Two Tales of Rolling Thunder

Downtown
by GMT Games, $59

Modern Air Power: War Over Vietnam
by HPS Simulations, $49.95

Reviewed by Michael Peck
The Military Book Review

Saddam Hussein must hold a grudge against Operation Rolling Thunder. The instruments of Saddam Hussein’s downfall - the smart bombs that pulverized his armies in 1991 and 2003 - were born in the grim air campaign against North Vietnam in 1965-72.

It was the misfortune of Rolling Thunder to be born 25 years too early. In 1990, cruise missiles could make left turns at street corners. In 1965, laser-guided weapons and spy satellites were in their infancy. Yet the problems ran deeper. The U.S. entered the conflict in Southeast Asia with aircraft, weapons and tactics designed for nuclear war, where it didn’t matter if an A-bomb landed 10 feet or 10 miles from the target -- ideal for taking out Moscow or a Soviet tank division, but not for dropping "dumb" bombs on trucks hidden under jungle canopies. The U.S. had much to learn, and eventually learned it. The payoff came in Operation Desert Storm. The price of the lesson was more than 2,000 U.S. aircraft lost in a campaign that ultimately failed to bring North Vietnam to its knees.

Two recent war games -- one computer, one paper -- examine the air war over North Vietnam, from the initial Rolling Thunder fighter-bomber strikes in 1965 to the massive Linebacker B-52 raids in 1972. "Downtown," from GMT Games, and "Modern Air Power: War Over Vietnam," from HPS Simulations, aren’t jet-on-jet dogfight simulators or strategic political-military games. Instead they focus on individual air raids, where strike forces of 50 to 75 strike, escort and support aircraft are pitted against an integrated North Vietnamese air defense system of Mig interceptors, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), anti-aircraft guns and radar stations. For the Americans, the goal is to destroy the target at a minimum cost. For the North Vietnamese, the goal is simply to thwart the Americans.

"Downtown" is a board game with a 22-inch x 34-inch base map, divided into various Route Packs (target sectors) that stretch from the Gulf of Tonkin in the East to Thud Ridge in the West. The 560 cardboard pieces represent aircraft at the flight level (about four airplanes each), along with assorted air defense sites. The game uses an initiative-based turn sequence by which players draw chits from a cup to see who moves in what order. The highly detailed rules span everything from tactical formations and the capabilities of various weapons and sensors, to nasty weather and search-and-rescue of downed pilots. Detection and deception play key roles. Players have limited information on opposing forces, but the veil is gradually lifted as radar and visual information comes in. The North Vietnamese also have dummy aircraft and installations to decoy and distract the Americans.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the game is the pre-game planning. The North Vietnamese position their fighters and ground defenses (real and dummy) to defend targets and create flak traps to ambush unwary American pilots. But what is the target? The Americans secretly roll dice to choose the target from a list, and then plot the flight path of their strike missions (using miniature versions of the game map). A nice touch is that in addition to scenarios of individual raids, there are campaigns of multiple raids that force players to allocate their resources over several days.

"Downtown" plays smoothly given its depth, but it's hardly a simple game. A scenario can easily last several hours, in part because players must adhere to a fair number of special rules, from the F-4 Phantom’s extraordinarily powerful search radar to blind firing by SAMs. Those new to paper war-gaming will face a steep learning curve, but those willing to put in the effort will be rewarded with a tense, enjoyable and educational game.

On the other end of the complexity scale is "Modern Air Power: War Over Vietnam." If the game looks like something the Air Force would use, that's because it does. It was originally conceived as a training simulation to acquaint newly minted Air Force lieutenants with how a theater-level air campaign works.

Graphically, the game is intended to look like the Common Operating Picture visual displays at an air operations center. Superimposed on the map are small aircraft silhouettes as well as a plethora of circles and lines of various colors, representing radar coverage, electronic warfare zones and maximum range of weapons.

"War Over Vietnam" is a real-time game where a clock ticks in the background. Raids typically take only a few minutes. Much of the decision-making involves when and how to use various systems in a coordinated fashion. U.S. strike aircraft must position themselves within the protective radius of jamming aircraft while escort fighters keep an eye out for Migs. Iron Hand flights must attempt to knock anti-aircraft weapons and radars before the main force arrives. On the other side, the North Vietnamese must decide if and when to commit their Mig interceptors, and when to activate their radars to track the attackers. In the cat-and-mouse game between aircraft and anti-aircraft, switching on radar invites a radar-seeking missile.

"War Over Vietnam" looks good and plays easily, but perhaps a little too easily. Unlike "Downtown", where so much hinges on proper planning and placement, it’s all done for you in the computer game. Raids begin with the aircraft en route to their targets. There's no real chance for the U.S. to modify targets or timing, while the North Vietnamese can’t position their defenses to create flak traps. Scenarios unfold like watches ticking down. It's more a model than a game.

Which is better? "War Over Vietnam" is much easier to learn, has a computer opponent so players can try the game solo, and offers a glimpse at how controllers at an air operations center see a battle. But in terms of understanding history, and offering players the satisfaction of changing it, "Downtown" is superior. Those with an interest in modern aerial warfare will enjoy both.