Vietnam Solitaire: Special Edition Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Map and Unit Notation
• Setup
• Turn Sequence
• Phase 1: Roll for Trail Counters
• Phase 2: Attack the Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Phase 3: Raise / Move US or ARVN Forces
• Phase 4: US and ARVN Forces Fight
• Phase 5: Place NVA and VC Units
• Phase 6: Resolve Insurgency Combats
• Phase 7: NVA and VC Offensive
• Phase 8: Redeploy the Airmobile Cavalry
• Phase 9: Score Victory Points, Check Victory Conditions, and Roll for Events
• Scenario A: "Tet 1968"
• Scenario B: "The Fall of South Vietnam"
• Scenario C: "Easter Offensive"
• Two-Player Rules
• Optional Rules

Map and Unit Notation

The map has 5 regions (regions). Each region is divided into 4 areas (areas) numbered 1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6, and some areas show terrain. The 6 brown bubbles are the Ho Chi Minh Trail areas (trail areas). Two dice are needed to play.

The record track (record track) shows the turn number, the victory conditions and the political points (PP). Players use it to track the turn, the PP available, and the number of regions controlled.

On the map, anything printed in red concerns the first edition of the rules. Ignore it.

North Vietnam (communist) units

• NVA: North Vietnamese Army.
• VC: Viet Cong (insurgents, representing infiltration).
• SAM: surface-to-air missile unit.
• MIG: MiG fighter aircraft.
• A: NVA armor.

South Vietnam and allied units

• ARVN: South Vietnamese Army.
• AirCav: airmobile cavalry.
• B52: bomber.
• GB: Green Berets (special forces).
• Napalm: napalm strike.
• US: United States Army.
• ROK: South Korean Army.
• ANZAC: Australian and New Zealand infantry troops.
• Mar: US or ARVN marines.
• A: US or ARVN armor.
• AM: ARVN airmobile unit.
• M: ARVN mechanized unit.
• R: ARVN Rangers.

Setup

• Place the turn marker on box 1 of the record track, and the PP marker on box 4 of the record track (4 political points are available on turn 1).
• Place the regions-controlled marker and the units off the board. All napalm units and all Green Beret units are available at the start of the game.
• Place the forces as follows:
  • Region 1 (Hue): 1 VC unit in area 1-2. 2 ARVN units in area 3-4.
  • Region 2 (Highlands): 1 VC unit in area 1-2. 2 ARVN units in area 3-4.
  • Region 3 (Cu Chi): 1 VC unit in area 1-2. 2 ARVN units in area 3-4.
  • Region 4 (Saigon): 1 VC unit in area 1-2. 2 ARVN units in area 3-4.
  • Region 5 (Mekong): 1 VC unit in area 1-2. 1 ARVN unit in area 3-4. (The source marks this line with "!!!" next to "1 ARVN", which is kept here as printed; the French document gives no further explanation.)
• Ho Chi Minh Trail placement:
  • Trail area 2 (Hanoi): 2 trail counters.
  • Trail area 1 (Haiphong): 2 trail counters.
  • Trail area 3 (Laos): 1 trail counter.

Turn Sequence

The game lasts 16 turns. Each turn follows these steps:

0. At the start of each turn, consult the "Add / Remove unit chart" to add or remove units from the game.
1. Roll the dice for the trail counters.
2. Attack the Ho Chi Minh Trail (trail areas).
3. Raise / move US or ARVN forces.
4. Fight with US and ARVN forces.
5. Place NVA and VC units.
6. Resolve insurgency combats.
7. Resolve the NVA and VC offensive.
8. Redeploy the airmobile cavalry.
9. Score victory points, check victory conditions, and roll a die for events.

Phase 1: Roll for Trail Counters

Roll 2 dice to place the 2 new trail counters. Place one counter on the Ho Chi Minh Trail (numbers 1 to 6), according to the number rolled on the die.

If you roll a 1 or a 2 and trail area 1 (Haiphong) or 2 (Hanoi) already contains a trail counter, add a SAM unit instead of a trail counter. A trail area holds at most one SAM unit. A trail area holds at most 2 trail counters. If you roll the number of an area that already holds 2 trail counters, the roll is lost.

When there is a SAM in trail area 1 (Haiphong) and in trail area 2 (Hanoi), and the same number comes up again on the die, place a MiG in that area (whether it already holds 1 or 2 counters). SAM and MiG units cannot be moved or destroyed.

Phase 2: Attack the Ho Chi Minh Trail

B52 and Green Beret units can attack trail counters on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. If a SAM or a MiG is in the attacked area, it fires defensively at the B52 and destroys it on a 1 or a 2 (one shot per SAM or MiG). Trail areas 2 (Hanoi) and 1 (Haiphong) can be attacked only by B52s. The other trail areas can be attacked by B53s or Green Berets. (The source reads "B53" here. B52 is clearly intended, but the text is kept as printed.)

There are 2 B52s and 2 Green Berets, which is the maximum attack permitted against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Several attacks may be made on one area. All targets must be chosen and all costs paid before the attacks (B52, Green Beret) are made and the defensive dice (SAM, MiG) are rolled. A target cannot be changed once chosen. Remove the B52s and Green Berets after they attack.

• Cost: 2 PP (political points) per B52 attack. Record the expense on the record track. Roll one die per attack; on a 1-4 the trail counter is removed.
• Cost: 1 PP per Green Beret attack. Record this expense too. Roll one die per attack; on a 1-2 the trail counter is removed.

Phase 3: Raise / Move US or ARVN Forces

US and ARVN units are bought by spending political points. Units available to buy can be bought by spending the PP shown on the record track for each turn (see the record track and the notes on the board). Unused political points cannot be saved for future turns; they are lost.

Unit cost: see the cost chart (in political points) on the map.

Placement: in any area of any region, including areas occupied by enemy (NVA or VC) units. There is no limit on the number of units placed in a region.

Available pool (units that can be bought with PP) at the start: 2 Green Beret units and 2 napalm units. All ARVN infantry units. Other units become available, or are removed from the available pool, as written on the chart (see Add / Remove Units).

Movement: moving US infantry, US marines, ROK, ANZAC and ARVN units within the same region is free. AirCav and ARVN airmobile units may move free of charge to any area in any region. US infantry and US marines may move to any area of any new region by spending 1 political point (PP).

ANZAC and ROK units cannot move into a new region. These units must always be raised before US ground units.

Phase 4: US and ARVN Forces Fight

US and ARVN units may carry out one napalm attack, then a ground attack.

Napalm attack: up to 2 attacks per turn (1 PP per attack). Place the napalm marker against the attacked unit (VC or NVA). Then remove the napalm marker from the board. A napalm attack cannot be made on an urban area. The enemy is eliminated on a roll of 1-4. Unused napalm may be used during the reaction movement and during combat in the offensive phase.

Ground attack (free of PP): combat is simultaneous, and takes place in areas containing NVA / VC units and US / ARVN units. Roll 1 die per unit. An enemy unit is eliminated if the die shows a result equal to or lower than the number on the attacking unit, according to the terrain. The first number on the unit is for jungle, the second for rice paddy, and the third for city.

Losses: remove VC first, then NVA infantry, then NVA armor.

Remove ARVN first (before US), then US units other than AirCav, ANZAC and ROK, then US AirCav units.

Retreat of US / ARVN: if units of both sides remain, the US / ARVN player may retreat to an area with a number directly higher (for example from 1-2 to 3-4), provided that area is free of enemies (within the same region). Units cannot retreat from area 6.

If the player does not want to retreat, another round of combat takes place, and so on until one side is eliminated or retreats.

The combat marker is used to note that a combat takes place at that location.

Phase 5: Place NVA and VC Units

Place the VC units (insurgency) and the NVA units (regulars). NVA armor units may be placed from turn 10 onward. There is no placement limit.

Insurgency: roll one die to determine the region. Roll again if you obtain a 6 (ignore it and re-roll). Likewise, if the region obtained contains no US or ARVN units, roll the die again (ignore it and re-roll). Roll the die a second time to determine the area (within the region). Place 1 VC there (or 2 VC if a 6 was rolled and the die had to be re-rolled).

NVA regulars: look at where the trail counters are on the Ho Chi Minh Trail (trail areas). Each trail area (6 in all) corresponds, by an arrow, to a region (5 regions in all). Each trail counter allows 1 NVA unit to enter play. Roll one die per counter, and the NVA unit enters the region linked (by an arrow) to the trail area. The entry area (within the region) is the number on the die. Example: trail area 2 (Hanoi) with 1 trail counter allows 1 NVA unit to enter the linked region (Hue) in area x (the number on the die).

Armor: on turn 10, 1 armor unit becomes available and must be placed in the Hue region (region 1) first, as soon as an NVA unit can be placed in that region. On turn 12, one armor unit becomes available and must be placed in region 4 (Saigon) as soon as an NVA unit can be raised in that area. If an armor unit is eliminated, an NVA armor unit may return to play, in an area containing 2 trail counters (as one of the 2 NVA units that may enter play).

Phase 6: Resolve Insurgency Combats

Combats are resolved in areas containing units of opposing sides. Same procedure as before.

Phase 7: NVA and VC Offensive

A major or minor offensive may occur. NVA units may sometimes be redeployed after an offensive, and the US / ARVN player may react.

Minor offensive: roll 1 die to determine the region. On a result of 1-5, a minor offensive takes place in the region matching the number on the die. Move all NVA / VC units to the area with the next higher number (if a unit is in area 6, it moves to area 1-2). If enemy units are present, a combat takes place. If not, move the NVA / VC units again by one area (until a combat can take place). There is therefore 1 combat per region, or 2 at most (a rare case).

If the region (number on the die) contains no NVA / VC units, there is no minor offensive this turn.

Major offensive: on a result of 6, a major offensive takes place in all regions. An offensive is launched in all regions against US / ARVN units. The first time a major offensive arrives, add 1 VC unit to an area in each of the (5) regions that contain an NVA or VC unit. Start with the area with the lowest number if there are several. If there is no such area, place the unit in area 1-2.

The second time there is a major offensive, add one NVA infantry unit to an area in each of the (5) regions that contain an NVA or VC unit. Start with the area with the lowest number if there are several. If there is no such area, place the unit in area 1-2. After placing the NVA / VC units, the same movement procedure within the area is then followed as in the minor offensive, in each region, so that a combat with US / ARVN units results. The number of VC units is limited by the number supplied with the game.

US / ARVN reaction: reaction movement and combat. Before the offensive attacks are made, and after all NVA / VC units have been placed and have moved, the US / ARVN player may make a reaction movement, moving any AirCav or ARVN airmobile unit in play that is not attacked to any area involved in a combat. In addition, all unused napalm may be used against the NVA / VC units involved in the combats, before the combats (the NVA / VC attacks) are carried out. This reaction movement and this napalm attack cost no political points (PP). The US / ARVN player may designate the enemy unit targeted.

NVA redeployment: if there are more than 2 NVA infantry units in any region at the end of an offensive, and no US / ARVN unit in that region, move the excess NVA units to the area with the lowest number in the region with the next higher number. If again there are more than 2 NVA units in the next region, and no US / ARVN unit in that region, continue the same process. If this occurs in region 5, move the excess units to region 4 (and stop at that region). NVA armor units do not redeploy, and they do not count toward determining the excess of troops leading to a redeployment (infantry does count).

Phase 8: Redeploy the Airmobile Cavalry

All US AirCav and ARVN airmobile units may move to any area in any region that does not contain NVA or VC units.

Phase 9: Score Victory Points, Check Victory Conditions, and Roll for Events

Adjust the political points marker, the turn marker and the region-control marker (which determines the score) on the record track.

Adjusting the markers: advance the region-control marker on the record track on each turn in which the US / ARVN player controls at least 3 regions. To control a region, at least one US / ARVN unit must be present in the region, and no NVA / VC unit may be present. The political points marker must be placed on the record track to reflect the number of political points available for the next turn.

Determining victory and region control: victory is determined by the US / ARVN player controlling at least 3 regions for the majority of the game, including the last turn. The Saigon region must also be occupied only by ARVN units at the end of the game. US units and other units must be removed from the game before the last turn. If at any turn the Saigon region is controlled by NVA / VC, control of 3 regions by the US / ARVN player is ignored for that turn. At the end of each turn, record how many regions are controlled by the US / ARVN player using the region-control marker. To control a region, a side must have only its own units in the region. If units of both sides are in a region, neither player controls it.

• If the US / ARVN player controls at least 3 regions for 9-10 turns of play, it is a marginal victory.
• If it controls at least 3 for 11-12 turns, it is a real victory.
• If it does so for 13 turns or more, it is a major victory, and the game ends immediately if this happens before turn 16.
• If at the end of any turn the NVA / VC player controls 4 regions, including the Saigon region, the game ends and it is a major defeat for the US / ARVN player.

Political events chart (and die roll for events): the events for the next turn are determined, except after turns 11-16 when the US player withdraws. Roll one die and modify the result as follows:

• Turn 1-2: -1 to the die (on the chart)
• Turn 3-6: no modification to the die
• Turn 7-10: +1 to the die
• Turn 11-16: no die roll

Note: the French document refers to the map's cost chart, the "Add / Remove unit chart" and the political events chart, but it does not reproduce those charts. Only the modifiers and rules that refer to them are given here.

Scenario A: "Tet 1968"

US / ARVN placement:

• Region 1: 2 US marines, 1 US AirCav, 1 US infantry, 1 ARVN infantry anywhere in area 3-4 or 6.
• Region 2: 1 US AirCav, 1 US infantry, 1 ARVN infantry anywhere in area 5 or 6.
• Region 3: 2 ROK, 1 ARVN infantry anywhere in area 3-4 or 6.
• Region 4: 2 US infantry, 1 ANZAC, 2 ARVN infantry anywhere in area 3-4, 5 or 6.
• Region 5: 2 ARVN infantry anywhere in area 5 or 6.

NVA / VC placement:

• Region 1: 1 NVA, and 1 VC in area 1-2.
• Region 2: 1 VC in area 1-2.
• Region 3: 1 NVA, and 1 VC in area 1-2.
• Region 4: 1 NVA, and 1 VC in area 1-2.
• Region 5: 1 VC in area 1-2.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail: 1 trail counter in each area (6 in all). Plus 1 SAM at Hanoi, and another SAM at Haiphong.

Turns: start at turn 6 and finish at turn 13. The PP marker starts at 15 on the record track. The region-control marker is placed on box 3 of the turn track.

Special rules: follow all unit additions and removals (see the Add / Remove Units chart). Assume that NVA / VC units roll a 6 on the die on turn 6 (die roll for the offensive), and also assume that this is the first time a major offensive occurs. Use the Special Edition rules, including the die rolls for the political events chart.

Victory: the levels and victory conditions of the Special Edition apply.

Scenario B: "The Fall of South Vietnam"

US / ARVN placement:

• Region 1: 3 ARVN infantry.
• Region 2: 2 ARVN infantry, 1 ARVN mechanized, 1 ROK.
• Region 3: 2 ARVN Rangers, 1 ROK.
• Region 4: 2 ARVN infantry, 1 ARVN armor, 1 ARVN mechanized, 1 ARVN airmobile.
• Region 5: 2 ARVN.

NVA / VC placement:

• All regions: 1 NVA, and 1 VC in area 1-2.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail areas 1, 2, 3 and 5: 2 trail counters in each area.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail areas 4 and 6: 1 trail counter in each area.
• At Hanoi (Ho Chi Minh Trail): 1 SAM and 1 MiG.
• At Haiphong (Ho Chi Minh Trail): 1 SAM.

Turns: start at turn 11 and finish at turn 16. The PP marker starts at 6 on the record track. The region-control marker is placed on box 6 of the turn track.

Special rules: follow all unit additions and removals (see the Add / Remove Units chart). Add +2 to all offensive die rolls for the first 3 turns of play. The political events chart is not used in this scenario. 2 napalm attacks are available for purchase each turn. All other rules of the Special Edition apply.

Victory: the levels and victory conditions of the Special Edition apply.

Scenario C: "Easter Offensive"

April to December 1972 (6 turns, starting in April 1972), using the 7th Fleet. Except where modified here, the Special Edition rules apply.

The 7th Fleet: the 7th Fleet must be added to the available unit pool at the start of the second turn of play, during the "raise / move US / ARVN forces" phase, at a cost of 3 political points. It is placed adjacent to any region. It may be moved at no cost to be adjacent to any other region during the AirCav redeployment phase. It cannot be moved at any other time. The 7th Fleet can support an unlimited number of combats by US AirCav or ARVN airmobile units (no other units), in the region where it is adjacent, at a cost of one political point per combat round. The action is similar to napalm, except that the unit is not removed after use, and the fleet is available for future combat rounds during the same turn. A player may pay (1 PP, per round) so that the 7th Fleet supports (in the region where it is placed) each round of AirCav or airmobile combat in the US / ARVN combat phase. An extra PP must also be paid for each new combat round, and for a combat (insurgency combat or NVA offensive) during another phase in the same turn.

When the 7th Fleet supports an AirCav or airmobile combat, it gives a -1 to each combat die roll in the adjacent region, regardless of terrain. The player must decide whether the 7th Fleet supports the AirCav / airmobile units at the start of the combat round and pay the PP before the combat dice are rolled. The 7th Fleet cannot be attacked or destroyed by the North Vietnamese.

Placement for this scenario:

US / ARVN:

• Region 1: 2 ARVN ruff-puffs in area 5. 1 ARVN infantry in area 3-4.
• 1 ARVN infantry in area 3-4.
• Region 2: 1 ARVN infantry in area 6.
• Region 4: 1 ARVN infantry in area 3-4.
• Available unit pool: 1 ARVN airmobile, 1 ARVN armor, 1 ARVN marine, 2 ARVN ruff-puffs, all remaining ARVN infantry.

NVA / VC:

• Region 1: 2 NVA infantry in area 1-2. 1 NVA armor in area 1-2. 2 VC in area 1-2.
• Region 2: 3 VC in area 1-2.
• Region 5: 1 NVA armor in area 1-2. 2 NVA infantry in area 1-2. 2 VC in area 1-2.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail areas 1 to 5: 2 trail counters in each area.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail area 2: 1 trail counter.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail, Hanoi: 1 SAM.
• Ho Chi Minh Trail, Haiphong: 1 SAM.

(The source gives "Ho Chi Minh Trail area 2: 1 trail counter" directly after "areas 1 to 5: 2 counters each". Both lines are kept as printed.)

Scenario-specific rules:

Turn summary:

• Turn 1 (April 1972, 4 PP): special rule: no die roll for trail counters. No placement of NVA regulars. Do not roll the dice for NVA offensives. Instead, a major NVA offensive takes place. No US / ARVN reaction combat this turn.

• Turn 2 (May 1972, 6 PP): special rule: no die roll for trail counters. Place 2 trail counters in the trail area for region 2 (Highlands). NVA regular placement is normal except for region 2 (place 3 NVA infantry in area 1-2). Do not roll the dice for the NVA / VC offensive; instead, a minor offensive takes place in region 2.

  Unit added to the pool: 1 US 7th Fleet, 2 US AC, 2 US B52, 2 ARVN mech, 2 ARVN Rangers, 2 napalm.

• Turn 3 (June to August 1972, 8 PP): special rule: 1 single roll for trail counters. No roll for placing insurgent VC.

• Turn 4 (September 1972, 8 PP): special rule: 1 single roll for trail counters. No roll for placing insurgent VC.

• Turn 5 (November 1972, 12 PP): special rule: 1 single roll for trail counters. No roll for placing insurgent VC.

• Turn 6 (December 1972, 12 PP): special rule: 1 single roll for trail counters. No roll for placing insurgent VC.

All NVA armor units are removed at the start of the turn. Do not roll the dice for the NVA / VC offensive; instead, there is a major NVA offensive.

Limited regions and units used for this scenario:

Regions 3 (Cu Chi) and 5 (Mekong) are not used. They cannot contain trail counters or units. Re-roll the die if the die designates them.

US: use only the 7th Fleet, AirCav, B52s and napalm. These units are available in the unit pool (as stated just before), and they may be bought again if eliminated, at the normal PP cost.

MiGs are not used in this scenario.

Exceptions to the Special Edition rules for this scenario:

For die rolls for trail counters: no dice are rolled to place additional trail counters on turns 1 and 2. See the turn details. Dice are rolled to place 1 trail counter instead of 2 trail counters on every turn, except turns 1 and 2. See the turn details.

Placing NVA / VC units:

No additional VC insurgent units are placed after turn 2. NVA regular placement must begin in region 1. If there are no NVA infantry left in the pool because all have been placed, no new ones are placed this turn.

The first NVA armor unit that is destroyed is placed in the pool and must be placed in region 2 (Highlands) in the next NVA / VC placement phase, instead of an NVA infantry unit. Note: if there are 2 trail counters in the Highlands region 2, then one NVA infantry and the NVA armor are placed in region 2. After that, all NVA armor units that are destroyed are permanently removed from the game. If an NVA armor unit is still in play at the start of turn 6, it is removed.

NVA / VC offensive:

There is no reaction combat for the US / ARVN player on the first turn of play, during the NVA / VC offensive phase. The normal reaction combat rules apply in the following turns, in this phase.

The NVA redeployment rules are ignored during all NVA / VC offensive phases. A region may contain an unlimited number of NVA units. VC units are not added to regions during a major offensive. All major offensives add one NVA infantry unit to each region in play. If the NVA infantry pool is empty, no unit is added. NVA unit additions to regions during major offensives must begin in the first region (then the others).

Scoring, victory check, die roll for events:

There is no die roll on the political events chart for this scenario.

Victory conditions:

The US / ARVN player must prevent the NVA from taking the regions of Hue and Saigon, and from splitting South Vietnam at the Highlands. Victory is determined by the number of regions controlled at the end of turn 6 (no NVA or VC presence in the region).

• If the US / ARVN player controls Saigon, Hue, and the Highlands, it is a major victory.
• If it controls Hue and Saigon, or the Highlands, it is a minor victory.
• If it controls Saigon but not Hue or the Highlands, it is a minor defeat.
• If it does not control Saigon, it is a major defeat.

Two-Player Rules

All rules of the Special Edition apply, except those noted here.

US / ARVN and NVA / VC placement: as in the Special Edition, normal rules.

Rolling dice for trail counters: the NVA / VC player may move any second trail counter (in a Ho Chi Minh Trail area) to any unoccupied trail area at the end of this phase. The NVA / VC player also has the choice of receiving SAMs or MiGs under the normal rules, or of receiving a trail counter instead.

US / ARVN combat: NVA / VC units may avoid combat after the first round of combat initiated by the US / ARVN player, and retreat to any jungle area in the same region that is not occupied by a US or ARVN unit during this phase.

Placement of NVA / VC units: the NVA / VC player decides in which areas the units are placed in the designated regions. The player may also move its units to any area in the region where such units are located. An NVA unit may be moved from one region to any desired area in another region. When an NVA armor unit becomes available, the NVA / VC player may decide when and where to place such a unit instead of a regular NVA unit.

NVA / VC offensive: for major offensives, the NVA / VC player may assign additional units to the regions and areas it wishes, but at least 1 US / ARVN unit must be engaged in each region before an additional NVA / VC unit may be placed elsewhere. If there are 2 or more NVA units in any region at the end of the offensive phase, the NVA / VC player may move the excess units and decide which region and area the excess NVA units move to.

Victory: the NVA / VC player wins if it prevents the US / ARVN player from obtaining any type of victory (normal rules), or if it controls 4 regions, including the Saigon region, at the end of its turn (automatic victory for the NVA / VC player).

Optional Rules

Ruff-puffs (local militia): the Green Beret units have trained a local militia against the NVA / VC. At the cost of one Green Beret unit, 2 ruff-puff 1-1-0 units may be committed during the attack phase on Ho Chi Minh Trail areas (instead of a Green Beret attack on a trail area). A ruff-puff unit may only be placed in a jungle area that contains no NVA / VC units. There may be no more than one ruff-puff unit in a given jungle area. No more than 4 ruff-puff units may be in play at the same time.

Limited effectiveness of B52s against trail areas in Laos and Cambodia: B52 attacks against the Ho Chi Minh Trail area in Laos and Cambodia are limited to a direct hit on a 1-2 instead of a 1-4. However, the Hanoi and Haiphong trail areas are not affected.