Year of the Rat Vietnam 1972 Deluxe Edition

Pre-order. Expected July 2026.

From the Publisher:

On 30 March 1972 the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) launched its “Easter Offensive” into South Vietnam, attempting to either win the war decisively or improve the North’s negotiating position at the Paris Peace Talks. Surprised by the large-scale attack, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) rallied, and supported by US airpower, launched counterattacks into the fall, finally repulsing the Communist offensive.

Year of the Rat Deluxe Edition recreates that decisive campaign. Powerful NVA divisions operate alongside Viet Cong regiments and decoys, evading the ARVN while striking quickly at vital towns and bases. ARVN elite airborne, ranger, and marine units respond, creating a tense asymmetrical contest of big unit battles and hard-fought sieges, with increasing American airstrikes and worsening NVA supply capabilities.

This Deluxe Edition enhances the original, acclaimed SPI game design (published during the campaign) with a half-century of research and analysis, providing updated orders of battle and terrain analysis. Three scenarios and fifteen order of battle variants cover a wide range of game options, including operations into Laos and Cambodia.

Additional features include:

• New graphics on enlarged maps and counters

• Expanded Allied airmobile operations and units

• NVA divisional reorganization and tank regiments

• Full 1971–72 US order of battle

• Australian, Royal Thai, Cambodian, and Khmer Rouge forces

• Vietnamese and US Navy riverine units

• ARVN base camps and regional forces

• Extensive optional rules

Year of the Rat Deluxe Edition offers you the opportunity to explore and make decisions in a campaign that changed the course of war and peace.

Relive a critical turning point of the Vietnam War in Year of the Rat: Vietnam 1972 (Deluxe Edition) from Decision Games. This meticulously updated, operational-level wargame is designed for 2 to 4 players and features a substantial playing time of 90 to 240 minutes. Recreating the dramatic events of the 1972 Easter Offensive, the game pits the invading North Vietnamese Army (NVA) against the rallying South Vietnamese forces (ARVN) and their American allies.

Featuring asymmetric combat mechanics, hidden movement tokens, and extensive airmobile rules, players must manage fragile supply lines across a sweeping hex map. This stunning deluxe treatment upgrades the classic 1972 SPI design with half a century of deep historical research, enlarged components, and advanced options covering operations into Laos and Cambodia. It is a premier tactical puzzle for serious historical strategy gamers.

The Climax of the Easter Offensive

On March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese Army launched a massive, multi-pronged conventional invasion into South Vietnam, historically known as the Easter Offensive. Year of the Rat: Vietnam 1972 (Deluxe Edition), published by Decision Games, masterfully simulates this high-stakes campaign where the NVA sought a decisive battlefield victory while the ARVN and United States forces fought frantically to stem the tide. Originally published by SPI at the very height of the actual historical conflict, this legendary design has been revitalized for modern tabletop gaming.

Operational Scope and Asymmetric Gameplay

This Deluxe Edition delivers a highly accurate operational-level experience. It captures the sheer asymmetry of the theater through contrasting player capabilities, mapping out large unit battles and desperate urban sieges across South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

The game forces players to grapple with wildly different tactical tools:

• The Communist Faction: Commands powerful NVA armor and infantry divisions alongside hidden Viet Cong insurgent regiments. They use special off-road movement capabilities to slide through jungles and bypass defensive chokepoints.
• The Allied Faction: Commands elite ARVN airborne, ranger, and marine units. They must leverage high air mobility via US helicopter assets, utilize naval riverine networks, and unleash devastating American B-52 strategic airstrikes.

Enhanced Deluxe Mechanics and Fog of War

A signature element of Year of the Rat is its tense "Fog of War" deception system. The North Vietnamese player deploys forces utilizing facedown counters mixed with dummy decoy tokens. The Allied player must execute patrols and commit reconnaissance assets to reveal the true disposition of enemy combat strengths before throwing their troops into combat.

The Deluxe Edition heavily revamps the classic system by integrating decades of post-war historical data. This includes an updated, comprehensive 1917–72 US order of battle, international forces (such as Australian, Royal Thai, and Khmer Rouge units), and explicit logistical tracking for degrading NVA supply networks as the offensive wears on. Combat is resolved cleanly using an updated Combat Resolution Table (CRT) heavily influenced by terrain, fortification bases, and massive air support modifiers.

Incredible Customization and Replayability

Designed primarily for competitive 2-player matches but highly functional for up to 4 players via team play, the game offers a flexible 90 to 240-minute play length depending on the chosen setup. Replayability is vastly extended through three distinct core scenarios and fifteen historical order-of-battle variants. From strictly historical setups to open-ended "what-if" free placements, players can constantly test alternative grand strategies for the final chapters of the Vietnam War.

BOARDGAMEGENERAL ADVICE

At Boardgamegeneral, we have an immense appreciation for the preservation of classic wargaming history, and this deluxe revival of a 1972 Jim Dunnigan and John Prados classic is an absolute triumph. Year of the Rat: Vietnam 1972 (Deluxe Edition) is best suited for intermediate to veteran wargamers who appreciate operational-level maneuvers, logistical hex-and-counter puzzles, and asymmetric victory conditions.

If your shelf already features modern classic titles like Fire in the Lake, Silver Bayonet, or GMT's Vietnam 1965-1975, you will find the operational scale and specific focus on conventional, large-unit actions during the 1972 offensive incredibly refreshing.

The primary strength of this box is the sheer quality of life updates—the enlarged maps, updated order of battle counters, and clean modern graphics make a dense simulation highly readable on the table. Furthermore, the hidden dummy token system creates a wonderful, nerve-wracking mental game for both sides. A potential drawback is that it remains rooted in classic "I Go, You Go" system structures; players looking for highly chaotic card-driven event mechanics might find it a bit traditional.

Verdict: An outstanding, deeply researched deluxe edition that beautifully bridges old-school hex-and-counter wargaming design with crisp, modern production values. A must-buy for Vietnam War historians.