Next War: Vietnam

About this board game

Next War: Vietnam is a 1–2 player modern operational wargame about a potential conflict between China and Vietnam, with games lasting about 1200 minutes. It stands alone, requiring no ownership of other games in the Next War series.

Set around the northern border of Vietnam and the resource-rich South China Sea, the game covers mountain and jungle warfare, contested island groups, and the possibility of wider international involvement. Players command the forces of the People’s Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam while determining whether other regional powers join a side or remain neutral.

• Ground forces: Divisions and brigades are rated for attack, defense, movement, and unit efficiency.
• Air forces: Fighter, bomber, and attack squadrons conduct air-to-air combat, close air support, and strike missions.
• Naval forces: Task forces enable amphibious invasions, naval combat, and naval gunfire support.
• Strategic waters: The Spratlys, Paracels, and other sea areas use a dedicated display of land areas and at-sea boxes.

Each turn begins with weather, initiative, and air and naval operations. Weather can restrict air and naval activity and slow ground operations, while initiative influences movement and combat opportunities. In the Advanced Game, special operations, air strikes, cruise missiles, artillery, and surface-to-surface missile strikes add further layers of planning.

Combat reflects not only raw strength but also unit efficiency, terrain, and the attritional effects of modern weapons. Standard scenarios range from focused engagements to a campaign covering the full map, while Advanced Game scenarios represent different levels of prewar buildup. Next War: Vietnam can also combine with Next War: Taiwan and, using the latter’s rules, Next War: Korea for a larger Pacific Front of World War III.