Lock 'N Load: Forgotten Heroes; Vietnam (2003)

Publisher's info: "Fast-paced, engaging, exciting. Sound like what you’ve been playing? If not, it’s time to try something new, something fresh. Mark H. Walker’s Lock ‘N Load may be that something new. Lock ‘N Load is all about fun, all about the experience.

"The game’s impulse system keeps both players actively involved in every minute of play. The game is squad based and units represent each nationalities’ squads, half-squads, weapon teams, and vehicles.

"The single man counters include leaders, medics, heroes, chaplains, and snipers. Each significantly affects play. And each leader and hero gets a randomly selected Skill Card before the scenario begins. These cards bestow benefits such as stealth bonuses, ambush experts, and many others.

"Lock 'N Load: Forgotten Heroes Vietnam is a fast moving, fun to play, tactical level game of small unit actions in the Vietnam War. While players will find it to be an accurate depiction of squad level combat you won't have to wade through a hundred pages of rules to play. In fact, you'll be up and playing after reading less than a dozen pages of rules!"

Winner of the 2004 International Gamers Award.
Winner of the 2003 Charles S. Roberts award for Best Modern Era Boardgame.

Expanded By:

• Lock 'N Load: ANZAC Attack

"Scenarios Include:

• River of Perfume: in which U.S. Marines engage the Viet Cong in intense house-to-house fighting in the town of Hue, south of the Perfume River, on February 6, 1968.
• A Friend in Need: U.S. Army units move into the A Shau Valley, in May of 1969, during the opening moves of the battle that will culminate in Hamburger Hill. Two platoons advance on a small village suspected of harboring a Viet Cong contingent. The VC and the Americans know each other are in the area, but neither side expects a stand-up fight to occur.
• Serious Firepower: Sums up what it’s about with its title. In May of 1968 the Marines spent three bloody days clearing the villages of Dai Do and Dinh To. The fighting was tough, and armor support was called on for the attack on Dai Do. The Marines had a lot of firepower, but so did the NVA forces holding the village.
• Undeniable Courage: depicts combat that occurred to the east of the Chu Pong Massif on November 14, 1965, between elements of the U.S. Army’s Bravo Company of the 1/7 Cavalry and elements of the NVA’s 320th Infantry Regiment. Shortly after they landed at Landing Zone X-ray, the Americans became heavily engaged by NVA infantry. The company commander, Lt. Herren, ordered Lt. Herrick’s platoon to move up on the company’s right flank. Herrick’s platoon, in pursuit of an NVA squad, overshot the company and became isolated by advancing NVA troops. A big-time firefight was on.
• And 9 More, Nine other action-packed scenarios, all updated to comply with the V3 rules." From LnL website.