Game - 35 - Year of the Rat

Description: Year of the Rat is an operational level simulation of the Communist Spring Offensive against the forces of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), in 1972. This game was originally offered as the insert game in S&T #35 (November, 1972). Later it was reissued in the familiar SPI plastic flat-pack format. THE YEAR OF THE RAT was designed by John Prados (with help from James F. Dunnigan), and published in 1972 by Simulations Publications, Incorporated (SPI).

The actual mechanics of play for YEAR OF THE RAT are comparatively simple, but interesting. Stacking in a single hex is unlimited. Allied units are always deployed face-up on the game map. Communist units — whether real or dummy counters — are always inverted unless they attack or are attacked by an enemy ground unit, and once the combat is concluded all non-dummy units (dummies are eliminated once revealed) are immediately turned face-down again.

Contents:

• The Year of the Rat: Vietnam, 1972 by John Prados
• The 1812 Campaign: Napoleon in Russia by Frank Davis
• Outgoing Mail
• Sackson on Games by Sid Sackson
• Pass in Review by Albert A. Nofi

Notes: Each hex represents ten kilometers from side to side. Each game turn represents a week in real time.