“Night Ambush” is the scenario Julian Davies included in his Vietnam Era squad level skirmish rules called Platoon. The rules and this scenario originally appeared on the now defunct Grunt! website. With Julian’s permission I have republished them here.
Mission
November 1967, somewhere near the Cambodian border.
The 2nd Platoon of Bravo Company 22nd Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, is searching the jungle for the elusive North Vietnamese 141st Regiment. After a hard day’s slog spent bashing through the bush, elements of the platoon are detached from the company perimeter to prepare a night ambush.
Rules
Use the Platoon rules.
Duration: 4 turns
Action Chits: 10 US & 8 NVA
The Table
The tabletop is 3/4 jungle and 1/4 mixed (open & jungle). Three trails wind across the table from edge to edge together with a stream.
NVA set up first up to 1/3 across the table.
NVA Roster
| ID | Type | Weapon | Fire | Move | Pinned ? |
| 2 | NCO | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| NCO | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | ||
| 1 | Grenadier | RPG 7 (30cm) | +3 | 20cm | |
| 2 | Grenadier | RPG 7 (30cm) | +3 | 20cm | |
| 1 | Machine Gunner | RPD (80cm) | +4 | 20cm | |
| 2 | Machine Gunner | RPD (80cm) | +4 | 20cm | |
| 2 | Rifleman | SKS (50cm) | +1 | 30cm | |
| 6 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +3 | 30cm | |
| 7 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 20cm | |
| 8 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 9 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 10 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 11 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 12 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 13 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 14 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 15 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 16 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 17 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 18 | Rifleman | AK47 (50cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 1 | Fake | 30cm | |||
| 2 | Fake | 30cm |
US set up second up to 1/3 across the opposite side of the table.
US Roster
| ID | Type | Weapon | Fire | Move | Pinned ? |
| 1 | NCO | M16 (70cm) | +3 | 30cm | |
| 2 | NCO | M16 (60cm) | +3 | 40cm | |
| 3 | NCO | M16 (60cm) | +1 | 20cm | |
| 4 | NCO | M16 (60cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 1 | RTO | M16 (60cm) | +2 | 20cm | |
| Medic | .45 Pistol (20cm) | +1 | 30cm | ||
| Scout | Shotgun (30cm) | +4 | 30cm | ||
| 1 | Grenadier | M79 (50cm) | +4 | 30cm | |
| 2 | Grenadier | M79 (50cm) | +3 | 30cm | |
| 1 | Machine Gunner | M60 (100cm) | +4 | 20cm | |
| 2 | Machine Gunner | M60 (100cm) | +4 | 20cm | |
| 1 | Rifleman | M16 (60cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 2 | Rifleman | M16 (60cm) | +2 | 30cm | |
| 9 | Rifleman | M16 (60cm) | +1 | 20cm | |
| 10 | Rifleman | M16 (60cm) | +1 | 20cm | |
| 11 | Rifleman | M16 (60cm) | +1 | 20cm | |
| 1 | Fake | 30cm | |||
| 2 | Fake | 30cm | |||
| 3 | Fake | 30cm | |||
| 4 | Fake | 30cm | |||
| #1 | Claymore | Location | |||
| Direction | |||||
| #2 | Claymore | Location | |||
| Direction | |||||
5 Foxholes
1 LAW is available and may be assigned to any M16 armed soldier who is not a leader or RTO. The LAW fire modifier is “+3”.
Scenario Special Rules:
The first US attempt to fire requires a roll of 1-6 on 1d10 to succeed. Unless successful, none of the US can do anything on that chit draw. If the first US attempt to fire fails, the NVA immediately get to perform a bonus action without the need to draw a chit.
How To Win:
The NVA get 1 point per NVA soldier that exits the table from any of the 3 trails that exit on the US table edge, and 1 point per US soldier eliminated.
The NVA win if 8 or more points are gained or if the number of US soldiers eliminated exceeds the number of NVA soldiers eliminated. Otherwise the US win.