Designer Notes
United States of America (USA)
Army Line Rifle Squad
The Army rifle squad (PC's 1-11) that is represented here is comprised of the official TO & E squad plus a M60 machine gunner. Very early war squads were full strength and able to have a M60 attatched from the weapons squad. Soon into the war there were significant manpower shortages; platoons were unofficially reorganized with many variations on number of squads and squad sizes. One variation eliminated the weapons squad along with a rifle squad in order to create two full strength rifle squads, each with an attatched M60. This variation allowed for the two fire team concept to be retained.
Army Air Cavalry Aero Rifle Squad
These elite rifle squads (PC's 3,5,6,33-35,37,40,47) were air lifted to the area of operation by helicopter transport and acted in coordination with helicopter gunships.
Army Ranger Team (LRRP)
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol teams (PC's 26,27,36,37,51,53) performed critical and varied missions within enemy held or contested territory. The weapons they carried were mission dependent and were frequently not within the official TO & E.
Marine Line Rifle Squad
The Marine rifle squad (PC's 12-25) represented here is comprised of the early war TO & E before the M14 and M14A1 were replaced in early 1968 by the M16 and M60. The Marines used a three fire team concept, each team having three rifleman and a squad automatic weapon such as the M14A1. The Squad Leader would be in a command group with the grenadier which would make four groups.
Navy Seal Team
The Navy Seal teams (PC's 26-31) conducted aggresive combat missions in the southern delta area primarily against the VC and always with overwhelming firepower. The weapons they carried were mission dependent and the best and newest, though not always within the official TO & E.
Weapons
M60 Field Modified: Used by the LRRPs and Seals.
M79 Field Modified: Used by the LRRPs as a secondary weapon.
CAR15: Available to the LRRPs and Seals in 1968.
CAR15 w/M203: Available only to the Seals.
M203: Replacement for the M79 and was available in 1970.
Stoner 63A: Available in 1968 and only to the Seals.
Swedish K: Used unofficially by the LRRPs and Seals.
AK47: Used to confuse and delay the enemy by the LRRPs.
North Vietnamese Army (NVA)
Line Rifle Squad
The rifle squad (PC's 1-9) that is represented here is of late 1967 and later. The NVA received the newest weapons first, then the VC.
Sapper Team
The Sapper teams (PC's 1,2,5-7,11-14) were extensively trained in infiltration, demolition, and reconnaissance and were used very effectively as the spearhead of an assault, such as penetrating a defensive perimeter.
Weapons
SKS: This weapon would have be in use early in the war.
RPG7: Began to be used in 1967 to replace the RPG2.
Viet Cong (VC)
Line Rifle Squad
The rifle squad (PC's 1-12) that is represented here are early war Regional VC. The VC had three echelons of organization, Main Force, Regional, and Local. Main Force units were full-time soldiers whose ranks were filled increasingly with the NVA due to manpower shortages. Regional VC were also full-time soldiers but operated more regionally and whose ranks were filled for the most part from South Vietnam. Local VC were part-time fighters from the local population and acted more in a support role for the Main Force and Regional units.
Weapons
Type56: These Chinese made AK47s increasingly replaced rifles and submachine guns as the war progressed.