Re: [SG2] AAR: Escape from Tangana - Long Tan

Thomas Barclay wrote:
> They
> have deployed two full line battalions with artillery support (no air
> due to previously mentioned atmospheric issues) in concealed positions
> (caves which make them immune to overhead sensor sweeps) plus they
> have one "light" battalion of foot infantry reserves (settlers). They
> are assisted by elements of the  FSE 2e DBLC (Demi-Brigade Legion
> Colonial). The FSE provide better weapons, better soldiers, and some
> much needed combat experience. Much of the PAU force is of
> questionable quality.

Sounds a bit like the battle of Long Than.

Where a relatively green company of Australian infantry got ambushed by
2 battalions of Mainforce and a battalion of local VC, in the rain in a
plantation.

see http://vietvet.org/visit/maps/longt.htm for a map

A quote from http://www.q-net.net.au/~dazsal/longtan.html

> Captured enemy documents and the interrogation of prisoners revealed
the Viet Cong force was made up of 275 Regiment (reinforced by
> North Vietnamese regulars) and D445 battalion. Therefore D Company
6RAR about 108 men had faced approximately 2500 enemy.

For the full story, try
http://users.mildura.net.au/users/marshall/lt/lt.htm

Unlike this scenario, the Australians had plenty of artillery from a NZ
battery. And they knew how to use it. After a few hours, reinforcements
arrived in the shape of an Armoured Cavalry (APC) Squadron and more
troops. 

Funnily enough I went to Uni with a guy from Beijing who'd been a
"Military Advisor", in charge of some 57mm RRs the NVA were using at the
time. He nearly got squashed by an M113 twice, as the APCs just drove
through the VC positions, then back through again, in almost zero
visibility.

He said that it was a classic Horseshoe ambush: that the orders were to
get in close, to avoid the Australian artillery and US air strikes (the
latter were prevented by the weather in the event). But that with the
rain, command and control was impossible, there was almost no cover, the
Australians fired single shots rather than automatic so were difficult
to locate, and seemingly every round they fired hit. The VC just could
not work out why the heck everything was turning to custard, because "by
the book" the Australians had been suckered completely, a complete
intelligence foul-up for them. He said the VC had lost about 50%
casualties, including just about all the brand-new heavy weapons. 

I might add that according to the company commander's home page at
http://users.mildura.net.au/users/marshall/harry/harry.htm
he still doesn't believe it was an ambush. 

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