Bill Eldard - 06:36am Jun 26, 2001 PST (#844 of 882)

>Could you describe Tet Offensive? Is it worth picking up?

Sure, Kevin. Tet Offensive is an area/point-to-point movement system
covering the critical first 5 weeks or so of the '68 Communist offensive
in South Vietnam (5 game turns). Because VP points (measured in
Demoralization Points) are tracked for the NVA, VC, ARVN, and US, the
game can be played by 2-4 players. It is very roughly based on his
successful A House Divided strategic Civil War game, but is much more
detailed and tailored to the Vietnam War.

The Communists achieve points (Demoralization points on the Allied
tracks) by capturing SVN cities and towns (putting them in Insurrection)
and inflicting casualties on US and ARVN troops. The Allies score by
inflicting heavy casualties on VC battalions/regiments and NVA
divisions, and recovering cities/towns. Naturally, Saigon is a big
point-getter.

The map of SVN is divided into its 4 historic corps areas (I thru IV),
and the NATO-style unit symbols on the Allied counters are colored coded
to the respective corps areas, where they must operate. Those units
colored yellow are strategic units (e.g. 173rd Airborne Brigade, 1st Cav
Div, 101st Airborne Div, 11th Armd Cav, and ARVN airborne & marine
brigades), and can cross corps boundaries. VC units are also restricted
to respective corps areas.

Each corps area is further divided into areas, color-coded to represent
the majority terrain in it. Each area may also have one or several
cities/towns, with RFPF units (of unknown quality) defending them. Roads
facilitate rapid movement between cities for the Allies. The Communist
sanctuaries such as the Iron Triangle, Tchepone, Parrot's Beak, and
Aschau Valley are also represented on the map. Allied units can enter
the sanctuaries, but the Communists are at a defensive advantage.

All Communist units are 'hidden;' they stay inverted showing only their
black backs (so you can't tell an NVA division with a strength of 18 to
32, from a VC battalion with a strength of 2.) They remain inverted
until they (1) engage in combat, and/or (2) enter a city/town, or (3)
are successfully located by an Allied unit. Each Allied unit has a
search factor from 4 (such as Mike Forces and US airmobile brigades) to
0 (some ARVN regiments). Hidden Communist units can not be attacked
(including air power), so the Allied player sends his high search-valued
units out to reveal Communist units and bring them under fire before
they reach cities. The Allied player rolls a single 6-sided die, and if
the number is equal to or less than the seach factor of his most capable
search unit, than one Communist unit must be flipped to its known side
for each Allied unit in the area. In other words, a brigade of the 1st
Cav (12-4) accompanied by 2 ARVN regiments (each 3-1) will reveal 3
Communist units on a roll of 4 or less.

The Allied player moves his mechanized units and airmobilized infantry
(there are helicopter groups in each of the corps areas, as well as one
intrinisc group in each of the 1st Cav and 101st Abn Divs; one group can
move one infantry brigade or Mike Force). Air power (TacAir and Arc
Light) are allocated, naval gunfire is allocated in I Corps area, and
combat is then resolved through die rolls (similar to Victory In The
Pacific and A House Divided). Then the Allies can move their
non-mech/non-airmobilized units. The Communist player's turn is movement
followed by combat.

There are special rules/units for:
- Ho Chi Minh Trail
- Infiltration by NVA and VC sappers
- Strategic surprise (limits Allied reaction on the first 2 turns)
- USN riverine transport on the Mekong (TF 117)
- Mike Forces, ARVN rangers, ROK regiments, and the Australian Task Force
- Recon by MACV SOG, Project 404 (Laos), Projects Delta and Gamma
- Capturing air bases
- Penalties for air strikes on cities/towns

To sum up, Kevin, this is a really neat game. The Allied player does go
through a lot of tension as he watches the Communist units push into his
cities all up and down the country, and then has to deftly allocate
resources to stop the hemorhaging and begin recovery. Chadwick did a
fine job on this one.