A Shau Valley Tactical May 2011 UK

[fritz]

Hi guys as promised the details of the A Shau valley tactical I am organising for the weekend of 7/8 May 2011 at the 75 acre wooded site at Spanby in lincs. I have also posted this up on the usual WW2 forums.
The scenario will be loosely based on the events in the A Shau.
The landowner has allowed me to construct and leave what I want (we have just done our first Ardennes batlle here with dugouts and bunkers etc.)
I intend to construct a main firebase for registration.
There will be an FSB in the middle of the forest which will be a hump to get to - bunkers and foxholes will all be suitable to sleep in!!
I will also be constructing an NVA/VC tunnel and bunker system (lots of guys wanting to play VC for some reason must be the AK's!!)

Section 5 weapons hire will be from John Oxlade at hireandfire he has a large selection of 16's,L1a1's,AK's,M1 carbines,SKS's etc
5.56 blank is looking at about 25 quid per 100 so cheaper than 30.06 for all of those who have done a WW2 tac!!!

This will not be a blatt fest and will have mission objectives to accomplish.
warning order to follow and further details as to how were doing on construction etc.
Please post up your interest on this thread and Pm me if wanting to partake.
I always aim to make these tacs as realistic as possible. For those who know me I'm not a businessman but a fellow re-enactor who thought he'd have a go organising battles.
trust me you will not be dissappointed!!!
Cheers
Chris

[reconmart]

Hi Chris, 3rd Force Recon will be up for this one, should be able to muster six to eight men, some from the DMZ Units, would we turn up Friday evening (for those that can make it before Saturday morning) and sit round the ‘camp fire’ then will it be a 48 hr battle, or back round the camp fire Saturday night? I expect all this info will be in the warning order anyway. Will pm you in a day or so, looking forward to this one.

[fritz]

Hey Mart have replied on D2DMZ forum as well mate.
Guys can arrive from midday on the Friday to get sorted and we will then battle through - certainly time for a beer and a chat at the TOC Friday night before we hit the boonies.
101st Airborne Rangers on board too mate as well as the usual suspects from the WW2 groups. Funny how most German Re-enactors want to do VC/NVA its cos they always get their s**t together and win!!!!!
Thanks for the input guys warning order,pics etc to come as and when its ready!!!!!
Cheers
Chris

[fritz]

Details of the coming tactical battle in May as promised - If you need copies of the weapons hire forms (unless your bringing your own) that need to be filled in and emailed back to John Oxlade at Hire and fire (101st,SOG,VC,NVA,Marines and our own Sf group have done theirs) please email me .

Cost of the event is 30 gbp - includes site fee,pyro,insurance etc etc

Weapons hire (if not bringing your own) is 80 gbp for the weekend for AK 100 gbp weekend for M16 including 100 rds, subsequent 100 rds can be purchased from John around 30 quid mark.
This is the usual price for a weekend tactical and both myself and John haven't put our prices up in 2 years (thats doing the WW2 battles). He also has various other weapons if you prefer - M1 carbines,thompsons etc.

The scenario is loosely based on the attack of the SF base in the A Shau Valley in 1966
A brief history.....

The A Shau Valley-in Vietnam's Thua Thien province, west of the city of Hue along the border with Laos. The valley was one of the key entry points into South Vietnam for men and matériel brought along the Ho Chi Minh trail by the communist forces and was the scene of heavy fighting during the Vietnam War.

The A Shau Special Forces Camp was located in the A Shau Valley, about 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Huế. It was strategically important for the North Vietnamese Army as a major infiltration route because it was adjacent to the Ho Chi Minh trail. Defending the camp were Green Berets and South Vietnamese Civilian Irregular Defense Group, supported by air units. The Battle of A Shau SF camp started in 1966

The camp was routinely harassed by small Viet Cong formations leading up to the battle. Throughout February and March, platoon-sized troops from the camp were often sent out to conduct reconnaissance patrol and were prepared to destroy any suspected enemy position in the surrounding area. On March 5, two defectors from the North Vietnamese Army turned up at the camp. Under interrogation, they indicated that four battalions from the North Vietnamese 325th Division were planning to attack the camp. On March 7, the A Shau camp was reinforced with U.S. special forces personnel, interpreters and a Mike Force Company in anticipation of the North Vietnamese attack. The attack on the Special Forces Camp began during the early hours of March 9 with mortar bombardment. Upon the request of the detachment commander, at 13:00 an AC-47D "Spooky 70" from the 4th Air Commando Squadron, circling the camp, managed to attack North Vietnamese formations but was shot down and crashed about five kilometers north of the camp. All six crewmen survived the crash, but were attacked by NVA troops. Three crewman were killed but the other three were eventually rescued by a USAF HH-43. Also present but never declared was a small detachment of Marines. Marine Scout/Snipers from the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines. No reported casualties or recovered Marines were ever listed.

Supplies of ammunition were flown in, but the resupply drops often landed outside of the camp and could not be retrieved. At the same time, helicopters were called in to evacuate the wounded. Additional reinforcements from Hue and Phu Bai could not be deployed because of the bad weather, so the camp's defenders repaired their defences as well as they could and dug in for the night.

On the morning of March 10, the North Vietnamese Army launched another attack with mortar and recoiless rifle fire. At 05:00 an assault team penetrated the east of the camp, where hand-to-hand combat took place for three hours. By 08:00 the defenders had withdrawn to the camp's north side. Throughout the day airstrikes strafed North Vietnamese positions around the camp, but as fighting continued the situation deteriorated with ammunition supplies running short. As a result, a decision was made to evacuate all personnel.

The camp was officially closed at 17:45 and finally overrun by enemy troops. In the aftermath of the battle the United States suffered heavy casualties on the ground: 5 killed and 12 wounded. Further losses were suffered during the evacuation efforts.

We will be launching search and destroy and intel gathering patrols whilst being probed and ambushed by NVA/VC units.This will run from 0700 Sat morning thru til Sun afternoon - you will be expected to prepare NDP's and pull your stint on watch.

If this event is a success we will continue to run Vietnam themed events with both live and airsoft weapons continuing the battles for the A Shau and other battles in the history of the Vietnam war.

Any queries please get in touch

Cheers

Chris

[e-mail]

07971 560249
p.s Mart can you get in touch re yr unit so I can allocate you a billet area
Cheers

[fritz]

some photos of the in country fb so far please contact me if you are still wanting to attend - so far we have a nice mix of units attending and a sizeable vc force to contend with.
Cheers
Chris
[e-mail]
07971560249

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[fritz]

and another..........

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[fritz]

and another cammed up to deter unwanted attention!!!

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[fritz]

and another and we haven't finished yet oh no.................

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[fritz]

entrance to comms bunker

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[fritz]

WARNING ORDER

A Shau valley Vietnam Battle 06/07/08 MAY 2011 - SPANBY LINCS

DIRECTIONS

Nearest Sat Nav location is NG34 0AT this will take you to highfields country retreat the woods are located just past Spanby village which is about 1/2 mile up from here on the right.
Event will be signposted on the main A15/A52 roundabout,on mareham lane near the turning to Spanby and at the entrance to the location itself.Go through the village (please drive slowly) and after the last houses their is a track on your right which leads to the forest.

From the main A1 follow signs for Grantham and take the A52 towards Boston. At the roundabout linking the A15/A52 go straight over for about a mile you will come to a crossroads marked THREEKINGHAM right and SLEAFORD/HIGHFIELDS COUNTRY RETREAT left. Go LEFT follow Mareham lane past HIGHFIELDS and take the road to SPANBY which will be on your right (careful the turning is on a bend) follow the road through the village and you will come to the final event sign. If you get to a white farmhouse you have gone too far! Signs will be marked A SHAU.

A SHAU VALLEY

The scenario for our weekend is loosely based on the events leading upto and including the attack and eventual overrunning of the SF base in the Southern A Shau Valley. Although we can never hope to acheive an historically correct battle we hope to acheive:
a:) a visually,typographic,seasonal area that participants can experience in some way the conditions and type of warfare that was carried out during the spring of 1966.
b:) Allows re-enactors of most units to participate and experience a small amount of tactical warfare in as near as we can make it environment and scenario.

Our scenarios draw their knowledge from experiences encountered in the A Shau Valley throughout 1966.

This exercise is not a blatt fest there are strict rulings and objectives to be met and overcome. Team participation between all units is paramount for safety at this event.

Dress/Site rules

All units to operate as they would as if it were spring in 1966,US - jungle greens for all infantry units, tiger stripe for SF,LRRP and ARVN as would fit the time frame. M56 webbing rigged up to your MOS/role.
Personal hygiene was strictly under scrutiny in Vietnam - experienced NCO's would jump on cherries for not being shaven and keeping the body (especially the feet) as clean as possible as circumstances permitted so yes you would shave (the mind set being a soldier who doesn't look after himself - doesn't look after his kit - so is a liabilty to the rest of the unit).

Your hooches will be located within the main FSB and further personnel at the A Shau SF base. VC/NVA units to make a camp in one of their 4 known locations to operate from.
Pup tents, VC will use period tentage camouflaged.Their is space in some of the large tentage at RIPCORD but will be on a first come first served basis.

You will be operating out of the "in country" FB, platoon/squad leaders to organise RTO's in the comms bunker and carry out search and destroy as well as intel gathering missions.
Personnel must be rotated to man defensive positions at the FB as well as on patrol.

From Saturday morning both sides are considered tactical. Chow down by all means after a patrol or whilst at the FB but put out security - if contact occurs drop what you are doing and deal with the threat - I cannot stress enough that I want this as real as possible don't get caught with yer pants down!!!!! VC units have been given carte blanche to roam freely and attack/ambush at any time from anywhere so expect it not to be as peaceful as you think!!
Remember light and noise restrictions at positions and place your security.

There are no facilities at this site apart from an abundance of firewood!!!
There are some realistic latrines made for "emergencies" remember to p**s in the tubes made up or behind a convenient tree away from fighting /sleeping positions I cannot burn excess liquids in the thunderboxes so use common sense.
There is no water on site bring full canteens with you and I have bottled water to top up unit water supplies.
Bring whatever rations you can eat out of a tin or heat up over a brazier (personally I eat 20 Marlboros whilst battling so no probs there!!)

Personal weapons are allowed as per usual rules with correct certification etc.

bangs and smokes are allowed just remember your safety rules which will be reiterated at the battle brief.

Police up all your rubbish we do not have the facilities to dispose of rubbish at the site. If it burns burn it,if its food bury it,if its bottles and tins bag it and take it!
Yes you may have a beer at night however be aware of your guard rotations and anyone deemed unfit will not be issued a weapon and will not battle for their own and everyone elses safety.

I'll say this again as I have done at all the events:
NO SHOT CALLING
I do not want to hear oi you behind the tree,oi Yank I got you
oi Charlie take your f***in hits!!
ITS VERY SIMPLE - keep it real if your target is teflon or genuinely doesn't realise he has been hit MOVE ON don't waste your ammo. You are coming to have a great experience not to get stressed out by hissy fits!!!!
Remember if this was real war you keep noise to a minimum.

SCENARIO all timings fluid

Friday from 12:00 Set up (We will have units set up from then report to registration tent on arrival).
Please see parking marshalls and report to armoury (if you have hired a weapon) and then to the CP Registration tent/marshalling area.
Once registered you will be directed to the US or NVA area.This will be your base for the weekend.
Friday evening 1900 section leaders brief in the TOC (VC/NVA included -do not worry if you are not there until early sat we will hold a second one prior to the main battle brief).
Followed by a few beers with some motown (its my birthday - yes I'm battling on my birthday!!) in the TOC where everyone can get aquainted with old and new faces.

Sat: from 07:00 draw weapons
08:00 section leaders brief
08:30 main battle brief -objectives and distribution of call signs for RTO's
(NVA/VC leaders to brief enemy units at VC site)
09:00 SF units to be in position at FB.
09:15 Infantry/LRRP/Marine units to move out from RIPCORD to RV at A Shau SF base.

Once all US units have linked up at SF base security is to be reinforced - squads to rest up whilst section leaders coordinate personnel for patrols.(you will all get plenty of chance for patrolling section leaders to ensure that a security team is manning the FB at all times).
Patrols move out on intel gathering, H and I of enemy.

Both sides try and get prisoners if fire is not too intense.
US objectives are to locate VC camps/weapons stores
VC objectives are to constantly probe the camp (for weakness), ambush patrols and ghost away.infiltrate the camp with sappers and blow the main CP.

We will stay tactical until dark (when section 5 weapons will have to be stored in armoury) however personnel wishing to carry out night ops, NDP's etc can do so with personal weapons (most of the VC portray German for WW2 so please bring your k98's,Mp40's etc if you want to ambush at night) I will be bringing my trusty garand.
We will have parachute flares for illum at night. But we will discuss this on Friday as it gets bloody dark in that forest!!!!

Night guard please rotate your men accordingly. There will be patrols from both sides operating to try and capture men from forward security positions throughout the night. There will be flare and firearm activity as necessary.

Sun from 07:00 draw weapons (if hired)
08:00 section leaders brief
08:30 Stand to both sides.
US units to carry on with aggressive patrolling to clear out enemy units within the area.
VC units to continuing ambush,probe and assault of the FB.

The exercise is deemed complete when all VC forces are deemed incapacitated or taken prisoner OR the FB is overrun.
Endex 13:00 hrs ish

Please note that the pyro (mortar attacks) is going to be up close and personal so if its your positions being shelled - keep your head down in your foxhole/trench.
VC have put up trip wires/booby traps (they will shock you but not harm you!!)

Costing is 30 gbp per head for the weekend.
Please ensure you have brought all documentation needed for weapon hire.
Please ensure you register upon arrival for site safety purposes.
Any questions please contact me
07971 560249
[e-mail]
Cheers
Chris

[fritz]

Ok gents the site is now good to go please see warning order previously for full details any queries please text me 07971560249. You need to be at the site NO LATER THAN 830 on the SAT. Site will be open from 12:30 on the FRIDAY.
Safe trips everyone.
Chris

[fritz]

Right I am offline as of now so any queries phone me or text me I will be on site from 12:30 tommorrow update actual wood satnav location is NG34 0JB!!!
See you in country!!
Chris
07971560249

[chucky64]

one photo of many taken on the weekends battle.

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[reconmart]

Bad to the bone dudes, what news of the next weekend in spanby? keep them pics coming chucky64.

[fritz]

Hi Marty - great turnout - great weekend!!! Looking at weekend of August 6th - might even persuade some Aircav to join in!!!Some pics of the event out of 500 or so give us an email sometime Marty [e-mail]
Cheers
Chris

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