RIVERINE COMBAT
Operation Jackstay: Vietnam, March 1966
Each Command Decision aims to offer a series of playable options in timeless military scenarios. Command Decision is designed so you can read the situation and figure out your own command decisions if you were leading the troops on the ground. You can either work through the various options or use the mechanics to create the precise circumstances of the tabletop engagement. The scenarios may have particular historical themes and settings, but you can easily adapt the mechanics to suit your own preferences and collections.
SITUATION REPORT
Operation Jackstay is the first major U.S. naval operation in the Rung Sat Special Zone (RSSZ). The operation has two phases and aims to decimate the Viet Cong in the RSSZ, a 400 square mile swamp with thick vegetation. The region is known to contain Viet Cong arms factories, hospitals, rest camps and training facilities. Phase one was launched on 26 March 1966. The Long Thanh Peninsular was hit by the 1st Marine Battalion, 5th Regiment and underwater specialists, backed by air strikes and naval gunfire by the Seventh Fleet. Part of the operation involved craft blocking Viet Cong escape routes by amphibious craft and coastal surveillance vessels.
ROLE AND COMMAND
You are Captain John D. Westervelt, USN and in overall command of the second phase of the operation. You will be riding a helicopter over the operational area throughout the mission. Your convoy will enter the Vam Sat River on March 31 and proceed seven miles down the river and disembark Marines to move inland to hit Viet Cong positions. You will then extricate the Marines and return to base. Commander Derwin T. Lamb, USN will direct the operation on the ground from the deck of one of the LCPLS to the rear of the pair of Vietnamese “minesweepers” and in front of the vessels carrying the Marine strike force.
GAMING THE ATTACK
The idea of this game is to provide you with a solo mini-campaign system that simulates the progress of the convoy. You will need to navigate up the river to deliver the Marines to their assault area, then move back down river to pick up the two Marine companies, finally you will then move out of the river and into a safer stretch of river. You can move up the river three vessels abreast. You must lay out the order of your column using the vessel cards. The vessel cards detail the firepower of the vessel, the damage it can take and the number of personnel on-board.
You will need to negotiate the river map. Each time you enter one of the river squares you will need to test to see if you have drawn fire from the Viet Cong. If you have, the following procedures take place:
◗ Determine whether the fire comes from the left or
right bank ◗ Decide whether you will suppress the fire using one
of your two airstrikes ◗ If not suppressed, determine the strength of fire from
the enemy on the bank
◗ Determine which vessel or vessels are being targeted
by the fire ◗ Determine the damage and mark it off on your vessel
cards ◗ Determine who can return fire and note down the
body count
You will automatically move on to the next river square next turn and repeat the process until you have reached the position on the river where the Marines will land. You must destroy all enemy firepower in that square before the Marines can land.
After the landing you will turn and move to the pickup point to collect two companies of Marines. Again the Viet Cong fire power must be destroyed before this can be achieved. After this you can return to your refitting base.
These are the vessel cards: photocopy (or scan) and cut them out then refer to the Forces section for further information on the types of vessel in the operation.
GAMING
Your fleet can move one river square per turn. Each square is colour coded as to the potential danger and shows you which column to use on the attack table. You will inflict one hit for every 5 or 6 thrown on your FP dice. The Viet Cong will only hit you with a 6. If you wish to suppress the fire from the Viet Cong you may only call in two strikes per game. The Viet Cong do not get to fire, but you have 6d6 FP and register a hit with a 4, 5 or 6.
You must begin at the start point, move up river to the Drop off Point, back to the Pick up Point and then proceed to the Finish Point.
Each time you enter a square use the following table to determine the encounter. You do not need to use the table if you are intending to suppress the Viet Cong in that zone of the river with an airstrike.
EXPLANATION: Player enters an Orange Zone of the river. She opts not to use one of her airstrikes. She throws 2d6 and scores 9. She rolls to see where the Viet Cong are firing from and rolls a 3 on 1d6. They are firing from the right bank. She then throws another d6 and scores a 2. This means they are targeting the fifth vessel in the column nearest the right bank. The Viet Cong fire first and throw 3, 4, 5 and 5. They register no hits. The player can then return fire with the target vessel and any other two vessels next to that vessel. They need 4 hits (5 or 6) to eliminate the Viet Cong. Each hit adds 5 to the Body Count score. Had the Viet Cong scored two hits and the target was LCMS 7 (with 5 damage points), the vessel would be reduced to 3 damage points.
ADVANCED RULES
A player can decide to take hits on the crew or on Marines being carried (if applicable). You can trade half the crew or 10 Marines instead of taking damage on the vessel itself. If a vessel is reduced to no crew then it must be abandoned. Marines stranded on a crewless vessel must be picked up by an LCM3 or one of the minesweepers. This operation takes a full turn. Re-roll for a Viet Cong attack.
FORCES
The US 18 vessel convoy consisted of a pair of Frenchbuilt, Vietnamese-manned France d’outre Mer (FOM) V-bottomed boats (with two 12.7mm machine guns or one machine gun and one 60mm mortar, a pair of Reibel 7.5mm machine guns and two rifle-grenade launchers). Two South Vietnamese LCCPS with chain drags and grapnels for minesweeping duties; an armoured LCM-6 or Monitor, two LCPLS for additional fire support, with the Marines being carried in seven LCMS and two LCVPS (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel) . The U.S. Navy also supplied two LCM-3 salvage boats. The operation was supported by carrier based aircraft and helicopters.
The exact figures for the VC are unknown, the US simply state that the swamps were “infested” with the enemy. In this mini-campaign we will give the VC variable fire power to see what kind of damage they can inflict on the US and South Vietnamese forces.
Shapeways or Britannia Miniatures have two vessels and a sampan in 20mm. Possibly the most practical are the 285th scale boats produced by GHQ. If you have a 3d printer then there are options at stlfinder. com/3dmodels/riverine-water-craft-patrol-boat-(surc)/.
OPERATION JACKSTAY: FACT CHECK
The flotilla approached the first bend in the river and the Viet Cong detonated an electrical mine that went off between Lamb’s command LCPL and the Monitor. This was followed by small arms from the bank. The convoy returned fire and aircraft strafed and bombed the Viet Cong positions. After a mile, the firing subsided and only the occasional shot was heard.
The Marines landed in the centre of the mangrove swamp, the convoy moved to pick up two Marine companies that had been operating elsewhere in the swamp. Soon after, the convoy came under fire again and aircraft support stopped the Viet Cong from bringing up heavy weapons to fire at the vessels. This allowed the convoy to move out of the contested river and into safer waters. The net result of the mission was over 60 confirmed enemy dead and tons of ammunition and supplies destroyed. ■