What Went Wrong: The Battle of Ap Bac, January 2, 1963

The Battle of Ap Bac was the first large-scale fight waged between the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and the National Liberation Front (NLF). Up until this point in the Vietnam “Conflict” the NLF, soon to become known as the Viet Cong in the US, had waged a war of insurgency in South Vietnam. On January 2nd, 1963 the 7th ARVN infantry division dispatched elements of its 11th Regiment to support two Civil Guard battalions to take out a radio transmitter the NLF were operating in the hamlet of Ap Bac. This time, however, the Viet Cong chose to stand and fight. As the day wore on and the fighting escalated the ARVN were compelled to send in armor and airborne forces, as well as committing air support in a fight that decidedly went against them. It was the first stand-up fight for both sides’ forces, and one that did not bode well for those of South Vietnam. Perhaps you can do as well or better? Players use a standard deck of playing cards to activate their units and resolve combats. Play is very interactive, easy to learn and competitive. Although designed for two players, What Went Wrong can easily be played solitaire.