Vietcong | |
The Vietcong Logo | |
Playstyle | Unconventional Warfare |
Faction Colour | Red and Blue |
Type | Paradox Minor-Faction |
Dev. Status | Mostly in-game |
"Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye."
- - "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
An irregular military force supplied by North Vietnam (and indirectly by the Soviet Union), the Vietcong are a stubborn resistance force putting up a surprising resistance to the far more technically-advanced Allied forces. They will be your opponent in the first Allied mission, and serve as a tutorial for fighting irregular forces.
Background[]
The man named Victor Charlie
When Allied Forces first moved into combat in Vietnam, they were surprised by the tenacity and innovation of their enemies. According to Allied general William B. Rosson, "It's like we're the Soviets this time around." After the initial 33,000 Peacekeepers proved insufficient, and with a great many Peacekeeper divisions tied up around the world, the order was given to dispatch Allied Reservists to the country. Now, six months later, nearly three hundred thousand Allied soldiers are fighting in support of the ARVN Rangers, with two hundred thousand more slated for the end of the year, yet there seems no end to the Vietcong forces.
Small Beginnings
After the peace accord that split Vietnam in two, small cadres of communist sympathizers were ordered to remain in the south, with orders to continue resistance and attempts to install communist leadership. Cover organizations like the Saigon-Cholon Peace Committee, the Executive Committee of the Fatherland Front, and the Vietnam-Cambodian Buddhist Association all kept ACIN and the South Vietnamese guessing as to who was really in command of the Vietcong guerrillas.
In the early months of the war, the Vietcong were easily pushed into the wilds by the VNA. But in 1956, the French fully pulled out of Vietnam, leaving only a token force of reservists and other Allied personnel in-country. During this time efforts were made to try and revive the insurgency with support from other communist nations. Both Mao Zedong and Premier Cherdenko were adamantly opposed to this plan due to the possible economic implications, and chose to hold off on arming a new insurgency. However, relations between the Chinese and Soviets were distancing, and the NVA was beginning a massive arms buildup.
In the meantime, the Vietcong waged a silent war to undermine the South Vietnamese government. Village officials known to be sympathetic to Saigon were assassinated and removed; people were quietly converted to the Vietcong cause, convinced to lend their support to the overthrow of the puppet government. Soviet support continued to build after the launch of Mir. According to French scholar Bernard Fall, another war had started.
Black shirts and Paddy hats
Shortly before the beginning of World War III, the Vietcong were hard working on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a network of dirt roads, underground tunnels, and small rest areas that the insurgency could use to funnel supplies into the South. At the same time, North Vietnam started to put more and more pressure on South Vietnam. Troops on the border continued to wait for orders, drilling and marching well in the view of South Vietnamese positions. However, greater actions were being taken in Laos to try and set up another Communist buffer state to prevent Allied Cambodia from trying anything. Vietcong attacks continued, and claimed their first Allied casualties in the form of two American Peacekeepers in July 1960. Hanoi publicly distanced itself from the Vietcong, claiming they were independent guerrillas.
It was also by 1960 that Mao Zedong was also fully aboard with supporting North Vietnam, hoping to find support wherever he could get it at this point. Though practically unable to truly support North Vietnam, the support of fellow communists gave the Vietcong a large morale boost, and rapidly escalated their guerrilla campaign. Supporters of the government were killed off, even after the deposition of Ngô Đình Diệm, but the ARVN Rangers proved to be adept at fighting the methods of the Vietcong so well that the guerrillas went to ground for years, making only token attacks and assassinations.
Red Tide
Almost immediately after the end of World War III, the NVA launched the massive Tet Offensive in January 1968. Hoping the Allies were too war weary to even send a token force, the NVA and Vietcong supporters broke through the border and tore through the countryside, destroying villages and forcing the people to submit to communist rule. Isolated pockets of ARVN forces were left stranded, and a massive armored push to Saigon signaled the end of the South Vietnamese. Only the sudden intervention of the Allied carrier group was enough to stave off defeat, though both Hanoi and the Vietcong are still left puzzling; how did a carrier battle group assemble so rapidly, group up, and manage to reach South Vietnam in time?
Unforeseen Consequences
Though the NVA was pushed back across the border and left weakened, the Allies had not expected the Vietcong to rapidly rise in their place. Not only was the DMZ and back country littered with war refuse, the Vietcong had taken the unexpected and disturbing step of repairing and rearming these old vehicles to at least partially operational conditions. Stories circulate through ARVN camps of massive tunnel networks, and there is still a single JS-1 unaccounted for. The Vietcong are everywhere, waiting. Watching. The Allies never expected the Vietcong to rearm so rapidly and so effectively. The Soviets are pouring millions into arming them, and the Allies are struggling to actually reach out to the Vietcong leadership (If there is any; some rumors claim the VC have no central leadership period). As South Vietnam and the Allies struggle to bring North Vietnam to the bargaining table, the Vietcong keep fighting.
Vietcong Minor Diplomatic Relations | |
Faction | Relationship |
Army of the Republic of Vietnam | War |
Allied Reservists | War |
National Revolutionary Army | Hostile |
Vietcong | N/A |
Communist China | Alliance |
Global Liberation Army | Neutral |
International Inc | Neutral |
Unknown |
Army[]
"They take out the second man a lot of the time. They leave you alive because they want to scare you. And it works. You see posts on the DMZ, and they're all strung out zombies shaking at the slightest noise. They never go for the ranking men either, they go for the support staff. Radiomen, medics, the ones who really know what they're doing. When you're faced with the prospect of standing alone, against a hostile jungle, that's when you know fear."
- - Col. Walter E. Kurtz, from his field journal found in a burned Hmong village
Units[]
Victor Charlie | The iconic Vietcong resistance fighter, Victor Charlie is the military call sign, and catch-all name, for Vietcong infantry. Armed with submachine guns and disposable RPGL-6 rocket launchers, they fight a running battle against the better equipped Allied forces using their knowledge of the region and stealthy abilities. | |
Guerrilla | These specialised soldiers have been planting mines everywhere, and it's impossible to move safety through the jungle as a result. They can also plant timed bombs on enemies or even friendlies willing to sacrifice their lives for the unification of Vietnam. | |
Krait Sniper | Named for the stealthy poisonous snakes of North Vietnam, these silent killers use SKAS Sniper rifles to pick off ARVN targets. In times of need, it can fire nets from a small net gun to entangle targets as the Vietcong retreat. Unlike the SKAS, these do not make any noise whilst firing, allowing for the Krait to stay stealthed! | |
Supply Truck | These trucks are used by the Vietcong to transport supplies and collect ore. They are unarmed and defenceless, but they can drop their ore and stealth if threatened. | |
Pincer ICV | These obsolete light Soviet tanks serve as support for the Vietcong, their machine guns and rockets chewing through forested terrain and ARVN troopers alike. They don't stand much of a chance against modern tanks, however. | |
Mortar Truck | These aging pickup trucks are outfitted with homemade mortars and use their inherent speed to serve as high speed hit-and-run artillery platforms against ARVN troop emplacements. However, they lack the punch that more modern ammunitions provide. They can also fire lingering smoke rounds to provide cover. | |
Tiger Tank Destroyer | Hundreds of these vehicles went missing from the stocks of the colonial French in the 1950s, only to turn up now in Vietcong colours. Rumour has it that some of them have been painted in imitation of those used by Allied forces. The Tiger can dig into a hull down position, increasing its armour and range while retaining its stealth. | |
Chameleon ZSU | How these effective anti-air vehicles ended up in Vietcong hands is anyone's guess, but the important thing is that they have them and they are using them against Allied aircraft with devastating effects. Effective against both helicopters and light vehicles, it can turn off its safeties to temporarily double its fire rate. | |
Mammoth Tank | Rumour has it that the Vietcong somehow managed to acquire a few JS-2 Mammoth Tanks and that they've hidden them in their tunnels somewhere. The iconic Mammoth is slow, but will crush anything in its path. Because of its heavy armour, it can withstand quite some punishment, but it is very vulnerable to fast enemies attacking it from the rear. Their best use is in 1 on 1 anti-tank combat and versus defence structures. |
Watercraft[]
Motor Boat | Civilian boats manned (and armed) by brave Vietcong Soldiers. These troops within it fire rockets at enemy aircraft and use a machine gun to cut down enemy infantry. They can also disguise the ship as a regular civilian boat that fill the rivers of Vietnam, and more than one ship was accidently blown up due to ARVN suspicions. |
Teching System[]
Sniper Section | Unlocks the Krait Sniper and ZSU. $1000, 20 seconds. | |
Amphibious Assault Section | Unlocks the Pincer ICV and Mortar Truck. $500 15 seconds. | |
Heavy Assault Section | Unlocks Bulldog and Mammoth Tank. $1500, 35 seconds. |
Structures[]
Tunnel Complex | Vast tunnel networks hold all the personnel and vehicles the Vietcong can grab and hide under the jungle. Mined with booby traps, those tunnels are dangerous to explore for any unexperienced soldiers. Gaining access to the units inside gives an army a significant advantage in the jungles of Vietnam. | |
Vietcong Sputnik | This salvaged scout is no longer able to move but can now provide radar and is hidden from enemies. | |
Disappearing Gun | An old Soviet ZU-333 Triple Cannon mounted on a hydraulic lift, the Disappearing Gun pops up in response to enemy units and guns them down in a hail of autocannon fire. Though good against light vehicles and aircraft, it does little more than suppress infantry and annoy heavily armoured vehicles. | |
Smuggler Tunnel |
NVA Reinforcements[]
These forces can be called upon during Minor Faction Deathmatch. The NVA come in a massive wave of men and vehicles, a rush that can crush even a prepared defence.
NVA Regular | These assault-oriented troops have minimal training, but thanks to prebattle chants, songs and propaganda, fight with frenzied enthusiasm. They blow through the clips of their ADK-45 with no concern for ammunition, and follow up with a bayonet charge when they run dry. They also carry grenades, which they are known for throwing en-mass to destroy enemy positions or vehicles. | |
NVA Pincer ICV | With intact hull, considerable ammunition reserves, and space for six passengers, the NVA variation of the Pincer both carries the massive number of NVA forces to the front and supports them with bursts of machine-gun fire. | |
Rhino Tank | Soviet assault tanks from the interwar period, the Rhino's 85mm gun is more than suffient to crush any opposition it is likely to meet in the jungles. It's loudspeaker can relay orders or propaganda from North Vietnam to psych troops into a frenzy. | |
MiG Nine | The fastest, sleekest and most effective second-generation jet fighter in service, the MiG-9's triangular profile and high speed allowed it to dominate the skies of Europe in WW2. It fires large numbers of rockets from the wing pods, perfect for destroying slow-moving targets, but it has no ability to attack ground forces. When out of rockets, it must switch to its much less effective machine guns. |
Reinforcement Packages[]
Deathmatch Protocols[]
After securing positions on the field, the Vietcong find it safer to execute some of these operations.
Camo-Netting | Deploys some camo-netting onto the field, stealthing units and structures around it, but only lasts for six minutes. Does not stealth defences, Command Bunkers or Tunnel Complexes. Recharges every two minutes. | |
Tunnel Ambush | An exit tunnel pops out of the ground, allowing you to smuggle units to any location of the map using the tunnel system. Recharges every two minutes. | |
Saturation Fire | Heavy NVA field guns over the DMZ fire a sustained barrage in the general vicinity of the target area, destroying everything in the area and leaving it a cratered ruin. Recharges every 3 minutes. |
Bombardment Protocols[]
Once the Vietcong establish either their advanced network or NVA support they are able to access able to call in more close air support strikes.
Vietcong[]
NVA[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- The Vietcong is, you guessed it already, based on the RL Vietcong.
Vietcong Guerrillas
Paradox-Exclusive Mini-Faction. | |
Infantry | Victor Charlie • Guerrilla • Krait Sniper |
Vehicles | Pincer ICV • Supply Truck • Tiger Tank Destroyer • Chameleon ZSU • Mortar Truck • Mammoth Tank |
Watercraft | Motor Boat |
Structures | Tunnel Complex • Disappearing Gun • NVA Smelter• Vietcong Sputnik • Smuggler Tunnel |
NVA Reinforcements | NVA Regular • NVA Pincer ICV • Rhino Tank • MiG Nine |
Protocols | Vietcong Protocols Camo-Netting • Tunnel Ambush • Saturation Fire |
Detailed Information | Vietnam War • North Vietnamese Characters • Smuggler Tunnel Upgrade |
Factions
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Original Red Alert 3 Factions |
Allied Nations • Soviet Union • Empire of the Rising Sun |
Paradox Factions |
Confederate Revolutionaries • Order of the Talon • Atomic Kingdom of China • Mediterranean Syndicate • Electrical Protectorate |
Paradox Minor-Factions |
Army of the Republic of Vietnam • Allied Reservists • National Revolutionary Army • Vietcong People's Liberation Army • Global Liberation Army • Cult of the Black Hand |
Paradox Minor Tech Faction |
International Inc |