Erwin Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 As a primer for this mod have been reading a good book about grunts and small unit actions in Vietnam called "A Reckoning For Kings" by Chris Bunch and Allan Cole. Yes, H&E is not supposed to be about VN, but I suspect that is what folks will be trying to simulate. "A Reckoning For Kings" is a bit like a "Catch 22" for the Vietnam experience set during the Tet Offensive. Full of the illogicalities and absurdities of that war seen through the eyes of officers from Generals on down to the lowly grunt. Not sure why it hasn't already been the basis for one or more movies. Perhaps it's got too much black humor along with the grittiness. Well worth a read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37mm Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) I recently purchased a copy of Bing West's "The Village"... although it was a smaller copy than I was expecting & has since been misplaced... sigh. https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/swj-book-review-village-bing-west Edited May 2, 2020 by 37mm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) Well... the good news is that it's at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Village-Bing-West/dp/0743457579 As is "A Reckoning For Kings": https://www.amazon.com/s?k="A+Reckoning+For+Kings"&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss (Apparently it's part of a trilogy.) Maybe good for scenario ideas. What makes "A Reckoning For Kings" enjoyable reading is that it is very irreverent and also goes into the mentality of the NVA and VC CO's and soldiers re what their life was like. I imagine it was well-researched. One of the authors fought in VN and he has a wicked sense of humor that comes across in the book amidst the horror. Edited May 2, 2020 by Erwin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanSA Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, 37mm said: I recently purchased a copy of Bing West's "The Village"... although it was a smaller copy than I was expecting & has since been misplaced... sigh. https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/swj-book-review-village-bing-west Exactly the book I thought of watching the play through of The Heaven & Earth sandbox campaign on YT. Great read Edited May 3, 2020 by AlanSA 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37mm Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, AlanSA said: Exactly the book I thought of watching the play through of The Heaven & Earth sandbox campaign on YT. Great read Yes, one of my plans for 0.98 (after the 0.97 "People's Beta" is released) will be to turn the low intensity campaign concept of @puje "up to eleven" (or, I suppose more appropriately, "down to one") with a campaign based, in part, on the Bing West book... a single platoon, a bunch of irregulars, a large map & lot's of skirmishes/patrols. The (almost ridiculously compact) book must be somewhere in the house @Erwin... it'll turn up eventually. I only started chapter two before it got misplaced but I'm already impressed with the Police Officer (Lam?). Edited May 3, 2020 by 37mm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 If you recommend "The Village" that much (for game inspiration) I will buy it (probably for Kindle). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Free stuff here: http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p4013coll11/searchterm/vietnam war/field/all/mode/all/conn/and/order/nosort/page/1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaker Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 3 hours ago, Erwin said: If you recommend "The Village" that much (for game inspiration) I will buy it (probably for Kindle). Whether or not you find the inspiration you're seeking, this is an excellent read, as are all of West's books, IMHO. I believe it's still on the Commandant's reading list. No True Glory (Iraq), The March Up (Iraq), and The Wrong War (Afghanistan), are also excellent books. As a combat Marine and former ASD, he has a valuable perspective. Jim Mattis thought enough of him to have him co-author Call Sign Chaos. Hope you enjoy! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanSA Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) 24 minutes ago, marklaker said: Whether or not you find the inspiration you're seeking, this is an excellent read, as are all of West's books, IMHO. I believe it's still on the Commandant's reading list. No True Glory (Iraq), The March Up (Iraq), and The Wrong War (Afghanistan), are also excellent books. As a combat Marine and former ASD, he has a valuable perspective. Jim Mattis thought enough of him to have him co-author Call Sign Chaos. Hope you enjoy! I can envision a "The March Up" inspired SF2 campaign titled 'the intrepid adventures of a yellow SUV' Edited May 3, 2020 by AlanSA 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 3 hours ago, marklaker said: Whether or not you find the inspiration you're seeking, this is an excellent read, as are all of West's books, IMHO. I believe it's still on the Commandant's reading list. No True Glory (Iraq), The March Up (Iraq), and The Wrong War (Afghanistan), are also excellent books. As a combat Marine and former ASD, he has a valuable perspective. Jim Mattis thought enough of him to have him co-author Call Sign Chaos. Hope you enjoy! Thanks... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaker Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Sorry, one more recommendation, also a Bing West book, and this one may indeed offer some inspiration for your effort.... Small Unit Action in Vietnam Summer 1966. It was commissioned by the Marine General Staff as part of an effort to provide enlisted Marines and junior officers with narratives of small unit actions for informational purposes and lessons learned. It was printed in '67 and done with little glitz and glamor, but it met the goal. I read it years ago. It's barely 100 pages, but you can't get it for Kindle at $2.99. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted May 4, 2020 Author Share Posted May 4, 2020 (edited) Is this the same: https://www.google.com/search?q=Small+Unit+Action+in+Vietnam+Summer+1966&oq=Small+Unit+Action+in+Vietnam+Summer+1966&aqs=chrome..69i57.1383j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 If so... can d/l for free. FWIW: One may be able to get other free d/l's of other books from here: https://www.academia.edu/40215634/Free_Book_Call_Sign_Chaos_Learning_To_Lead_by_Jim_Mattis_Bing_West Edited May 4, 2020 by Erwin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOS:96B2P Posted May 5, 2020 Share Posted May 5, 2020 On 5/4/2020 at 7:28 AM, marklaker said: Small Unit Action in Vietnam Summer 1966. It was commissioned by the Marine General Staff as part of an effort to provide enlisted Marines and junior officers with narratives of small unit actions for informational purposes and lessons learned. It was printed in '67 Got it. Thanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaker Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 On 5/4/2020 at 10:14 AM, Erwin said: Is this the same: https://www.google.com/search?q=Small+Unit+Action+in+Vietnam+Summer+1966&oq=Small+Unit+Action+in+Vietnam+Summer+1966&aqs=chrome..69i57.1383j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 If so... can d/l for free. FWIW: One may be able to get other free d/l's of other books from here: https://www.academia.edu/40215634/Free_Book_Call_Sign_Chaos_Learning_To_Lead_by_Jim_Mattis_Bing_West Yes. Nice find. Military commissioned publications like these can often be found on the net, at the war colleges, or other military.edu sites, particularly the older pubs. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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