Vietcong Anti-Tank weapons?

Since I plan to add armor for the US in my 15mm project, I'm wondering what were some common weapons used for the Vietcong for anti-tank purposes? I'd imagine Battlefront sells something I could use.

Any thoughts from members more versed than I?

Practically any Soviet recoilless rifle, and they used captured ARVN/US ones too.

You can get away with using the ZiS-3 76 mm field gun - they had armoured piercing rounds. The NVA used them but probably not far from the Laos/Cambodian borders. Still, it's worth it just to see the look on the Free World player's face.

I like how you think Wayne!

Mines.

Of course the ubiquitous RPG-7 on top of the RRs and mines. If you want an even bigger eye-pop, chuck an Su-122 down. A couple of old tank destroyers were seen in Laos and in North Vietnam in 67 and 68. If you're feeling really spicy you might be able to say that some of those suitcase Sagger missiles arrived in time for the '72 offensive (but not really).

Oh, I'm feeling spicy!

Don't forget the RPG-2, though given it's performance against the M48, you might have some debate over whether it was really an anti-tank weapon or not.

irishserb wrote:Don't forget the RPG-2, though given it's performance against the M48, you might have some debate over whether it was really an anti-tank weapon or not.

It had pretty good performance against PBR mk1s though! (right up until they added all that foam in the hull hollows with the Mk2s.)

See? This is interesting information. And it's why I ask these questions here as opposed to any other forum.

But B6 asked about Vietcong in the title of the thread. A lot of the weapons above would only be a dream to the VC. At least any above the RPG.

Tom

The French published stats on amour casualties during the First Indochina War. The overwhelming majority of destroyed vehicles were hit by mines, a few by recoilless rifles / bazookas, and some by human wave attack.

NLF main force units typically had Chinese recoilless rifles, 57mm at battalion level and 75mm in regimental weapons companies. Both were copies of US designs, the M18 and M20 respectively. They had reasonable performance against APCs and fairly marginal effectiveness against tanks.

They weren't used primarily as anti-armour weapons but as short range light artillery for stand-off enagements against firebases and other targets, often in combination with mortars and the occasional 107mm or 122mm rocket.

A pair of 57mm RCLs were engaged at Long Tan in 1966 with one being captured. The crew had been cooly dispatched by the crew commander of an APC whose .50 cal was out of action standing out of his hatch and using his Owen gun.

Beyond that, AT weapons were largely confined to RPG-2 and RPG-7, captured 66mm LAW/SRAAW and early on probably the odd WW2 era Bazooka. The Vietminh had a stock of bazookas in their war against the French.  NLF forces may have had access to SPG-9 RCLs late in the war but I suspect the principal user was the PAVN.

Don't forget satchel charges.. the the PAVN made great use of satchel charges against bases and vehicles in bases when they could penetrate.
The charges against tracks or under a body of a vehicle would make a mess and certainly render it immobile. Never mind the shock and concussion to the crew.