Dien Bien Phu: The Final Gamble

quotdien bien phu final gamblequot twoplayer wargame decisive battle dien bien phu end french indochina war political repercussion far outside region player represent france colonial troop player represent armed force viet minh communistnationalist independence movement vietnam cage fight victory point marginal victory draw viet minh win force french troop surrender france win surrenderingmap scale map cover village dien bien phu surround area small submap french strongpoint quotisabellequot south valley group french strongpoint scatter map female name commander de castrie mistress accord lore map divide divisional sector plus fourth face submap quotisabellequot sector zone represent viet minh trench wind map edge center map hex represent meter game turn cover day turn game historically end game turn viet minh victory scale allow stacking french unit usually infantry company hex stacking limit viet minh battalion create chess feelthree viet minh battalion form regiment regiment division division valley artillery division map equivalent division replacement pool outside valley french troop colorful array colonial paras vietnamese troop unit french algeria morocco course french foreign legion unit average quality outright terrible good muster french battalion consist company battalion auxiliary light company start siege artillery mortar battery tank platoon wait hanoi para battalion expect replacement pool company neighbor laos battalion ready march save day endfrench supply battle take place far wilderness vietnam side adjust limited flow supply bring forward air french vast forest viet minh supply historically case tend lot wish supply track map show ammo food amp bullet fuel amp spare medicine truck transport available french game turn air transport bring mix supply replacement reinforcement chart grid mix supply marker place eventual reinforcement replacement weather decide arrive abort hanoi french player know sure arrive accountviet minh supply morale viet minh receive steady flow ammunition barrage wish large pool replacement use large infinite viet minh loss heavy fact replace step regiment game turn painful experience lose heavy long pool dry viet minhs main concern troop morale battle force start excellent morale division morale decrease take replacement dilute experienced veteran newly draft peasant combat experience morale rise slightly rest assault time fly battle win morale important game fall low troop render uselessartillery artillery important aspect battle bombardment side assault commence wish achieve thing barrage loss target shake target shake lose ability react support combat easy assault defend unit bring barrage hard attacker succeed viet minh artillery offboard safe french artillery fire mainly dig deep mountainside french artillery mortar unit hand exist unit board fall prey viet minh bombardment french artillery unit reduce andor shake efficient eliminate obviously play side limited ammunition spend wiselycombat main effort game course assault player conduct dieroll course assault determine outcome defender conduct defensive fire hope inflict loss possibly force attacker abort assault defenderrsquos die roll compare strength defend defenderrsquos second dieroll modify result die roll compare assault unit morale determine result defensive fire provide assault unit abort attacker suffer effect defensive fire conduct die roll assault conduct second outcome assault modification trench terrain support unit etc adjust strength unit strong weakeryou know sure result dieroll dien bien phu ndash final gamble tense brutal simulation historical battle determine fate war shape event thing comekim kanger