A Week in Binh Long - The forever AAR

[Jason Petho]

Turn 3 - General

One thing I have added with the 1.11 UPDATE are some additional notes and reminders as you play through the turns about current tasks, this one explains that it is OK not to complete the total mission, but you will have to do so the following day. Keeping mind, you probably won't gain the points for doing so on a day that the mission wasn't assigned.



Turn 3 - 2d/28th Infantry

Around the Loc Ninh area, the 2d/28th Infantry companies have spread out and started to secure their objectives. Here is where they moved. The LRRP's have moved to the airfield, waiting for helicopters that will arrive in a handful of turns after 1st/16th Infantry has been dropped off at An Loc, although I may be able to use the D/1st/4th Cavalry helicopter to transfer troops in the meantime.



Over to the west at LZ LOUISIANA 5, D/1st/4th Cavalry have arrived on scene and here is the plan to secure the Firebase.



And the results, fortunately, I didn't run into any resistance.



Along QL13, the D/2d/28th Infantry and Engineers are still on their tedious task of clearing the highway.

[Jason Petho]

Turn 3 - 1st/16th Infantry

The 1st/16th Infantry continued organizing for airlift and a convoy. You can see the convoy as it starts its journey, leading the pack are some escorting armed Jeeps.




Taking off from the airfield are the two companies of 1st/16th Infantry that will fly to An Loc. The Chinooks have the dozers with them, but they will continue to fly north to LZ LOUISIANA 5 to help with the Firebase construction

[Jason Petho]

Turn 3 - 3d Brigade Headquarters

3d Brigade Headquarters is relaxing here, although I am using the Heavy Machine Gun's to dig in around the area while they spend some time here. The Construction Engineer has loaded into the Chinooks, but it has consumed all of the Action Points available for the Chinooks, so they will start their flight next turn.



The Jeeps and Dusters continued along QL13 and then headed southeast to eventually link up with the 1st/16th Infantry convoy. And boom, the Duster finds an IED along the road!



Fortunately, no casualties... and the Task Force continues on its way.

[Jason Petho]

Turn 4 - General
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The Viet Cong turn was pretty quiet, just some random movements that were out of Line Of Sight. The notice at the beginning of the turn is reminding me about how I should organize my headquarters and where the main headquarters will remain. This will be important for throughout the week.
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Turn 4 - 2d/28th Infantry
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Around the Loc Ninh area, the 2d/28th Infantry companies have spread out and started to secure their objectives. Here is where they moved.
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Over to the west, the Aero Rifle platoon of the D/1st/4th Cavalry is securing the local area around the LZ LOUISIANA 5 Firebase. So far there hasn't been any Viet Cong in the area, although we are close to the border here. I will start to fly in some reinforcements as I can. The Slicks have started the return journey back to Loc Ninh.
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D/2d/28th Infantry and the Engineer Task Force is still meandering up QL13, albeit at a snails pace. The lead vehicles continue to find roadblocks and mines as they advance. This will take all day to clear, by the looks of it!
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 4 - 1st/16th Infantry

The 1st/16th Infantry convoy is completed and is advancing en route to An Loc. I suspect it will take the better part of the day to get there as it is a long haul, which means the heliborne companies of the battalion will be doing most of the work when they get to An Loc to clear the assigned area.
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The heliborne companies are using QL13 for a landmark as they head their way north. Here you can see them flying just south of Chon Thanh. They are still a couple turns away from the landing zones that they are assigned to.
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The reconnaissance and gunships that we sent up early though, they have finally landed at the small strip in An Loc. You can see that I am using some ARVN Supply Trucks to help refuel the helicopters. I will need them to be present for the coming air assaults.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 4 - 3d Brigade Headquarters
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3d Brigade Headquarters is still hanging out at Lai Khe. The Chinooks are loaded and heading north to meet up with the other flights.
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A little further north, the Jeep/Duster Task Force are advancing towards the lead vehicles of 1st/16th Infantry. Apart from the last IED attack, the advance has been quiet.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 5 - General
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No movement that was noticed from the Viet Cong. There is another notice at the beginning of the turn is reminding me about how I should organize my headquarters and where the main headquarters will remain. These are hints for the player, they most likely not be repeated in the future, so it is good information to take notice of.
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Turn 5 - 2d/28th Infantry
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Around the Loc Ninh area, the 2d/28th Infantry companies have spread out enough where capturing them in one screenshot is no longer viable. Here is A/2d/28th Infantry operating the east of Loc Ninh and clearing the plantation along the ridgeline that over looks the city. The company has spread out but is still operating fairly close together.
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South of Loc Ninh we have C/2d/28th Infantry clearing the immediate area around Loc Ninh.
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The B/2d/28th Infantry is spread out a little too much, so I will spend the next handful of turns organizing them to be a little more effective. They will operate in the northern part of Area LOUISIANA and make their way towards the Firebase.
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Off to the west, the Aero Rifle platoon cleared the immediate area around the LZ LOUISIANA 5 Firebase and will head into the jungle to start clearing the hamlets to the southwest along the border.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 5 - 1st/16th Infantry

The 1st/16th Infantry convoy has almost met up with the Jeep/Duster Task Force. So far the route has been clear without any losses thus far.
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The heliborne units are all together south of An Loc and Area ALASKA. The Chinooks will continue north though towards the proposed Firebase at LZ LOUISIANA 5.
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Here is an overview of Area ALASKA. There are two main landing zones in ALASKA, which I will send one company to each to spread out the units and start securing Area ALASKA. There are not a lot of objectives to secure, but the sooner I have finished, the sooner I may be able to send an infantry company north to assist with the clearing of the two areas in the north - if necessary. One company will combat assault into LZ ALASKA 1 and the other will combat assault into the abandoned airfield at the southern part of Area ALASKA.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 5 - 3d Brigade Headquarters
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3d Brigade Headquarters is still hanging out at Lai Khe. The only thing of note is the Jeep/Duster Task Force and its advance towards the 1st/16th Convoy. Looks like they will be in contact next turn or so.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 6 - General
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Nothing too exciting has been happening during the Viet Cong turns. I haven't seen any counter attacks or anything of the sort, but, quite frankly, as this is still Day One, I am not expecting anything drastic as it is still the scenario training day.
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Turn 6 - 2d/28th Infantry
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Over in the west, the Aero Rifle platoon of D/1st/4th Cavalry continues to explore the jungle and secure the Viet Cong along the border with Cambodia. So far the platoon hasn't come across any Viet Cong.
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Back around Loc Ninh, here was have B/2d/28th Infantry and its current position. I'll be move the company closer together and they will operate in the northern part of Area LOUISIANA.
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To the east of town is A/2d/28th Infantry. It is working its way up the ridge that over looks the town. It will be important to clear this in case there are any Viet Cong lurking in the plantation before we head off to Area LOUISIANA.
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And to the south of town is C/2d/28th Infantry. I clearly made a mistake and they are far too clumped together to be effective, so I will have to spread them out but they will operate in the southern part of Area LOUISIANA.
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And lastly in this sector, we have the Engineering Task Force still working on clearing QL13 between An Loc and Loc Ninh. It is slow going, as you can see here:
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