
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,957
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 (25th Anniversary Edition)
- 1–2 players
- 30–960 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2016

1990
Rules assistance for Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 is a board game released in 1990 for 2 players, 45–300 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Gene Billingsley and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
In October of 1965, General Vo Nguyen Giap launched a full North Vietnamese Army division in a sweeping offensive against the thinly guarded II Corps area west of Pleiku in South Vietnam's Central Highlands. Two special forces camps, a handful of elite soldiers, and thirty miles of rugged, jungled terrain were all that stood between the onrushing NVA and their objective, the strategic town of Pleiku. The NVA quickly surrounded and besieged the camps, threatening a quick and easy victory over the outnumbered II Corps defenders. Desperate to hold back the tide of Communist soldiers, the South Vietnamese commander asked the U.S. for help. The newly formed 1st Cavalry Division, fresh in country and bivouacked at nearby An Khe, rushed to the aid of the beleaguered garrisons. With its complement of over 400 combat helicopters, the 1st Cav was completely airmobile. While the helicopter's mobility guaranteed quick movement and ready resupply, it did not guarantee victory. The soldiers that the unblooded Americans faced were tough, well trained veterans. Victory would not come easily for the Americans. Between October 23 and November 25, 1965, a desperate struggle between a full North Vietnamese Army Division and the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division took place west of Pleiku in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Silver Bayonet is a company-level game which focuses on this conflict. --from box back description Contents: 200 die-cut Counters 1 22"x34" Mapsheet 1 Rule/Scenario Booklet 3 Player Aid Cards 1 10-sided die Time Scale: 1 day per game turn Map Scale: 1 mile per hex Unit Scale: Company Players: Two Playing Time: 5-30 minutes for introductory scenario 1-2 hours for advanced scenario 2-20 hours for campaign game Other features include air support, SAMs, transport helicopters, hidden units, limited intelligence, 12 scenarios.
Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 is 45–300 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 belongs to these categories: Wargame and Vietnam War. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 are: Gene Billingsley. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Silver Bayonet: The First Team in Vietnam, 1965 as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.