GURPS resources for a Vietnam War adventure

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Johan Larson

I'm thinking they start during the era of heavy US presence, maybe in early '67. That lends itself to a climax of the adventure during the Tet offensive, which would be just perfect.

Finding something appropriate for the team to do is a bit of a challenge because a lot of the US strategy focused on large-unit operations, which doesn't really lend itself to RPG play. (It would be a better fit for wargaming.)

I'm thinking the players start off as a small squad that's part of the security contingent of a firebase. That involves a lot of patrolling the countryside, and could lead to fighting off infiltrators, snipers, mortar units, and maybe even a full-sized attack. They might also pull some convoy duty and have to rescue some downed airmen.

So why not just have the PCs be special ops? That's exactly in the wheelhouse of the special ops units and their missions.

[lachimba]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Maybe, except the bulk of the war was fought by squads of regular soldiers - Army and Marines - in their first few years of service (most right out of boot camp) rather than elite strike teams like the Rangers or SEALs. Special Ops leans more towards the latter than the former.

As opposed to a book specifically called Seals in Vietnam.

[Johan Larson]

Originally Posted by Randyman

So why not just have the PCs be special ops? That's exactly in the wheelhouse of the special ops units and their missions.

One of the constants of documentaries about the war is a certain confusion and frustration on the part of the Americans, particularly early in the war. The VC and NLF were very mobile and tended to fade away in the face of major pushes by the US. They were "slippery" and the US had trouble coming to grips. The US also had to make due with inexperienced troops, while the opposition had many years of experience.

I would like these problems to be part of the adventure. I am worried that if I make the PCs actual elite soldiers these problems just won't come across. The PCs will kick ass and take names time after time, and that will be that.

[fredtheobviouspseudonym]

3rd Edition "Covert Ops" had a fair amount of information on "off-the-book" operations, including "primitive" weapons/gear that a VC might use.

Also, for early 'Nam scenarios, the 3rd Edition WW II has information on Russian & Japanese weapons/gear. You'll have to convert it to 4th Edition but that should be do-able.

[hal]

This is what I'd use, where someone to ask me to run a Vietnam based campaign:

GURPS CHARACTERS
GURPS CAMPAIGNS
GURPS SEALS IN VIETNAM
GURPS TACTICAL SHOOTING
GURPS HIGH TECH

In addition, for $6.99, I'd pick up GRUNT at RPGNOW.COM. At 82 pages, you will find a lot of material worth using in your campaign with your players.

I'd also suggest FNG: SECOND TOUR by TWO HOUR WARGAMES. Although it is a skirmish set of rules where 1 figure = 1 man, its focus is a campaign based on a Tour (12 months for US Army, 13 months for US Marines). The Sergeants are trying to stay alive, and keep their squad members alive, all the while accomplishing their mission objective. Sometimes, the ONLY criteria for winning is NOT DYING. Sounds very much like a role playing objective if you ask me ;)

It never hurts to raid non-fiction books for ideas such as MARINE SNIPER: 93 Confirmed Kills or other such works. Watching a few movies such as WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE AND YOUNG, or go on YOUTUBE and search for VIETNAM there. Some of the material is not for faint of heart.

[Boomerang]

Having run a Vietnam War campaign earlier this year I recommend you check out the University of Texas map library. It has authentic scanned full colour topographic army maps of the whole country from the 1960s.

I played old 1960s songs as the intro to each session and I found that helped for immersion.

As far as GURPS books go all I used were: basic, high tech and seals in Vietnam.

[Tomsdad]

If we're broadening it out side of GURPS I recommend Patrol

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Johan Larson

The plan is to have the players be raw recruits, assigned to an experienced sergeant (an NPC). They'll start out hunting VCs in a quiet sector.

It would be good to know what skills the players should have coming out of Infantry School, and how to stat the sergeant and the VCs. I could invent something myself, but leveraging existing material is good.

Well Seals in Vietnam has stats for VC, but not US raw recruits etc.

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by Johan Larson

I'm thinking they start during the era of heavy US presence, maybe in early '67. That lends itself to a climax of the adventure during the Tet offensive, which would be just perfect.

Finding something appropriate for the team to do is a bit of a challenge because a lot of the US strategy focused on large-unit operations, which doesn't really lend itself to RPG play. (It would be a better fit for wargaming.)

I'm thinking the players start off as a small squad that's part of the security contingent of a firebase. That involves a lot of patrolling the countryside, and could lead to fighting off infiltrators, snipers, mortar units, and maybe even a full-sized attack. They might also pull some convoy duty and have to rescue some downed airmen.

Infantry battalions can have their own reconnaissance units that are comprised of regular soldiers instead of special forces troops. Unlike their special forces counterparts they never travel far from their parent unit, certainly not beyond artillery range. But they do fulfill a similar role and sometimes operate at squad level.

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by Johan Larson

Definitely useful:
- base rules
- High Tech
- SEALs in Vietnam

Is that it? There doesn't seem to have been a source-book specific to the whole Vietnam War. There also doesn't seem to have been a GURPS Soldiers or GURPS Military book written. Everything is either more specific (like the WWII books) or more general (like High Tech).

I'm a bit surprised I'm not finding more material. Did I miss something?

Mass Combat for platoon-sized-and-larger engagements. Tactical Shooting for detailed gunfights and more guns. Pulp Guns, Adventure Guns, and Low Tech for some of the older kit floating around (if spiked pits were a problem, I am pretty sure that someone got shot at with a crossbow or a musket made by a village smith).

Mysteries, Social Engineering, and other genre books may be useful for some scenarios.