Mark H. Walker's '65
Squad-Level Combat in the Jungles of Vietnam
by
Flying Pig Games
This is the war a lot of us grew up with. It was there every night on the news. With only 3-13 TV channels it was hard to escape as a kid. This is just a look at what is inside the box.
This is what Flying Pig Games has to say about the game:
"Download the living rules PDF for 2e here.
Fast, furious, and fun. Mark H. Walker’s Squad Battles series of games are known for their beautiful components and ease of play. A card driven game that stresses accessibility over mind-numbing complexity, ’65 Squad-Level Combat in the Jungles of Vietnam uses its cards to increase uncertainty and decrease the number of rules gamers need to remember. '65 covers skirmishes from Ia Drang to Operation Starlight, and the players control U.S. Army Rifle squads, M48 tanks, M113 armored personnel, Hueys, North Vietnamese Sappers, RPD machine guns, and VC rifle squads as they attempt to outwit their opponents.
This second edition of ’65 Squad-Level Combat in the Jungles of Vietnam adds the lasting effects of artillery barrages, Desperation Fire, more immersive helicopter gaming and much more. Additionally '65 2e updates the rules and player aid cards and incorporates errata. This is a game created by gamers for gamers. We hope you enjoy it.
Each Game Includes:
3 richly illustrated, 11” x 17” geomorphic game boards
Over 175 HUGE 1” and 1.375” counters. Bigger is better!
1 deck of 54 action cards
Full color rules and scenario booklet
Age: 14+
Players: 2-3
Playing Time: 1 hour and14 minutes to as long as you want to take.
Retail: $100.00"
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| The dice that come with the game are also oversized. So, that should give you an idea of how massive these counters are. |
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| The NVA along with the VC are represented in the game. |
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| The cards are well done and easy to read. There is nothing fancy about them. However, they serve their purpose admirably. |
So, what do we have inside the box? First, a word of caution. The counters are prerounded and desperately want to eject themselves from the surrounding sprues. Almost like paratroopers during a drop. The counters are not only large but are very thick. I didn't try it, but I think you could play tiddlywinks with them. My apologies for the pics not being spot on. I have just decided to join the 21st century as far as taking them for the games I look at. Please bear with me as I learn a new task. Many times, in the past I was using the companies' pictures. However, I would have mentioned it if the pictures on their websites were not the same as what you received. In actuality, this was never the case.
The player aids, along with the other components, are exactly what we have come to expect from Flying Pig Games.
As the box proudly states, this is the 2nd edition of the game. Many people were clamoring for a reprint and Flying Pig Games has done you one better. I was a huge fan of the 1st edition. So, I cannot wait to see the differences stated in gameplay in this edition compared to it.
In keeping with the move to the 21st century. I decided to try to use an AI program to write some things about this game. This is what I received:
"Shuffling Sheep has released a new war gam(nice leg???). It is called ^56. The gam is about the Vitamin War(Vietnam??). Only Crippled Cockroach could develop a gam this goodness(What about Betty Grable??). Ornithopters fill the sky of Venice above the frozen fields of Veracruz(???)."
So, I decided not to try and decipher the rest. It resembled a drunken translation of cuneiform. I was going to use an AI picture of Mr. Walker. However, the number of extra digits and eyes made it look like a portrait done by Picasso. In all seriousness, the original '65 was an excellent tactical wargame. I hope and assume that the changes in the 2nd edition will only make playing it even more enjoyable.
Robert Peterson
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