That Others May Live: Combat Search and Rescue – Vietnam from Hollandspiele – Action Point 2

I really like a good unique solitaire wargame. I get to learn something about a subject I know little to nothing about and also get to play a new system. Recently, I started playing a very cool themed solitaire game called That Others May Live: Combat Search and Rescue – Vietnam from Hollandspiele and while I struggled with it at first, mainly with the concepts and how I was to go about doing what I was supposed to be doing, it has finally clicked and really grown on me. That Others May Live is a solitaire card-driven wargame that tackles the subject of Combat Search and Rescue missions during the Vietnam War. The player will take on the role of a CSAR commander tasked with the rescue of downed American aircrew in North Vietnam and Laos. The game is scenario based, and you can even play the scenarios in a mini-campaign. I really want to share this game with our readers and this is a perfect way to do that.

In Action Point 1, we took a look at the Mapsheet (game board) and discussed its simple layout and how it works for the player. In this Action Point, we will discuss the various types of Aircraft and their movement and interactions with the Zones they enter.

Aircraft

The game is about Combat Search & Rescue missions and the aircraft that are used by the Americans to perform these vital tasks in the jungles of Vietnam. These aircraft are represented on the board by Aircraft Counters and consist of various different type of aircraft. The downed pilots, who are referred to in the game as Survivors and for whom you are searching, are represented by a pair of dog tags on what is called a Survivor Marker.

The game includes four different kinds of aircraft that players can choose from and that each have different uses and abilities to ensure mission success. These aircraft include Sandys, Fast-Movers, FAC’s and helicopters. Each of the aircraft have various capabilities that will work with the Action Cards in the players deck during missions. These capabilities include things such as ordnance-delivery, target-marking and rescue. During each of the game’s scenarios, a player will be instructed on which of the aircraft types they have and how many of each. These aircraft will be placed into the the Orbit Box found at the top right of the Mapsheet. The player can acquire additional aircraft from their Action Cards by playing a Request Aircraft Card.

There are also Pilot Counters that are tied back to Pilot Cards that can be chosen to use during the game. These Pilots each have unique and interesting abilities on their cards and the player will have to choose which aircraft they are flying that mission and attach them to it on the Mapsheet.

So now let’s take a look each of the different aircraft types.

Sandys

Sandys are propeller-driven A-1 Skyraiders manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company and were used from 1946 to the early 1980’s. This single seat aircraft, which served during the Korean War and Vietnam War, was chosen due to its payload, range and durability. It served as a primary Combat Search and Rescue escort and attack aircraft during the Vietnam War. These Sandys would typically operate in pairs and would hunt for enemy anti-aircraft gun emplacements and would suppress them prior to rescue aircraft being brought into the areas of operation.

The Sandy counters, as is the case with all of the Aircraft Counters, have a Cool Side (black) and a Shaken Side (white). Once the aircraft take a hit, they are flipped to their Shaken Side and if they ever take a 2nd hit before returning to the Orbit Box and Recovering, they will be removed from the game. You will have to be mindful of this and understand that these are your workhorse aircraft and you need each one you have.

Fast-Movers

When you hear Fast-Movers, think jets! Fast Movers are combat jet aircraft that include such names as the F-4 Phantom, F-105 Thunderchief and F-100 Super Sabres. Their purpose in Search and Rescue operations is to deliver ordnance to the area of operation such as napalm to suppress and destroy enemy infantry and anti-aircraft guns set on destroying the Sandys and Helicopters. Fast-Movers have special movement rules and cannot ever be placed into a zone where there is a Helicopter. They simply move from the Orbit Box to a Zone chosen by the player and do not have to make their way from Zone to Zone to return to the Orbit Box. These are fast moving jets and they have much greater movement than the other aircraft in the game.

When Fast-Movers are gained from an Event or Request Aircraft Card, they will be placed into the Orbit Box on their Enter Side and then when they are completed with their actions at the end of the turn will be moved to their Exit Side. These aircraft can have up to 2 Action Cards assigned to them, which is very different than other aircraft, to perform various functions but typically are used to provide and deploy ordnance to suppress, destroy or stymy enemy infantry or guns.

These Fast-Movers are limited and once they are used are returned to the Fast-Mover Pool and must be requested with a Request Aircraft Card. If they ever suffer a hit from enemy guns, they will be removed from the game.

Helicopters

Helicopters are at the heart of any Combat Search and Rescue Mission as they are the only aircraft who can actually land in a hot Zone and extricate a Survivor during the Rescue Segment of the game sequence. Helicopters in the game are representative of the HH-3E Jolly Green Giants and HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giants manufactured by Sikorsky. The Helicopters cannot be assigned any Action Cards during the game and their only purpose is to Rescue. They cannot suppress, use ordnance or perform any other interference or interaction with enemy units on the ground.

Helicopters also have a special movement rule and when the Helicopter moves into a Zone, the Enemy Marker in the same Zone is immediately revealed. The player will then consult the number on the Enemy Marker and draw the same number of units from the Enemy Guns Cup and place them in the same Zone. I like to think that when a Helicopter is heard, with that distinctive whup-whup of the rotors everyone is alerted and focused in on its arrival as this means the Survivor that the enemy is searching for is nearby and they will have to bring their fire to bear or lose their quarry.

As with the Sandys, the Helicopters have a Cool Side (black) and a Shaken Side (white). Once the aircraft take a hit, they are flipped to their Shaken Side and if they ever take a 2nd hit before returning to the Orbit Box and Recovering, they will be removed from the game.

FAC’s

FAC stands for Forward Air Controller aircraft and include such models as the O-2 Skymaster manufactured by Cessna. These agile planes were used to pinpoint and mark targets for the Fast-Movers as they could get under the thick jungle canopy and radio coordinates for ordnance deployment.

They can use the Mark Target Card that provides the benefit of doubling the hits on an enemy target by other friendly aircraft.

FAC’s have a Cool Side (black) and a Shaken Side (white). Once the aircraft take a hit, they are flipped to their Shaken Side and if they ever take a 2nd hit before returning to the Orbit Box and Recovering, they will be removed from the game.

Each of these aircraft play a specific role in the Combat Search and Rescue Missions and the player will have to learn their uses and the synergies they have together in order to accomplish their objectives. Learning the Action Cards and their requirements are vital and having the appropriate aircraft in the right Zone when cards are drawn will increase your chances of winning the game. I really appreciate the focus on historical accuracy by the designer and love this element of the game as it creates a really great insight into the topic.

In Action Point 3, we will review the Action Cards to understand what tools the player has at their disposal to make their missions successful.

-Grant