NGHIA LO 51

Is a scenario created for ‘The Operational Art of War – Century of Warfare’

Scenario created by Joao Lima
0- Generalities

Version – 2.0
Hex Scale – 2.5km/hex
Time Scale – 1 Turn-6 Hours
Turns – 40
Time period – October 1951
Locations – North Vietnam

If you have any doubts, suggestions, comments or anything to say, please fell free to drop
me a line to viel_zu_weit@yahoo.co.uk , please use as subject “TOAW - Nghia Lo 51”

1- Introduction

After the series of Viet Minh victories in the year of 1950, a series of French victories in
1951 brought some worries to Giap, most of all he was worried that his supply lines open
and cleared in 1950 could again fall under French control. In order to avoid that he sent
the newly raised 312th Division to the Nghia Lo valley to secure the area.

In the valley the French could only field the 1st Thai Battalion that was spread over the
valley in 10 outposts. With the increase of VM presence the French commanders decided
to reinforce the area and make a stand there.
In order to do it, the first unit to arrive in the valley was the 8th Parachute Battalion. Later
the intensity of the fighting caused a need for more troops and so the 2nd Foreign Legion
Parachute Battalion dropped onto the valley followed later by the 10th Parachute Battalion.

This added to a change in the nature of the battle with the VM turning from aggressor to
defender, the trap was set and the commander of the 312th VM Div turned onto a
defensive stance hoping to be able to extricate himself of the delicate situation he was in.
After fierce fighting the VM suffered a severe setback which proved to be quite
disconcerting to Giap and would lead him to revert for the moment to guerrilla tactics.

2- The forces in presence and their objectives

VIET MINH – The freshly assembled Bem Tre Division , missing one of it’s regiments, is an
effective fighting formation, even if green. The most powerful components are the Infantry
Battalions, however the only with combat experience are the specialized and HQ units.
This mix should be enough to overrun the meagre forces that the CEFEO can deploy at
the scenario start and seize, or at least get very near, Nghia Lo; however greater care
should be exerted when it concerns to fighting the Parachutists.

CEFEO – The French units in presence are the typical mixed bag which composed the
CEFEO in Indochina. They range from the poorly equipped and motivated 1er Battalion
Thai, composed of locals, to the highly specialized and efficient airborne forces composed
of volunteers with a high degree of motivation and combat experience. Also highly valuable
for the French player is the possibility of using his air force in combat support without any
opposition. All in all the French forces biggest opponent is the fact that they are committed
piecemeal and can therefore be faced with a much higher number of troops. If the French
player can afford though to commit all these units in an unified force, then there is little
hope for the VM , even if they manage to overcome the initial resistance of the 1er Bat
Thai.
3- Strategies

VIET MINH – For the VM this battle has a very simple approach, seizequickly control of
Nghia Lo and then fend off the Parachutists. The secret here is how quickly can the VM
reach Nghia Lo and control it, because when the airborne forces start to arrive the French
player will have enough punch to defeat the VM troops. Two things the VM player must
keep in mind though is that his troops are green, they have just been assembled as a
division and are now on their first real assignment, also the supply lines for the VM run
from the right and top edges through jungle , so it’s a good idea to keep those lines
open, until Nghia Lo is captured.

CEFEO – Also a very simple affair, to hold as long as possible and then to drop the
Parachutists into the battle and move the VM away from Nghia Lo. Another thing all
together is how to do it. A great deal of the CEFEO strategy is dictated by the way in which
the VM player approaches Nghia Lo, that will dictate the best place to drop the airborne
forces, which given that they will arrive with several turns of difference also will have a
varied deployment according to the general changing situation. The CEFEO player should
also keep an eye on his supply route to the south-east.
APENDIXES

A- Victory Locations

3,4 (Gia Hol), Value:2.

7,6 (Nam Lanh), Value:2.
8,7 (Ban Van), Value:2.
8,9 (Nghia Lo), Value:20.
8,12 (Ban Nam), Value:2.
11,11, Value:2.
14,11 (Ban Phiang), Value:2.
19,14 (Ba Khe), Value:2.

Nghia Lo is also worth 5 permanent points to the VM upon capture.

B- Supply Locations

Viet Minh: 15,1.

Viet Minh: 21,1.
Viet Minh: 23,3.
Viet Minh: 23,4.
Viet Minh: 23,8.

Nghia Lo is also a supply point upon capture.

CEFEO: 25,18 (Road to Hanoi).

CEFEO: 25,11 (Tourane).

Nghia Lo is also a supply point upon capture of 19,24 by the VM.

C- Orders of Battle

Viet Minh:

Bem Tre Division HQ

Divisional Trinh Sat Comp
Divisional Engineer Comp
Divisional Artillery Bat
Hongai Regiment
Regimental Trinh Sat
11, 16 and 428 Infantry Bats
Dong Trieu Regiment
Regimental Trinh Sat
115, 542 and 564 Infantry Bats

CEFEO:

1er Bat Thai

HQ
Outpost 1 to 10
Support (Light Artillery) Comp
Armee de L’Air

GM 1/9 Limousin (F8 Bearcat)

GB 1/19 Gascogne (B26 Marauder)

Reinforcements:

8me Bat Chasseurs Parachutistes (Turn 9-10)

HQ
1me to 3me Comps.

10me Bat Coloniaux Chasseurs Parachutistes (Turn 13)

HQ
1me to 3me Comps.

2me Bat Etranger Parachutistes (Turn 22)

HQ
1me to 3me Comps.

Hmong Partisans (1 each turn on turns 10,15 and 20)

1 to 3 Squads

D- Change Log

v 2.0 - Updated for TOAW – ME, changes included:

- Revised supply locations

- Revised unit values
- Revised positioning of VM forces at scenario start
- Revised victory points