[Hermit]

The expected enemy counter-attack was both half-hearted and futile. About eight or nine enemy tanks were destroyed, as well as five or six enemy squads. The rest of their infantry units retreated behind smoke, and soon all resistance crumbled as the enemy left the battlefield to the victors. Post-battle analysis showed that the enemy still had a substantial number of infantry units in the large woods to the SE of the central objective, but most were in various states of distress. Several enemy armored units were scattered about, almost all having been immobilized by artillery during the battle. Enemy casualties were heavy, and ours light by comparison:

1 Sherman flame tank destroyed (and crew cooked alive)
5 divisional APC's destroyed
4 tanks heavily damaged
2 helos lightly damaged
3 divisional 1/2 tracks (gun or mortar) damaged
81 men lost
1 aircraft lightly damaged

Apparently the French are having a hard time in Vietnam, and we've been ordered to pack up and ship out the provide assistance. The mission will be to assault VietMinh positions in the highlands on two adjacent mountains, each with a double camel-back ridgeline. Intel says the terrain around the mountains is fairly flat, but with quite a bit of jungle. There appears to be a corridor of loosely connected clearings that would make a good east-to-west route of advance. We're scheduled to attack just after first light when the visibility will be about 500 meters. That sounds good to me, since we'll be able to see where we're going, but it won't allow the Viet-Minh on the mountains to see us coming and fire on us from long range.

We thought HQ might abandon the flame tanks, especially since one got destroyed in the last mission and they're no longer in production. However, I heard they might be useful in that jungle terrain for smoking (haha) out the enemy, so they went ahead and shipped us one from the reserves and plenty of spare parts. We didn't receive any other upgraded equipment, just repairs for our damaged units, and then we had to load up for the trip overseas.

Divisional HQ said there will be plenty of air support this time, with both fighter-bombers and close support bombers on call. The French also had two Russian advisor helo pilots defect with their Mil-1's that they've agreed to lend us. Not good for much if you ask me, since they don't even have any weapons, but the Colonel said they can carry a few men in the cockpit and sneak 'em behind enemy lines, so we'll just have to wait and see. We are also getting four batteries of division 105mm artillery to assist. Looks to be a challenging mission ahead.