berto
Posts: 20708
Joined: 3/13/2002 From: metro Chicago, Illinois, USA Status: offline
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The conclusion to my play through of the scenario aptly named "Tony Poe Snatches Sam Neua City": [alpha graphics] For an earlier screenshot, see Post#572. Despite my Major Victory, the Pathet Lao AI put up a strong fight. In the early turns, it was tough going. I'm rather surprised by my ultimate win. A fascinating, little known battle in the Laotian Civil War, the "Secret War". Thanks to David Galster for creating this fine scenario. The scenario designer notes: quote:
[Sam Neua City, Laos][Best played as Side A][HISB][BB][ALL:No VV] When Tony Poe first signed on with CIA Operation Momentum, his job was to establish dirt airstrips northeast of the Plain of Jars so STOL aircraft could deliver arms and supplies to Hmong volunteers. Poe used helicopters from Thailand to ferry Hmong troops to the new airstrips so they could launch surprise assaults against distant Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese posts. The most ambitious of these assaults was an attack on the Pathet Lao stronghold at Sam Neua City. While crisscrossing the northern highlands searching for potential landing strips, Poe had stumbled on the remnants of former RLA battalions thought to have been destroyed when the Pathet Lao took over Sam Neua Province in late 1960. The soldiers were concealed in highland villages, and survived by raiding Pathet Lao supply stores. To get the soldiers back in uniform and working for him, Vang Pao promoted their commander, Major Khamsao Keovilay, to the post of military subdivision commander for Sam Neua and deputy governor of the province. Khamsao was a trained officer and had survived for nearly three years behind enemy lines, so Vang Pao was not putting a rank amateur in a top leadership slot. Poe airdropped supplies and ammunition to Khamsao and helped with the training of his troops. Soon Poe had three battalions combat-ready for a surprise assault on the communist bastion at Sam Neua City. Vang Pao contributed two Hmong companies to the force and added a fourth battalion commanded by one of his best officers, and brother-in-law, Major Sao Ly. The campaign to take Sam Neua City began with a diversionary action. Three of the four battalions overran a Pathet Lao garrison north of the target, then circled east around it. Pathet Lao troops hurried out of the provincial capital to meet the challenge. With the capital only lightly defended, the fourth battalion struck from the west and took possession of city. It was a brilliant operation that caught the communists totally off-guard. For more on Anthony Poshepny aka "Tony Poe", go here. See also the Laotian Civil War.
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< Message edited by berto -- 3/14/2018 12:18:09 AM >
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