnar and the States have each formed guer­
  rilla armies. Complicating the whole situation is a Stateside na­
  val base on the otherwise deserted Sofi Island. 
  Allies: Both Grugashan and Iswandah claim to be Dakali allies. 
  They are constantly threatening to 'protect' Dakali from in­
  vasion. Dakali is a 'neutral' country; it votes in the U.N. with 
  either the States or Big Red, depending on who sent the larg­
  est aid package. 
  Grugashan 
  Population: 79 Million 
  Government: Islamic Fundamentalist Dictatorship 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 120,00, 132 Tanks, 106 APCs and 58 105mm Howitzers. 
  Navy: I Destroyer, 6 Frigates, 2 Guided Missile Cruisers, 14 
  Coastal Patrol Boats, 14 Amphibious Assault Craft, 13 PBRs. 
  Air Force: 26 Jet Fighter Aircraft, 80 Combat Helicopters. 
  Paramilitary Forces: 224,000 Al Muktah Special Forces. Note: 
  The Al Muktah police every aspect of Ii fe in Grugashan; immo­
  rality and crime are punished by immediate execution. 
  Economy: Food processing, light manufacturing, tobacco, pea­
  nuts, soybeans, gas, coal, iron, limestone, rubber and fish. 
  Literacy: 28% 
  Currency: I Naran = $1.24 U.S. 
  126 
  
  CHMPRAC/A • 
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  BOORLANO 
  History: Portuguese and British slavers fought over Grugashan 
  in the 1600s. Eventually it became a British colony. Inde­
  pendence was granted in 1958. 
  Two years later the northeastern region seceded, proclaim­
  ing itself the Republic of Ephor. The resulting war eventually 
  destabilized all of the status quo. Within fifteen years several 
  tribes (as many as 3,000,000 people) were exterminated and 
  an extremist military group, the AI Muktah, took power. 
  President Ishmael Muhammed conducts a hate-filled cam­
  paign against any internal opposition. 
  Allies: Grugashan has accepted aid from everyone at one time 
  or another but Ishmael's erratic behavior eventually caused a 
  break-down in all diplomatic relations. Chandracia and 
  Dakali are both the victims of Grugashan's primary export, 
  terrorism. 
  GRUGA5HAII 
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  DAKALJ 
  Iswandah 
  Population: 27.5 Million 
  Government: Communist Dictatorship. 
  Military Forces: 
  Army 196,000. 180 Soviet T-55 Tanks, 120 PT-76. Soviet Am­
  phibious Tanks, 300 APCs, 260 130mm M-46 Field Guns. 
  Navy: 2 Frigates, 4 Missile Launcher Patrol Boats, 18 PBRs. 
  Air Force: 30 Mig Fighters, 45 Combat Helicopters . 
  Allied Forces: 780 Soviet Advisors 
  Rebel Forces: 18,000 AI Muktah Guerrillas 
  7,000 Boorland-backed Guerrillas 
  Note: After fifteen years of steady combat, Iswandah's mili­
  tary is superior; well qualified to handle all their advanced 
  weaponry. However, they are still a third world power compared 
  to the giant Boorland to the south . 
  Economy Iron, diamonds, manganese, sulphur, sweet potatoes, 
  beans, palm oil and textiles . 
  Literacy: 25%. 
  Currency: I Kwanz = 6¢ U.S. 
  History: A Portuguese colony until just 10 years ago, the new 
  Iswandah government has still not completely consolidated 
  power. Premier Rhemis Herrari is absolute ruler of all the 
  civilized north. The southeastern highlands contain a number 
  of warring tribes, factions and foreign backed guerrillas. 
  Allies: Big Red is a close ally and supporter, however Iswandah 
  badly wants to annex Chandracia (all that oil!). To further 
  things along, Iswandah is supporting rebel groups and just 
  waiting for an opportunity to intervene, Iswandah also loudly 
  claims to be an ally of Dakali against the aggression of 
  Grugashan. Were it not for the threat of Boorland to the 
  south, Iswandah would simply walk over all their neighbors. 
  Southern 'Nam 
  Population: 18 Million 
  Government: Unstable, alternating between military and civil­
  ian dictatorships. 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: Approximately 150,000 ARVN (regular army) 300,000 
  Regional Irregulars and 100,000 Ethnic Paramilitary 
  Navy: 17 Frigates (formerly State's), I Minesweeper, 4 Coastal 
  Patrol Boats, 107 "Swift" Patrol Boats, 84 Assault Support Pa­
  trol Boats, 290 PBRs, 100 Armored Troop Carriers, 22 Monitors 
  and 45 Amphibious Landers. 
  Economy: Largely agricultural, products include rice, rubber, 
  and coal. Pre-war economy was much more diversified. 
  Currency: One Piastre = 1 ¢ U.S. 
  History Held as vassal state by China from I 11 B.C. until 939 
  A D. Defeated the army of lublai Khan in 1288. French con­
  trolled from the 1850s until after World War II. After the 
  127 
  
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  war, while the French were fighting the People's 'Nam, a re­
  publican government took power. A variety of military coups 
  followed until the corrupt government of General Hai seized 
  power. Hai, with some 6,000 elite troops as bodyguards, con­
  tinues to rule in spite of the threat of a military junta. 
  Allies: Stateside and Stateside's friends. 
  People's 'Nam 
  Population: 30 Million 
  Government: Communist Dictatorship; Form: Political Parties 
  & Factions; Ideology. 
  Military Forces (Northern 'Nam forces only): Army: Approx­
  imately 30,000 Viet Cong, 20,000 NV A's disguised as VC, 
  90,000 NV A Regulars, and approximately 50,000 Porters carry­
  ing supplies south. 
  Navy: 10 Frigates, 30 Coastal Patrol Boats, 16 Patrol Torpedo 
  Boats, 5 Amphibious Landers. 
  Economy: Same as southern 'Nam only with more indus­
  trial/manufacturing potential. 
  Currency: 1 Dong = 4¢ U.S. 
  History: Early history the same as Southern 'Nam. After World 
  War II, the hero of the resistance against the Japanese fought 
  against the French when they attempted to return to power. 
  Eventually he and his generals defeated the French and nego­
  tiated a settlement that called for a temporary partition of the 
  country and a timetable for elections. The States and South­
  ern 'Nam pointed out that they had not signed and refused to 
  hold the reunification elections. People's 'Nam announced 
  the formation of the National Liberation Front, the Viet 
  Congo Following the death of 'Nam's greatest hero, President 
  Tong continues the war effort. 
  Allies: Big Red is the main ally, responsible for supplying most 
  of the advanced weapons and a variety of supplies. They ac­
  cept aid from People's China but are suspicious of their gi­
  ant, northern 'ally.' 
  Lao 
  Population: 3 Million 
  Government: A coalition of 3 factions headed by the monar­
  chy. Military Forces: 
  Army: Approximately 53,000 Royal Troops, 29,000 CIA 
  backed Militia, 50,000 People's 'Nam backed Guerrillas. 
  Navy: None, the country is completely landlocked. 
  Economy: Largely agricultural, products include rice, opium, 
  teakwood, shellac, coffee and citrus fruits. 
  Currency: I Kip = 10¢ U.S. 
  History: Became a constitutional monarchy under King 
  Visavan Song in 1942. Current King is Sri Vavang Satthana. 
  The country is currently ruled by a coalition of the Neutral 
  Royalists (led by Prince Souma), the U.S. backed Geala 
  Party, and the Communist Ata Lao. Fighting has broken out 
  and the country lacks the power to prevent the 'Nam' war 
  from spilling over the border. 
  Allies: A strange neutrality means that everyone is officially an 
  ally. However, just about everybody is also trying to over­
  throw the government in favor of their own puppets. 
  129 
  
  -----
  ~ 
  Recon®Adventures 
  Aviator in Distress ('Nan1) 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: A team of at least 8 
  characters. Assign NPCs as necessary. 
  (\) Point Man and backup. 
  (\) and backup. 
  (\) Pigman and backup. 
  (\) Intel with knowledge of the local language. 
  (\) Grenadier and backup. 
  (I) Medic and backup. 
  (\) Sniper, Optional. 
  (\) Heavy Weapons, Optional. 
  (J) Demolitions, Optional. 
  Note: Backup can be one of the other MOSs with a second­
  ary MOS in that particular area. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "A Navy Fighter-Bomber has gone down somewhere around 
  the village of Go Doi up in the mountains. This is a heavily for­
  ested area and aerial surveillance has failed to tum up any clues 
  as to the whereabouts of the plane or its crew. A pilot, Capt. 
  Harris, and bombardier, Lt. McDonald. Your mission is to find 
  and retrieve them." 
  130 
  1. Method of Insertion: Two slicks with two gunships as 
  support. 
  2. Fire Support A vailability: The area is out of range of any 
  artillery fire. Gunship support is available if you can call it in. 
  Unfortunately the mountains will probably put you out of com­
  munication from time to time. If radio contact is available it will 
  take approximately 25 minutes for a gunship to arrive in the 
  area. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: VC activity is known to 
  be heavy. There is also the possibility of some NV A movement 
  in the area. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: We expect heavy rains 
  over the next few days. The terrain in the Go Dai area is ex­
  tremely rugged, a mix of dense, forested hills and rocky, barren 
  valleys. At least a dozen tiny villages are in the area in addition 
  to Go Dai itself. 
  5. Mission Objectives: First, find the crash site and investi­
  gate. Then find the pilot and bombardier and get them out. 
  6. Special Rules: Take all precautions to keep the Navy 
  flight personnel alive. Any armed natives should be considered 
  hostiles. Fire at your own discretion. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Although you can call for chop­
  pers at any time, your main problem will be finding an area for 
  them to set down. Even then it will take about 30 minutes for an 
  extraction team to arrive. 
  
  Encounters 
  The crashed jet is hidden in the forest, easy to see from the 
  ground. The wreck has obviously been searched, so has the 
  body of the pilot. Tracks indicate that between 4 and 10 men 
  were checking out the area. They then split up and took off in 
  different directions, 3 or 4 to a group. 
  VC: The Viet Cong in the area were quick to spot the exact 
  location of the downed plane. They moved in on the area, but 
  discovered that the Pilot was dead and the Bombardier had al­
  ready fled. There are now the following three VC units combing 
  the area. Each VC carries one grenade and all are low on ammu­
  nition (a clip in the gun and one extra clip). 
  Group #1: 
  Commissar Van 
  Anned with 7.62mm Pistol (48% to hit). 
  ST: 40 AL: 61 AG: 93 
  Guerrilla Chi 
  Armed with AK-47 (78% to hit) 
  ST: 92 AL: 65 AG: 27 
  Guerrilla Jak 
  Armed with MAT-49 (91% to hit) 
  ST: 87 AL: 15 AG: 40 
  Guerrilla Ben 
  Anned with AK-47 (27% to hit) 
  ST: 97 AL: 22 AG: 88 
  Group #2: 
  Sniper Hong 
  Anned with 7.62mm (75% to hit) 
  ST: 35 AL: 30 AG: 45 
  Guerrilla Huong 
  Anned with AK-47 (45% to hit) 
  ST: 20 AL: 43 AG: 66 
  Guerrilla Phuong 
  Anned with AK-47 (13% to hit) 
  ST: 15 AL: 83 AG: 91 
  Group #3: 
  Guerrilla Gir 
  Anned with 7.2mm Pistol (29% to hit) 
  ST: 85 AL: 70 AG: 71 
  Guerrilla Ling 
  Armed with VC Thompson (43% to hit) 
  ST: 81 AL: 10 AG: 80 
  Guerrilla Yo-ung 
  Armed with AK-47 (69% to hit) 
  ST: 43 AL: 37 AG: 42 
  NVA: Just a rumor. There are no NV A in the area. 
  Go Doi: The village is strongly VC and hostile to all 
  others. Extensive booby traps around the village. 
  Booby Traps, mines and dangerous animals are non-existent. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Lieutenant Phil McDonald 
  Description: A Navy bombardier, he is a big, healthy fighter. In 
  spite of the broken arm he suffered in the crash he managed 
  to escape before the VC came upon the wreck. He is, above 
  all, a survivor. 
  Alignment: Malignant; ST: 84 AL: II AG: 85 
  Skills: Aircraft bombardment and gunnery expert. He also has 
  Basic Infantry Training and an Effectiveness of76% with .38 
  Pistol. 
  Equipment: Basic survival kit consisting of .38 pistol, 18 
  rounds of ammunition, 2 water bottles, 3 days emergency 
  food, first-aid kit, lighter and flashlight. Every few hours he 
  will use his emergency radio - it has a range of 5 miles. 
  Three Stars Down 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: No minImum 
  number; if none of the P.C.s speak the native language, they 
  should have at least one ARVN translator along to negotiate 
  with the locals. 
  (I) Point Man and at least one backup. 
  (I) and at least one backup. 
  (I) Intel, Required, with knowledge of the language. 
  (I) Medic, Required. 
  (I) Sniper, Required, with at least one backup. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "This will come as something of a shock to you men, but it 
  seems we've lost one of our generals. We lost radio contact with 
  one of our Command and Control Helicopters at around 7:00 
  this morning. On board was Lieutenant General (3 star) William 
  Halberdstram. The downed chopper was spotted from the air 
  about 30 minutes ago, but there was no sign of personnel. It's up 
  to you to get him back or confirm his death. Since the area he 
  was checking out around Kon Ma was supposedly under our 
  control we want none of this leaked out. You will gather your 
  equipment and leave immediately. 
  1. Method of Insertion: Two slicks and two gunship escorts 
  will insert you to a jungle clearing south of Kon Ma. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: The artillery attached to the 
  18th Marines at Hawaii Base, 13 miles south, can provide fire 
  support if necessary. Be sure to give them a five minute warning 
  before calling in strikes. In addition, four gunships and two 
  slicks will be standing by at Kentucky Base should you need di­
  rect air support. Allow 15 minutes for their arrival. 
  131 
  
  Encounters 
  K SlEMBlElJA 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: There are no reports of 
  VC in the vicinity of Kon Ma, the area is classified as loyalist. 
  just about the only problem we've had there is with smugglers, 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The area is a mix of light 
  jungle, rice paddies and vegetable gardens. Within three miles 
  of Kon Ma there are at least 8 smaller villages. We expect clear 
  skies throughout this afternoon and tonight, 60% chance of a 
  rainstorm tomorrow morning. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Find the downed helicopter, General 
  Halberdstram, his aide, Captain Wilbur Stanley, and the crew, 
  Captain Ian Trainor (Pilot), Warrant Officer Bob Wilcox 
  (Co-Pilot), Crew Chief Eddie Hammell and Door Gunner Frank 
  Spitz. Identify Chopper location and retrieve personnel. 
  6. Special Rules: This is a friendly region, any mistreatment 
  of the indigenous population could endanger our popUlarity. 
  You are prohibited from firing on anyone without specific radio 
  clearance. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Slicks will be standing by to evac­
  uate you when necessary. 
  The RECON team will encounter no opposition at the Land­
  ing Zone or on the way to the crash site. At the crash site they 
  will find six bodies, all apparently dead from wounds and bums 
  sustained in the crash. The chopper itself is badly burned. 
  Hints of Foul Play 
  If the team continues to investigate they'll discover some­
  thing unusual; the chopper blew up from the inside! Near the 
  downed chopper are signs of a struggle. A character with track­
  ing may notice tracks that have been covered in an attempt to 
  cover a trail (at least 4 men). In the surrounding jungle there are 
  a few small signs of recent passage. 
  Close Inspection of the General's corpse will 
  reveal the following: 
  1. Although burned beyond recognition the General's jacket 
  and dog tags are clearly distinguishable. However, closer in­
  spection will reveal the boots and other clothing is standard G.I. 
  issue and not officer dress. 
  2. A sharp observer will notice the corpse's hands appear to 
  be at least 20 years younger than the General's. 
  3. A medic examining the body will find that the body is that 
  of a 20 year old and has been dead for at least 2 days. So if this 
  isn't the General, where is he? 
  4. Further examination of the area will show occasional 
  tracks and disturbed underbrush leading to the neighboring vil­
  lage. A stake-out may reveal Vc. 38% per hour. 
  Note: None of these clues will be discovered unless a charac­
  ter(s) actually takes the time to examine the body. Intelligence 
  officers (1 st and secondary MOS) should roll under their intelli­
  gence/observation skill. All others must roll under their AL. 
  Sooner or later, when the bodies are taken back to base for 
  identification, it will be realized that the corpse wearing the 
  General's insignia is not really him. 
  Hostile Forces: A Main Force Unit, headed by Commissar 
  Jang Khao, has been planning this operation for some time. 
  Through spies on the base they had planted a small, ra­
  dio-controlled bomb aboard the Command and Control chopper. 
  They had planned to take just a high ranking Stateside officer, 
  the General was a pleasant surprise beyond their wildest 
  dreams! 
  After killing the rest of the crew they substituted the 
  burned-up body of a previously killed Stateside soldier for the 
  General. The body would be hard to identify in any case; setting 
  fire to a little gasoline on the General's jacket would make it im­
  possible. 
  By the time the RECON team arrives on the scene, the Com­
  missar will have the General drugged and hidden in a shallow 
  pit under an abandoned hut. Anyone doing a complete search of 
  the hut will discover quite a few poisonous snakes. They'll have 
  to remove the (snake infested) bamboo floor before they can 
  find the pit. Jang and his men are still in the area, hiding in the 
  jungle and waiting for nightfall to retrieve the General and take 
  him west. 
  Booby Trap Areas: There are only a few, old, Punji Stake 
  pits in the area. 
  132 
  
  Other Encounters: Part of Commissar Khao's plan is to 
  have Stateside personnel persecute and accuse the local people 
  ofKon Ma. Since they know absolutely nothing about his opera­
  tion, this will serve to shake their loyalist faith and make them 
  easier to convert to VC propaganda. 
  Special Note: A successful completion of this mission will 
  guarantee a promotion and some sort of medal. The General will 
  award the medal (probably a Bronze Star) personally. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  General William Halberdstram 
  Description: A highly volatile and angry man. He will not be 
  especially appreciative of rescue, more embarrassed at hav­
  ing been found in a compromising situation. Later, after a 
  few days of civilization, he will be grateful to his "gallant 
  men who supported him when he single-handedly defeated 
  the commie insurgents." 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Attributes: ST: Currently 08, Usually 46, AL: 60 AG: 37 
  Skills: No battlefield skills, but highly talented in bookkeeping, 
  creative writing and bureaucratic red tape. In a pinch, he 
  could fire a weapon with a base 5% of hitting the enemy and 
  a 10% chance of hitting an ally. 
  Equipment: None 
  Commissar Jang Khao 
  Description: A shrewd and capable planner; if his group is dis­
  covered, he will remain hidden. He has hidden his gun and 
  VC documents near his hiding place. Should he be discov­
  ered, he will throw his hands up and say, "No VC! No VC! I 
  Dong Dong! Farm Farm! Rice Rice." He'll claim that he was 
  hiding from the other Vc. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attributes: ST: 80 AL: 39 AG: 44 
  Skills: He can speak some English (35%), knows interrogation 
  and most intelligence skills. 
  Equipment: .357 Magnum Pistol (91 % to hit, has only 9 
  rounds). Rather crude backpack radio transmitter (28Ibs). 
  Other VC: 
  Guerrilla Chan 
  Armed with MAT-49 (40% to hit, 3 clips) 
  ST: 85 AL: 40 AG: 96 
  Guerrilla An-Hoa 
  Armed with MAT-49 (55% to hit, 2 clips) 
  ST: 83 AL: 98 AG: 52 
  Guerrilla Den 
  Armed with MAT-49 (41% to hit, 6 clips) 
  ST: 98 AL: 56 AG: 16 
  Sniper 
  Armed with 7.62mm (64% to hit, 4 clips) 
  ST: 20, AL: 79, AG: 89 
  Killers by Night 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: The smaller the 
  team, the better for this mission. Four or five men would be just 
  fine so long as a Point Man, Intel, and Sniper are included. A 
  good mission for SEALs. 
  (I) Point Man, Required. 
  (I) RTO, could be secondary MOS. 
  (I) Intel, Required 
  (I) Sniper, Required. 
  (I) Heavy Weapons, Optional. 
  (I) Demolitions, Optional. 
  (I) Grenadier, Optional. 
  (I) Medic, Optional. 
  (I) Pigman, Optional. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "Plei Gir Song, the provincial political officer, has been iden­
  tified as a secret VC supporter. He lives in the village of Ban 
  Nui and you are to eliminate him at night. This should be done 
  quietly to avoid terrorizing the villagers." 
  1. Method of Insertion: A PBR will take you 2 miles south 
  of the village. From there you will paddle upstream in rubber 
  rafts. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: The Marine artillery at Ala­
  bama Base could provide fire, but it would require turning their 
  guns around (usually they cover the DMZ), allow 30 minutes. 
  Gunships could be dispatched to arrive within 15 minutes from 
  Kentucky Base. In either event it's very unlikely that the team 
  will need fire support. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: Although VC are known 
  to be operating in the area, there have been no reports of troop 
  movements. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The area is flat jungle and 
  rice paddies. The weather will be overcast, but with only a 10% 
  chance of rain. 
  S. Mission Objective: Identify and kill Plei Gir Song. 
  6. Special Rules: You will go in without unit insignias and 
  will attempt to remain unseen and unobserved. If necessary, you 
  have permission to liquidate any witnesses. However, do not kill 
  anyone other than Plei Gir Song unless absolutely necessary. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Take your rubber rafts down­
  stream 4 miles and meet up with the PBR. The patrol boat will 
  wait, but your mission requires you to be out before dawn to 
  avoid detection. 
  133 
  
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  Encounters 
  Hostile Forces: No VC or NY A are active in the area. 
  Booby Trap Areas: Nothing along the river or in the village. 
  An area northwest of the village has been extensively trapped 
  with Punji Stake Pits, Drop Falls, Crossbow Traps, and a 
  couple of grenades attached to trip wires. 
  Bystanders: The entire village will take a "see no evil, hear no 
  evil," approach to any intruders, even covering their eyes 
  when confronted. They don't care who the assassin team is, 
  knowing too much about that kind of operation is fatal. Igno­
  rance is much safer. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Plei Gir Song 
  Description: Plei, 46 years old, suspects that someone may 
  have informed on him. He has made a few precautions to 
  avoid being killed. First, every night he sets up trip wires at­
  tached to bells at the doorway of his hut. Secondly, he has a 
  small, very loud, mongrel dog that yaps at any strangers. A 
  tunnel exit has been dug from the center of the hut to the in­
  side of the Rice Storage Shed. In the jungle his phenomenal 
  Alertness may help him escape. He will also attempt to lead 
  any pursuers into booby trapped areas. 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Attributes: ST: 67 AL: 99 AG: 50 
  Skills: Booby trap engineering, knife fighting (no extra grades), 
  and farming. 
  Equipment: His only weapon is a pair of knives. 
  Note: Because of Plei Gir Song's incredible alertness (AL 
  99) and his noise-making trip wires and dog, it will be almost 
  impossible to sneak up on him. At the slightest hint of trouble 
  Song will duck down his secret tunnel and hide-out in the jun­
  gle. Track him down, make a positive identification and kill 
  him. Song will be more concerned with escape rather than kill­
  ing his pursuers but will lure them into booby traps and attack 
  with knives if necessary. There are no VC or NVA in the area. 
  VC Stars of 
  Stage and Screen 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: Any combination 
  of group MOSs will work. It's helpful to have at least one or 
  two characters who speak the native language. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "A VC propaganda unit (traveling theatrical group) has been 
  reported operating in Uing Dao Bong. They must be captured 
  and interrogated. As with most groups of this kind, they will be 
  only lightly armed, with a couple of pistols and a few grenades. 
  It will be much more dangerous if they're traveling with an es­
  cort of Main Force VC." 
  1. Method of Insertion: Choppers, two slicks and two 
  gunships, will land just west of Uing Dao Bong. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Artillery or air support fire is 
  prohibited on this mission because of possible civilian casual­
  ties. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: No other VC activity 
  has been reported in the area. However, since theatre groups are 
  often protected by Main Force Units it would be best to be cau­
  tious. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The area is mostly rice 
  paddies, vegetable gardens and patches ofjungle. Weather is ex­
  pected to remain clear and sunny for the next three days. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Identify and capture the VC Propa­
  ganda operatives. 
  6. Special Rules: The area is potentially friendly, no action 
  should be taken against any citizens. One further note, we have 
  an unconfirmed report that Jina Sing Phung may be one of the 
  VC. If this is true, then act with extreme caution; she is incredi­
  bly popular throughout 'Nam and would make a dangerous mar­
  tyr. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Choppers on request. 
  Encounters 
  Finding the theatre group in the early evening should be 
  fairly easy. They perform in the open air with a few oil lamps 
  for illumination. Their voices and music can be heard for at least 
  a mile away. At the performance will be 85 peasants and 9 per­
  formers. 
  The only difficulty is making sure that none of the actors or 
  singers escape. They can quickly move into the jungle and hide. 
  One person who will not have to be dragged away is Jina Sing 
  Phung. She's already decided that her ticket to Hollywood will 
  be with a Stateside soldier. 
  Two problems stand in her way; they are senior VC commis­
  sars who have orders to kill Jina rather than see her captured. 
  She will struggle, call out and otherwise do everything she can 
  to stay alive and get together with the soldiers. 
  There are no booby traps or other encounters in the immedi­
  ate area. Other than Jina, who wants to be captured, the other 
  eight performers are armed with pistols (and one extra ammo 
  clip; average effectiveness is 44%), and a total of 3 frag gre­
  nades and two U.S. smoke grenades. 
  134 
  
  Non-Player Characters 
  Jina Sing Phung 
  Description: This young woman (20 years old) is a stunning 
  beauty, obviously movie-star quality. She has already de­
  cided that she wants to defect. Her goal is Stateside and Hol­
  lywood. She is a bit dizzy and will have a strong influence on 
  the soldiers. She does not want to be turned over to the 
  ARVN authorities. Given a chance at any high-level State­
  side personnel (Captain or above) she'll quickly get what she 
  wants. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attributes: ST: 41 AL: 66 AG: 19 
  Viet Cong: 
  Commissar Jak Oa 
  Anned with 9mm Pistol (6% to hit) 
  ST: 45 AL: 29 AG: 20 
  Commissar Lin Wan 
  Armed with 7.62mm Pistol (84% to hit) 
  ST: 47, AL: 74, AG : 42 
  Rescue at Phmom N a 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: At least two 
  Point Men will be needed for the mission. One or more Intel sol­
  diers with language skilIs will also be useful. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "A few days ago, RECON Team Texas was ambushed and 
  wiped out by a VC Main Force Unit. AlI members of the team 
  were presumed dead. However, we've just received a report that 
  two Stateside soldiers were exhibited as prisoners in a smalI vil­
  lage near the DMZ. It's vital that someone rescue them before 
  they are taken across the border into Northern 'Nam. 
  1. Method of Insertion: Choppers, 2 slicks and 2 gunships, 
  will insert the team just south of the village of Ph mom Na, about 
  6 miles south of the DMZ. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Although extensive artilIery 
  and air support could be used, the brass have decided that the 
  border is too sensitive. No fire support unless cleared by the ad­
  ministrators at Thu Sang HQ (in other words, not until about 
  half the group are casualties). 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: Although there are 
  plenty of VC sympathizers, there are very few actual VC sol­
  diers operating in the area. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: This is rugged country, 
  mixed forest, hills and plains. The weather should be clear for 
  the next two days, after that expect heavy thunderstorms. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Find the soldiers and rescue them. 
  Eliminate any opposition. 
  6. Special Rules: No team member is to enter the DMZ. 
  Anyone carrying a weapon in the area can be considered a legit­
  imate enemy target. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Slicks and gunships will be avail­
  able within 15 minutes of calIing for evacuation. 
  Encounters 
  If it weren't for Commissar Hua Yong these prisoners would 
  have been over the border and into a POW camp days ago. 
  Luckily for the RECON team, Yong has decided to boost his 
  sagging prestige in the area by putting the prisoners on the road 
  as if they were some kind of carnival act. 
  In the first three villages the trails are cold and no tracks are 
  left. However, some of the locals could be persuaded to talk (ei­
  ther from threats or bribes). From the next two vilIages the trail 
  becomes clear; tracks, bits of trash and occasional blood spots 
  will show which way the prisoners are being taken. 
  Meanwhile, the Commissar is spending a day of rest in the 
  6th village. If he hears reports of any shooting, he will immedi­
  ately gather up the prisoners and head for the border. Otherwise, 
  the next day he wilI continue on to the neighboring vilIage. 
  Booby Trap Areas: There will be at least one encounter 
  with a mine or booby trap in traveling between any two villages. 
  UsualIy the traps will be trip wires attached to grenades or 
  antipersonnel mines. This wilI not alert Commissar Hua Yong to 
  the team's presence. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Commissar Hua Yong 
  Description: A bloated (very large and very fat for 'Nam) and 
  self-important politician. You'd think he was running for of­
  fice the way he makes speeches and pushes people around. 
  He is not a trained soldier. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 98 AL: 07 AG: 68 
  Skills: Mostly speech making and paper pushing. 
  Equipment: He carries a 9mm Automatic Pistol that he has 
  never fired (5% to hit). 
  Viet Cong: 
  Sniper Cong Phuong 
  Anned with SVD Rifle (49% to hit) 
  ST: 75 AL: 74 AG: 16 
  Guerrilla Tran Quit 
  Armed with AK-47 (11 % to hit) 
  ST: 54 AL: 12 AG: 46 
  Guerrilla Cuoc Quot 
  Armed with AK-47 (63% to hit) 
  ST: 44, AL: 07, AG:08 
  135 
  
  Sgt. Ronald Patterson 
  Description: Primary MOS is Point, Secondary is Medic. He is 
  relatively unhurt and will take a chance at grabbing a weapon 
  during a rescue attempt. His hands are kept bound together in 
  front of him. 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Attributes: ST: 37 AL: 56 AG: 93 
  Skills: Assault Rifle, he has a 48% to hit with an AK-47, 68% 
  with an M-16. 
  Sgt. Leon Murphy 
  Description: Primary MOS is Point, Secondary is Intel. He has 
  been badly wounded in the gut and passes out from the pain 
  frequently. He will be no help in any fighting and can barely 
  walk by himself. 
  AJignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: Currently 09, Usually 86, AL: 28 AG: 33 
  Finding Mama's 
  Favorite 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: Any mix of char­
  acter MOSs will be sufficient. At least one Intel MOS who 
  knows the language is recommended. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "We have definite information that Tai Ro Xuong, the re­
  gional Main Force leader, is returning to see his family in Chu 
  Doc. We need to snatch Xuong and bring him in for interroga­
  tion. Although local resistance is not expected, it is possible that 
  he has an armed escort somewhere in the neighborhood." 
  1. Method of Insertion: The team has a choice of taking a 
  jeep (the road runs straight to Chu Doc from Thu Sang), being 
  inserted by chopper, or walking in. (Note: No RECON team 
  worth their salt is going to pass up the opportunity to get into 
  Thu Sang, even if only for a few hours!) 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Extensive artillery and air sup­
  port could blanket the area. However, because of Chu Doc's 
  proximity to Thu Sang, no heavy fire is allowed for the mission! 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: Chu Doc has mixed loy­
  alties, but all the locals like and respect Tai Ro Xuong and his 
  mother, Maria Tai. No one will betray either of them, especially 
  since he is visiting his sick mother. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The area is mostly cleared 
  fields, rice paddies, vegetable gardens, villages and large es­
  tates. The forecast calls for heavy rain and occasional thunder­
  storms. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Get Tai Ro Xuong without hurting 
  any of the other villagers. He must be kept alive for questioning. 
  Capture or eliminate any bodyguards he may have brought 
  along. 
  6. Special Rules: Heavy weapon fire. even firing assault ri­
  fles on full automatic. is prohibited. This is a potentially friendly 
  village. try to keep it that way! 
  7. Method of Extraction: Group may call for choppers (up 
  to 4 slicks and 2 gunships) or they can call for a truck or jeep 
  from Thu Sang. 
  Encounters 
  Unless the group somehow alerts the village (by setting off a 
  land mine or by driving a vehicle right into the center of town). 
  they should be able to find the Tai hut with no problem. Inside 
  they'll find Tai Ro Xuong, Maria Tai. Juk Phong. an old woman 
  attendant and 6 small children (from 3 to 8 years old). See char­
  acter descriptions for more details. 
  When the soldiers first question the villagers, they will be 
  told that "Maria son gone! VC all gone! Just old woman! Very. 
  very sick! Go 'way!" If they press the point or attempt to take 
  anyone away, the old woman will point her finger at Juk Phong 
  (really Tai Ro Xuong), saying, "He is VC. My son VC. Not 
  right! Not hurt him, but make him see VC very bad!" All this 
  will be accompanied by various crying and wailing. 
  If there is any advanced warning, or if an opportunity comes 
  up, Tai Xuong (disguised at Juk Phong) will sneak off to join his 
  bodyguards. He will leave as soon as possible. 
  136 
  
  Hostile Forces: Tai Ro Xuong's bodyguards are waiting in a 
  Jungle Buster 
  VC sympathetic village about 6 miles west of Chu Doc. There 
  are 2 Snipers (each with 7.62mm SVD Rifles) and 6 guerrilla 
  specialists (each with AK-47s). They will not come to rescue 
  Tai, but will wait for him up to three hours after hearing gun­
  shots. 
  Booby Trap Areas: There are no booby traps in the area. 
  However, at night the road to Thu Sang is planted with antitank 
  mines. 
  Other Encounters: The peasants in the area will not inter­
  fere in the operation in any way. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Tai Ro Xuong 
  Description: Although an important VC officer, Tai looks 
  pretty much like any other middle-aged fanner. He is wear­
  ing worn peasant clothing and carries no weapons or VC doc­
  uments. He will pretend to understand no English at all. No 
  matter what happens, he will claim to be Juk Phong. The 
  only thing that gives him away is his hands, which are 
  uncalloused like a bureaucrat's, not like a fanner. Note to 
  MD: Don't describe the hands unless the players specifically 
  ask about them. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attributes: ST: 61 AL: 56 AG: 81 
  Skills: Tai Xuong is an experienced guerrilla specialist and he 
  has 8th grade in all skills. With pistol he needs a 73% to hit, 
  with assault rifle, a 67% to hit. 
  Equipment: His 7.62mm pistol, assault rifle and grenades are 
  all with his bodyguards. In Chu Doc, he carries only papers 
  showing that he is a loyalist. 
  Maria Tai 
  Description: Even though she's 82 years old and suffering from 
  tenninal cancer, Maria Tai is still feared and respected by the 
  local people. She is known as a witch woman and can heal 
  with herbs and potions as well as most Medics. She is also 
  very clever! At her insistence, Tai Xuong and Juk Phong 
  have traded their identification documents. She has also 
  coached the children to go along with her little "game" of 
  calling them by their wrong names. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 02 AL: 71 AG: 45 
  Juk Phong 
  Description: Juk is just another middle-aged fanner. He owes 
  Maria some big favors so he's going along with the pretense. 
  They've also planted 4 rounds of AK-47 ammunition in his 
  pocket (that will really surprise him!). He also has some 
  friends in high places who will release him after the "mis­
  take" is discovered. He speaks absolutely no English or 
  French. Mostly, he'll just look confused and indignant. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 67 AL: 33 AG: 72 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: Mostly heavy hit­
  ters are needed for this mission. No wimps need apply. Weapon 
  and combat skills are all that's important. A large group is un­
  necessary since the fighting will be taking place in confined 
  spaces. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "Before we get to the main briefing, we have to describe the 
  latest piece of equipment that's been provided from Stateside. 
  It's called an amphibious tactical tree crusher, the AMT AC. 
  This huge vehicle looks more like a lumber mill or a factory 
  complex than something that actually moves. It's five stories 
  (63') tall, 72' wide (each roller is 35' long and II' in diameter), 
  and the distance from the front of the extended saw blade, to the 
  rear exhaust pipe, is 115'. 
  "Apparently this is some bright boy's idea for a quick way of 
  cutting down jungle. They also designed it for war. There are no 
  guns attached, but the whole thing is annor plated. Even the 
  windows are 3 inches of bullet-proof plexiglass. 
  "The problem is that a pack of VC terrorists have managed to 
  shoot their way into the control tower of the AMTAC. They 
  have been in there for ten minutes now. Just as we were plan­
  ning a careful assault, the machine started moving. It turned di­
  rectly towards the Wan Vong River. 
  "At that point, some bright boy in the annored cavalry de­
  cided to block the thing with an M-60 tank. Fortunately, neither 
  the AMTAC or the tank were seriously hurt. All we've got to do 
  now is dig the tank out. Under the 250 tons of the AMTAC it 
  sank 18' into the mud . 
  "The AMTAC doesn't move very fast. Currently it's 
  chuggin' along at about 7 miles an hour. Even so, it'll flatten a 
  village in another 45 minutes. And 10 minutes after that it'll 
  topple over a 400' embankment and smash into the rocks. 
  "We can't afford to buy 'Nam that much scrap metal. Some­
  body has to get onboard, take on some suicidal VC and stop the 
  behemoth!" 
  1. Method of Insertion: Dropped by jeep just ahead of the 
  AMT AC. Covering small anns fire will be supplied by MPs. 
  The team will then run up to the vehicle and climb in. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: None. The AMT AC is too 
  valuable to risk. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: According to witnesses, 
  four terrorist VC entered the AMTAC. They were carrying ri­
  fles, grenades and pistols. Of course, others may have entered 
  unseen. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The machine is headed in 
  a straight line for the Wan Vong River. The only thing in the 
  way is a village that we're already evacuating. Weather is over­
  cast but dry, irrelevant to the mission. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Get on board, kill or capture the VC 
  terrorists and stop the AMTAC before it topples over the cliff. 
  6. Special Rules: Whatever you do, don't damage the 
  AMTAC! The thing is worth more than money, we're talking 
  the careers of several staff officers. And they'll pin the blame on 
  you rather than take any blame themselves! 
  7. Method of Extraction: Stop the machine and get out. 
  Ground transportation will be available. 
  137 
  
  Encounters 
  There are exactly four VC aboard the AMTAC. Two are in 
  the top floor control room, one is at the bottom and the last one 
  is crawling around in the hull and the engine. 
  The stairwell is in plain sight of both access hatches of the 
  AMT AC. That way the VC at the bottom of the stairwell can 
  fire at either entrance. He's suicidal and has no practical cover, 
  but should be able to do a fair amount of damage before the 
  player characters eliminate him. 
  Going up the stairway is more difficult. The two VC at the 
  top have good cover and are going to fire down with MAT-49s 
  at frequent intervals. Effectively, the players are in an Ambush! 
  If the players get to the second level and the VC on top are 
  still alive, there's going to be an even more serious problem. 
  The second floor has been outfitted with a claymore mine (after 
  al1, the VC don't care if the AMTAC gets hurt!) They will trig­
  ger it when two or more of the Stateside soldiers reach that 
  point. 
  Natural1y, the RECON team will take the control room of the 
  AMTAC. They'll have to overcome heavy resistance, but it 
  shouldn't be too much of a problem, until they discover that the 
  controls in the control room have been disconnected. It seems 
  that the VC had carefully studied the plans for the AMT AC, and 
  knew enough to cut all the electrical and mechanical linkages 
  once the vehicle was headed in the right direction. 
  So, is there any way to stop the AMT AC? Sure, all the group 
  has to do is shut down the engines. They can do this the direct 
  way by shooting at them, but they're not supposed to damage 
  the machine. If they radio for instructions (just in case they did­
  n't bring an RTO, there is a radio in the control room), they'll be 
  instructed to "Get down to the back of the first floor! There's a 
  whole series of red release switches for emergency shut-down 
  procedures." 
  Then the second big problem will crop up. VC #4 is already 
  hiding in the area. He's got a MAT-49 and lots of extra clips. 
  He's also in excellent cover and can Ambush anybody who en­
  ters the area. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Viet Cong: 
  Guerrilla Do Minh 
  Armed with AK-47 (47% to hit) 
  ST: 58 AL:91 AG:34 
  Guerrilla Cuoc Phong 
  Armed with MAT-49 (50% to hit) 
  ST: 17 AL: 54 AG: 89 
  Guerrilla Nguyen Chinh 
  Armed with MAT-49 (23% to hit) 
  ST: 64 AL: 47 AG: 74 
  Guerrilla Vo Lap 
  Armed with MAT-49 (67% to hit) 
  ST: 68 AL: 22 AG:36 
  Note: This scenario is based on an actual vehicle designed by 
  the Frenchman, LeTourneau. It was 74 feet long, 22 feet wide, 
  19 feet high and weighed roughly 300,000 pounds. In Vietnam 
  it was used to clear jungle. Four acres of 4' thick trees could be 
  turned to flat plain within an hour. 
  Breaker! Breaker! 
  Stop That Convoy! 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: A wel1-balanced 
  team with at least two members skilled in RTO. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "The VC have been using the Loi Na Pass for their supply 
  convoys for years. Lately we've been letting their walking con­
  voys slip by on purpose. That's because we're waiting for the 
  really big game, a VC truck convoy! 
  "We've gone to some trouble for this little operation. The 
  Georgia Fire Base with its 105mm Artillery Battery has been 
  moved 8 miles southwest so that it can target the pass. 
  "What we need the team to do is infiltrate the pass area, set 
  up an observation post, and avoid being discovered by any VC 
  scouts. Then, when the trucks are in the pass, call 'smoke in on 
  'em!" 
  138 
  
  1. Method of Insertion: The team will have to walk from 
  Georgia Base's new position into the Loi Na Pass. It's about a 
  two day trip over rugged terrain. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: The mission is designed for 
  105mm howitzers to hit the pass. Gunships and T ACAIR are 
  also available on a IO minute notice. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: The whole area is lousy 
  with VC patrols and snipers. The team must be very careful not 
  to be observed. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: A rough area covered with 
  barren hills, sparse forests and jagged mountain peaks. Weather 
  reports call for heavy fog gradually lifting over the next three 
  days. 
  S. Mission Objective: Infiltrate the Loi Na Pass, place it un­
  der observation and call in artillery to destroy the maximum 
  number ofVC trucks and supplies. 
  6. Special Rules: None 
  7. Method of Extraction: Once the mission is complete, 
  choppers and gunships will move in for evacuation and mopping 
  up any final resistance. 
  Encounters 
  From the time that the group arrives in the Loi Na Pass they 
  will have a four day wait until the truck convoy arrives. In the 
  meantime, they'll have to avoid the following encounters. Dis­
  covery by any VC will mean the whole mission fails. 
  Sunset Day 2: A convoy of 16 VC wheeling bicycles 
  through the pass. Each bike is loaded with from 200 to 300 
  pounds of material and is walked by a single porter. Four VC 
  Guerrillas armed with AK-47s act as scouts and escorts. They 
  will do only a casual check of the area before passing through. 
  Mid-day, Day 3: In preparation for the big truck convoy, the 
  VC send in three of their best scouts. They all carry sniper rifles 
  and will spend about an hour carefully searching the pass for 
  any signs of intruders. If they meet any resistance, they'll with­
  draw to the closest exit out of the pass. If the team is discovered 
  or the 3 snipers do not return, 8 VC with AK-47s and MAT-49 
  sub-machineguns will return at nightfall to clean out the area. If 
  they do not return the convoy will be delayed a day and a group 
  of 15 to 20 NV A will cautiously investigate. They will be armed 
  with AK-47s, one Soviet RPG-7 rocket launcher, and one 
  7.62mm machinegun. 
  Sunset Day 4: A 6-man group of armed NVA (I with 
  machinegun, the rest with AK-47s) will drive into the pass in an 
  old 1930s car. They'll stop for a quick IO minute check of the 
  area and then continue on their way. 
  Midnight Day 4 (or Day 5 if delayed): The truck convoy fi­
  nally arrives and consists of 17 trucks traveling at about 35 
  miles an hour. For maximum effectiveness, the strike shouldn't 
  be called until the first truck is halfway down the pass. After the 
  artillery strike, resistance will be minimal, mostly the VC will 
  be trying to escape. Approximately 23 VC will survive the artil­
  lery strike. 
  Booby Trap Area: No traps in the area. 
  Viet Cong Rescue 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: A heavily armed, 
  well organized team is needed for this assignment. Every MOS 
  could be needed at one point or another with the exception of 
  Heavy Weapons and Demolitions. 
  Missiori Briefing 
  "Tou Van Lang, a prominent Main Force VC leader, has 
  been acting as a double agent for many years. Unfortunately he 
  has not been heard from for the last two weeks. Just recently we 
  discovered that an "infamous traitor" is to be executed in Chieu 
  Hoi. Since that village is known as a VC stronghold it's going to 
  take a heavily armed team to get in, get Lang, and get out 
  again." 
  1. Method of Insertion: From 2 to 8 slicks (depending on 
  team size) and 2 gunships will insert the team 4 miles south of 
  the village. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Marine artillery from Califor­
  nia, Hawaii or Dakota base is standing by. They have been 
  alerted and rounds can appear within I minute of target identifi­
  cation. Helicopter gunships and T ACAIR are also available. Be­
  139 
  
  cause of political considerations, the village itself cannot be 
  bombed; any strikes called on that set of coordinates will be ig­
  nored. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: Be prepared to meet 
  heavy VC or NVA resistance in the area. Booby traps and mines 
  are also commonplace. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The terrain in this area is 
  solid jungle, interrupted by only a few rice paddies and several 
  villages with vegetable gardens. Weather reports call for par­
  tially cloudy skies and no precipitation for the next two days. 
  S. Mission Objectives: Place forces around the village to 
  prevent the escape of the subject (Tou Van Lang). Move forces 
  into the village of Chieu Hoi and destroy any resistance. Re­
  cover the subject and capture as many VC as possible. Should 
  major enemy forces be engaged, the team is to remain in contact 
  and summon back-up forces. 
  6. Special Rules: The village is NOT to be burned. Loss of 
  life is to be minimized. Any food-stocks or animals are to be de­
  stroyed. Confiscate any papers, weapons or tools. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Choppers will be standing by for 
  extraction. Allow 15 minutes for evacuation team to arrive. 
  Encounters 
  Hostile Forces: Stationed in the village itself are 28 Local 
  Force VC armed with semi-automatic SKS 7.62mm rifles. They 
  will not attack unless cornered and would prefer to withdraw 
  into the jungle. Guarding the bridge to the northwest of the vil­
  lage are two VC armed with AK-47s. Patrolling along the east 
  path is a team of 4 VC with AK-47s. 
  Booby Trap Areas: Except for the east and west paths lead­
  ing out of Chieu Hoi, all the other areas have been extensively 
  trapped. All paths have frequent antipersonnel mines, drop falls, 
  pits and grenades. The jungle itself has been planted with nu­
  merous traps, at least one every 30 feet. Since these traps are all 
  moved frequently, following footprints is not safe. 
  Other Encounters: Tou Van Lang is imprisoned in a hut 
  and guarded by two teenage Local Force VC. They will not 
  shoot him (in spite of the propaganda campaign against him) 
  and will drop their weapons and run away if the vi1\age is at­
  tacked. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Van Lang 
  Description: This man is an extreme pacifist, he does not be­
  lieve in the killing being done by the VC and feels that only 
  the Southern government can stop it. He will not fight, even 
  to save himself. 
  Alignment: Idealist-Pacifist 
  Attributes: ST: 33, AL:66, AG:64 
  Stop the Hit Men! 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: Since Jan Chong 
  Ya specifically requests the players team, that's exactly who 
  should go. The regular group, however they are set up, should 
  be su fficient. 
  Mission Briefing 
  140 
  "Jan Chong Va, the loyal village chief of Roun Gia, has ap­
  pealed to the goverrunent for protection. He claims that he has 
  been targeted by a VC terrorist squad. Ordinarily this would be 
  an ARVN job, but the guy has friends in high places and insists 
  on being protected by an elite Stateside team. In other words, 
  you lucky guys get to spend a week or two living it up in some 
  old plantation mansion while the rest of us have to keep fighting 
  the war." 
  1. Method of Insertion: Ground transportation (an M-113 
  troop transport carrier, a 5-ton truck and a jeep) will be provided 
  to transport the team and their gear to Roun Gia. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Out of range of any artillery. 
  Gunship fire is available, but not recommended because of pos­
  sible damage to friendly civilians. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: There are no reports of 
  any VC or NVA in the area. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: Dense jungle area with 
  only occasional clearings. At least 7 villages are located around 
  Roun Gia. Overcast and light rain conditions expected for the 
  next 3 weeks. 
  S. Mission Objectives: Move yourselves into Jan Chong 
  Va's mansion and set up defensive procedures. You are to ac­
  company him at all times and make sure that he is safe from at­
  tack. 
  6. Special Rules: Keep Jan Chong Ya happy. Don't hurt any 
  of the local people. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Same as insertion. 
  Encounters 
  Jan Chong Va's mansion is an old, run-down French build­
  ing. OriginaJly built around the tum of the century, it has defi­
  nitely seen better days. It is a two story mansion with 20 rooms 
  on the first floor and 8 bedrooms on the second. There are two 
  stairways to each floor. No basement. The players should decide 
  for themselves how they're going to place themselves and Jan. 
  Jan will not leave the area because he owns it. All the peas­
  ants are basically his serfs. He visits each rice paddy, garden, 
  pig-pen and chicken coop every day to make sure that no one is 
  stealing from him. 
  
  Hostile Forces: Other than the Assassination teams, there 
  will be no opposition. All the other VC will stay out of sight un­
  til the RECON team leaves. 
  Booby Trap Areas: When the team first moves into the area, 
  there will be no booby traps. However, the VC among the local 
  population will not be idle. Every time a soldier is observed do­
  ing something on a regular basis (every morning Benny walks 
  down to the stream to try catching some fish), there will eventu­
  ally be a trap set (the fourth morning Benny stepped right into a 
  Punji Stake trap - funny, it wasn 't there the first three times!). 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Jan Chong Va 
  Description: Jan Ya is one domineering, pushy old man! He or­
  ders everyone around as if they were slaves and he'll make 
  no exception for the Stateside soldiers. The only time he gets 
  friendly is when he's drunk, and that happens every night af­
  ter dinner. When drunk, he'll ofTer people pitiful sums of 
  money and talk endlessly about how unlucky he is. Everyone 
  in the area can be suspected of helping the VC killers be­
  cause everyone hates Jan. 
  Alignment: Opportunist-Righteous 
  Attributes: ST: 21 AL: 62 AG: 80 
  Assassination Team #1: A bumbling group who are attempting 
  to assassinate someone for the first time. They'll first try the 
  "delivery man" approach. A VC will show up to deliver a 
  large package. Not surprisingly, it will tum out to be a bomb. 
  If captured, the VC will tell all - that a VC assassination team 
  is out to kiIl Jan, that they are hidden in the jungle, etc. The 
  only thing that will be useful is their location. The revealed 
  location is out of date because the VC have already moved. 
  But if the group moves fast, they may be able to track the VC 
  to their new location. 
  If Team #1 isn't attacked after the package bomb, they'll 
  try a second time. It will be a direct nighttime assault on the 
  mansion. Unless the RECON team has really messed up with 
  their preparations, it'll be just a Turkey Shoot. 
  Hua: ST: 71 AL: 83 AG: 88 
  78% to hit with AKA7 
  Nung: ST: 81 AL: 38 AG: 16 
  24% to hit with 7.62mm Pistol 
  Qua: ST: 24 AL: 66 AG: 35 
  91% to hit with AKA7 
  Yang: ST: 20 AL: 08 AG: 22 (the delivery boy) 
  16% to hit with Semi-Automatic 
  Assassination Team #2: These guys are a little more polished 
  than the first team. They'II try an infiltration scheme, pre­
  tending to be workers in a rice paddy frequently visited by 
  Jan. There will only be two in the field; they'll pull pistols 
  when Jan is close enough. The other two will have set up a 
  machinegun in the nearby jungle and will open fire after the 
  pistols go off. 
  Kow: ST: 81 AL: 52 AG: 65 
  78% to hit with AK-47, 
  54% with Soviet RPK Machinegun. 
  Kao: ST: 40 AL: 89 AG: 56 
  No weapon skill, will feed the ammo belt to the RPK 
  Xuam: ST: 39 AL: 94 AG: 80 
  91 % to hit with 7.62mm Pistol 
  Yang: ST: 23 AL: 68 AG: 49 
  38% to hit with 7.62mm Pistol 
  Assassination Team #3: If the first two groups fail, then Team 
  #3 will show up. These heavy hitters will be disguised as 
  ARVN officers. From their mirrored sunglasses to their 
  neatly pressed uniforms and their government-issue jeep, 
  they will appear to be the genuine article. They will come 
  right out and accuse Jan of tax fraud and treason against the 
  Southern 'Nam government. No matter how much he pro­
  tests, they will insist on driving him back to Thu Sang for 
  "interrogation and trial." For effect, they will be incredibly 
  arrogant, even slapping Jan in the face if he protests too 
  much. They will also have genuine-looking documents (all in 
  'Namese). 
  Since the characters haven't been notified of this recent 
  development, they should radio back to HQ before releasing 
  Jan. If they stall for more than an hour the two 'Nam "offi­
  cers" will storm out, shouting threats. They won't be back. 
  If the VC actually manage to take Jan away, the last thing 
  the group will ever hear of them will be a distant pistol shot. 
  Captain Ghe Song Yen 
  Hung: ST: 65 AL: 96 AG: 24; Trained as a VC Sniper 
  83% to hit with Soviet SVD, 
  15% to hit with ARVN .45 Pistol. 
  Lt. Francois Loi Nung 
  APBO: ST: 27 AL: 37 AG: 62; 
  Trained as VC Guerrilla Specialist. 
  48% to hit with AKA7, 
  23% to hit with ARVN .45 Pistol. 
  Bridge over the 
  River Song Tau 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: At least two De­
  molitions experts should be assigned to this team. Snipers, 
  Pigmen, Grenadiers and RTO are also useful. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "We know that the VC are moving truck convoys through the 
  mountains in Lao. One vulnerable point is the Song Tau River 
  chasm. Even though we have never seen it, we know that the 
  VC must be crossing a bridge somewhere along there. We want 
  you to go into the area and blow up the bridge." 
  1. Method of Insertion: Since the bridge is actually in Lao 
  the choppers will drop the team offjust east of the border. From 
  there it's a difficult 3 mile hump over rugged mountain trails. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: None. The mountains prevent 
  accurate artillery and Stateside aircraft are not allowed to oper­
  ate in Lao. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: The NYA and VC use 
  the bridge for their convoys of weapons and munitions. Unfortu­
  nately, no one has ever seen the bridge. Expect heavily armed 
  NY A to defend the area. 
  141 
  
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: The entire area is moun­
  tainous. Cliff walls ranging from 60' to 210' border the canyon 
  of the upper Song Tau River. 
  S. Mission Objectives: Destroy the bridge and stop any con­
  voys. 
  6. Special Rules: This is a clandestine operation. Team 
  members are not to be captured or left in Lao. If anyone should 
  die their bodies must be brought back over the border. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Walk back into 'Nam and get 
  picked up by choppers. 
  Encounters 
  Hostile Forces: An 8-member NY A team regularly patrols 
  the area around the bridge. Each NVA has an AK-47 (average 
  35% to hit), and an average ST of 40. They will be surprised by 
  the presence of any RECON teams in the area. 
  Booby Trap Areas: No Booby traps in the area. 
  The River Song Tau, Part Two 
  This is a follow-up mission to the destruction of the Song 
  Tau River bridge. Somehow the VC are getting their convoys 
  through again. The RECON team is to return and make sure the 
  job was done right. 
  Upon investigation, the players will discover that the bridge 
  is really destroyed. If they manage to stay unobserved, at night 
  they will find that a portable bridge, made of four pieces and 
  loaded into four flatbed trucks, is constructed every night when 
  a convoy is expected. The bridge is always disassembled by 
  morning. 
  Since a night attack is very dangerous (the VC are waiting 
  for another attack, they've set up enough snipers on high points 
  to make any attack into an Ambush!), the ideal thing is to follow 
  the portable bridge. It's stored in a cave that's 4 miles north of 
  the abyss. Daytime guards at the cave are limited to nine VC 
  armed with AK-47s. 
  Encounters 
  Hostile Forces: After the first attack, the area will receive a 
  24-man garrison. 18 are armed with AK-47s (average 40% to 
  hit), 2 carry RPK-7 rocket launchers, and a 4-man team operates 
  an 81 mm mortar that can hit most positions around the chasm. 
  Booby Trap Areas: Between the first and second attacks, 
  the NY A will set up rock falls and grenade traps on the main 
  paths in the area. No matter what route is taken, the RECON 
  team will run into at least three traps. 
  The Tax Man Cometh 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: Any group of 
  five or more should be able to handle this assignment. Success 
  will be more a matter of the players cleverness than any combi­
  nation of character skills. 
  Mission Briefing 
  "Nguyen Bi Fong is the provincial tax collector for the Vc. 
  His movements have been carefully followed. We can now pre­
  dict accurately where he will be at any time for the next couple 
  of weeks. Killing or capturing him would be too simple. 
  "Frankly, getting rid of yet another VC tax collector is coun­
  terproductive. Every time we eliminate one, another shows up a 
  few days later. This time we'd like to try discrediting Nguyen. 
  Ideally this will be done in such a way that the VC sympathizers 
  will believe that their taxes are being misspent. Better yet, if the 
  VC high command becomes suspicious enough, they may even 
  execute him themselves. 
  "Even better, the VC commanders may start investigating all 
  their tax collectors, which would be a wonderful waste of their 
  142 
  
  time and manpower. A good jog with this one tax collector 
  could do serious damage to their entire tax collection network. 
  "No matter how or what you decide to do, you should snatch 
  Fong three days from now as he leaves the village of Ling Khao, 
  just after dark. Be sure to return him outside the village before 
  daybreak .... 
  1. Method ofInsertion: Troop transport or truck. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Several ARVN artillery heavy 
  mortar, I05mm and 155mm batteries at Golpher Base could 
  provide fire support. However, they are manned exclusively by 
  ARVN officers, considered by everyone to be very poor shots. 
  Chopper Gunships won't fly in the area because the ARVN 
  keep shooting at 'em by mistake. In other words, forget about 
  fire support unless you're already doomed. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: VC patrols and lone 
  snipers are spotted just about everywhere in the region. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: Jungle, rice paddies and 
  swamp near the river. Hot, dry weather is expected, and every­
  one and everything will get covered with clouds of red dust. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Patrol the area and attempt to locate 
  the VC tax collectors. Take at least one prisoner and do not let 
  any escape. 
  6. Special Rules: ARVN troops are swarming over the whole 
  area, try not to get in their way. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Call for ground vehicle transport. 
  Encounters 
  Just consider the possibilities! The group could capture Fong 
  and take pictures of him in various stages of undress surrounded 
  by scantily clad women. Even worse, they could all be Stateside 
  women! Better yet, Fong should be found by his superiors or 
  NY A officer in such a compromising situation (after all, photos 
  can be just propaganda). Or Fong could be left with heavy evi­
  dence of Stateside luxury items or appear to be working/paying 
  Stateside, etc. Anything that makes him look really bad is a 
  good idea. 
  Getting Fong is easy, likewise putting him back is easy. The 
  hard part is figuring out a good scheme for incriminating him. 
  One last note, the characters can get drivers, photographers, 
  printers or just about any other service just by requesting them 
  for this assignment. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Nguyen Bi Fong 
  Description: Fong is a self-important bureaucrat who orders 
  people around and yells a lot. He'll try threats, he'll try 
  bribes, or just about anything, but he won't shut up. 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Attributes: ST: 19, AL: 23, AG:76 
  Thnnel Rats: the Underground 
  Elite ('Nam Scenario Base) 
  "In 1966 the Viet Cong managed to steal an M-48 tank from 
  an ARVN unit north of Lai Khe, which caused understandable 
  consternation on the government side. Three years later the 
  Americans found it - in a tunnel. It had been buried about six 
  feet down and tunnels had been dug around it. The tank itself 
  was used by the VC as a command center; the batteries, the 
  lights, and the radio were still working." 
  The Thnnels of Cu Chi 
  Combat Spelunkers, otherwise known as 'Tunnel Rats', are a 
  combat specialty in 'Nam. Special units were created, mostly 
  made up of small, tough, fearless soldiers who could explore the 
  incredible tunnels of the Vc. It's recommended that the players 
  specifically roll up characters for tunnel rat games. Everything 
  is the same except for height (roll IDIO+47 for inches) and 
  weight (roll 2D 1 0+ 11 0 for pounds). Demolition MOS is recom­
  mended. 
  Tunnel Rats travel alone or in pairs. They trail a telephone 
  cord behind them and often have a rope tied to themselves as 
  well. Typically they carried only a pistol (silencers and caliber 
  are a matter of personal taste) and a knife. Either a miner's hat 
  or a flashlight provided illumination. 
  Incidentally, the official slogan of the Tunnel Rats (in the 
  real 'Nam) was Non Gratum Anun Rodentum". That translates 
  from the Latin into "Not worth a Rats Ass." 
  Living in the tunnels are the Vc. For each tunnel complex 
  there will be the following number of residents. 
  2DIO Nurses 
  1 D 1 0 Doctors 
  !DI0 VC High Command Officers 
  IDl 0 NY A Visitors 
  4D 1 0 Local Force VC 
  2DIO Main Force VC 
  6D I 0 Support Force VC 
  Ambushes in tunnels were generally done from above. A VC 
  would wait until the Tunnel Rat stuck his head up into a room or 
  tunnel. Then the VC would attack with a garrote or other 
  weapon. 
  Thnnel Encounter Tables 
  MDs can use the following table to create a spontaneous tun­
  nel complex/adventure. If the result doesn't make sense then ig­
  nore it and roll again. 
  Tunnel Complex (roll percentile dice for each section) 
  01-05 Turn to the Left and 20' extension. 
  06-10 Turn to the Right and 20' extension. 
  11-20 Tunnel Branches Right and Left. Roll again for each of 
  the two branches. 
  21-25 Tunnel Branches Straight and Up. Roll again for each 
  ofthe two branches. 
  26-30 Tunnel Branches Straight and Down. Roll again for 
  each of the two branches. 
  143 
  
  31-40 Deadends in a Door. These are waterproof, gasproof 
  seals, more like corks in a bottle than conventional doors. Roll 
  again on this table to see what's on the other side. 
  41-45 Blind alley dead end. Roll once on the Underground 
  Hazard Table. 
  46-50 Ends in narrow Ventilation Shaft. This is a small hole 
  that lets air in from the surface. Roll once on the Underground 
  Hazard Table. 
  51-55 Narrows down into a Connecting Tunnel to some other 
  complex. This will be a tiny crawl tunnel that may go on for 
  miles. Eventually (roll I D 10 for miles) it will connect with an­
  other tunnel complex. 
  56-90 Opens into a room. Roll on Tunnel Contents Table. 
  91-00 Trap! Roll on Underground Hazard Table. The tunnel 
  continues. 
  TCHVM!L RAT G~P. 
  Tunnel Contents Table 
  01-05 Underground Latrine: Made up of stone pots. There 
  is a 5% chance that a VC is surprised while performing his fer­
  tilizer duties. When filled, they'd be capped and buried or emp­
  tied outside. Note: The smell is so bad throughout the entire 
  tunnel complex that it's hard to tell the difference in the latrine. 
  06-10 Cleaning Area: Several water barrels and a sink have 
  been set up so that people and things can be washed. 10% 
  chance of fmding this room occupied. 
  11-20 Spider Hole: Whew! Outside at last! This is the VC 
  version of a bunker, a small pit in the ground used for cover dur­
  ing firefights and bombings. The tunnel enters the spider hole 
  from the bottom. 
  21-25 Firing Post: This is a large bunker up near the surface. 
  It's usually covered with planks and sandbags, sometimes even 
  with a whole hut. A VC can stand up and fire out of horizontal 
  slits that are just a few inches above the ground outside. This is 
  not an exit. The firing posts are usually designed so they cover a 
  clear area or path. 20% chance of finding a machinegun 
  mounted here. 20% chance of it being occupied. 
  26-30 Medical Aid Station: Basically a hospital room. 25% 
  chance of being occupied by wounded, 5% chance of finding a 
  nurse (roll twice). Medicines, bandages, cots and surgical equip­
  ment. Sometimes the patients are given grenades so they can 
  blow themselves (and the RECON soldier) up to avoid capture. 
  31-35 Sleeping Chamber: Hammocks are strung from wall 
  to wall in this area. Personal possessions are either in sealed 
  boxes or in bags hanging from the ceiling. 26% chance of find­
  ing an armed VC in this room. 
  36-45 Conference Chamber: This room is designed for 
  planning meetings. Usually it's filled with maps or paperwork. 
  A 5% chance of finding an unarmed clerk. The room is up near 
  the surface (like the firing post) and has good ventilation. 
  46-50 Kitchen: Specially designed so that all the gas and 
  smoke is vented up to the surface. 5% chance of finding a cook 
  preparing food. 
  51-60 Storage Chamber: Usually sacks of rice and other 
  food. Occasionally it may also include some ammunition or 
  tools. 
  61-70 Air Raid Shelter: This is immediately recognizable 
  by its shape. The floor is rough and the wall slants inward to 
  form a conical shape. The whole thing is braced with heavy 
  bamboo, timber or metal. These rooms are designed to survive 
  in spite of massive bombing and vibration. 
  71-75 Theatre: A large room specially designed for perfor­
  mances of propaganda plays or musical presentations. Contains 
  a variety of sets, props (costumes and disguises) and musical in­
  struments. 
  76-80 Printing Press: Can range from a mimeograph ma­
  chine toa full-scale movable type press. This is where VC pro­
  paganda and bureaucratic documents are produced. 
  81-85 Workshop: Actually a mini factory. Tools range from 
  simple hammers and pliers to precision power machines. 
  Usually only grenades (made from explosives, pieces of metal, 
  and a soda pop can) and booby traps are made. 30% chance of 
  finding 
  IDIO 
  workers 
  armed 
  with 
  knives 
  and 
  blunt 
  (c1ubs/pipes/hammers) instruments. More elaborate workshops 
  (10% chance) are capable of producing a variety of weapons. 
  86-90 Major armament cache: This is an ammo dump with 
  the following contents (if the result is negative then none of that 
  item is present). 
  4DIO-5 AK-47 Assault Rifle 
  2DIO-10 M-16 Assault Rifles (4 Extra Clips each) 
  5D10-1O 7.62mm SVD Sniper Rifle 
  5D 10-RPK -7 Rocket Launcher 
  2D I 0-5 60mm Mortars 
  3DI0-IO RPK Machineguns 
  2D 10-5 81 mm Mortars 
  4D I 0-7.62mm Automatic Pistols 
  For every weapon there will be I D 100 rounds of ammuni­
  tion. For example checking for AK-47s you roll 4D 10 ... an 18, 
  minus 5, leaves 13 AK-47s. Now roll IDIOO .. . an 80. So there 
  are 13 times 80, or 1,040 rounds of7.62mm rifle ammunition. 
  91-95 Well Shaft: A deep shaft that goes all the way down to 
  an underground water source. Usually a rope is attached to the 
  nearby wall on the other end a bucket. 
  96-00 Vacant Room: Either abandoned or deliberately set up 
  as a trap room. Roll on the Underground Hazard Table. 
  144 
  
  Underground Hazard Table 
  Crawling through pitch-black tunnels on hands and knees 
  (the tunnels were NEVER large enough to stand up in) was 
  nerve-wracking all by itself. Add to that the constant threat of 
  enemy ambush or booby traps and the situation was nearly un­
  bearable. All it took was a room filled with rats or spiders to 
  push a Tunnel Rat over the edge into panic or fear. 
  01-10 Rats; all the tunnels were infested. Roll 2DIO for 
  number. 
  11-15 Scorpions; used as a trap, 3D \0 scorpions would be 
  put in a box attached to a tripwire. Bites are poisonous. 
  16-25 VC, armed with 9mm pistol. 
  26-35 Spiders: Only 25% were poisonous, but they could 
  appear in incredible quantities. I D I 00. 
  36-40 Fire Ants: A dangerous encounter, I D I 00 would bite 
  1 D I 0 times. Poisonous. 
  41-45 VC armed with knife. 
  46-50 Bats; 3D 10 bats, they were more frightening than dan­
  gerous. Occasionally a rabid bat will bite (5% chance). 
  51-55 Snakes: The VC would set up snakes as traps. They 
  were held in place by wires tied around their necks and attached 
  to the walls. A few feet away the VC could pull on the wire, 
  pinning the snake to the wall. Eventually it would wiggle free 
  and threaten the next intruder. Poisonous! 
  56-60 VC: armed and ready; a second VC waits around the 
  next tum (backup). Anned with pistols. 
  61-65 Snakes: 2D \0 snakes that just naturally moved under­
  ground. Only a 30% chance of poison. Sometimes these could 
  be boa constrictors up to 6 feet long. 
  66-70 Punji Stake Trap: A pit concealed in a tunnel or 
  room. Someone crawling along on hands and knees would push 
  a foot or hand right into the stakes. 
  71-80 Cave-In Trap: Designed to collapse the tunnel on an 
  intruder. Fatal unless the Tunnel Rat has a rope attached to him. 
  81-90 Booby Trap Grenade: A tripwire or similar trigger is 
  set to explode a grenade or mine. 
  91-00 Constricted Tunnel: Sometimes a Tunnel Rat would 
  simply get caught in a space too small to crawl out of. It would 
  happen when turning a comer or just when the tunnel narrows. 
  It takes 2DIO Combat Rounds to get free. 
  A RECON® Campaign 
  Nong Ben: a Long-term Assignment 
  Optimum RECON Team Requirements: All of the mis­
  sions in this region will be performed by the same RECON 
  team. This sequence of scenarios is recommended for an intro­
  ductory campaign. The team should be well-balanced, able to 
  cope with a variety of missions. 
  (I) Point Man, with at least one backup. 
  (2) RTO with at least one backup. 
  (I) Pigman, optional. 
  (I) Intel, recommended. 
  (I) Grenadier, with at least one backup. 
  (1) Medic, with at least one backup. 
  (1) Sniper, optional. 
  (I) Heavy Weapons, optional. 
  (I) Demolitions, optional. 
  Mission Briefing 
  1. Method of Insertion: Choppers will be used for all mis­
  sions. 
  2. Fire Support Availability: Captain Terrance Boom can 
  and will deliver precise 155mm fire support anywhere in the 
  Nong Ben area. Shells will start landing within I minute of the 
  call. In addition, gunship support is available from Texas Base. 
  Allow 10 minutes for take-off and transit. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information: Although VC move­
  ment and local VC support are widespread, it is unknown ex­
  actly which villages are involved. Quite a few local families also 
  have volunteers in the ARVN. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report: Jungles cover most of the 
  area. Rice paddies, a few gardens and the hills are the only inter­
  ruption to the jungle. 
  5. Mission Objectives: Patrol the area on a regular basis, 
  identify VC and VC strongholds, try to win trust and support 
  from the local people. 
  6. Special Rules: Use extreme caution. 
  7. Method of Extraction: Return to Oregon Base on foot 
  and take ground transportation back to Texas Base, or arrange 
  for a chopper pickup in the field. 
  Missions 
  The group should be assigned to the Nong Ben area as a reg­
  ular patrol and reconnaissance team. In other words, the group 
  will patrol the area once a week or so over a couple of months. 
  In the beginning the soldiers will be strangers in the area, and 
  villagers will fear and mistrust them. Depending on how they 
  treat the natives, they will either become friendly (locals will 
  warn them of danger) or start to really hate them (then the locals 
  will set booby traps and arrange for VC ambushes). 
  Mission #1 
  Recommended as the first mission in the area. Somebody in 
  intelligence has decided that the VC are hiding a major weapons 
  cache somewhere in the area. 
  145 
  
  "A suspected VC supply dump (cache) is located near the vil­
  lage of Kinh Cao, find it by following VC units of the 221-A 
  heading to it. (Work backwards from heavily loaded groups 
  leaving the area. Follow unloaded groups headed in)." 
  1. Mission Information: We suspect that a VC supply dump 
  is located somewhere in this area. For the next week you are to 
  investigate each village and hill in the area. Spend your 
  overnights at Oregon Base. 
  2. Weather Report: Steady drizzle and light rain is expected 
  over the entire week. 
  Mission #2 
  During the team's patrol a VC tax collector and his two 
  guards will also be touring the area. Unless the group operates 
  by night, they'll be unlikely to find the Vc. The VC will not 
  fight, but will run if possible, or surrender if cornered. If the 
  group has made friends with villagers there is a 15% chance that 
  they may receive a tip-off. 
  1. Mission Information: Go on a routine patrol of the Nong 
  Ben area. Try to check out as much as you can in two days. Re­
  port anything unusual. 
  2. Weather Report: Clear and sunny. 
  Viet Cong: 
  Commissar Ving Von Jim 
  Anned with 7.62mm Pistol (31 % to hit) 
  ST: 74 AL: 31 AG: 33 
  Guerrilla Nong 
  Armed with AK-47 (13% to hit) 
  ST: 25 AL: 30 AG: 87 
  Guerrilla Jak 
  Anned with SVD Rifle (70% to hit) 
  ST: 70 AL: 18 AG: 60 
  Mission #3 
  A terrorist VC squad is being sent to eliminate Pha Linh 
  Kim, the popular village school teacher in Nok Son. If the sol­
  diers have made friends in the area, they will definitely be 
  warned about the upcoming hit. 
  1. Mission Information: Make a routine patrol of the Nong 
  Ben area. Report anything unusual and report back in four days. 
  2. Weather Report: Cloudy with 40% chance of showers. 
  Viet Cong: 
  Sniper Xuong Qui 
  Armed with 7.62mm SVD Rifle (71 % to hit) 
  ST: 54 AL: 11 AG: 97 
  Guerrilla Moe Mang 
  Armed with AK-47 (28% to hit) 
  ST: 25 AL: 40 AG: 46 
  Mission #4 
  Hai Fong Tai, a Combined Studies Group (CIA) agent, has 
  been discovered and will be removed from the village of Havar­
  ti. Three VC are holding her in hiding and will take her north for 
  questioning. The RECON team will arrive after the VC squad 
  has left. At that point they should pursue and attempt to recover 
  the agent. The VC are Local Force types and not very experi­
  enced in jungle movement; they'll leave a clear trail. 
  1. Mission Information: In the small village of Havarti, one 
  of our agents, a woman called Hai Fong Tai, is missing. Do a 
  night reconnaissance of the area and attempt to recover the 
  woman. 
  2. Weather Report: Clear, bright moonlight. 
  Viet Cong: 
  Commissar Ko Fong 
  Anned with 9mm Pistol (39% to hit) 
  ST: 72 AL: 09 AG: 87 
  Guerrilla Me Uyen 
  Anned with AK-47 (35% to hit) 
  ST: 77 AL: 44 AG: 58 
  Guerrilla Lang Nui 
  Anned with AK-47 (14% to hit) 
  ST: 17 AL: 28 AG: 98 
  Mission #5 
  Nong Ben's community vehicle, a rag-tag bus, is the property 
  of the village's only driver, Ralf Kram Den, now known to be a 
  VC agent. He lives with his wife, mother, grandmother, wife's 
  mother, and 12 kids in one of the village huts. He's easily dis­
  covered at home, but arresting such a popular figure (who will 
  take all the area residents to the market with him gone?) sur­
  rounded by grieving relatives is sure to make the soldiers un­
  popular. 
  1. Mission Information: The bus driver in Nung Ben has 
  been identified as a VC agent. Leave at once to capture him and 
  bring him back for interrogation. Avoid disrupting the village 
  community. 
  2. Weather Report: Cold, wet weather with occasional thun­
  derstorms. 
  Mission #6 
  A camouflaged underground tunnel complex has been built 
  directly under the Mansion at Loren's Rubber Plantation. After 
  being discovered, the tunnel was collapsed so the only way to 
  find it is with a thorough search. 
  1. Mission Information: Just last night we discovered a tun­
  nel entrance in the middle of Oregon Base! Obviously the Cap­
  tain is pretty upset. We figure that one of the local villages, 
  either Brick, Colby, Nok Son, Aliette or Havarti, is where the 
  tunnel started. Find the entrance and blow it up! 
  2. Weather Report: Constant rain and fog throughout the 
  area. 
  Mission #7 
  A wounded tiger has turned man-eater and is stalking the var­
  ious villages. It strikes every four or five days, usually attacking 
  a water buffalo or cow, but occasionally (20% of the time) at­
  tacking people. Its track is noticeable because of a limp and a 
  claw that hangs loose from its left hind paw. The animal is a 
  monster, ST: 148, AL: 96, AG: 92, 10' long and able to slash 
  with 3D I 0 damage four times per Combat Round. Natural cam­
  ouflage means that any weapon will be fired with a -60 modi­
  fier, unless attacking or within 20ft. The tiger usually sleeps 
  near the west side of Hill 233. 
  1. Mission Information: Aside from your usual patrol for 
  VC, we'd also like you to keep an eye out for a wounded tiger. 
  146 
  
  We have reports that it may be attacking local villagers. Killing 
  the tiger would endear the RECON team to several of the vil­
  lages. 
  2. Weather Report: For the first three days, drizzle and light 
  rain, followed by a night of thunderstorms. After that the 
  weather will turn clear and dry. 
  Mission #8 
  A VC Main Force unit will be "recruiting" all the healthy 
  teenagers they can find. They'll travel along the main paths, hit­
  ting the villages of Cheddar, Munster, Fromage, Colby, Nong 
  Ben and Green in sequence. If the RECON team has any kind of 
  popularity, they will be warned when the VC show up to start 
  their collection. 
  1. Mission Information: Quite a few of the local teenagers 
  in Oak Gir showed up missing last week. We have reason to be­
  lieve that the VC are kidnapping them to use as porters. For the 
  next two weeks we'd like you to patrol the Nong Ben area and 
  see that the same thing does not happen here. 
  2. Weather Report: Hot and dry with red dust sticking to 
  everything and everybody. 
  Viet Cong: 
  Commissar Kwan Dok No 
  Armed with 7.62mm Pistol (43% to hit) 
  ST: 42 AL: 96 AG: 55 
  Guerrilla Yang Du Kim 
  Armed with AKA7 (91% to hit) 
  ST: 35 AL: 07 AG: 69 
  Sniper Puk 
  Armed with SVO Rifle (70% to hit) 
  ST: 98 AL: 54 AG: 73 
  Guerrilla 00 Diem 
  Armed wit AKA7 (8% to hit) 
  ST: 76 AL: 40 AG: 93 
  Guerrilla Chi Ping 
  Armed with US Shotgun (46% to hit) and pistol (82% to hit) 
  ST: 58 AL: 43 AG: 38 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Rolling up typical peasants: 
  Old Men and Women 
  ST: Roll 2010, AL: Roll 10100, AG: Roll 6010 
  Age: Roll 3010+50 
  Teenagers 
  ST: Roll 4010, AL: Roll 10100, AG: Roll 10100 
  Age: Roll 10 I 0+8 
  Women 
  ST: Roll 6010, AL: Roll 10100, AG: Roll 10100 
  Age: Roll 3010+20 
  Small Children 
  ST: Roll 2010, AL: RoIl4DIO, AG: Roll 6010 
  Age: Roll 1010 
  Names: In the Nong Ben area, just about everybody is re­
  lated. Roll once for family name, then again for first name. Roll 
  a third time on either table for a middle name. 
  Roll 
  Family First 
  Roll 
  Family First 
  1DtO 
  Name 
  Name 
  tDtO 
  Name 
  Name 
  1 
  Fong 
  Bong 
  8 
  Tu 
  Shai 
  2 
  Kinh 
  Cao 
  9 
  Uyen 
  Vihn 
  3 
  Long 
  Ju 
  10 
  Yang 
  Wan 
  4 
  Mai 
  Nugen 
  5 
  Plei 
  Nin 
  6 
  Sop 
  Phnom 
  7 
  Taung 
  Quang 
  147 
  
  , 
  "' , 
  *
  i.0 
  t···. 
  ___T\. 
  iO 
  zo 
  I • •• • I' , I , 
  ' .... . .... .. ..,.; 
  0'. 
  ~<.lA.~<=- j\j~....: 
  .. ... 
  STi\<£.'>lOE.... _ * 
  P-R." ~ ~ !;a 
  V!C /... '-k: t:. ­
  0 
  K.D ~l> _ '-, 
  a crew ready room, crew quarters, and powder pit (different 
  amounts of powder are used according to the range of the shot; 
  whatever is leftover goes into the pit). 
  In the center of the base are a few buildings, including the 
  command post, observation tower with attached communication 
  Map Key For Ben Area 
  Oregon Fire Base: This is a fortified position held by Bat­
  tery 'M' of the 30th Artillery, 13th Infantry. Captain Boom has 
  arranged his guns in pairs, each placed in a fortified bunker sur­
  rounded by sandbag cells. In each fire pit there are ammo racks, 
  148 
  
  center, cookhouse, storage huts, tents, personnel bunkers, and 
  defensive machinegun bunkers. Everything, including the heli­
  copter landing pad and the vehicle parking area, was included in 
  a 260ft diameter circle. 
  The whole area is enclosed by a fence of barbed wire. An 
  outer circle (500ft in diameter) is also defined by barbed wire. 
  These barbed wire fences are actually three separate coils, two 
  on the bottom supporting a top coil. Between the barbed wire is 
  a 'no man's land' with phougas drums, disguised claymores, trip 
  flares, mines and cleared land for easy spraying with 
  machineguns. Only one entry area, the main gate, is safe for en­
  try. 
  Nong Ben: Twenty-Seven (27) huts, a run-down 3-story ho­
  tel, two bars, a country store (a large brick building with every­
  thing from candy to farm tools), 5 rice storehouses, and a large 
  bam for water buffalo. There are 16 old men, 17 old women, II 
  teenage boys, 9 teenage girls, 14 women, 10 adult men, and 39 
  small children in the village. This is a major VC stronghold with 
  six armed caches, a small tunnel complex and an underground 
  shop for making grenades from soda pop cans. 
  Nok Son: Pha Linh Kim is a government schoolteacher and 
  runs a schoolhouse for all the area children. Eleven (II) huts, 5 
  old men, 5 teenage girls, 9 women, and 12 small children. The 
  village is solidly loyal to the government and will be friendly to 
  Stateside soldiers. 70 chickens, 6 pigs, 8 water buffalo, and a 
  large rice paddy. 
  Aliette: The village is typical except that it also houses a 
  Christian missionary's house and garden. Father Frank Gumwall 
  teaches classes to the younger children and tries to help the local 
  people. They are rebuilding the church (bombed out during a 
  raid a couple of years before) and conduct open-air services. 
  Twelve (12) huts, 6 old men, 6 old women, 5 teenagers (I boy 
  and 4 girls), 6 women, and 10 small children. The villagers have 
  mixed loyalties and are cautious about strangers. They grow 
  nce, sweet potatoes, quinine, tobacco and coffee. 15 chickens, 
  83 pigs, 15 cows, and 7 water buffalo. 
  T'ak Jo: The Montagnards of this village live in 9 wooden 
  long houses. They are not full-time farmers like other 'Nam 
  people, but live as hunters. They do have small patches of to­
  bacco and pepper. They also have a herd of 87 cattle. In the vil­
  lage are 15 old men, 14 old women, 4 teenagers (2 boys and 2 
  girls), 15 women, 2 veterans (Kwan lost a leg in the fighting and 
  Phred is deaf in one ear), and 13 small children. The 16 adult 
  males of the village are part of a Special Forces team and will be 
  visiting about 30% of the time. The village is friendly to 
  Statesiders, but very hostile to any native 'Nam people. 
  Que Tang: Even sleazier and more corrupt than Thu Sang. It is 
  overrun with bandits, black marketeers and petty thieves. The 
  whole city is off-limits to Stateside personnel, but at least a 
  thousand are there at any time. This is also known as a gam­
  bler's paradise; the corrupt local government makes no at­
  tempt to close down casinos or stop the trade in illegal drugs 
  and weapons. Population is roughly 69,000. 
  Go Doi: The area is mostly rugged and forested. There are at 
  least 34 tiny villages located in this area. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government. 
  Principal Products: Rice, Sweet Potatoes and Quinine. 
  Note: This area is frequently used by the VC to set up 
  anti-aircraft guns and missiles. 
  Kon Ma: Flat jungle and rice paddies. This is a heavily popu­
  lated area, one of the main food production centers. Villages 
  tend to be quite large (from 20 to 60 huts). 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government. 
  Principal Products: Rice, Tea and Water Buffalo. 
  Ban Nui: The area is a mix of jungle, swamp and cultivated 
  land. 
  Loyalties: Strong VC with tunnel networks and underground 
  workshops. 
  Principal Products: Sugar Cane, Rice, Sweet Potatoes and 
  Coffee. 
  Chu Doc: Flat plains, elephant grass and occasional swamp. 
  The area is more sophisticated with a brick school and gov­
  ernment buildings, stores and small industries. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government. 
  Principal Products: Chickens, Pigs, Rice and Fish (from 
  Wang Vong River). 
  Chieu Hoi: Flat, elephant grass, jungles and rice paddies. There 
  are quite a few streams and ponds in the area. 
  Loyalties: VC stronghold. Extensive underground tunnel 
  complex and Main Force activity. 
  Principal Products: Fish (carp), Rice, Pigs, Pepper Plants and 
  Elephants. 
  Vi Ghe: Elephant country! Lots of elephant grass, jungle and 
  flat plains. This is also a fairly dry area. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government. 
  Principal Products: Sweet Potatoes, Pigs and Tobacco. 
  Roun Gia: A beautiful area with many waterfalls, ponds and 
  patches of forest. More like northern Stateside than 'Nam. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government. 
  Principal Products: Chickens, Rice and Rice Wine. 
  Ling Khao: Low, wet land with plenty of rice paddies, swamp 
  and marsh. Villages tend to be larger, but more spread out. 
  Loyalties: Strong VC supporters, but not very active in the 
  fighting. 
  Principal Products: Fish (from Wan Vong River), Rice and 
  Sweet Potatoes. 
  Uing Dao Bong: Area is mostly jungle and rice paddies. 
  Loyalties: Strong VC, but without tunnels or workshops. 
  Principal Products: Rice, Tea and Pigs. 
  Nong Ben: Mostly jungle and sparsely populated. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government, but definitely 
  leaning toward the VC. 
  Principal Products: Chickens, Pigs and Rice. 
  Phmom Na: Many of the villages have been forcibly evacuated 
  by the government. Those that remain are strongly VC. Quite 
  a few tunnels have been dug all the way across the DMZ. 
  Loyalties: Major VC area, extensive bunkers, undergound 
  tunnels, weapon and ammo dumps. Often used by NYA forces. 
  Principal Products: Rubber Trees, Woven mats, hats and bas­
  kets and Sugar Cane. 
  Xom Yok: Dense jungle. Quicksand area! 
  Loyalties: A VC stronghold area. Most villages have booby 
  traps and quite a few have tunnels. 
  Principal Products: Quinine, Water Buffalo and Rice. 
  149 
  
  Chang Song: Fairly dry grasslands and jungle. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government, but most vil­
  lagers are Vc. 
  Principal Products: Chickens, Sweet Potatoes and Quinine. 
  Rab Sop: Jungles, swamp and grassland. 
  Loyalties: Mostly government loyalists with a few VC vil­
  lages. 
  Principal Products: Tobacco, Sugar Cane and rice 
  Vi Va: Flat, dry area with short grass and very few streams. 
  Loyalties: A major VC stronghold. All the villages in the 
  area contribute to an underground weapon factory producing 
  mortars, grenades and a few imitation AK-47s and Thompson 
  sub-machineguns. 
  Principal Products: Cattle, Sugar Cane, Pepper Plants, and 
  Quinine. 
  Quang Pha: This is delta country, very wet with mud every­
  where, swamps, wet jungles and rice paddies. 
  Loyalties: Open warfare sometimes breaks out between the 
  loyalists and the VC in this area. Major VC weapon and ammo 
  dumps are hidden in the VC villages. 
  Principal Products: Rice. 
  Kinh Cao: Flat land with elephant grass and scattered patches 
  ofjungle. 
  Loyalties: This is a strongly Christian region, very supportive 
  of the government. They receive quite a bit of overseas assis­
  tance. 
  Principal Products: Extensive Cattle production plus Sweet 
  Potatoes, Pepper Plants, and Quinine on Plantations. 
  Dak Gir: A large valley in the mountains. The people speak a 
  slightly different dialect and try to stay out of national poli­
  tics. 
  Loyalties: Neutral. 
  Principal Products: Chickens and Rice. 
  Qui Sha Rah: Mountains spotted with small valleys, perfect for 
  rice paddies and plateau-style farming. 
  Loyalties: Mixed between VC and government. 
  Principal Products: Rubber Tree Plantation, Sweet Potatoes 
  and Rice. 
  Gbe Ju: Fairly rugged area with dense forests. 
  Loyalties: Strong VC supporters. 
  Principal Products: Old Rubber Plantation, Sugar Cane and 
  abandoned coal mine. 
  Gustafe Loren's Rubber Plantation: Old man Loren, now 
  87 years old, still lives in the run-down mansion. He is a VC 
  sympathizer and often shelters guerrillas. Three families live in 
  huts on his land. They act as servants and overseers for the plan­
  tation. 
  Brick: Five (5) huts, 2 old men, 4 teenage boys, 16 women, 
  and 13 small children. The village has mixed loyalties with all 
  the adult males being equally split between ARVN soldiers and 
  VC Main Force. A grove of pepper plants is the village's pri­
  mary cash crop. They also have 90 chickens and 38 pigs. Be­
  cause of their proximity to Oregon Base a large bar has been 
  constructed and a few bar girls have been imported. 
  Havarti: Eight (8) huts, 6 old men, 11 teenage boys, 23 
  women, 10 small children. They try to be friendly to all sides, 
  some of their men are ARVN, others are VC Main Force volun­
  teers. One of the women" Hai Fong Tai, is a government CIA 
  agent/informer. Their main cash crop is rice, they tend a large 
  rice paddy. 58 chickens, 23 pigs and 2 water buffalo. 
  Colby: Six (6) huts, I old man, IO teenage boys, 12 women, 
  8 small children. This village has been bombed three times over 
  the last 18 months. Six burnt-out huts and 28 fresh grave mark­
  ers are testimony to the cost of the war. They no longer have 
  any particular loyalties, they just want the war to end. They have 
  a large field of pepper plants, but much is going to waste be­
  cause they don't have enough farm hands. 40 chickens and 58 
  pigs. 
  Green: Three (3) huts, 3 old men, 3 old women and 13 small 
  children. A few years ago the government took away all the 
  adult men and women of the village. Since then the old people 
  have been trying to raise the children. They have no politics and 
  are suspicious of foreigners. Over time they may come to trust 
  anyone who treats the children well. The rice paddy is small be­
  cause they don't have enough hands to work all the land. There 
  is also a small patch of tea plants, 33 chickens, 55 pigs and I 
  water buffalo. 
  Chedder: Nine (9) huts, 2 old men, 5 old women, 13 
  women, 9 teenage boys, II teenage girls and 15 small children. 
  This village has recently made a finn pact with the VC. They 
  will treat government forces with hostility. They have a large 
  rice paddy, 24 chickens, 9 pigs, and 2 water buffalo. 
  Fromage: Nine (9) huts, 5 old men, 4 old women, 16 
  women, 8 teenage boys, 2 teenage girls, II small children. The 
  village is split between loyalist and VC local force people. They 
  tend a large rice paddy, 44 chickens, 30 pigs, and 5 water buf­
  falo. 
  Munster: Eight (8) huts, 3 old men, 4 old women, 3 women 
  and 7 small children. This is a dying village .... The rice paddy 
  has not been tended properly and they have only 4 chickens and 
  18 pigs. 
  Swiss: Two (2) huts, 2 old men and 6 old women. The old 
  people keep the village going so that it can continue as a VC 
  supply dump and hiding place. The rice paddy is small, but well 
  cared for. 68 chickens, 12 pigs and 4 water buffalo. 
  Edam: Seven (7) huts, 3 old men, 6 old women, 4 teenage 
  boys, 6 teenage girls, 13 women, and 12 small children. The vil­
  lage is solidly behind the VC and will be cold toward any State­
  side or AR VN intruders. They maintain a small underground 
  tunnel network that usually houses from 2 to 8 VC guests 
  (mostly nurses and Local Force travelers). The rice paddy is also 
  used for raising fish (carp). They have 52 chickens, 28 pigs, and 
  3 water buffalo. 
  150 
  
  Mercenary Adventures 
  Mercenary adventures are generally longer and more in­
  volved than 'Nam-style missions. The Mercs must do their own 
  reconnaissance, train their own support troops, provide their 
  own insertion, extraction and fire support, and pay for all the 
  equipment they need. 
  Adventure briefings are given by the mercenaries' prospec­
  tive employer. It's a rundown of all the important information 
  the mercenaries need to evaluate the job. Unfortunately, either 
  because of poor intelligence gathering, or because of an outright 
  lie, much of the briefing information is suspect. All too often, 
  mercenaries only see the true picture when they arrive 
  "in-country." 
  If the MD prefers running a mercenary game with 
  'Nam-style mission assignments, then it should be set up so that 
  the characters are working for a mercenary organization that 
  takes care of all the dirty work (intelligence gathering, ordnance, 
  supply and transportation). 
  Here is a sample mercenary adventure. The sections describ­
  ing the Nations of the RECON World should provide inspiration 
  for dozens more. 
  Long-term Contract in Sangria 
  This scenario is designed to be run as a mercenary campaign. 
  Playing out the entire scenario will take many sessions of play. 
  Optimum 
  Mercenary 
  Team 
  Requirements: 
  A 
  well-balanced group of mercenaries with a good cross-section of 
  specialties is needed. Depending on how the team approaches 
  the contract they mayor may not want a number of other spe­
  cialists. 
  Mission Briefing 
  1. Employer: Overtly, the government of Sangria is worried 
  about the security of its border north of the Corazon Jungle and 
  is hiring mercenaries. Hernando Huarez, Minister of the Interior, 
  will negotiate directly with the group. He will describe the con­
  tract to the characters as follows. 
  "We are seeking a group of experienced soldiers to take com­
  mand of a remote portion of Sangria. If you accept, you will be 
  given total authority over our regular military forces in the Dis­
  trict of Garcia, a region that borders Delancort to the east and 
  San Marcos to the southwest. This will not be an easy task, nor 
  will it be short. You will have complete control over the military 
  affairs in the region for a period of, we hope, at least five years. 
  You must recruit and train soldiers, organize local defenses, pa­
  trol the borders, put down local insurrections, wipe out guerrilla 
  bases and possibly, even deal with bandits or rebellious indian 
  tribes. Your contract will be yearly, renewable annually, and is 
  indefinite. Payment in local funds will be made monthly, pay­
  ment in U.S. dollars will be deposited directly to your Stateside 
  banks." 
  As soon as the mercenaries accept the contract from Sangria, 
  they will be contacted by James Retheral, Agent of Multina­
  tional Manipulation Services (MMS), a covert agency of the 
  Stateside government. Should the mercenaries reject the 
  Sangrian offer, Retheral will tum up to "convince" them that ac­
  cepting the contract is I) necessary, 2) in the interests of State­
  side national security, and 3) advantageous since they will 
  receive additional resources and payment from the MMS. 
  2. Assigned Objectives: Set up camp in the town of Garcia 
  and begin forming a local defense coalition. Huarez will de­
  scribe the process as follows: 
  "After arriving in San Succi, the capitol of Sangria, you will 
  be issued whatever weapons and equipment are available that 
  you desire. By riverboat you will proceed up the Rio Verdi, past 
  the mountains, up to the provincial center, the city of Garcia. 
  There you will meet the local representatives of the Army of 
  Sangria. They will take you cross-country to Gomez, your as­
  signed Garrison. 
  "Once established in Gomez, you are to evaluate the current 
  state of the military and take whatever actions are necessary to 
  create a modem fighting unit. You will have full command over 
  all military actions in the district. Except, of course, you are not 
  to interfere in the workings of the Civil Government, the 
  Guardia Civil, the church, or any private enterprise or company. 
  "You will be immediately responsible for the security of the 
  region. In the long term, once you have reorganized the local 
  army, you will also be required to neutralize many of the threats 
  to our control in the region, particularly the San Marcos and 
  Delancort rebel camps." 
  3. Enemy Information: The threats to the Garcia district are 
  many and varied. Rebel groups seeking to overthrow the gov­
  ernment of San Marcos are based inside the Sangrian border. 
  Both huaartzek and Mindanesian Indian groups have independ­
  ence movements. San Marcos and Tragnar infiltrators are sup­
  porting and training local communist rebels. The left-wing 
  movement is already starting to subvert the populace. Occa­
  sional raids by bandits and outlaw Indian groups keep the area 
  in a continual state of fear. They're even fearful of the Sangrian 
  151 
  
  government. Over the past couple of years right-wing death 
  squads have kidnapped or killed several of the Garcia district 
  leaders. 
  4. Terrain Report: The area is a mix of jungle, mountains, 
  grassland and cleared fields. The weather tends towards mists, 
  light rain and only occasional (25%) sunny days. 
  5. Available Personnel and Equipment: Huarez will report 
  that most personnel and equipment will be available in San 
  Succi, and that anything not currently available can be pur­
  chased within 30 days. He will also say that reports on the exact 
  status of the army in the Garcia region are unavailable. How­
  ever, he will emphasize that the mercenaries and have the power 
  of recruitment, that they can draft or hire (within the limits of 
  their budget) any additional soldiers. 
  Retheral of the MMS will inform the mercenaries that the 
  amount of military equipment and supplies in Sangria is "pa­
  thetic" and that they shouldn't count on getting anything they 
  request in under a year. On the brighter side he will inform them 
  that his agency supply them with up to $250,000 in equipment 
  initially and up to $50,000 each month thereafter. 
  6. Special Restrictions: The only special requirement put on 
  the mercenaries will come from Retheral of the MMS. He will 
  make the condition that they must assist any Special Forces or 
  Stateside advisors in the area and that they must obey any com­
  mands issued by his agency, even if they conflict with Sangrian 
  orders. 
  7. Method of Payment: The group as a whole will receive 
  an initial payment of 300,000 Colons upon their arrival in San 
  Succi. Beyond that they will receive, as a group, delivered to 
  their commanding officer, an additional 35,000 Colons every 
  month. 
  Payment in $U.S. will vary according to the rank and spe­
  cialty of the individual mercenaries. The following payments 
  will be made directly to the Stateside banks of the player charac­
  ters: 
  $500 per month for PFC, SP/4, or SP/5 
  $600 per month for higher ranking NCOs 
  $750 per month for Lieutenants and Captains 
  $850 per month for higher ranking officers 
  Bonus money: 
  $500 per month extra for aircraft pilots 
  $250 per month extra for artillery officers 
  $350 per month extra for track vehicle commanders 
  Plus special bonuses for outstanding performance. 
  Garcia District Political 
  and Military Organizations 
  Sangria Guardia Civil 
  This is the strongarm of the national government in the re­
  gion. Even though it is heavily funded and supported by the na­
  tional government, it remains hopelessly cruel and corrupt. Most 
  actions involve arresting, torturing and executing visible civilian 
  protestors, particularly students and labor organizers. As an or­
  ganization, they are opposed to the Army and will do everything 
  they can to frustrate the mercenaries' attempts. 
  The Guardia Civil also works as an underground; wearing 
  masks at night and kidnapping or killing dissenters or just for 
  pleasure. Since President Tazeal is the former leader of the 
  Guardia Civil, he will do nothing to stop their excesses. 
  Capitano Pablo Otello 
  Commander of the Garcia Guardia Civil Garrison 
  Description: This is the most hated and feared man in the dis­
  trict. He terrorizes everyone and accepts payoffs from any­
  body. Killing him would make the mercenaries incredibly 
  popular with the locals, but would create big problems with 
  the national government. 
  Alignment: Malignant-Psychotic 
  Attributes: ST: 62 AL: 88 AG: 21 
  Skills: Pistol (75% to hit), sub-machinegun (40% to hit) 
  Equipment: He wears a fancy uniform with 16 medals, brightly 
  polished brass, and carries a .45 Automatic Pistol. 
  Average Guardia Civil Soldier 
  Description: Usually recruited from the Mestizos peasant class, 
  they tend to be uneducated, barely literate and greedy for 
  money and advanced positions. They have little or no regard 
  for the average citizen. Roughly one in ten are sergeants with 
  some form of advanced military training (Demolitions, 
  Pigman or RTO). 
  Alignment: Usually Opportunist or Malignant 
  Skills: Sub-machinegun (40% to hit), Semi-Automatic Rifle 
  (25% to hit). 
  Equipment: 
  Assigned 
  a 
  uniform, 
  Ingram 
  M-lO 
  Sub-machinegun, bandoleer, canteen and helmet. 
  Corazon Liberation Front (CLF) 
  A Mindanesian Indian splinter group that's backed, trained 
  and supported by MMS Stateside advisors. Although they claim 
  to be merely seeking the "liberation of their brothers in San 
  Marcos," they actually have a secret agenda of creating a sepa­
  rate Indian nation in the Corazon Jungle. 
  152 
  
  Rodriguez Quito 
  Description: Quito is the war leader of the Mindanesian Indi­
  ans. He is a shrewd jungle fighter, battle experienced and un­
  willing to lose too many lives. Right now he is biding his 
  time, accepting Stateside aid and trying to avoid getting into 
  any fights that he can't easily win. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 44 AL: 81 AG: 29 
  Skills: Most military and jungle skills with at least 5 grades (av­
  erage effectiveness 65%). Select a total of 18 skills (at least 4 
  jungle type). 
  Equipment: Wears army camouflage fatigues and carries an 
  M-14 sniper rifle with starlight scope. 
  Average Mindanesian Indian Soldier 
  Attributes: ST: 44 AL: 81 AG: 29 
  Skills: All of them are the equivalent of the VC booby trap en­
  gineers with good night movement skills and 2nd level as­
  sault rifle skill (40% to hit). 
  Equipment: Uniforms vary from camouflage fatigues to tradi­
  tional Indian clothing. Most are armed with a 5.56mm Colt 
  Commando Assault Rifle and carry at least two extra clips of 
  ammo. 
  La Fuego PriMaximum 
  Effective Range: "The First Fire" 
  A dangerous group led by former military officers of San 
  Marcos. This group is funded and supplied by Stateside to at­
  tempt an overthrow of the San Marcos government. They have 
  three guerrilla bases inside of the Garcia District, one near 
  Agua, one near Quez and another farther south, near the San 
  Isabel border. The Sangria government officially ignores their 
  existence. 
  The organization has failed to dent the strong army of San 
  Marcos and is currently experiencing a wave of desertions. They 
  have over a hundred capable and qualified officers, but their 
  8,000 troops are undertrained and poorly motivated. 
  Daniel De Snabria 
  Description: He believes that only a strong ruler can solve the 
  problems of the region. Frustrated in his attempt to seize 
  power in San Marcos, he's currently looking at the situation 
  in Sangria. 
  Since that war has not been going particularly well, 
  Snabria has started thinking about establishing his own na­
  tion. And Presidente of Garcia would fit his plans very well. 
  The district is isolated, fairly easy to defend from the outside, 
  and currently lacking in any real defenses. He has been talk­
  ing this idea over with Capitano OteHo to get support from 
  the local Guardia Civil. For this reason he will attempt to 
  neutralize the mercenaries before they really get established 
  in Gomez. 
  Alignment: Idealistic 
  Attributes: ST: 21 AL: 67 AG: 80 
  Skills: Most military skills, including helicopter pilot, track 
  commander, and PBR captain, at 4 grades of expertise. 
  Equipment: Wears camouflage fatigues and carries a 5.56mm 
  Colt Commando Assault Rifle along with several grenades. 
  Terremoto: "Earthquake" 
  A bandit group that specializes in exacting "tolls" from any­
  one traveling on the Camino Muerto. They have roughly 20 
  members who are based up in the mountains north of Ojos de 
  Deos. Their hidden camp is protected by booby traps and guards 
  equipped with telescopes (although not with starlight scopes). 
  Each man is trained in Semi-Automatic Rifles (M-14, 60% to 
  hit) and knows mountain climbing, basic tracking, night fighting 
  and demolitions. 
  Jose Vargas 
  Description: A flamboyant leader who likes to act the gallant 
  gentleman-thief. He fancies himself as a local "governor" 
  and intends to continue his hold on the Camino indefinitely. 
  Heavily armed parties, especially tank or artillery convoys, 
  will be threatened with "Oh Senor! There are dangerous rock 
  slides in this area! You must hire one of our scouts or you 
  will surely be crushed or fall off a cliff1" 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 55 AL: 68 AG: 63 
  Skills: Semi-Automatic Rifle (60% to hit), Rappel.1ing (77%); 
  Tracking, basic (80%). 
  Los Muchachos De Plata: 
  "The Silver Boys" 
  This is an out-and-out gang of banditos. They operate 
  throughout the district, occasionally saying revolutionary things, 
  but mostly just stealing from banks and travelers. The group will 
  have I D \0+4 members on any job and will try to escape any se­
  rious confrontation. Although they have a small shack with 
  weapons and equipment outside of Pato, the individual gang 
  members return to their homes throughout the region. 
  The group operates wearing black hooded masks with mas­
  sive silver crucifixes. Each carries an assault rifle (55% to hit), a 
  pistol (48% to hit) and two grenades. They each have skill in 
  night fighting, knife fighting and detect ambush. 
  Juan Zayas 
  Description: Since his family was killed by the Guardia Civil 
  he will do anything to strike back at them. This includes rob­
  bing the Guardia Civil payroll, banks and wealthy plantation 
  owners. 
  Alignment: Opportunist-Karmic 
  Attributes: ST: 95 AL: 65 AG: 98 
  SkiUs: Same as most gang members, but also including demoli­
  tions (80%), lock-picking (86%) and safecracking (54%). 
  Equipment: A Colt Commando Assault Rifle, two knives, 
  plastique and detonators. 
  Other Non-Player Characters 
  Manuel Serrate 
  Description: Leader of the Gaucho Ranchers' Organization and 
  by far the richest and most powerful landowner in the prov­
  ince. 
  Alignment: Malignant-Psychotic 
  Attributes: ST: 88 AL: 23 AG: 96 
  Skills: An expert with semi-automatic or single-action rifle 
  (89% to hit) and very capable with Pistol (54% to hit) and 
  bolo (65% to hit). 
  153 
  
  Hernando Huarez, Minister of the Interior 
  Description: Although a powerful man in the Tazeal govern­
  ment, he is opposed by many in his plan to fortify the Garcia 
  District. His enemies will seek to frustrate him and his mer­
  cenaries in a variety of ways, primarily by delaying the ship­
  ments of payment and supplies (2DJO weeks every time). 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 83 AL: 35 AG:49 
  Garcia District 
  Population: 5,700 Spanish, 140,000 Mestizos, 130,000 
  Mindanesian Indians (estimated), 3,000 Huaartzek Indians (esti­
  mated), and 1,560 Foreign Nationals (mostly Statesiders). 
  Governor Ferdinand Dominica 
  Description: The head of the civil government in Garcia, he 
  administrates a bureaucracy of roughly 85 employees all based 
  in the city. He tries to hold onto his position by claiming that 
  "everything is just fine," whenever someone from the capital 
  asks. The mercenaries will find dealing with Dominica and his 
  bureaucracy to be a maddeningly slow process. 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Attributes: ST: 56 AL: 96 AG: 37 
  Garcia Economics 
  Most of the economy of the Garcia District is controlled by 
  several wealthy, land-owning families of Spanish descent. They 
  use Mestizos (mixed Spanish/Indian blood) or Indians as tenant 
  farmers or laborers. The whole area is in dire need of extensive 
  land reform. 
  Typical Wages: 
  12 Colons per week for Manual Labor 
  5 Colons per week for Maid Service 
  35 Colons per week for Guardia Civil 
  Commodities: 
  I Colon for a good meal with beer. 
  2 Colons for a suckling pig. 
  I Colon for a chicken 
  5 Colons for a bushel of com 
  8 Colons for straw and rubber sandals. 
  10 Colons for a cotton shirt. 
  15 Colons for a pair of cotton pants. 
  40 Colons for a Stateside T-Shirt ( with logo) 
  65 Colons for blue jean pants. 
  50 Colons for a machete. 
  75 Colons for a high quality knife. 
  4 Colons per week for family housing, usually a single large 
  room in a white-washed, adobe building. Imports, especially 
  items produced Stateside, will tend to be priced from 60 to 
  100% higher than normal. 
  Black Market Items: 
  2500 Colons for an M-16 Rifle 
  50 Colons for a clip ofammunition 
  500 Colons for a land mine 
  Banco National De Sangria 
  This is a privately owned monopoly - not only a bank, but 
  also the post office, government registry, tax collection agency, 
  land office, and telephone/telegraph office. There is a bank in 
  every town in Sangria. 
  Solaro Oil Company 
  All distribution and sales of gas and oil is under a monopoly. 
  Residents in the Garcia District are careful to fi1I up their vehi­
  cles whenever possible, because of frequent fuel shortages and 
  just because there are very few gas stations. 
  Corazon Jungle 
  Dense, tropical and infested with countless quicksand pools, 
  poisonous snakes and insects. It makes the 'Nam jungles look 
  like a picnic. The only people comfortable here are the 
  Mindanesian Indians, and they are very skilled at booby traps. 
  Rio Verdi 
  The river is the main route into the Garcia District. Up to 
  Gruz it's wide and deep enough for most riverboats and all 
  PBRs. This is the safest place in the district and two PBRs from 
  the 
  Sangrian 
  Navy 
  patrol 
  once 
  a 
  month 
  or 
  so. 
  "BUENAVENTURA," an ancient steamboat with paddle 
  wheels on the side, is the main commercial carrier for the river. 
  The natives use canoes, rafts or small boats for local travel. 
  Camino Muerto 
  It's not called the "Road of Death" for nothing! First off, 
  there are the murderous twists and bends, with no guardrails and 
  "pavement" (actually chiseled rock) that can narrow to less than 
  4ft wide. And, if the physical hazards aren't daunting, there's 
  the local banditos. They exact a "toll" on any travelers, using 
  their knowledge of ambush sites and rock-falls to extort just 
  about anything they want. Track vehicles and any quantity of ar­
  tillery will HAVE to be brought in on this roadway. 
  Ciudad Garcia "The City of Garcia" 
  Population: 
  3, I 00 
  Spanish, 
  42,000 
  Mestizos, 
  and 
  400 
  Statesiders. 
  Products & Resources: The area surrounding the city is mostly 
  forest and a healthy logging industry is just starting up. 
  Description: This is the regional center and has a fairly prosper­
  ous economy. The only high school in the district is here, 
  along with the main cathedral, the main government offices, 
  and most of the stores and professional people (doctors, law­
  yers, etc.) for the district. 
  Miguel 
  Population: 500 Spanish, 4,200 Mestizos, and 800 Mindanesian 
  Indians. 
  Products & Resourcr.s: Forest 
  Description: One of the oldest cities in the region, the old mis­
  sion church is a minor tourist attraction and cared for by the 
  nuns of Saint Rosa. There are over two dozen shops, and sev­
  eral small, wood-working establishments producing tourist 
  items for export. 
  Marti 
  Population: 60 Spanish and 8,200 Mestizos 
  Products & Resources: Com, sugar and pigs. 
  Description: The town is built on a small hill and has a church, a 
  market square, two stores and a bank. 
  Anna 
  Population: 10 Spanish and 4,200 Mestizos 
  Products & Resources: Forest. 
  154 
  
  EAST 
  MAP COOE KEY 
  SANGRIA 
  /-:.= == NATIONAL BORDER
  GARCIA 
  , 
  X RANCHES
  Ol5TRICT MAP 
  ---<;:f.. R IVE:R 
  • TOWN 
  _______ GRA VEL ROA£) 
  ·········.OII?T ROAD 
  SCALI! IN 
  oi;;';2< FOREST 
  .1'f$¢d ·.TUN6 L E 
  C.LUiRED LAND {WHITE AR£A) 
  MOVNTAIN 
  155 
  
  Description: This smalI town has a church, a general store, and 
  several old, decaying plantations. 
  Pato 
  Population: 10 Spanish and 4,800 Mestizos 
  Products & Resources: Cotton 
  Description: Just a church and a bank that serve two cotton plan­
  tations. 
  Mate 
  Population: 10 Spanish and 400 Mestizos 
  Products & Resources: Coffee 
  Description: The Matequez family owns the coffee plantation 
  and everything else in the area. The town has a church, a 
  bank and a general store (owned by the family). 
  Telacaibo 
  Population: 20 Spanish and 10,000 Mindanesian Indians 
  Products & Resources: Pigs and com. 
  Description: A small, white-washed village with a church, a 
  bank, a market square and several grand houses. 
  Quez 
  Population: 30 Spanish, 3,000 Mestizos and 6,400 Mindanesian 
  Indians. 
  Products & Resources: Com and pigs. 
  Description: This town is the main border connection with 
  Delancort. A small garrison of 8 customs officials operate the 
  gate that blocks the border road. They live in local houses 
  and the hotel. There are also two general stores, a church, a 
  gas station, the bank and two bars. Randolf, the town across 
  the border, is even smalIer, with only a single building hous­
  ing the customs officers, inn and store. 
  Tqak 
  Population: 5 Spanish, 100 Mestizos, 28,800 Mindanesian Indi­
  ans. 
  Products & Resources: Sugar-cane 
  Description: This small village serves the local sugar-cane plan­
  tation (owned by the Juarez family) and several Indian vil­
  lages. It has a catholic church, a general store, a restaurant 
  and a bank. A catholic nunnery with 55 nuns operates a small 
  hospital and center for San Marcos refugees. 
  Aqua 
  Population: 36,000 Mindanesian Indians 
  Products & Resources: Jungle 
  Description: A smalI trading town with two bars, an inn, and a 
  general store. 
  Rio 
  Population: 10 Spanish, 410 Mestizos, and 16,300 Mindanesian 
  Indians. 
  Products & Resources: Forest 
  Description: Basically a remote trading post; nothing more than 
  a store, a bank and a bunch of shacks. Mindanesian Indian 
  villages are all around. 
  Dorado 
  Population: 35 Spanish, 8,700 Mestizos, 2,200 Mindanesian In­
  dians and 320 Statesiders. 
  Products & Resources: Old silver mines. 
  Description: These silver mines have been in operation for over 
  100 years with relatively little change. Recently Stateside en­
  gineers and prospectors have started exploring the area for 
  other kinds of minerals. In the town there's a hotel, four bars, 
  a grand cathedral, one specialty store (mining and prospect­
  ing supplies), three genera) stores, a gas station and the bank. 
  Although there are a dozen mansions, most of the residents 
  live in shanties. 
  Ojos De Deos 
  Population: 5 Spanish, 800 Mestizos, 300 Mindanesian Indians 
  and I 10 Statesiders. 
  Products & Resources: Silver 
  Description: The silver mines are owned by the Suarez family 
  and use Stateside experts in their operation. The town itself 
  consists of a combination store-gas station, a mission church, 
  a bank, two bars (one for Spanish and Statesiders, the other 
  for Mestizos; no Indians allowed in either) and barracks 
  buildings that house the miners and the kitchens. 
  Diablo 
  Population: 400 Mestizos, 620 Mindanesian Indians and 130 
  Statesiders. 
  Products & Resources: Potential for chromium. 
  Description: This remote mountain mining town is only two 
  years old. The latest geological studies of the land have indi­
  cated that chromium deposits may exist in the area. As a re­
  sult, prospectors are found up to 10 miles away. This is a 
  boomtown with 6 taverns, a hotel, 2 stores, a gas station, a 
  bank and rows of tents and primitive huts. 
  Cartera 
  Population: 35 Spanish and 160 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Forest 
  Description: A sleepy little town with a bank, a small church 
  and a single country store. 
  Appaz 
  Population: 340 Spanish and 1,300 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Com and cotton crops. 
  Description: Several plantations surround this town of one 
  church, one gas station, a country store and a bank. 
  Gaucho 
  Population: 900 Spanish, 8,000 Mestizos, and 190 Statesiders. 
  Products & Resources: Cattle 
  Description: This is the center for the cattle barons of the region. 
  Most of the residents are tough 'Gauchos,' cowboys trained 
  in the use of horses, guns and bolos. Each ranch is a family 
  affair, but they are much fairer with their workers than the 
  plantation owners. If good relations are established with the 
  cattle barons, they may offer to help fight the local bandits 
  with mounted posses of up to 500 gauchos. The small size of 
  the ranches is deceptive; in reality the cattle range as far east 
  as Maria, as far north as Garcia, and as far south as Rio 
  Pequena. The main town has a gas station, a church, two 
  stores, a hotel, eight bars and a large bank. 
  Izpek 
  Population: 80 Spanish, 430 Mestizos, and 1,760 Huaartzek In­
  dians. 
  Products & Resources: Com and pigs. 
  Description: Some old plantations and several Huaartzek Indian 
  villages. In town there's a general store, a mission church and 
  a bank. 
  156 
  
  Gruz 
  Velino 
  Population: 400 Spanish, 1,700 Mestizos,580Mindanesian Indi­
  ans, and 1,200 Huaartzek Indians. 
  Products & Resources: Forest. 
  Description: The great wild area to the north of the Rio Verdi is 
  inhabited exclusively by an estimated 30,000 Huaartzek Indi­
  ans. Gruz is their main trading post and connection with the 
  Sangrian government. There are two aging steamers that 
  serve as ferryboats across the channel. The town has seven 
  bars, a hotel, three general stores, a church, a gas station and 
  a bank. 
  Mercado 
  Population: 600 Spanish and 2,000 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Coffee plantations. 
  Description: This town has two textile factories and a can­
  ning plant, along with ten stores, a huge open-air market, a gas 
  station, a hotel, four bars, a cathedral and a bank. 
  Gomez 
  Population: 25 Spanish and 6,400 Mestizos 
  Products & Resources: Forest 
  Description: The main garrison of the Garcian Division of the 
  Army of Sangria. The garrison is a 19th century fortress, 
  built on a hill, surrounded by a stone wall. Inside there is a 
  large commandant's house, a combination kitchen/mess hall, 
  an officers' building (3 stories with 8 large bedrooms, club­
  room, briefing room, officers' mess), an armory, a huge 
  horse bam, and four 2 story barracks buildings. Below the 
  fort, the town itself has a church, a gas station, a general 
  store, a hotel, a bank and three bars (now closed, but they'll 
  open when soldiers start living here). 
  Melang 
  Population: 45 Spanish, 4,000 Mestizos and 500 Mindanesian 
  Indians. 
  Products & Resources: Com and pork. 
  Description: The six local plantations are served by a general 
  store, a mission church and a bank. 
  Yuca 
  Population: 20 Spanish and 2,000 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Corn 
  Description: This tiny village has nothing but a bank and an 
  open-air chapel. 
  Borjes 
  Population: 80 Spanish and 4,000 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Com and Pork. 
  Description: A church, a bank and a bar. 
  Jose 
  Population: 30 Spanish and 8,300 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Corn and Pork. 
  Description: A little hilltop town with an inn and a bank. 
  Sabat 
  Population: 100 Spanish and 10,300 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Com 
  Description: A major catholic compound complete with elemen­
  tary school, monastery, cathedral and chapel. There are 37 
  priests and monks in the town. Also in town are a general 
  store, two bars and a bank. 
  Population: 100 Spanish and 17,000 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Com 
  Description: A general store, a small church, and a bank. 
  Credito 
  Population: 40 Spanish and 5,800 Mestizos. 
  Products & Resources: Com, pigs and cotton. 
  Description: Another sleepy little town with a mission church, a 
  general store, a bank and dozens of white-washed row 
  houses. 
  Assignment of Territory 
  and Troop Training 
  San Succi: Upon their arrival in the capital of Sangria, they 
  will be escorted to the presidential palace. The mercenaries will 
  then be formally introduced to the President of Sangria, Miguel 
  Tazeal. He will warmly greet them, treat them to a long, boring 
  speech about "defending the noble borders of our noble democ­
  racy," and (finally) award them each with officers' commissions 
  in the Army of Sangria. The mercenary commander becomes a 
  general, former colonels or majors become colonels, former 
  captains and lieutenants become majors, former sergeants be­
  come captains, and everyone else is given the rank of lieutenant. 
  This is followed by a formal dinner (with fancy dress uniforms 
  provided) and a few days of pleasant tours of the city. 
  After that, the authorities in San Succi will be less than help­
  ful. The latest news from Garcia indicates that the last army gar­
  rison captain was assassinated six weeks earlier. Huarez will 
  arrange for the transfer of funds, but the only military equipment 
  available will be the following: 
  (50) M-16 Rifles with 7,800 rounds of ammunition 
  (40) M-14 Rifles with 28,000 rounds of ammunition 
  (275) M-I Rifles with 54,000 rounds of ammunition 
  (5) M-60 Machineguns with 6,900 rounds of ammunition 
  (17) .45 Automatic Pistols with 4, I 00 rounds of ammunition. 
  (12) M-79 Grenade Launchers with: 760 rounds of HE Ammo, 
  950 rounds Smoke Ammo, 720 rounds CS Ammo, 20 rounds 
  Parachute Flares. 
  (144) M-67 Hand Grenades 
  (6) PRC-25 Backpack Radios 
  (2) W.W. II vintage Jeeps 
  (I) 5-ton Truck 
  (1) Towed I05mm Howitzer with 155 rounds of ammunition. 
  Unlimited quantities of formal uniforms (sorry, no fatigues), 
  belts, canteens, boots. 
  Transportation in the form of a rickety old steamboat will be 
  immediately available. It's capable of hauling up to 6 large vehi­
  cles and 10 tons of supplies. 
  The Town of Garcia: Upon reaching Garcia by steamboat, 
  they'll find that no one is expecting them at all. Inquiries with 
  local officials will be met with a universal "I don't know!" 
  There is very little local transportation available. Every few 
  days a bus (usually filled with peasants, chickens and pigs) trav­
  els to Cruz, Mercado, Melang, (back to Mercado), Gomez, 
  Izpek, (back to Gomez), Maria, Gomez, Mercado, Gruz, Garcia 
  and Arpaz. If the Governor is approached directly, he will be 
  very apologetic and arrange for the Guardia Civil to convey the 
  157 
  
  mercenaries to Gomez by truck. The Guardia Civil will be very 
  uncooperative. 
  The Town of Gomez: The garrison makes up the largest col­
  lection of buildings in the town. Currently it is occupied by ex­
  actly one soldier, Pedro Vagez, a 48-year-old clerk. The rest of 
  the complex is deserted except for the odd chicken, pig or rat. 
  The armory has been thoroughly looted; all that remains are 56 
  rusty M-I rifles, 30 cases of rotting .30 caliber rifle ammunition, 
  18 barrels of old fashioned powder and a few dozen cannon 
  balls. 
  From this point on it's up to the player characters to start re­
  cruiting and creating an army from scratch. If they try drafting 
  soldiers they' ll find that almost everybody has a deferment (or 
  else they would have been drafted and sent to more important 
  regions). Because of widespread poverty, it's much easier to re­
  cruit soldiers with decent salaries. The number of recruits avail­
  able depends on how much is offered. 
  Anything less than 5 Colons per week will mean no one will 
  be interested. Payment of under 20 Colons will be unsatisfactory 
  and result in many desertions. The quality of recruits will be 
  very low until the pay exceeds that of the Guardia Civil (35 Co­
  lons per week). 
  How big an army should they put together? Considering the 
  amount of border they've got to patrol and the size of the guer­
  rilla armies, they should have a minimum of 2,000 men, but 
  15,000 wouldn't be too large. 
  The MMS: Retheral will contact the mercenaries during the 
  first week of their stay in San Succi. At that point he'll take their 
  first order and arrange for a code system and mail drop for any 
  further orders. The Stateside equipment will arrive either by he­
  licopter airlift to Gomez (small arms, light equipment and am­
  munition), by shipment to Garcia (heavier stufO or for pick-up 
  at San Succi (very large shipments, tanks, artillery, and aircraft). 
  There is a 10% chance that something will go wrong with any 
  shipment, usually resulting in shipping an incorrect item. The 
  error will be discovered and corrected (with another shipment) 
  within 1-10 weeks of the original delivery. 
  Missions 
  It's up to the MD as to how long the players will have for or­
  ganization before trouble starts. Possible missions are listed ac­
  cording to the level of difficulty. 
  Mission #1 
  A report of a missing aircraft results in an assignment to the 
  north, across the Rio Verdi and into Huaartzek Indian country. 
  This is an extreme wilderness and very few outsiders have ever 
  been in the area. The mission will not result in any actual fight­
  ing (unless the group does something to rile up the natives), but 
  should be a good shake-down for seasoning their new army. 
  Leftist guerrillas may be encountered. 
  Mission #2 
  A messenger from the nunnery at Tqak runs up to the garri­
  son. He reports that a group of soldiers have been sighted ap­
  proaching the refugee camp. Apparently guerrilla forces are 
  planning on striking the undefended camp as retaliation against 
  the San Marcos government. 
  By the time the mercenaries show up, they will see that the 
  Republica Central guerrillas are shooting from the jungle into 
  the mission grounds. The terrorists will continue to fire at the 
  soldiers for only a short time, then they'll try to escape into the 
  jungle. 
  La Republica Central 
  This revolutionary organization is more a bunch of terrorists 
  than a guerrilla army. They believe in the unification of San 
  Marcos, Sangria, Delancort and San Isabel. Although techni­
  cally Marxists, they are violently against both the San Marcos 
  and Tragnar governments. The group is poorly armed but fanati­
  cal in their devotion to their leader, Antonio Campeche. 
  All of the 30 followers are trained in Semi-Automatic Rifle 
  only (18% to hit) and have a variety of .30 caliber and 7.62mm 
  rifles. 
  Antonio Campecbe 
  Description: Somehow, Campeche seems to think that he only 
  lacks pUblicity for his grand schemes. He will try any kind of 
  wacko action that could generate press coverage. He sees 
  himself as a charismatic leader and believes that people will 
  swarm to his banner as soon as they hear his golden words. 
  Alignment: Opportunist 
  Attributes: ST: 91 AL: 66 AG: 25 
  Skills: Hopelessly inadequate as a soldier, a bare 5% chance to 
  hit with rifle or pistol. 
  Mission #3 
  This mission is assigned by the MMS. Orders are to cross the 
  border into neutral Delancort, due east of Yuca. The Progreso 
  guerrilla training base must be destroyed. The Delancortians are 
  terrified of the growing power of the guerrillas, but do not want 
  to make an open breach with the guerrillas training in their 
  country. 
  Yo Progreso! Literally translates into "I am progressive!" 
  This is a Delancort liberation movement. They are backed 
  mostly by Tragnar (although much of their equipment comes 
  through San Marcos). In a few scattered bases they are training 
  guerrillas for an eventual attempt at overthrowing the Delancort 
  government. Eduardo Martinas is their figurehead leader. 
  The particular base to be raided by the mercenaries has about 
  80 untrained but enthusiastic students (likely to attack scream­
  ing, but with only a 5% chance to hit), 12 Progreso veterans 
  (40% to hit, likely to withdraw into the woods and escape), and 
  6 tough Tragnar soldiers (2 Point, 2 Pigmen, 1 Demo and 1 
  Heavy Weapons MOS, all with at least 3 grades of skill in as­
  sault rifle and most specialty skills). The Tragnar soldiers will 
  withdraw, but at the same time, attempt to lure any pursuers into 
  booby traps or ambushes. 
  Further Missions 
  The next priority of the mercenaries should be wiping out the 
  two bandito groups listed above. Then the guerrilla camps 
  throughout the region must be eliminated; border security re­
  quires clamping down on smugglers and banditos. In the long 
  run, if the mercenaries create an effective military force, they 
  may end up involved in central government military coups or a 
  civil war. 
  158 
  
  159 
  
  Palladium Books Presents ... 
  I 
  ® 
  ~
  Atl";llltjctl 
  Supplemental Rules and Adventures 
  This Book is Dedicated to three remarkable professors of History, Milton Covensky, T.F. Mayer-Oakes, and 
  Goldwin Smith. They opened my eyes to a great light. 
  Advanced RECON is fictional. Although inspired by real history, any simularity to real people, names, places and events is purely 
  coincidental and unintentional. 
  Written By: Wujcik 
  Editors: Alex Marciniszyn 
  Florence Siembieda 
  Cover Painting: Kevin Long 
  Interior Art: Kevin Siembieda 
  Map Art: Erick Wujcik 
  Art Direction: Kevin Siembieda 
  Typography: Maryann Siembieda 
  Introduction 
  Advanced RECON? 
  Yup! That's the central idea of this book. The Revised 
  RECON is basically a shoot-'em-up kind of game. Characters 
  are easy to create, die like flies, and don't have to think about 
  much more than keeping their weapons clean. In other words, 
  the perfect simulation of a fighting man's eyeball view of the 
  Vietnam War. RECON is a great game for grunts! 
  To simulate other Southeast Asian experiences, especially 
  those of the Special Forces units working in remote areas, the 
  war was not quite so simple. Winning the hearts and minds of 
  the local people was more important than winning battles 
  against the Viet Congo The local Stateside advisor was more 
  than a soldier; he was an ambassador, a propagandist, an orga­
  nizer, and even a politician. 
  Dealing with the enemy was more complicated than just kill­
  ing him. Getting ahead in the propaganda of the war was a lot 
  more important. To win the counterinsurgency battle, the advi­
  sor had to out-think, outfight and make more friends than his 
  VC counterpart. 
  It was an incredibly frustrating job. His worst enemies were­
  n't the communists, they were bureaucracies of both the U.S. 
  military and the Vietnamese government. Even more discourag­
  ing, no sooner was progress made in an area, then the advisor 
  would be transferred out. And the military machine never 
  seemed to understand that people were not interchangeable 
  parts. 
  All this makes for great role-playing experiences. Most of the 
  really good opportunities for military advisors took place in the 
  160 
  mid-sixties. In this book, we're setting the scene for a Laos 
  Campaign, circa 1965. 
  This is a setting where player characters can do extensive 
  role-playing and can practice advanced, small unit tactics. They 
  can even, if the Mission Director wants, change the outcome of 
  history. If the player characters do well, they can drive the com­
  munists back to Hanoi ... and, if they screw up badly enough, 
  they can be fighting communist insurgents in the Florida 
  swamps! 
  Some of the weapons, events and characters in the Laos 
  Campaign are anachronistic. For example, the M-16 wasn't 
  around back in 1965, but it's listed as a weapon for many of the 
  different forces in the game. Don't worry about it! The whole 
  point of any role-playing game is to have fun, not to present a 
  completely accurate simulation of history. 
  Character Creation 
  One way we've "advanced" RECON is by "beefing-up" the 
  characters compared to their earlier, grunt counterparts. 
  Why? 
  First of all, because we want the characters to last longer. In 
  this kind of game, characters need to build up long-term rela­
  tionships and long-range plans. 
  Don't worry about the characters being too tough. The char­
  acters in a Laos campaign aren't beefed up just 'cause the game 
  designer is such a nice guy. These characters are more skilled 
  and harder to kill because they are faced with more challenging 
  problems, more difficult enemies, and even deadlier battles. 
  Characters in the Laos campaign are not currently members 
  of the Stateside military. They may be experienced mercenaries, 
  combat veterans, or Military Intelligence Agency members on 
  "extended leaves of absence." All the player characters have ex­
  perienced a tour of duty with a combat unit in the early days of 
  the Vietnam War. 
  All the characters in a Laos campaign will be "free-lance" 
  soldiers. Usually, they are guys who rotated out of the war zone 
  but couldn't cope with civilian life or else adventurers who have 
  fallen in love with war. They'll willingly work covertly for the 
  Company (CIA), or another such quasi-governmental agency, so 
  long as they can stay involved in the war zone. 
  Step 1: Roll up Major Characteristics 
  First, roll percentile dice for each of the character's three ma­
  jor characteristics: Strength (ST), Alertness (AL), and Agility 
  (AG). 
  
  Next, check to see that the major characteristics meet the 
  minimum service requirements. Each individual roll must be a 
  50 or more. The combined roll (ST=AL=AG) must total 180. 
  If the major characteristics meet the minimum requirements, 
  or, if the player decides to keep the character even though the 
  rolls are low, then move on to Step 2. 
  Otherwise, go back and roll the character's major characteris­
  tics over again. No matter how many times it takes, players can 
  keep rolling characters until they get one that meets the mini­
  mum characteristics. 
  Step 2: Roll up Minor Characteristics 
  Roll2DI0 and add the result to 58. That gives the character's 
  height in inches (from 5' to 6'6" tall). For weight, roll percentile 
  dice and add to 135 (gives a range of 136 to 235 pounds). The 
  number from a 3DIO added to 17 gives the character's age 
  (from 20 to 47). 
  Step 3: Choose Primary 
  and Secondary MOS 
  The character's Primary MOS (Military Occupational Spe­
  cialty) determines how many of each type of skill is available. 
  The character's major characteristics can be a good rough guide 
  to an appropriate MOS. 
  If the character has a high ST then Grenadier and Pigman are 
  good choices. A high AL points to the Point and Tank Com­
  mander MOS. Medic, Sniper, Airplane Pilot, and Helicopter Pi­
  lot, all require a good AG. Characters with good all-around 
  characteristics should think about Intelligence, RTO, Artillery, 
  or PBR Captain. 
  Most of the secondary MOSs are suitable for any characters. 
  The exceptions are Grenadier, Heavy Weapons, and Pigman; 
  which call for a fairly high ST, and characters shouldn't take 
  Point unless they've got an exceptional AL. Mercenary special­
  ties are also available as Secondary MOSs. 
  Step 4: Choose Skills 
  Using the Skill Table below, and the skill descriptions in The 
  Revised RECON, pick out all the skills for your character. All 
  characters in the Laos Campaign have Basic Training (see The 
  Revised RECON) and automatically receive Assault Rifle (M­
  16), Grenade Throwing, Climbing, and the basics of handling 
  mines, claymores, radios, first aid, bayonet, unarmed combat, 
  garrote, camouflage and digging. 
  Notes: 
  1. Demolitions, Heavy Weapons, Cold Climate and Desert 
  Training MOSs can not be a Primary MOS. 
  2. The Type/Weapon skills refer to Skill Type and Additional 
  Weapons. For Example, 2/4 in Heavy Arms means that the char­
  acter has 2 skills, i.e., 
  Anti-Tank Weapon and Light 
  Machinegun, and 4 weapons. The character would first pick the 
  primary weapons for the two skills (LAW and M-60) and can 
  then pick an additional 4 weapons within those skills (Browning 
  .30 Caliber Machinegun, M-20 Rocket Launcher, M-67 Recoil­
  less Rifle, and M-40Al Recoilless Rifle). 
  3. Extra Levels are additional grades of skill available to the 
  character. For example, a Medic could apply all 12 Extra Levels 
  to improving his Medic Skill. The result would be a + 5% per 
  level for base effectiveness, + 60% total, and the ability to heal 
  5 ST points per grade or 60 ST points of healing total. 
  4. The maximum possible skill levels have been raised. Char­
  acters in a Laos campaign can improve their skills above 98%, 
  to the new maximum of 148%. Note that character attributes 
  (ST, AL and AG) are still the same, a maximum 0/98. 
  Step 5: Select an Alignment 
  Choose an alignment from the ones listed in RECON. Bear in 
  mind that the character is a volunteer in the Laos campaign. If 
  you're going to choose an alignment like Idealist-Pacifist or Op­
  portunist, make sure you've got a reasonable explanation why 
  such a character would freely walk back into a war zone. Be­
  cause the OpiumlHeroin traffic is such a major factor in the 
  Laos campaign, the typical reactions of each alignment to the 
  drugs follows: 
  Idealists: For these characters, the international drug traffic 
  is one of the great evils in the world. Idealists feel they have a 
  personal responsibility in dealing with this problem. 
  Opportunist: Like any experienced soldier, every Opportun­
  ist character has seen a personal friend ruined by some form of 
  drug addiction. The guy who supplies the $5 plastic vials of her­
  oin to soldiers is just as much the enemy as the Cong in the jun­
  gle. Except Mr. Charlie tries to kill you clean and quick, and the 
  dope merchants drag it out for years .... 
  Skills Table for Laos Campaign Characters 
  Small Arms 
  Heavy Arms 
  PrimaryMOS 
  Type/Weapon 
  Type/WeapoD 
  HandtoHand 
  Non-Weapon 
  Extra Levels 
  Grenadier 
  4/3 
  5/3 
  2 
  3 
  8 
  Intelligence 
  3/2 
  2/2 
  3 
  9 
  6 
  Medic 
  2/4 
  2 
  2 
  7 
  12 
  Pigman 
  3/2 
  5/4 
  5 
  4 
  4 
  Point 
  5/4 
  2/2 
  4 
  6 
  4 
  RTO 
  4/4 
  2/2 
  2 
  6 
  8 
  Sniper 
  6/4 
  4/2 
  2 
  4 
  10 
  Airplane Pilot 
  3/2 
  2 
  2 
  8 
  5 
  Helicopter Pilot 2/4 
  2 
  2 
  8 
  7 
  Artillery 
  2 
  6/6 
  2 
  5 
  5 
  Tank Commander 4 
  4/4 
  2 
  6 
  5 
  PBR Captain 
  2 
  4/4 
  2 
  7 
  9 
  161 
  
  Opportunist-Righteous: All characters of this alignment, 
  from the far right to the far left, agree that the international drug 
  trade is a horrible crime. Death is too good for anyone who prof­
  its from the disease of the drug addict! Opportunist-Righteous 
  characters will eagerly and enthusiastically destroy opium sup­
  plies, and use whatever force is necessary to punish everyone in­
  volved. There are no exceptions. Everyone, from the dealer on 
  the street to the chemist who refines the drug, and from the low­
  est addict to the richest drug-lords, all should be brought to jus­
  tice. 
  Opportunist-Karmic: Drugs like heroin are disgusting to 
  those of Opportunist-Karmic aligrunents because they tum men 
  into spineless worms. Making a profit on the drugs is even 
  worse. Characters of this alignment realize that the lackeys and 
  addicts are unimportant; it's only the kingpins of the drug world 
  that deserve punishment. 
  Malignant: What a great opportunity for making some seri­
  ously large sums of money! Consider the possibilities of selling 
  a drug that people will risk their whole lives to buy, who will 
  sacrifice anything for their next fix! On top of that, it's a small, 
  easily concealed commodity, with a value comparable to that of 
  gold. Yes, to the malignant character, drugs are definitely the 
  ticket to infinite wealth. 
  Malignant-Psychotic: If people want to take drugs, that's 
  their business. It only confirms the Malignant-Psychotic's basic 
  attitude about people, namely, that you can't trust any of 'em. 
  Step 6: Choose Character's Name 
  That's it! Once the character has a name, he's ready to accept 
  an assignment from the Mission Director. 
  Character Creation Example: 
  Jim, playing his first game of RECON, is instructed by his 
  Mission Director to roll up a character for a Laos Campaign. 
  Here's how it goes: 
  Jim: Okay ... Have I got this right? I roll percentile for 
  Strength, Alertness and Agility? 
  MD: Right. 
  Jim: I've got ST equals 15, AL at 50, and AG at 68. 
  MD: You can throw that one out! 
  Jim: Why? 
  MD: Anytime you have a characteristic with less than 50 you 
  can throw it out. 
  Jim: He didn't look too healthy anyway ... The new guy has 
  ST of 61, AL at 57 and an AG of 58. All above 50. 
  MD: Let's see .. . 61 plus 57 equals 118, plus 58 equals ... 
  176. He's under the minimum total of 180 so you don't have to 
  keep him. Want to roll again? 
  Jim: Naw. It's only 4 points. Let's see how he turns out. 
  MD: Roll your height, weight and age next. 
  Jim: Height is . .. 10 plus 58, or 68 inches. 
  MD: That makes him 5 foot, 8 inches tall. 
  Jim: Good! He'll fit right in with the natives. Percentile for 
  weight is 75 .. . plus 135 makes 210. 
  MD: Pretty chunky for a short guy. 
  Jim: Don't worry, it's all muscle! I rolled a 13 for age . . . 
  which makes him exactly 30 years old. 
  MD: In other words, we've got a 30 year old guy, 5'8" tall, 
  210 pounds, who is well rounded in Strength, Alertness and 
  Agility. Good choices for MOSs are Intelligence, RTO, Artil­
  lery, or PBR Captain. Of course, those aren't your only choices, 
  you can take any primary MOS ... 
  Jim: That's alright. I already decided I want Intelligence. 
  MD: And for your secondary MOS? 
  Jim: Demolitions. Is that Okay? 
  MD: Sure. Now it's time to pick your skills. With an Intel 
  character you get 3 Small Arms, 2 Heavy Arms, 3 Hand to 
  Hand, and 9 Non-Weapon skills. 
  Jim: I see on the chart it says 3-slash-2 for Small Arms and 
  2-slash-2 for Heavy Arms. What do the other numbers mean? 
  MD : The first number stands for the weapon skills, the sec­
  ond number is the number of extra weapon models you can use. 
  For example: You've already got Assault Rifle skill with the 
  M-16 (it comes with Basic Training). Using the two extra weap­
  ons means you could pick two other assault rifles, say the Colt 
  5.56mm Commando and the AK-47, and fire them with your 
  base effectiveness. 
  Jim: So, I get two extra weapons for each weapon type? 
  MD: No! You get just two extra weapons. You could take 
  the two extra assault rifles, or an extra assault rifle and an extra 
  pistol. A maximum of two in Small Arms and another two in 
  Heavy Arms. 
  Jim: What's this "Extra Levels" thing? It says I've got 6 of 
  'em. 
  MD: Those are extra skill grades. For example: You could 
  put all 6 of them in Assault Rifle and you'd end up with an extra 
  5% per grade, or a total of + 30. 
  Jim: And I've only got 6 to spread around, not 6 for each 
  skill? 
  MD: Right! 
  Recon® Electronics 
  Here's a list of electronics typically found in the modem 
  Stateside Army. Vietnam Era Electronics are those items that 
  were common to RECON units in the war. Many of the 
  Post-Vietnam Era items were available during the war, but did­
  n' t come into wide use until later. 
  Vietnam Era Electronics 
  PRC-25 "Prick 25" Backpack Radio 
  Weight: 25 pounds 
  Range with backpack antenna: Line of Sight to 5 miles. 
  Range on high point (hill/tower): 12 to 15 miles. 
  Notes: The PRC-25 serves as a unit's main communication 
  link. The radio was capable of 920 different frequencies. Be­
  cause the RTO carrying this radio couldn't carry a regular back­
  pack (although he often attached grenades and personal gear to 
  the radio), other team members were assigned to carry his stuff. 
  AN/PUSQ Starlight Scope 
  Length: 457mm 
  Weight: 1.8kg 
  Magnification: x 4 
  Range: Starlight: 300 meters 
  Moonlight: 400 meters 
  162 
  
  Power Supply: 6.75 volt disposable battery that lasts up to 100 
  hours. 
  Notes: This rifle-mounted scope electronically intensifies 
  very dim images. Outline shapes could be spotted clearly, but a 
  man hugging the ground or concealed in heavy vegetation could 
  not be seen. Flares played havoc on starlight scopes, overload­
  ing the electronics, and requiring up to 20 minutes for a return to 
  operating condition. 
  Post-Vietnam Electronics 
  AN/PVS-4 Night Vision Sight 
  Length: 240mm 
  Weight: 1.5kg (3.7Ibs) 
  Magnification: x 3.7 
  Range: 400 meters 
  Moonlight: 600 meters 
  Power Supply: 2.7 volt disposable battery that lasts up to 10 
  hours. 
  Notes: Designed to be mounted on the M-16 Assault Rifle or 
  on the M-60 Machinegun. Used for spotting outline shapes in 
  dim light. Flash protection means that the system recovers from 
  overload almost instantly. Unlike the earlier PUSQ it has auto­
  matic circuitry that keeps the system readjusted for many levels 
  of light from twilight to full starlight. 
  AN/PVS-5 Night Vision Goggles 
  Weight: 1.9 pounds 
  Magnification: None 
  Range: 150 meters 
  Power Supply: 2.7 volt disposable battery that lasts up to 10 
  hours. 
  Notes: Works like the Night Sights except there is no magni­
  fication, only light amplification. Has a built-in infrared light 
  source which can be used for close-up work with objects less 
  than 2 meters away -
  useful for reading maps or papers, fixing 
  engines or inspecting any close-up object in darkness. 
  NVS-80 Handscope 
  Size: 228mm long and 76mm in diameter 
  Weight: .9kg 
  Magnification: x 3 
  Range: 200 meters 
  Power Supply: 2 "AAA" Batteries 
  Notes: Advanced technology means the Handscope won't be 
  'blinded' by bright lights. It is also advanced in that power con­
  sumption is very low; 2 commercial batteries will last up to 50 
  hours. Can be used either as an individual surveillance device or 
  as a weapon scope. 
  R-100 Laser Gun Sight 
  Length: 355mm 
  Weight: 1.275kg 
  Range: 300 meters at night 
  100 meters on cloudy days 
  20 meters on sunny days 
  Power Supply: 14.4 volt Batteries (good for 1 hour of use) 
  Notes: Designed as a rifle sight. It works by shining a small 
  red dot of laser light on the target that can be seen by the rifle­
  man. The brighter the daylight, the more difficult it is to see the 
  target. 
  AN/TAS-5 Dragon, Thermal Night Vision Sight 
  Weight: 20.6 pounds 
  Range: 1,200 meters 
  Notes: Battery-powered thermal imagery system that detects 
  and displays on a screen all thermal (heat) energy. Uses re­
  chargeable batteries and gas cylinders (for cooling the detector 
  electronics). Needs a recharge after every 2 hours of use. Used 
  only when ready for firing -
  not as a surveillance device. 
  Needs 10 to 15 seconds to cool down between 'snapshots.' 
  163 
  
  M-19 Infrared Periscope 
  Magnification: xI 
  Range: 40 meters 
  Power Supply: 2.7 volt disposable battery that lasts up to 10 
  hours. 
  Notes: This is a vehicle mounted sighting device. Works 
  only with some kind of infrared light source; usually, special in­
  frared headlights. 
  ANITVS-5 Crew-Served Night Vision Device 
  Length: 31 Omm 
  Weight: 3kg 
  Magnification: x 6.2 
  Range: 2,000 meters 
  Power Supply: 2.7 volt disposable battery that lasts up to 10 
  hours. 
  Notes: Designed to be mounted on a .50 caliber machinegun. 
  Works just like the other light amplification devices. Has the 
  same advanced circuitry as the PVS-4. 
  AN/PSS-IO Radar Signal Detector 
  Weight: .6Skg 
  Notes: Basically a warning device so that the soldier can 
  keep from being detected by enemy radar surveillance systems. 
  The main unit fits into a pocket or clipped on a belt and is con­
  nected by wire to a small clip-on earpiece. Gives off a tone 
  when a radar signal is detected. It's sensitive enough so the 
  warning is given before the radar unit is close enough to detect 
  the operator's location. 
  ANITRS-2 Platoon Early Warning System 
  Length: 190mm for Receiver, 133mrn for each Detector. 
  Weight: 1.14kg for Receiver, .49kg for each Detector 
  Range: Detectors sensitive to 15 meters. 
  Receiver can be up to 1500 meters from Detector. 
  Notes: A complete system consists of two receivers, each 
  with headsets, ten detectors and two carrying cases. All batteries 
  last about 150 hours. Each detector is sensitive enough to 
  ground vibrations and magnetic variations to identify vehicle or 
  human intruders. Typically, it's used to warn of intruders mov­
  ing in from the rear or flank of a position, especially in areas 
  that are completely out of view. 
  Using the Platoon Early Warning System, 
  an Example: 
  Let's say your 4-man unit is setting up explosives to blow up 
  a small bridge. Ideally, you want the explosive to go ofT when 
  the first truck of a convoy is in the middle of crossing the 
  bridge. Unfortunately, it's a densely forested area, and you can 
  only look straight down on a small section of the bridge. An ar­
  mored transport truck moving at high speed will be in sight for 
  less than a second. That's too fast, and if you don't set ofT the 
  explosive at exactly the right time you may miss the convoy al­
  together. 
  The solution is to set up a string of detectors along the road. 
  The first step is to walk down to the middle of the bridge. Then 
  you pace ofT 100 meters back along the road. By the side of the 
  road you set up Detector # I, making sure to press the test button 
  a couple of times so you know it's working. Next pace ofT an­
  other 100 meters and set up Detector #2. And, from that point, 
  go another 100 meters and set up Detector #3. 
  Now you've got a fool-proof setup. The #3 Detector will 
  warn you that the convoy is on its way. Once you're alerted, you 
  can clock the exact time it takes for the first truck to go from 
  Detector #2 to Detector # I. And that will be the exact time it 
  takes for the truck tl) go from Detector # I to the middle of the 
  bridge. You can set off the explosive without even seeing the 
  convoy! 
  ANIPRC-77 Radio 
  Weight: 24.7 pounds 
  Range: SOOO meters 
  Notes: Basically a modern version of the PRC-25 with more 
  frequencies and a longer battery life (60 hours). 
  AN/PRC-68 Radio 
  Weight: .99kg (35 ounces) 
  Range: 3000 meters 
  Notes: 10 channels and a 24 hour battery life. Small enough 
  for belt or pocket. A plug-in, telephone-style handset is optional. 
  ANIPRR-9 Radio Receiver and 
  AN/PRT -4 Radio Transmitter 
  Range: 1600 meters on Channel 1500 meters on Channel 2. 
  Notes: The PRR-9 is designed to be mounted on the helmet 
  and the PRT-4 is a hand-held unit. A typical unit would have a 
  PRR-9 for every man and enough PRT-4s for the team leader 
  and Point Man. Battery life is roughly 30 hours. The PRR-9 has 
  a volume adjustment so that it can be relatively silent. Only two 
  channels were available. If the PRR-9 was set incorrectly, then 
  the soldier would have no communications. Incidentally, earlier 
  versions of these units were available during the Vietnam War, 
  but were seldom used. 
  Small Unit Tactics 
  How to Stay Alive for the Next Game 
  Here's a role-playing situation I ran into recently. Imagine 
  being a character in the following game: 
  You and your team, an elite commando unit, are engaged in a 
  secret, intelligence gathering mission. You've already been in­
  formed that you'll be moving through enemy held territory 
  where large, heavily armed units have been preparing extensive 
  defenses. Currently, you are moving through a rugged mountain 
  ravine with rock walls on either side of you. The time is mid­
  night, and your Point Man suddenly calls for the group to come 
  to a halt. 
  He reports on what he's found up ahead: "There's this big 
  clear area with a few craters on the ground, probably from mor­
  tar rounds. About 200 yards away, on the other side of the open 
  area, I saw a little light, like through a window or doorway. It 
  was right at the base of a cliff wall, and I think there might be an 
  observation platform somewhere higher up. What do you think 
  we should do?" 
  "They're obviously the enemy," says the team leader, "and 
  we should attack the place where the Point Man saw the light. 
  That's probably their camp." 
  164 
  
  "Yeah," says another player, "in this ravine there's no way 
  for them to escape. Let's do it. Everybody get your weapons 
  ready." 
  "We'll start moving toward the light," the team leader says to 
  the Mission Director, "and we'll keep fairly close together, with 
  the Point Man in front, me three feet behind him and everybody 
  else behind me." 
  "Okay," says the Mission Director, "you move out until 
  you're about 100 yards into the clear area. Suddenly, you hear a 
  shot of some kind. There's a parachute flare overhead and it's 
  lighting up the whole area! You see the area you're moving to­
  ward is actually a large outcropping of rock that's been con­
  verted into a bunker with sandbags! What are you doing?" 
  "We'll keep moving toward the enemy!" 
  The Mission Director, somewhat surprised, continues, "You 
  hear the distinctive sound of a heavy machinegun as it opens fire 
  on the group." Rolling the hits and damage from the heavy 
  machinegun takes a few minutes. The Mission Director contin­
  ues, "You guys are obviously in an Ambush situation and 
  there's a machinegun bunker commanding the area. What are 
  you going to do now?" 
  "WE CHARGE!" says the group leader. All the other players 
  agree. 
  "At about this time you notice that there are shots coming 
  from overhead." The Mission Director says painfully, "Appar­
  ently there's at least one sniper up on the cliff. Even worse, you 
  hear the whine of an 80mm mortar round. And, since you're 
  standing right in the middle of a targeted area, there's a real 
  good chance it's going to hit you ..." 
  Believe it or not, this actually took place in a role-playing 
  game. 
  Not all the player characters died, there were a couple who 
  refused to move out into the clearing at all. Otherwise the fatal­
  ity rate was 100%. 
  This isn't a case of a Mission Director being cruel or vindic­
  tive either. The player characters were supposed to find the en­
  emy bunker. And, playing properly, they should have scurried 
  back to report it. 
  It's obvious that the group behaved stupidly. The question is, 
  exactly what were their mistakes? 
  First and foremost, they forgot their objective. Remember 
  that they were on an intelligence gathering mission. They had 
  no business engaging the enemy. Certainly they shouldn't have 
  been attacking an enemy outpost. 
  Secondly, they ignored a number of clues. They were told of 
  dangerous enemy defenses. A narrow ravine leading to an open 
  area is a natural ambush site. Their scout told them of the mortar 
  craters. Targeting a mortar is very much a matter of trial and er­
  ror, and it is common practice to try a few ranging rounds when 
  setting up a mortar base. 
  Incidentally, that piece of information about the mortar 
  rounds is pretty technical. I certainly don't expect players to 
  know everything. On the other hand, had anyone asked, "Does 
  my character have any idea why these mortar craters are here?" 
  then the Mission Director could have explained the possibilities. 
  One of the worst mistakes is that the group kept attacking 
  when it was obviously hopeless. Running away is always an ac­
  165 
  
  ceptable alternative to getting wiped out. Unfortunately, cases of 
  military units charging into hopeless situations are all too fre­
  quent in both the real world and in role-playing games. 
  The worst mistake made by the players was to act on insuffi­
  cient infonnation. Sure, you've got to take chances occasionally, 
  but, in this case, it would have been simple to learn a bit more 
  before charging ahead. 
  This experience, and some feedback from RECON fans, has 
  demonstrated that a lot of players can use some directions on 
  strategy and tactics. The first thing to learn is how to define your 
  objectives. 
  Preparedness 
  One of the most important things about small unit tactics is 
  knowing how to react before an emergency comes up. And the 
  proper reaction depends on the mission objectives. 
  For example, assume that you've just spotted a lone North 
  Vietnamese soldier walking down a forest path. Should you cap­
  ture him? IUll him? Conceal yourself so that you won't be seen? 
  Or should you follow him? It all depends on the mission. 
  It basically boils down to being either RAID. SECURITY, or 
  TRANSPORTATION missions. 
  A raid is a mission designed to damage the enemy. In this 
  kind of operation the group is deliberately looking for combat 
  opportunities. However, most raids have particular objectives. 
  In the case of the NY A soldier, you would kill him if you're on 
  a general search and destroy mission. Or, if you're looking for 
  bigger game, you might follow him in the hope that he'll lead 
  you to an important base. Or, you might hide and let him pass so 
  that you don't accidentally tip your hand. 
  Before you start a raid you know exactly what kind of dam­
  age you're planning on doing to the enemy. And, if you've got a 
  particular target, don't let yourself get sidetracked with anything 
  else. 
  Security operations are what RECON is all about; recon­
  naissance and intelligence gathering. In other words, you're not 
  looking for a fight, you're looking for information. Now this 
  doesn't mean that you won't engage the enemy. It's not your 
  major objective, but, given the opportunity, you'll take prison­
  ers, inflict damage on enemy installations or ambush an occa­
  sional patrol. On most security missions, the best way to gather 
  information would be to capture the NV A soldier. 
  Transportation is a catch-all phrase to describe moving 
  from point A to point B. The cargo can be a message, a prisoner, 
  supplies, or the team itself being relocated. Since you're really 
  only interested in getting through safely, you don't want to be 
  detected. Typically, you'd hide and let the NVA soldier pass by. 
  Communications 
  Any time there is contact with the enemy, either accidental or 
  deliberate, the first man to make the sighting generally has to 
  make a snap decision and give a signal. These signals can be 
  made in a lot of ways. One possibility includes voice, especially 
  for things like "Incoming!" and "Sniper!" where it doesn't mat­
  ter how much noise you make. Prearranged hand signals are the 
  most common signals. Using a radio or a flashlight is also com­
  mon. Every player character should understand how to react to 
  the following signals. This is more than good tactics, it's also 
  good role-playing. The game moves along a lot more quickly 
  when everybody knows what they're supposed to do. 
  Cover 
  lAm 
  I Do Not 
  Our Move 
  Ready 
  Understand 
  ~ 
  ~.~ 
  DIsregard 
  Previous Command 
  Assemble 
  Freeze: Everybody, hold your posItion. All the characters 
  should stay quiet and motionless. It usually means that the Point 
  Man (or whoever made the signal) suspects that something is 
  wrong and is still gathering information. 
  Hasty Ambush: Means "we're going to ambush the enemy." 
  Usually made when the enemy looks vulnerable and they seem 
  to be heading toward the group. Characters should immediately 
  take concealed firing positions. 
  Attack! or Immediate Assault: Not the kind of thing you do 
  every day! For some reason, everybody should charge with 
  weapons blazing. For example. if the group comes on the rear of 
  an enemy position, or if another friendly unit needs immediate 
  help. Also used on raids. Whoever gives this signal had better 
  have a damn good reason. 
  Fall-Back: This means to start an orderly, guarded retreat. 
  Usually done with the leapfrog method where one or two men at 
  a time go back down the trail while the others stand guard. 
  When the operation is complete, the whole group should be 
  back in their usual marching order, but heading in the opposite 
  direction. 
  Ambush: Or, to put it another way, RUN! It means that the 
  group is in immediate danger of being in an enemy ambush. 
  Incoming: Means "TAKE COVER!" Some kind of indirect 
  fire, like a mortar or an artillery shell, is coming into the group. 
  Everybody should hit the dirt, scatter or find cover immediately. 
  166 
  
  Sniper: Reacting to a single sniper is a little different than re­
  acting to an ambush. The entire group should open fire on the 
  sniper's position. This mayor may not kill the enemy, but it'll 
  sure suppress his fire for the moment. 
  Offensive Warfare 
  Most players already understand this pretty well. Attacking 
  means shooting at the enemy. And, as we found out in the Revo­
  lutionary War, it's a lot easier to shoot the enemy when you're 
  hiding in the bushes and he is taken completely by surprise. 
  Still, here's a few items to consider in any kind of attack. 
  1. Fire Distribution is the science of controlling weapon 
  power. Here's a few of the more popular possibilities: 
  Point Fire is when you're aiming at a particular target. For 
  example, you might tell everyone to concentrate Point Fire on 
  the enemy machinegun operator. 
  Area Fire means aiming at any available targets in a particu­
  lar area. 
  Suppressive Fire means you're trying to get the enemy to 
  keep his head down. This is the kind of shooting you do when 
  somebody yells, "Cover Me!" 
  Grazing Fire is usually a straight, horizontal line laid down 
  by machineguns. The idea is to continuously draw a line of bul­
  lets about 3 feet off the ground. That way, even if you can't see 
  the enemy, you have a pretty good chance of hitting something. 
  Usually used when the enemy is charging toward you. 
  Frontal, Flanking and Enfilade Fire. These are just terms de­
  scribing how your shots are hitting the enemy. Frontal fire is 
  when you're facing each other. Flanking means firing at the en­
  emy's side, like shooting down at a party on a trail. Enfilade fir­
  ing is the best kind because it means you are shooting through a 
  column or row of the enemy. 
  A good use of Enfilade fire is to set up an ambush so a 
  machinegun is pointed down the length of a trail. Once the en­
  emy group is strung out along that section, you can open fire 
  with a much better chance of hitting a target, and have the 
  chance of hitting more than one with each bullet. 
  2. Preparing the Ambush means picking a place where 
  you have a good view of the enemy, yet are concealed and 
  under cover. 
  Kill Zone is the area where you plan on shooting the enemy. 
  It should be a place with limited or no cover, limited escape 
  routes, and little or no opportunity for the enemy to return fire. 
  Dead Spaces are areas out of sight of the ambushers. For ex­
  ample, a group on a hill may have a good view of the trail, but 
  may not be able to see into a gully right below them. These ar­
  eas should be booby trapped or targeted for accurate grenade 
  fire. 
  Claymores, mines and mortars are effective ways of killing, 
  but they lack a little . . . discretion. Booby traps are 
  non-discriminating; if there are friendly forces or civilians in the 
  area, it's best to set up flare traps - that way you can get a good 
  look at the victims before you kill them. 
  3. Dividing your forces according to their jobs is always a 
  good idea, even in a four-man team. 
  Assault Element is the unit responsible for the main attack. In 
  an Ambush, they would be assigned different firing areas in the 
  kill zone. 
  Support Element is a back-up or reserve unit. In an ambush 
  the Support Element is often set along possible escape routes so 
  the enemy will be trapped. 
  Security Elements have the responsibility for keeping every­
  one else safe. For example, if a unit had set up an ambush on a 
  hill, the Security Element will patrol the back and sides of the 
  hill to prevent a rear or flank attack. 
  4. Concealment and Camouflage are useful in any kind of 
  combat. The more difficult it is for the enemy to see you, the 
  more difficult it is for him to shoot you. 
  Natural Concealment is anything that hides you from the en­
  emy's sight. Bushes, grass, trees, geological formations and 
  shadows are all effective. 
  Camouflage is basically artificial concealment. Usually it in­
  volves Clothing and equipment with the same colors as the natu­
  ral environment. Irregular shapes of color are the hardest to see. 
  Adding make-up to exposed skin, and attaching leaves and 
  branches to helmet and clothing are also good forms of camou­
  flage. 
  Defensive Warfare 
  Personal accounts of experiences in Vietnam are often cen­
  tered around digging. Nearly every U.S. soldier spent a huge 
  portion of their time in 'Nam digging up the countryside. It's 
  also true for the Vietnamese -
  how do you think they got those 
  incredible tunnels? 
  The new guys found it all pretty pointless ... until their first 
  mortar attack. Then, after taking a look at a few bodies, they 
  didn't need much persuading. Mostly they were digging their 
  own shelters and bunkers. 
  And they had plenty of enthusiasm 
  for the job since, every so often, a few guys would get killed 
  during a midnight mortar attack -
  mostly the guys who didn't 
  do quite enough digging. You dug in everywhere. Stationed on a 
  remote base for a month or two? Dig bunkers and shelters. Set­
  ting up a watch station? Dig a trench. Pinned down by enemy 
  167 
  
  fIre? Don't bother moving around, just start digging down. At 
  the very least it'll keep your mind off the bullets whizzing by. 
  For a more detailed discussion, let's listen in on William "Red" 
  Dukowski, now a sergeant, as he explains things to some new 
  recruits. Late the previous night they set up an ambush site 
  along a jungle trail. The expected VC bicycle convoy never 
  showed up, and this morning Red received word that they 
  should wait another day or two. He's just announced to the men 
  that they have to start digging into position. 
  Group: "Why Do We Gotta Dig?" is the question from all 
  the new recruits. 
  Red: "Well, mostly it's a question of physics. When some­
  thing explodes, whether it's a rocket, artillery shell, grenade, 
  mortar or land mine, it throws out fragments. These fragments, 
  otherwise known as shrapnel, will kill at least half of you guys 
  that are planning on dying." 
  Slim: "But we've already got good cover. Why should we do 
  any digging?" 
  Red: "Yeah, one way to avoid getting killed by shrapnel is to 
  hide behind something that'll stop the fragments. Unfortunately, 
  with the advances in modem munitions, there's not much that 
  will stop a high-powered piece of shrapnel. For example, frag­
  ments can penetrate the walls of armored vehicles, concrete 
  blocks, and even thick, earthen walls. The bushes and trees we' 
  ve got out here are completely worthless. So hiding behind stuff 
  isn't usually the best defense against shrapnel. 
  "Take the bunch of us in position on that hill. Sure, we'll all 
  be invisible in the vegetation. However, suppose the commies 
  decide to drop a mortar round on top of us? Those fragments 
  can't see us, but they'll just rip right through anything in their 
  path ... trees, bushes, and your tender, young bodies. 
  "The best way to avoid shrapnel is to go below ground. It 
  works like this; since shrapnel is thrown outward from the blast, 
  and since most explosions take place on the ground, the pieces 
  tend to move across the ground. So, sitting in a hole, you tend to 
  see and hear a lot of shrapnel whizzing overhead. 
  "Of course, a lot of the fragments arc up in the air and come 
  down again. The advantage is that they almost never come 
  straight down, they always come down at an angle. So the 
  deeper you are in the hole, and the narrower the hole opening, 
  the less chance there is that the frag will reach you." 
  Chuckles: "So what kind of hole should we dig?" 
  Red: "Well, we don't wanna' make the hole too big .. .' 
  Slim: "Yeah, too much dirty work!" 
  Red: "Naw, it's more a matter of keeping the enemy fIre out 
  of the hole. The smaller the opening, the less likely it is that 
  somethin's gonna come inside and getcha'. 
  "And you don't want to dig down too deep because you've 
  got to fIre out of the hole. The perfect hole should be right up to 
  your armpits so you can easily aim your weapon. That also 
  makes it deep enough so that you can duck down inside when 
  you hear the 'Incoming!' calL" 
  Slim: "So we each dig a hole?" 
  Red: "Well, one of you guys should team up with the 
  machinegunner. That way he's got somebody to help feed 
  ammo and generally back him up if he gets knocked out. So 
  that's a two-man hole. On flat land or in the woods, they'd all be 
  two-man holes so you could support each other. Since we're set­
  ting up an ambush on this hill we want to be spread out to cover 
  more targets, so most of the holes will be for one man." 
  Later that day ... 
  Slim: "It's armpit deep, are we done now?" 
  Red: "No, now that you've got the hole itself fInished it's 
  time to make a few improvements. " 
  Chuckles: "Yeah Sarge, can I get a Picasso in my hole?" 
  Red: "Well, these are more practical improvements. Ways of 
  making your position more effective against the enemy." 
  Slim: "It's a hole Red, how are we gonna make a hole effec­
  tive?" 
  Red: "Okay, for starters you've got to make it easy to fire 
  your weapon. Since the hole is as deep as your armpits it's diffi­
  cult to lean over and aim your weapon 'cause your arms bang 
  into the ground. So what you want to do is dig some nice small 
  holes for your elbows." 
  Chuckles: "Hey, elbow holes; I like that! So we dig two el­
  bow holes so that we can lean over and fire in comfort?" 
  Red: "Not just two holes! You've got to put in elbow holes 
  for each firing position that you're going to cover. 
  "The next step is to make some weapon supports. Basically, 
  these are mounds of dirt you'll use for your rifle barrels. This 
  will give you a little bit more protection and also brace the 
  weapon for firing. " 
  Slim: "Is that it?" 
  Red: "One more thing. I'm going to teach you how to shoot 
  in the dark." 
  Chuckles: "Don't we already know how to do that?" 
  Red: "Not if you really want to hit something. Slim, get 
  some sticks, about a foot and a half long. Here's how it works, 
  Chuckles get down in your hole." 
  Chuckles: "Okay." 
  Red: "Now aim at the farthest point on the trail to your left. 
  Okay, now Slim, you put a stick in the ground just left next of 
  Chuckles' rifle barrel. Yeah, push it in so it's solid ... 
  "Chuckles, now I want you to aim at the farthest point on the 
  trail to your right. Slim, you push in another stick on the right 
  side of the barrel this time. 
  "Okay Chuckles. Close your eyes." 
  Chuckles: "What? Oh, okay." 
  Red: "Now pretend that you've got to shoot at the trail." 
  Chuckles: "Hey! That's neat; I can swing the gun back and 
  forth, and I still know I'm pointing at the right area!" 
  Red: "You got it! Now these are called aiming stakes or fir­
  ing stakes. Use as many sticks as you need. For example, you 
  don't want to shoot that big tree right in the middle of your fIeld 
  of fire, so block it off with aiming stakes. For elevation you use 
  a forked stick or a mound, so your gun is at the right level. 
  "The beauty of this thing is that you'll be able to shoot accu­
  rately even if you can't see a damn thing out there." 
  Once again, the VC have failed to show up. The next morn­
  ing Red is getting everybody ready to work again. 
  Red: "Okay kiddies! It's time to start digging again!" 
  Chuckles: "Groan! Why? Yesterday you said that the holes 
  were no good if they were too big." 
  168 
  
  Red: "That's true. Your holes are just right for you. Now 
  you've got to start making room for an occasional visitor." 
  Slim: "Sarge, this hole is so small I gotta step outside to 
  change my mind. How the hell am I gonna' fit anybody else in 
  here with me?" 
  Red: "The particular visitors I'm talking about are grenades. 
  What happens when Mr. Charles drops a grenade into your 
  hole?" 
  Slim: "Hmmmm ... I pick it up and throw it out?" 
  Red: "Sure, just reach down there in the dark and grope 
  around for a live grenade. Remind me to send a note to your 
  mother telling her what a brave soldier you were! Anybody else 
  got any bright ideas?" 
  Chuckles: "How about jumping out of the hole?" 
  Red: "Well, assuming that you were fast enough to get out 
  before the grenade goes off, that might work. However, since 
  some VC put the bomb in there in the first place, it's a safe bet 
  that he's gonna' be aiming in your general direction." 
  Slim: "So if we can't throw the grenade out, and we can't 
  jump outta' the hole, what's left?" 
  Red: "What you wanna do is dig another hole for the gre­
  nades. The holes are called sumps and the idea is to kick the gre­
  nade down deep enough so that it can explode without killing 
  you. In a one-man hole it should be along one side wall, and in a 
  two-man hole you need two, one on each end." 
  Chuckles: "How big a hole we talking about, Sarge?" 
  Red: "First off, the top of the sump has gotta be as long as 
  the side wall of your hole. That's so you can't miss when you 
  kick it. Second, you want it pretty narrow, so the blast is con­
  tained, but wide enough so the grenade will get in easy. Then 
  you want to dig it as deep as you can get it. Usually a sump is 
  about as wide as the blade of your entrenching tool and about as 
  deep as you can dig without making the hole any wider." 
  Slim: "Sounds like a good idea. Let's do it!" 
  Red: "Wait a minute. One more thing you want to take care 
  of while you're digging. You want to put a slope into the floor 
  of your hole. " 
  Slim: "What kind of slope?" 
  Red: "A slope that'll make that grenade roll right into the 
  sump hole. It'll also be useful for water drainage. 
  Later that day. Red has just finished talking to his com­
  mander on the radio. 
  Chuckles: "So what's happening?" 
  Red: "We'll be squatting here for a couple more days at 
  least." 
  Slim: "Well, at least we got our holes finished." 
  Red: "Wrongo! Time to get to work again." 
  Slim: "What! More digging?" 
  Red: "Naw! Today we're going to build stuff. Namely, we're 
  going to make some overhead cover. That'll protect us from 
  overhead fragments." 
  Chuckles: "You mean we're going to put roofs on our 
  holes?" 
  Red: "Exactly! For starters we're going to gather roofing 
  material. That means that we need logs. So some of you guys 
  are going to form a work party to cut trees and collect fallen 
  logs. We need big logs, from 4 to 6 inches in diameter. 
  Slim: "And the rest of us?" 
  Red: "At least half of you guys are going to watch the work 
  party, just to hold their guns and make sure they don't get am­
  bushed. We'll start really working when everybody gets back." 
  Chuckles: "What are we gonna' do with the logs when we 
  got 'em?" 
  Red: "Well, depending on where you are on the hill, you'll 
  either build a roof on the side or the back of your hole. The 
  two-man hole will have a roof right in the middle. You'll dig in 
  a little ways, plant the logs sideways, cover 'em with a tarp, then 
  with dirt, and finally, camouflage 'em." 
  Slim: "Hey Red! I got a question. How much work are we 
  going to keep doing on these holes?" 
  Red: "Why Slim, you're just getting started. We can still dig 
  storage compartments for ammo and gear, and we can brace up 
  the whole works with more logs." 
  Slim: "All that?" 
  Red: "That's just the start. The next step is to start connect­
  ing all the holes together. That means digging trenches between 
  the holes. Why, in the next couple of weeks, we can tum this 
  hill into a regular World War I bunker!" 
  Slim: "You've got to be kidding!" 
  Red: "Hey, it's no joking matter. The more holes, trenches, 
  and cover we got on this hillside, the better off we are. The 
  deeper they are, the safer we'll be. Think about it. We can move 
  from position to position, helping our buddies or moving to dif­
  ferent firing points, all without getting our tender bodies shot 
  up. In fact, there's only one time when we can stop digging." 
  Slim: "When'?" 
  Red: "You can bet that the day we got this hill finished, 
  they'll pull us out and put us on some other friggin' hill. And 
  then we can start digging all over again." 
  Strategy and Tactics 
  The Basics 
  There's no way we can discuss all the concepts of military 
  thought in this book. What follows is sort of a "Reader's Digest 
  Condensed Version" of the principles of warfare. If there is any 
  such thing as a "Law of War" then it's probably hidden in the 
  following list. Remember, these are general guidelines, and in 
  war, nothing is certain. 
  1. Maintain the Objective: Every military operation must be 
  directed toward a decisive, obtainable objective. In other words, 
  if you can't describe the outcome you want, then you shouldn't 
  be getting into the,battle. A lot of folks would say that the lack 
  of an objective was the main flaw in America's policies in Viet­
  nam. 
  Having a stated objective that's known by the soldiers in an 
  action is critical for them to be able to respond to changing con­
  ditions. Having the initiative to take advantage of a sudden en­
  emy weakness, or to retreat in the face of an unexpected enemy 
  strength, depends on everybody knowing the overall plan. 
  2. Watch your Concentrations: In ancient warfare every­
  thing was concentrated, because the armies were literally shoul­
  der to shoulder. Modem weaponry makes dispersion essential. 
  169 
  
  A single grenade or machinegun can kill crowds easily. As a 
  general rule, everybody in Vietnam kept at least 5 yards apart at 
  all times. The first limit to this dispersion is communications; 
  you've got to keep close enough so that you can work as a team. 
  The second limit to dispersion is the need to concentrate at­
  tack power. The reason the ancient soldiers massed together was 
  to concentrate their offensive power. In modern times, with long 
  distance weapons, attacks can be concentrated while the attack­
  ers remain dispersed. So units have to stay close enough to be 
  able to coordinate and concentrate their weapons on a single tar­
  get. 
  3. Be Prepared to Maneuver: Consider the brilliance of the 
  Viet Cong Army. Attack them with a superior force and they 
  break into pieces and melt away. Present them with a weak de­
  fense and they form up a superior force and wipe you out. 
  Forces must be organized so they can move quickly, both to at­
  tack and retreat. 
  Another aspect to maneuvering troops is maintaining a re­
  serve. No matter how desperate a situation may look, it's vital to 
  maintain a separate reserve that can respond to changing condi­
  tions. 
  4. Knowledge is Power: A small army with a good intelli­
  gence network is worth a lot more than a large army that's kept 
  in the dark. Which is not to say that we didn't have good intelli­
  gence work in Vietnam. The problem in 'Nam was, more often 
  than not, the information wasn't given to the commanders who 
  needed it. The flip side of the intelligence issue is security. Al­
  ways make it as difficult as possible for the enemy to get any in­
  formation on your activities. 
  5. Watch the Multipliers: The following formulas are ridic­
  ulously simplistic. Still, they may be valuable as general guide­
  lines. 
  a. It costs twice as much to attack as to defend. History re­
  cords that the attacker, even when wildly successful, loses a lot 
  more men than the defender. 
  b. Attacking the enemy's flank, or rear attack, is twice as ef­
  fective as attacking him in the front. Frontal assaults look good 
  in the movies, scare the hell out of the enemy, and usually result 
  in the virtual destruction of the attackingforce. 
  c. Surprise doubles the effectiveness of any attack. Anytime 
  you do something predictable. your chances of getting wiped 
  out are doubled. 
  d. Defense strength is directly proportional to fortification 
  strength. In other words, holes, bunkers, and trenches can easily 
  double the number of survivors in an attack. 
  Large Unit 
  Combat Resolution 
  "(using large armies e<re) ... a little difficult for your aver­
  age Mission Director to role-play, and it makes resolving com­
  bat during an assault by 1.500 or so VC/NVA a lifetime hobby. " 
  Joe F. Martin, Hearts and Minds 
  There are plenty of times when you'll want your characters to 
  go up against, or lead, fairly large armies, often consisting of 
  100 men, or even 1,000 men, or more. 
  Here's a set of rules designed to make the Mission Director's 
  life a little easier. It basically allows you to decide the outcome 
  of battles without rolling dice for each, individual, non-player 
  character involved. 
  Note: These rules should never be applied to player charac­
  ters! Always roll the attacks and damage separately for each 
  player character, even if they are obviously outnumbered and 
  outgunned. 
  How to Use the Large Unit, 
  Combat Resolutions Table 
  1. Determine the kind of weapons being used. This should 
  be the average weapon. So, if a unit was shooting mostly 
  bolt-action rifles, and a couple of guys had assault rifles, the av­
  erage would still be conventional weapons and you would use 
  Table 1. 
  2. Determine how the enemy is attacking. Is it an Am­
  bush!, a Stand-Up War, or a Turkey Shoot. Use the matching 
  column on the table. 
  3. Determine how the defenders are situated. Are they ex­
  posed, under cover, or dug in? Use the matching row on the ta­
  ble. 
  4. Roll the dice described on the table where the proper row 
  and column meet. The result of that die rol1 tel1s you how many 
  casualties were suffered by the defender. 
  5. Determine how many of the enemy are affected. The re­
  sult of the dice roll tells you the percentage of enemy casualties. 
  In other words, roll ing a IS tells you 15% of the enemy were 
  knocked out. 15% means that 15 out of every 100 soldiers were 
  killed or seriously wounded. 15% of 50 soldiers would be half 
  that, or 7.5 casualties. For any fraction, round down. i.e .• 7.5 be­
  comes 7. 
  6. Half of the casualties are dead. The other half are so 
  badly wounded that they can't keep fighting. In case of an odd 
  number of casualties, like 9, the odd casualty is only wounded. 4 
  dead and 5 wounded. 
  7 . Light wounds are very common. For every casualty 
  killed or seriously wounded, there is one lightly wounded. So, in 
  the unit with 15 casualties, 7 are dead, 8 are seriously wounded, 
  and another 15 are lightly wounded. 
  For example: If the attackers' weapons were M-16s, the at­
  tackers were in a Stand-Up War, and, if the defenders were ex­
  posed, then the MD should roll 4D 1 O. If the result was 13, then 
  6% of the enemy were killed, 7% were seriously wounded (they 
  could no longer fight), and another 13% suffered minor wounds 
  (they could keep fighting). 
  Note: "Defenders Dug In" assumes that the characters are ei­
  ther in foxholes, caves, spider holes (VC style), trenches, or but­
  toned up in tanks or armored vehicles. 
  Table 1: Casualties Against Conventional Arms 
  Use this table when a unit is facing largely conventional, 
  bolt-action rifles, pistols and bayonets. 
  Ambush! 
  Stand-Up 
  Turkey Shoot 
  Defenders Exposed 
  4010 
  3010 
  1010 
  Defenders UnderCover 
  2010 
  1010 
  None 
  Defenders Dug In 
  106 
  None 
  None 
  170 
  
  Ambush! 
  Stand-Up 
  Turkey Shoot 
  Defenders Exposed 
  10100 
  4010 
  2010 
  Defenders Under Cover 
  5010 
  2010 
  1010 
  Defenders Oug In 
  106 
  106 
  None 
  Table 2: Casualties Against Automatic Rifles 
  Use this table when a unit is facing largely assault rifles, 
  sub-machineguns, and semi-automatic rifles. 
  Ambusb! 
  Stand-Up 
  Turkey Shoot 
  Defenders Exposed 
  10100+20 
  10100 
  4010 
  Defenders Under Cover 
  6010 
  4010 
  2010 
  Defenders Oug In 
  106 
  106 
  106 
  Table 3: Casualties Against Machinegun Fire 
  Use this table when a unit is facing machineguns, grenade 
  launchers with flechette ammunition, and flame throwers. 
  Ambusb! 
  Stand-Up 
  Turkey Sboot 
  Defenders Exposed 
  10100+50 
  10100+20 
  10100 
  Defenders UnderCover 
  10100 
  6010 
  4010 
  Defenders Oug In 
  4010 
  2010 
  1010 
  Table 4: Casualties Against Heavy Weapons Fire 
  Use this table when a unit is facing rocket launchers, gre­
  nades, small mortars, and heavy machineguns. 
  AmbU8h! 
  Stand-Up 
  Turkey Shoot 
  Defenders Exposed 
  10100+ 100 
  10100+75 
  10100+50 
  Defenders UnderCover 
  10100+50 
  10100 
  6010 
  Defenders Dug In 
  6010 
  4010 
  2010 
  Note: In all charts the SWld-Up category refers to a Staad·Up War situation. 
  Table 5: Casualties Against Artillery 
  and Air Bombardment 
  Use this table when a unit is facing bombs or napalm from 
  airplanes, helicopters and rocket fire, or artillery fire. 
  Large Unit Combat: an Example 
  In this scenario, the player characters, Beth and Willy, are the 
  leaders of a unit of 20 Meo tribesmen. They've reached an am­
  bush site, and they're waiting for the arrival of a VC convoy. 
  MD: Okay, you've got your men deployed at the ambush 
  site. What are you doing? 
  Beth: We've decided to climb the hill and set up our radio. 
  MD: Okay, but that puts you out of the action when the am­
  bush starts. 
  Willy: Yeah. It also lets us see the rear and flank side of our 
  guys so they can't get ambushed. 
  MD: Good thinking! About 30 minutes later the VC show 
  up. Your Meo troops wait until they've got a nice shot and then 
  open fire. I'll look up the number of casualties the VC are going 
  to collect. 
  Beth: Don't the VC have to subtract big combat modifiers 
  'cause they've been just been ambushed? 
  MD: Yes, but that's already been figured into the table. All 
  I'm doing is rolling to see how many casualties both sides get. 
  Willy: So, for both sides, you just roll the number of dead? 
  MD: Well, not just yet. Usually I'd roll for casualties on both 
  sides, but, in an Ambush the attackers can't get hurt on the first 
  round. 
  Willy: Good! How badly did we hurt them? 
  MD: Okay, your guys were mostly armed with Assault Rifles 
  Beth: Don't forget, we had a machinegun too! 
  MD: Actually, I'm not going to count that. The way the ta­
  bles work, you base everything on the average weapons being 
  used. 
  Beth: Is that fair? 
  MD: You'd probably think so if you were the ones being am­
  bushed ... Anyway, we're rolling for Assault Weapons. The de­
  fenders, the guys you ambushed, were out in the open. So I roll 
  I D I 00, percentile dice for casualties ... a 16. 
  Willy: We killed 16 of 'em? 
  MD: No, they suffered 16% casualties. Since there's about 
  50 of 'em, that means 8 got hurt. 4 dead and 4 badly wounded. 
  Time for the next round. By now, all the VC are under cover 
  and are returning fire. Let's roll again for the VC casualties, this 
  time on a 5010. 
  Willy: Because the VC are now under cover? 
  MD: Yep. I rolled a 28. 14% more killed and another 14% 
  seriously wounded. Of the original 50, there's only 28 left. They 
  fire at your guys. 
  Beth: Our Meo are in Ambush? 
  MD: No, your Meo are doing the Ambush! So, as defenders, 
  they're in a Turkey Shoot. The VC are using AK-47s and your 
  Meo are under cover, so there will be 20 I0 casualties ... I roll 
  a 9. 
  WiUy: Since there's only 20 of our guys, 9% would be 1.8 
  casualties. How do we work that out? 
  MD: Always round down. That means you've only got one 
  casualty and he's not dead, just badly wounded ... 
  Communist Strategy 
  & Tactics 
  The communist military commanders of Southeast Asia 
  shouldn't be underestimated. They are often well-trained, com­
  bat seasoned, and very well-read in military thought. Neverthe­
  less, they tend to follow certain basic principles, mostly based 
  on Mao Tse Tung's Essays on Military Affairs. 
  1. An attack should be made only when the enemy is out­
  numbered by at least three to one, and preferably by four, five or 
  six to one. 
  2. Attacks should be designed to completely annihilate the 
  enemy. 
  3. All intelligence operations must be complete before any at­
  tack is to take place. 
  171 
  
  4. It's more important to consolidate the area currently occu­
  pied than to conquer more territory. 
  5. An enemy should be destroyed in pieces, attacking the 
  weakest components. 
  6. Never attack a strong, united enemy; instead, retreat until 
  the enemy has fragmented. 
  Although the communist military theory is excellent, their 
  political control system tends to reduce their effectiveness. The 
  typical weaknesses oj communist military practice are as Jol­
  lows: 
  I. They tend to be slow and methodical. Generally, the com­
  munists will plan methodically before committing to any attack 
  plan. 
  2. Communist troops are often wasted in frontal assaults. 
  Much of the communist training involves 'psyching up' the 
  troops into a frenzy where they'll just keep up a wild-man as­
  sault until they're completely wiped out. 
  3. Flexibility is not a communist strong point. Once commit­
  ted to an attack, they'll keep going even when it becomes hope­
  less. If caught unaware, even by an inferior force, they tend to 
  flee rather than fight. 
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  Nam 
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  Military Forces: 
  Army: 150,000 ARVN 
  Regional Irregulars: 100,000 
  Paramilitary: 110,000 Police 
  Youth Corps: 10,000 Development Cadre 
  Ethnic Irregulars: 60,000 CIA/Special Forces trained troops. 
  Stateside Military: 22,000 troops. 
  Navy: 17 Frigates, I Minesweeper, 4 Coastal Patrol Boats, 64 
  "Swift" Patrol Boats, 42 Assault Support Patrol Boats, 80 
  PBRs, 20 Armored Troop Carriers, 2 Monitors, and 15 Am­
  phibious Landers. 
  Economy: Largely agricultural. Products include rice, rubber, 
  and coal. Pre-war economy was much more diversified. Cur­
  rency: I Piastre=.O I Stateside dollar . 
  History: After the defeat of the French, a republican govern­
  ment took power in the south. Most recently, the popular 
  General Theiy took over. He has started to publicize a series 
  of upcoming elections. Should his popularity decline, there 
  are plenty of other generals interested in taking his place. It 
  seems unlikely that a civilian government will take power. 
  General unrest among the people is balanced by a growing 
  fear of the communists' terrorist tactics. 
  Peoples 'Nam 
  Population: 30 Million 
  Government: Stable, Communist Dictatorship 
  _____ Malaysia 
  '*' 
  PhT' 
  Military Forces: 
  Ilppmes- Army: Approximately 30,000 Viet Cong; 20,000 disguised as 
  VC; 90,000 NYA Regulars; 
  Approximately 50,000 Porters carrying supplies south. 
  Navy: 10 Frigates, 30 Coastal Patrol Boats, 16 Patrol Torpedo 
  Boats, 5 Amphibious Landers. 
  The Advanced RECON 
  ® 
  World -
  Circa 1965 
  When it comes to border trouble, there's not a lot of countries 
  in worse shape than Laos. Among the neighbors are two hard­
  line communist states -
  People's China and People's 'Nam, 
  two strong western allies -
  Southern 'Nam and Thailand, plus 
  two countries constantly threatened with anarchy -
  Burma and 
  Cambodia. Any or all of these countries engaged in excursions 
  into Laos at one time or another. 
  Indonesia. Malaysia and the Philippines, while not having a 
  direct influence on Laos, are sensitive to events in the war zone. 
  All three countries experience internal dissent, communist revo­
  lutionary movements, and basic instability. In other words, if 
  enough Southeast Asian "Dominos" start falling, then they will 
  be threatened also. 
  All the national descriptions relate the national circumstances 
  as of 1965. In the real world, by 1980 both Vietnams, Laos, and 
  Cambodia were under the absolute control of the North Viet­
  namese Communist Party. Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and 
  the Phillipines were strong Stateside allies. Burma remained a 
  neutral buffer zone. 
  Southern 'Nam 
  Population: 17 Million 
  Government: Unstable, Military Dictatorship 
  172 
  
  Economy: Like Southern 'Nam, only with more industrial/man­
  ufacturing potential. Currency: I Dong=.04 Stateside dollar. 
  History: Its early history is the same as Southern 'Nam. After 
  World War II, the hero of the resistance against the Japanese 
  fought against the French when they attempted to return to 
  power. EventuaIly he and his generals defeated the French, 
  and negotiated a settlement that called for a temporary parti­
  tion of the country and a timetable for elections. Both State­
  side and Southern 'Narn pointed out that they had not signed, 
  and refused to hold the reunification elections. People's 
  'Nam announced the formation of the National Liberation 
  Front -
  the Viet Congo Following The death of 'Nam's 
  greatest hero, President Tong continues the war effort. ' 
  Thailand (Siam) 
  Population: 35 Million 
  Government: Unstable, Constitutional Monarchy 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 175,000 soldiers, trained and equipped by Stateside, with 
  600 armored vehicles and 400 combat aircraft. 
  Navy: 1 Frigate, 30 Destroyer Escorts, 4 Patrol Frigates, 3 
  Minesweepers, 3 Guided Missile Boats, 22 Patrol Boats, 2 
  Minelayers, and 5 Assault Landing Crafts. 
  Economy: Teakwood and other forest products are the domi­
  nant exports. Also a large producer of tin, iron, manganese, 
  tungsten, and antimony. Wide variety of agricultural products 
  including rice, coconuts, tobacco, pepper, peanuts and beans. 
  Currency: I Baht=.05 Stateside dollars. 
  History: Since 1949, the country has experienced one coup af­
  ter another. In spite of their military power, or perhaps be­
  cause of it, each government is shakier than the last. Prime 
  Minister Gittiphol Sandhaki has little control over the general 
  population, and is threatened with the outbreak of a student 
  revolution. Communist rebels are everywhere. 
  Cambodia 
  Population: 7 Million 
  Government: 
  Unstable. Essentially 
  a 
  Monarchy 
  (King 
  Shanouk) 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 30,000 troops. 
  Stateside-led Militia: 14,000 troops. 
  Communist Insurgents: 15,000 troops. 
  Communist Vietnamese: 35,000 troops. 
  Economy: Rice, iron, rubber, and paper. Currency: I Riel= I 
  Stateside dollar. 
  History: The country became an independent monarchy in 
  1953. Currently, Prince Hanisouk has been trying to maintain 
  the country's neutrality while still accepting assistance and 
  military aid from Stateside. However, Stateside bombings in­
  side the Cambodian border, the growth of the right-wing, and 
  some violent battles spilling over from 'Nam's border, have 
  forced the Prince into action. With the unanimous approval 
  of the National Assembly, he has decided to refuse all future 
  Stateside aid. The result may tum out to be a military 
  anti-communist coup. 
  Malaysia 
  Population: 10 Million 
  Government: Unstable, Constitutional Monarchy 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: Roughly 51,000 with 100 armored vehicles, and 20 com­
  bat aircraft. 
  British Southeast Asian Forces: 6,000 armed with modem weap­
  onry and the latest in support vehicles and aircraft. 
  Malay Navy: 1 Frigate, 2 Guided Missile Patrol Boats, 4 Fast 
  Patrol Boats, 24 Gunboats, and 30 Police Boats. 
  Economy: Rubber, palm oil, rice, tin and oil. Currency: I 
  Ringgit = I Stateside dollar. 
  History: A brand new country created in 1963 out of the old 
  Federation of Malaya, British Singapore, and British Borneo. 
  Relations between the ruling Malays and the urban Chinese 
  of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have been tense and rioting 
  is frequent in many urban areas. Negotiations are underway 
  to separate Singapore into an independent repUblic. There is 
  open guerrilla warfare between Malaysia and neighboring In­
  donesia, as weIl as an active, communist resistance move­
  ment. 
  Indonesia 
  Population: 110 Million 
  Government: 
  Unstable, 
  Personal 
  Dictatorship 
  (President 
  Sukarno) 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 225,000 troops, with varying amounts of weapons and 
  equipment depending on their commanders' closeness to the 
  President. About 600 armored vehicles and 30 combat aircraft. 
  Paramilitary: 110,000 troops. 
  Communist Insurgents: 30,000 troops. 
  Navy: 2 Submarines (Soviet 'W' Class - dieseUelectric), 6 tubes, 
  (4 forwardl2 aft, 14 torpedoes or 28 mines); 7 Frigates, 9 Tor­
  pedo Patrol Boats, 9 Guided Missile Boats, 12 Patrol Boats and 
  15 Minesweepers. 
  Economy: Rice, tin, oil, and rubber. Currency: I Rupiah= I 
  Stateside dollar. 
  History: Became independent after WWII. Sukarno was the 
  first President and neglected to resign from power when his 
  term was up. Currently, the country is involved in attacks on 
  Malaysia. The communist party of Indonesia has more than 
  300,000 members, and is a potent political force. The military is 
  also gaining political power and is threatening a coup. 
  Burma 
  Population: 28 Million 
  Government: Uncertain, Cult of Personality (General Ne Win) 
  Military Forces: 
  Army: 110,000 troops with 100 armored vehicles and 10 combat 
  aircraft. 
  Chinese Nationalist Army: 12,000 troops. Shan National Anny: 
  8,000 troops. 
  Karen Revolutionary Army: 4,000 troops. Communist Insur­
  gents: 13,000 troops. 
  Navy: 4 Frigates, 8 Patrol Boats, 22 Gunboats, 8 River Trans­
  ports, and 35 River Boats. 
  Economy: Rice, cotton, tobacco, oil and lead are the principle 
  exports. The country is also known for precious stones, in­
  cluding rubies, sapphires and jade. Currency: I Kyat = .18 
  Stateside dollar. 
  History: The 1962 coup brought General Ne Win to power. He 
  has consolidated his power and eliminated the threat of any 
  military coup against him. 
  173 
  
  The country is still badly fragmented. Many areas are 
  semi-autonomous or have declared their own independence. 
  Currently, internal wars are waging against the Nationalist 
  Chinese Anny, the Shan National Anny, and two regional in­
  surrectionist armies. General Win, while retaining western 
  support, is also coordinating his actions with People's China 
  in moves against the Nationalist Chinese. 
  People's China 
  Population: 690 Million 
  Government: Stable, Communist Dictatorship 
  Military Forces: 
  Anny: 3,700,000 soldiers with 1 1,000 armored vehicles and 
  3,000 combat aircraft. 
  Navy: 2 Nuclear Carriers, I Ballistic Missile Submarine, 35 
  Torpedo Subs, 6 Guided Missile Destroyers, 4 Destroyers, 4 So­
  viet Riga Missile Frigates, 8 Frigates, 58 Missile Patrol Boats, 
  40 Torpedo Patrol Boats, 102 Hydrofoils, 150 Soviet Torpedo 
  Boats, 390 Patrol Crafts, 24 Minesweepers, and 560 Landing 
  Crafts. 
  Economy: A huge and growing economy that produces the 
  goods and services for the largest population in the world. 
  Currency: 1 Dong=.04 Stateside dollar. 
  History: Established as a communist state in 1949, it has served 
  as the role model for all the other communist movements in 
  Southeast Asia. Although remnants of the anti-communist 
  Nationalist Chinese Army still exist in Taiwan, Burma and 
  elsewhere, the country is secure from internal or external 
  threats. 
  Philippines 
  Population: 35 Million 
  Government: Uncertain. Presidential Republic 
  Military Forces: 
  Anny: 32,000 troops with 100 armored vehicles and 120 combat 
  planes. 
  Navy: I Frigate, 15 Patrol Boats, 2 Hydrofoils, 20 Small Patrol 
  Boats, 4 Minesweepers, and 9 Armored Landing Crafts. 
  Economy: Gold, silver, hemp, copra, sugar cane and pork. Cur­
  rency: 7 Pesos= I Stateside dollar. 
  History: Independent from Stateside rule since 1946. Stateside 
  military bases have 99 year leases with the government, a 
  fact that causes some unrest. Communist "Huk" guerrillas are 
  active in remote areas. Moro secessionists in southern 
  Mindanao threaten revolution. 
  Stateside 
  Population: 250 Million 
  Government: Stable. Constitutional Republic 
  Military Forces ('Nam war forces only): 
  Army: 3,000,000 troops, with the most advanced equipment and 
  training in the world. 
  Navy: The world's largest; with Aircraft Carriers, Battleships, 
  Cruisers, Guided Missile Cruisers, Destroyers, Submarines, 
  River Boats, Hovercraft, Amphibious Assault Craft, Hospital 
  Ships and Freighters. 
  'Nam Allies: Major commitments from: 15,000 South Korean; 
  4,000 Australian; 500 New Zealand; 10,000 or more multina­
  tional Mercenaries 
  Economy: A strong, vital and diversified economy with global 
  interests. Quite capable of spending several billion dollars on 
  the war effort. Currency: Stateside dollar. 
  Introduction to the 
  Kingdom of Laos 
  What you are about to read, a description of something called 
  "The Kingdom of Laos," is fiction. The real Kingdom of Laos 
  was, and this may be hard to believe, even more chaotic, more 
  violent, and more corrupt, than what's described in this book. 
  Many things, place names, events and organizations, are the 
  same as those in real Laos. Everything that is changed has been 
  so that Laos would be easier for a Mission Director to handle, 
  and the missions of the player characters would be more inter­
  esting and playable. 
  The first thing to remember about Laos is that, on paper, it 
  was a peaceful neutrality. The second thing to remember about 
  Laos is that it was a war zone. 
  Sound confusing? You're not alone. Just about everybody in 
  Southeast Asia had trouble figuring out what was going on in 
  Laos. Especially the soldiers fighting next door in Vietnam. 
  "... Finally they closed Ta Ko out when it was sort of em­
  barrassingly discovered that the camp was probably located in 
  Laos, through map error. No one knew for sure whether it was 
  in Laos or not. Those borders were very poorly defined. " 
  Jim Morris, War Story. 
  The Kingdom of Laos 
  (For the RECON RPG) 
  Population: 3,000,000 
  33% are Lao Lum (the lowland dwellers) whose 20 ruling fami­
  lies run the government. They speak Lao, which is the official 
  language. It's a close relative (with the same alphabet) of the 
  language of Thailand. 
  14% are Tribal Tai, or Lao Tai, who live in the plateaus and up­
  land valleys. Their major groups are the Black Tai, Red Tai, Tai 
  Nua, Lu and Phutai; each group with its own, separate dialect 
  and culture. They are mainly farmers, and produce much of the 
  country's rice and meat. 
  18% are Lao Theung, or Mon-Khmer, who live in the hills be­
  low 3500 feet, and are probably the original peoples of Laos. 
  They are also the poorest in Laos, in terms of land, wealth and 
  status. Their language is similar to Cambodian. They have more 
  than 40 different tribes, including the Kha, who were, histori­
  cally, slaves owned by Lao Tai. 
  12% are Meo; highland people who live above 3500 feet and 
  who originally came from China. They are quite independent 
  and have traditionally made their living growing opium. 
  9% are Tibeto-Berman; another highland people, who include 
  the Yao, Akha, and Lahu people. Each group has a separate lan­
  guage and culture. 
  7% are Vietnamese. 
  4% are Chinese. 
  I % are French. 
  The remaining 2 % of the people are from India, Pakistan, 
  Cambodia, the Philippines and Stateside. 
  Considering all this ethnic diversity and the geography of the 
  area, it's a wonder that the country exists at all. There are more 
  174 
  
  of the surrounding area. It's also the only practical place to have 
  Laos 
  Provincial 
  Names 
  conventional battles using tanks and regular armies. 
  Next comes the Annamite Mountain Chain which follows 
  the eastern border of Laos, and serves as a natural barrier to the 
  two Vietnams. Peaks range from 5,000 to 8,000 feet high. 
  Barthelemy Pass, Keo Nua Pass, Loi Na Pass, and Ban Karai 
  Pass are the only places that trucks can travel across the border 
  into the Annamites. 
  At the southern end of the country, there's another important 
  plain -the Bolevens Plateau. It's also at 3,500 feet and sur­
  rounded by mountains. In addition to its strategic importance, it 
  also has some of the most fertile soil in Southeast Asia. 
  There are only two seasons in Laos and they depend on the 
  prevailing winds. The wet Southwest Monsoon lasts from May 
  to October, and the dry Northeast Monsoon from November to 
  April. 
  Laos 
  Procial 
  than 8 times as many Lao Lum in Thailand than in Laos. Tribal 
  Tai are found in several countries in the region. There are more 
  Meo in North Vietnam than in Laos. And there are more Lao 
  Theung in Cambodia than in Laos. 
  Size: 91,428 square miles. Almost exactly the same size as 
  the United Kingdom island ofEngland, Wales and Scotland. 
  Geography and Climate 
  Laos is really two lands. Most of the country is rugged high­
  lands covered with dense forests. The southwestern edge of 
  Laos consists of damp, hot lowlands. 
  The other important feature of Laotian geography is the Me­
  kong River. The waterway borders on, or flows through, Laos 
  for more than 1,000 miles. It is the center of the Laos economy 
  for the ruling, lowland people. The Mekong flood-plain pro­
  vides the major wet-rice lands, and its waters furnish fish; the 
  main protein in the diet. The canoes, sampans, and light barges, 
  also transport most of the country's freight. Virtually every ma­
  jor town is somewhere on the Mekong. 
  Geographical features of military importance start with the 
  Plain of Jars; a flat plateau in the middle of the mountains of 
  the northern highlands. It lies at about 3,500ft above sea level, 
  and is roughly diamond shaped. It's 30 miles from northern 
  point to southern point, and almost 40 miles from the east to the 
  west points. Control of the Plain of Jars gives control over much 
  Highlands 
  Bolovens 
  Plateau 
  Geographical Regions 
  of Laos 
  Currency 
  600 Kip = $1 U.S. Throughout this book, the notation K50 
  will mean 50 Laotian Kip, and $50 will mean 50 dollars in 
  United States currency. 
  Economy 
  Largely agricultural. Products include rice, opium, teakwood, 
  shellac, some coffee and citrus fruits. Meat products include 
  freshwater fish, beef, pork and chicken. Although there are sub­
  stantial mineral deposits in the country, tin and gold are the only 
  metals currently being mined. Exports average 1.4 billion Kip, 
  and imports are an average of 12 billion Kip. In other words, 
  without foreign aid and the opium traffic, the country would fall 
  apart. 
  Food prices are fairly low in the country. A chicken might 
  cost Kl50 and one kilogram of pork, K50. A handful of rice, the 
  daily meal of the country's poor people, is K.2. However, all im­
  175 
  
  ported goods cost about twice what they would in the u.s. or 
  Hong Kong. 
  The Tripartite Government 
  The official flag of Laos has a red field overlaid with a 
  3-headed, white elephant standing on a five-step pedestal under 
  a seven-layered, white parasol. And if you thought the flag was 
  complicated and confusing . .. Well, let's just say the govern­
  ment of Laos is a mess. 
  First, a little history. Laos was created by the French as a 
  Constitutional Monarchy under King Visavan Song in 1949. 
  From then on, it was effectively a battleground between the roy­
  alists and the Laotian Patriotic Front. The war simmered qui­
  etly; largely because the big powers had bigger fish to fry, and 
  the country was pretty peaceful in spite of the contlict. 
  Around 1960, the two sides started receiving larger amounts 
  of aid, advisors and pressure from their respective allies. The 
  King, Sri Vavang SaKhana, and many of his advisors became 
  alarmed at the sudden increase in violence and backed General 
  Kun in a Neutralist coup. This move was popular enough to at­
  tract many members of both the Royal Anny and the Patriotic 
  Front. 
  There was alarm in both Moscow and Washington. Since nei­
  ther side particularly wanted to be totally removed from Laos, 
  they decided to convene a 14 member council at Geneva to deal 
  with the problem. 
  In 1961, the solution was born. The 14 member states, in­
  cluding Burma, Cambodia, Canada, People's China, North Viet­
  nam, South Vietnam, France, India, Poland, Thailand, U.S.S.R., 
  Great Britain, and the U.S., plus all the Laotian right-wing, 
  left-wing and neutral factions, signed the International Agree­
  ment on Tripartite Government. This created a goverrunent 
  headed by all three sides. In other words, a real, three-headed, 
  white elephant. 
  Prince Souma, head of the neutral Royalist Army, became 
  head of the Tripartite Government in 1962. In 1963, he was 
  ousted by a right-wing coup headed by General Lei. This was 
  followed by fighting in the Plain of Jars with the Ata Lao. The 
  result was a communist victory. 
  The right-wing then stepped aside and let the neutrals take 
  over the government again. And, as soon as the neutrals worked 
  out an agreement with the Ata Lao in 1963, there was a second, 
  right-wing coup. 
  By this time, the King was getting pretty impatient with the 
  whole idea of a Tripartite Government. In 1964, he dismissed 
  the National Assembly and called for a new election. By 1965, 
  the results were in; the neutrals won by a landslide. However, 
  the Ata Lao had refused to participate, and General Lei refused 
  to resign from power. 
  So, when the player characters enter Laos, they'll find a 
  country ruled by factions . Each part of the country is ruled by ei­
  ther the right-wing army, the Royalist Neutrals, the communist 
  Ata Lao, a foreign occupying army, or an independent warlord. 
  Every government agency has Ministers, Vice-Ministers, De­
  partment Chiefs and Secretariats; each with the power to veto or 
  stall any action, and who each belong to different factions. 
  The official chief of state is the King. His duties are mostly 
  ceremonial, and the few, real powers granted to him by the Lao­
  tian constitution are ignored by the right-wing administration. 
  The Prime Minister is the official head of the government. 
  He supposedly has the power to hire and fire Ministers and Sec­
  retariats, but all such appointments have to be approved by the 
  National Assembly and the King's Council. As a result, he runs 
  the goverrunent through the military and ignores the official bu­
  reaucracy whenever possible. 
  There are Ministers for National Defense; Foreign Affairs, 
  Veterans Affairs and War Victims; Information, Propaganda 
  and Tourism; Finance; Interior; Justice; Planning and Coopera­
  tion; Rural Affairs; National Economy; National Education; 
  Culture; Youth and Sports; Public Health; Social Welfare; Pub­
  lic Works; Posts and Telecommunications; and Religious Af­
  fairs. Each has to get the cooperation of their Vice Ministers in 
  order to accomplish anything. In practice, this means the only 
  way things get done is through bribery. 
  The National Assembly has a majority ofNeutralist represen­
  tatives. However, their power is pretty much ignored by every­
  body. Since coming to the capital is dangerous (too big a chance 
  of getting shot) and unproductive (no bribes), they rarely even 
  show up. 
  The King's Council, a body of 12 elder statesmen, form a 
  kind of Laotian Senate. Since they are appointed by the King, 
  they are mostly Neutralists. They have the power to veto any of­
  ficial appointments in the administration. 
  The entire higher level judiciary, including a Court of Nullifi­
  cation and all the Provincial Courts of First Instance, have gone 
  into hiding. Occasionally, they'll reappear if a criminal has been 
  found, and condemned by all three sides of the government. 
  Otherwise, it's not worth being assassinated just because some­
  body disagrees with your decisions. The District Tribunals. usu­
  ally following the directions of whoever is in charge of the 
  province, provide most of the court judgments. 
  Local government consists of Provincial Governors, District 
  Officers and Canton Chiefs. In practice, they tend to be repre­
  sentative of whoever is controlling their area. For example, a 
  right-wing governor, assigned to an Ata Lao area, would be 
  wise to either stay away from his province or resign quickly. 
  The High Cost of Greasing Palms 
  Wonder why graft and corruption are so rampant? Consider 
  the pay range in the Royal Laotian Army. A Private starts at 
  $4.16 a month, and the maximum, monthly pay for a Major 
  General is $70.92 in U.S. dollars. Civil servant wages, even at 
  the highest levels, are worse than in the military. Even this mea­
  ger amount is sometimes not available, and whole Battalions 
  may go months, or even years, between paydays. 
  Just about everybody has found new ways to increase their 
  income.; Here are some guidelines: 
  Ministers and Generals 
  K I ,000,000 for an official change ofpolicy. 
  K200,OOO to approve a specific action. 
  KlOO,OOO to overlook the rules in a particular case. 
  K250,000 to release a prisoner. 
  K60,000 a month for regular services. 
  Vice-Ministers, Secretariats, Battalion Commanders and 
  Provincial Governors 
  K600,000 to betray a direct superior. 
  K500,000 for an official change of policy. 
  KlOO,OOO to approve a specific action. 
  176 
  
  K 120,000 to rubber-stamp a higher level action. 
  K50,000 to overlook the rules in a particular case. 
  K60,000 to release a prisoner. 
  K30,000 a month for regular services. 
  Low-Level Bureaucrats, Military Officers, Judges and Dis­
  trict Officers 
  K300,000 to betray a direct superior. 
  K60,000 to rubber-stamp a high-level action. 
  K60,000 to excuse a major crime (murder, tax evasion). 
  K30,000 to release a prisoner. 
  K 15,000 a month for regular services. 
  K6,000 to overlook the rules in a particular case. 
  K6,000 to excuse a minor crime (theft, drugs, gambling). 
  Government Clerks, Noncommissioned Officers, Policemen, 
  Canton Chiefs, and Tribal Leaders 
  K 120,000 to betray a direct superior. 
  K30,000 to rubber-stamp a high-level action. 
  K12,000 to release an important prisoner. 
  K6,000 a month for regular services. 
  K600 to release a minor prisoner. 
  Licenses, Taxes, Fees and Tariffs 
  K 12,000 or 50% of the crop on every village harvest. 
  K6,000 automobile tax. 
  K2,000 motorcycle tax. 
  K I ,200 for a I icense to operate a small business. 
  K300 for a license to fish or farm in an area. 
  Military 
  The Royal Army of Laos is actually several armies. The 
  right-wing, Geala Party controls most of the active, well-armed 
  units. However, should the King attempt to personally lead the 
  Royal Army, a large number of officers and troops will come 
  over to him. 
  Military Capacity 
  Regular Army: Officially, the army consists of 90,000 men 
  organized into 58 Infantry Battalions. In reality, the army is 
  splintered, and under the control of various generals. 
  River Force: Admiral Foudeari is a staunch, pro-communist 
  Neutralist. He commands 400 men in 36 Patrol Craft and 10 
  Landing Craft. However, since he has no political support and 
  no foreign military aid, virtual1y all of his boats are out of order. 
  Since he allows no bribery in his command, most of his men 
  support themselves by running gambling casinos on the 
  river-boats. 
  The Royal Neutralists 
  The neutralists control the city of Luang Prabang and the im­
  mediate area. This is also the location of the royal court, the 
  headquarters of the national Buddhists, and the ancient, tradi­
  tienal capital of Laos. 
  Another peculiarity of the neutralists is that they control none 
  of the military, while still having power over it. In other words, 
  the only way for the King to have any military power is by ap­
  pealing to the soldiers to revolt against their generals and come 
  over to the King. 
  One General is irrevocably committed to the King, Prince 
  Phillipe Soudamou. He controls Borikane Province, and main­
  tains his four Army Battalions as tools for the Neutralist cause. 
  Current Ruler: Prince Phillipe Soudamou 
  Objectives: Support the King and maintain Laotian independ­
  ence. 
  Military Capacity: 
  Royal Army: 2,300 troops armed with M-14 rifles, M-60 
  machineguns and a few mortars. 
  Paramilitary: 
  300 
  Provincial 
  Police 
  armed 
  with 
  Sub-Machineguns. 
  Area Insurgents: 2,000 Ata Lao 
  1,000 CIA-Supported Meo 
  Geala 
  Party 
  Control 
  Zones 
  The Geala Party 
  General Cheuou Lei is Prime Minister of Laos and com­
  mander of the Army. The Geala Party is a coalition of rabid 
  anti-communists and the most corrupt generals in the Royal 
  Army. They receive massive military aid from the U.S. and are 
  engaged in fighting the Ata Lao on several fronts. 
  General Lei controls Jhaleng Province and the capital city. 
  Western 
  Khammouane, 
  western 
  Savannakhei, 
  western 
  Saravane, Sedone, Champassak, and western Xeng Khuouang 
  Provinces, are all occupied by the Army. Luang Prabang and 
  Attopeu Provinces have substantial Army forces attempting to 
  seize control. Vapikhamthong Province is under the dominion of 
  General Vuoung, a powerful rival to General Lei. 
  Current Ruler: General Cheuou Lei 
  Objectives: Seize control of all Laos, drive out the communists, 
  and build up personal wealth. 
  Military Capacity: 
  Regular Army: 30,000 professional soldiers; well-trained, 
  well-armed (with full range of U.S. arms), and usually assigned 
  to guard duty. 
  Paramilitary: 8,000 Lao National Police. 
  Mercenaries: 6,000 Thailand Recruits. These are good fighters, 
  armed with the latest U.S. arms and equipment. 
  Levy Troops: 18,000 troops are either conscripted, drafted or ar­
  rested (when the Army arrests somebody, they are automatically 
  guilty; the choice of sentence is join up or be executed). They 
  are cannon fodder on the front lines of most conflicts. They are 
  usually watched by Thai Mercenaries. Average casualties are 
  10% per battle. 
  Armored Units: (2) M-60 Main Battle Tanks, (12) M-551 
  Sheridan Tanks, (24) M41 A3 Walker Bulldog Light Tanks, (36) 
  
  M-113 Personnel Carriers, (6) M- 125 81mm Mortar Carriers, 
  and (12) M-577 A 1 Carrier Command Posts. All the heavy tanks, 
  and about half of the rest, are under personal command of Gen­
  eral Lei. The rest are given out to his favorite Generals. 
  Air Force: (75) Training Planes, (20) C-47 Transports, (10) 
  H-34 Helicopters. 
  Potential Reinforcements: They can depend on Stateside sup­
  port, Thai Anny support and support from the CIA-Controlled, 
  Meo Army. 
  Area Insurgents: There are Ata Lao guerrillas operating in vir­
  tually every Army-controlled province. 
  The Ata Lao 
  The Ala Lao communist movement has been fighting in Laos 
  since the early 1950s. They now control much of the eastern 
  side of the country, including Houa Phan, Khammouane, 
  Savannakhei, and Saravane. Guerrilla movements are underway 
  virtually everywhere else in Laos. Major armies are fighting for 
  control ofAttopeu and Luang Prabang. 
  In exchange for North Vietnamese arms and support, the Ala 
  Lao levies heavy taxes and duties on the people it controls. 
  Typically, up to 80% of crops must be paid as tax, and any valu­
  ables are confiscated. There is a "Portage Rule" that obligates 
  every man, woman, and child, to take one long trip per year car­
  rying goods along the mountain trails. For an adult male, this 
  usually means from 30 to 45 days carrying up to 40 pounds of 
  cargo from People's 'Nam to the Viet Cong in the south. 
  The Ata Lao official troops get only 8 Kip per day as pay­
  ment, and they must buy their own food. Desertions are com­
  mon and there is much resentment against the "foreign," North 
  Vietnamese Army officers. 
  Current Ruler: Prince Liang Souvanabouda 
  Objectives: To seize control of the country by military force 
  and through guerrilla uprisings. 
  Military Capacity: 
  Formal Army: 25,000 Laotian recruits led by NY A officers and 
  Ata Lao political commissars. On defense and in guerrilla tac­
  tics, the army is outstanding. However, they are not aggressive 
  and do poorly on the attack. 
  Irregulars: 7,000 "Red" Meo soldiers make up the most aggres­
  sive parts of the Ata Lao military. They are well-trained and 
  well-armed, with an assortment of communist and Stateside 
  anns, and equipment. Geoung Ly, a popular Meo leader, is a 
  staunch communist and believes in a Meo liberation movement. 
  He will not attack any other Meo military units. 
  Potential Reinforcements: 30,000 North Vietnamese, and some 
  Viet Cong, are available as support in case of any major threat 
  to the Ala Lao. 
  Area Insurgents: The worst threat to the Ata Lao are the 
  CIA-backed, Meo Mercenaries. Many of the local people are 
  resentful of communist control and outbreaks of violence are 
  frequent. 
  The Meo Mercenary Army 
  In their mountain strongholds, the Meo are still largely un­
  touched by the war. Since they have an interest in fighting, they 
  willingly fight for whoever provides arms. 
  Whoever they fight for must provide an outlet for their main 
  cash crop, opium. As long as the CIA continues to provide 
  weapons and air transportation, they will continue to fight. 
  The main Meo base is in Xeng Khollang Province. They con­
  trol at least 80% of the province militarily. 
  Current Ruler: Ukunie Ly 
  Objectives: First, make enough money for a comfortable living. 
  Second, acquire as many arms and munitions as possible. 
  Third, kill lots of Lao Lum, Tribal Tai, Lao Theung, and 
  Vietnamese. Finally, establish an independent, Meo state. 
  Military Capacity: 
  Irregulars: 14,000 "Black" Meo soldiers are armed with M-16s, 
  and other, modern Stateside weapons. 
  Potential Reinforcements: In case of crisis, the Meo can en­
  list up to triple their numbers from their villages. They will be 
  reluctant to do so because it would strip their home areas of pro­
  tection from the Ata Lao and the Royal Army. 
  People's China 
  Occupying the Phong Saly Province, at the extreme north of 
  Laos, is the Anny of People's China. 
  It all started back in 1960, when the neutralist government 
  decided to form better relations with its giant neighbor to the 
  north. Part of the agreement with People's China was that a road 
  would be built from China into the provincial capital of Phong 
  Saly. 
  Well, the road got built, but the Red Chinese never bothered 
  to leave. They claim that they are "patrolling the border" and 
  "keeping the new road safe from imperialist, opium-trading ter­
  rorists." Actually, the chinese are keeping the province as a 
  buffer zone against the Nationalist Chinese Army, and to insure 
  that any major battles won't spill over into their own territory. 
  Current Ruler: General Ho Chan is Territorial Commander 
  Objectives: Not interested in expansion; they just want to keep 
  a buffer zone. If things get too hot, or if Laos becomes uni­
  fied, they'll simply retreat back across the border. Occa­
  sionally, they may make strikes against small units of the 
  Nationalist Chinese Army. 
  Military Capacity 
  Formal Anny: 21,000; all well-anned and supplied with Chinese 
  copies of Soviet infantry weapons. Since this is one of China's 
  only war fronts, the men and officers are all high quality. 
  178 
  
  Irregulars: None. They prohibit the arming of any other groups 
  in their area. 
  Artillery: Emphasis on anti-aircraft, with radar stations, 180 
  anti-aircraft guns, and 215 anti-aircraft missiles. One battery of 
  heavy artillery, and 100 mortars of various sizes. 
  Air Force: At least 50 Migs and 200 transport aircraft are sta­
  tioned at a base just inside of the Chinese border of the prov­
  ince. No combat helicopters. 
  Potential Reinforcements: People's China can commit enormous 
  armies to the area. In practice, they will not send in more than 
  another 20,000 soldiers. 
  Area Insurgents: Virtually none. Even the North Vietnamese 
  are discouraged from entering the province. 
  Foreign 
  Occupation 
  Armies 
  Nationalist Chinese 
  When the communists took over People's China in 1949, 
  there were still huge elements of the Nationalist Army left in­
  tact. Most of these were moved to Taiwan. Yet there remains 
  thousands of Nationalist soldiers operating out of northern 
  Burma and Laos. They keep a fairly low profile; hiding their 
  camps and wearing civilian clothes when dealing with outsiders. 
  They are easily mistaken for ethnic Chinese, and many have in­
  tegrated with various highland tribes. 
  Still, their military effectiveness has not diminished. In their 
  hidden camps, they openly fly the old, Nationalist Chinese flag, 
  and display pictures of the former presidents of China. They 
  continue to recruit new soldiers from their own children, from 
  local tribes, and from the ethnic Chinese throughout Southeast 
  Asia. Having been recently pushed out of eastern Burma, 
  they've set up in the Sayaboury Province ofLaos. Here they are 
  the dominant force on the scene. They also have excellent 
  relations with Thailand, receiving substantial military aid and 
  support. 
  Most of the rest of their money comes from trading opium. 
  This also makes them quite a few enemies. The Meo Tribes, the 
  Shan Army, and the right-wing Lao, all view the Nationalist 
  Chinese as dangerous competitors. 
  Current Ruler: General Thu-An Chu 
  Objectives: To reconquer People's China. Since that may take 
  awhile, they are content to kill whatever communist insur­
  gents are handy. They are particularly keen to acquire more 
  modem weapons. 
  Military Capacity: 
  5th Army: 4,000 highly trained and motivated troops. They are 
  well equipped, with M-I, M-16 and AK-47 Rifles, .50 Caliber 
  Machineguns, 60mm Mortars, and 75mm Recoilless Rifles. 
  Irregulars: About 12,000. They've organized many of the tribes, 
  especially those who are ethnically Chinese. These units typi­
  cally number less than 200, and are armed with either M-I Ri­
  fles or AK-47s, and take anywhere up to 2 weeks to muster. 
  Armored Units: None. They've only got about 40 trucks, and 
  much of their transport depends on pack animals. 
  Air Force: None, but will be supported by the Thailand Air 
  Force. 
  Potential Reinforcements: They are allies with the right-wing 
  Laotians, but neither side trusts the other. The only other help in 
  the area comes from the Thai Army. There are also two more 
  Nationalist Chinese armies in the north of Burma who could 
  smuggle in a few more men. 
  Area Insurgents: 2,000 Ata Lao 
  The Shan Liberation Army 
  The Shan are a large minority in Burma. They speak a dialect 
  of the Thai language and are lowland rice growers. Tradi­
  tionally, they believe in a Shan Independent State and are at 
  constant war with the Burmese Government. They operate a 
  large military coalition called the Shan National Army (SNA). 
  The 4th Division of that army, suffering a major defeat at the 
  hands of the combined People's Chinese and Burmese Armies, 
  was forced to retreat into Laos. 
  Currently they control the Houa Khong Province. one of the 
  richest poppy-growing areas in the world. Their main income 
  comes from heroin traffic. 
  Current Ruler: General Fuan Chan-She 
  Objectives: To liberate the Shan Province of Burma. 
  Military Capacity: 
  Militia: 3,500 non-uniformed soldiers armed with M-16 Assault 
  Rifles and excellent radio communications. 
  Irregulars: 2,000 highly paid and adequately trained tribal mer­
  cenaries. 
  Potential Reinforcements: The I st and 3rd Divisions of the SNA 
  are scattered over eastern Burma. Given three months warning, 
  the Shan presence in Laos could triple in size. They also receive 
  some support from the Thai government. 
  Area Insurgents: 2,000 Ata Lao Guerrillas control major sec­
  tions of the province. 
  The French Laotian Mission 
  "If the Laotian Government considers it necessary, the 
  French Government may, as an exception, leave in Laos for a 
  limited period of time a precisely limited number of French mil­
  itary instructors for the purpose of training the armed forces of 
  Laos." 
  -
  Declaration on the Neutrality ofLaos 
  This is the final remnant of the French Colonial Army that 
  once controlled all of Southeast Asia. The French Army officers 
  were intended to act as advisors for the Laotian Army. Their at­
  tempts to clean up the widespread corruption led to their being 
  transferred and ignored. 
  179 
  
  Eventually, they all ended up in Sithanione Province. To­
  Notes: A popular tank with many third world countries. Rel­
  gether with several hundred French veterans, they've fonned a 
  atively reliable and easy to maintain. 
  small, but highly professional, regional anny. This is technically 
  one of the official units of the Royal Lao Anny, in practice it is 
  used strictly for regional defense. 
  There are now quite a few French nationals living in the 
  province, including quite a few with Vietnamese or other 
  Indo-Chinese wives. They are detennined to defend the terri­
  tory, realizing that, if it falls to the communists, they may have 
  to return to France. 
  Current Ruler: Provincial Governor Andre LaPorte 
  Objectives: To protect lives and property in their area. As a sec­
  ondary mission, they will try to inflict damage on any com­
  munist units operating in their area. 
  Military Capacity: 
  French Anny Officers: 93 in unifonn. 
  Retired French Veterans: 310 fonn the "Bataillion Speciale I" 
  Laotian Nationals: 1200 in French Unifonns. 
  Irregulars: 3S00 Tribal Lao-Theung led by the Veterans. 
  Annored Units: (4) AM X- 13 Light Tanks, (60) 2.S ton trucks. 
  Artillery: (IS) ISSmm Model SO Howitzers. 
  Air Force: (12) Light Observation Aircraft. 
  Potential Reinforcements: If threatened, they will probably call 
  for help from Thailand, the right-wing Laotian anny, or the U.S. 
  Area Insurgents: Under 1,000 Ata Lao Guerrillas. 
  Notes: Infantry weapons for the French forces include 
  MAT-49 Sub-Machineguns, 7.62mm FR-FI Sniping Rifles and 
  AAS2 Machineguns. 
  7.62mm FR-Fl Sniping Rifle 
  Damage: 4DIO+10 
  Weight: S.2kg 
  Length: 1138mm 
  Magazine: 10 rounds 
  Rate of Fire: 10 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 800 meters 
  Mercenary Price: $120 
  Notes: An old, but reliable, French bolt-action rifle. Still 
  available in large quantities. 
  7.62mm AA52 General Purpose Machinegun 
  Damage: 4D 10+ 10 
  Weight: 9.1Skg 
  Length: 114Smm 
  Magazine: Belt-Feed Rate of Fire: 700 rpm 
  Maximum Effective Range: 800 meters 
  Mercenary Price: $1,300 
  Notes: Comes with bipod attached to barrel or with conve­
  nient rotary tripod. Common in French services. 
  AMX-13 Light Tank 
  Combat Weight: IS,OOOkg 
  Length: 6.36 meters 
  Range: 3S0 kilometers (road) 
  Speed: 60kmph (road) 
  Crew: 3 
  Armament: 90mm Gun with 34 rounds, 7.62mm machinegun 
  with 3600 rounds of ammunition. 
  Armor: Stops pistol, rifle, machinegun and fragments. 60% 
  chance of survival against anti-tank rockets. 
  180 
  
  Foreign Agencies 
  and Advisors Working in Laos 
  The International Commission for Supervision and Control 
  (ICC) 
  The ICC has three Commissioners, one each from India, 
  Canada and Poland. Although they have the right to inspect any 
  area of the country, they seldom leave the capital. They all have 
  the power to prohibit the entry of soldiers, advisors, weapons 
  and military equipment. 
  The Indian Commissioner, Omadme Singe, generally argues 
  for neutrality and wants to prohibit all weapons and soldiers 
  from entering the country. Rodney Carruthers, the Canadian 
  Commissioner, clears all his actions through the U.S. Embassy 
  in Vengala. Poland's Commissioner, Stosh Dublonski, clears all 
  his actions through the consulate of the U.S.S.R. Since each 
  Commissioner has an absolute veto over any ICC actions, al­
  most nothing is ever done. 
  The Stateside (U.S.) 
  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) 
  The CIA operates out of several office buildings in down­
  town Vengala. From there it coordinates two private airlines, Air 
  America and Continental Service Airlines, and several service 
  agencies. The Rural Development and Construction Program 
  (ROCP) takes charge of captured spies and soldiers, and interro­
  gates them in secret prison camps. International Service to Agri­
  culture (ISA) organizes and provides arms to villages for local 
  militia. The Development Council on Civil Aviation maintains 
  secret airfields and radar monitoring stations throughout Laos. 
  The U.S .lStateside Embassy in Laos is basically another arm 
  of the CIA. Ambassador Dwight O'Shay is kept in the dark 
  about most everything and spends his time conducting tours of 
  model farms, military camps and villages for visiting dignitar­
  ies. 
  The Laotian National Security Office (LANASO) 
  This is basically a unit of secret police. All the employees are 
  citizens of Laos. It has missions ranging from intelligence gath­
  ering to assassination. This organization is one of the most 
  feared in Laos, especially since its agents do not accept bribes. 
  Resources of the agency include a budget of over $15 million 
  a year, 800 administrative personnel and 600 trained operatives. 
  Their fleet of aircraft includes 24 UH-lH Hueys (slicks only), 
  12 HH-3E "Jolly Green Giants," 48 AC-47 Skytrains (cargo 
  configuration), and 75 twin-engine civilian aircraft. 
  Executive Officer: Assistant Undersecretary Bradley Smith. 
  Objectives: To establish a strong, anti-communist govern­
  ment in Laos, to infiltrate North Vietnamese forces, and to assist 
  the U.S. forces in Southern 'Nam. 
  The Heroin Connection ­
  Yuan Chinese Middlemen 
  Often masquerading as legitimate businessmen, the Yuan op­
  erate an information and transportation network throughout 
  Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. They are pri­
  marily interested in buying raw opium and shipping it to their 
  refineries in Hong Kong. 
  The Security National Bank of Laos and Cambodia is owned 
  and operated by the Yuan. In addition to using it for a deposi­
  tory for drug money and gold, it also operates as a legitimate 
  bank. Bribes to Laotian officials are often disguised as "low in­
  terest loans" or "deposit bonuses" in the Security BanJe 
  Current Ruler: Wu Chan Lee 
  Objective: Profit 
  Military Capacity: 
  Mercenary Army: 1,200 experienced soldiers, mostly highland 
  tribesmen, armed with M-16s, pistols and sub machineguns, are 
  organized into small, bodyguard units of 20 men each. They are 
  responsible for safeguarding the heroin, cash and gold ship­
  ments, and are well paid for their trouble. 
  The Stateside (U.S.) Air Force 
  Many of the bombs hitting Northern Vietnam originate in 
  Thailand. All these flights pass over Laos. The North Vietnam­
  ese Army therefore bases many of their anti-aircraft radar units 
  and weapons inside of Laos. 
  The Air Force will occasionally send in commando raids 
  against Ata Lao or NVA positions inside of Laos. Further exten­
  sive bombing of supply lines and strongholds inside of Laos are 
  expected. 
  Air Force planes and men in Thailand are virtually unlimited. 
  Every kind of U. S. bomber, fighter and transport aircraft is in 
  good supply. 
  Current Ruler: General Scott Reed 
  Objectives: Inflict strategic damage on People's 'Nam and 
  eliminate any anti-aircraft threats in Laos. 
  Agency for Development Evaluation (ADE) 
  This organization is sponsored by the Stateside Pentagon's 
  Southeast Asia Overview Committee (USSAOC) and by the De­
  partment of Agriculture'S Committee on International Produc­
  tivity. See the Player Characters in Laos section for more 
  details. 
  Ambassadorial Row 
  Ambassadors, military advisors, media representatives and 
  businessmen from dozens of other countries are also present in 
  Vengala. Military attaches (allowed for by international agree­
  ment) from the 14 members of the International Commission, 
  plus West Germany, East Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, the 
  Philippines, Taiwan, Mexico, and Pakistan are also in the coun­
  try and may be involved in military operations. 
  181 
  
  The Opium/ 
  Heroin Network 
  First, a little lecture about a very pretty flower. The plants are 
  called poppies. They have beautiful, white or purple flowers. 
  Every year these plants produce a pod. If you cut the pod in just 
  the right way, a sap will ooze out of it. The sap is called raw 
  opium. From about an acre of these plants, you can get 10 kilo­
  grams of raw opium. A kilogram of opium is usually packed 
  into a loaf or brick for transportation. 
  The next step in the process is converting opium into mor­
  phine base. This is a fairly simple chemical process requiring 
  calcium carbonate and ammonium sulfate. From 10 kilograms 
  of opium gum, you get 1 kilogram of off-white powder. 
  Turning the morphine base into heroin is much more diffi­
  cult. It requires three, separate, chemical operations. These are 
  also dangerous, and there is always the risk of poison fumes or 
  an explosion. The resulting white powder is called heroin, or, 
  more technically, #4 Heroin. 
  The highlands of Laos, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia are 
  perfect for growing opium. The tribes, especially the Meo, have 
  been growing poppies for centuries. Not just for the drug, which 
  they use for medicine, but for many other things. The oil is used 
  for cooking, the leaves and seeds are eaten, the pods are fed to 
  animals, and the stalks are used for weaving and building. 
  Rice is the alternative to opium, and rice is much more use­
  ful. But poppies, or more specifically, opium, is just about the 
  only thing that the people in these remote areas can sell for cash. 
  Opium is big money for the tribesmen. They are paid as little 
  as $4, or as much as $40 (Stateside dollars), per kilo of raw 
  opium gum. Which is usually their entire yearly income. 
  Of course, the opium traders make a little bit more. They 
  usually do the conversion to morphine base before they sell it. 
  Then it brings anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per kilogram. 
  After that, it has to be converted to heroin. The conversion 
  was traditionally done in Marseilles, France or in Hong Kong. 
  Currently, processing laboratories in Laos produce most of the 
  heroin. 
  Sold to a dealer in Vengala, one kilogram of pure #4 heroin 
  brings from $2,000 to $8,000. Double that in Hong Kong. And 
  $18,000 in New York City. 
  The final vendor, or "pusher," cuts or dilutes the pure heroin 
  to about 4% heroin and 96% harmless chemicals. It's also pack­
  aged for street sale in small, plastic bags. In this form, the one 
  kilogram of heroin will sell for $24,000 to $120,000. 
  No one knows exactly how large the heroin traffic is. A con­
  servative, very low estimate, is 10 to 12 tons of heroin imported 
  into Stateside yearly. That works out to somewhere between 
  $24,000,000 and $120,000,000 in yearly income. Now all that 
  money is very attractive. 
  It's attractive to the Meo tribesmen. The few thousand dollars 
  a year that a village makes selling raw opium will buy imported 
  goods like tools, weapons and medicine. 
  It's attractive to Nationalist Chinese and Shan Armies. They 
  have the arms and the know-how to collect the raw opium out in 
  the highlands of Southeast Asia. The money from heroin is 
  enough to supply them with food, clothing, and, most impor­
  tantly, modem weapons and ammunition. 
  It's attractive to the generals of Laos. A typical salary, at 
  most, is $851 a year. The traditional way of supplementing their 
  income is with graft, comlption or unfair taxes. The heroin trade 
  doesn't hurt anyone in Laos, and it makes lots more money. 
  It's attractive to the Southern 'Nam generals. They can buy 
  heroin cheap, fly it into Saigon on Stateside Air Force trans­
  ports, and then sell it to Stateside soldiers for enormous profits. 
  It's attractive to the international dealers. Their agents in 
  Laos, usually Yuan Chinese, make huge sums of money at very 
  little risk. There's only one little problem with all this. Heroin 
  Kills! 
  First, thousands of people die every year from overdoses. 
  Heroin isn't administered by specialists. Every time somebody 
  takes the drug, they run the risk of overdosing. Dead are J4 year 
  old kids trying it for the first time, and addicts who have been 
  taking it for years. 
  Second, tens of thousands of people get sick. Heroin addicts 
  get diseases from dirty needles, from self-abuse, and from weak­
  ening their bodies. They use up thousands of hospital beds and 
  cost millions in public health dollars. And they usually die of 
  their illnesses. 
  Third, hundreds of thousands of people tum to crime to sup­
  port their heroin addictions. All that money comes from some­
  where. And very few heroin addicts can make $1,000 a week, or 
  more, to support their habits. 
  The result is millions of crimes. Theft, robbery, armed rob­
  bery, murder, or whatever it takes for the addict to get his next 
  fix . 
  The Meo farmers and tribesmen know nothing about the hu­
  man lives lost in the heroin traffic. For them, the opium gum is 
  good for easing the pain of a wound or calming an upset stom­
  ach. 
  Likewise, the Shan and Nationalist Chinese are pretty igno­
  rant about why the crazy westerners spend so much money on 
  182 
  
  something that a dumb highland fanner can grow. For them, the 
  trade is a matter of necessity. 
  Everybody else in the drug trade is going in with their eyes 
  wide open. Opium dens and heroin addicts are common sights in 
  any Southeast Asian city. In the east, the drugs may be cheap, 
  but the cost in human lives and suffering is just as high. 
  Heroin Organizations in Laos 
  Air America 
  Air America is an airline operated by the CIA. In addition to 
  shipping weapons, supplies and passengers, they also ship raw 
  opium from the highland villages to buyers in Luang Prabang, 
  Vengala, Xieng Khomang, Pakse, and other locations in Thai­
  land and Southern 'Nam. They don't do this for profit, but just 
  to keep their Meo Mercenary Anny from revolting. 
  Transportation Resources: At least 600 aircraft, ranging 
  from C47s down to small, civilian aircraft, are based in South­
  east Asia. They also have 24 UH-l H Hueys. 
  Political Connections: In exchange for transportation ser­
  vices, the CIA demands infonnation from the Yuan, Shan and 
  Nationalist Chinese. The CIA is in the unique situation of owing 
  nothing to anybody, but making sure that everyone owes them a 
  few 'favors.' 
  Average Annual Traffic: 8 tons. About 90% raw opium and 
  10% morphine base. Transporting #4 heroin is done only to se­
  cure special favors or infonnation. 
  Yuan Chinese 
  The Yuan Chinese, once the undisputed kings of the South­
  east Asian drug network, have suffered with the rise of the Lao­
  tian generals. They still have enonnous resources, but they don't 
  have any government sanctioned pipelines. They must either 
  pay substantial bribes or work out clever schemes to get their 
  product out of the country and to their bosses in Bangkok and 
  Hong Kong. 
  Currently, they are shipping "Cardamon Spices" from Laos 
  to Hong Kong. This is, usually, really #4 heroin packaged in 
  spice sacks. 
  Transportation Resources: Mostly riverboats and junks. 
  They ship down the Mekong River to the ocean, and from there 
  to Hong Kong or Singapore. 
  #4 Heroin Purification Labs: They have 15 modern labs in 
  Hong Kong and a new facility in Bangkok. Their laboratory in 
  Pakse was seized by the Anny. 
  Political Connections: They have ancient ties with many 
  peoples. The Meo regard the Yuan as the only really trustworthy 
  opium buyers. Several Yuan have places of influence in the 
  Laotian Court and, should a Neutralist Government come into 
  power, they will do very well. Both Shan and Nationalist Chi­
  nese hire Yuan brokers to do trading with Meo and other tribes. 
  The Yuan are unsurpassed at languages, and usually charge 
  from 3% to 10% of the profits for their translating duties. 
  Average Annual Traffic: Currently, 4 tons yearly in mor­
  phine base. Perhaps I ton in #4 heroin. 
  Shan Nationalists 
  The Shan are able to range far up into northwest Bunna, and 
  have exclusive trading rights in the Shan territories of eastern 
  Bunna. That they are forced to pay "duty" to the Nationalist 
  Chinese upon entering Laos or Thailand is particularly irritating 
  to the Shan. The Shan ship both ways; opium out of Bunna and 
  trade goods back in. 
  Transportation Resources: The Shan travel on foot and use 
  hundreds of donkeys to carry cargo. 
  #4 Heroin Purification Labs: A lab in southwestern Houa 
  Khong is owned and operated by a Laotian general. The Shan 
  have discussed seizing the facility, but are reluctant to endanger 
  their relationship with the Laotian buyers. 
  Political Connections: They have good relations with the 
  Laotian Anny, the Yuan, and most Tibeto-Bennan tribes. The 
  Meo deal with Shan, but do not trust them. 
  Average Annual Traffic: II tons; mostly raw opium. 
  Nationalist Chinese 
  Much of the profit for the Nationalist Chinese comes from 
  charging the Shan and the Yuan "duty charges." Their own buy­
  ing routes are currently restricted to Laos and Thailand. 
  Transportation Resources: Mostly foot, horseback, mules, 
  and a few buses and trucks. 
  #4 heroin Purification Labs: They are experimenting with a 
  laboratory outside of Sayaboury Town. So far, they've got all 
  the equipment, but all they've managed to do is blow up a cou­
  ple of workers. 
  Political Connections: Their connections with the Yuan, and 
  other ethnic Chinese peoples, is excellent. They sell to both the 
  Laotian generals and to some officers in Thailand. They have 
  good relations with the Meo, but are distrusted by most other 
  highland people. 
  Average Annual Traffic: 18 tons of raw opium. They al­
  ways make the conversion to morphine base before they sell. 
  Laotian Generals 
  By far, the wealthiest heroin traders are a group of generals 
  in the Geala Party. General Lei is not one of the heroin traders, 
  but he certainly accepts their "donations". 
  Transportation Resources: Military, commercial and gov­
  ernment aircraft of all kinds, are used for the huge heroin traffic. 
  #4 Heroin Purification Labs: Production facilities in Xieng 
  Khomang, Vengala, Pakse, and in several rustic locations along 
  the Mekong River. Another lab, in Pathek, is operated independ­
  ently by General Vuoung. 
  Political Connections: They lavishly bribe officials in Thai­
  land, Southern 'Nam, Hong Kong, Singapore, and in the State­
  side military. They have pushed the Yuan out of the way, and 
  are not the main buyers for morphine base. They buy from 
  CIA-sponsored Meo, Shan and Nationalist Chinese. 
  Average Annual Traffic: 21 tons annually. Mostly #4 her­
  oin exports. 
  183 
  
  Mission 
  Director's 
  Section 
  Advanced Recon: 
  The Mission Director's Job 
  The idea of advanced role-playing isn't restricted to the play­
  ers. It's also up to the Mission Director to try pushing back the 
  frontiers a bit; to attempt to do some new and novel things with 
  the role-playing game. 
  One of those novel things, in a RECON game, is called 
  Campaign Building. This involves setting up a long-tenn series 
  of games (at least six sessions), using the same player charac­
  ters. 
  That's one of the main reasons that we've included the new 
  character roll-up section in this book. We need to beef-up the 
  character a bit if we expect him to be around for a few sessions. 
  Assigning the Characters 
  Characters in a Laos Campaign must play "incognito," In 
  other words, they are in Laos under false pretenses because for­
  eign military advisors have been banned by the Geneva Tripar­
  tite Treaty. 
  Although the characters are mostly hired for their military 
  skills, they are also expected to take seriously their role as re­
  gional advisors. 
  There's no doubt that the people of Laos need the help. In 
  1965, there were less than 40 doctors in the whole country, 14 
  phannacists, and 650 practical nurses. Educational facilities 
  were also in short supply, and most people live at subsistence 
  levels. They rarely starve, but they don't have much of a life ei­
  ther. 
  Every advisor group has the following Mission Objectives: 
  1. Provide Security. Protect the people of the region from 
  terrorists, from communist tax collectors, and from Ata Lao in­
  voluntary conscription (forcefully drafting the people to serve as 
  soldiers or porters). Defend the local people against bandits and 
  invading mercenary annies. Act as intennediary between the lo­
  cals and Laotian govenunent officials. 
  Early in the campaign, this will be a significant portion of the 
  player characters' actions. Until they establish trust and prosper­
  ity in the region, they will not be able to count on any help from 
  the locals. 
  2. Provide Welfare. Improve the lives of the people by rais­
  ing their level of health care and making sure they don't starve 
  or freeze. Above all, let them know that you are their friends 
  and that you will help and care for everyone, no matter how 
  poor or isolated. 
  3. Organize Development. Improve the fanning and animal 
  raising techniques of the area. Introduce new crops, fertilizer, ir­
  rigation techniques, and provide transportation and marketing 
  help so they can sell excess crops. Build roads, bridges and 
  wells. Set up schools, medical clinics, regional marketplaces, 
  and craft industries. 
  In other words, make their economy healthy enough to pro­
  duce excess fighting men. Also, make it comfortable enough so 
  that the people will fight to defend it. 
  4. Organize Militia. The ultimate goal of the advisor is to 
  build a strong military force in the region. At the beginning, that 
  won't be much more than hiring a few guards. Later on, when 
  the people are starting to get organized, train, ann and equip vil­
  lage defense forces and fortifications. The best men can then be 
  fonned into small reconnaissance units. Eventually, the group 
  should be able to put together large strike units, capable of at­
  tacking regular anny forces of the enemy. 
  Agency for Development Evaluation (ADE) 
  Operated jointly by the Stateside Department 0/Agriculture 
  (USDA) and Major Willard "Yank" Jurris, an officer under the 
  Pentagon's Southeast Asia Overview Committee (USSAOC). 
  This is the player characters' employer and chief supplier. 
  The characters will routinely report to the USDA officials 
  (who are not aware of their real mission) and get help, equip­
  ment and supplies for assisting and developing their area. They 
  will also, on occasion, get specific assignments for things like 
  vaccine inoculation programs, water purification guidelines, and 
  experiments with new crops or livestock. 
  184 
  
  Their military assignment officer is Major Yank. He issues 
  the military mission objectives, takes reports, and fulfills the 
  characters' requests for weapons, supplies and equipment. 
  Optional - Developmental 
  Occupational Specialty (DOS) 
  Each character can receive advisor training. This can be as­
  signed by the mission director or rolled on the following table. 
  01-20 Languages. Character is fluent in the main language 
  of the area, and has some training in most of the other lan­
  guages. Secondary DOS is Education. 
  21-30 Public Health. Knows about sanitation, food and wa­
  ter safety measures, controlling insects and pests, and can ad­
  minister a clinic or dispensary. Must have language as the 
  Secondary DOS. Note: This is not a substitution for Medic 
  skills. Public Health is not medicine and is not used for curing 
  injury or disease. 
  31-50 Engineering. Knowledge of construction and design 
  techniques for planning large buildings, roads, bridges, dams 
  and major construction projects. Secondary DOS is Language. 
  51-70 Agriculture. Training in planting, growing and har­
  vesting techniques. Has Secondary DOS in BOTH Construction 
  and Language. 
  71-80 Animal HUSbandry. Knows about breeding, feeding 
  and slaughtering animals. Also has learned a bit of animal medi­
  cine. Roll I D6 to determine animal specialty; I - Chicken, 2-3 ­
  Pig, 4 - Cow, 5 - Goat, 6 - Equine (horse, donkeys and mules) or 
  large animal (elephants, water buffalo, and oxen). Secondary 
  DOS in BOTH Language and Construction. 
  81-00 Education. Character can put together a regional edu­
  cation plan, organize parents, and make lesson plans. Can also 
  teach several groups of children (all of different ages) at the 
  same time. Must have Language as the Secondary DOS. 
  Secondary DOS 
  Language. Knows how to ask simple questions and make 
  simple greetings in the language of the village. Will naturally 
  get better with time. 
  Construction. Given a set of plans, the character can execute 
  most building projects. Knows how to use building tools and 
  techniques, and can supervise others. 
  Education. Can teach basic reading and writing skills to 
  small children. Knows how to get along with kids. 
  Random Development Mission Table 
  (Roll a Twenty-Sided) 
  Remember that there will always be some local resistance to 
  any project. Although getting the support of all the village elders 
  for a project is difficult, it's easier than having the project 
  boycotted later on. The local shaman should be consulted before 
  selecting or starting any construction sites. It's his job to insure 
  that the local Phi (spirits) are not offended. Incidentally, this 
  "primitive" practice is used for building the latest skyscrapers in 
  Hong Kong and Tokyo. 
  This list is arranged in rough priority order. A mission direc­
  tor can simply assign each item in sequence. Another possibility 
  is to let the player characters figure out their own missions and 
  priorities. 
  1. Building a Rural Medical Dispensary. Effectively, this is 
  a tiny hospital complete with operating room, pharmacy, exami­
  nation rooms, and live-in ward . 
  2. Building a School. Initially, a large hall; later, it can grow 
  to include a residence for teachers, storage rooms, extra class­
  rooms and an open-air auditorium (suitable for plays and movies 
  for the whole community). 
  3. Building an Access Road. When the characters first ar­
  rive, the best way into the area is on foot or pack animal. About 
  200 man-hours are needed to fix up each mile of road, so that a 
  cross-country vehicle, like a jeep, can get into the area. 
  4. Digging a Well. Usually about 200 man-hours of heavy 
  work. Since only a couple of guys can get in the hole at anyone 
  time, it takes a week or two. 
  5. Constructing a Public Marketplace. Selecting a central 
  location for a weekly market fair is a natural idea. However, this 
  shouldn't be tried until regional security is fairly tight. Even­
  tually, the marketplace can be built up to include storage areas, a 
  permanent roof, and livestock pens. 
  6. Set up Regional Smithy. There are usually a few black­
  smiths in the area, but they work under terrible conditions. The 
  building should be near a running stream so a "draw pipe" can 
  b~ set up. This can be used instead of a manual bellows to pull 
  air through the fire and keep it hot. The department will provide 
  a good anvil and some excellent tools. Most of the local smiths 
  will be skeptical at first, then they'll fall in love with the new 
  equipment. 
  7. Building a Truck Road. Much more difficult than an ac­
  cess road. Involves heavy labor, demolitions, and thousands of 
  man-hours for every mile. This is necessary before the area can 
  really start exporting goods and making money. 
  8. Introducing Crop Rotation and Fertilization. Teaching 
  the farmers advanced ideas. This also allows for year-round 
  growing so that the farmers can be more productive. 
  9. Digging an Irrigation System. For bringing water to the 
  crops, rice paddies and animal troughs. 
  10. Mosquito Control Program. Involves going around and 
  filling in all the mosquito breeding ponds in the area. If every­
  body pitches in, the project could be done in a week, and, a year 
  later, everybody would be amazed at the results. 
  11. Delousing Program. Spraying the villages and the vil­
  lagers to kill lice, fleas and mites. Mission Directors shouldn't 
  have to assign this particular mission; just keep reminding the 
  characters of their own "colonies." 
  12. Vaccination Program. Can be for smallpox, cholera or 
  typhoid fever. 
  13. The Fancy Stuff. Installing electric generators (at first 
  gas or oil, but, later, connected to a waterwheel), constructin~ 
  concrete latrines and showers, installing plumbing, bringing in 
  sewing machines, electric lights, refrigeration, and power tools. 
  14. Building a combination Dam and Well. Local streams 
  and rivers can be dammed to create lakes and ponds (good for 
  fisheries and ducks), and for use by mills for processing food 
  and generating electricity. 
  15. Reconstructing Villages. Using the new resources avail­
  able- electricity, plumbing, lumber, and somewhat better tech­
  nology- rebuild an entire village. 
  185 
  
  16. Building a Bridge. Anything from a rope bridge to con­
  nect villages, to a large, wooden bridge capable of handling 
  truck traffic. 
  17. Build a Lumber Mill. With the plentiful woodlands, 
  there is a natural commodity in timber. A lumber mill is usually 
  set up along a river so that logs can be floated down to the mill, 
  and so the mill can use water power to run the saw blade. 
  18. Set up a Cooperative Store. Build a country store build­
  ing and sell goods made outside the village, necessities like ker­
  osene, soap, and salt. And lUxury goods, like Stateside T-Shirts, 
  candy and transistor radios. Run it on a profit-sharing coopera­
  tive basis. 
  At first the people will shop there because it offers easy 
  credit and low prices. They will be astonished when they are 
  paid the first monthly dividend in cash; from then on, the store 
  will be a booming success. 
  19. Build a Communal Livestock Barn. This will be used 
  for disease control, breeding, trading, and slaughtering. 
  20. Provide Entertainment. For Laotians, movies are like a 
  piece of paradise. They'll travel days, wait for hours, and sit fas­
  cinated for just about anything. Bring in a HolIywood spectacu­
  lar, and they'll go nuts, demanding to see it over and over again. 
  Don't be surprised if even the local Ata Lao and NVA show up 
  to watch. Either they'll sneak in one at a time, or a whole unit, 
  complete with weapons and equipment, will demand front row 
  seats. Player characters should recognize this as a great propa­
  ganda opportunity. Give 'em some popcorn and hope that a few 
  (or maybe the whole group) will change sides. Note: Area de­
  velopment programs, like the one described, really were wildly 
  successful in Laos and Indochina. One group grew from 9 vil­
  lages to 76 in four years, with substantial increases in crops, 
  technology, consumer goods and wealth. 
  Unfortunately, the government discovered that the villagers 
  had changed from quiet and subservient subjects into demand­
  ing and inteIligent citizens who remembered unkept campaign 
  promises and recognized government corruption and incompe­
  tence. Basically, the people had changed from passive, accept­
  ing and ill-fed subsistence vilIagers, into prosperous, pushy 
  farmers. The people recognized that their lives could change, 
  that they were capable of implementing change, and that Ameri­
  can aggressiveness was a positive thing. 
  Govemment officials, having visions of whole provinces full 
  of armed peasants demanding changes, quickly withdrew their 
  support from the projects. 
  Player Character 
  Long-Term Assignnlent 
  Characters are recruited in 'Nam or back Stateside. They are 
  told that they wi II be paid well (about $1200 a month; a very re­
  spectable salary in 1965), and that they will be expected to act 
  as of official civilian advisors. They are also supposed to main­
  tain a secret role as military advisors. While in Laos, they will 
  be "officially" listed as operating in some kind of Stateside, 
  Department of Agriculture, civil servant capacity. 
  The following example assumes that the player characters 
  have been assigned to the Noi Pot Development Region. How­
  ever, the first place they get to in Laos is the international air­
  port outside ofVengala ... 
  Vengala 
  Vengala is the national capital of Laos; it's the most popu­
  lated city (150,000), and the place where most foreigners spend 
  their time. Every government office, foreign embassy, newspa­
  per or media organization, and commercial enterprise in the 
  country is located here. In other words, if you can't find it in 
  Vengala, you can't find it in Laos. 
  Aside from government officials and bureaucrats, you can 
  also find any kind of illegal, illicit or immoral activity in 
  Vengala. The value of weapons, equipment, and even human 
  lives, are alI measured in ounces of gold or stacks of Stateside 
  currency. 
  It's the city with a wild night life, including nightclubs like 
  "The Spot," "Tiger AI's," and "The White Czar. " There are 
  also opium dens, gambling casinos, clubs for soldiers and offi­
  cers; plus restaurants, theaters and coffee houses. About 10,000 
  cars, 8,000 motorcycles, and hundreds of trucks clog the streets 
  at all hours. This is truly a 24 hour town. 
  At the lowest end of the spectrum is Hu-Long's Casino. This 
  is the most notorious dive in town. It occupies every inch of a 
  huge, five-story building. Prostitution, opium dens, gambling of 
  every kind, knife fights staged for money, and the worst smelI 
  on the continent. It's rumored that HU-Long must payout over 
  $50,000 in bribes every month, and that there are an average of 
  three dead bodies are carried out every morning. 
  As high-level servants, the player characters are entitled to 
  participate in the heights of society functions. Every time they 
  come to town, they'lI be invited to at least one official, Embassy 
  party. These are usually hosted by Stateside, the French, or the 
  Soviets, but can also be in any of the other official embassies. 
  Embassy parties are noted for excellent food, fine wines and 
  liquors, and fascinating conversation. Characters will occasion­
  ally be seated next to their NVA or Ata Lao enemies. Yester­
  day's mortal enemy becomes tonight's charming dinner 
  companion. Likewise, spies and soldiers from every faction are 
  sociable in Vengala. 
  Characters will usually have to travel to Vengala at least once 
  every other month. They will make formal reports, accept new 
  missions, and spend up to a week relaxing before going back out 
  in the field. 
  The Trip to the Noi Pot District 
  The player characters are instructed to report to their office in 
  Vengala at daybreak, about 5:00 AM. After a briefing and as­
  signment, they begin their trek to the Noi Pot District. 
  For the first trip, the characters are taken by truck from 
  Vengala, along Highway #9, and east to Paksane. The road is a 
  one-lane gravel track, and bordered by dangerous drop-offs and 
  dense bamboo forests . Beyond Paksane, the truck turns left onto 
  Highway #13, the main Laotian artery. This is a two-lane gravel 
  road that strains the truck's engine as it climbs up into the 
  mountains. 
  Player characters will be thrilled at the sight of crashed 
  buses, trucks, and cars that have fallen off the road at one point 
  or another. There are no guardrails; just a few, white-painted 
  rocks to let the driver know where the road ends and a 500 foot 
  drop-off begins. 
  At Xieng Khounang, the truck bears right, leaving Highway 
  # 13 and entering eastbound, Route #6. This road alternates be­
  186 
  
  Major Roads 
  1,:1 Two-lane Gravel 
  .s One-lane Gravel 
  / 
  Dirt Road 
  tween dirt, graded rock and mud flats . After traveling 60 miles 
  northeast and 50 miles north, the characters finally arrive at the 
  end of their truck trip. 
  Sore and dusty from 14 hours of bouncing around, they dis­
  cover that the worst is yet to come. A Meo guide is waiting with 
  pack mules for the final leg of the journey; a 30 mile, 
  cross-country walk that will take 5 days. 
  Mission Laos: The Noi Pot District 
  Here's a sample of an Area of Assignment for your player 
  characters. The Mission Director is free to use this one, or create 
  an original area. 
  The Noi Pot District is an area about 6 miles in diameter. 
  There are rocky peaks as high as 6,000 feet, and valleys that 
  drop down to less than 2,000 feet in altitude. The wide, Nam 
  Khan River Gorge is only 1,400 feet above sea level. Most of 
  the area is forested ridges and 'V' shaped valleys. 
  In the region are 5 "Black" Meo villages, 3 Lao Theung vil­
  lages, a Lao Tai village in the river gorge, and a tiny Kha vil­
  lage. 
  Noi Pot Village 
  The player characters' base is in the Noi Pot village. Like 
  most villages in the region, Noi Pot is pretty self-sufficient. 
  They grow their own food, make their own tools and clothing, 
  and build their own houses. They produce their own tobacco, 
  betel nut (a mild drug that's usually chewed by older women 
  and men) and beer. The local ironsmiths make most of their 
  metal implements and tools. The only things they must import 
  are weapons, ammunition, salt and kerosene. 
  In the village, there are 39 wooden, dirt-floored houses, with 
  each home occupied by a clan of 6 to 36 people. Up until now, 
  the village's main source of income has been the production of 
  700 kilograms of opium every year. 
  Noi Pot's headman is Va ire Husai. He is considered a power­
  ful leader and a good war chief. He also controls the other four 
  Meo villages; KIa Pie, Rogei Tam, Suk Nam and Noi Longpot. 
  Neighboring Villages 
  Pakou Sat is the main Lao Theung village. It has no central 
  leader; instead, each village has a sort of council of elders. Phou 
  Long and Pakou At are the other two Lao Theung villages. The 
  Lao Theung build their houses on hillsides, using long stilts to 
  keep them level. 
  Chim Ban, the Lao Tai village, uses the flat bottom of the 
  river gorge for rice paddies. The Lao Tai are suspicious of the 
  highland tribes, and they can remember the old people talking 
  about the "hill barbarians" and the atrocities they committed. 
  The Kha village isn't much more than a collection of huts 
  inside a thick, bamboo forest. The people are very nervous 
  around outsiders and will retreat into hiding places in the bam­
  boo, or caves in the hillsides, if threatened. 
  Recon Tables 
  Terrain Descriptions 
  01-20 Moist Woodland -
  "Green" Forest. Usually in val­
  leys or lower altitudes (below 3,000ft), these forests are excep­
  tionally dense, with the tree crowns forming a continuous "roof' 
  over the forest at 85 to 100 feet high. The trees are either 
  broad-leaved evergreens or broad-leaved deciduous. A second­
  ary "roof' is halfway down, at 45 to 60 feet above the ground. 
  This secondary roof is made of creeping vines (up to 200 feet 
  long), orchids, ferns and other lush plants. Between the ground 
  and this secondary layer, the tree trunks are bare of branches. 
  The ground in between the trees is clogged with various small 
  plants. Movement along paths is about 2 miles an hour, and 
  cross-country takes about 3 hours of hard work for every mile 
  covered. 
  21-30 Dry, "Brown" Forest. These fore~ts are filled with 
  trees that can survive a five month dry season. Found just about 
  everywhere, but especially at the higher altitudes (above 
  3,000ft). They are usually 45 to 65 feet high, and close enough 
  together so that their crowns touch. The underbrush consists of 
  patches of tall (5ft), coarse grasses, and dense clumps of thorn 
  bushes (sometimes extending for miles). In clear or grassy areas, 
  men can move about 3 miles an hour; movement through thorn 
  bushes requires either cutting (one man can cut through 30ft in 
  an hour), or crawling (about 5 hours per mile and very uncom­
  fortable). 
  31-35 "Pine" Forest. At mid-latitudes, in the northern part 
  of the country, are pine trees. Found extensively in the areas sur­
  rounding the county's three plateaus. They are pretty much like 
  pine trees in North America, complete with pine needles and 
  pine cones. Movement is fairly easy, and on level ground, a man 
  can do up to 4 miles an hour. 
  
  36-45 Bamboo Stands. Found anywhere in the country 
  where fires have destroyed the local woodlands. The bamboo 
  stands are so dense with plants, that moving through them can 
  only be done at less than a mile an hour. The plants range from 
  20 to 90 feet tall. 
  46-60 Grass Savanna. Found on the Bolovens Plateau, the 
  Plain of Jars, the Cammon Plateau, and in lowlands and valleys 
  throughout the country. These areas look like African savanna, 
  with grasses that range from 3 feet to 15 feet high. Movement is 
  usually no more than a mile an hour in short grass areas, less 
  than a mile every 2 hours in tall grass. 
  61-65 Barren Rock. In this lush country, it's fairly rare to 
  find bare ground. Some areas have soil unsuitable for any plants 
  and, at high altitudes, the rock is completely bare. Although 
  there are no plants to obstruct movement, these areas are usually 
  rugged enough that people spend more time climbing than walk­
  ing. 
  66-75 Highland Farms. Areas under cultivation can be any­
  thing from rice to vegetables, to fruit trees to poppies. The farms 
  will usually be in level areas, in valleys, or on ridges along the 
  hillsides. Lao Tai prefer to grow rice in mountain valleys. Some 
  ethnic Chinese people build "shelves" or flat rice paddies into 
  the sides of the hills. 
  76-S0 Lowland Jungle/Swamp. Dense, moist wetlands. 
  Travel usually is no more than a mile every 4 hours 
  cross-country and about I mile an hour on a path. Quicksand, 
  bogs, mud flats, and monstrous amounts of insects are common. 
  SI-99 Lowland Rice Paddies. Most of the Lao Lum are 
  crowded into the lowlands, and those areas are heavily popu­
  lated. There are about 60 people in every square mile, and the 
  villages are usually only about 4 miles apart. 
  100 Urban Area. The only cities are Provincial Capitals and 
  they typically house about 5,000 people. 
  Mission Director Tip 
  One of the problems with running an outdoor scenario, espe­
  cially when most of the players live in cities or suburbs, is com­
  municating descriptions of terrain. Here, for your convenience, 
  is a list of Terrain Features as they are officially described in 
  the Stateside military. 
  1. Hill -
  A point or area of high ground. 
  2. Ridge -
  A line of high ground. 
  3. Valley -
  Level ground bordered by higher ground, big 
  enough to maneuver around in. 
  4. Saddle -
  A dip or low point along a ridge. 
  5. Depression -
  A hole or low point surrounded by higher 
  ground. 
  6. Draw -
  Similar to a valley, but generally sloped, with one 
  end higher than the other. Often a V -Shape caused by erosion. 
  7. Spur -
  A sloping line of higher ground jutting out from a 
  hill or the side of a ridge. 
  S. Cliff -
  A vertical or near-vertical slope. 
  Animal Encounters 
  This table is designed for hunters, and people who are delib­
  erately looking for animals. Other than birds and monkeys, most 
  travelers won't see any animals. 
  01-05 Elephants 
  31-32 Bear 
  06-07 Tiger 
  33-50 Deer 
  08-09 Leopard 
  51-70 Hares (Rabbits) 
  10-20 Wild Ox 
  71-90 Monkeys 
  21-30 Wild Buffalo 
  91-00 Squirrel 
  Note: Cranes, partridges, peafowl, pheasants, and ducks, are 
  so common that they are easily found (no roll required). Fishing 
  is also easy in the Mekong, and in many streams and ponds. 
  Roll 106; I - carp, 2 or 3 - catfish, 4 - mullet, 5 - perch and 6 ­
  trout. 
  Village Events 
  01-02 Adoption Ceremony. One of the player characters is 
  invited to become a member of the tribal mens' club. The char­
  acter will have to spend the night in the woods with one of the 
  elders memorizing the club's secret chants. Then there's a big 
  ceremony where a buffalo is sacrificed, and there is much food 
  and beer. 
  03-05 Evil Dreams. Dreams are corrunonly discussed in the 
  village, and most villagers believe that they are divine messages. 
  When someone has an evil dream, the village shaman will go 
  through several chants and rituals to safeguard the character and 
  the village. 
  06-07 Phi-Pop. Someone is accused of being a Phi-Pop, one 
  who is possessed by a demon. Everyone is frightened, especially 
  whoever was accused. Supposedly, a Phi-Pop has a Ho (a 
  demon) inside of him or her, and can kill by incantation. Either 
  the person will be killed, exiled or put into seclusion. The only 
  way to "cure" a Phi-Pop is to get an exorcist, a very rare kind of 
  holy woman. This can involve a dangerous trip into enemy terri­
  tory. It also involves paying the exorcist several hundred dollars. 
  OS-09 Crime Wave. One of the villagers, or someone from a 
  neighboring village, has been caught stealing. They have since 
  discovered a pile of stolen goods hidden under the thiefshouse. 
  The thiefs wife, mother and daughters come to the hut of the 
  player characters and stand around crying and wailing. When 
  asked what's wrong, they will plead for the player characters to 
  intercede. The village elders are wavering between executing, 
  mutilating (cutting off his hands), or exiling the criminal. Either 
  way will mean disaster for the man's family. 
  10-15 Apprentice G.I. One of the young boys (roll 106 + 5 
  for age) has decided to become an American. The kid will pick 
  out one of the player characters and follow him around every­
  where -
  even out on patrol. If the player character accepts the 
  kid, then he'll become responsible for the child. If they treat the 
  kid badly, then the whole village will decide that the Americans 
  188 
  
  "don't like children" -the moral equivalent of cannibalism and 
  Naziism combined. 
  16-25 Hunting Party. The player characters are invited to 
  participate in a hunting party. The villagers will be in a happy 
  and joking mood if any player characters are going to go along. 
  They'll keep asking the players about their previous hunting ex­
  perience, and will make a big deal about any successes. When 
  it's finally time to leave, early one morning, the player charac­
  ters will find out that all the hunting is done with crossbows, no 
  guns allowed. The villagers will boast of any PC who does well 
  with a crossbow, and will endlessly make fun of anybody who 
  doesn't. 
  26-30 Field Hockey. The villagers invite the player charac­
  ters to participate in a local game. It's sort of like field hockey, 
  using sticks to hit a rubber ball and moving toward a goal. It's 
  also a lot like brawling (see The Revised RECON, pp 25 & 26. 
  "Tavern Combat "). The villagers like to use their sticks (equiv­
  alent of Bayonet) a lot. If the ball isn't handy they just hit the 
  nearest member of the other team. They'" try to talk the player 
  characters into playing as a team against the whole village. If a 
  player points out that the PCs are terribly outnumbered, one of 
  the villagers will innocently say, "but you Americans are very 
  big, one of you same as three ofus!" 
  31-35 Love Story. One of the village girls falls in love with 
  one of the player characters. The girl will start 'accidently' run­
  ning into the PC, giving him food or gifts and will clean his 
  house and clothing. The older village women will approach the 
  PC and ask whether or not he is married. If he says he's not 
  married, the entire village will start badgering him, "Why nice 
  boy like you not married?"; "Are American girls ugly?"; and 
  "Don't you like children?" If he says he is married, the village 
  men will start asking all kind of questions about how rich he is, 
  what he owns, and what his relatives do back in the U.S. Even­
  tually, they will suggest that he is rich enough to take a second 
  wife. 
  A crisis point comes if the player makes any encouraging 
  moves toward the girl. At that point, the girl's relatives will ap­
  proach the player and suggest marriage. Turning them down in­
  sults the whole village. 
  36-40 Animal Problems. A wounded animal (roll I D6; 1 or 
  2 means tiger, 3 means leopard, 4 or 5 means elephant, and 6 
  means bear) is starting to attack villagers. The player characters 
  are asked to help track down and kill the animal. 
  41-45 Intruder Alert. A character on night patrol duty no­
  tices someone sneaking around the village in the middle of the 
  night. The villagers will deny knowing anything about it. It will 
  keep happening just about every night. If the player characters 
  attempt to trap or shoot the intruder, they'll discover that two of 
  the villagers are having an adulterous affair. If word gets out, 
  the whole village will go through an upheaval as the various 
  families fight about whose "fault" the whole thing is. The hus­
  band of the unfaithful wife will have to either kill her or leave, 
  in order to save his reputation. 
  46-50 Government Inspection. Every so often, somebody 
  from the outside world will drop in. Usually, the player charac­
  ters are expected to act as tour guides. Note: This is often an op­
  portunity for an Ata Lao assassination. Roll to determine 
  visitors. 
  01-20 Members of the International Control Commission 
  come to the village looking for violations of the Geneva treaty. 
  They will question the player characters to make sure they are 
  not military advisors in disguise. They'll also look around for 
  weapons and ammunition. 
  21-30 Laotian Government Inspectors come around to see 
  how much more money can be squeezed out of the area. They 
  will treat the player characters politely, but will be rude and 
  abusive to the villagers. 
  31-40 A member of the Stateside Department of State, com­
  plete with entourage, will take a tour of the area. Awards and 
  certificates will be presented to the player characters, and the 
  villagers, for things like "Contributing to the prosperity and 
  health of the Laotian democratic ideal." 
  41-50 Member of the Stateside Congress, on a "fact-finding" 
  mission, will pay a short visit to the village. 
  51-60 The player characters' superiors (the military ones) 
  come to inspect the progress of their mission. 
  61-80 A newspaper reporter shows up with a native guide. 
  They are investigating reports of (roll I D6) I) Ata Lao rebel­
  lion, 2) Nationalist Chinese Army, 3) Undercover US Military 
  Advisors, 4) Opium Traffic, 5) 'Nam military maneuvers, or 6) 
  quaint ethnic customs. 
  81-90 A Red Cross team coming into the area to give inocu­
  lations against smallpox or other diseases. The villagers are go­
  ing to have to be convinced by the player characters that there 
  are no demons in the needles. 
  91-99 A Stateside television crew flies in on a helicopter. 
  They take a few pictures and are gone within hours. 
  100 Royal visit. A member of the Laotian court will make a 
  ceremonial appearance in the area. Usually at the site of a Bud­
  dhist temple. For the local people, no matter what their ethnic 
  background, this is the equivalent of the Pope and the Queen of 
  England combined. They will eagerly throng to the area for a 
  glimpse of the King. Even armed Ata Lao rebels will attend. 
  Any attempt by the player characters to commit violence during 
  the King's visit will be viewed as barbaric. 
  51-60 Agency Supply Drop. Either by parachute drop or a 
  landing in a nearby airstrip, supplies and equipment requested 
  by the characters shows up. About 25% of the time, the ship­
  ment turns out to be dead wrong, usually containing something 
  in either ridiculous quantities (a small, Meo village once re­
  ceived over 5,000 Anny sweaters) or inappropriate (Snow­
  shoes? Typewriters? Caviar?). 
  61-70 Medical Problem. Since the group's medic is the clos­
  est thing to a doctor in the village, he'll be faced with a lot of 
  problems. Of course, after any encounter with the enemy, he'll 
  have his hands full with those wounded. 
  01-10 Somebody accidently swallows poison, or is bit by a 
  poisonous snake or insect. Roll on Medic skill. 
  11-20 Local midwives call in the Medic to help with a diffi­
  cult birth. Roll on Medic skill. 
  21-50 A villager suffers a serious accident. It can be a broken 
  bone, cut, bum or sprain. Roll on Medic skill. 
  51-80 Villager contracts serious disease requiring medicine 
  from outside. 
  189 
  
  81-94 A disease hits most of the villagers. They are suspi­
  cious as to why the Americans don't get sick. The Medic will 
  have to call for help and medicine. 
  95-00 One of the Medic's patients dies unexpectedly. A ru­
  mor starts up that the Medic is not really skilled, only "lucky," 
  and people stop showing up for treatment. 
  71-80 Informant. An informant from a nearby area will re­
  port on local, communist movements. Roll on Communist Traf­
  fic Table. 
  81-90 Enemy Attack. Players receive word from their scouts 
  that enemy forces are in the area. Roll on Communist Encounter 
  Table. 
  91-92 Attack on Player Character(s). Sooner or later, if the 
  group is successful in their mission, somebody is going to de­
  cide that they are too much trouble. The order then goes out to 
  kill the character or characters causing the problems. Usually, 
  the character(s) finds out through local informants, but it's a lot 
  more fun to have the character find an Ata Lao "Wanted Poster" 
  with his name and picture on it. Roll to see who comes gunning 
  for the character(s). See the Table/or Wanted Characters. 
  93-97 Revolutionary Talk. One of the local ethnic groups 
  starts talking about creating a "new nation." Although it is 
  sometimes started by Ata Lao, it could just as easily be a genu­
  ine desire for self-government. Player characters are in a tricky 
  situation since they will be asked their opinion. 
  98-99 Revolution. One of the ethnic groups suddenly re­
  volts. They attack all the local Lao Lum officials and talk about 
  establishing a new country. Player characters must either talk 
  them out of it or end up fighting when the Laotian Army comes 
  in to put down the rebellion. 
  100 Village Disasters. Roll on Village Disasters Table. 
  Village Disasters 
  01-05 Search and Destroy. A unit of the Laotian Army de­
  cides that the village is a hiding place for Ata Lao. They move 
  in, shoot anybody who gets in their way, arrest anyone suspi­
  cious, and set fire to the village. The characters will return to 
  find only about a quarter of the people remaining. The rest are 
  dead, taken away, or have fled to live with relatives in other vil­
  lages. 
  The ones arrested will tum out to be draft-age males, any ob­
  vious male leader, and the village's prettiest girls. If the player 
  characters manage to recover the prisoners, they'll be able to get 
  back into the good graces of the villagers. The village will never 
  again trust any Lao Lum or any government run by them. 
  06-15 Tactical Bombing. The village was hit by artillery or 
  aircraft fire. About a third of the people are dead and half the 
  buildings are destroyed. The villagers will demand to know why 
  their "friends" have done this to them. Even with massive aid 
  and reconstruction help, they will never completely trust the 
  player characters again. 
  16-25 The Local Draft Board Visits. A unit of government 
  troops arrives and drafts all the males who look to be over 14 
  and under 40. Player character assistance will be welcomed, but 
  the village will be paralyzed. If the characters can return the 
  draftees (very difficult -
  requires major bribery) then they may 
  recover the villagers' trust. Formerly drafted males will develop 
  a real hatred for the Laotian government and their army. 
  26-40 Relocation. The player characters will return to dis­
  cover the village deserted. Further investigation will reveal that 
  the entire population has been "relocated." In other words, the 
  people are now in a lowland concentration camp in the south. If 
  found, about half the people will be dead or dying of disease 
  from the unfamiliar climate and terrible living conditions. This 
  was done just before an area was scheduled to receive strategic 
  bombing. 
  41-45 Army Invasion. A large unit of any of the major ar­
  mies moves through the village. The entire village is searched 
  for weapons, ammunition, and "spies." All weapons and ammu­
  nition are seized, and anyone suspicious is arrested. People are 
  expected to temporarily house the officers and feed the soldiers. 
  Anyone who refuses to cooperate is shot. 
  46-80 Strategic Bombing. The entire village is smashed and 
  cratered by aerial bombardment. This bombing extends over a 
  wide area, and is intended to stop all movement of the commu­
  nist 'Namese in the area. Only about 20% of the people are still 
  alive, and they are living a miserable existence in the woods and 
  in caves. 
  81-85 Multiple Tax Collections. Tax collection in remote 
  areas is barbaric. The officials show up with troops, inspect the 
  village, and charge some percentage of its value (from 5% to 
  50%). Payment is to be made immediately, either in cash or 
  whatever goods are laying around. Since tax collections are of­
  ten not reported, they are occasionally collected more than once. 
  To village people, this is outrageous; pure theft! Villagers will 
  be angry and resentful, and will refuse to do anything to help the 
  government until they are compensated somehow. 
  86-95 Government Crop License. Regional officials occa­
  sionally run out of money. A handy way of getting more is by 
  190 
  
  selling licenses to fann, fish, hunt, make clothing or whatever 
  else might be important. Anyone caught without a license is 
  fined, drafted, or imprisoned. 
  96-00 Government Secret Police Persecution. Geala Party 
  secret police decide that the village people know something 
  about, or are cooperating with, the enemy. They "interrogate" 
  (torture) several of the village elders. Anyone who refuses to co­
  operate is arrested, and at least one person is killed as an "exam­
  ple." 
  Random Encounters 
  The following are the encounters a group is likely to have as 
  they patrol the rugged highlands of Laos. 
  01-06 Booby Trap Contact. Although fairly rare, occasion­
  ally a visiting Viet Cong would leave a "calling card" for the 
  Americans in the area. Roll for specifics. 
  01-25 Crossbow Type 
  26-45 Hand Grenade with Trip Wire. 
  46-60 Antipersonnel Mine 
  61-75 Drop Fall 
  76-90 Rock Slide 
  91-00 Spring Trap -
  usually a branch or small tree bent 
  backwards, and studded with spikes or razor blades. Upon re­
  lease it would "spring" back and nail anyone standing in the 
  way. 
  07-13 Village. The Mission Director can also roll on the Vil­
  lage Events Table to see what's happening in the village as the 
  characters approach. At least one person in each village speaks 
  French. 
  01-26 Lao Tai Village -
  In a deep valley there is a settle­
  ment of 10 to 20 houses on stilts, surrounded by rice paddies. At 
  least 6 anned men will appear to challenge the group. 
  27-50 Lao Theung Village. Built in the forest or on a hillside, 
  and all the buildings are on stilts. Crops are mixed, and there 
  will be pigs, cows and chickens wandering about freely. The vil­
  lagers will be quite friendly. 
  51-55 Kha Village -
  Hidden in the forest are several build­
  ings. The people will immediately run away and hide. They are 
  convinced that outsiders will only capture them and force them 
  to become slaves. 
  56-75 Meo Village -
  Usually a prosperous village with 20 
  to 40 low buildings. The headman will personally greet any 
  anned parties who approach. He'll be backed up by at least a 
  dozen other anned villagers. The headman will insist on feeding 
  and sheltering the gr014P, and will be offended if they do not ac­
  cept a drink. 
  76-90 Yao Village -
  As soon as it becomes obvious that the 
  group is not threatening, many of the villagers will come out 
  with trade goods. They love to trade and are very interested in 
  getting cash of any kind, especially silver. Nothing is free; even 
  infonnation from small children must be paid for. 
  91-95 Unknown Culture Village -
  Sooner or later, the group 
  is going to find totally unfamiliar people. They will look pretty 
  much like Lao Theung or Yao, but their language will be com­
  pletely incomprehensible. Most of these people are friendly and 
  hospitable. 
  96-00 Disaster Tom Village -
  Roll on the Village Disaster 
  Table to see what has happened, and then again on this table to 
  find out what kind of village. 
  14-19 Civilians 
  01-20 Hunting Party. From 3 to 18 (roll 306) local villagers 
  looking for meat. They will be anned with crossbows, 
  bolt-action rifles and a couple of pistols. 
  21-30 Smugglers. Illegal smuggling is universal in Laos. It is 
  not necessarily international. Very often the smuggler is just try­
  ing to avoid a corrupt, local, government official. Since the gov­
  ernment charges such high tariffs, just about everybody 
  smuggles at one time or another. Gold, opium and consumer 
  goods are the most popular items. Roll 206 for number of 
  mules; there will be half that many anned (semi-automatic ri­
  fles) men. 
  31-50 Fanners. A group of fanners traveling to or from the 
  local government center. They are generally friendly, but cau­
  tious. About a third are anned with rifles. 
  51-65 Phi Ritualists. Holy days, or special ceremonies, will 
  bring dozens of people out into the woods. They will usually 
  gather around a particularly impressive tree or rock. Roll per­
  centile and mUltiply by two for total numbers. 
  66-75 Buddhist Monks. Carrying only their begging bowls 
  and a small bag of essentials, they are dressed in one-piece 
  robes. They are usually on a pilgrimage to a holy place. They 
  will avoid talking to anned men, but will readily speak to mem­
  bers of the group who approach unanned . 
  76-80 Christian Missionaries. Either French Catholic or 
  American Protestant, they will usually be accompanied by from 
  2 to 12 Lao Tai. 
  81-00 Merchants. From 1 to 6 traveling salesmen. They are 
  ethnic Chinese, usually Yuan, and travel with two mules per 
  man. The mules are laden down with cloth, clothing, pans, lan­
  terns, salt, and other items of interest to villagers. 
  20-24 Animal Contact 
  01-75 Flock of Birds 
  76-90 Monkeys 
  91-99 Roll on Animal Encounters Table 
  100 Animal attack (roll on Animal Encounters Table - even 
  rabbits and squirrels can be dangerous if handled the wrong way 
  . .. ). 
  191 
  
  2S-30 Aircraft Overhead 
  01-05 Helicopters. A fairly rare occurance. Most of highland 
  Laos is perfect for ambushing helicopters. When the chopper 
  lands in a valley, the Ata Lao can shoot down and across from 
  the ridges. 
  06-75 Single engine, small plane. Usually an Air America 
  supply flight. 
  76-85 Twin engine, small plane. Larger Air America trans­
  portation. 
  86-90 Military transport. Usually used only for landing 
  troops (Royal Laos Army), dropping paratroops, or evacuating 
  refugees from an area. A sign of trouble of some kind. 
  91-95 Jet Fighter-Bomber. Could be on low flying, troop 
  support missions, or sent to attack NYA Anti-Aircraft emplace­
  ments. 
  96-00 Strategic Bomber. B-52 Stratofortress, flying at high 
  altitude, on its way to attack People's 'Nam. 
  31-40 Military Units. Although not necessarily hostile, these 
  groups could be dangerous. Player characters who are greatly 
  outnumbered run a small risk of being attacked, and a much 
  larger risk of being intimidated and threatened. 
  01- 10 Shan National Army. Roll percentile for numbers. 
  11-20 Chinese Nationalist Army. Roll percentile for num­
  bers. 
  21-25 Royal Neutralists. This unit is trying to avoid contact 
  with either the Royal Laotian Army or the Ata Lao. They oper­
  ate from secret bases and will generally move away from any 
  armed forces. Roll 20 I 0 for numbers. 
  26-40 Armed irregulars. Usually a tribe of Meo, but possibly 
  another ethnic group. They are CIA-backed and supplied, and 
  usually carrying M-16s, M-79s and M-60s. They are usually 
  friendly, but may attempt to get a "donation" for the "anticom­
  munist fund" from smaller units. 
  41-00 Royal Laos Army Regulars. This is a unit of govern­
  ment troops on patrol. If they greatly outnumber the player char­
  acter group, then they will attempt to "detain and search" by 
  claiming they are looking for contraband. Their officer will hint 
  that units moving through the area should pay a "toiL" 
  41-S0 Waterway. One of the frequent bodies of water in 
  Laos. 
  01-20 Natural Spring. Water coming directly out of the 
  ground. 95% chance of being pure, excellent, drinking water. 
  Otherwise, contaminated by belowground minerals and rarely 
  (I %) poisonous. 
  21-40 Stream. Roll 506 for width in inches. 
  41-50 Small River. Roll 306 for width in feet. 
  51-55 Large River. Roll 206 and multiply by 10 for width in 
  feet. Group may have to swim, or travel up or down stream to 
  find a crossing. 
  56-59 Waterfall. Beautiful sight of water falling over a cliff. 
  Generally, a small river. 
  60-80 Pond. A body of water no more than 50 feet in diame­
  ter (roll 50 I 0). 
  81-90 Swamp. Some swamps fill entire valleys. Such areas 
  are difficult to travel through and filled with insects. 
  91-00 Lake. Somewhere along a small or large river. 
  Ranging from 50 feet to a mile in length. Width, from where the 
  river enters to where it leaves, is about a fifth of the length. 
  SI-60 Change of Terrain. Roll on Terrain Description Ta­
  ble. 
  61-70 Roll on Communist Encounter Table. 
  71-80 Roll on Communist Traffic Table. 
  81-00 No Encounters. 
  Communist Encounter Table 
  These are combat forces who are prepared for conflict. They 
  are often reconnaissance units or strike forces. Unless they are at 
  a great disadvantage, they will always engage the player charac­
  ters. 
  01-10 Sniper. An Ata Lao acting as a lone guerrilla. He will 
  select a good ambush point and open fire on the characters. 
  There's a 10% chance that a claymore has been set up around 
  the characters. There is also a 50/50 chance that the sniper set up 
  some kind of explosive or booby trap to cover his escape. 
  l1-IS Ata Lao Ambush. A six-man team of Ata Lao Guer­
  rillas. They have dug in, set up a good field of fire for a 
  machinegun, and (15% chance) set up claymores. 
  16-20 Ata Lao Mortar Attack. From I to 3, 80mm Mortars 
  have been set up and are ready to fire. At least 6 men, armed 
  with Sniper Rifles, are in good watch/fire positions. 
  21-30 Ata Lao Strike Force. 40 Ata Lao and 2 NYA offi­
  cers are moving toward a local village. They intend on doing in­
  terrogation, assassinating the village elders, and, if the village is 
  uncooperative, burning it down. 
  31-40 Ata Lao Tax Collection Unit. 4 Party officials and 12 
  AK-47 armed guards are intent on collecting "taxes" from vil­
  lages in the area. 
  41-S0 Ata Lao Army Column. From 600 to 3600 (roll 606 
  and multiply by 100) Ata Lao soldiers are moving toward a ma­
  jor battle with Geala Army forces. They will engage with any­
  one who tries to block their path. 
  SI-70 "Red" Meo Ambush. From 3 to 18 (roll 306) Meo 
  are waiting for victims to enter a particularly vulnerable moun­
  tain pass. They are all armed with AK-47s. 
  71-8S "Red" Meo Strike Force. A 16 man force armed with 
  AK-47s and a few grenades. 
  86-90 "Red" Meo Army Column. From 200 to 1200 (roll 
  206 and multiply by 100) Meo involved in a major assault. 
  192 
  
  91-95 Ata Lao Armored Unit. A Stateside, M-60, Main 
  Battle Tank; 3 M-113 Personnel Carriers and 150 supporting 
  Ata Lao Infantry. These units were captured in earlier engage­
  ments and are used with great effectiveness. 
  96-00 NVA Strike Unit. 36 People's 'Nam elite soldiers, 4 
  Snipers with SVO Rifles, 22 Riflemen with AK-47s, I officer 
  armed with a 7.62mm Pistol, 2 60mm Mortar teams, and I 
  Heavy Machinegun Team. They will be spread out, with for­
  ward and outlying scouts. 
  Communist Traffic Table 
  The communist traffic along the 'Nam border is mostly in­
  volved in transportation. Although armed, they are not in the 
  best position to get into a fight. 
  01-05 Lone Pedestrian. A solitary man or woman, separated 
  from a larger group, carrying about 40 pounds of rice. Unarmed. 
  06-10 Medical Relief Unit. From 2 to 12 medical doctors 
  and nurses. They are carrying heavy loads of medicines, ban­
  dages and surgical equipment. Accompanying them are 4 NV A 
  soldiers armed with AK-47s. 
  II-IS Tax Collectors. Two tax collectors with metal boxes 
  on their backs. They are returning to the north, and are escorted 
  by 8 NV A soldiers armed with AK-47s. 
  16-20 Prisoners of War (POWs). A unit of 8 guards and 
  one officer are escorting prisoners to the north. Each guard is 
  armed with a MAT -49, 9mm Sub-Machinegun, and the officer 
  is carrying a 9mm Pistol. Roll below to determine type of 
  POWs. 
  01-30 One or Two American Pilot(s). 
  31-40 From I to 3 Special Forces Soldiers. 
  41-80 Roll 306 to determine number of ARVN POWs. 
  81-00 Stateside Army POW. 
  21-30 Porters. Roll percentile and add 20 to determine the 
  number of porters. About a quarter of them will be VC or NV A 
  armed with AK-47s. Except for two forward scouts, everybody 
  will be burdened with large packs of rice and supplies (at least 
  40 pounds per person). 
  31-40 Viet Cong Political Unit. From 4 to 24 (roll 406) 
  Viet Cong officers. About half will be carrying 9mm Pistols, the 
  rest will have MAT -49 Sub-Machineguns. 
  41-50 North Vietnamese Army Regulars. A full unit of 72 
  NV A troops. They will be distributed in fighting teams, with 
  forward scouts, small rifle teams, and three-man heavy weapon 
  teams. Weapons include AK-47s, Oragunov SVD 7.62mm Ri­
  fles (with scopes), RPK 7.62mm Machineguns. RPG-7 Antitank 
  Launchers, and hand grenades. There will be 3 Heavy 
  Machinegun teams and 8, 82mm, Type 53 Mortar teams. 
  51-60 Conscripts. From 3 to 18 (roll 306) conscript prison­
  ers are being marched up from the south. Guarding them are 4 
  Viet Cong armed with MAT-49 Sub-Machineguns. 
  61-65 Heavy Weapon Teams. From 4 to 24 (roll 406) 
  three-man mortar teams. Each team is carrying a disassembled, 
  Type 53, 82mm Mortar. There are 6 forward scouts carrying 
  Sniper Rifles and AK-47s. Along the sides of the column are an­
  other 18 soldiers armed with AK-47s. 
  66-70 Bicycles. A column of from 3 to 18 (roll 306) Viet 
  Cong pushing heavily laden bicycles. One out of three has an 
  AK-47. 
  71-85 Road Building Crew. A unit of 20 to 120 (roll 2D6 
  and multiply by 10) Ata Lao and People's 'Nam workers, and 
  soldiers. They will clear brush, dig and level road surfaces, build 
  bridges, and do whatever is necessary to make the area passable 
  for supply trucks. They always have at least 6 scouts (usually 
  "Red" Meo armed with AK-47s), ranging far out into the sur­
  rounding area. About half the workers have weapons nearby, 
  usually AK-47s and semi-automatic rifles. 
  86-90 Surveyor Team. Using surveyor's equipment, a team 
  of 5 men are carefully examining the area, probably judging 
  what needs to be done to fix the road. They are all armed with 
  SVO, 7.62mm, Sniper Rifles. 
  91-99 Trucks. A convoy of from 2 to 12 (roll 206) supply 
  trucks. At night, they drive without headlights and keep about 
  100ft apart from one another. Each truck contains a driver, and a 
  guard armed with an AK-47. 
  100 Tanks. One or two, PT-79, Amphibious Tanks with full 
  crews, and an extra I to 6 (roll 106) NV A riding on top. There 
  is a 10% chance that the tanks are Soviet T -55s. 
  193 
  
  Wanted Characters Table 
  01-20 Lone Assassin. A sniper with an SYD Rifle will sta­
  tion himself in a good ambush location and wait; for weeks if 
  necessary. 
  21-40 Assassination Team. A team of ID6+2 Ata Lao infil­
  trate into the area. They will attempt to sneak into the camp at 
  night. They are all armed with AK-47s. 
  41-50 NVA Commando Team. A team of 3D6 will infiltrate 
  into the area and try to set up an ambush. Armed with AK-47s, 
  Sniper Rifles and Machineguns. 
  51-75 Local, Mercenary, Bounty Hunters. 3DIO Meo and 
  Shan mercenaries. They are tough veterans, armed with an as­
  sortment of assault rifles and medium machineguns. They will 
  openly confront the targeted player character and ask how much 
  he will pay for them NOT to kill him. If they are offered at least 
  10% of the bounty, they will go away happy. They will only kill 
  the character if he is unpleasant. 
  76-85 Small Reward (roll percentile and multiply times 10) 
  in Kip (Laotian currency). Everybody makes jokes about how 
  valuable the character has become. 
  86-00 Large reward for the character in Stateside dollars or 
  gold (roll percentile and multiply times 10). This is a serious 
  emergency, since quite a few mercenary groups and villagers 
  value money more than friendship. 
  Random Military Mission Table 
  (Roll a Twenty-Sided) 
  Here are a few of the possible military missions. 
  1. Observation of Local Unit Movement. This means find­
  ing a hiding place with a good view of a main trail or road. Sim­
  ply count the number of Ata Lao, NYA, and other troops who 
  pass by. 
  2. Locate Supply Depot. Try following Ata Lao tracks 
  through the woods. Hopefully, the tracks will indicate where 
  they are storing ammunition and supplies. 
  3. Neutralize Village Chief. Once a village chief has been 
  identified as an Ata Lao collaborator, he needs to be eliminated. 
  This means either kill him, capture him and send him to the gov­
  ernment, or somehow intimidate him into changing sides. 
  4. Village Defense. A company-sized Ata Lao force has been 
  spotted moving toward a friendly village. Move into the village, 
  dig in, and repulse the Ata Lao attack. 
  5. Ambush. Along a main Ata Lao or NYA trail, set up an 
  ambush using claymores and machineguns. 
  6. Demolition. Sneak into Ata Lao territory, locate a strategic 
  building (ammunition dump, administration building, motor 
  pool), and blow it up. 
  7. Road Destruction. Once again, the NYA has trucks run­
  ning along their supply route. Move into the communist con­
  trolled area and disable the road. 
  8. Bodyguard. The Ata Lao have announced their intention 
  to assassinate one of the village elders in a remote part of the 
  players' development zone. Players must protect the old man 
  and try to eliminate the assassins. 
  9. Knocking out Ata Lao resources. The Ata Lao have just 
  finished collecting the rice tax from nearby farmers. Locate their 
  supply dump and liberate or destroy the rice. 
  10. Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. Player characters 
  are sent out on a two month patrol to investigate the exteme 
  northeastern areas of Laos. 
  11. Organizing and Training Local Militia. A village in 
  Ata Lao territory has requested help in setting up a rebellion. 
  Player characters must infiltrate with 100 assault rifles, 10,000 
  rounds of ammunition, and various other supplies. Once at the 
  village, they will train and equip a militia force, then lead them 
  against the local Ata Lao headquarters. 
  12. Constructing Village Defenses. Using trenches, barbed 
  wire, and guard towers, construct a solid fortification for the vil­
  lage closest to Ata Lao territory. 
  13. Set up booby traps or mines along NVA trails. 
  14. Rescue Air America Unit. An Air America plane landed 
  at Ii nearby airfield. Unfortunately, it has already been taken 
  over by Ata Lao. CIA agents, and the pilot, are now pinned 
  down in a valley and are on the radio calling for help. 
  15. Raid Prison Camp/Detention Area. A camp containing 
  captured or drafted local tribesmen has been spotted in Ata Lao 
  territory. Infiltrate, and liberate the prisoners without killing 
  them in the process. 
  16. Set up radio fire-control. A massive bombing raid is 
  planned for an NYA convoy. Player characters are to infiltrate 
  the area, find a good lookout point, and then radio-guide the 
  planes to the target. 
  17. Knockout NVA Radar or Anti-Aircraft Unit. The 
  player characters must destroy this emplacement, even though 
  it's guarded by 120 Ata Lao and NYA. 
  18. Destroy NVA Tank. A Soviet, PT-76, Amphibious Tank 
  has been ripping through the player characters' irregular troops. 
  Destroy the tank, and break up the 50-man infantry unit that is 
  supporting it. 
  19. Infiltrate People's 'Nam. A major anti-aircraft base, just 
  across the 'Nam border, must be destroyed. Characters must fig­
  ure out how to get across the barbed wire and patrols on the bor­
  der, knock out the base, and get back. 
  20. Attack Ata Lao Base. Requires a major unit of 
  194 
  
  well-trained and armed, regional irregulars. An all-out assault 
  Characters will be able to check out vehicles, equipment, 
  on the Ata Lao's main military base in the area. 
  food and supplies from the district HQ. Weapons and ammuni­
  tion are available through their usual contacts. 
  Adventures 
  Project Boot-Strap: 
  The Spice Scam 
  Here's a rarity; a RECON adventure with a little humor 
  thrown in. The characters are given a real, civilian-type mission: 
  get a group of rural, tribal folk to cash in on a new, boom crop 
  -
  the spice called Cardamon. Humorous interludes include dis­
  covering that the natives already know everything about the 
  spice, and that the international trade in "Cardamon" is some­
  thing else altogether. 
  Recon Team Minimum Requirements 
  Suitable for any level of RECON characters. Groups can be 
  as small as two characters, and need no particular skills or 
  equipment to participate in the mission. 
  Mission Director Notes 
  Ideally, the players' team should already be working as advi­
  sors in some remote village. That would allow the Mission Di­
  rector to simply apply this scenario to the setting and non-player 
  characters that are already in use. Obviously, if the characters 
  are based somewhere other than Noi Pot, the MD should substi­
  tute the place named in the briefing below. 
  Mission Briefing 
  The player characters are summoned to their regional head­
  quarters and introduced to Archie Waters, one of the Depart­
  ment of Agriculture'S top advisors in the region. He gives the 
  following speech: 
  "Well men. I have some really excellent news! It seems that 
  we've finally discovered a cash crop that will grow well for the 
  local tribesmen, and has an excellent market price. It's a spice 
  called Cardamon, and it grows anywhere the high grasses and 
  bamboo are found. 
  "We've gathered together everything you'll need to start the 
  villagers working on production of Cardamon. And, by the time 
  you've prepared your first crop, we will have the distribution 
  and payment mechanism worked out. 
  "We'd like you to go out to the remote village of Noi Pot 
  where a tribe of Lao Theung are living at the level of meager 
  subsistence. Your initial visit should be for about a week, and 
  you should pay a follow-up visit every month or so until harvest 
  time. 
  "Remember that you are giving these people their first real 
  opportunity for a better life." Archie will gladly answer any tech­
  nical questions regarding agricultural methods, growing sea­
  sons, soil, fertilizer and the like. In fact, the characters will 
  understand very little of what he's saying. One question that he 
  can answer is about the market price of Cardamon, "Averaging 
  it out, accounting for regional disparities, currency fluctuations 
  and tariff charges; it's something like $12 a Kilogram." 
  The following equipment will then be distributed to the 
  player characters: 
  I. Three shipping crates. Each with 320 bricks of commercial 
  grade sulfur, each wrapped in brown paper. The bricks are the 
  size and shape of regular building bricks. Each brick weighs 
  about 2.5 pounds. 
  The sulfur will bum easily. It can be started with a wood 
  match and gives off only a dim blue flame. 
  2. 120 bamboo, drying/smoking trays. Each is roughly 3 feet 
  wide and 6 feet long (I by 2 meters). 
  3. 10,000 Brochures on Cardamon. They have bright, color 
  photographs of Cardamon plants; Cardamon flowers, Cardamon 
  seed pods, Processed Cardamon, and a fancy diagram of the sul­
  fur smoking process. Each brochure is a three part fold-out on 
  expensive, glossy paper, and written in English, French, Viet­
  namese and Chinese. It reads: 
  "CARDAMON (Elettaria cardamomum Zingiberaceae) : A 
  spice commonly found in curry, and in a variety of other Indian, 
  Asian and Scandinavian foods. Currently, the value of 
  Cardamon on the Laotian export market has shot up. Two years 
  ago it made up a mere 2% of the country's total exports. Last 
  year, that figure jumped up to 31 % of the national exports. The 
  Stateside Department of Agriculture has determined that 
  Cardamon will make a significant contribution to village econo­
  mies in highland areas of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. 
  "Growing Conditions: The plant itself grows like a kind of 
  large grass, with leafy shoots rising up from 5 to 20 feet high. 
  Any soil that produces healthy bamboo or elephant grass will 
  also support Cardamon. 
  "Harvesting: The fruit is harvested from the flower shoots, 
  which are usually only about 3 feet tall (one meter). The first 
  part of the reproductive cycle involves the plants displaying 
  flowers with green petals, and a bright, white "tongue" shot 
  through with delicate, purple veins. After fertilization, the flow­
  ering shoots also produce the green fruit. These are tiny, 
  3-sided, oval pods. Healthy pods are about .3 inches (8mm) long 
  and each contains 15 to 20 dark, reddish-brown seeds. 
  "Processing: The tiny seeds have to be processed by drying. 
  After the seeds are peeled, they must be placed either in com­
  mercial drying tanks, or, in remote areas, placed on dry bamboo 
  trays in direct sunlight for several days. Care must be taken not 
  to allow the seeds to experience any moisture during processing. 
  "Bleaching: Although not necessary for consumption, 
  Cardamon must be bleached if it is to be acceptable on the inter­
  national market. The seeds have to be bleached with the fumes 
  of burning sulfur until they tum a creamy, white color. 
  Bleaching is best done outdoors using a makeshift chimney. The 
  fumes of the burning sulfur should be channeled up through the 
  seeds. Bleaching time is about 30 minutes per tray. The same 
  bamboo trays used for drying can also be used for bleaching. 
  "Caution: Sulfur dioxide (sulfur gas) is toxic. Care should be 
  taken to avoid breathing the fumes. The odor is strong and suf­
  focating. Human exposure causes irritation to eyes and respira­
  tory tract. Treat with fresh air, and wash eyes with water. If 
  symptoms persist after 2 hours, then consult a physician. 
  195 
  
  "Packaging: Trays should be ventilated for at least three 
  days before packaging to eliminate any traces of sulfur smell. 
  Usual commercial packaging is in I Kilogram bags -
  bulk, and 
  small paper envelopes -
  retai1." 
  4. 4,000 Packets of "Cardamon Seeds." They have a bright, 
  color picture of the Cardamon plant on the front, and planting 
  instructions on the back (in English, French, Vietnamese and 
  Chinese), "Plant in shaded area suitable for bamboo, mountain 
  rice or tall grass. Seeds should be placed no deeper than one fin­
  ger joint. Water lightly, every other day for the first two weeks. 
  Once shoots have appeared, water once a day until the ground is 
  well moistened." 
  5. 200 small, white, cloth bags. All are stamped, "I Kilo­
  gram Cardamon, product of the Kingdom ofLaos." 
  Encounters 
  After the briefing, the characters should go through the fol­
  lowing steps: 
  Encounter with the Villagers 
  As soon as the player characters return to the village with the 
  equipment, they'll draw a crowd. 
  Initially, the villagers will be fascinated by any presentation 
  made by the player characters. Remember, that in a world with­
  out television, every sort of presentation is a form of theatre. 
  The villagers will be very appreciative and attentive. Even the 
  children will watch with wide open eyes. 
  When the characters make any kind of reference to making 
  money, they will get a lot of applause and approval from the 
  crowd. In fact, the people will get more and more enthusiastic. 
  Until, that is, they actually get to examine the picture of the 
  Cardamon. Then read: 
  "You see that Aba, the oldest woman in the village, is behav­
  ing really strangely. She starts hacking, spitting and coughing 
  lOUdly. The other villagers try to quiet her down, but she ignores 
  them. One of the very small children goes up to her and whis­
  pers fiercely. Aba takes the child by the hand and walks over to 
  an overgrown patch ofgrass. She roots around in it for a minute, 
  and comes back with some plants. 
  "She pushes it into your (choose a player character at ran­
  dom) hand. You realize that she's just handed you a Cardamon 
  shoot, flower and seed pod. "This Ca-Da-Min? Like this?" she 
  asks. 
  The villagers will explain that Cardamon is a weed that they 
  have to pull up out of the ground in their rice and vegetable 
  patches. They use the spice themselves and they find it difficult 
  to believe that it has any monetary value. 
  If the player characters ask about more Cardamon in the area, 
  they'll be met with unanimous agreement. At that point, the 
  whole village will lead the player characters down a path until 
  they come to a huge, dense patch of Cardamon. There is easily a 
  ton or more Cardamon available for harvesting. 
  Facing Production Problems 
  Convincing the villagers that they should waste their time 
  and effort on a field of weeds is something of a challenge. Re­
  member that the villagers are pretty savvy people. If there were 
  any kind of decent market for Cardamon, they would know 
  about it. The going price for real Cardamon is about K30 per 
  Kilo (roughly 2.5 cents a pound). That's not enough money to 
  make the processing worthwhile. 
  However, by extravagant promises, bribery, and a lot of beg­
  ging and pleading, the characters should eventually get the vil­
  lagers working on processing the Cardamon. 
  Locating the Buyers 
  Archie will react joyously to the news of the availability of 
  wild Cardamon. He'll direct the player characters to Lee Song 
  Do, an ethnic Chinese merchant. Archie will also tell the play­
  ers, "Be sure to bring in as much as possible as quickly as you 
  can. You want to take advantage of the current high market 
  prices. 
  "Oh! Make sure that you pay a courtesy visit first! Some of 
  the local merchants will only deal with you after a certain 
  amount of ritual." 
  Encounters with the Cardamon Dealer, Preliminary Visit 
  On the first visit to Lee Song Do's shop, they'll find the pro­
  prietor to be extremely friendly and hospitable. He will escort 
  them to a beautifully decorated, Chinese-style room; offer them 
  tobacco, brandy and whiskey, and then talk about light pleasant­
  ries for a half-hour or so. Finally, Mr. Do will say: 
  "May I inquire reason for your most pleasant visit?" 
  If the characters are the first to bring up business, then Mr. 
  Do will look slightly offended and continue from here. Read: 
  "At the mention of Cardamon, Mr. Do immediately looks in­
  terested. 'Ah, Cardamon, indeed in very great demand. It is a 
  subject of great interest. I have three questions. Number one. 
  Are we talking about processed Cardamon?' He looks expec­
  tantly at you." 
  Here the characters may discuss the relative value of raw ver­
  sus processed Cardamon. Mr. Do knows nothing of the details, 
  but he's not as eager to buy raw Cardamon. 
  "Very Good! Price for processed Cardamon very favorable 
  this time of year. Second question. How much Cardamon?" 
  Presumably, the characters are talking about a fairly large 
  volume. 
  "Exceptional! Exceptional! I offer you my top price. One 
  hundred and ten dollars U.S. per Kilogram." 
  Actually, his top price is something like $230 per kilogram. 
  Characters who attempt to bargain the price up can easily raise it 
  to $150, and, with difficulty, to $175. 
  If a deal is made for anything over 20 kilograms, at less than 
  $180 per kilogram, then tears of gratitude will come to the eyes 
  of Mr. Do. He will press presents on the player characters (ex­
  pensive, jade, miniature carvings) and will speak fondly of see­
  ing them again very soon. 
  Encounters with the Cardamon Dealer 
  When the characters arrive back at the spice trading center 
  with their load of Cardamon, they'll be greeted outside by Mr. 
  Do and eight workers. A large door has been opened to the 
  warehouse and there is a weigh scale hanging in the doorway. 
  Mr. Do will greet the player characters, then he will offer to 
  have his workers do the unloading and weighing. Read: 
  "You see the first bag is handled very carefully, almost ritu­
  alistically. They hand it from person to person. Then Mr. Do 
  himself weighs it and passes it on to a well-dressed employee. 
  He and the first bag disappear, and the rest of the workers start 
  unloading and weighing -
  quickly and efficiently." 
  196 
  
  Mr. Do will remain with the player characters, and engage in 
  pleasant conversation as the unloading is taking place. Three 
  minutes of game time later, things begin to happen. Read: 
  "Suddenly, you see the well-dressed employee run back into 
  the warehouse shouting something in Chinese (those who under­
  stand Chinese will know it as "Stop Loading! Put it back on the 
  truck!"). He runs up to Mr. Do and starts speaking in a low, 
  rapid voice (this conversation is too fast and low to be under­
  stood). Mr. Do is at first angry, then confused; he says, "What! 
  This some kind of Yankee joke? What are you doing?" 
  Mr. Do has been told that the substance in the bags is really 
  Cardamon! Suddenly, he is beginning to realize that the charac­
  ters may be dangerous . He'll take an aggressive tone to get rid 
  of them, saying things like: 
  "Not funny!" 
  "This spice no good! Is rotten ... is wrong kind is ... is. . .. 
  too dry?" 
  "Yes! Too dry, has gone bad; no good . . .. go 'way now. We 
  very busy with good stuff .. " 
  "You must go now; we closed!" 
  "Go away. Go away or we call authorities!" 
  "No! Don't come back!" 
  The workers will pile all the Cardamon back into the player 
  characters' truck, or on the street if necessary. They'll then at­
  tempt to force the door closed. 
  If the characters don't leave, or if they attempt some kind of 
  violence, then the authorities, specifically, the town's national 
  policemen, will show up. They will take the side of Mr. Do in 
  everything, and will claim not to understand a word that the 
  player characters are saying. 
  Discovering the Real Cardamon Market 
  When and if the players go in search of other Cardamon buy­
  ers, they'll find Gua Sudanama; a small-time exporter in a dingy 
  warehouse. When asked about Cardamon, he'll reply: 
  "Sure Joe! I buy lots Car-Da-Man. Buy plenty in volume too! 
  Let's see (he looks at some papers). Market price in Bangkok 
  now 57 ... Okay Joe! Those 1 Kilo bags pretty fancy. I can give 
  you 38 Kip each. How much you wanna sell?" 
  Since there's 600 Kip to a Stateside dollar, that's not much 
  per kilogram. Certainly a big letdown from over $100 each. 
  By this point, the player characters will have figured out that 
  this 'spice' trading is actually a cover for high-grade heroin be­
  ing shipped directly to Hong Kong. 
  Possible Scenario Outcome 
  1. Attempt to report the operations to the authorities. The 
  big question is what authorities? The local Laotian government 
  officials are all paid off handsomely. They'll not want to risk 
  their source of income. The Stateside military and CIA view all 
  this as a Laotian "internal problem." Archie and the guys at the 
  Department of Agriculture are going to be shocked, but they 
  can't really do anything. Just about the only effective way ofre­
  porting the "Cardamon" traffic is by tipping off Interpol in 
  Hong Kong . .. which will shut down the Hong Kong buyers 
  temporarily, but do absolutely nothing about the Laotian net­
  work. 
  2. Inflict Personal Vengeance. Attacking Mr. Do and his as­
  sociates is fairly easy for the player characters. Mr. Do has two 
  guards in his warehouse. One is in the front room at any time. 
  The other is usually sleeping. They will give up in the face of 
  superior firepower (like an M-16). The problem is, then what to 
  do? Mr. Do can, and will, bribe the characters with up to 
  $82,000 in gold, Stateside dollars and Laotian Kip. 
  Destroying the warehouse, killing Do, or accepting a bribe, 
  will all bring the characters to the attention of the national dl1lg 
  organization. This can lead to much intrigue. 
  3. Investigate the Heroin Network. This is probably the 
  best solution. With a little discretion, the player characters can 
  start unraveling the complex heroin network. See The Heroin 
  Connection section for more information. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Archie Waters 
  Description: Archie is a real agricultural expert. He has no idea 
  that the characters are anything other than civilian advisors, 
  and will not believe that they are "mercenaries" or "spies." 
  Whenever the characters refer to covert missions, he'll either 
  ignore it altogether or make a joke about how the characters 
  "are really good at subverting rice paddies and tracking down 
  the communist infiltrators in the village pigpen." He is very 
  serious about his job, and does a lot of good work with the 
  local rice farmers. 
  Attributes: ST: 58 AL: 28 AG: 53 
  Alignment: Idealist-Pacifist 
  Skills: Extensive training in horticulture and agriculture. Can 
  speak well in Lao Lum, Lao Tai, French, and three dialects of 
  Lao Theung. No weapon or military skills. 
  Lee Song Do 
  Description: Mr. Do (as he is known to almost everybody) is a 
  hardworking smuggler who runs a tight organization. He is 
  personable and charming, but is willing to hire an assassin if 
  it is necessary to take pressure off his organization. He fig­
  ures that the "Cardamon Scam" will reach the end of its use­
  fulness anytime, and he has already made preparations to 
  change his base of operations. 
  Attributes: ST: 24 AL: 29 AG: 25 
  Alignment: Opportunistic 
  Skills: A wide assortment of business skills, plus fluency in 
  English, French, Lao Lum, Lao Theung, Meo Chinese and 
  several Chinese dialects. 
  Equipment: 9mm Browning Automatic (22%) 
  Mr. Do's Warehouse Guards 
  ST: 71, 36, 83, 73 
  AL:31,15,9,47 
  AG: 73, 82, 9, 30 
  Equipment: All are armed with .45 Automatic pistols (each 
  with a base effectiveness of 28) and a knife. They are all 
  trained in unarmed combat also. 
  A Final Note: This scenario was inspired by a stray statistic that 
  I came across. In 1967, the Cardamon crop brought about 
  KIO. 8 million in Laos. In 1968, even though the value of the 
  Kip went down, the Cardamon crop was K51.5 million. 
  Then, in 1969 it dropped back to K4.8 million. Since most of 
  the buyers are from Hong Kong, and the majority of the ille­
  gal heroin exports go to Hong Kong ... well, you can draw 
  your own conclusions. 
  197 
  
  4. Terrain and Weather Report. The terrain is heavily
  The Opium War! 
  wooded highland country. Thick underbrush makes leaving the 
  Here's an interesting scenario that's useful for testing the 
  trail difficult. It takes about an hour to chop through 10 feet with 
  rules for large unit conflict. It also leaves a lot of tactical and 
  machetes. Weather is clear and sunny; no forecast available. 
  strategic choices up to the players. 
  5. Mission Objectives. None. The player characters are ex­
  pected to act on their own. 
  Recon Team Minimum Requirements 
  6. Special Rules. None. 
  The characters will either be leading their own militia, or be 
  7. Method of Extraction. Just like Insertion. Walking. 
  assigned a unit of mercenaries. No minimum number of play­
  ers. 
  Encounters 
  If the players move at top speed to the southeast from their 
  Mission Briefing 
  present position, they will run right into the Shan caravan. This 
  The player characters have no objectives in this scenario. 
  would be a Stand-Up War situation. They will also pass directly 
  Certainly they haven't been assigned any real mission. They just 
  under the surveillance of one of the NCA listening posts. 
  happen to be in an area where a war is about to break out. And 
  On the other hand, if the players move southwest from their 
  the prize in that war -15,000 kilograms of morphine -
  should 
  position, they will come to the main, east-west trail at just about
  interest everyone in the region. 
  the same time as forward units ofNCA "B." 
  Read: 
  Moving back, or maintaining the current position, may alJow 
  "You are out on a long-range reconnaissance patrol with a 
  the players time to get good scouting information ... or it may 
  loyal army of ethnic Laotians. Everything seemed pretty quiet. . 
  just make them lose out on any opportunity in the area. 
  until two of your scouts showed up to report that a large force 
  Unless the player characters interfere, NCA "B" will have 
  of Shan National Army troops is crossing the Mekong River and 
  time to set up an ambush for the Shan caravan on the east-west 
  moving in your general direction." 
  trail. Only the forward scouts of the Shan will be trapped. The 
  1. Method of Insertion. Walking into the bush. 
  rest will group up and start moving forward cautiously 
  2. Fire Support Availability. None. 
  (Stand-Up War). By this time, the NCA "B" main unit will be 
  3. Enemy Movement Information. Your scouts tell you that 
  coming up from the south. The Shan will take minor losses and 
  there are a couple of hundred donkeys fording the Mekong river 
  move back to the east; eventually heading northeast toward the 
  nearby. They are accompanied by at least a hundred armed men. 
  player characters. 
  198 
  
  Enemy Forces 
  The Shan National Army 
  This is the Shan's biggest convoy ever. They've already de­
  feated an initial attack by NCA "A," and they are moving at top 
  speed on their way to Ban Peung. At that point, they can sell the 
  drugs and scatter; thereby avoiding any further conflict with the 
  NCA. Their biggest disadvantage is that the mules are strung out 
  over a full, half mile. 
  They have a total of 700 men, divided into 5 units: 
  200 men attending the mules, and mostly armed with M-16s. 
  They are tending 500 Mules, each laden with 30 kilos of mor­
  phine base (15,000 kilos total) and all the spare food, water, and 
  ammunition for the convoy. 
  30 man platoon doing south forward scouting, and armed 
  with (27) M- J6s and (1) .50 caliber machinegun. 
  30 man platoon doing north forward scouting, and armed 
  with (27) M-16s and (I) .50 caliber machinegun. 
  300 man forward attack force carrying (200) M-16s, (20) .50 
  caliber machineguns, (6) 60mm mortars, and (8) 57mm recoil­
  less rifles. 
  140 man rear guard with (100) M-16s, (2) 60mm mortars, 
  and (2) 57mm recoilless rifles. 
  Nationalist Chinese Army Unit A - NCA "A" 
  This unit is actually made up of several, small, "Duty Collec­
  tion" squads. About 50 of them were involved in the action with 
  the Shan. The rest, they've gathered up along the way. 100 men 
  total, organized in one unit with 10 forward scouts. They have 
  left their heavy equipment with the wounded, and are moving 
  quickly; each armed with M-2 .30 caliber carbines. 
  Nationalist Chinese Army Unit B - NCA "B" 
  The NCA's "main force" in the area. They are interested in 
  "punishing" the Shan. 
  400 men divided into 4 groups: 
  100 man forward unit. Their job is to move quickly enough 
  to intercept the enemy and pin him down until reinforcements 
  arrive. Armed with (40) M-14s, (50) M-2s, (3) .50 caliber 
  machineguns, and (I) .45 pistol. 
  250 man, main force unit. They are expected to move at a 
  moderate rate of speed and provide backup for any trouble that 
  the ftrst group runs into. Armed with (100) M-2s, (50) M-14s, 
  (20) Browning Automatic Rifles, (20) .50 caliber machineguns, 
  (9) 57mm recoilless rifles, and (2) .45 pistols. 
  50 man, mobile artillery unit. Although slow-moving, they 
  can fire off quite a few mortars from a distance. Armed with 
  (15) 60mm mortars and (5) M-14s. 
  Nationalist Chinese Army Unit C -
  NCA "C" 
  This is a scouting unit. If they encounter the Shan coming 
  along the river route, they'll fall back, set up machineguns and 
  mortars, and try to delay them until other units can come to their 
  assistance. Otherwise, if they move quickly enough, they may 
  be able to attack the Shan from the rear. 
  60 man scouting unit carrying (15) M-16s, (10) M-14s, (6) 
  .50 caliber machineguns, and (2) 60mm mortars. Since only 25 
  men are actually armed with personal weapons, the load for the 
  8 heavy weapons is spread among 35 guys. This speeds up their 
  travel considerably. 
  Nationalist Chinese Army Listening Posts 
  Each of these high-altitude lookout points is manned by 5 
  men. Armaments are always M-14 sniper rifles with telescopic 
  sights. Each post is in radio contact with all the others. They 
  also act as RTO fire control for mortars and artillery. 
  Royal Laotian Army 
  General Ivoung's men are waiting for a major opium ship­
  ment. They know the Shan have been bragging about "the big­
  gest load ever!" but they don't know when it will show up. He 
  has three units available for dispatch: 
  (4) T -28 Aircraft which have been fitted with (2), 500-pound 
  bombs each. 
  60 man paratroop unit standing by at the airstrip. They are 
  armed with (50) M-16s, (6) M-60 machineguns, and (4) M-79 
  grenade launchers. This is an elite unit; one that will not break 
  under fire. 
  300 man army unit. These are poorly trained, and really only 
  useful as guards. They are armed with (275) M-16s and (25) 
  M-60 machineguns. About 50% of the weapons will misfire and 
  jam because of poor maintenance. They do only half casualties 
  in large unit actions. 
  "Red" Meo 
  Having heard about the upcoming conflict, the local army of 
  "Red" (Ate Lao Communist) Meo have decided to move toward 
  the area. If they can either I) ambush some fleeing Shan, Na­
  tionalist Chinese, Laotian Army or "Black" Meo, 2) trap a flee­
  ing shipment of opium, or, 3) if a fight breaks out, they could do 
  a little battlefield scavenging. 
  Heroin & Opium 
  In Laos 1965 
  (j) Xuan Trade Center 
  (1)#4 Heroin Labs 
  A Air America Base 
  C Nationalist 
  Chinese Army 
  a Major Air Link 
  "" Air Route
  '::';':Ground Route 
  ~Caravan 
  199 
  
  Another possibility is to wait until after the battle and, if the 
  winner is weak enough, attack! Currently, they are organized 
  "guerrilla style" in small groups of 5 to 8 men. However, they 
  are maintaining communications. If they need to, they can come 
  together in an army of 200 men. 
  Equipment consists of(140) AK-47s, (30) SVD sniper rifles, 
  (6) 7.62mm RPK machineguns, (2) SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles, 
  (4) 60mm mortars, and (4) RPG-7 antitank launchers. 
  This is the unit to be assigned to the player characters. As­
  suming, of course, that they don't already have a unit. The 
  non-player characters' total force is 100 men. They are armed 
  with (70) M-16s, (10) M-14s, (8) M-60 machineguns, (6) M-79 
  grenade launchers, and (2) 60mm mortars. 
  Organizing this force is the job of the player characters. 
  : Trill 
  r:lGrav.l- , Une 
  The 
  1\ Grave' - 2 u.n. 
  Opium
  ~Rlv.r 
  War 
  Potential Outcomes 
  1. 
  Shan 
  National Army 
  Victory: 
  Results 
  in 
  the 
  destabilization of Burma; possibly helping Laos by encouraging 
  the SNA to move out of Muong Luong Province. 
  2. Nationalist Chinese Victory: Strengthens their grip on 
  the opium trade. Results in higher "tax" on future opium imports 
  into Laos as well as greater Nationalist Chinese control. Possi­
  bly weakens the Shan in Muong Luong Province. Definitely a 
  disadvantage for Laos. 
  3. Laotian Army Victory: Gives enormous wealth and 
  power to General Ivoung. He will then become the leading can­
  didate for a coup attempt. 
  4. Destruction of the Opium: Increases the value of opium 
  worldwide by as much as 30%. This is a positive action for the 
  Laotian government. 
  S. "Red" Meo Victory: Another Ata Lao victory. The Lao­
  tian government undergoes another crisis. 
  6. Player Character Victory: Well, it all depends on what 
  the characters do with the opium. After all, it is still worth 
  $4,500,000, or more, to the right buyer. 
  A Final Note: This scenario is based on an actual battle that 
  took place in the summer of 1967, where the Burma, Thailand 
  and Laos borders meet. The Shan National Army, with a convoy 
  of 300 opium laden mules, was harassed by the 3rd and 5th 
  Armies of the Nationalist Chinese. They were in the midst of 
  fierce fighting when the Laotian Army attacked by dropping 
  500-pound bombs on both sides. 
  The Laotian 2nd Paratroop Battalion moved in to mop up, 
  and seized the opium. The Shan, in the face of huge losses, were 
  forced to retreat back into Burma (or maybe deeper into Laos). 
  A large number of Nationalist Chinese were surrounded, but 
  managed to negotiate the right to return to Thailand. 
  In the end, the Laotian Army managed to grab 16 tons of raw 
  opium, and extort an additional $7,500 from the Nationalist Chi­
  nese. The Nationalist Chinese were then evacuated in 18 char­
  tered buses, along with their rifles, machineguns and recoilless 
  rifles. 
  Chinese-Style Heavy Weapon Teams 
  A standard set-up for the Chinese, and copied by the Shan, is 
  to assign a three-man team to each heavy infantry weapon. 
  So, you might ask, is a .50 caliber machinegun worth tying 
  up three guys? Wouldn't giving each man an individual weapon, 
  like an M-16, triple the firepower? 
  Definitely not! First off, the heavy machinegun is a devastat­
  ing weapon of war. Fire one of the .50 caliber rounds into the 
  front end of an ammunition truck and it will pass through the 
  grille, various engine parts, the crew compartment (and maybe 
  through the crew), through the back wall of the cab, and still 
  may have enough striking power to burst open crates. The mas­
  sive engine block of a large truck will stop a .50 caliber round . . 
  . once the round goes in a foot or so. And one dug-in heavy 
  machinegun can wipe out a huge number of attackers. 
  A .50 caliber machinegun can be disassembled for transpor­
  tation. That way, the gun barrel and the tripod could all be car­
  ried separately. In the field the unit works together to 
  reassemble the weapon, dig emplacements, set up fields of fire, 
  and feed in ammunition. 
  Likewise with Mortars, the base, the barrels and the bipod 
  brace could each be carried separately. Although mortar rounds 
  do vast amounts of damage, the main advantage is that it can be 
  fired indirectly. In other words, you can "arc" the mortar rounds 
  up and over obstacles and into the target. If cover is good, (and 
  holes are better) then being a half mile away and behind a hill is 
  the absolute best way to fight a war. 
  Three-man teams are also used with recoilless rifles. These 
  weapons send out rounds that punch right through "hard points" 
  and explode near the heart of the target. Tanks, bunkers, ammu­
  nition boxes and mortar crews are all excellent targets for recoil­
  less rifles. 
  This kind of three-man approach works really well in the 
  field. Between the three men, a fair amount of ammunition can 
  be carried, and they can construct good positions for their weap­
  ons. 
  200 
  
  Radio Wars 
  Remember the famous Orson Welles broadcast of "War of 
  the Worlds?" No? 
  Here's the story. Back in 1938, on the Sunday evening before 
  Halloween, The Mercury Theatre broadcast a rather special 
  show. It was based on the H.G. Wells novel "War of the 
  Worlds, " but it was presented as a breaking news story. The 
  combination of familiar phrases like, "We interrupt this program 
  to bring you the latest news," and the realistic sound effects, 
  were brilliant! Thousands panicked! The militia was called out! 
  People made incredible fools of themselves. And, when it was 
  all over, quite a few folks wanted to lynch Orson Welles. 
  And what, you ask, does that have to do with a RECON mis­
  sion in Laos? 
  Consider this; a sophisticated, 20th century, Stateside audi­
  ence was easily fooled by an outrageous radio drama. So why 
  wouldn't a bunch of superstitious Laotian tribesmen fall for a 
  similar trick? 
  This is one of the classic, "fooled you once" gags of all time. 
  You can't fool anybody twice with this stunt. 
  But, Oh! How you can fool 'em that first time! What makes 
  it even more effective is that the Laotians have never heard ra­
  dio dramas. All they ever get from their radios are speeches, 
  weather reports, music and raw propaganda. 
  Recon Team Minimum Requirements 
  This mission requires at least three player characters with 
  Primary or Secondary MOS as RTO. All player characters 
  should be outfitted for extended field operations and armed with 
  their weapons of choice. This is a fairly advanced mission. 
  Pre-Mission Event 
  If the characters are already assigned as advisors to a village, 
  then the following should take place in the village headman's 
  house. All the villagers will be gathered around to listen to the 
  one hour of native language programming broadcast by the na­
  tional radio station. 
  If the characters are not assigned to a village, then they'll 
  hear a recording of the broadcast (along with a transcript in Eng­
  lish) when they get to the mission briefing. 
  Read: 
  "There's a loud crackle of static, and then you hear a voice in 
  mid-sentence. It doesn't sound familiar, but it's reading the 
  same, boring list of government farm prices. 
  'This goes on for about two minutes and then there's an ex­
  plosion in the background. The announcer stops reading and 
  starts speaking into the radio. 
  "Citizens of Laos. There seems to be some kind of terrorist 
  action taking place outside ... " 
  "Holy Buddha protect us," says a high, female voice. The 
  two males say, "What can be wrong?" and "It must be the Patri­
  otic Front." 
  "The announcer's voice returns. 'We must all crawl into the 
  shelter.' There is a sudden sound of rapid gunfire and explosions 
  from the distance. 
  "This is followed by sounds and clanking. Apparently, some 
  sound effects technician's idea of the descent into an air-raid 
  shelter. The announcer returns." 
  "Well, at least the radio is still working! Faithful listeners, 
  we will continue to broadcast as long as we can. Wait! The door 
  is opening again. I will peek out." 
  "Be careful," whispers the female voice. 
  "Oh horrors! What is that coming in the doorway (there are 
  grotesque snuffling sounds in the background). It is our Ameri­
  can advisor. But he has changed into a horrible demon! His 
  teeth are long and pointed. His hair is now long and golden. And 
  his eyes ... are empty holes!" 
  "I must find out what is wrong," says a quavery voice. 
  "Phong! Do not go out there!" 
  "I must," says the quavery voice. 
  "I could not stop him," says the whisper into the radio. He . . 
  . he is walking up to the demon." 
  "Where are the others?" says the ugly, growly voice. 
  "Th . .. th ... they ran away," answers the quavering voice. 
  "Wh ... wha ... what are you?" 
  "You fool! I am a demon, just like all Americans! I am hun­
  gry, so I must step outside of my pale, American skin." 
  "Ho ... ho ... how can this be? Why did we not know this 
  before?" 
  "Puny mortal, we have waited too long to destroy your land. 
  Now it is time for us to eat!" 
  "Wh ... wh ... what are you going to eat?" 
  "Heh! Heh! You!" This is immediately followed by the 
  sound of a struggle. Then, by horrible screams. 
  The hoarse, whispering voice of the announcer starts up 
  again. "It is horrible! I can see the demon holding Mr. Jusan by 
  his legs. He is dangling Mr. Jusan over his ugly, gaping mouth!" 
  The broadcast continues with more American "monster de­
  mons" coming into the station, each dragging whimpering and 
  pleading woman and children with them. 
  Mission Director Tips 
  Watch the players carefully when you read the dialogue. If 
  the players start laughing (who wouldn't), then tell them that 
  they are getting strange looks from the villagers. If they try to 
  listen, they hear the villagers whispering things like, 
  "Why do they laugh at such horrible things?" 
  "I always did wonder about their large size, and their strange, 
  white skins!" 
  "Another voice, speaking in heavily accented English, says "1 
  ... will go and. Check it up. You wait. Here." 
  "You hear a door open, some heavy booted footsteps moving 
  away, and the door closes. Right after the sound of the door 
  closing, several people start speaking at once. 
  "Do you think that Joe, our American radio expert, will be 
  safe out there?" says the announcer. 
  "How can they laugh when people are being eaten?" 
  "They must be demons! Listen to their strange talk!" 
  "I knew it! They are Phi. Deadly phi-pop. Possessed by de­
  mons." 
  "It sure explains a lot! I always wondered about those flying 
  machines! I guess we know now how the white devils make 
  them work." 
  201 
  
  If questioned directly, the villagers will agree with every­
  thing the Americans say, and will try to humor them and keep 
  them from getting angry. 
  "Yes, of course you are not a demon. Only those other Amer­
  icans!" 
  "Of course, we believe you. Haven't we always believed ev­
  erything you say?" 
  Obviously, the villagers no longer trust or believe the player 
  characters. In fact, they are scared stiff. Since they really do be­
  lieve in demons (as Americans believe that science and engi­
  neering can explain the world, so do the highland people of 
  Laos believe that spirits (phi) and demons (ho) explain how the 
  world works), they have no problem believing that a trusted 
  friend is really a Phi-Pop; a person possessed by demons. 
  Mission Briefing 
  The characters will be contacted by their operations leader. 
  Read: 
  "That radio station is really hurting us. At least three dozen 
  agents are missing, mostly in remote areas. One group reported 
  having to fight their way out of the village they'd been working 
  with for six months. 
  "We've already tried sending out aerial strikes, but that re­
  gion is too dangerous for low flying aircraft during the day. And 
  during the night, we don't get a peep out of the station we're 
  looking for. 
  'The only choice is to send out teams into the hills. And you 
  obviously can't take along any of your tribal troops. Right now, 
  they can't be trusted wi th anything! 
  "We want you to get in there, knock out that radio station, 
  and, if you can manage it, bring back that radio announcer. " 
  1. Method of Insertion. The team will parachute into the 
  area at night, along with all their equipment. The drop zone is in 
  the Ata Lao region of northeastern Luang Prabang Province. 
  2. Fire Support Availability. Limited. It takes about 24 
  hours for the Stateside Air Force in Thailand to get permission 
  from the Laotian government for a bombing mission. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information. The whole place is 
  crawling with Ata Lao and NVA troops. 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report. The area consists of rug­
  ged, steep slopes and deep valleys, all covered with northern 
  timber and infested with incredible thorn bushes. The weather 
  should be cold, wet and overcast for the next several days. 
  5. Mission Objectives. Find the radio station and stop its op­
  eration. Ideally, capture and return with the "announcer" and 
  any others who are responsible for the "demon" show. 
  6. Special Rules. None. Just get the mission accomplished. 
  7. Method of Extraction. If the group has prisoners or 
  wounded, then a helicopter will be sent in for a dustoff. Other­
  wise, the characters will be expected to walk out. 
  Mission Preparation 
  The RTO-skilled men will be given special equipment and 
  training. The equipment consists of slightly modified PRC-25 
  radio units. The radios can now do simple directional finding on 
  AM or shortwave signals. By staying far apart (at least a mile), 
  the characters should be able to triangulate the exact position of 
  the transmitter. 
  The Setting 
  The radio transmitter is located high up on the wall of a steep 
  valley. There are small caves suitable for hiding the equipment 
  and the "break-apart" antenna. There are 130 Ata Lao troops 
  down in the valley. They aren't good for much, other than the 
  daily tasks of raising and lowering the antenna. They will see 
  nothing, so long as the player characters avoid moving into the 
  floor of the valley. At the operations room (in the cave), all of 
  the NPCs, plus two Ata Lao soldiers, spend most of their days. 
  Trapping the radio performers and destroying the equipment is 
  easy. The difficulty is with getting the entertainers out safely. 
  After all, if the play itself is not somehow countered, the mis­
  sion of all Americans in Laos is in jeopardy. 
  The Demon American Radio Show 
  Here's a brief plot summary of the Ata Lao, "Demon Ameri­
  can" radio show. It will be broadcast every day at the same time, 
  until someone manages to shut it down. Jamming the station is­
  n't effective, because it results in even more suspicions of 
  Americans. In any case, the radio show is prepared to change 
  broadcast channels at a moment's notice. 
  Episode One: The characters are: Phung, the announcer; Joe, 
  the 1st Demon American; and Maitai, the love interest. Joe be­
  comes a demon (see scenario introduction) and reveals that the 
  Americans are all demons, intent on eating the entire popUlation 
  of Laos. 
  Episode Two: More horror stories. More Demon Americans 
  come into the building, and the announcer describes them doing 
  hideous things to the bodies of the Laotian dead. 
  Episode Three: The announcer and Maitai are discovered! 
  They are being pried out by the Demons. Just as the lovely 
  Maitai is about to be tom from Phung's grasp -
  the cavalry 
  shows up! Only, in this case, the cavalry is the Ata Lao. 
  Episode Four: In an interview with Captain Yong, it is re­
  vealed that the Ata Lao have been fighting the American 
  Demons for years. The announcer, caught up in loyalist fervor, 
  immediately renounces his previous employment with the 
  "wrong thinking elitist generals" and joins the Ata Lao. Maitai 
  is, of course, delighted, and immediately follows him. 
  Episode Five: Phung, Captain Yong and Maitai, battle the 
  evil Americans and prevent them from killing more people. 
  Episode Six: Phung is captured by the Demons and is inter­
  rogated by a nominal-looking American. He almost cracks un­
  der the pressure of the questioning, but somehow finds the 
  patriotic strength to resist. The American, enraged, turns into a 
  Demon once again. 
  Mission Director Notes 
  Radio is incredibly important to the propaganda war in Laos. 
  Less than 20% of the people are literate, and not all the people 
  who can read necessarily read the same language. So, any kind 
  of written communications are severely limited. Still, it's neces­
  sary to communicate with the people somehow! The neutralist 
  government started a program of distributing free transistor ra­
  dios to remote villages. Although the program has been stopped 
  by the right-wing, most of the villagers are now interested 
  enough to buy their own radios and batteries. 
  In recent times, radio has turned into the main battleground 
  for distributing propaganda from the various factions. 
  202 
  
  The Main Radio Broadcasters in Laos 
  He spends a lot of time practicing. Fortunately, he practices 
  with the gun empty; otherwise he'd have shot himself in the foot 
  The Lao National Radio Network consists of 3 stations in 
  long ago. 
  Vengala (2 shortwave and I AM), 2 in Pakse, 2 in Luang 
  Prabang, and I hidden somewhere in Xieng Khomang. 
  Typically, the government stations operate about 14 hours a 
  day, broadcasting foreign and domestic news, speeches by gov­
  ernment officials, cultural and historical programs, and both 
  western and Laotian music. The languages used are almost ex­
  clusively Lao Lum and French. 
  Royal Laos Armed Forces Radio has 4 (2 shortwave/2 AM) 
  stations in Vengala, and 2 in Luang Prabang. Gives out a steady 
  diet of military music and John Phillip Sousa. There are also 
  weekly broadcasts of Anny propaganda (recruitment speeches, 
  mostly) in the Meo, Man, Black Tai and Mon-Khmer languages. 
  Based in Pathek, in Vapikhamthong Province, Freedom for 
  Lao Radio is a special project of General Vuoung. It's more of a 
  public relations device; advertising the personality and charisma 
  of the General and preparing the people for his eventual 
  take-over of the country. 
  ATA LAO Radio comes out of 6 AM stations set up near the 
  'Nam border. It's on the air for 15 hours a day; constantly send­
  ing out newscasts, commentaries and gems like: 
  "All fonns of monopoly and exploitation by the ruling circles 
  who are lackeys of the United States Imperialists. 
  "People's democratic national union administration. 
  "Struggles of the Asian peoples against imperialist provoca­
  tions, Stateside Occupationists, and the iron fist of the money 
  hungry banking system, will lead to the glories of nationalliber­
  ation ..." 
  About three-quarters of the shows are in Lao Lum; the rest in 
  Meo, Man, and Lao Theung. 
  Radio of the Patriotic Neutralist Forces (RPNF) is a new­
  comer, broadcasting out of Khang Khay in Xieng Khouang 
  Province. It tries to be somewhat more entertaining, and speaks 
  in Lao Lum, Laotian Tai and Meo. 
  Foreign broadcasts, in shortwave come from France, the 
  Stateside's Voice of America, Radio Peking, Radio Hanoi, and 
  the Soviet Union Foreign Radio Service. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Vincent Thuou Ly 
  Description: One of the famous Ly family. When he was a 
  youngster, he was taken to California for a couple of months. 
  He has had to fight the Ata Lao hierarchy, tooth and nail, to 
  get his idea across. To all the old-line communists, propa­
  ganda just means talking long enough, and loud enough, to 
  convince others of your point of view. For an Ata Lao, Vin­
  cent is pretty dramatic. He favors cowboy-style clothes 
  (jeans, boots, silk shirts and cowboy hat), and wears his hair 
  in a "James Dean" style. 
  Attributes: ST: 15 AL: 10 AG: 05 
  Alignment: Idealist-Pacifist 
  Skills: Almost none. Vincent is very bright, but he refuses to 
  learn any practical skills. 
  Equipment: Vincent has managed to get hold of an 
  old-fashioned six-shooter (5% to hit, 2D 10 damage). He's 
  even put together a "quick-draw" holster. 
  Captain Ngyen Dong 
  Description: This crusty, NV A commander is not impressed 
  with Vincent's perfonnances. He believes that the whole 
  thing will turn into a disaster. He really can't believe that 
  sensible peasant people will believe such errant nonsense. 
  Attributes: ST: 34 AL: 34 AG: 09 
  Alignment: Opportunist-Righteous 
  Skills: As a VC Commissar 
  Equipment: Carries an AK-47 (35%) everywhere. 
  Ata Lao Soldiers 
  Description: The soldiers under Captain Dong are less than en­
  thusiastic. They will fight when cornered, but would gener­
  ally prefer peaceful resolutions. 
  General Attributes: ST: 50 AL: 40 AG: 45 
  Alignment: Mostly Idealist 
  Skills: All have Mountain and Guerrilla Specialist Skills. 
  Equipment: AK-47s (25%) 
  Vladimir Siovenza, Soviet Radio Technician 
  Description: Vlad has managed to keep himself drunk through 
  most of the perfonnances. He understands none of the local 
  languages, only Russian and a bit of French. He is a large, 
  weepy sort of man, given to making large 'sighs' and talking 
  to himself. 
  Attributes: ST: 17 AL: 03 AG: 96 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Skills: Radio repair and operation 
  Equipment: Carries no weapons and will surrender in the face 
  of any deadly threat. 
  Captain Sal Huoung 
  Description: Phong's female "love interest" on the radio show 
  is Sal Huoung. She gives new meaning to the phrase, "strong 
  woman." She has decided that she will marry Vincent and he 
  doesn't seem to have much to say about the subject. She is a 
  terrible actress, but an exceptional officer and can quote the 
  party line frontwards and back. 
  Attributes: ST: 99 AL: 03 AG: 58 
  Alignment: Opportunist-Righteous 
  Skills: As VC Sniper 
  Equipment: Uses a Soviet SVD (92%) 
  Biau Nuwen and Ap Coutea, Actors 
  Description: These two Ata Lao are along because they are 
  trusted party members. Certainly their acting leaves a lot to 
  be desired. Biau Nuwen specializes in deep, scary voices (the 
  Demon Americans), and Ap Coutea does quavering adminis­
  trators. 
  Attributes: 
  ST: 03,26 
  AL: 79, 53 
  AG: 94,19 
  Alignment: both Opportunist 
  Skills: Nothing particularly useful, both understand paper work 
  and bookkeeping. Both are fluent in French. No weapons or 
  weapon skills. 
  203 
  
  1997 K. .51£M8IEPA 
  The Spider's Web 
  Sometimes corruption in Southeast Asia spreads into the 
  ranks of the Stateside military. How high did it go? The levels it 
  reaches in this scenario are much higher than were ever revealed 
  in real life ... but you never know who were the superiors of 
  the noncommissioned officers that were caught. 
  This is really an adventure (not just a mission) that can have 
  the characters ranging all over the world and hunted by virtually 
  everyone. And, if the player's really want a mission, see if 
  they'll accept Suicide Squad, immediately following this sect 
  on. 
  Recon Team Minimum Requirements 
  Good for any group of good players. Since the characters will 
  have to rely more on brains than firepower, there's no essential 
  equipment or skills. Players with RTO, Intelligence and Medic, 
  either as Primary or Secondary MOSs, are recommended. 
  Mission Director's Introduction 
  Heroin smuggling, at its most profitable, means selling large 
  quantities of #4 heroin in large, western cities. The barriers to 
  doing that are customs officials, and national and international 
  police (Interpol). Those barriers just don't exist for the military. 
  Anyone with access to military aircraft can fly drugs directly 
  into Stateside, England, West Germany, and a host of other 
  places. 
  In this scenario, a top officer, someone with command au­
  thority over aircraft, supply routes, military police and the con­
  trolling paperwork, has been corrupted. He maintains a small 
  circle of trusted officers, who, in tum, control dozens of others. 
  The profits from this operation are incredible. As much as a 
  half billion dollars in a single year. The risks are large; since 
  these professional military officers have no desire to spend the 
  rest of their lives in jailor as fugitives. 
  To protect this operation, and the reputations of the men be­
  hind it, the organization will do anything. Anyone who is seen 
  to be a threat will be eliminated at once. 
  Encounter #1: A Fly's Corpse 
  Set up the game by telling the players that their characters are 
  on a standard patrol. Their objective is simply to find traces of 
  Ata Lao or NV A troop movements in the area. Give them time 
  to discuss their equipment and positions, then start playing. If 
  they are assigned as advisors to ethnic irregulars, then assume 
  the Point Man is brought forward by one of the scouts. 
  Read the following to the Point Man: 
  "You notice a strange thing in the trees overhead, and off to 
  one side of the trail. It looks like a bunch of broken branches at 
  the crown of a tree about 80 feet up. What are you doing?" 
  Should anyone ask, the broken branches make it look like 
  something fell down out of the sky. The spot under the broken 
  branches is about 30 feet off the trail, in some dense bushes. 
  Characters can either cut their way through, which will take 
  about twenty minutes, or crawl in, which takes about 5 minutes 
  of struggling for a small man stripped of equipment. Another 
  possibility is to climb a tree and look down on the spot. From 
  there, one can see the colors of a piece of plaid fabric. When 
  they finally get close enough to see the body, read: 
  "You see a dead body. It's wearing one of the most obnox­
  ious plaid jackets you've ever seen. His hands are handcuffed 
  behind him. He's a Caucasian, slightly balding, with greasy red 
  hair. He's also got a bullet hole that goes in one temple and out 
  the other side. You also recognize this guy. He's Clancy 
  Reynolds; a free-lance newspaper writer who hangs around in 
  Vengala. 
  Further investigation will reveal that the body is wearing ex­
  actly three things: an orange, green and purple plaid jacket; a 
  pair of blue and white, checked pants, and a pair of handcuffs. 
  He obviously fell out of an airplane. He was shot through the 
  head with a large caliber pistol, probably either a .45, .357 or a 
  9mm. No wallet, no identification, nothing else on him at all. 
  Encounter #2: Waiting for Clancy 
  What happens next depends on how the characters behave. If 
  they simply bury the body, forget about reporting it, and pretend 
  it never happened ... well, let's just say that it wouldn't be 
  much of an adventure. 
  So, one of two things are going to happen. Either the charac­
  ters will report the body in a radio call to Vengala, or they'll go 
  to Vengala personally to investigate. 
  If the players report Clancy's body over the radio, then their 
  contact will just tell them to wait for further instructions. The 
  next day, 2 Huey Slicks will appear near the characters' camp. 
  They are carrying a full complement of the Stateside Embassy's 
  Marine Guards. They politely request the body, put it in a chop­
  per and leave. 
  Unless the characters make further inquiries, they'll never 
  hear another word about Clancy. 
  If the characters start asking serious questions about Clancy 
  over the radio, they'll receive a standard reply, namely, "We 
  know nothing about it. If you like, we'll check it out." 
  If the characters are skill asking about Clancy a week later, 
  and if they are still in the village, then they should receive or­
  ders to participate in the Mission - Inside the Mission, which 
  follows this adventure. 
  Encounter #3: A Trip to the Parlor 
  The only way the characters will find out anything else is by 
  visiting Vengala, the stronghold of the drug network. Once 
  there, they can try tracking things down. 
  Obvious possibilities include other newsmen, and servants of 
  the Hotel Thai-Bang, Clancy's regular dive. Typical responses 
  204 
  
  will be: "I don't know anything about the creepy little bug." and 
  "Too bad he's dead." Eventually, they'll find someone who can 
  say: 
  "All I know about Clance was that he was talking about a 
  real big-deal story he was workin' on. Claimed it would be 
  huge. Said he had to keep it a secret from everybody 'cept Vee." 
  Further conversation will reveal that Clancy had a Laotian 
  partner, Veaeng Saevema. He is also now missing. They hear: 
  (newsman) "Y'know, I think I saw Vee in here just in the last 
  day or so . .. Yeah, he was asking the bartender about where he 
  could find Clancy ... 
  And, just in case they ask the bartender anything, he'll re­
  spond with: 
  (barman) "Look here mister. I don't know anything. I don't 
  want to know anything. I don't think you should ask them 
  kinda' questions. You want to drink? I'll fix you a drink! But 
  don't ask me any more of them questions." 
  All and any questions about Clancy, or an attempt to search 
  his room (it's already been violently searched), will result in the 
  characters being noticed by the Drug Network. 
  Another Spider Falls from the Web 
  Finding Veaeng should start with a visit to his home. It's a 
  small house, with four small children and a scared, weeping 
  wife. She hasn't heard from Veaeng and she doesn't want to 
  talk. If the characters do a little snooping, they may find out 
  (from the nosy neighbors) that Veaeng's wife was visited the 
  night before by local police, mostly out of uniform and carrying 
  sub-machineguns. There was some hitting and screaming, but 
  they only stayed for about 20 minutes. 
  Once they leave Veaeng's house, they'll be followed by 
  Veaeng. He'll either be spotted by the player characters (roll for 
  AL), or else he'll contact them directly. He wants to tell them 
  the following: 
  "Clancy was too brave. He wanted to know who put heroin 
  on American Air Force transports. He found out too much. Way 
  too much. Now I am also in big trouble. They kill me if they 
  find me." 
  Veaeng is looking for three things: some kind of administra­
  tive protection, money to leave for his wife, and someone to 
  share his secrets with. If the characters promise him protection, 
  or offer him a fair amount of money ($250 or more), then he'll 
  tell them his secrets. It seems that a Lieutenant Harrison 
  Thurman, with the Stateside Navy, was Clancy's main suspect. 
  Veaeng will insist on going to see his wife, alone. He will 
  promise to meet the characters at a bar, later that night. He will, 
  unless the players do something to prevent it, end up dead be­
  fore nightfall. 
  Bad Things Start to Happen 
  How the "Spider Network" reacts to noisy characters will de­
  pend on how close they get to finding anything out. 
  The Mission Director should bear in mind that the network 
  has the clout to arrange for mission assignments, transfers, or ar­
  rest orders. The network is so familiar with the military, govern­
  ment, and embassy bureaucracies, that they can arrange for 
  orders to be issued without anyone actually knowing who is re­
  sponsible. 
  For example, any character's arrest orders will be signed by a 
  "General Poindexter." Upon investigation it will be discovered 
  that he is actually in the middle of a 2 week vacation in Hawaii. 
  Not that it makes a bit of difference; the arrest order is still 
  valid. They'll just have to keep the characters jailed up until the 
  General returns. 
  The following things will happen in roughly numerical order. 
  1. Characters will pick up a "tail." LANA SO (Laotian Na­
  tional Security Office) agents will start following the characters. 
  As many men as necessary will be assigned. The agents have no 
  idea why the characters are lobe followed, only that it has 
  something to do with "drugs and gold." The characters have to 
  beat the AL of their followers in order to lose the tail. 
  2. Characters will receive orders to return to their supe­
  rior's office in Vengala. If and when they show up, they'll be 
  told, "I can't believe your luck! All of you have been given a 
  three week pass to Australia. Your plane leaves in 45 minutes!" 
  Not leaving will seem very suspicious!! Yes, this is a real trip 
  (not a death trap). People simply want the group out of the way 
  for awhile. 
  205 
  
  3. General orders will be issued, identifying the characters 
  as "... under suspicion and awaiting general court-martial. If 
  seen, please notify the USSAOC. They are to be released of 
  duty weapons, confined, and transported by air to the Stateside 
  Army of Legal Affairs in Saigon." This order comes from Gen­
  eral Poindexter and will be carried out by any Stateside or Lao­
  tian military personnel, including the players' immediate 
  superiors. 
  4. Characters are put on a "hit" list by the Vengala under­
  world. This means their pictures are circulated on a wanted 
  poster in connection with a $2,000 bounty. 
  5. Orders are given to Laotian police to "plant' evidence 
  on the characters when they are arrested. One of the officers 
  searching a player character will "find" a quarter of a kilogram 
  of #4 Heroin. 
  6. Once characters are safely locked away, the network 
  will not take any further actions against them. The "Spider" will 
  then get rid of any incriminating evidence (including Capt. 
  Villermain). 12 days later, the characters will be released with 
  apologies for "the inconvenience." 
  Mid-Level Murderers 
  There are three, highly placed officers who actually do most 
  of the missions for the Spider Network. 
  The characters will find Lieutenant Harrison Thurman is al­
  ready dead. He worked with mission assignment for the State­
  side Navy, authorizing most shipments to and from Stateside. 
  No one is yet aware of his death, except for his murderers. They 
  have planted an agent outside of Thurman's small house in 
  Vengala. The agent's instructions are simple; summon the Geala 
  Secret Police as soon as someone goes into Thurman's house. 
  The Police have already been given their instructions; whoever 
  is caught around the body must be the murderer. Other than the 
  fact he was killed with a 9mm pistol bullet to the temple, there 
  is no evidence at Thurman's. 
  The agent, Geandano Yee, will show up to collect a reward 
  when the police show up. He's not supposed to do that, but he's 
  just too greedy. The player characters should witness the con­
  frontation between Geandano and the police when he says, 
  "They mine! I turned them in. You owe me money. At least 50 
  bucks apiece! Remember, I got friends in high places !" 
  Colonel Prianthung Luoum is the chief of the Vengala 
  branch of the CIA-supported, Laotian National Security office 
  (LANASa). He's in an excellent position to interrogate any 
  player character prisoners and arrange for their "disposal." He 
  knows his underlings, he knew Lt. Thurman, and he knows that 
  Captain Villermain is the only remaining link to "Spider." His 
  power in Vengala is massive and most underworld figures will 
  not dare to cross him. If he is accused of participating in the 
  drug traffic, he'll laugh it off. As far as he's concerned, the 
  $15,000 he gives to General Lei every month will keep him well 
  protected. 
  Captain Vincent M. Villermain has his fingers in all of the 
  Laotian portions of the network. He doesn't know who "Spi­
  der," his boss, really is. Nor does he want to know. He will not 
  reveal his method for passing messages and money (which fol­
  lows), no matter what kind of pressure is put on him. On the 
  other hand, Villermain is a very nervous man, because he takes 
  a briefcase with money and messages to the Embassy nearly ev­
  ery day. 
  Incidentally, Captain Villermain is quite handy with a 9mm 
  pistol (84%) 
  The Lonely Clue 
  The network, and Villermain, don't make too many mistakes. 
  In this case, just one little one. Villermain, himself, killed 
  Thurman, and his weasel of an agent, Geandano, happened to 
  witness it. Geandano, of course, hasn't told Villermain that he 
  witnessed the crime. 
  Finding Geandano is fairly easy. With the money he extorted 
  from the police ($28 per player caught), and/or from other foul 
  deeds, he is getting royally drunk. He is well known as a regular 
  customer at the "Cross-Eyed Buffalo Bar and Grill' and will 
  spend the next couple of nights there. 
  Geandano will talk, if caught and intimidated Gust the threat 
  of violence should be enough). So long as he is a free man, he 
  will offer the information for money; $1,500 to squeal on 
  Villermain. 
  The Scum Just Naturally Rises to the Top 
  The ultimate kingpin, the "Spider" himself, is not known to 
  any of his confederates. They deliver messages and money 
  packets (never heroin!) to a locker in the basement of the State­
  side Embassy in Vengala. 
  Once the characters have this information, they can attempt 
  to "stake out" the Embassy. At 5:00 PM, every weekday night, 
  Corey Lunger. a minor clerical assistant, takes everything out of 
  the locker and leaves the building with it. Lunger knows nothing 
  about the contents of the briefcases. He's simply a delivery boy. 
  He will drive directly to the national airport, attach a ship­
  ping label to the briefcase, and hand it over to an Air America 
  courier. 
  To find the actual Spider, roll I D6 and consult the follow­
  ing table: 
  206 
  
  I . Air Force General, Gregory Hands, the commander of the 
  Stateside Air Force Bomber forces stationed in Thailand. 
  2. Admiral Peter Vennings of the Stateside Navy, 7th Fleet. 
  3. Colonel Harry Dorthmann, chief of Military Intelligence in 
  the southern region of Laos. 
  4. Special Forces Colonel, lames S. Springwell, commander 
  of the Meo forces in Southern 'Nam. 
  5. General Taylor S. Lyminster, a member of the loint Chiefs 
  of Staff in Washington D.C. 
  6. Major Willard "Yank" lurris, the player characters' very 
  own commanding officer in USSAOC. 
  Who You Going to Tell? 
  The last problem for the players is to somehow reveal their 
  information. The possibilities are: 
  1. Leak it to the press. The characters will have to stay hid­
  den for a couple of weeks, but at least they'll be safe. The prob­
  lem is that the culprits will either get away or cover their tracks 
  by the time someone really comes looking for them. Worse, if a 
  reporter is entrusted, he may be tortured, or paid off, to reveal 
  his sources and the groups' location. 
  2. Go to Interpol. The international police are not corrupt. 
  They will conduct a thorough investigation, arrest the guilty, 
  and arrange for the characters to be cleared and protected. 
  3. Get back to Washington. If the player characters can 
  manage it, the best choice is to get back to the Pentagon, walk 
  into the Adjutant General's office and spill the whole story. This 
  will result in the arrest of the guilty, and a lot of glory for the 
  characters. However, speed is of the essence. Unless decisive 
  action is taken immediately, no evidence will remain after two 
  weeks time. Getting to Stateside will not be easy. Remember, 
  the characters are likely to be wanted men by now. 
  Clancy Reynolds 
  Note: Reynolds is dead before this adventure begins. How­
  ever, it's a good idea to use him in a game before running this 
  mission. The description also gives you an idea of how the 
  NPCs will react to news of his death. 
  Description: Clancy found his niche in life as an obnoxious 
  snoop. He was constantly on the look out for scandal. Given 
  to wearing outrageously ugly, plaid suits with no underwear, 
  and no socks. His greasy orange hair was uncut and messy, 
  he rarely bathed and smelled bad even to soldiers in the field. 
  Attributes: ST: 06 AL: 73 AG: 12 
  Alignment: Malignant 
  Skills: None, except for the ability to write understandable, but 
  boring, newspaper articles. 
  Suicide Squad, Or, 
  the Mission Inside the Mission 
  This is really just a part of The Spider's Web scenario; an ar­
  tificial mission designed to get rid of snoopy characters. At 
  some point, before the characters are outlawed, the drug circle 
  will attempt to eliminate them in a rather common way. They'll 
  just let 'em die in the war. 
  Recon Team Minimum Requirements 
  Although there's really no team requirements, the Mission 
  Director may want to pretend otherwise. lust specify the MOS 
  of every characters in the group. As far as equipment is con­
  cerned, they should be assigned the heaviest kind of weapons 
  that they are capable of handling. 
  Mission Briefing 
  Major lohn Briggs, of Military Intelligence, will give the 
  briefing. The characters will be ushered into his personal confer­
  ence room; a room noted for luxurious furniture and a 
  well-stocked bar. Read the following: 
  "Men, I'd like to congratulate you on being chosen for this 
  important mission. As you know, this is the kind of mission that 
  I built my career on back in Korea. God! How I'd love to go 
  with you on this one. lust to get that glorious feeling of hunting 
  down the enemy, one by ... 
  "Well, sorry; I don't mean to ramble on. It's just that being 
  chained to a desk isn't my idea of war. Consider yourselves 
  lucky to have real combat to look forward to!" 
  At this point, the Major lights up a cigar and turns to stare 
  out the window. 
  "Your mission," he continues, "is to rescue some POWs that 
  are being transported up from Southern 'Nam. Our intelligence 
  reports that three American Prisoners of War are to come north 
  along the main 'Nam pathway, sometime in the next two days. 
  "Since you are all familiar with this kind of operation, I don't 
  have to tell you how dangerous it is. Send a little heavy fire­
  power in the wrong direction, and there'll be nothing left of 
  those POWs to send back to their families. 
  "According to our best estimates, the POW escorts will be a 
  small team, from 6 to 9 Viet Congo Since they only expect to be 
  guarding prisoners, they probably won't carry anything heavier 
  than pistols and sub-machineguns. 
  "Well, that's about the extent of the mission. I just hope you 
  can get in, get out, and save our boys before it's too late. Any 
  questions?" 
  The Major will be as helpful as he can, and will answer all 
  questions with the information in the Mission Briefing Details. 
  If asked about anything else, he'll say: 
  "I really don't know the answer to that. I promise I'll find out 
  by the time you set down in the mission area." 
  Mission Briefing Details 
  These are the details that will be described to the players dur­
  ing their briefing. 
  1. Method of Insertion. You'll be taken by an Air America 
  plane to a small airfield near the northern 'Nam border. Take-off 
  will be four hours before dawn, and you'll land just after day­
  break. 
  2. Fire Support Availability. We've made arrangements 
  with the Air Force in Thailand. We can knock out any target in 
  your area, with either fighter-bombers or a minigun equipped 
  'Spooky' (C47 with (6) 7.62mm, 6-barrelled Miniguns). Be sure 
  to give us a good 20 minutes to get to your location. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information. The area is held by the 
  communist forces . They have little or no troop formations at that 
  location. Most of the strategic points are held by our Meo allies. 
  207 
  
  4. Terrain and Weather Report. Extremely rugged high­
  land terrain. Our meteorologists are predicting clear skies for the 
  next 48 hours. 
  5. Mission Objectives. Recover the POWs and get them out 
  safely. 
  6. Special Rules. Obviously, heavy weapons fire should be 
  kept to a minimum until all the POWs are recovered. 
  7. Method of Extraction. In light of the special nature of 
  this mission, there are 6 Huey Slicks standing by to pick every­
  body up. Allow about 20 minutes for arrival at the mission loca­
  tion. 
  Actual Mission Details 
  Withheld from the Characters 
  1. Method of Insertion. Everything will go as described pre­
  viously. 
  2. Fire Support Availability. None. 
  3. Enemy Movement Information. A major troop move­
  ment of over 3,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong are cur­
  rently starting to move through the area. In addition, there are 
  1,200 local Ata Lao Guerrillas, 
  4. Terrain and Weather Report. The area is rugged, as de­
  scribed above. As far as weather is concerned, it'll rain for the 
  next month. 
  5. Mission Objectives. Once the characters figure out what 
  is really going on, they should be aware of the fact that the only 
  valid mission is getting themselves out of there alive. 
  6. Special Rules. None. 
  7. Method of Extraction. Never, no way, impossible, nonex­
  istent and forget it! You walk out! 
  Encounters 
  The landing field area is deserted. From their 'maps the play­
  ers should be able to easily find the main communist supply 
  route. It's an easy, two hour walk through the woods. 
  Troop movements are extremely heavy in this area. For every 
  hour of play time, roll on the Communist Traffic Table. Once the 
  players have been detected by the local communist command 
  (say, after the first battle), they'll be attacked by any forces 
  handy. Roll once on the Communist Encounter Table for every 
  two hours. 
  If the characters survive their initial encounters and escape, 
  they'll have to do 10 days of hard traveling to get home. They'll 
  be actively pursued the first day; roll once every 3 or 4 hours on 
  the Communist Encounter Table. 
  After the second day, they'll only be pursued by "Red" Meo. 
  Roll once each for morning, afternoon and night, each day, on 
  the Communist Encounter Table. If the result is non-Meo forces, 
  then the player characters will escape detection. Any Meo forces 
  rolled will have detected the player characters. 
  Characters who return alive will be able to continue search­
  ing for traces of the drug network. Fortunately, the Spiders think 
  that the characters are dead. If the characters report in after their 
  escape, they'll be under attack from the drug network once 
  again. 
  All about Dominos and 
  Other Games of World 
  Domination 
  When the Stateside first got involved in Southeast Asia there 
  was a lot of talk about something called "The Domino Theory." 
  Basically, it was another way of saying, "The commies are com­
  ing! The commies are coming!" 
  Y'see, back then it was widely believed that it all started with 
  Moscow. That after Moscow came Peking. Then North Viet­
  nam. Followed by South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Inevita­
  bly then, the red menace would sweep over Burma and 
  Thailand; then Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Sure as 
  Marx's beard -
  Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Maryland. 
  It's a bit simplistic, but .. . let's just say that a lot of politi­
  cians, and just plain folks, believed in the Domino Theory. 
  Anyway, for the purposes of the following set of rules, we're 
  going to adopt the Domino Theory. 
  Another theory we're going to steal is called "The Great Man 
  Theory of History." Why were Germany and Britain the two 
  great powers at the tum of the century? Why do some countries, 
  like Stateside and the U.S.S.R., grow rich and strong, while oth­
  ers, with similar resources and geography, become third world 
  disaster areas? 
  Karl Marx is a good example because his influence started 
  the communist movement. In less than 50 years, one way or an­
  other, nearly every person on the face of the Earth has had their 
  lives drastically changed by communism. 
  So, what does that have to do with RECON? 
  The problem with most RECON games is that they are, more 
  or less, exercises in futility. Before we even start playing, we 
  know the outcome of the war. Every player realizes the score of 
  the Vietnam War- Commies-One, United States-Zero. 
  Wouldn't the game be much more interesting if the outcome 
  was indeterminate? Even better; how about a set of rules that ac­
  tually let the player characters influence the development of 
  world history? Don't you love it? 
  Ta Da! Presenting the RECON system of national determina­
  tion. 
  The New Recon Rules for 
  Shaping World Destiny (Optional) 
  Imagine that every battle fought by the player characters 
  could be used to determine the overall trend of events in South­
  east Asia. That means, that every time the players accomplish an 
  objective, they cause a bit more instability in the stability levels 
  of the opposition. Every time they fail, the stability of their al­
  lies goes down a notch. 
  On a scenario-by-scenario basis, it will be pretty simple. Ev­
  ery time the characters defeat the commies, they'll be advancing 
  the cause of western anti-communism. Every time they lose, 
  they'll see the communists grow. 
  For example, the characters have the responsibility of stop­
  ping a convoy from North to South Vietnam. If they succeed, 
  then they'll be helping the war effort in the south, giving a mo­
  208 
  
  rale boost to their followers in Laos, and setting back the attack 
  plans of the NV A. 
  If they fail, and if the traffic continues to build, then the co­
  lossus of the Stateside war machine may decide to take more se­
  rious steps. In the real world, that was saturation bombing inside 
  of Laos. The result certainly hurt the traffic, but it also destroyed 
  the support of the people in the region. 
  In the real world, it resulted in the destruction of the 
  CIA-backed Meo Army. Over 100,000 Meo refugees were evac­
  uated to horrible concentration camps in the Laotian lowlands. 
  Virtual\y every village was destroyed. Males, from the age of 12 
  on up, were drafted into various armed forces and killed at ap­
  palling rates. The perception of Stateside changed drastically. 
  Instead of the friendly and generous (but dumb) white giants, we 
  became blundering demons and monsters; squashing masses of 
  people in our desire to kill our enemies. 
  Every country has a government that can be a Military Dic­
  tatorship, a Civilian-Backed Democracy, or a Communist 
  Dictatorship. Each national government also has a basic stabil­
  ity level that ranges from Chaotic to Uncertain, to Stable, to 
  Permanence. 
  Using the system is pretty easy. Whenever the characters fail 
  a mission, the Mission Director ro\1s on the Player Character 
  Failure Table. Failure can mean being beaten by the commu­
  nists, failing to complete objectives, or letting the enemy escape 
  unharmed. Propaganda losses, where the characters "lose face" 
  in the international press, are also cause for roBing on the Fail­
  ure Table. 
  When characters succeed in their missions, the Mission Di­
  rector should roll on the Player Character Success Table. Suc­
  cess consists of completing objectives, defeating the enemy and 
  completing civilian development missions. Propaganda victories 
  occur when the characters receive "good press" by having some 
  positive thing (either civilian or military), reported by the media. 
  It's possible to fail militarily and win a propaganda victory, 
  or win a propaganda victory and lose militarily. If this happens, 
  just roll twice; once for the success and once for the failure. 
  Player Character Failure Table 
  01-26 Burma 
  Communist governments move one stage right, toward Per­
  manence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  01-65 No Change. Government Stays Cbaotic. 
  66-85 Military Coup. Government Stays Chaotic. 
  86-95 Communist Revolution. Nevertheless, the situation 
  is still Chaotic. Move non-communist, Thailand government 
  one step toward Permanence. 
  96-00 Balkanization. The country comes apart at the 
  seams. Karen, Chin, Shan, Kechin, and Arakan states, all be­
  come independent countries. This breaks into Permanent 
  warfare. Laos and Thailand move one step toward Chaotic, re­
  gardless of their governments. Neither the west nor the com­
  munists benefit. 
  31-35 Malaysia 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  Communists governments move one stage right, towards 
  Permanence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  01-70 No Change. Government Stays Chaotic. 
  71-85 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  86-95 Communist Revolution. Nevertheless, the siruation 
  is still Chaotic. 
  96-00 Indonesian Invasion. Malaysia ceases to exist. Indo­
  nesia moves one step towards Permanence, regardless of 
  government. This doubles the value of Indonesia for either 
  the west or the communists. 
  209 
  
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  210 
  
  36-40 Indonesia 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  Communist governments move one stage right, toward Per­
  manence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  01-45 No Change. Government Stays Chaotic. 
  46-60 Military Coup. stays Chaotic. 
  61-00 Communist Revolution. A strong communist party 
  wipes out the opposition. Move Indonesia to Uncertain. 
  Move non-communist governments in Malaysia and Thai­
  land one step toward Chaotic. 
  41-45 Philippines 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  Communist governments move one stage right, toward Per­
  manence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  01-45 No Change. Government Stays Chaotic. 
  46-60 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  86-00 Communist Revolution. Philippines stay Chaotic. 
  All non-communist governments move one step toward Cha­
  otic. Stateside moves toward Anti-Communism. 
  46-55 Southern 'Nam 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  If the status is Chaotic, then roll on the following table: 
  01-40 War Heats Up. Move Stateside one step toward 
  Anti-War. 
  41-65 FULRO Revolution. Highland ethnic people at­
  tempt a revolution. Move Laos and Cambodia one step to­
  ward Chaotic, regardless of government. Move Stateside one 
  step toward Anti-War. 
  66-95 Military Coup. Country stays Chaotic. Move State­
  side one step toward Anti-War. 
  96-00 Massive Military Setbacks. Move all communist 
  governments one step toward Permanence. 
  56-70 Cambodia. 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  Communist governments move one stage right, toward Per­
  manence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  01-50 No Change. Government stays Chaotic. 
  51-85 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. Military 
  governments in Thailand, Laos and Southern 'Nam, all take 
  one step toward Permanence. 
  86-95 Communist Revolution. Cambodia stays Chaotic. 
  Non-communist Laos, Thailand and Southern 'Nam all take 
  one step toward Chaotic. 
  96-00 Communist Blood bath. Khmer Rouge wipes out all 
  opposition. Cambodian communism moves to Permanence. 
  All communist governments move one step toward Perma­
  nence. Non-communist Thailand government moves to Per­
  manence. Laos and Southern 'Nam both take one step 
  toward Chaotic, regardless of government. 
  71-90 Laos 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  Communist governments move one stage right, toward Per­
  manence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  01-70 No Change. Government stays Chaotic. 
  71-85 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  86-95 Communist Revolution. Nevertheless, the situation 
  is still Chaotic. 
  96-00 Southern 'Nam moves one step towards Chaotic. 
  91-00 Thailand 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the left, toward 
  Chaotic. 
  Communist governments move one stage right, toward Per­
  manence. 
  If the status is non-communist and Chaotic, then roll on the 
  following table: 
  oI-50 No Change, Government stays Chaotic. 
  51-90 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. All 
  other military governments move one step toward Perma­
  nence. All civilian governments take one step toward Cha­
  otic. 
  91-00 Communist Revolution. All non-communist states 
  take one step toward Chaotic. Thailand stays Chaotic. State­
  side moves one step toward Anti-Communism. 
  Player Character Success Table 
  Every time the player characters succeed against the commu­
  nists, either militarily or with propaganda, the Mission Director 
  should determine the results of their success. 
  01-25 Massive Gains in Local Conditions. Roll: 
  01-30 Local populace joins Development Region. From 3 
  to 18 (3D6) villages decide to voluntarily come under the 
  control of the players' advisor characters. Local Militia units 
  are increased by 50%. 
  31-40 Communist-backed area defects to the player char­
  acters. From 2 to 12 (roll 2D6) villages join the Development 
  Region. From 10 to 1,000 (roll percentile and mUltiply by 10) 
  armed, communist rebels switch sides. 75% of the defecting 
  soldiers are suitable for local militia, and the other 25% can 
  become strike forces. 
  41-50 Governments, both local and Stateside, decide to 
  expand the Development Region program. Communist infil­
  tration stops, and all ambushes are spotted by local villages. 
  51-80 Program finally wins over the area people. Opposi­
  tion to Regional Development Missions ends, and the rate of 
  development doubles. Local Militia units spring up in every 
  village. 
  81-00 Player characters organize or enlarge strike force by 
  30 to 180 soldiers (roll 3D6 and multiply by 10). 
  211 
  
  26-30 Burma. 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the follow­
  ing table: 
  01-25 No Change. Government stays Chaotic. 
  26-35 Civilian Take-over; massive refonns implemented. 
  Govemment moves to Stable. 
  36-90 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  91-95 Military Blood bath. Communists are annihilated; 
  military government moves to Uncertain. Non-communist 
  governments in Laos and Thailand move one step toward 
  Permanence. 
  96-00 Balkanization. The country comes apart at the 
  seams. Karen, Chin, Shan, Kechin, and Arakan states, all be­
  come independent countries. This breaks into Permanent 
  warfare. Laos and Thailand move one step toward Chaotic, 
  regardless of their governments. Neither the west nor the 
  communists benefit. 
  31-35 Malaysia. 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If the status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the fol­
  lowing table: 
  01-25 No Change. Government stays Chaotic. 
  26-35 Civilian Take-over. Government moves to Uncertain. 
  Indonesia moves one step toward Chaotic. 
  36-90 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  91-00 Military Blood bath. Communists are annihilated; mil­
  itary government moves to Uncertain. Non-communist govern­
  ments in Laos and Thailand move one step toward Permanence 
  36-40 Indonesia 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If the status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the fol­
  lowing table: 
  01-35 Nothing happens. Government stays Chaotic. 
  36-50 Civilian Take-over. Government moves to Uncer­
  tain. Malaysia, regardless of government, takes one step to­
  ward Permanence. 
  51-80 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  81-00 Military Blood-bath. An anti-Communist Purge causes 
  the Military Government to move to Permanence. 
  41-45 Philippines 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist government move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If the status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the fol­
  lowing table: 
  01-25 Nothing happens. Government stays Chaotic. 
  Stateside moves one step toward Anti-Communism. 
  26-40 Civilian Take-over. Government stays Chaotic. 
  Stateside moves one step toward Anti-Communism. 
  41-70 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. State­
  side moves one step toward Anti-War. 
  71-00 Stateside Intervention. Civilian government is in­
  stalled and becomes Permanent. Stateside moves one step 
  toward Anti-War. 
  46-55 Southern 'Nam 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  If the status is Permanence, then roll on the following table: 
  01-25 Viet Cong Movement Destroyed. All communist 
  governments take one step toward Chaotic. All military and 
  civilian governments take one step toward Permanence. 
  26-50 Southern 'Nam invades Cambodia while chasing 
  guerrillas. Cambodia, regardless of government, moves one 
  step toward Chaotic. Stateside moves one step toward 
  Anti-War. 
  51-60 Southern 'Nam invades Laos while chasing NV A. 
  Laos, regardless of government, takes one step toward Cha­
  otic. Stateside moves one step toward Anti-War. 
  61-90 Massive Military Gains. Communist governments 
  in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, take one step toward Cha­
  otic. Military governments everywhere take one step toward 
  Permanence. 
  91-00 Southern 'Nam negotiates peace with People's 
  'Nam. The war in 'Nam is over. All countries, regardless of 
  government, take two steps toward Permanence. 
  56-65 Cambodia. 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If the status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the fol­
  lowing table: 
  01-25 Nothing happens. Government stays Chaotic. 
  26-50 Civilian Take-over. Government moves to Uncer­
  tain. Southern 'Nam takes one step toward Permanence. 
  51-90 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  91-00 Military Blood bath. An anti-Communist Purge 
  causes the Military Government to move to Permanence. 
  Communist governments everywhere take one step toward 
  Chaotic 
  66-85 Laos 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If the status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the fol­
  lowing table: 
  0\-15 Nothing happens. Government stays Chaotic. 
  \6-20 Civilian Neutralist Take-over. Government stays 
  Chaotic. 
  21-00 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  212 
  
  86-95 Thailand 
  Military or Civilian governments move to the right, toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments move one stage left, toward Cha­
  otic. 
  If the status is communist and Chaotic, then roll on the fol­
  lowing table: 
  01-25 No Change. Government stays Chaotic. Stateside 
  moves one step toward Anti-Communism. 
  26-50 Civilian Take-over. Government moves to Uncer­
  tain. Stateside moves one step toward Anti-Communism. 
  51-85 Military Coup. Government stays Chaotic. 
  86-95 Military Coup and Blood bath; communists are an­
  nihilated. Thailand moves to Permanence. Move all non­
  communist 
  countries 
  one 
  step 
  toward 
  Permanence. 
  Communist governments in Cambodia, Laos and Burma be­
  come Chaotic. 
  96-00 Stateside Intervention. Military government is in­
  stalled and becomes Permanent. Stateside moves one step 
  toward Anti-War. 
  96-00 Worldwide Shake-Up. Roll: 
  01-25 Stateside Agreement with People's China. Southern 
  'Nam, and non-communist governments in Laos and Cambo­
  dia, each move one step toward Permanence. 
  26-40 Western Allied Intervention. Armed forces from 
  Europe and elsewhere enter the conflict. All non-communist 
  governments move one step toward Permanence. Stateside 
  moves one step toward Anti-Communism. 
  41-50 Coup in People's 'Nam. New leaders decide to step 
  down the war effort. NVA invasions cease. Non-communist 
  governments in Southern 'Nam, Laos and Cambodia, all 
  move one step toward Permanence. 
  51-80 Massive Military Build-Up in Southern 'Nam. 
  Southern 'Nam moves one step toward Permanence. Laos 
  and Cambodia, regardless of governments, move one step to­
  ward Chaotic. 
  81-95 Stateside Mandates Pacification Program. Move all 
  civilian governments in Southern 'Nam, Laos, and Cambo­
  dia, one step toward Permanence. Move Stateside two steps 
  toward Anti-Communism. 
  96-00 Anti-Communist Movement in Stateside. Move 
  Stateside two steps toward Anti-Communism. 
  Alone Against an Army 
  Are your players having a difficult time grasping tactical 
  concepts? Try presenting them with the following scenario. It's 
  a great demonstration of just how devastating guerrilla fighting 
  can be, especially since they get a taste of the war from the other 
  side. 
  Recon Team Requirements 
  This mission is a little unusual. The only player character is a 
  single Viet Congo She can be played by one player or a whole 
  group of players. In the character description below, she has all 
  the required skills and equipment necessary for completion of 
  her mission. 
  Mission Briefing 
  Explain to the player or player group that they'll be playing a 
  single VC character. Read the following to the player(s): 
  "Your character, Missy Hon Tsung, works as a maid at a 
  U.S. Air Force Base near the city. She is also active in the Viet 
  Cong and has been called in for a briefing from her cell leader 
  on her day off. Commissar Phung addresses her:" 
  "Comrade Tsung, the party has decided that you need more 
  practical field experience. Therefore, you have been assigned a 
  solo mission. We want you to set up an ambush on one of the 
  southern jungle trails leading back to the American compound. 
  213 
  
  "There is only a small chance that one of their reconnais­
  sance teams will actually use that trail, but that does not matter. 
  You must believe that they will appear. 
  "You will select a suitable place along the trail for the am­
  bush. Plant explosives and booby traps. Take any other neces­
  sary precautions for a quick escape. Then you will hide yourself 
  in an appropriate, concealed lookout and wait for the Yankee 
  soldiers. 
  "Should they show up, your duty is to kill or injure as many 
  of them as possible. You will also preserve your own life as best 
  you can. Remember, the National Liberation Front still needs 
  your services. 
  "If they do not appear before tomorrow's dawn, you are to 
  conceal all your equipment in the jungle and then return to your 
  job at the base. 
  "Comrade Tsung! For our country's honor you must do your 
  best!" 
  The Commissar will answer any of Comrade Tsung's ques­
  tions patiently and completely. However, there's realIy no more 
  information available. As far as Insertion and Extraction are 
  concerned, the ambush site is only a mile away from her village. 
  The terrain is dense jungle with frequent, low hills. The weather 
  will be clear and, at night, there will be a full moon. When the 
  character(s) ask about equipment, read the list included in 
  Missy's character description (below). 
  Once Missy reaches the trail she'll find three, suitable, am­
  bush sites. Read the following: 
  "You find three, potential, ambush sites along the trail. The 
  first is on a 100 foot long, straight section of trail. It's ideal for 
  the Claymore because the bomb fragments could kill everyone 
  on that section of trail. The perfect time to use it would be when 
  all the soldiers are on that stretch of trail. The disadvantage with 
  the first trail is that there is no good cover and that the only es­
  cape will be along the trail itself. 
  "The second possible ambush site is where the trail winds 
  around a 120ft high hill. There's a beautiful rock ledge that 
  would make great cover and overlooks three different points on 
  the trail. It would be great for sniping. It also has an excellent 
  escape route, with a trail that winds down the back of the hill 
  and directly into the village. 
  "Last, but not least, there's a stream crossing. It's only 3ft 
  deep, but rock-filled and 30ft wide. It would be perfect for a va­
  riety of booby traps, and it offers a good open area for sniping. 
  Escape would be fairly easy since the enemy would still have to 
  cross the stream before pursuing. On the other hand, it is also 
  lacking in good cover. 
  "What are your plans?" 
  Encounters 
  Really, just the one encounter. In classic, "Turkey Shoot" 
  fashion the NPC soldiers will come walking down the trail in 
  single file. Don't roll for Alertness until after the first trap has 
  sprung or the first shot fired. The Point Man is 30ft ahead of the 
  rest of the group. Everybody else is spaced 15ft apart. 
  Any NPC's who survive the initial encounter will immedi­
  ately jump for cover and then attempt shooting. It's unlikely that 
  they'll attempt to pursue Missy. 
  Don't forget the modifiers for the Ambush. Missy has no 
  modifiers for the first combat round, a -
  10% when they're run­
  ning in panic, and a -
  20% when they're under cover. The 
  NPCs have a -
  70% out in the open, a - 80% when they're div­
  ing for cover, and a - 60% after they've gotten under cover. If 
  Missy is on the rock slab or in a hole (nothing says she can't do 
  some digging!), then the NPCs have a further -20% modifier. 
  Chances are the NPCs will just be trying to roll the 5% mini­
  mum combat effectiveness. 
  Mission Director Notes 
  Remember, this is a practice exercise. Encourage the players 
  to come up with novel traps, tactics and plans. The more nasty 
  things they come up with, the more they'll realize how danger­
  ous the enemy is to their regular characters. 
  Be sure to explain any of the technical details of the clay­
  more (it should be pointed a particular way and 'live fired' by 
  Missy) and any other equipment or traps. 
  The only time the player will need to roll dice is for the oper­
  ation of the MAT49 Submachine gun. All other rolls, detection, 
  setting the explosives and making booby traps, are assumed to 
  be successful. 
  Incidentally, it's a good idea to keep track of all the 
  player(s)'s plans. Sometime later in the campaign, preferably a 
  few weeks or months later, you can use Missy's ambush as an 
  encounter for the regular player characters. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  All the player characters will be playing Missy Hon Tsung. 
  The American 6-man team travels in the order listed below. 
  Since they are pretty much cannon fodder in this mission, only 
  their basic attributes, special equipment and weapons skills are 
  given. 
  Missy Hen Tsung 
  Description: Missy is a rather matronly looking woman, with a 
  few wrinkles on her face and a fair amount of grey in her hair. 
  She is a quiet person who works hard, but also readily laughs at 
  the jokes of others. She is popular both with the U.S. service­
  men and with her countrymen. 
  Attributes: ST: 27 AL: 76 AG: 54 
  Alignment: Idealist 
  Skills: 
  Booby Trap 
  Engineer with 
  Climbing, 
  Grenade 
  Throwing, Detect Ambush, Detect Mines, Detect Booby 
  Traps, and Jungle Survival. 
  Equipment: MAT -49 Submachine gun (45% to hit17 rounds per 
  CR) that does 3D I 0 damage, (2) ammo clips (32 rounds 
  each), (I) Ml8Al Claymore Mine, (2) M67 Hand Grenades, 
  (2) used razor blades, (24) punji stakes, 20 feet of tough 
  string, (I) knife, and (J) coffee can which can be used for 
  carrying everything else and for digging in the dirt. She is 
  wearing black PJs, sandals and a straw hat. 
  1. Boomer the Point Man 
  Attributes: ST: 41 AL: 81 AG: 28 
  Equipment: M-16 Assault Rifle (40%/5 rounds per CR) 
  2. Sgt. Sam the Grenadier 
  Attributes: ST: 88 AL: 45 AG: 49 
  Equipment: M-79 Grenade Launcher (35%/1 round per CR); 
  High Explosive, Smoke and Multiple Projectile rounds avail­
  able. 
  214 
  
  3. Sparks the RTO 
  Attributes: ST: 62 AL: 74 AG : 15 
  Equipment: M-16 Assault Rifle (35%/5 rounds per CR) 
  "There is a terrific explosion! The car is burning furiously 
  and all the guardsmen are laying on the ground at odd angles. 
  You hear a woman screaming inside of one of the buildings. 
  Now what?" 
  4. Leo the Pigman 
  Attributes: ST: 85 AL: 27 AG: 37 
  Equipment: M-60 Machinegun (30%/10 rounds per CR) 
  5. Harvey the Medic 
  Attributes: ST: 67 AL: 14 AG: 72 
  Equipment: Harvey is an Idealist-Pacifist; he'll shoot his M- J6, 
  but won't try to hit anything. 
  6. Gipper the Sniper 
  Attributes: ST: 65 AL: 26 AG: 79 
  Equipment: M-14 Semi-Automatic Rifle (50%/3 rounds per 
  CR) 
  Stirring Up Anti-Heroin Fever: 
  A Demonstration Scenario 
  Recon Team Minimum Requirements 
  This is a single purpose mission. It's designed as a small 
  demonstration to the players of the evil of the heroin epidemic. 
  Suitable for any number or level of RECON player characters. 
  Mission Briefing 
  Tell the characters that they've been given a day pass to the 
  nearest R&:R (relaxation and recreation) area. It is not a com­
  pletely secured zone, so the players will be expected to carry 
  their rifles or sidearms. On the other hand, it's not a trip into the 
  bush! Don't let the players walk into the town with field-packs 
  or armed to the teeth. 
  Encounters 
  I. At first, let the player characters have a little fun. Use the 
  city encounter tables to build up atmosphere and for any extra 
  encounters. It's a good idea to keep this up until the characters 
  start to relax. 
  2. At some point or another, when the characters are walking 
  along a street, read the following: 
  "You are walking along, minding your own business, when, 
  suddenly, you hear sirens behind you. All the locals are running 
  into buildings and away from the center of the street. You hear 
  the roar of engines and see that two motorcycles and a large, 
  black car have rounded the comer and are speeding directly to­
  ward you. What are you doing?" 
  Assuming that the player characters get out of the way 
  (they'll be run over if they don't) Read the following: 
  "As soon as the car passes, it starts screeching to a halt. It co­
  mes to a sudden stop just 100 feet away, in front of a grey, 
  two-story, office building. You see six Laotian soldiers. Elite 
  airborne troops wearing fancy uniforms and shiny helmets. They 
  come to attention, facing outward in two lines of three, obvi­
  ously shielding whoever is in the car. You notice that their Colt 
  Commando Assault Rifles are also shiny and new. What are you 
  doing?" 
  Give the players a moment and find out what they plan on 
  doing. They probably won't have a chance to do much of any­
  3. Everything is now set up for a fierce, urban battle. As soon 
  as one of the players asks the Mission Director about what he 
  sees, read: 
  "People are diving for cover all over the place. You see one 
  of the windows in the grey building shatter, and you hear the 
  distinctive sound of an AK-47. Other weapons are firing. You 
  think the weapon-fire is coming from the roof of one of the 
  buildings across the street." 
  By this point, all the player characters should have jumped 
  for cover. Anyone still standing out in the open will be a target 
  for the terrorists. 
  Attacking the assassination team will require either the use of 
  some kind of heavy weapon, preferably a grenade launcher, or 
  moving to a spot above them. Another exciting possibility is for 
  the characters to move up the stairs in the building the commu­
  nists are currently occupying. 
  4. Once the player characters are under cover, and starting to 
  make plans, read the following: 
  "Across the street you see a door swing open wide. At a sort 
  of drunken roll, a young Stateside soldier comes out onto the 
  street. He's obviously barely conscious. You see him walk di­
  rectly out into the fire zone of the terrorists. What are you do­
  ing?" 
  The soldier will not respond to any shouts, yells or sounds. 
  He can be easily pulled by anyone who is gutsy enough to go 
  out and get him. Describe him wandering about aimlessly as 
  bullets kick up little clouds of dirt around him. If no one runs 
  out to get him, read: 
  "The soldier's lower leg is instantly splotched with red. He 
  looks vaguely surprised. As he starts to look down, he sort of 
  folds up and falls clumsily to the ground." 
  5. Now it's all up to the players. They still have to save the 
  soldier and try to get at the assassins. Anyone tending to the sol­
  dier will see that he's feeble and shaking, but that the wound on 
  his leg is not all that serious. 
  6. Once the battle is resolved, read the following to whoever 
  is treating the Stateside soldier: 
  "You see the kid start convulsing. He seems to be having 
  trouble breathing. His heartbeat seems irregular." 
  Give the players a chance to attempt medical treatment. Then 
  read: 
  "In spite of your best efforts, the young soldier stops breath­
  ing and goes limp. He's obviously very dead." 
  When and if the player characters search/examine the body, 
  they'll discover the following: 
  "His dog tags identify him as Steven Harold Lewis, Private 
  First Class. He's got a wallet with three pictures, an older 
  woman, a little girl and a small dog. Also in the wallet are $60 
  in Stateside currency and an I.D. Card with the dead kid's pic­
  ture on it. Same name, Steven Harold Lewis, and he's 17 years 
  old. In his right, front pocket he's got a folded up piece of paper 
  (the letter below). He has hidden inside his shirt, a small pack­
  age with two, small, plastic bags and a needle." 
  Here's the contents of the letter: 
  thing because: 
  215 
  
  Dear Mom, 
  Thanks for writing. It feels good to get a letter from you and 
  Angie. You, are right, my hand was shaking the last time I wrote 
  to you. I don't know, maybe it's just because I'm scared some­
  times. 
  Anyway, I'm okay. We got in some fights with the enemy. 
  Last week, my buddy Claude died. You probably remember me 
  telling you about him. He was the guy who got sick all the time 
  in basic training. We shot back into the jungle, but we never 
  found the sniper that did it. 
  I'm sorry I can't send you any money right now. You know 
  how the Army is. I guess they forgot to pay me. 
  Your son, Steve 
  7. It's easy for the player characters to do follow-up research. 
  They can learn that the kid died of a heroin overdose. That he 
  was in the war for about II weeks and, according to his Ser­
  geant, "he was scared, real quiet and real scared. I guess he just 
  couldn't handle it." 
  Mission Director Information 
  Selling drugs to Stateside soldiers in 'Nam is easy. When a 
  guy knows any day may be his last, he's not worried about 
  long-term effects, just about getting the most out of the little life 
  he's got left .. Thousands of Stateside soldiers took advantage of 
  the cheap heroin in 'Nam ... and most of them became another 
  kind of casualty in the war. 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Communist Political Assassination Team 
  This is a suicide squad. Their main intention was to murder 
  the official in the black car. Now that that's been accomplished, 
  they are simply trying to do as much damage as possible before 
  they are overrun and killed. If their ammunition starts getting 
  low, they will rush out and charge the largest unit of armed 
  forces in the area. 
  Ufong: ST: 41 AL: 47 AG: 98 
  SkilllWeapon: 94% to hitlM-l Rifle; only shoots once per CR. 
  Ky: ST: 90 AL: 82 AG: 68 
  Skill\Weapon: 50% to hit/AK-47 
  Yuan: ST: 43 AL: 94 AG: 70 
  SkilllWeapons: 40% to hitl7.62mm Pistol; shoots twice per CR. 
  Notes on the International Situation 
  Conditions For Non-Communist 
  Revolution in People's 'Nam: 
  The imposition of a Soviet-style police state makes it diffi­
  cult to cause any sort of dissent in People's 'Nam. That's not the 
  real problem. The real problem is that the citizens of People's 
  'Nam are fighting a war of national independence. In their eyes, 
  any foreign intruder is the moral equivalent of the French colo­
  nialists. 
  Therefore, there is no chance of subverting People's 'Nam 
  until the following conditions come to pass: 
  1. Stateside must have withdrawn from Southern 'Nam. 
  2. The Viet Cong must cease to exist as a communist ally. 
  3. The North Vietnamese Anny must experience substantial 
  military defeats ... at least to the extent of destroying their 
  ability to carry the war into the south. 
  Conditions for Communist 
  Revolution in Southern 'Nam 
  This country is caught in a trap. No communist revolution is 
  possible so long as Stateside maintains its influence. However, 
  as soon as Stateside withdraws, People's 'Nam will immediately 
  invade. In Southern 'Nam, the choices have been greatly re­
  duced. 
  Conditions for Policy Change Stateside 
  By the end of 1961, there were over 3,000 Stateside troops in 
  'Nam. Even by 1965, the commitment had only grown to 22,000 
  soldiers. At that time, the population of Stateside was barely 
  aware that there was a war going on. 
  In the years after 1965, the Stateside Anny in 'Nam grew to 
  over 500,000. At the same time, a massive Anti-War sentiment 
  back home had completely destroyed the political base for con­
  tinuing to support the war. 
  But we're talking about 1965! Back then, things could have 
  gone any number of ways. Here are the basic, three ways that 
  Stateside could go in changing policy. 
  1. Increased Anti-War Sentiment: This roughly approxi­
  mates what happened in the real world. In the face of mounting 
  American casualties, the American people gradually started say­
  ing NO. In the Stateside system, that resulted in decreases in 
  economic support and eventually in the loss of political prestige 
  2. Increased Anti-Communist Sentiment: A condition sim­
  ilar to that of America in the early 1950s. Strong support for the 
  war in both economic and military resources. This increases ev­
  ery time a Southeast Asian country falls to a communist 
  revolution. 
  3. Pacification Strategy: This is the one possible change that 
  would (in the opinion of this writer) greatly change the chances 
  of success for anti-communist forces. "Pacification" is the pro­
  cess of dealing with the nation's people on a local level. The 
  Stateside Army's Special Forces were basically involved in pac­
  ification when they went into villages, made friends with the 
  people, helped their local economy, provided advanced medi­
  cine and technology, and organized them to resist the local ter­
  rorists. 
  Stateside pacification programs were wildly successful. 
  Whether carried out by Special Forces, Army or Marines, they 
  invariably resulted in the active support of the local people. 
  However, the Stateside pacification programs, in 'Nam were 
  opposed by the national government, who perceived that they 
  might 
  lose 
  power 
  when 
  regions 
  became 
  strong. This 
  short-sighted view led to the closing down of most programs. 
  Eventually, all the good results of pacification were negated by 
  a bureaucracy that destroyed or relocated just about every 
  friendly village. 
  Conditions for Communist Revolution Stateside: 
  I. The loss of all countries in Southeast Asia to communist 
  insurgents. 
  2. A strongly anti-administration attitude. 
  3. Universal, communist military success. 
  216 
  
  4. Massive economic problems. 
  Under the "rules" of Advanced RECON, there is really no 
  way for Stateside to become a battleground. However, the Mis­
  sion Director may find it interesting to let a bunch of player 
  characters defend San Francisco, or the wilds of Oklahoma, 
  against communist insurgents with NYA advisors. 
  Notes 
  1. National Status as of Spring, 1965: 
  Southern 'Nam 
  Military 
  Unstable 
  Cambodia 
  Civilian 
  Unstable 
  Laos 
  Civilian 
  Chaotic 
  Thailand 
  Civilian 
  Unstable 
  Bunna 
  Military 
  Uncertain 
  Malaysia 
  Civilian 
  Unstable 
  Indonesia 
  Civilian 
  Unstable 
  Philippines 
  Civilian 
  Uncertain 
  People's 'Nam 
  Communist 
  Permanence 
  Stateside Sentiment is 50/50. 
  2. When the table instructions say "Move toward Perma­
  nence," then check the next box to the right of the current posi­
  tion. When it says "Move toward Chaotic," then check the next 
  box to the left of the current position. 
  3. The phrase, "If the status is Chaotic," means when it's that 
  way before you started rolling. The Chaotic condition should 
  have appeared before you started rolling on the table. 
  4. Each of the stability levels describes the government's cur­
  rent grip on the country. Here is a short description: 
  Chaotic: The government is on the brink of destruction. A 
  major push from any direction and it will fall. Most changes in 
  government can only happen when it's reached the point of 
  chaos. 
  Unstable: Usually refers to a government that hasn't yet con­
  solidated their power and is still in danger of being toppled. 
  Uncertain: 
  This 
  is 
  the 
  situation 
  where 
  various 
  anti-government forces openly attempt to win the support of the 
  people. The government is too strong to be toppled directly, but 
  it can be weakened by guerrilla forces, a poor economy, or lack 
  of international support. 
  Stable: Once a government has seized control of the military 
  and the administration, and has set up sound, international alli­
  ances, it becomes Stable. Most of the people in the country 
  view the government as a lawful one and one worthy of support. 
  Permanent: This occurs when the government completely 
  wipes out any kind of viable opposition. 
  Important Note: Once a government reaches Permanence, 
  it can not be changed in any way. For example, Permanence 
  can't be changed even if the Mission Director rolis up one of the 
  "move toward Chaotic" instructions. Once a government 
  reaches Permanence, it will stay that way no matter what else 
  happens. 
  5. Although there's no "game end" in RECON, it sometimes 
  becomes obvious that the battle is over. If most of the countries 
  reach Permanence then the game is at a logical end. Whoever 
  has the most countries (the west or the communists) "wins" the 
  game. 
  217 
  
  The Original RECON ® Miniature Rules 
  SCALES 
  '/3STH 
  ~I~~_'~I~~~~~~3~1~~~~__~sLI~~~__L-~7IYo.
  '/4" (20MMl BETTER \/vITH LARGE GROUP 
  ~1~~'I~~~I~~3~1~~~I-L~S~I~~I~-L7~1~~~~19~IYD. 
  '/72ND (20 MM) MORE REALISTIC 
  I I ,'1 , ,21 J 13 1I 1'1 
  til I PI 
  171 
  These rules are designed to give those groups who feel com­
  fortable with using miniature figures, a more exact combat sys­
  tem. As originally written, RECON was a game with only a 
  miniature-based system for combat. I can highly recommend 
  this system as an extremely playable and fun way to play. RPG 
  players may be surprised at how visual and entertaining minia­
  tures can be. Miniatures add a certain flair to a role playing 
  game which is otherwise overlooked. 
  To utilize this system, a table-top space of about 3 by 4 feet 
  is needed. Also required are various "props" to represent terrain, 
  buildings, and the combatants. These props can be actual minia­
  tures or handy items found in most homes. To represent Foliage, 
  colored lichen, irregular pieces of construction paper, or pieces 
  of cloth can be used. Rivers and Ponds can be represented by 
  strips of cloth or paper. Contour lines for hills can be indicated 
  by string, yam, or thin strips of tape. Characters and other com­
  batants are normally represented by the rather wide variety of 
  metal or plastic figurines. If figures are not available, coins or 
  pieces of cardboard can be used in their place. 
  Buildings are indicated by using paper rectangles, and com­
  mon 3x5 index cards can easily be used to represent these. Win­
  dows and doors should be indicated on these cards. For large 
  buildings with interior walls, the floorplans can be drawn di­
  rectly on the card or paper. Obviously once these buildings are 
  made they should be kept for future use. 
  Depending on the amount of space available to layout the 
  terrain, and to a lesser extent, the size of the figures, the scale 
  used will vary. The scale of a miniature game is the relationship 
  between the measurements on your playing field and real life 
  measurements. For Example: A common scale used in model 
  building is 1172nd. This means that I foot on the model repre­
  sents 72 feet in real life. For game purposes, a convenient scale 
  to use is one half inch on the playing area equals one yard in 
  real life (1/2 inch = 3ft). A slightly smaller scale would be one 
  centimeter equals one yard, slightly larger would be one inch 
  equals one yard. Scale is likely to depend on the availability of 
  playing space. 
  218 
  f31, (31 13°1 ,1'1 ,';:1 
  ~rl ,'?IYo. 
  After the mission director decides on what scale he will be 
  using in his game he needs to make a series ofgrids. each mea­
  suring ten squares by ten squares. Two of these grids wi\l be 
  needed, one where each square equals five yards across. Al­
  though these grids can be made of paper or cardboard, it would 
  be even better if they are made using transparent plastic and 
  marker. All art supply stores will stock large and small sheets of 
  plastic acetate and mylar as well as grid paper (ask for the large 
  individual sheets), and markers that can write on plastic and be 
  washed off. Each square then needs to be numbered, starting 
  from one in the upper left comer, across to the right, and finally 
  ending with one hundred in the lower right comer. The center of 
  the grid should be marked as well. See example. 
  These grids are used to determine where artillery strikes, in­
  accurately thrown grenades, and paratroopers land, among other 
  things. 
  Measuring/Scale and Ranges 
  The mission director will also need some sort of measuring 
  tool, such as a yardstick or tape measure. A standard wooden 
  yardstick is probably the easiest to use in that it also doubles as 
  a pointer. Although the mission director may wish to have sev­
  eral rulers for the players to use, he should prevent them from 
  measuring ranges to potential targets until they have stated just 
  what they are aiming at. 
  Setting Up Terrain 
  When preparing the playing field, first set up the major ter­
  rain features such as rivers, roads, hills or buildings. Then ran­
  domly scatter your foliage around, making sure not to put the 
  bushes in the middle of the river or on top of buildings. Jungle 
  trails can be indicated by moving your foliage around somewhat 
  to make clear paths. Logs and fallen trees can be indicated by 
  using sticks. 
  When running the game, it is much easier to set up the actual 
  playing field when a specific contact is made. Have the players 
  set up their line of march (see mobile overwatch) and then 
  
  change the terrain around them as needed. You will find this 
  sort of system to be easier to use than moving all of the players' 
  figures around. Of course, the players can to alter their figures' 
  positions at any time. 
  The Combat System 
  Weapon Checks 
  There are two basic ways to keep tabs on the players' (and 
  non-player characters') ammo during a firefight. Since no 
  weapon has an unlimited capacity magazine, there may be situa­
  tions where the firer's weapon runs out. 
  The fi rst way would be to have everyone keep track of how 
  many shots his character has fired. Once the number of shots 
  fired equals the capacity of his weapon's magazine, he must 
  stop and reload. It takes one combat round to change maga­
  zines. 
  The second way eliminates the need for keeping track of the 
  number of shots fired. At any time during a firefight the mission 
  director can announce a "weapon check." At this time all char­
  acters (and their enemies too) must roll against their alertness. If 
  they fail this roll, they are assumed to not have paid attention to 
  how many rounds they fired and are out of ammo; they must 
  change magazines. If a character has not fired at all, his weapon 
  i assumed to have jammed and he must clear it. In either case it 
  requires one combat round. 
  1/72 NO 
  Combat in RECON is considered to be simultaneous. This 
  means that no one character shoots or moves before the others. 
  Each player states what his character is doing in the current 
  combat round and then the action is resolved. While the action 
  is simultaneous, the mission director should work out an order 
  ofplay or turns to avoid chaos during play. 
  Firing Blind 
  In a situation where an enemy target is not clearly visible, 
  i.e., behind a clump of bushes in the distance or beyond the ef­
  fective range due to environmental conditions, treat all fire as 
  blind fire. In these situations, there is only a one percent chance 
  ofhitting the enemy. 
  Damage Modifiers 
  The terrain a human target is in can reduce the damage taken 
  when hit. These special situations are listed on the Terrain 
  Damage Modifier Table. These modifiers are applied if the tar­
  get is completely within such terrain. For Example: If the target 
  is inside a wooden building and is hit by small arms fire, it 
  would take reduced or 112 damage. However, if the target was in 
  the window of a wooden building and was hit directly, it would 
  take full damage. 
  To Fire at a Target 
  The first step in conducting fire against a target is to mea­
  sure the range between it and the firer. If the target is beyond the 
  maximum effective range as given on the table, it can still be 
  fired on, but by using blind fire. 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  1 0 
  1 1 
  1 2 
  1 3 
  1 4 
  1 5 
  1 6 
  1 7 
  1 8 
  1 9 
  20 
  2 1 
  22 
  23 
  24 
  25 
  26 
  27 
  28 
  29 
  30 
  3 1 
  32 
  33 
  34 
  35 
  36 
  37 
  38 
  39 
  40 
  4 1 
  42 
  43 
  44 
  45 
  ...J 
  46 -
  47 
  48 
  49 
  50 
  51 
  52 
  53 
  54 
  55"'" r­
  56 
  57 
  58 
  59 
  60 
  61 
  62 
  63 
  64 
  65 
  66 
  67 
  68 
  69 
  70 
  71 
  72 
  73 
  74 
  75 
  76 
  77 
  78 
  79 
  80 
  81 
  82 
  83 
  84 
  85 
  86 
  87 
  88 
  89 
  90 
  91 
  92 
  93 
  94 
  95 
  96 
  97 
  98 
  99 
  100 
  219 
  
  The second step is to cross index the target range on both 
  the Target Posture Table and the Marksman Posture Table. 
  These tables will give a modifier to the firer's effectiveness with 
  his weapon. Subtract (or add) these modifiers from his effective­
  ness to give the number which must be equaled or rolled under 
  on percentile dice in order to hit the target. 
  The third step is to roll percentile dice to determine if the 
  target is hit or not. 
  The fourth step is to roll on the Hit Location Table (assum­
  ing the target is a person and has indeed been hit). 
  The fifth and last step is to roll damage and subtract it from 
  the target's damage capacity. 
  Example: Fred Krueger fires his M-16 at a VC guerrilla who 
  is 32 yards away. Environmental conditions are day with a misty 
  rain, so he is well within range. Krueger's effectiveness with his 
  M-16 is 71. Cross indexing the range with Krueger's and the 
  VC's postures gives a total modifier of -35 ( -15 for the VC and 
  -20 for Krueger). This gives him a 36% chance of hitting the VC 
  (71 - 35 = 36). Krueger rolls a 35 so he hits (a roll of37 to 100 
  would indicate a miss). A second roll on the Hit Location Table 
  of 40 indicates the target has been hit in the chest. A check on 
  the Damage Table reveals that an M-16 round does 4D I 0 
  points of damage. Krueger rolls a 27, a pretty serious wound. 
  Hit Location Table 
  Roll 
  24 Wrist 
  1-2 Brain (fatal) 
  25 Hand 
  3 Left eye 
  26 Finger 
  4 Right eye 
  27 Thumb 
  5 Nose 
  28-47 Chest 
  6 Jaw 
  48-62 Abdomen 
  7 Larynx 
  63-66 Groin 
  8 Left shoulder 
  67-70 Left hip 
  9-10 Upper arm 
  71-75 Thigh 
  11 Elbow 
  76 Knee 
  12-13 Forearm 
  77-80 Calf 
  14 Wrist 
  81 Ankle 
  15 Hand 
  82-83 Foot 
  16 Finger 
  84-87 Right hip 
  17 Thumb 
  88-92 Thigh 
  18 Right shoulder 
  93 Knee 
  19-20 Upper arm 
  94-97 Calf 
  21 Elbow 
  98 Ankle 
  22-23 Forearm 
  99-00 Foot 
  In profile shots (from side) the percent for the opposite side 
  are counted for the exposed side (double the chance of hitting). 
  Example: If you have a left side shot where the opponent's 
  right eye, arm, or leg is blocked from view, a roll on the hit lo­
  cation chart of the right eye, arm, or leg would count as a hit on 
  the exposed left eye, arm, or leg. 
  Upper Body Hit Location Table 
  Roll 
  1-5 
  Brain (0 I ,02 fatal) 
  16-17 Left shoulder· 
  6-7 
  Left eye· 
  18-21 Upper arm 
  8-9 
  Right eye· 
  22-23 Elbow 
  10-11 Nose 
  24-27 Forearm 
  12-13 Jaw 
  28-29 Wrist 
  14-15 Larynx 
  30-31 Hand 
  32-33 Finger 
  48-49 Wrist 
  34-35 Thumb 
  50-51 Hand 
  36-37 Right shoulder· 
  52-53 Finger 
  38-41 Upper arm 
  54-55 Thumb 
  42-43 Elbow 
  56-00 Chest 
  44-47 Forearm 
  • If only one arm is exposed, then a "hit" on the other, unex­
  posed arm counts as a hit on the exposed arm. 
  Truck Hit Location Table 
  Roll IDI0 to determine damage. 
  I Hit engine, rolls to a stop, engine in flames. 
  2 Hit cab, killing driver, rolls on out of control. 
  3 Hits fuel tank and goes up in a ball of flame. 
  4 Hit left front tire, spins off in that direction. 
  5 Hit right front tire, spins off in that direction. 
  6 Hits left rear tire(s), stops. 
  7 Hits right rear tire(s), stops. 
  8 Hits truck bed, kills any occupant. 
  9 Hits truck bed, kills half of occupants. 
  10 Hits truck bed, wounds all occupants, but can still fight ( -20 
  ST each). 
  Partially Hidden Targets 
  If a target is partially hidden behind an object; behind a boul­
  der, standing in a window, etc.; use the prone/behind object cat­
  egory on the Target Posture Table. In addition, if such a target is 
  hit, roll on the Upper Body Hit Location Table. 
  Effective Range 
  Although nearly every modem weapon can shoot at targets 
  which are extremely far away, the effective range of a weapon 
  depends on the firer being able to see his target. Environmental 
  conditions are the sole factor in determining the maximum ef­
  fective range of a weapon in combat. Naturally, one can see far­
  ther on a clear day than during a heavy rain. The maximum 
  effective range table will give these figures based on environ­
  mental conditions. 
  Posture Tables 
  RIFLES 
  Range in Yards 
  0·10 
  11·25 
  26·50 
  51·100 
  100·500 + 
  TARGET POSTURE 
  Standing 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  Kneeling 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  Running 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  Prone/Behind Obj. 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  - 35 
  -40 
  MARKSMAN POSTURE 
  Prone/Braced 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  Kneeling 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  Standing 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  Running 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  - 35 
  Full Auto 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  MACHINEGUN 
  Range in Yards 
  0·10 
  11·25 
  26-50 
  51-100 
  100-500+ 
  TARGET POSTURE 
  Standing 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  Kneeling 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  - 25 
  -30 
  Running 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  -45 
  PronelBehind Obj. 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  -45 
  220 
  
  MARKSMAN POSTURE 
  PISTOUSUBMACHINE GUN 
  Range in Yards 
  Prone/Braced 
  0 
  Kneeling 
  -10 
  Standing 
  -15 
  Running 
  -20 
  Full Auto 
  -20 
  SHOTGUN 
  0-5 
  TARGET POSTURE 
  Standing 
  +5 
  Kneeling 
  0 
  Running 
  -5 
  Prone/Behind Obj. 
  -10 
  0 
  - 15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -25 
  6-10 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  - 5 
  -10 
  -20 
  -25 
  -25 
  -30-35 
  -30 
  -35-40 
  -30 
  -35 
  Range in Yards 
  ll-IS 
  16-20 
  -5 
  -10 
  -10 
  -15 
  -15 
  -20 
  -20 
  -25 
  -15 
  -30 
  -40 
  0-5 
  6-10 
  ll-IS 
  TARGET POSTURE 
  Standing 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  Kneeling 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  Running 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  Prone/Behind Obj . 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  MARKSMAN POSTURE 
  Prone/Braced 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  Kneeling 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  Standing 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  Running 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  Full Auto 
  - 20 
  -25 
  -30 
  CHOPPER EXTRACTION 
  16-20 
  -15 
  -20 
  - 25 
  -30 
  -15 
  - 20 
  -25 
  -35 
  -35 
  21-2S 
  -20 
  -25 
  - 30 
  -35 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  -40 
  -40 
  26-30 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  - 45 
  -45 
  MARKSMAN POSTURE 
  Prone/Braced 
  +5 
  Kneeling 
  0 
  Standing 
  -5 
  Running 
  -10 
  0 
  -5 
  - 10 
  -15 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  Often the "STABO" Rig was used to lift people out. It takes 3 
  combat rounds to lower the STABO Rig and the characters to mount 
  it. It will then take 3 combat rounds to raise the rig, during which the 
  characters will be exposed to enemy fire . Treat them as prone targets 
  for incoming fire and running marksmen for their fire . 
  Suppressed Weapons 
  Maximum Range 
  Suppressed Weapons To Roll React 
  Weapon 
  PISTOL 
  .22 
  Damage Table 
  Damage 
  2010 + 5 
  .22 Pistol 
  9mm, Pistol/SMG 
  5 .56mm (M-16s) 
  7.62mm (M-14s) 
  15 feet 
  30 feet 
  30 feet 
  45 feet 
  7.62 x 25 
  .38 Special 
  9mm 
  .45 ACP 
  3010 
  3010 
  3010+5 
  4010 
  With a suppressed weapon at five feet, you can roll against your 
  .357 Magnum 
  40 10+ 5 
  pistol percent effectiveness to make a head shot; if you make the roll 
  .44 Magnum 
  5010 
  it is an instant kill (otherwise, it is a complete miss). 
  9mmshort(Makarov) 
  3010 
  MACHINE PISTOUSUBMACHINE GUN 
  7.62x25 
  3010
  Maximum Effective Range Table (In Yards) 
  9mm 
  3010+5 
  Precipitation 
  Day 
  Night (Phase orthe Moon) 
  .45ACP 
  4010 
  .30 Carbine 
  4010
  Full-
  Half 
  Qtr. 
  New 
  None (no cloud cover) 
  600 
  300 
  200 
  120 
  60 
  ASSAULT RIFLE 
  None (25%cloud cover) 
  600 
  250 
  160 
  100 
  50 
  .30-06(M-I) 
  4010+5 
  None (50% cloud cover) 
  600 
  200 
  80 
  40 
  7 .5mm (Captured French MAS 49s) 
  4010 
  None (100%cloud cover) 
  600 
  150 
  60 
  30 
  7.62 x 39mm (AK, SKS) 
  4010 
  Misty Rain 
  450 
  100 
  40 
  25 
  7.62 x 54mm (SVO Sniper Rifle) 
  4010+5
  Light Rain (showers) or Snow 300 
  75 
  40 
  ~30---- 20 
  7.62mm X 51mm (M-14) 
  4010+5
  Medium RainorSnow 
  150 
  50 
  :--25---- 20 
  15 
  7.62mmx 5Imm(M-16) 
  4010+5
  Heavy Rain or Snow 
  ._)2___.-f25· --- 15 
  10 
  5 
  Torrential RainlB Iizzard 
  30 
  15 
  10 
  6 
  5 
  Non-Vietnam Weapons 
  Heavy Fog 
  15 
  10 
  8 
  6 
  5 
  6.5 
  3010+5 
  Maximum Range in Medium Vegetation-
  .303 
  4010 
  Maximum Range in Heavy Vegetation -_••-
  to observe the enemy. 
  5.45 (AK-74) 
  5010 
  'Use Full Moon for dawn or dusk (twilight) . 
  LIGHT MACHINEGUNS 
  7.62 X 39mm (RPK mag . fed MG) 
  4010 
  7.62 X 54mm (PKS belt fed MG) 
  4010+5 
  7.62x 51mm (NATO , M-60, Bren) 
  4010+5
  Combat Effectiveness Table: Speargun 
  .223/5 . 56mm (Stoner) 
  5010 
  Range in Yards 
  HEAVY MAcmNE GUN
  1-5 
  6-10 
  11-15 
  .50 
  20100
  Top or Bottom 
  0 
  - 5 
  - 10 
  SHOTGUNS
  Side 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  Flechette
  HeadorRear 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  Range (yards) 00 Buckshot 
  or M-79AP
  Roll 20100 against your modified effectiveness with the speargun. 
  1-5 
  20100 
  20100+ 10
  If you hit, roll damage; 3010 for a normal spearhead, 5010 for a 
  6-10 
  20100-20 
  20100 -10
  powerhead. If you missed, you just lost that spear. 
  ll-15 
  20100- 30 
  20100 - 20 
  16-20 
  20100-40 
  20100 - 30 
  221 
  
  Collateral Damage Table 
  Weapon 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  Grenade 
  IDIOO 
  WP Grenade (does 
  damage for 3 rounds) 10100/2 
  Demo Charge 
  Fatal 
  Rocket Launcher/ 
  LAW/RPG 
  10100+20 
  60mmMortar 
  10100 
  81mmMortar 
  Fatal 
  105 Howitzer 
  /2 
  IDlOO/3 
  IDlOO 
  /2 
  /2 
  10100 
  /3 
  10100/4 
  /2 
  /3 
  /3 
  /2 
  /4 
  IDlOO/5 
  /3 
  /4 
  /4 
  /3 
  /5 
  /4 
  /5 
  /5 
  14 
  /5 
  /5 
  (aircraft rockets) 
  155 Howitzer 
  8" Howitzer 
  (aircraft bomb) 
  Fatal 
  Fatal 
  Fatal 
  10100+ 10 
  Fatal 
  Fatal 
  /2 
  10100+20 
  Fatal 
  /3 
  /2 
  10100+ 30 
  /4 
  /3 
  /2 
  /5 
  /4 
  /3 
  15 
  14 
  /5 
  GRENADES & BLOOKERS 
  Combat Effectiveness Table: Grenades 
  Targets 
  1-20 
  21-25 
  26-30 
  31-35 
  36-40 
  41-45 
  Open area (clear target) 
  Door-Sized Space 
  Window-Sized Space 
  Gunslit 
  Unseen 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -10 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -15 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -20 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  -25 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -30 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  -35 
  (exp . over a wall) 
  Combat Effectiveness Table: Grenade Launchers 
  Targets 
  0-75 
  76-120 
  121-165 
  166-210 
  211-255 
  256-300 
  Open area 
  -5 
  Door-Sized Space 
  -10 
  Window-Sized Space - 15 
  Unseen 
  -10 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -15 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -20 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  -25 
  -25 
  -30 
  -35 
  -30 
  -30 
  -35 
  -40 
  -35 
  Marksman 
  Running 
  -40 
  -50 
  -70 
  -70 
  -80 
  -90 
  Artillery Effects on Structures Table ­
  Direct Hit 
  Bamboo 
  Wood 
  Brick 
  Concrete 
  Bomb,8", 155 
  105, Rocket 
  20mm, 81mm, Napalm 
  6Omm, Grenades 
  D 
  D 
  D 
  D 
  D 
  D 
  D 
  R 
  D 
  D 
  R 
  R 
  D 
  R 
  R 
  R 
  D ­
  R ­
  Indicates the structure is destroyed . 
  Indicates the structure is NOT destroyed , and the occupants will take 
  REDUCED or less than full damage. 
  S.C.U.B.A. 
  Underwater Navigation Table 
  Terrain Damage 
  Modifier Table 
  Roll 
  Condition 
  I 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  Veering off to left lOa for each 20 yards forward. 
  Veering off to left 200 for each 20 yards forward. 
  Veering off to right 100 for each 20 yards forward. 
  Veering off to right 200 for each 20 yards forward . 
  Completely turned around, heading back. 
  Lost, swimming at 900 to correct cOllfse. 
  Mask leaking, must go to surface to find location . 
  Can't clear ears. must swim to surface. 
  Lose regulator mouthpiece. panic, swim to surface. 
  Swimming upward 5" for each 20 yards forward . 
  Brush, Elcph:ml grass 
  Tree, less than one fOOl in diameter 
  Tree. srcalt:r than one foot in dia, 
  Rock 
  Foxhole/lighling hole. Trench 
  Bunker, wood and sandbags 
  Concrele pillbox. Caves 
  Buildings 
  Bamboo 
  Wood 
  Brick 
  CUIH:rete 
  HFRFRIlFFIi 
  NNRRRRRRF 
  CRCRCIlRRR 
  NNCRCCRRR 
  NNCRRRRRR 
  NNCRCRRRR 
  NNCCNNCCC 
  FFRFRRFFF 
  C F C F C R F R R 
  RRNRNCRRR 
  NCNCNNCCC 
  F 
  R 
  R 
  R 
  R 
  R 
  C 
  F 
  F 
  R 
  C 
  F F R 
  F 
  F R 
  F F R 
  R F C 
  R F R 
  R R R 
  C C N 
  F F R 
  R F R 
  R R C 
  C C N 
  F· Full damage, the normal damage roll for thai weapon 
  R· Reduced damage, one·h.lf the dam.ge roll for that weapon 
  C . Concussion. one·third the damage roll fur that weapon 
  N . No damage 
  222 
  
  Knife Throwing 
  Artillery and Airstrikes 
  Hand to Hand Combat 
  Knife Throwing 
  Range in Feet 
  Target 
  10 
  15 
  20 
  Standing 
  0 
  -5 
  -10 
  Kneeling 
  -5 
  -10 
  -IS 
  Prone/Behind Obj. -10 
  -l5 
  -20 
  Running 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  Thrower 
  Moving 
  -IS 
  -20 
  -25 
  Damage Range 
  4DJO 
  10 
  3DJO 
  15 
  3010 
  20 
  RATE OF FIRE 
  A maximum rate of fire per combat round for a weapon is listed 
  on the Rate of Fire Table. Note that some weapons can fire at either 
  full or semi-automatic . Firing at full automatic gives more shots, but 
  reduces the chance of any specific round hitting the target. The " full 
  auto" category on the Marksman Posture Table takes precedence 
  over any other posture. This means that if the character is running 
  and firing at full auto , only the full auto modifier is applied not both 
  it and the running modifier. 
  Players may elect to fire all of their rounds at a single target or at 
  several targets if those targets are no more than ten yards apart. 
  SHOTGUN FIRE 
  When firing at a group of targets within four yards of each other, 
  the player has the option to roll to hit any or all of the targets . This 
  is due to the spread of the buckshot of these weapons . 
  Weapon 
  Maximum Rounds/CR 
  Pistol 
  3 
  Submachine Gun 
  Semi-Auto 
  3 
  Full Auto 
  7 
  Bolt-Action Rifle 
  2 
  Semi-Automatic Rifle 
  3 
  Assault Rifle: 
  Semi-Auto 
  3 
  Full Auot 
  5 
  Shotgun (semi or pump) 
  3 
  Grenade Launcher 
  1 
  Machinegun 
  7 
  Rockets, Mortars, Grenades 
  The use of these weapons is similar to small arms and 
  machinegun fire in that range, target size, and firing posture af­
  fect the character's chance to hit. 
  The main difference with these sorts of weapons is that if the 
  target is missed, a determination of just where the round landed 
  must be made. To determine where the round landed, center the 
  lOx I 0 yard grid over the target and roll percentile dice. The 
  square corresponding to the roll is where the round landed. Tar­
  gets in or near this square would take damage as if they were the 
  intended target. 
  The artillery and tactical air strike rules are treated in a simi­
  lar fashion as grenades and mortars. When an initial artillery 
  strike is called in, center the 50x50 yard grid over the target. A 
  percentile roll then determines where the initial rounds land. 
  When corrected by the forward observer, the smaller lOx 1 0 grid 
  is used to determine where the rounds fall. This smaller grid is 
  used for all subsequent artillery rounds called in by the forward 
  observer. 
  There is a three combat round delay from the time the for­
  ward observer calls in the artillery request (or fire correction) 
  and the impact of the rounds. 
  Bomb and rocket fire from aircraft is treated like artillery 
  strikes with the following exceptions. The first run of an aircraft 
  uses the 50x50 yard grid to determine where the rounds land. If 
  a character is acting as a forward air controller and has planted a 
  smoke grenade near the intended target, he is able to radio cor­
  rections from the smoke area. This is represented by using the 
  lOx 10 yard grid to determine where the rounds land. If no one is 
  acting as the forward air controller, all rounds land as deter­
  mined by the 50x50 grid. Rockets are fired in salvos of 2 or 4 
  per strafing run; each rocket has its location rolled separately. 
  Strafing runs and napalm strikes are treated as follows: 
  Using the 50x50 grid, roll twice to determine a beginning and 
  ending square for the run. Connect these two squares with a 
  straight edge. Rounds will land in a 10 yard wide path, 5 yards 
  on either side of the line. I f the aircraft is using machineguns, 5 
  rounds of fire will land in each square of the run. Any troops 
  (friendly or enemy) are subject to this fire. There is a 10% 
  chance (roll for each of the 5 rounds) of a round hitting someone 
  in that square. If there is more than one person in that square, 
  determine who gets hit randomly. Hits by machineguns do 
  IDl 00 points of damage. If strafing with 20mm cannon, 2 
  rounds will land in each square. There is a 5% chance of some­
  one getting hit by a 20mm round. If a hit is scored, determine 
  who is hit randomly, if there is more than one target. A 20mm 
  round hit is automatically fatal. 
  Napalm Effects: All squares along the 10 yard strip are 
  equally hit. Any people in these squares take 1D 100+ 20 points 
  ofdamage. 
  In light terrain where the pilot could see the enemy troops, 
  the player whose character called in the airstrike is allowed to 
  pick the starting and ending squares of the strafing run. After 
  this, follow the other rules normally for determining if a target is 
  hit. 
  Helicopter Attacks 
  Due to their slower speed, helicopter attacks can be called in 
  more accurately than airstrikes. For rockets, the forward air con­
  troller may use the lOx 1 0 yard grid to determine the accuracy of 
  the rounds. For machineguns, the forward air controller may 
  choose the beginning and ending squares for the helicopter's 
  strafing run. If the helicopter is strafing with a grenade 
  launcher, two rounds are assumed to land in each of the five 
  yard squares (use the 50x50 yard grid for all strafing runs). All 
  personnel take IDIOO damage if they occupy one of these 
  squares. 
  223 
  
  Certain helicopters carried a special type of machingun called 
  a mini-gun. These weapons are capable of tremendous firepower 
  and are subject to these rules. Determine the starting and endinr: Southern 'Nam 
  squares of a strafing run as for the normal helicopter o Military 
  machinegun rules. All targets in the squares along the target line Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  are killed. 
  o Civilian 
  If a helicopter is hovering over an area and firing onto the Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  ground below (as opposed to flying by the target area). The 
  machineguns, grenade launchers, and mini-guns can cover only Cambodia 
  five squares per combat round. Each strafing run line must be o Military 
  completed before another can be started. 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  o Civilian
  Collateral Damage from Explosives 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  Whenever an explosive device (grenade, artillery shell, 
  rocket) detonates, nearby targets may take collateral damage Laos 
  from that explosion. This damage is determined mainly by dis­ o Military 
  tance from the explosion and the normal terrain modifiers. See Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  the Explosion Collateral Damage Table. 
  o Civilian 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0
  LAWIRPG 
  Combat Effectiveness Table 
  Thailand 
  Target 
  o Military 
  Large 
  Medium 
  Small 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  (tank,house, (Jeep,car, (Cycle, 
  o Civilian 
  View 
  tunnel,etc.) 
  pillbox) 
  door) 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  Side(biggest 
  Target) 
  o 
  -5 
  -10 
  Burma 
  Obliques 
  o Military 
  (At angle) 
  -5 
  -10 
  - I 5 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  Head Onl 
  o Civilian 
  Rear On 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  Marksman 
  10-19 
  20-29 
  30-39 
  40-49 
  50-59 
  Propped 
  Malaysia 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20
  Against 
  0 	
  o Military 
  something 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  Kneeling 
  -5 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  o Civilian 
  Standing 
  -10 
  -15 
  -20 
  -25 
  -30 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0 
  RocketlRPG Hits 
  Indonesia
  Tank Hit Location Chart 
  o Military
  RollIDI0 to determine damage. 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0
  I. Hit main gun -
  tank still moving, MGs operable. 
  o Civilian
  2. Hit bogies -
  tank still moving, all guns operable. 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0
  3. Hit far side track, spins away from you then halts. 
  4. Hit near side track, spins in that direction, then halts. 
  Philippines
  5. Killed driver, continues to drive straight ahead. 
  o Military
  6. Hit engine compartment, halts, crew still fighting. 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0
  7. Hit engine compartment, internal explosion kills crew. 
  o Civilian
  8. Hit turret, main gun out of action, commander & loader dead. 
  Chaotic 0 
  Unstable 0 
  Uncertain 0 
  Stable 0 
  Permanence 0
  9. Ignite fuel, crew comes barreling out, some on fire. 
  10. 	 Ignite shells, they cook-off, killing crew and destroying 
  Stateside Sentiment
  tank. 
  Anti-War 
  Anti-Communist 
  Withdraw 0 -
  00 0 -
  50/50 0 -
  0 0 0 -
  Permanence 0 
  Notes: 
  National Status Chart 
  Use the following chart to keep track of the governments and their stability levels. Each time something changes you 
  should erase the old section and check off the new one. For Example: if a military government is in power in Cambodia, and 
  you are instructed to change its status to Permanence, then erase the old status and check off the box next to Permanence. 
  Its a good idea to either use pencil and eraser or better yet, make a photocopy of this page. 
  224 
  
  Other Palladium RPG Books 
  Ninjas & Superspiesnl; Over 40 different Martial 
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  adventure and more. 17 O.c.c.s, plus bionic implants 
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  Written by Erick Wujcik. 176 pages. 
  Mystic China™ 14 new fonns of Mnrtial Arts, 
  over a dozen new O.c.c.s, the Mudra, Chi mngie, im­
  mortnls and more. Written by Erick Wujcik . 208 
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  Compendium of Contemporary WeaponsTM; 
  Over 400 weapons from around the world, plus special 
  rounds, explosives, EOD equipment, body annoI', 
  APCs, tanks, light artillery, optional rules and more' 
  Every weapon and vehicle is illustrnted. A great refer­
  ence for any contemporary game' Written by Maryann 
  Siembicda. 176 pages. 
  Compendium of Weapons, Armor & Castlesnl; 
  Over 700 different ancient melee weapons like 
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  item is illustrated. Written by Matthew I3nlenl. 224 
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  Scope us out on the Web 
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  Available at stores everywhere 
  D luxe Revised RECONe 
  R 
  ON i 
  t in a fictional world that parallcls that of20th entury Earth and focus 
  on the realistic 
  military combat of the Vi tnam era. Hard hitting military action, guerilla w rfare and tr chery. Gritty 
  and reali tic. 
  • A complete rol~pl.yinlgame th t' easy to learn. 
  • Quick, ea 
  character creation rules -
  make a character In under 10 mlnu 
  • Weapons and vehlcl 
  of war. 
  • World Information, maps nd background. 
  • Over a dozen adventures and adventure Idea . 
  • Op naI miniature rul • 
  • RECON Is not compatible with other Palladium RPGs. 
  • Over 100 pages. 
  RECONCi) one more world in the Palladium Megaverse® 
  ISBN 1-57457-023-4 
  $24.95 
  I .
  Cat. No. 600 
  loS.B.N.157457-013-4 
  9 781574 570236 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Recon/Recon (palladium)/Recon - Deluxe Revised Recon RPG {PAL600P}.pdf