DIEN BIEN PHU, FRENCH INDOCHINA, 6 May 1954: Two fresh and revitalized Viet Minh divisions assaulted the ‘Eliane’ strongpoints in the third and final phase of the battle. Control of these hills was vital to dominating the entire valley. The elite 308th Division, known as the Iron Division launched its first wave of 1,000 warriors as the sun set. Just as they arose from the approach trenches in front of Eliane, the French artillery suddenly struck with a terrible fury against the now-exposed enemy. The Viet Minh were stopped cold, leaving over 200 bodies in the churned up no-man’s land. The Viet Minh artillery and rocket launchers retaliated with an even greater vengeance—obliterating French fortifications and causing irreparable damage to the remaining French artillery. From the slopes of Eliane 1 and the approach trenches at the base of Champs Elysees, the Viet Minh swept into the French positions. On Eliane 4, two weak companies from the 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion were barely able to contain and repel their Viet Minh brothers. For Champs Elysees things were much worse. At 2300 sharp, a bunker and its surrounding trenches were destroyed when a massive mine exploded underneath the hill. An already weakened company either disappeared in the blast, or was too stunned to react to the wave of enemies overrunning them. Ironically, the only thing to stop the Viet Minh was the rain-slicked crater that was agonizingly difficult to traverse. Finally, a counterattack by Champs Elysees defenders forced the enemy to rout back into the crater. A handful of wounded and stunned Paras took advantage of this and fired into the mass of humanity stuck inside. Living up to their reputation of being as ‘tough as iron’, the Viet Minh rallied and surged forward yet again. Running low on both ammunition and men, the French commander on Champs Elysees fought back bitterly while awaiting reinforcements that never came. The survivors of Champs Elysees were eventually overwhelmed by the slowly advancing Viet Minh infantry. Several survivors being led away as prisoners heard the slow cough of a .50 cal. machine gun coming from the hulk of the tank “Bazeilles”. They were firing the last cartridges of Champs Elysees.

IN COPY OF DIEN BIEN PHU 2nd EDITION ZIPLOC® VERSION YOU GET:
• A collection of 984 ( 2 x 280 sheet + 2 x 212 sheet) color <>full color die-cut counters representing the actual tanks, ordnance, vehicles and infantry that fought in the French Indochina War;
• A fully re-mastered 24” x 36” historical map of the Elaine 1, 2, and 4 strong-points on heavyweight stock;
• 12 re-mastered scenarios using the new art and reflecting all errata, ranging from small to monster-sized, depicting the actions of the French and Viet Minh combatants - all play on geomorphic boards and the historical map;