             [-]               Nam Docs                [-]

<1. 0> Introduction

It has been called a political war, and it was, at some levels. But there were no
politics where the bullets whined. Here, the face of battle reveled its
countenance with the same confusion as it had in the Ardennes, the same strength
as at Shiloh, the same madness as Tarawa. In the bottom echelons, down where the
bullets were,  it was a real war. 
 NAM centers on those battlefields where the bullets really existed. Each square
represents an area of approximately 50 meters. Those 50 meters are the non-
political realm of real war. Friendly forces meet enemy forces in battle-the real
bottom line is to survive. 

<2. 5> Apple Cursor Control

In the Apple version, the cursor may be activated with either a joystick or the
keyboard. When using the keyboard control, the following commands affect the
cursor. 
                      I=Move the cursor up one space
                      J=Move the cursor left one space
                      K=Move the cursor right one space
                      M=Move the cursor down one space
                      Space Bar=Joystick trigger button

<4. 0> Sequence of Play

 Play of the game is divided into phases. Each phase has particular events
that can occur and functions that can be performed. Note:In all cases, the units
controlled by the human player are refereed to as Friendly Units. The computer's
forces are refereed to as the Enemy Units. The phases and their order are:

         [1] Observation Phase
         [2] Artillery Plot Phase
         [3] Enemy Fire Phase
         [4] Enemy Movement Phase
         [5] Friendly Fire Phase
         [6] Friendly Movement Phase
         [7] Enemy Fire Phase
         [8] Friendly Fire Phase
         [9] Artillery Fall Phase
         [10] Victory Phase
         [11] Save Game Phase

<4. 2> Phase Execution

These phases will be executed in the above sequence. At the completion of all of
these phases, one game turn will have passed and the next turn begins at the
Observation Phase. Details of these phases are outlined below. 

<5. 0> Observation Phase

You will see a square cursor that is activated by the joystick in port 1. Moving
this cursor to a screen edge triggers the map scroll until a map edge is
reached. When the cursor passes over a friendly unit, that unit is identified
along with some of its characteristics. These characteristics appear as a number
following a letter. The letter tells you which characteristic it is and the number
 tells you the value of that characteristic. 'F' indicates Firepower, 'R'
indicates Range, 'A' indicates its Assault Factor, 'M' indicates its Movement
Points available, and 'S' indicates its relative Strength. Additionally,  an 'A'
at the end of this indicates that the unit is and armored target. If there is an
"*" at the end of the line, it indicates that the unit has anti-armor weapons
capability. An "A*" indicates the unit has both. 

<5. 1> Digging In

You may dig in units or make previously dug-in units combat ready in this phase
. To do this, place the cursor over the unit and press the trigger. You will be
informed of the unit's status in the message area below the map. Units may be
dug in and made combat ready only in this phase. Dug-in units may not be
moved. Dug-in units gain an advantage in defense and recover from damage more
readily. Diggin in a unit gives it,  in effect, a "hold at all costs" order. If it
is assaulted by an enemy unit, it can not be pushed back by that enemy unit, 
though it may sustain losses in the assault. Only regular infantry and support
weapons will be able to dig in.  Dug-in units flash on and off during the
Observation Phase. 

<6. 0> Artillery Plot Phase

In this phase, the cursor turns black and has a crosshair in the center. Here, you
may plot the initial impact area of off-map artillery barrages and air strikes. 
The artillery/air strike occurs in the Artillery Fall Phase of the current
turn. To plot the artillery/airstrike, move the cursor to the area where you want
it to fall and push the fire button. You may do this any number of times;
however, only the last plot made will be recorded. 
   Note:There is a 25% chance that you will not get artillery in any given turn
due to scrambled orders, communications breakdown, or priorities. if this occurs, 
this phase will be skipped for that turn. 

<7. 0> Enemy Fire Phase

In this phase, enemy units fire at your units that are in range. As your units
are shot at, you will be informed of hits and misses in the message area along
with a sound cue (hits are high beeps and misses low ones). Units hit may suffer
a strength point loss and may become Pinned, rendering them unable to move for
the remainder of the turn. You will be informed of this condition should you
attempt to move a Pinned unit. 

<8. 0> Enemy Movement Phase

In this phase, the enemy units move. Generally, they will attempt to close on your
units and occasionally conduct assaults. 

<9. 0> Fire Phase

In this phase, a crosshair appears in the center of the cursor. You may now fire
units. To do this, place the cursor over the unit you want to fire and press the
button. Then move the cursor to the area into which you want that unit to fire
and press the button again. The unit will fire. If there is an enemy unit there
(hidden units will show up at this time), it will undergo damage if it is hit. 
The message area will inform you whether or not the shot hit or missed. Units
in cover are harder to hit. The heavier the cover, the less likelihood of a hit. 
Also, units that moved in the turn have a smaller chance of hitting a target. 

<9. 1> Who Can Fire

Units will not fire if:  1)They have already fired in the current fire phase. 
2)The target area is out of their range, or 3)The target cannot be seen by the
firing unit (no line of sight). The message area will inform you of these
conditions if they occur. 

<10. 0> Movement Phase

In this phase you may move any of your units that are able to move. Units are
moved, one square at a time, until their movement points are all gone. 

<10. 1>

To move a unit, place the cursor over the unit and press and release the fire
button. The cursor will turn green. The unit will be "picked up" and may be
moved with joystick. 

<10. 2> Movement Costs

Different squares have different "costs", in movement points, corresponding to
their density. each square's 'costs' will be deduced from the moving unit's
Movement Points. These "costs" are:Road 1, Clear 2, Bridges 3, Trees/Crater/Cave/
Water 4, Woods 6,  and Buildings 8. Helicopters do not pay this cost. They pay 1
movement point for every square entered, regardless of its type. 

<10. 3> Vehicle Restrictions

Vehicles (trucks, tanks, APCs) cannot enter heavy woods, river banks or water. 

<10. 4> Mines

If a unit enters an area that is mined, the mines will detonate. Units detonating
a mine will take a hit. Infantry may sometimes enter a minefield without
detonating the mines. 

<10. 5> Transport

Certain units (infantry and support weapons) can be transported by trucks, APC's
, and helicopters. If a unit can be transported, then it may be loaded onto a
truck, helicopter, or APC unit type. To do this, move the unit adjacent to and then
on top on top of the transporting unit. The unit will disappear and the trans-
porting unit will show in a blue line at the top and bottom. The blue line
indicates it is carrying something. To unload a unit, place the cursor over  the
unit and press and hold the fire button. Moving the joystick in any direction
while the button is held unloads the unit. It may then be moved separately.  A
unit may also be unloaded by pressing '2' key while the transporting unit is
"picked up" by the cursor. 

<10. 6> Transport Restictions

Units may not be loaded and unloaded in the same turn. Units may not load or
unload if they are Pinned. Units will not load if they do not have enough
movement points to do so (2 points needed). Helicopters may not load or
unload units in heavy woods. 

<10. 7> Initiating an Assault

If a friendly unit tries to move onto an enemy unit, then the assault occurs. 

<10. 8> Assaults

When a unit attempts to enter a square occupied by an enemy unit, an assault
occurs. First, the enemy unit will fire. after this shot is resolved, you may then
move your unit into the enemy occupied square as long as it wasn't Pinned by
enemy fire. A series of explosions will occur and the assault will be resolved. 
There are four results: 1) Your unit wins and the enemy falls back; 2) Your
unit loses and it falls back; 3) Your unit is eliminated 4) The enemy unit
is eliminated. 
 If a unit loses an assault and has no place where it can fall back, it will
be eliminated. units will not retreat onto other units, into water or river edges
, or into the borders. A dug-in unit which loses and assault will not retreat. 
 After and assault, you may continue moving (an assaulting) that unit as long
as it has movement points to do so. 

<10. 9> Red Cursor

When the cursor turns red, it indicates that the highlighted unit no longer has
enough movement points to conduct and assault. 

<10. 10> Hidden Enemy Units

If a unit enters a square next to a hidden enemy unit, that enemy unit will show
up on the map. 

<10. 11> Enemy Defense Fire

If a friendly units tries to move away from a square that is next to and enemy
unit, that enemy unit will fire at the friendly unit. 

<10. 12> Moving Fire

While you are moving your units, the enemy forces in range and with line of
sight to that moving unit may fire at it. 

<10. 13> Pin

Units that become Pinned due to enemy fire may not move at all in the
movement phase. this condition lasts until the end of the current turn. 

<11. 0> Enemy Fire Phase 2

Another round of enemy fire occurs after your movement. 

<12. 0> Fire Phase 2

After the enemy units fire a second time, your units may be fired again. Both
enemy and friendly units which fire after they have moved will have a reduced
accuracy. 

<13. 0> Artillery Fall

If artillery was plotted in the Artillery Plot Phase, it may now fall. Up to six
rounds will be fired. The Artillery will not fall on water or in the cave
complex. Take care not to plot artillery in an area where you intend to move
your units firing the turn. Artillery fire is very deadly and will hurt your
units as well as the enemy units. 

<14. 0> Victory Level

At the end of the turn, you will receive victory points for the enemy units
eliminated. The enemy units will also receive points for friendly units
eliminated. You will see 'F=###' and 'E=###' for friendly and enemy points. The
scores reflect your performance to date. You will receive one point for every
unit eliminated. The Enemy units will receive 10 points for every helicopter
they eliminate, 8 points for every tank they eliminate, and 5 points for all
others. 
 Below the point total appears a victory level. The levels are: Questionable, 
Minor, Major, and Decisive. 

-A Questionable victory is questionable whether a victory was achieved. 
-A Minor victory level can be interpreted as a barely acceptable victory level. 
-A Major victory level is an acceptable victory level. You have accomplished
   the objectives. 
-A Decisive victory level is the highest level and the indicates complete
   defeat of the enemy forces. 

Other than the points for eliminated units, there are some special cases related
to victory levels in some of the scenarios. These are explained in the
scenario section. 

<15. 0> Save Game

You may save the game in progress by hitting '2'. Doing this takes you to the
save game routine. In this routine, you may hit '2' to actually save the game
or hit '3' to abort the save. The game should only be saved on a formatted
blank disk. 

<16. 1> Hidden Units

Enemy units start the game hidden. When they move, fire,  or are fired on, they
will appear. units that appear may become hidden again during play if they are
not firing. They will disappear from the map and become hidden again. 

<16. 2> Strength Recovery

Units that have a lot strength points may recover them during a scenario. 
Recovery occurs at the end of each turn. Certain situations aid or deter a
unit's recovery. Units that were recently attacked have a smaller chance of
recovery. These situations are cumulative so that a unit which doesn't move, 
was not fired on recently, and is dug in has the greatest chance of recovering
lost strength points. There are minimal recovery chances for a unit which was
not dug in and was attacked and moved during the same turn. 

<17. 0> Scenarios

The following scenario descriptions apply to the historical setup option. The
non-historical options add variety with some unexpected situations. Game lengths
may very. The game lengths given are the maximum times allotted to you. Should you
eliminate all the enemy units before this limit is reached, the game will end. 

<17. 1> Suoi Cat: A Bend in the Road
       (December 2,  1966)

In any area where there is intense cover, ambushes were always a primary concern
. One such ambush occurred about 50 miles east of Siagon near the small village
of Suoi Cat. The area was to be secured by the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as
part of Operation Atlanta. They had recently arrived in Vietnam an had not had
any major engagements up to this point. Ambushes were to be expected. 
 Early on the morning of the 2nd, a resupply convoy had made the 25-mile trek
through the area of Suoi Cat without incident. The return trip started out quiet
. Too quiet. When the commander in the lead truck accidentally bumped the turret
switch, causing the turret to move suddenly, all hell broke loose. Reaction was
swift. Troop B was immediately dispatched toward the area from the north. Troops
A and C, plus the D tank company were also dispatched from the Base Camp to the
east. Tactical airstrikes and artillery were soon called the area. 
 The reaction of the 11th to this ambush was swift and effective. It set the
stage for a standard ambush response.  (Troops on Maps)

GAME LENGTH=10 TURNS

Special Rules: You will receive bonus points if you can get one or both of the
two trucks to the road where it exits at the top of the map. If you can get the
trucks to this area, they will be removed from play and points will be awarded
accordingly. 



<17. 2> Ap Bau Bang: Waves of Fury
       (March 19-20,  1967)

As the war and US combat operations expanded, troops undertook Operation Juction
City. The operation centered in a fairly large area 80 kilometers northeast of
Siagon and involved combination search and destroy missions and an overall
clearing operation. As the operation progressed, the desperation level of the
Viet Cong launched a direct attack on a firebase just north of Ap Bau Bang. Troop
A of the 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment held the firebase. 
 As the attack progressed, Troop B to the north, and Troop C and HQ to the south
were alerted. Soon after, they were called in to assist. Though it started out as
a pitched battle, mobility, once again, proved to be a vital key to a successful
outcome. 

GAME LENGTH=15 TURNS

Special Rules:Your artillery unit at the center of the firebase should be
protected at all costs. Though it is not important in itself, its loss would
indicate a severe breakdown in defenses and a definite penetration of your
perimeter. Therefore, losing this unit will automatically trigger a Questionable
victory only. 

<17. 3> la Drang: Death from the Air

The scenario represents the first major action of the Air Cavalry. The Operation
is a clearing one, and, with the air cavalry, unprecedented mobility prevailed. 
Airmobile operations became common as the war progressed, since airmobile units
have optimum mobility and firepower in the sense terrain so often encountered. 
Your objective is to secure the entire area. 

GAME LENGTH=25 TURNS

Special Rules: At the game's end, if there are any remaining enemy units, you
will receive a Questionable victory only. 
 The map represents an area that is to be cleared of enemy units and then used
as a firebase. 

<17. 4> Tuy Hoa: Into the Underground

This scenario, like the previous one, also represents a clearing operation. In
this case, though, a large part of the enemy force is underground, in caves. The
mazelike area at the top of the map represents these caves. Your forces are
primarily a mixture of South Korean and U. S.  Infantry. 

GAME LENGTH=40 TURNS

Special Rules:As in scenario 3, all enemy units, both inside and outside the
caves, must be eliminated by game's end. Failure to do so will result in a
Questionary victory. 

<17. 5> Ben Het: The Clash of Armor
       (March 3,  1969)

During the entire war, American and North Vietnamese armor engaged in battle
only once. Ben Het was a Special Forces camp located in the area where the
borders of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam meet. In February, 1969, elements of the 1st
Battalion, 69th Armor were sent to Ben Het in anticipation of an enemy buildup
in the area. On the night of March 3rd, through the din of incoming artillery, the
sound of tanks could be heard. 

GAME LENGTH=20 TURNS

Special Rules:As in scenario 2, your artillery unit is the key to determining
the state of the camp. If it is eliminated, the battle is lost. 

<17. 6> Hue City Under Fire
       (February,  1968)

Hue was a key political and military target of the NVA during the Tet Offensive
. The importance of Hue slipped by the American and ARVN commanders at the
outset of Tet due to a major feint of some 2 NVA divisions around Khe Sanh. 
Because of this, and a few other foul-ups, the forces at Hue-approximately battalion
strength-faced an onslaught of 8 NVA and VC battalions. The city fell. 
As American reinforcements trickled in, the NVA dug in. This scenario represents
the final counterattack by the American/ARVN forces to retake the city. 

GAME LENGTH=25 TURNS

Special Rules: All enemy units must be eliminated. The Palace of Peace (the
building surrounded by a wall inside the city) is off limits to artillery fire. 
If either or both of the palace building squares are turned to rubble by
artillery fire, the result will be an automatic Questionable victory. 

Note: These descriptions are primarily centered on the historical deployment
option. Enemy activity might appear different in the non-historical option. 

<18. 0> Unit Types

US Inf Sq = U. S.  Army Infantry squad
Marine Sq = U. S.  Marine squad
SV Inf Sq = South Vietnamese Army Infantry squad
SV Para   = South Vietnamese Army Paratrooper squad
SV Rngr   = South Vietnamese Army Ranger squad
SK Mar Sq = South Korean Marine squad
RD inf Sq = Regional Defense Infantry squad
SF A-Team = U. S.  Special Forces A-Team
Police    = Hue police
Blk Pnth  = Black Panthers,  South Vietnamese Special Forces

M60 MMG : American M60 medium machine gun (1-3 guns)
MRTR (81) : 81mm Mortar battery (2-4 mortars)
M40 RR : American M40 recoilless rifle unit (1-6 recoilless rifles)
MRTR (60) : 60mm Mortar battery (1-4 mortars)
M20 BAZ : American 3. 5" "super bazooka" unit (1-4 bazookas)
Artillery : Mixture of 105mm and 150mm field artillery pieces (1-5 guns)
Trucks : Twi-and-a-half-ton truck
M113 ACAV : U. S.  M113 armored cavalry assault vehicle with 50 cal.  machine gun
Patton : American M48 medium tank
Cobra : American AH-1G attack helicopter
Bulldog : American M41 medium tank (Walker Bulldog)
Huey : American UH-1 transport/gunship helicopter
Vulcan : American M163 anti-aircraft tank
Kiowa : American OH-58A observation helicopter

                             Some Key Points

There are some features of the game that may not be readily visible. To give you
the edge you may need, I have noted some of these features below. 
HELECOPTERS.  These units, when available, are undoubtedly the best units you have
. They are the most mobile units in the game. Their mobility may be transferred
to other units since the helicopters can transport. Their firepower is respectable 
along with their range. But, more importantly, they can shoot over
obstacles. They are not limited to line of sight restrictions. Put this all
together and you have a unit that is unsurpassed. 
TANKS.  Don't get you hopes up. There was a lot of anti-tank weaponry around. 
Armor in Vietnam was more of a complement to infantry that the separate entity
it was in other wars. 
DIGGING IN.  Digging a unit in represents an order to that unit to seek the best
cover in their local area and hold it. Dug-in units have better defense, recover
strength more quickly, are harder to eliminate, and don't retreat from assaults. 
The cost for this is they can't move. It's not a bad trade off. It's a good idea
to use the Observation Phase to evaluate to overall situation and decide what
action you will take in the ensuing turn. If you don't expect to be moving a
unit, why not dig it in?
PINS.  Pins cease all activity of a unit in your movement phase. Pinned units
cannot assault, mount, dismount, or move. A unit can become pinned while it is
moving. A unit also and become pinned by defensive fire just prior to an assault
. Because of this, pins can take some steam out of your attacks. 
STRENGTH.  The strength of a unit, represents the overall combat state of that
unit. It is a mixture of unit morale, size, and available manpower. As a unit's
strength drops, so does its combat effectiveness. Its firepower will have less
punch, and it will be less effective in winning assaults. Finally, when
strength gets too low, the unit loses cohesiveness and is eliminated. 

VICTORY.  Victory come in a mixture of boldness and caution. The first thing you
should do is try to control the situation. By that, I mean that you should get
your forces in a position to hit the enemy where you need to and can protect
your units that are showing signs of weakness. Some scenarios are more easily
controlled than others. In Hue, for example, you initially have relatively good
control. You can take the initiative early and control the direction of the
battle with a combination of maneuver and firepower. But in a scenario like Suoi
Cat, you are initially at the mercy of the ambush troops is risky in he early
goings. You will need the support of the relief columns to wrest the initiative
from the enemy units. 
 Initiative is an elusive concept. There seems to be no clear-cut edge where one 
side loses it and the other side gains it. When you have it, you are approaching
the enemy positions on your terms. When you don't, you are reaction to the enemy
on their terms. It is best to seek initiative in your favor. Often, this involves
concentrating your firepower on the enemy units that are the most threatening. 
Since the strength of a unit is directed related to the effect its firepower
has, "chipping away" at a number of units can, at times, have a greater effect
than pounding a few units into submission. When it boils down to it is that
the situation dictates where to fire. 
 The bottom line is not to lose any units. This, of course, is not always possible.
However, there are some precautions that can be taken. One is to keep
an eye out for the strength of your units. When a unit's strength looks low,  it
is advisable to pull that unit out of action for a turn or two, dug in if you can
, and let it cover some. Moving a unit to a position where it can no longer fire
is most critical. A unit constantly harassed by enemy fire will not recover lost strength. 
 This strategy leads one to appreciate a bounding type of offensive where some
units are in the front line while others are slightly back, recovering. This concept 
works well when it can be enacted. It involves bringing fresh troops
to hot spots and backing off the units that are already there for a short rest. 

               ^^^^^^^^^^[> Nam <]^^^^^^^^^^
               ^[> Quick Reference Chart <]^
Observation Phase

Joystick - Moves cursor and scrolls map when cursor is at edge of screen edge. 
           Friendly units within cursor will be identified. 
Joystick Button - Orders to dig in or get combat ready. 
'3' - Ends Observation Phase and initiates Fire Phase 1. 

Artillery Phase

Joystick - Moves and scrolls map. 
Joystick Button - Plots the square under the cursor as the target square. 
'3' - Exits the Artillery Phase. 

Fire Phase 1 & 2

Joystick - Moves the cursor and scrolls map. Friendly units within cursor
           will be identified. 
Joystick Button - Initiates a unit to commence firing and indicates target for
                  that unit. 
'3' - Exits Fire Phase. 

Movement Phase

Joystick - Moves cursor and scrolls screen. Moves units that are "picked up". 
           Friendly units within cursor will be identified. 
Joystick Button - Initiates the "picking up" of a unit to move it and "putting
                  down" a moving unit. 
'3' - Ends Movement Phase and commences Enemy Fire Phase 1

Other Options - Infantry, MG's, mortars, and recoilless rifles may be loaded or
                unloaded from transports by moving the unit onto an empty
                transport. Unloading transported units may be accomplished by
                "picking up" the transport and holding the fire button. Then, 
                moving the stick in any direction will unload the transported
                units. Alternatively, the '2' key may be used to unload a "picked
                up" transport. Assaults may be initiated by moving onto an enemy
                unit. 


