Script and campaign scenery / Alternate history

[dita]

This idea could be expanded and could,for example, have missions that involve the evacuation of civilians from villages.

Another idea, the protection of key installations, a command bunker that has the point value changed to high level to reflect this.

[Pyros]

Yes all of these are great ideas,

but before forgeting them you should go to the mission types and put them there!!!

Also helicopters, as evacuation method can be used in a dramatic mission where the core force will have to cross the jungle in order to reach the LZ and then secure that area from incoming NVA patrols (many of them)...
Then at a given time the AUX helicopters will appear like reinforcements on FIX map hexes !!! (instead of AUX you put FIX before assigning the reinforcement.)
Now in order to make it more critical we can do the following thing:
All the VP flags of the mission are located in an isolated location (unreachable by terrain; can't walk there) and from the moment the helos will appear the player will have 3 turns to reach that VP locations...
What do we simulate this way???
If the player wishes to capture all VP locations he must load to each helicopter a unit (evacuation!!!) and then fly to that location (with the VP flags) and unload one helicopter in each VP flag...
If you combine all the data I gave you, you will notice that the player's units should actually go to that LZ (instead of hiding from the AI). Also, the time allowance to capture all VP flags force the player to load at least one unit to each helicopter (in order to unload at least one unit to each VP flag); since the remaining time is 3 turns, this mean 1 turn to load, one turn to move and unload... and one turn to...??? did I say 3 turns???
I meant 2... LOL

Gentlemen, we have many options and many possibilities to simulate anything!!!

Also don't forget that each one of you is carefully selected for his talents and the potentials of our group are remarkable!

cheers,
Pyros

[Pergite]

Why not make the briefings and the storyline as authintic as possible? I found this short list of common Vietnam "slang" on the web and thought it might come in handy, especiallty for us that dont speak US Army fluently .

AIRBURST: explosion of a munition in the air

AIR CAV: air cavalry, referring to helicopter-borne infantry

AIT: Advanced Individual Training; the period following Basic Training, specialized training given each soldier based on his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty)

ALPHA-ALPHA: automatic ambush, a combination of claymore mines configured to detonate simultaneously when triggered by a trip-wire/battery mechanism

ARC LIGHT OPERATIONS: code name for the devastating aerial raids of B-52 Stratofortresses against enemy positions in Southeast Asia, the first B-52 Arc Light raid took place on June 18, 1965, on a suspected Vietcong base north of Saigon. In November 1965, B-52s directly supported American ground forces for the first time, and were used regularly for that purpose thereafter.

ARCOMS: Army Commendation Medals

ARTICLE 15: summary disciplinary judgement of a soldier by his commander, may result in fines or confinement in the stockade

ARTY: artillery

ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam (Army of South Vietnam)

BAC SI: Vietnamese term for medical corpsman; doctor

BANANA CLIP: banana shaped magazine, standard on the AK-47 assault rifle

BASE CAMP: semipermanent field headquarters and center for a given unit usually within that unit's tactical areas responsibility. A unit may operate in or away from its base camp. Base camps usually contain all or part of a given unit's support elements.

BATTALION: organizational institution in the Army and Marine Corps. Commanded by a lieutenant colonel, an infantry battalion usually has around 900 people, and an artillery battalion of about 500 people. During the Vietnam War, American battalions were usually much smaller than that.

BEEHIVE: a direct-fire artillery round which incorporated steel darts (fleshettes), used as a primary base defense munition against ground attack

BIRD: any aircraft, usually helicopters

BLUELEG: infantryman, aka "grunt"

BOUNCING BETTY: explosive that propels upward about four feet into the air and then detonates

BRIGADE: basic military organizational institution. During the Vietnam War, a division was organized into three brigades, with each brigade commanded by a colonel. A division consists of approximately 20,000 people.

BRING SMOKE: to direct intense artillery fire on an enemy position

CAV: nickname for air cavalry

C & C: command and control

CHARLIE, CHARLES, CHUCK: Vietcong--short for the phonetic representation Victor Charlie

CHERRY: a new troop replacement

CHICKEN PLATE: chest protector (body armor) worn by helicopter gunners

CHURCH KEY: bottle opener

CLACKER: firing device ('exploder') for triggering claymore mines and other electrically initiated demolitions

CLAYMORE: popular fan-shaped antipersonnel land mine; designed to produce a directionalized, fan-shaped pattern of fragments.

COMIC BOOKS (FUNNY BOOKS): military maps

COMPANY: organizational institution commanded by a captain and consisting of two or more platoons; varied widely in size according to mission.

CRACKER BOX: field ambulance

C's: C-rations, C-rats, Charlie rats, or combat rations -- canned meals used in military operations.

DAP: stylized, ritualized manner of shaking hands, started by African-American troops

DAPSONE: small pill taken periodically by US troops, ostensibly to prevent malaria but actually meant to prevent Leprosy.

DMZ: demilitarized zone

DONUT DOLLY: American Red Cross Volunteer--female

DOPE: Marine term for the adjustments made to weapon sights; term for marijuana and other illicit drugs.

DOUBTFULS: indigenous personnel who cannot be categorized as either Vietcong or civil offenders; suspect personnel spotted from ground or aircraft

DUSTOFF: nickname for a medical evacuation helicopter or mission.

E & E: escape and evasion.

ECM: electronic countermeasures, such as jamming, deception, and detection

ELEPHANT GRASS: tall, sharp-edged grass found in the highlands of Vietnam

EM: enlisted man

FIGHTING HOLE: foxhole with sandbag protection and sometimes an elevated roof of sheetmetal, reinforced with sandbags. Sized for one or two troops, fighting holes might be dispersed around a company or battery area for defensive use during a ground attack.

FIRECRACKER: artillery round incorporating many small bomblets which are ejected over a target area and explode in 'bouncing-betty' fashion almost simultaneously; name comes from the fast popping sound (best heard at a distance).

FIREFIGHT: exchange of small arms fire between opposing units

FRAG: common term for any grenade

FRAGGING: assassination of an officer by his own troops, usually by means of a grenade

FREEDOM BIRD: any aircraft that took you back to the "world" (U.S.A.).

FRIENDLIES: U.S. troops, allies, or anyone not on the other side

FRIENDLY FIRE: euphemism used during the war in Vietnam to describe air, artillery, or small-arms fire from American forces mistakenly directed at American positions

GREEN-EYE: starlight scope; light amplifying telescope, used to see at night

GRUNT: popular nickname for an infantryman in Vietnam; supposedly derived from the sound one made from lifting up his rucksack

HANOI HILTON: nickname American prisoners of war used to describe the Hoa Loa Prison in Hanoi

HOOTCH: house, living quarters or a native hut

HUMP: to slog around on foot

IN COUNTRY: Vietnam

IRREGULARS: armed individuals and groups not members of the regular armed forces, police, or other internal security forces

KIA: Killed In Action

KLICK, K: short for kilometer (.62 miles)

LAY CHILLY: lie motionless

LEATHERNECK: term for Marine (Marines wore a leather neckband from 1798-1880 for protection of the neck during sword combat.)

LIFER: career soldier

LIGHT UP: to fire on the enemy

LZ: landing zone

MAD MINUTE: concentrated fire of all weapons for a brief period of time at maximum rate

MIA: Missing In Action

NEWBIE: any person with less time in Vietnam than the speaker

NUMBER ONE: good

NUMBER TEN: bad

NUMBER TEN-THOUSAND: very bad

OUT-COUNTRY: the Southeast Asian conflict outside South Vietnam (i.e., Laos and North Vietnam, sometimes Thailand, Cambodia, and China)

PLATOON: approximately 45 men belonging to a company. Commanded by a lieutenant, a platoon is an organizational unit composed of two or more squads.

POW: Prisoner of War

PTSD: post-traumatic stress disorder

PUCKER FACTOR: assessment of the 'fear factor', as in the difficulty or risk involved in an upcoming mission

RECON: reconnaissance

RED LZ: landing zone under hostile fire

ROCK 'N' ROLL: to put a M16A1 rifle on full automatic fire

R & R: rest-and-recreation vacation taken during a one-year duty tour in Vietnam. Out-of-country R & R was at Bangkok, Hawaii, Tokyo, Australia, Hong Kong, Manila, Penang, Taipei, Kuala Lampur, or Singapore. In-country R & R locations were at Vung Tau or China Beach

RVN: Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)

SAPPERS: North Vietnamese Army or Vietcong demolition commandos

SAR: search and rescue

SEARCH AND CLEAR: offensive military operations to sweep through areas to locate and attack the enemy

SEARCH AND DESTROY: offensive operations designed to find and destroy enemy forces rather than establish permanent government control; also, called "Zippo missions"

SHAKE n'BAKE: officer straight out of OCS (Officer Candidate School) without any combat experience

SHORT, SHORT-TIME, SHORT-TIMER: individual with little time remaining in Vietnam

SKATE: goof off

SLEEPER: an undercover agent or a mole

SORTIE: one aircraft making one takeoff and landing to conduct the mission for which it was scheduled

STAND-DOWN: period of rest and refitting in which all operational activity, except for security, is stopped

VC, CONG: Vietcong

VIETCONG: Communist forces fighting the South Vietnamese government

VIETMINH: Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi, or the Vietnamese Independence League

WHITE MICE: South Vietnamese police; nickname came from their uniform white helmets and gloves

WIA: Wounded In Action

(THE) WORLD: United States

ZIPPO: flamethrower; also refers to the popular cigarette lighter of that brandname

ZIPPO MISSION: search and destroy mission

ZULU: casualty report, also the phonetic pronunciation of the letter 'Z'

[Listy]

Ok did some reserch wfrom the book "We where soldiers..."

HEre's the basic notes on what I found out:
Details: (P29)
Left Charlston on Aug 16th on the transport ship USNS Maurice Rose
Arived Qui Nhon mid september

Joined up with advanced party who with the help of the 101 Airborne had secured an area of scrub jungle.
Rougth discription:
North of An Khe, 42 miles west of Qui Nhon.
On east side, an old airstrip with ahree story building on the NW side of the airstrip.

When complete the base:
12 mile long, 100 yard wide defense parimiter. Able to hold the divisions fixed and rotory wing assests. no permamant structures apart form bunkers.
battlions take turns in holding parimter, running patrols and setting OP's.
During the first few weeks a few light probes from VC.
Sniper activety on patrols.
Another battlions mascot (A mule) KIA.


1st Barigade's fight:

Hosptial fight: Nov 1 (P32)
Searching for the NVA who attacked Plei Mei SF base and ambushed the ARVAN relief coloum.
aprox 12 enemy spotted by Air-scout's fired on and scattered.
Moments later another group of NVA spotted, Troops landed on the ground (I Guess about coy strength). leading to the capture of a NVA feild hospital. total enemy KIA 15, POW 44.
That afternoon NVA counter attack, 4 hours later 1x battlion flown in. Estimated enemy KIA 250.

Trail Ambush, Nov 3, (P33)
3 platoon sized ambushes set around the Ia drang River trail.
1 Plt on trial other two set 1 mile to the north.
An NVA coloum appraoches and stops about 120 yards south for rest break shortly after 2100 they move through the ambush site. The Troopers let the coloum pass but when the HW coy arrives they attack with claymores.
Then all troops fall back to LZ for pick up.where they are counter attacked by the NVA. 1 coy is flown in to renforce the troops.
NVA strength 1x Rifle Coy, 1x Heavy weapons Coy.


3rd brigades fight

12 nov. 2323
The brigade's HQ, Avation fuel store and engineer facitlites are attacked, a 1 hour battle follows in which the VC are driven off.

LZ X-ray
LZ Albanay
LZ Falcon

[Pyros]

Gentlemen,

I have found this on the NET

http://orbat.com/site/history/histor...campaigns.html

1. Advisory
15 March 1962 - 7 March 1965

2. Defense
8 March 1965 - 24 December 1965

3. Counteroffensive
25 December 1965 - 30 June 1966

4. Counteroffensive, Phase II
1 July 1966 - 31 May 1967

5. Counteroffensive, Phase III
1 June 1967 - 29 January 1968

6. Tet Counteroffensive
30 January 1968- 1 April 1968

7. Counteroffensive, Phase IV
2 April 1968 - 30 June 1968

8. Counteroffensive, Phase V
1 July 1968- 1 November 1968

9. Counteroffensive, Phase VI
2 November 1968 - 22 February 1969

10. Tet 69/Counteroffensive
23 February 1969 - 8 June 1969

11. Summer-Fall 1969
9 June 1969 - 31 October 1969

12. Winter-Spring 1970
1 November 1969 - 30 April 1970

13. Sanctuary Counteroffensive
1 May 1970 - 30 June 1970

14. Counteroffensive, Phase VII
1 July 1970 - 30 June 1971

15. Consolidation I
1 July 1971 - 30 November 1971

16. Consolidation II
1 December 1971 - 29 March 1972

17. Cease-Fire
30 March 1972 - 28 January 1973

In the above I see some potential...

This is a starting point for our "Theatres of Operations" task. The number of 17 ToOs is somehow too big, but for sure we may work with this list to create something useful. Each ToO will contain Chapters. A Chapter will contain 2-3 Missions (1 Secondary + 1 Primary + 1 Bonus?).
Our first task should be to see what historical operation/battles of the 1st CAV may fit as Chapters into the above ToOs. If there are too many of them we may cut some, or if there are to few we may add fictional chapters.
In the end we will add the alternate part of the campaign.

The second critical task should be to design the progressive evolution of our core force.
You should take into consideration that additional core force elements should be added only in the beggining of each ToOs. This mean that the Core army will receive an average of 15 additions/attachments to its structure.
As a logical step, our core force should be a Generic (and not specific) formation of the 1st CAV Division because we want this force to play a role to every battle of the 1st CAV DIV.
The tricky thing would be to design the evolution by respecting the starting point, the final core force size and the increament steps (15+).
If we start with 2 platoons and we finish with a Battalion of 4-5 companies, then we should think how and when this progression will happen.
I suggest (as a base of further discussion) that during the 3-4 first ToOs our core force reach the size of a company.
This could mean that a

In the above I see some potential...

This is a starting point for our "Theatres of Operations" task. The number of 17 ToOs is somehow too big, but for sure we may work with this list to create something useful. Each ToO will contain Chapters. A Chapter will contain 2-3 Missions (1 Secondary + 1 Primary + 1 Bonus?).
Our first task should be to see what historical operation/battles of the 1st CAV might fit as Chapters into the above ToOs. If there are too many of them we may cut some, or if there are to few we may add fictional chapters.
In the end we will add the alternate part of the campaign.

The second critical task should be to design the progressive evolution of our core force.
You should take into consideration that additional core force elements should be added only in the beginning of each ToOs. This means that the Core army will receive an average of 15 additions/attachments to its structure.
As a logical step, our core force should be a Generic (and not specific) formation of the 1st CAV Division because we want this force to play a role to every battle of the 1st CAV DIV.
The tricky thing would be to design the evolution by respecting the starting point, the final core force size and the increment steps (15+).
If we start with 2 platoons and we finish with a Battalion of 4-5 companies, then we should think how and when this progression will happen.
I suggest (as a base of further discussion) that during the 3-4 first ToOs our core force reach the size of a company.
From that point we should first create the ToOs and after discussing the possibilities for evolution.
For example we may give to a ToO a whole company of OFF-MAP artillery or we may give to the player an attachment of engineers etc...
On second thought [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Cold.gif[/img], we may have a special mission (secondary type) on the end of each ToO and by the result of this mission (decisive victory or Not) the player will be able to make a choice for the next attachments that his core Force will receive... for example OFF-MAP artillery or 2 platoons of engineers or 1 supporting helicopter or 1 platoon of heavy mortars etc...
On third thought , we may have a path type of secondary mission and by the result/score of it, the player could decide among more than 2 possible new attachments (up to 5 = link scenario per type of victory).
Many possibilities on the above and at the same time it is a strong RPG element for the game, but it may be difficult to track the evolution of the core army during playtesting (coding process ).