A Week in Binh Long - The forever AAR

[Jason Petho]

Turn 23 - General
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A quiet Viet Cong turn, as expected. The known Viet Cong positions haven't shifted, they appear to be dug in. At the start of my turn I received the following notification that I gained 35 Ammo Points for following the instructions of moving my supplies to Loc Ninh, where they will remain.
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Otherwise, I have an airstrike on station if I need it. Three headquarters are still unable to provide supply as they were moving and haven't reestablished communications and due to that I have a unit that is low on ammo.
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Turn 23 - D/1st/4th Cavalry
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Time to focus just on the D Troop of 1st/4th Cavalry. Here we have the Aero Rifle platoon on task to capture the small hamlets near the Prek Tapet. I'm not expecting many Viet Cong in the area, but have to be careful nevertheless.
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To the east, a detachment of D Troop is helping out C Company/2d/28th Infantry against the known Viet Cong position on the slopes west of Prek Tatee. They did provide some cover fire while C Company was advancing. Casualties are unknown.
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The remainder of D Troop is supporting the attack on Hill 171. The Hogs of the unit have successfully destroyed the VC machine gun at the top of the hill, but the Viet Cong rifle platoon remains. With the machine gun destroyed, I'm taking a risk and advancing with my B Company rifle platoon to attack the position, hoping the Hog's will help finish the job.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 23 - 2d/28th Infantry
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Over at Firebase LOUISIANA 5, the arrival of the first platoon from A Company has signaled the preparation for the rest of the battalion to arrive and prepare to laager over night.
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North of Hill 171, B Company has secured all of the objectives and one of the B Company platoons will attempt to attack Hill 171 with the support of the gunships from D/1st/4th. Will it be a bloodbath? I hope not, although I lost a Loach trying to hunt them down.
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South of Hill 171 is the other Viet Cong position, which has been identified as an RPG team and Reconnaissance platoon. The nearby Hogs rocketed the area, to no avail. The platoons will maneuver as described in the screenshot for the next two turns so I position them in a Surround Assault position.
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The circled position is the LRRP unit that has boarded the 2SP Slicks and is heading into Cambodia. You can see there are three target landing zones deep in Cambodia, although I have yet to decide where I will head. The longer I survive in Cambodia, the more Event Points I will gain. If I can hunt down supplies, that will be additional bonuses!
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The remaining two A Company platoons are meandering back to Loc Ninh for transport to the Firebase. One platoon has arrived at the airfield and the other is about to be loaded onto trucks to make a faster trip to Loc Ninh.
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Here is an overview of the situation at Loc Ninh with the 2d/28th Battalion HQ highlighted, so you can identify the subordinate units.
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Seems I forgot about the Engineer that is tasked with 2d/28th, it is still attempting to clear QL13 before the end of the day.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 23 - 1st/16th Infantry
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We can see A/1st/16th is making excellent progress thus far. Here is the return plan and the intended place where it will laager for the night.
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B/1st/16th is having as much good fortune now that the area is clear. The following shows the planned Improved Positions at this abandoned airfield. The Company won't laager there overnight, but it is preparing for future operations.
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Here is the overall defensive plan for the battalion position around An Loc. Since the battalion will be laagering here overnight, this shouldn't take too long to build.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 23 - 3d Brigade Headquarters
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I decided I'm going to drop off the Dozers and Construction Engineers at Chon Thanh. If I need them in Day 2, I will send the helicopters to get them then. In the meantime, the Chinooks will head north to Loc Ninh to transfer heavy loads.
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Here is a view of the 3d Brigade Headquarters, nothing new to report here except the Chinooks are missing and digging in is slow.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 24 - General
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The Viet Cong turn was quiet, there are two active areas that I am dealing with. I received a reminder about completing the mission but also meandering around and hunting down Viet Cong bases, caches, units.
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Otherwise, things are doing alright. I have cleared a mine, built some Improved Positions but have a couple headquarters that still haven't set up their supplies and one of my platoons is still disrupted.
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Turn 24 - D/1st/4th Cavalry
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The Aero Rifle Platoon has taken one of the Prek Tapet hamlets.
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Further east, the Hogs of this group was successful in taking out the RPG team after causing my C Company rifle platoon to retreat from the Prek Tatee hamlet.
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North of that, the rest of the D/1st/4th helicopters were not successful in eliminating or reducing the Viet Cong reconnaissance unit on Hill 171.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 24 - 2d/28th
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At Firebase LOUISIANA 5, the A Company rifle platoon is preparing for the rest of the company to arrive while the dozers are almost at LZ LOUISIANA 4 to be picked up by Chinooks that should be on their way in a few turns.
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We moved our helicopters with the LRRP team within to the far western side of the map and scoped out a Landing Zone that we'll be dropping into. Hopefully it isn't hot!
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A platoon from B Company, performed an assault on Hill 171. The platoon that assaulted suffered a 1/2 squad loss and disruption. Unfortunately, the Hogs weren't as effective as I hoped. I will pull back next turn and wait for the rest of the company to show up to tackle the hill.
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C Company is faring a bit better, they were attacked by the reconnaissance unit, but only retreated. You can see they retreated south of the boundary near the Prek Tatee Hamlet. The gunships did take out the RPG team there though, so that's a start!
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The remainder of A Company is loaded in the highlighted helicopters and the last platoon is loaded in the trucks at the top of the map. They will drive to the empty Slicks on the tarmac and fly to the base for transport to the firebase.
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Here is the overall situation at Loc Ninh.
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And our Engineers are nearly completed to task in this sector. The road from An Loc to Loc Ninh is almost ready!
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 24 - 1st/16th
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A Company is meandering through the plantation on their return to An Loc. I'm not expecting any contact for A Company.
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B Company has all arrived at the abandoned airfield and is digging it.
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Here's an overview of the rest of the battalion and the defensive positions being built.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 24 - 3d Brigade Headquarters
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No new improved positions this turn, so all is quiet in this sector.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 25 - General
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The command report reveals I have some airstrikes remaining, one of my infantry platoons have recomposed themselves, a headquarters in unable to provide supply and I have built an improved position.
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Every 25 turns there is a bonus giving to the SIDE A player that provides them points if they still control key areas that are expected to be controlled throughout the course of the scenario. Here is a breakdown of the bonuses.
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Turn 25 - D/1st/4th Cavalry
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The Aero Rifle platoon has secured the last of the objectives that it was assigned, so it will start making its way back towards a Landing Zone to be lifted off back to Loc Ninh.
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The majority of the D Troop is in the air around Hill 171. The Viet Cong have taken some losses but are still deep in the hills.
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To the south, the remaining D Troop helicopters are attempting to do the same to the Viet Cong along the ridge near Prek Tatee.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 25 - 2d/28th Infantry
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The situation at Firebase LZ LOUISIANA 5 is all calm, I am starting to fly over the rest of the battalion task force to start occupying the location for the night.
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I have finally landed one of the LRRP units in Cambodia. So it begins. We shall see how long I survive.
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A platoon of B Company is held up at Hill 171, the other platoons are beelining to assist.
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C Company is ready to assault, here is the movement plan after the next gunship attack.
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The last of A Company is being transported by trucks to the Loc Ninh airfield. They will fly post haste to the Firebase at LZ LOUISIANA 5.
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Here is the overall situation for 2d/28th Infantry. I will be organizing flights soon to start lifting all the units that need to be in the field in the next handful of turns.
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Finally, here is the engineer that is attached to the battalion, getting ready to clear the last minefield on this section of QL13.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 25 - 1st/16th Infantry
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A Company of the 1st/16th is on the way back to An Loc, these are going to be the main positions for this company, protecting the western approaches.
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B company is down in the south, working on the defences of the southern abandoned airfield. Seems to be going well thus far though.
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And here is the rest of the battalion settling in around An Loc. I intend on building a ring of defences, hopefully trenches, to help defend the city against attack.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 25 - 3rd Brigade Headquarters
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The Chinooks have headed north, it is just the main headquarters units down here now. Still digging in.
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Here you can see the Chinooks just taking off from Chon Thanh after dropping off their engineers and dozers.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 26 - General
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My helicopters appear low on fuel, so will have to send them back to refuel ASAP. Otherwise the overall situation is alright. I have a couple of airstrikes on standby in case of I need them and I had a unit recovering morale and build an improved positions. Progress!
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Turn 26 - D/1st/4th Cavalry
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The Aero Rifle platoon continues meandering through the trails south of Firebase LZ LOUISIANA 5, you can see the planned route identified in the screenshot below.
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Here we can see the helicopter elements of D Troop as they have attacked the Hill 171 position. The Viet Cong has retreated from their position, allowing potential for the B Company platoons from 2d/28th Infantry.
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To the south, not as much luck with the so the helicopter were sent back towards Loc Ninh.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 26 - 2d/28th Infantry
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Our LRRP operating in Cambodia. We see a big clearing ahead! We will find a nice spot along treeline and dig in for a bit, see what can be spotted.
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Over at Firebase LZ LOUISIANA 5, the elements are digging in and heading out on patrol. I'll be transporting troops here over the next dozen turns or so, it will get pretty busy at this firebase!
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Here you can see elements of A Company securing the base and heading south to secure the last points in the area. I should be patrolling in the jungle. Should be...
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B Company is making some success with dealing with Hill 171 due to the helicopters from D Troop, the other platoons are heading to the hill as fast as possible.
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Down in the C Company combat area, we have the Viet Cong Reconnaissance platoon surrounded and attempting to cause casualties.
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The overall situation at Loc Ninh. You can see the rest of the battalion organizing and building defences still around the town. I am showing the intended movement to another defended position north of Loc Ninh.
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The Engineer assigned to D/2d/28th Infantry is at the very last mine on the highway. Then its mission will be over for the day, so will spend the night in Loc Ninh.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 26 - 1st/16th Infantry
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The mission for 1st/16th Infantry is completed, now it is just a matter of organizing a defence. To the west of the city of An Loc, A Company is finding their locations and will start building in this sector
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My experience in the south of Area ALASKA is going well. I brought in some additional support in the form of supplies and artillery. B Company is digging in efficiently.
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C Company is still trying to break ground in the hills south of An Loc.
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Here is the overall disposition of 1st/16th Infantry. Things are in good order for this battalion and losses have been minimal for Day 1. Most of the casualties have been from the mines or IED's, with a loss from a sniper earlier in the day.
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[Jason Petho]

Turn 26 - 3d Brigade Headquarters
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Nothing happening around the 3d Brigade Headquarters. Digging in still is continuing.
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