Vietnam War North Vietnamese Army and Main Force VC.

28mm figures.

These figures also work for Main Force VC who were the better equipped VC that became more common as the war progressed.  

There has developed a weird belief that people from North Vietnam were a LOT taller than those in the South. We have no idea where this came from specifically however the Vietnam War historian,  Gordon L Rottman, explains it very well when he writes;

 " Physically, there was little difference between North and South Vietnamese.
The average Vietnamese was 5ft 1in.-5ft 4in. (1.57-1.63m) tall and weighed
110-122 Ib (50-55kg). South Vietnamese often claimed they could identify a
North Vietnamese by physical appearance. Northerners were reputed to have
more Chinese-like facial features, were taller, bigger-boned and had fairer
complexions. While these features were slightly more prevalent among
northerners, they were by no means
widespread and could be found among
southerners, albeit less frequently. Also, after
the communist takeover, some 950,000
refugees fled the North to South Vietnam
between 1954 and 1955. Most settled in the
RVN's northern provinces or around Saigon.
Their children were liable to be drafted into
the ARVN."

To illustrate this simply Google pictures of Vietnamese standing next to western troops. One way to measure figures in picture is to use the weapon they carry as a measuring stick because although people change weapons do not. To help an M16 is 39.5 inches in length. 

Empress Miniatures has scaled their Vietnamese figures authentically smaller than there Free World figures such as Americans,  Australians and of course French.

UNIT ORGANISATION.

The NVA and VC used a system based on the number three. Three battalions per regiment. Three companies per batalion. Three platoons per company. Three squads per platoon. Three fire teams of three per squad. Obviously action in the field reduced the numbers of personel and so this paper strength was rarely achieved. Therefore we show you the basis of a unit but leave you to decide what you want to field on the table.   

PLATOON HQ - Officer, runner, (possibly a radio operator but usually found at company level.)

NVA/PAVN SQUAD. 10/11 MEN. )

Section command 2 men. Officer and NCO.  

Fireteam 1 – Three riflemen. 

Fireteam 2 – Three riflemen.

Fireteam 3 - Three riflemen.

NVA troops were armed with a mix of AK47 and SKS automatic rifle. A light MG and or RPG launcher can also be added.  

Main Force VC units were organised and armed similarly. Local VC were not as well armed or organised and should be seen more as a local resistance movement. As the conflict developed and towards the later years equipment and weapons became more readily available.