Historical Background

Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War.

The US-Australian objective was to drive out Viet Cong (VC) unit who had taken up positions on several key hills in War Zone D in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2 km) north of Bien Hoa. The U.S. 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (1/503rd), 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a helicopter assault on an LZ northwest of the Dong Nai River and Song Be River. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) was deployed south of the Dong Nai. On 8 November the major engagement of the operation took place when a VC Regiment attempted to encircle and overrun the 1/503rd resulting in 49 U.S. killed and between 400 and 700 VC killed. On the same day in an engagement known later as the Battle of Gang Toi, 1RAR attacked a VC bunker and trench system, killing six VC and capturing five, while losing two missing.

Aftermath

Official reports would later claim that the 173rd Airborne Brigade had killed about 400 VC by body count and another 200 estimated dead while U.S. casualties were 49 killed and 83 wounded. The figure of 400 turned out to be a guess, however, which Williamson made in the immediate aftermath of the battle under pressure from Military Assistance Command, Vietnam headquarters. Later appraisals would raise the count to 700, but they are suspect as well. Since the VC unit involved was the 271st’s 3rd Battalion, a body count of 700 would have meant that the 1/503rd had killed twice as many VC as were present during battle.^[2]: 79

While Williamson later observed that they had “beat the living hell ” out of the VC he eventually concluded that “it was not the smartest fight. The enemy had set a trap.” In the hope of destroying an American unit, “he had lured us into a battle in an area of his choosing.”^[2]: 80

Scenario

Opening:

Back in the day Lt Col Tyler was running another Op. A straight S&D, no big deal, he didn’t like the mission and had said as much to Brigade command. But Williamson was adamant. They need to show progress and the Firebase had to go in @ Hill 65.

As Tyler suspected he would end up having his hands full.

As always under resourced, stretched thin the US Army and its Aussie partners would find themselves in a shit show before long.

Angels Were Crying covers the action.

Primarily focussed of just Company C, versus a significant force set on wiping out the yanks and enveloping all the forces.

Our job is to secure hill 65. The VCs of the 271st regiment job is to kill all of us.

VC start on the hill with most of their troops or can bring 50% in from offboard.

The US has 8 turns to secure the hill.

Units:

Map layout:

All VC may start on the board or approximately 50% can come on at a later turn within the tile marked locations.

They must setup up within 2 hexes of the hill.

US forces must set up 2 hexes away from closets VC.

Stand by for details in narrative format.