Pierre Bartouilh de Taillac

March 2004

Dien Bien Phu

Trenches in the Tropics

This is not a fight against an army, it is a fight against a whole nation. General Jacques
Philippe Leclerc cited by Peter Macdonald, Giap, Warner Books, 1994, p 67.
You must repair the roads, overcome all obstacles, surmount all difficulties, fight
unflinchingly, defeat cold and hunger, carry heavy loads across mountains and valleys, and
strike right into the enemys camp to destroy him and free our fellow country-men
Comrades, forward ! General Vo Nguyen Giap to men of the Peoples Army cited by Jules
Roy, The Battle of Dien Bien Phu, Faber and Faber, 1965, p 74.
Viet infantry has become very strong. I consider it is the strongest infantry I have ever seen
in front of me. It is superior to the German infantry.1 General Christian Marie Ferdinand de
la Croix de Castries cited by Roger Bruge, Les Hommes de Dien Bien Phu, Perrin, France,
1999, p 113.
Number of words: 10586
1

Translation is mine. In French, Castries said : Linfanterie viet est devenue trs forte. Je la considre comme
linfantrie la plus forte que jai jamais vue devant moi. Elle est trs suprieure linfantrie allemande.

INTRODUCTION
Dien Bien Phu: Trenches in the Tropics is a simple simulation of the battle of Dien Bien Phu
(March 13 May 7 1954). This decisive battle saw French elite troops (paratroopers of
Bigeard and the Lgion trangre) defeated by the Vietminh led by General Vo Nguyen Giap.
It put an end to the French domination over Indochina and was a great victory for the
Vietnamese Communist party who would be seen, after this event, as the party who gave
freedom to its own people. Dien Bien Phu: Trenches in the Tropics is a two-player war game.
One player commands the Vietminh, while the other commands the French forces.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
After being defeated in 1940, the French empire became incredibly important in the eyes of
French people. It was seen as the condition to be a great power. From this point of view,
Indochina known as la perle de lEmpire (the Empires pearl) was very important and that is
why, in 1945, France tried to reinstall its colonial rule over Indochina. However, some
Vietnamese were not ready to accept it and formed the Vietminh (which is an abbreviation for
Vietnamese independence party). Ho Chi Minh and General Giap became leaders and they
began to fight a guerrilla war against France.
The situation for France became worst after 1950 when Vietminh received weapons from
communist China. A large part of the country was controlled by the Vietminh. Moreover, the
IVth Republic of France was not the best political system to deal with colonial war. The
government was very weak and too dependant on parliament and political parties. Most of the
governments of this Republic did not last very long (no more than a few months) and were
never strong enough to take the courageous decision needed.
So, the military fought the war alone without having what they needed to do so (they never
had the number of men they wanted). The cost of the war was very heavy for France and by
the end of it, America was financing 80% of the cost because more and more it was seen as a
fight against communism.
From a strategic point of view, the French Army wanted a real battle (as opposed to
skirmishes) where its superiority in terms of equipment (artillery, tanks, airforce) would give
them victory. A fortified camp in the middle of the enemy territory was seen by the French
high command as the best way to push the enemy to accept a real battle. It worked quite well
at Na San (1953) where the French Army managed to kill a lot of Vietminh soldiers and
escaped by air.
Nevertheless, Dien Bien Phu was not originally supposed to be a hedgehog camp like Na
San. It was first created to be an offensive base to attack the enemy in the north west of
Vietnam, but then it became clear that the enemy was going to send 4 divisions (the French
commander never thought he would be able to send so many men into this region) to attack
Dien Bien Phu. So, the French transformed (with an important lack of means) Dien Bien Phu
into a fortified camp.
The second French error was to think that the Vietminh would not be able to take their heavy
artillery with them into the mountains. The third was to believe they would have enough
planes to feed the battle and bomb the Vietminh soldiers at the same time, but this was not the
case (Dien Bien Phu was further from Hano than Na San). The battle lasted a little less than
60 days and was very bloody. After the heroic combat of the ground troops, the French were
defeated, putting an end to French colonial rule in Indochina.

COMPONENTS
Dien Bien Phu: Trenches in the Tropics is composed of the following:
- One rules book
- One map
- One sheet of playing pieces
Players will need a six-sided die to play the game.
1) THE MAP
1.1) The map represents the valley of Dien Bien Phu like it was at the beginning of the battle
(March 13, 1954) with the French strongholds. Players should keep in mind that Dien Bien
Phu is in the bottom of a bowl-shaped valley; all around are hills and mountains held by the
Vietminh.
1.2) The map is not covered by a grid of hexagons but by the 8 French strongholds and in
front of each of them, there are one or two red squares with yellow stars which represent
Vietminh offensive bases.
1.3) A French stronghold can have a maximum of 3 French battalions or 1 Vietminh regiment.
A Vietminh offensive base can have a maximum of 3 Vietminh regiments but cannot have
French battalions.
1.4) Vietminh units may never be placed on a French stronghold if there is still a French unit
in (even if its combat strength is 1). French units can never be placed on a Vietminh
offensive base.
1.5) Vietminh offensive bases in the south of Eliane and Claudine can only be used if Isabelle
has been conquered.
Designers note: the game Dien Bien Phu Une saison en enfer uses this system and I think it
is accurate which is why I decided to do the same. In fact, movements are not important
during the battle: the French waited in their fortified camp, the Vietminh had been around the
area since January 1954 and the valley was rather small. So in a game in which one turn
represents one week, movements do not play a key role.
2) UNITS
2.1) On the French side, one unit represents one battalion, whilst on the Vietminh side one
unit represents one regiment. The only exception is the squadron Shaffee which is not a
French battalion but a French squadron of 10 tanks.
2.2) Each unit has a combat strength as indicated by the number on the counter. Vietminh
units have a strength of 12 or 11 (they are regiments) while French units have a strength
which goes from 6 to 2 (they are battalions).
For example, this unit is the first bataillon tranger de parachutistes (Foreign
Legion Parachute Battalion) and its combat strength is 6.
2.3) French army (like other modern armies) uses a lot of abbreviations. Here is their
meanings and their translation2:
5/7 RTA (Gabrielle): 5me bataillon du 7me rgiment de tirailleurs algriens (5th Battalion, 7th
Algerian Rifle Regiment).
2

I reproduce here the translation of Bernard B. Fall. See Bernard B. Fall, Hell in a Very Small Place, Da Capo
Press, 2002, p. 488-489.

3/13 DBLE (Batrice): 3me bataillon de la 13me demi-brigade de Lgion trangre ( 3rd
Battalion, 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade).
BT3 (Anne-Marie): 3me bataillon thai (3rd Tai (tribal) Battalion).
1/2 REI (Huguette): 1er bataillon du 2me rgiment tranger dinfanterie (1st Battalion, 2nd
Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment).
1/13 DBLE (Claudine): 1er bataillon de la 13me demi-brigade de Lgion trangre (1st
Battalion, 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade).
3/3 RTA (Dominique): 3me bataillon du 3me rgiment de tirailleurs algriens (3rd Battalion, 1st
Algerian Rifle Regiment).
1/4 RTM (Eliane): 1er bataillon du 4me rgiment de tirailleurs marocains (1st Battalion, 4th
Moroccan Rifle Regiment).
3/3 REI (Isabelle): 3me bataillon du 3me rgiment tranger dinfanterie (3rd Battalion, 3rd
Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment).
2/1 RTA (Isabelle): 2me bataillon du 2me rgiment de tirailleurs algriens (2nd Battalion, 1st
Algerian Rifle Regiment).
1er BEP (intervention unit): 1er bataillon tranger de parachutiste(1st Foreign Legion Parachute
Battalion)
8 BPC (intervention unit): 8me bataillon de parachutistes de choc (8th Parachute Assault
Battalion).
5me BPVN (reinforcement): 5me bataillon de parachutistes vietnamiens (5th Vietnamese
Parachute Battalion).
6me BPC (reinforcement): 6me bataillon de parachutistes coloniaux (6th Colonial Parachute
Battalion).
2/1 RCP (reinforcement): 2me bataillon du 1er rgiment de chasseurs parachutistes (2nd
Battalion, 1st Parachute Light Infantry Regiment).
2me BEP (reinforcement): 2me bataillon tranger de parachutistes (2nd Foreign Legion
Parachute Battalion).
1er BPC (reinforcement): 1er bataillion de parachutistes coloniaux (1st Colonial Parachute
Battalion.
2.4) The Vietminh army does not use abbreviations. The number on the upper left of the
counter is the number of the regiment and the number on the upper right is the number of the
division. The counter of the regiment 148 is the only one not to have any number on the upper
right because regiment 148 is independent.
For example, this counter is the counter of the regiment 176 of the division 316 and
its combat strength is 11.
2.5) The combat strength of each unit can gradually decrease. Therefore to obtain good
combat strength for a unit after combat, the player should return the counter (half combat
strength) and/or add a counter of negative combat strength (-1,-2,-3,-4,-5) above the unit
counter.
For example, if the regiment 141 (division 312) loses 3 points of combat
strength, a counter of 3 Combat Strength should be put under the counter
of the regiment 141.
If the regiment 141 loses 4 more points of combat strength, the counter of
the regiment should be returned and a counter of 1 Combat Strength
should be put under the counter of the regiment 141.

Designers note: Even if this technique is not very practical, it has a great advantage: most of
the units are going to fight during a long period of the battle, to take part in a lot of combat
and to be destroyed slowly just like they actually were.
3) SEQUENCE OF PLAY
3.1) The simulation proceeds through a series of turns, each representing one week of
action. A marker is moved on the Turn Record track to record which turn is being played.
3.2) Each turn contains 7 or 9 phases (depending on the Vietminh strategy):
LOGISTIC PHASE
MOVEMENTS PHASE
DESTRUCTION OF THE
AIRSTRIP PHASE
ENTRENCHMENT PHASE
VIETMINH ARTILLERY
PHASE
VIETMINH CHOICE
PHASE
If the Vietminh chooses not to
try to conquer a stronghold:
FRENCH BOMBARDMENT
PHASE

If the Vietminh chooses to try

to conquer a stronghold:
FRENCH ARTILLERY
PHASE
CLOSE COMBAT PHASE
FRENCH COUNTER
ATTACK PHASE

4) LOGISTIC PHASE
Supply
4.1) At the beginning of each logistic phase (except during the first turn), each player
rolls a die. The result in terms of supplies is given by the table below. It is impossible for
French and Vietminh stocks to go over 15.
Level of supply (each turn)
Players
Dice
6
5
4
3
2
1

Vietminh

France

9
9
9
7
7
7

14
12
10
9
8
7

4.2) If the airstrip has been destroyed, the level of French supply (as shown by the
table above) will diminish by one.
It means that, for example, if the French player rolls a 5, he should normally get a level of
supply of 12 but if the airstrip has been destroyed, he will only get a level of supply of 11.

4.3) When the airstrip is destroyed, it cannot be reconstructed, the rule 4.2 has to be
applied during the rest of the game if the airstrip is destroyed.
4.4) If the Vietminh holds Gabrielle, the French level of supply will diminish by 1. If
he holds Isabelle, it will diminish by 1. If the Vietminh player holds Gabrielle and Isabelle, it
will diminish by 3. If he controls one stronghold at the centre of the camp (Huguette,
Claudine, Eliane, Dominique) the French level of supply will diminish by 1. If he gets two of
these strongholds, it will diminish by 2, if he gets 3 by 3, and 4 by 4.
Designers note: Concerning supplies, Isabelle and Gabrielle are two very important
strongholds because the only way for pilots to fly over Dien Bien Phu (as it is a valley with
mountains on both sides) is on the South-North or North-South axis. As Gabrielle is at the
extreme north of the camp and Isabelle at the extreme south, their positions are strategic for
pilots because they do not have the choice to not fly over it. It is for this reason that the
French airforce has especially asked the army to build a stronghold on Gabrielle (at the
beginning there was no stronghold on the hill of Gabrielle). Supplies are also going to be
more difficult if the Vietminh controls one or more strongholds in the centre because the camp
would be more or less cut into two halves.
4.5) The French player could choose at the beginning of each turn (except the first
one) to use a part of his aviation to bomb the Vietminh supply line. If he does so at any turn,
his level of supply will go down by 2 on this turn, whilst the level of Vietminh supply will go
down by 3 the following turn.
Designers note: All the French military aviation (and even the civil aviation which has been
requisitioned) was used to feed the battle of Dien Bien Phu. From the beginning of the
battle to its end, there had been a struggle to know how to use the air force, and whether the
fighters (F8F Bearcats, SB-2C Helldivers, F6F Hellcats, F4U Corsairs) and bombers (B-26
Invader, PB4Y2 Privateers) should have been used to protect transport planes (C-47
Dakotas, C-119 Packets). As such, they may have concentrated all their forces in trying to
destroy anti-aircraft weapons or attack Vietminh convoys which were going to supply the
Vietminh divisions around the valley.
Modifier of level of supply
Players
Vietminh
France
Case
Destruction of the airstrip.
- 1 (each turn)
Vietminh holds Gabrielle.
- 1 (each turn)
Vietminh holds Isabelle.
- 1 (each turn)
Vietminh holds Gabrielle
-3 (each turn)
and Isabelle
Vietminh holds one of
- 1 (each turn)
Huguette, Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique.
Vietminh holds two of
- 2 (each turn)
Huguette, Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique.
Vietminh holds three of
- 3 (each turn)
Huguette, Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique
Vietminh holds Huguette,
- 4 (each turn)
Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique
French bombs Vietminh line
- 3 (next turn)
- 2 (same turn)

Example: If the French player rolls a 4, if the airstrip has been destroyed, if the Vietminh
holds Gabrielle and Huguette, this turn the French level of supply would be 10 (because he
rolls a 4) 1(airstrip destroyed)-1(Vietminh holds Gabrielle)-1 (Vietminh holds Huguette) = 7
Stock
4.6) At the beginning of the game, stocks are full for the two players. So the Vietminh
marker is placed on the top level of the Vietminh Stock Record track and French marker is
placed on the top level of the French Stock Record track.
4.7) After firing with his artillery, the Vietminh player will see his level of stock
diminish by 4. After firing with his artillery, the French player will see his level of stock
diminish by 2.
4.8) After close combat, the Vietminh level will diminish by 1 and French level by 1.
4.9) After a French counter attack, the French level of stock goes down by 2 and the
Vietminh level will go down by 1.
4.10) During the logistical phase, the Vietminh level of stock goes down by 2, the
French level by 4. This is to simulate the normal consumption of the two armies (what they
will need to live in the week to come).
4.11) Players should be very attentive with their level of stock because they are not
allowed to launch an attack if they do not have enough stock.
Example :
- if the level of Vietminh stock is 1, he could launch an infantry attack but not
an artillery attack. If the Vietminh player makes the choice to launch an infantry attack and if
he conquers a stronghold, he is going to have to retreat if the French player has enough stock
to launch a counter attack against him.
- if the Vietminh level of stock is 0, he cannot launch any attack.
4.12) If a player is attacked and his stock is 0, his unit(s) attacked (all the units present
on the stronghold which is attacked) must retreat. During this retreat, each unit(s) retreating
will lose 1 points of combat strength.
Designers note : Losing 1 point of combat strength during the retreat of a stronghold being
attacked is not unrealistic. It is important to figure out that retreats had been chaotic. The
wounded were waiting for help in trenches and because of that soldiers not wounded could
not walk in the trenches and had to run outside of them (with the risk of being shot). This rule
gives an advantage to the elite unit (high combat strength) and disadvantages a unit not as
good as them (low combat strength) because a unit has to be well trained to retreat
successfully.
Modifier of stock
Players
Case
Beginning of the game
Normal life of the army (each
turn)
Artillery strikes
Close combat
French counter attack

Vietminh

France

15
-2

15
-4

-4
-1
-1

-2
-1
-2

Example : If the Vietminh stock was at the beginning of the turn of 13 and if he fires artillery,
the Vietminh stock will be (before the supply of next turn) 13 2 (normal life of the army) 4
(artillery strikes) = 7

Designers note: The supply chain played a very important role during the battle because both
the French and the Vietminh were very far from their normal base. Dien Bien Phu is 300
kilometres from Hano. French officers never thought that the Vietminh would be able to lead
a big battle there. General Giap had to mobilise 75,000 coolies to carry food and weapons for
the battle. He wrote in his book Dien Bien Phu that he was always thinking about supplies. On
the other hand, the French were completely dependant from the air. Planes had to carry one
hundred tonnes a day to allow the French to fight. They had problems of supply especially at
the end of the battle. So to be a realistic simulation of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, one should
make the level of supply an important point.
The level of supply, especially the French one, depended a lot on hazards such as weather and
the luck of the pilot. Thus, I think rolling a die is the best way to simulate it. However, it is
also interesting to include some parameters which do not depend on hazards like the
destruction of the airstrip and the surface of the base which are going to modify the final level
of supply.
5) MOVEMENTS PHASE
5.1) At the beginning of the game, units should be placed as stated by the scenario. No
movements are allowed in turn 1.
5.2) The French player moves his unit first and when he has finished, the Vietminh player
moves his units.
5.3) During the movements phase, the French player can move 6 units. Each time, he takes
one unit from a stronghold to put it in the centre of the camp, or to put it on another
stronghold, it counts as one move. Each time, he takes one unit from the centre of the camp to
put it on a stronghold it counts as one movement.
5.4) The French player must have at least one unit and a maximum of three in each
stronghold.
5.5) During the movements phase the French player could choose to abandon a stronghold
and to retreat. If he makes this choice, it counts as a move and the unit, which is leaving the
strongpoint, would not lose 1 point of combat strength.
5.6) If during the movements phase the French player has abandoned a stronghold, then
during the same movements phase the Vietminh player has to take control of the abandoned
stronghold. Going to the abandoned French stronghold costs 1 move to the Vietminh player
(even if he is not on the offensive base in front of the abandoned French stronghold).
5.7) During the movements phase, the Vietminh player can move 4 units. Each time he takes a
unit from an offensive base, a French stronghold or the jungle (the green all over the camp) to
put it somewhere else, it counts as 1 movement.
5.8) If he wants the Vietminh could leave some of his offensive bases free, but cannot put
more than 3 units on a single offensive base.
5.9) The Vietminh player cannot leave a French stronghold unoccupied. He cannot put more
than 1 unit on a French stronghold.
5.10) Vietminh offensive bases in the south of Eliane and Claudine can only be used if
Isabelle has been conquered. The interest of these bases for the Vietminh player is that he can
build trenches to attack Eliane without controlling Beatrice and to attack Claudine without
controlling Anne-Marie. It is the only advantage. There are no advantages to having two
offensive bases to attack because the Vietminh player can attack with only 1 unit.
6) DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRSTRIP PHASE
6.1) During the destruction of the airstrip phase, the Vietminh rolls a die. The airstrip is
destroyed if he rolls a 6 or a 5.

6.2) The Vietminh player can roll the die (to destroy the airstrip) as many times as he likes,
but each time he rolls the die, his level of stock will diminish by 1 point. However, he has to
decide how many times he is going to roll the die at the beginning of the phase. If he decides
to roll the die 3 times, he must roll it 3 times (even if the airstrip is destroyed at the first roll),
so his stock will diminish by 3 points.
Designers note: The Vietminh, to be sure of destroying the airstrip, had to launch massive
artillery strikes without knowing if the first shells were or were not successful. That is why
the Vietminh player has to decide at the beginning of the phase how many rolls he is going to
make.
6.3) Once the airstrip has been destroyed by the Vietminh player, it cannot be rebuilt. It stays
unusable for the rest of the game.
Designers note: It is rather easy for the Vietminh to destroy the airstrip as it was in reality.
During the battle, the airstrip did not last more than two weeks. In the game, it is the Vietminh
player who should decide if it is interesting to use his artillery (and so some of his stock) to
destroy the airstrip, knowing that if he is successful the level of French supply will diminish
by 1 point every turn.
7) ENTRENCHMENT PHASE
7.1) During the entrenchment phase, the Vietminh player can choose to build trenches in front
of one, and only one, strongpoint. If he wants to do so, he must choose a unit (based on the
offensive base next to the trenches) and roll a die. If he rolls a 6, 5 or 4 he can build the
trenches successfully without losses. If he rolls a 3, 2 or 1 he can build the trenches
successfully but the unit lose 1 point of combat strength. Building trenches is interesting
because during the rest of the game, the Vietminh player can attack the strongpoint more
easily (see the close combat rule for advantages). When the trenches have been built, the
Vietminh player should put a trenches marker next to the Vietminh offensive base (red square
with yellow stars) where the trenches have been built.
7.2) The trenches can be used only on turns after the turn its construction.
7.3) During the entrenchment phase, the French player could try to destroy as many trenches
as he likes and he could try as many times as he likes to destroy a trench. To do so, he should
choose a unit (based on the stronghold next to the trench he wants to destroy) and for each try,
he should roll a die. The result of the operation is given by this table:
French tries to destroy trenches
Die
Destruction of the trenches
6
Yes
5
Yes
4
Yes
3
No
2
No
1
No

French losses
0
1
1
1
1
2

If the trenches are destroyed, the trenches counter should be remove from the map.
Example : If the French player tries to destroy a trench with the 6 BPC (combat strength of 6)
and he rolls a 4, the trenches will be destroyed but the combat strength of the 6 BPC will now
be 5.
7.4) The French player is not allowed to try to destroy a trench in front of a stronghold if the
sum of the combat strength of all units on this stronghold is not at least equal to 3.
7.5) The Vietminh player can rebuild the trenches even if they have been destroyed in the
previous turn.

7.6) The Vietminh player can only build trenches in front of Huguette if he controls AnneMarie. He can only build trenches in front of Dominique if he controls Beatrice.
7.7) The Vietminh player can only build trenches to the west of Claudine if he controls AnneMarie. He can only build trenches to the east of Eliane if he controls Beatrice.
Designers note: Rules 7.6 and 7.7 simulate the importance of Anne-Marie which protects the
west of the centre of the camp and Beatrice which protects the east of the centre of the camp
(take a look at the map to note).
7.8) The Vietminh player can only build trenches in the south of Eliane and Claudine if he
controls Isabelle.
Designers note: General Vo Nguyen Giap wrote in his book Dien Bien Phu that he first
thought to launch a general attack on all the camp but he said he changed his mind because
victory was not certain with a general attack. So he decided to avoid a general attack and
attacked one strongpoint after the other, using trenches to protect his troops. The rules had to
reflect this reality and to give a certain advantage to the Vietminh player if he chooses to use
trenches.
8) VIETMINH ARTILLERY PHASE
8.1) During the Vietminh artillery phase, the Vietminh player has the initiative (the French
player is completely passive). The Vietminh player chooses one strongpoint he wants to
attack, chooses the regiment he wants to attack with and then he launches his attack. To do so
he rolls a die with the result of his attack being given by the following table.
Example: If the Vietminh unit has a combat strength of 10, and the number on the die is 4, the
French unit on the strongpoint will lose 3 from his combat strength.
Artillery and infantry combat table
CS 1
2
3
4
Die
6
-1
-1
-2
-2
5
-1
-1
-2
4
-1
-1
3
-1
2
1
CS = Combat Strength

10

11

12

-2
-2
-2
-1
-1
-

-2
-2
-2
-2
-1
-

-3
-2
-2
-2
-2
-1

-3
-3
-2
-2
-2
-1

-3
-3
-3
-2
-2
-2

-3
-3
-3
-2
-2
-2

-4
-3
-3
-3
-2
-2

-4
-4
-3
-3
-3
-2

Designers note: It could be quite surprising for someone who does not know the battle of
Dien Bien Phu to see that the Vietminh can use his artillery as he likes while the French are
completely passive and cannot react. However, this is a realistic enactment. First of all, the
Vietminh controlled all the mountains around the camp. During the weeks before the battle,
the Vietminh army built shelters for their cannons. When they wanted to fire, they moved the
cannon outside its hole, fired and put it back in its shelter. The Vietminh had also built fake
cannons and shelters to deceive the French counter artillery. It worked so well that Colonel
Piroth, who was leading the French artillery at Dien Bien Phu, and who had promised to
reduce to silence every Viet cannon, committed suicide when he saw that he would not be
able to destroy the Vietminh cannons. Colonel Pierre Langlais (number 2 of the camp after
General de Castries) writes in his book Dien Bien Phu that the Vietminh artillery had
always escaped from French counter artillery and even from French aviation3.
8.2) For each artillery combat, the Vietminh player loses 4 on the level of stock.
3

See Colonel Pierre Langlais, Dien Bien Phu, Paris, 1964, p 89.

8.3) The Vietminh player can launch as much artillery attack as he likes in a turn (but each
will cost him 4 of level of stock). He could place no more than 3 regiments in an offensive
base and he could use them only one by one. So that means concerning the artillery that he
could only use a regiment at a time to make an artillery strike.
Designers note: Using only artillery (during the first weeks) might appear for the Vietminh as
an interesting strategy. However, I would not recommend it because it is very costly in stock
and it would leave free the French Airforce which do not need to carry ammunitions if there is
no combat (see rule 10).
8.4) A French unit (if alone in the stronghold) cannot be completely destroyed by artillery
strikes (so a stronghold cannot be conquered only with artillery strikes). The level of combat
strength of a French unit on a stronghold cannot go under 1 after the Vietminh artillery strikes.
Example: If the BT3 (combat strength = 2) alone on Anne-Marie received artillery strikes and
should lose 3 points of combat strength according to the table, this battalion would not be
destroyed, its combat strength will be 1.
Designers note: Artillery is normally used in battle as a neutralising weapon before an
infantry attack, it is not the case in Dien Bien Phu: Trenches in the Tropics (it is a destructive
weapon) because I think it was a destructive one in the battle of Dien Bien Phu.
The neutralising effect of artillery is not so important on the French in Dien Bien Phu because
they are in a blockhouse built to continue firing even when they are under attack. However,
they were not perfectly built (the French lacked materials 4 and they did not think they would
have an artillery so powerful in front of them) and they often collapsed when a shell arrived
right upon them killing all the men inside. The account of Sergeant Kubiak (who was
legionnaire on Beatrice) is very interesting: We are all surprised and asked ourselves how the
Viets have been able to find so many guns capable of producing an artillery fire of such
power. Shells rained down on us without stopping like a hailstorm on a fall evening. Bunker
after bunker, trench after trench, collapsed, burying under them men and weapons5.
9) VIETMINH CHOICE PHASE
9.1) During this phase, the Vietminh player chooses if he is going to try to conquer (or not)
one stronghold (and only one, he can only conquer one stronghold per turn).
9.2) If the Vietminh player chooses not to try to conquer a stronghold, rules applying for the
rest of the turn are under rule 10 concerning French Bombardment Phase.
9.3) If the Vietminh player chooses to try to conquer a stronghold, he should choose a unit to
attack (the unit should already be placed on the offensive base in front of the stronghold
attacked). If there are several French units in the stronghold, the French player should choose
one of them who he is going to defend with.
10) FRENCH BOMBARDMENT PHASE
10.1) There is a French bombardment phase only if the Vietminh player chooses not to try to
conquer a stronghold this turn and if the French player wants to bomb his enemy.
Designers note: if the Vietminh player does not try to conquer a stronghold, there will be no
combat so the French player will not use his artillery and infantry ammunitions. The result of
this situation is that transport planes will have to carry less supplies (only food no
ammunition). Therefore the number of transport planes which will be needed to be escorted
by fighters/bombers will diminish. In turn the French players could choose to use his
fighters/bombers to bomb the Vietminh regiments.
4

See Bernard B. Fall, Hell in a very small place, Da Capo Press, 2002 p. 87-90. The author explains very clearly
how important, on the French side, the lack of materials to construct blockhouse. To resist shell of 105 min
calibre, Major Andr Sudrat, chief engineering adviser to Colonel de Castries, calculated that he misses 36,000
tons of materials. He will only have 6,000 tons (materials collected in the valley + materials sent from Hano).
5
Bernard B. Fall, Hell in a very small place, Da Capo Press, 2002, p. 137

10.2) If the French player chooses to bomb the Vietminh regiment, his level of supplies on the
next turn will diminish by 3 points.
Designers note: if the French player decides to stop some of its transport planes so as to use
their escort planes to bomb Vietminh regiment, it is normal that the turn after his level of
supplies is not going to be as high as it would have been if he had not make this choice.
10.3) During a bombardment phase, the French player chooses to target a Vietminh offensive
base (and if there are several regiments, the one he wants to bomb) and rolls a die. Results are
given by this table:
Vietminh losses after a French bombardment
Die
Vietminh losses
6
-6
5
-4
4
-4
3
-2
2
-2
1
Example : if the French rolls a 4, the Vietminh regiment which were targeted will lose 4
points of combat strength.
10.4) The French also have the choice not to bomb the Vietminh regiments so his planes will
carry supplies normally.
Designers note: the French player could make this choice if his level of stock is very low to
be in a better position to fight on the next turn.
11) FRENCH ARTILLERY PHASE
11.1) If the Vietminh player decides to try to conquer a strongpoint (he should choose one unit
to attack, this unit should already be placed on the offensive base in front of the stronghold he
wants to attack), the French player could choose to use his artillery against the Vietminh unit
attacking. If he does so, there is a French artillery phase.
11.2) During a French artillery phase, all French units (on the stronghold attacked) are
fighting. Their combat strength should be calculated but cannot exceed 6. The French player
rolls a die and the result of his strikes is given by the intersection of the combat strength level
and the number of the die (the French player uses the same artillery table as the Vietminh
player). If the French player uses the same artillery table, it is necessary to multiply the
Vietminh losses of the unit by 2.
Example: If the combat strength of the French unit is 3 and the French player rolls a 5 with
the die, the Vietminh unit will lose 1 x 2 = 2 points of combat strength.
Designers note: Keep in mind that the French are in strongholds and they are using their
artillery against men who are running to the top of the hill between barbed wire and mines.
The Vietminh were using its artillery against the blockhouse which is why the French artillery
should provoke two times more combat strength losses.
I have decided not to simulate the neutralising effect of French artillery but the killing effect
because I believe that during the battle of Dien Bien Phu, the killing effect was much more
important. It is important to keep in mind that French artillery was not used in an offensive
way or on Vietminh camp or trenches to prevent an attack. It was only used (because of the
lack of ammunitions) when an attack occurred to break it. French cannons were already
pointed to shoot right in front of the French stronghold (very close to the French line). They
were firing on a Vietminh assault wave and the result was deadly. 500 Vietminh soldiers died
during the attack of Beatrice, 1300 during the attack of Gabrielle, 750 during the attack of
Huguette.
11.3) After French artillery strikes, the French level of stock goes down by 2.

11.4) If the Vietminh is attacking without trenches in front of the stronghold, their losses
should be multiplied by 2 (so in total by 4 because of rule 11.2).
Example : If we took the precedent example, that the Vietminh has not built trenches, the
Vietminh unit will lose 4 points (1 x 2 x 2) of combat strength.
11.5) If the Vietminh unit has been destroyed by the French artillery strikes, the turn is
finished.
12) CLOSE COMBAT PHASE
12.1) If the Vietminh unit has not been destroyed by the French artillery strikes, there is a
close combat phase.
12.2) During a close combat phase, the combat is not any more sequential. The unit fighting
on the Vietminh side is the Vietminh unit which was chosen to attack the stronghold (and
which was receiving the French artillery strikes if there were some). On the French side, all
units on the stronghold are fighting. Their combat strength should be calculated but cannot
exceed 6 (like for a French artillery phase). The French player chooses which unit (if there are
several) is going to lose its combat strength first.
12.3) To know the result of close combat both players should roll a die. Losses of the units are
given by the artillery and infantry combat table. The conquest of the stronghold is successful
if the Vietminh unit destroys every French unit.
12.4) As it is an asymmetrical fight (French are in strongholds), it is necessary to multiply
Vietminh losses of combat strength (given by the artillery and infantry combat table) by 2.
Example: if the French unit has a combat strength of 2 and the French players rolls a 6, the
Vietminh unit will lose 1 x 2 = 2 points of combat strength.
12.5) If the Vietminh has not constructed trenches, it is necessary to multiply Vietminh losses
of combat strength (given by the rule 12.4) by 2.
Example: If we took the precedent example, that the Vietminh has not build trenches, the
Vietminh unit will lose 4 points (1 x 2 x 2) of combat strength.
12.6) After a close combat phase, French and Vietminh stocks go down by 1.
Designers note: It is absolutely necessary if you want to simulate the reality of the conquest
phase during the battle to make trenches and strongholds play an important role. The rule
(12.5) concerning the trenches is there to show that without trenches it would be very costly
for the Vietminh. The rule (12.4) concerning stronghold is there to show that in every case, it
would be more costly for the Vietminh to attack the French because they are in their
stronghold.
13) FRENCH COUNTER ATTACK PHASE
13.1) If the Vietminh player has destroyed all French units on a stronghold, he has conquered
it. He should place the unit which he has attacked with (and only this unit) on this stronghold
until the end of the turn. The replacement of the unit will not take place before the movement
phase on the next turn.
13.2) If a strongpoint has been conquered by the Vietminh player, the French one could
launch a counter attack. To do so, the French player chooses one unit (the lead unit) which is
not used in a stronghold. The result of the counter attack is given by a simple principle:
Each player rolls a die and multiplies the number he gets on the die by his points of combat
strength, the counter-attack is successful if the French player obtain a number superior or
equal to the Vietminh number.
Example: If the French player has got a combat capacity of 6 and the Vietminh player of 8,
and the French rolls a 5 and the Vietminh a 3, the French counter attack is successful because
6 x 5 = 30 is superior to 8 x 3 = 24.

13.3) If the French counter-attack has been successful, the French unit lose 1 point of combat
strength and the Vietminh unit lose 3 points. If the counter attack has not been successful, the
French lose 2 points and the Vietminh does not lose anything.
13.4) The French player could use for his counter attack a supporting unit. It could be any unit
which is not used on another stronghold. The points of combat strength of the leading unit and
the supporting unit should be added.
13.5) The leading unit is the unit which supports the losses of combat strength. If it is
destroyed, the remaining losses are going to be supported by the supporting unit.
13.6) If a counter-attack has been successful, the French player should place the counter of the
leading unit on the strongpoint.
13.7) The squadron Shaffee (tanks) can only be used as a supporting unit and not as a leading
unit.
13.8) After a French counter-attack, the French stock goes down by 2 and the Vietminh by 1.
Designers note: Counter-attack is the only French possibility of action (like it was in reality).
The French player has to make an important choice. He should choose if he prefers to keep
some good units in the centre of the camp to use them to counter-attack or if he prefers to put
them on strongholds to make them more difficult to conquer.
14) REINFORCEMENT
14.1) French reinforcement will depend on the losses of strongholds. At the end of the turn, if
there is at least:
- One stronghold in Vietminh hand, French will receive 5 BPVN and 6 BPC
- Two stronghold in Vietminh hand, French will receive 2/1 RCP
- Three stronghold in Vietminh hand, French will receive 2 BEP
- Four stronghold in Vietminh hand, French will receive 1 BPC
Designers note: after losses of 4 strongholds, reinforcements will not be sent anymore
because French officers will consider that the battle is already lost.
14.3) Vietminh reinforcements (regiment 176/Division 316 and regiment 148/independant)
will arrive at the beginning of turn 5.
15) VICTORY
15.1) The Vietminh player wins the game if he controls 5 strongholds after the French
counter-attack.
15.2) At any time, the French player could ask for a cease-fire. If he does so, and if the
Vietminh player accepts, it is a limited victory for the Vietminh player.
15.3) The French player wins the game if, after ten turns, he still holds the 4 strongholds
(Huguette, Claudine, Eliane, Dominique) at the centre of the camp.
15.4) If at the end of the game, the Vietminh player controls less than 5 strongholds and the
French player does not control the 4 strongholds of the centre of the camp, it is a draw.
16) SCENARIO
16.1) The scenario depicts the battle from its start (March 13 1954). Each unit should be
placed like this at the beginning of the game:
French side
Gabrielle: 5/7 RTA (5th Battalion, 7th Algerian Rifle Regiment)
Batrice: 3/13 DBLE ( 3rd Battalion, 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade)
Anne-Marie: BT3 (3rd Tai (tribal) Battalion)
Huguette: 1/2 REI (1st Battalion, 2nd Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment)
Claudine: 1/13 DBLE (1st Battalion, 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade)

Dominique: 3/3 RTA (3rd Battalion, 1st Algerian Rifle Regiment)

Eliane: 1/4 RTM (1st Battalion, 4th Moroccan Rifle Regiment)
Isabelle: 3/3 REI (3rd Battalion, 3rd Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment), 2/1 RTA (2nd Battalion,
1st Algerian Rifle Regiment)
Intervention (so placed in the centre of the camp): 1 BEP (1 st Foreign Legion Parachute
Battalion), 8 BPC (8th Parachute Assault Battalion), Squadron Shaffee (10 tanks).
Vietminh side
In front of Gabrielle: regiment 36 (division 308), regiment 88 (division 308), regiment 102
(division 308).
In front of Beatrice: regiment 141 (division 312), regiment 165 (division 312), regiment 209
(division 312).
In front of Dominique: regiment 98 (division 316).
In front of Eliane: regiment 174 (division 316).
In front of Isabelle: regiment 57 (division 304).
17) EXAMPLE OF PLAY
17.1) This section is an example of the first two turns of Dien Bien Phu: Trenches under
Tropics. At the beginning of the game, units are placed like in the scenario.
First Turn
17.2) LOGISTIC PHASE
No supplies because it is the first turn, French and Vietminh stocks are full. Normal life of
the army (food for the week to come) diminishes French stock by 4 and Vietminh stock by 2.
At the end of this phase, the French stock is 11 and the Vietminh stock is 13.
17.3) MOVEMENTS PHASE
No movements allowed because it is the first turn.
17.4) DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRSTRIP PHASE
The Vietminh player wants to destroy the airstrip. He decides to fire his artillery 3 times (so
his level of stock is going to diminish by 3 points). The first time he rolls a 2 so he is not
successful. The second time he rolls a 5 so he is successful and does not need to roll the die a
third time. At the end of the destruction of the airstrip phase, the airstrip is destroyed and the
Vietminh level of stock is 10.
17.5) ENTRENCHMENT PHASE
The Vietminh player decides to build trenches in front of Beatrice with the 141/312 (combat
strength: 12). He rolls a die and gets a 1. So the trenches are built but the 141/312 loses 1
point of combat strength (its combat strength is now 11).
The French player decides to try to destroy the trenches using the 3/13 DBLE (combat
strength of 6). He rolls a die and gets a 4. So the trenches are destroyed but the 3/13 DBLE
loses 1 point of combat strength (its combat strength is now 5).
At the end of the entrenchment phase, trenches in front of Beatrice are destroyed and both
141/312 and 3/13 DBLE have lost 1 point of combat strength.
17.6) VIETMINH ARTILLERY PHASE
The Vietminh player decides to strike artillery of 165/312 on Beatrice. He rolls a die and
makes a 3. So the 3/13 DBLE loses 3 of his combat strength. At the end of the Vietminh
Artillery Phase, the combat strength of 3/13 DBLE is 2 and the Vietminh level of stock is 6.
17.7) VIETMINH CHOICE PHASE
The Vietminh player chooses to try to conquer Beatrice with 165/312. The French unit which
is going to defend is 3/13 DBLE (because it is the only one on Beatrice so the French player
has no choice).
17.8) FRENCH ARTILLERY PHASE

The French player strikes his artillery with the 3/13 DBLE (combat strength of 2) on the
165/312 which is attacking. The French player rolls a die and gets a 5. So the 165/312 looses
4 points (1 x 2 x 2) of combat strength. At the end of the turn, the combat strength of 165/312
is 8 and the French level of stock is 9.
17.9) CLOSE COMBAT PHASE
They are now both fighting. The French player rolls a 6 and the Vietminh player a 5. So the
165/312 loses 4 points (1 x 2 x 2) of combat strength and the 3/13 DBLE loses 3 points of
combat strength. The combat strength of 165/312 is now 4 and the French unit has been
destroyed. At the end of the phase, the 165/312 counter should be placed on Beatrice (because
the conquest is successful) and the counter of 3/13 DBLE should be taken out of the game.
The Vietminh level of stock is now 5 and the French level is 8.
17.10) FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACK PHASE
The French player decides to launch a counter-attack with as leading unit 1 BEP (combat
strength = 6) and as supporting unit 8 BPC (combat strength = 6). So the combat strength of
the French counter-attack will be 12. Each player rolls a die. The French rolls a 3 and the
Vietminh rolls a 5. The counter-attack is successful because 3 x 12 = 36 > 20 = 5 x 4. At the
end of the counter-attack phase, the 1 BEP counter should be placed on Beatrice. The 1 BEP
loses 1 points of combat strength (its combat strength is now 5) and the165/312 loses 3 points
of combat strength (its combat strength is now 1) and its counter should be placed back on the
offensive base in front of Beatrice. The Vietminh level of stock is now 4 and the French level
is 6.
Second Turn
17.11) LOGISTIC PHASE
The French player decides to use a part of his aviation to bomb Vietminh supply lines, so his
level of supplies will diminish by 2 this turn and Vietminh level of supplies will diminish by 3
on the next turn.
The French player rolls a die and gets a 3 so his level of supplies this turn will be 9 1
(airstrip destroyed) 2 (French aviation bombs Vietminh line) = 6. So the level of stock will
be 6 (supplies) + 6 (stock remaining) = 12.
The Vietminh player rolls a die and gets 4 so his level of supply will be 9 this turn. His level
of stock will be 4 + 9 = 13.
Normal life of the army (food for the week to come) diminishes French stock by 4 and
Vietminh stock by 2. At the end of this phase, the French stock is 8 and the Vietminh stock is
11.
17.12) MOVEMENTS PHASE
The French player decides to move BT3 from Anne-Marie to the centre of the camp. He
decides to move 8 BPC from the centre of the camp to Anne-Marie. They are the only moves
he makes.
The Vietminh player decides to move 36/308 from Gabrielle to Anne-Marie. It is the only
moves he makes.
17.13) DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRSTRIP PHASE
No destruction of the airstrip phase because the airstrip has already been destroyed.
17.14) ENTRENCHMENT PHASE
The Vietminh player chooses to build trenches using 209/312 in front of Beatrice. He rolls a
die and gets a 6 so he builds the trenches successfully without losses. Combat strength of
209/312 remains 12.
The French player tries to destroy it using 1 BEP. He rolls a die and gets a 3 so he is not
successful, the trenches are not destroyed and the 1 BEP loses 1 point of combat strength. Its
combat strength is now 4.
The trenches in front of Beatrice will be usable on the next turn.

17.15) VIETMINH ARTILLERY PHASE

The Vietminh player chooses to strike with the artillery of the 209/312 on Beatrice. He rolls a
6 so the 1 BEP should lose (according to the table) 4 points of combat strength and be
destroyed. But a unit on a stronghold could not be totally destroyed by artillery (rules 8.4) so
at the end of the phase the combat strength of the 1 BEP is 1. The Vietminh level of stock is
now 7.
17.16) VIETMINH CHOICE PHASE
The Vietminh player decides he is going to try to conquer Beatrice using the 209/312.
17.17) FRENCH ARTILLERY PHASE
The French fires the artillery of the 1 BEP on the 209/312. So the French player rolls a 4. The
209/312 does not lose any combat strength (see the table). French level of stock at the end of
this phase is 6.
17.18) CLOSE COMBAT PHASE
The French player rolls a 4 and the Vietminh player rolls a 3. The 1 BEP is destroyed while
the combat strength of the 209/312 remains the same. At the end of this phase, the counter of
the 209/312 should be placed on Beatrice. The French level of stock is 5 and the Vietminh one
is 6.
17.19) COUNTER-ATTACK PHASE
The French player decides not to counter-attack. He considers he is too weak and wants to
wait for reinforcement to use them to defend others strongholds better.
DESIGNERS NOTES
Making the simulation of a battle is not easy. As you cannot make very detailed rules for
everything because your game will never be playable, you have to make some choices. It is
necessary to choose some of the factors (those which played the biggest role during the battle)
and to try to simulate them in details while other factors (less important) will be simulated
more simply.
From what I have read concerning the battle of Dien Bien Phu, I think there are five important
points (by order of importance) that a simulation should not miss:
- The importance of supplies. Both the Vietminh and French had great difficulties to get
what they needed (weapons, ammunition, food) for the battle because they were very far
from their base (300 kilometres from Hano). So it is necessary to make rules for players
to feel this level of difficulty.
- Combat which lasts a long time and is very costly in the lives of its men. The French lost
2748 men (4436 wounded), 7900 Vietminh were killed (15000 wounded). The Vietminh
who won the battle were ready to lose many men so they launched attack after attack until
they conquered a strongpoint. So the French and Vietminh soldiers died day after day over
a period of two months. That is why I made the choice to use these markers of combat
strength (-1, -2, -3, -4, -5). I knew that it was not particularly easy to play with but I think
it is the best way to simulate the slow loss of combat capacity of every unit during the
battle.
- Movement is not a key element. The French are in their strongpoint, Vietminh are all
around Dien Bien Phu. The Vietminh could move as they wanted around the valley which
is rather small. The French do not move, they wait in their fortified camp. That is why I
thought (as they did in the game Dien Bien Phu : une saison en enfer) that it is not
interesting to use hexagons. The Vietminh player as the Vietminh had total liberty of
movement in reality could choose to attack the stronghold he wants with the units he
wants just by putting his regiment in front of the strongpoint. A grid of hexagons was not
helpful at all to simulate the reality of the battle.

Vietminh initiative. The Vietminh had in reality the total initiative of battle and attacks.
The French just waited in their fortified camp. The Vietminh chose when and where they
wanted to attack. So the game had to simulate that all initiatives were Vietminh. That is
why it is the Vietminh player who could decide on his combat (artillery or artillery and
infantry) or decide to wait during one turn (to improve his stock, for example). The French
are dependant, having no choice but to fight if the Vietminh want to. The only initiative he
got is to launch or not if one of his strong points have been conquered a counter attack.
- Role of trenches. Trenches played an important role. Without them, it would have been
very difficult for the Vietminh to conquer strongholds. So building them was a vital task
for the Vietminh but a difficult one because the French tried to destroy them. Trenches
were slowly built all around the fortified camp closer and closer from the headquarters. I
think a good and simple way to simulate this situation is to allow the Vietminh player to
build trenches in front of one stronghold every turn by beginning with strongholds far
from the headquarters.
An important choice was to take a decision concerning the level of the map. First I made the
choice to try to do it like it was in reality with almost 40 little strongholds (for example
Huguette 1, Dominique 2, Eliane 4) but it is not very playable (each game would have lasted a
very long time if you think you need to have the possibilities to have at least artillery combat,
infantry combat and French counter attack for each of the little strongholds) and it would
necessitate at least 200 hundred counters because the French level of unit should be
companies and the Vietminh one battalions. They made this choice for Dien Bien Phu Une
saison en enfer and they got almost three hundred counters. So that is why I made the choice
to have only big strongholds (Huguette, Dominique, Eliane) which include little ones. It has
the advantage of leaving some time left to look to important points concerning the battle and
especially supplies.
To achieve the aim of simplicity of the game, I had to make two other simplifications. The
first one concerns the artillery. In Dien Bien Phu: Trenches in the Tropics, the artillery power
is dependant on the level of combat strength of the unit which is firing the artillery (that is
why I have not included artillery units on both side). In reality, it was not the case. On the
Vietminh side, cannons were placed all around the valley and on the French side, they were
placed in the centre of the fortified camp or in Isabelle. So the level of artillery fire (especially
cannons of 105 and 155) was not really dependent on the combat strength of the unit attacking
or attacked (mortars and bazookas were of course more dependent on the combat strength of
the unit). So it is a weakness of the game but to simulate the reality of artillery would have
necessitated making a lot of special rules.
The second simplification that I have made is to allow the Vietminh to attack only one
stronghold per turn. It is a simplification because the player does not have the choice of
launching a general attack (like Giap was thinking about doing in January 1954 before
changing his mind). At the beginning, I thought of allowing the Vietminh player to attack as
many strongholds as he wanted, but it made the game much more complicated. Attacking one
and only one stronghold each turn helps to keep it simple.
Finally, I thought about simulating two other possibilities but I did not because they were not
easy to simulate. The first one was the possibility of a heavy bombardment on Dien Bien Phu
by the American airforce to help the French army in the valley. The French government asked
for it and the U.S. thought about it (there was an American recognising flight over Dien Bien
Phu) but finally it did not happen due to President Eisenhowers decision.
Simulating this (what is the probability of it actually happening?) would have been very
difficult and too dependant on guessing. Moreover, if you simulate the possibility of an
American bombardment, you should simulate the possibility of Chinese involvement (they
were a great fear among the French and Americans, it could happen in case of U.S.

bombardment). And again, in the case of an American bombardment, what was the probability
for China to intervene ? That is why I chose not to simulate it because it was not any more
about the battle (and what have happen) but guessing about international politics.
The second possibility that I wanted to simulate and that I finally did not, was the effect of
giving medals and promotions to French officers in Dien Bien Phu. I have read that it raised
their moral for a couple of days but I have also read that some officers thought, it is not
costly for them to make me colonel because they know I will never come back. Due to a lack
of information (did medals really give a boost to their moral?), I chose not to simulate it.
However, I think it was interesting to bring up these two possibilities. They clearly show the
limited possibilities of the action of French generals in Hanoi and Saigon.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Jules Roy, La Bataille de Dien Bien Phu, Julliard, Clichy, 1963.
Jules Roy, The Battle of Dien Bien Phu, Faber and Faber, Great Britain,1965.
Colonel Pierre Langlais, Dien Bien Phu, Paris, 1964.
Gnral Yves Gras, Histoire de la Guerre dIndochine, Plon, France, 1979.
Erwan Bergot, Les 170 jours de Dien Bien Phu, Presses de la Cit, France, 1981.
Erwan Bergot, Dien Bien Phu, Presses de la Cit, France, 1989.
Gnral Vo Nguyen Giap, Dien Bien Phu, Editions The GIOI, Hanoi, 1994.
Peter Macdonald, Giap, Warner Books, England, 1994.
Roger Bruge, Les Hommes de Dien Bien Phu, Perrin, France, 1999.
Bernard B. Fall, Hell in a very small place, Da Capo Press, 2002.
Pierre Vallaud, Eric Deroo, Dien Bien Phu, Tallandier, France, 2003.
Patrick-Charles Renaud, Aviateurs en Indochine Dien Bien Phu, France, 2003.
Genevive de Galard, Une femme Dien Bien Phu, Les Arnes, France, 2003.
Pierre Vallaud, Eric Deroo, Indochine Franaise, Perrin, France, 2003.
Ren Bail, Dien Bien Phu Le camp retranch face au Vietminh, Historica n 49, Oct-NovDec 1996.
Ren Bail, Dien Bien Phu Lagonie, Historica n 50, Janv-Fev-Mars 1997.
Games
Philip Sabin, Eastern Front, November 2003.
Paul Rohrbaugh, Operation Veritable : The Battle for the Reichswald, 2000.
Paul Rohrbaugh, Valle de la Mort, Dien Bien Phu, 2000.
Luc Olivier, Dien Bien Phu Une saison en enfer, Vae Victis, n33, juillet-Aout 2000, France.
Frank Alan Chadwick, Citadel The Battle of Dien Bien Phu, Game Designers Workshop,
USA, 1979.
Thanks
Professor Philip Sabin, Eric Deroo, Emeric Chabrier, Vronique Chabrier, Ian
Hawgood, Michael Ng, David Hiley, Tim Gale, Gustaf Blomberg, Pontus, Nigel Wright,
Adam Di Gleria.

TABLES

LOGISTICAL PHASE
Level of supply (each turn)
Players
Dice
6
5
4
3
2
1
Modifier of level of supply
Players
Case
Destruction of the airstrip.
Vietminh holds Gabrielle.
Vietminh holds Isabelle.
Vietminh holds Gabrielle
and Isabelle
Vietminh holds one of
Huguette, Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique.
Vietminh holds two of
Huguette, Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique.
Vietminh holds three of
Huguette, Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique
Vietminh holds Huguette,
Claudine, Eliane,
Dominique
French bombs Vietminh line

Vietminh

France

9
9
9
7
7
7

14
12
10
9
8
7

Vietminh

France
- 1 (each turn)
- 1 (each turn)
- 1 (each turn)
-3 (each turn)
- 1 (each turn)
- 2 (each turn)
- 3 (each turn)
- 4 (each turn)

- 3 (next turn)

- 2 (same turn)

Modifier of stock
Players
Case
Beginning of the game
Normal life of the army (each
turn)
Artillery strikes
Close combat
French counter attack
ENTRENCHMENT PHASE

Vietminh

France

15
-2

15
-4

-4
-1
-1

-2
-1
-2

French tries to destroy trenches

Die
Destruction of the trenches
6
Yes
5
Yes
4
Yes
3
No
2
No
1
No

French losses
0
1
1
1
1
2

VIETMINH ARTILLERY PHASE, FRENCH ARTILLERY PHASE AND CLOSE

COMBAT PHASE
Artillery and infantry combat table
CS 1
2
3
4
Die
6
-1
-1
-2
-2
5
-1
-1
-2
4
-1
-1
3
-1
2
1
CS = Combat Strength

10

11

12

-2
-2
-2
-1
-1
-

-2
-2
-2
-2
-1
-

-3
-2
-2
-2
-2
-1

-3
-3
-2
-2
-2
-1

-3
-3
-3
-2
-2
-2

-3
-3
-3
-2
-2
-2

-4
-3
-3
-3
-2
-2

-4
-4
-3
-3
-3
-2

FRENCH BOMBARDMENT PHASE

Vietminh losses after a French bombardment
Die
6
5
4
3
2
1

Vietminh losses
-6
-4
-4
-2
-2
-