Search & Destroy: Tactical Combat Vietnam 1965-1966
Encyclopedia
Search & Destroy: Tactical Combat Vietnam 1965-1966 was a board tactical
level wargame
designed by John Young and released by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI), in 1975
. It was itself a reworking of an earlier title, Grunt
, released by SPI in Strategy & Tactics
Magazine #26 in 1971.
The map and counters
were much improved color versions of the earlier black and white components in the original magazine title. The game's map portrayed an area of central South Vietnam, divided into hexagons measuring 50 scale metres across. The counters represented squads of infantry as well as specialist soldiers such as medics, artillery observers, snipers, etc. Two sets of rules are included, for the Basic Game and the more complex Standard Game.
The rules were lauded for their realism in simulating tactical problems in guerilla warfare, as well as incorporating rules for casualty evacuation, communications, supply, civilians and other factors that real life company commanders would have had to deal with.
Like many games produced in the mid-1970s, the limited replayability and scope of the game left it in the shadow of Squad Leader
, whose open-ended format with generic unit counters and geomorphic mapboards (as well as very high quality mounted mapboards and overall production value) would be of much greater and wider appeal to wargamers as a whole.
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
level wargame
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
designed by John Young and released by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI), in 1975
1975 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1975. For video and console games, see 1975 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1975:*Chaosium Inc...
. It was itself a reworking of an earlier title, Grunt
Grunt (board game)
Grunt: The Game of Tactical Level Combat in Vietnam was a tactical level board wargame designed by John Young and released by Simulations Publications, Inc. as part of issue #26 of Strategy & Tactics in 1971....
, released by SPI in Strategy & Tactics
Strategy & Tactics
Strategy & Tactics is a wargaming magazine now published by Decision Games, notable for publishing a complete new wargame in each issue...
Magazine #26 in 1971.
The map and counters
Counter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
were much improved color versions of the earlier black and white components in the original magazine title. The game's map portrayed an area of central South Vietnam, divided into hexagons measuring 50 scale metres across. The counters represented squads of infantry as well as specialist soldiers such as medics, artillery observers, snipers, etc. Two sets of rules are included, for the Basic Game and the more complex Standard Game.
The rules were lauded for their realism in simulating tactical problems in guerilla warfare, as well as incorporating rules for casualty evacuation, communications, supply, civilians and other factors that real life company commanders would have had to deal with.
Search & Destroy is a unique game in that it makes the players feel as if they are in command of a rifle company or Viet Cong company and goes beyond a strictly military interpretation of war to take into account the political consequences of small unit actions and how they fit into a national strategy. It, like real war, leaves the players with frustrating choices based on limited information made under difficult circumstances. This uncertainty makes for tense contests that are seldom decided until the final turn.
Nick Stasnopolis, "Search&Destroy: Winning Hearts and Minds", in the Classic Wargame Series column of Fire & Movement Magazine, Number 73, May/June 1991.
Like many games produced in the mid-1970s, the limited replayability and scope of the game left it in the shadow of Squad Leader
Squad Leader
thumb|Squad Leader game package.Squad Leader is a tactical level board wargame originally published by Avalon Hill in 1977. It was designed by Hall of Fame game designer John Hill and focuses on infantry combat in Europe during World War II...
, whose open-ended format with generic unit counters and geomorphic mapboards (as well as very high quality mounted mapboards and overall production value) would be of much greater and wider appeal to wargamers as a whole.