1972: The Lost Phantom Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Set Up
• How to Win
• How to Lose
• Scoring
• Player Sheet
  • Player Sheet Tables
• Turn Order
  • Phase 1 Mapping
  • Phase 2 Encounter
    • Afflictions
  • Phase 3 Dice Allocation
  • Phase 4 Move
    • Village Chart (2d6)
  • Phase 5 Stealth
  • Phase 6 Rest
  • Phase 7 Journaling (optional)
• Inventory
• Encounters: Range 0-4 from Starting Hex
  • 11-14 Flash Flood
  • 15 Agent Orange
  • 16 Thorny Briars
  • 21 Cliff
  • 55 High Ground
  • 56 Empty Hut
  • 61-63 Trail/Road
  • 64-66 Dead VC
• Encounters: Range 5-9 from Starting Hex
  • 11-15 Flash Flood
  • 16 Snake
  • 21 Wild Boar
  • 22-23 Mortar Fire
  • 61-62 Crashed Huey
  • 63 Destroyed M113
  • 64 Cave
  • 65-66 Huey Gunships
• Encounters: Range 10-15 from Starting Hex
  • 11 Flash Flood
  • 12-15 Punji Sticks-Booby Traps
  • 16 Mines
  • 21-23 Sniper
  • 56 Milepost
  • 61-62 Song Thach Han Tributary
  • 63 Empty Hut
  • 64-66 Huey Gunships
• Historical Disclaimer

Components

Besides the PDF, you will need:

• 9 six-sided dice. Six for allocating during Phase 3, one of which must be a darker color for Phase 2, and three dice to track your Stats: Proximity, Health, and Endurance. (Alternately, you can use 18 cubes or stackable chips to replace the three Stats dice.)
• Pencil and Eraser
• Colored Pencil (or a cube/counter to track movement across the map)
• Lined paper for journaling (optional)

Set Up

Place three of the dice (with the 6 side up) in the three Stat boxes at the top-right of the Player Sheet (Proximity, Endurance, and Health). None of the three stats boxes can exceed 6. Put a star on your starting Jungle hex (in the upper left next to the swamp hexes) with your colored pencil. As you move from hex to hex, you will use your colored pencil to draw your path.

Your sheet is set up! All you need now are your pencils and the other 6 dice.

How to Win

Move from the Starting Jungle Hex in the northwest to any of the three River hexes in the southeast.

Terrain types on the map: Village, Swamp, Hills, Jungle, Field, Paddy (Rice Paddy).

How to Lose

Reduce your Proximity to zero (captured by NVA forces), or reduce your Health to zero (dying or bleeding out), or get killed during an Encounter event.

Scoring

You score 1 point for each hex you have mapped by the end of the game. If you win, you also gain a winning bonus equal to the current number of Proximity, Health, and Endurance remaining. With 80 blank hexes and 18 points available from the three stats dice, the maximum amount of points is 98.

Player Sheet

Just like in the other xx72 games, the Player Sheet is consumable. You will be drawing on the bottom half of the sheet where the hex map is located, and will also have to mark Wound Afflictions and Acquired Inventory. After you play a game, win or lose, you'll need another Player Sheet. (However, some gamers have worked around this by sleeving the Player Sheet and using dry erase markers.)

Player Sheet Tables

Phase 1 Mapping (roll 1d6; terrain order of the three hexes):

Roll	Terrain pattern
1	Jungle, Swamp, Swamp
2	Jungle, Hills, Jungle
3	Jungle, Field, Jungle
4	Field, Jungle, Hills
5	Swamp, Rice Paddy, Swamp
6	Rice Paddy, Hills, Rice Paddy

Phase 2 Encounter (at the beginning of the phase, roll 2d6 as percentile):

Range 0-4	Result
11-14	Flash Flood
15	Agent Orange
16	Thorny Briars
21	Cliff
55	High Ground
56	Empty Hut
61-63	Trail/Road
64-66	Dead VC

Range 5-9	Result
11-15	Flash Flood
16	Snake
21	Wild Boar
22-23	Mortar Fire
61-62	Crashed Huey
63	Destroyed M113
64	Cave
65-66	Huey Gunships

Range 10-15	Result
11	Flash Flood
12-15	Punji Sticks-Booby Traps
16	Mines
21-23	Sniper
56	Milepost
61-62	Song Thach Han Tributary
63	Empty Hut
64-66	Huey Gunships

Terrain (what you must roll or higher):

Terrain	Phase 4 Move (Change Hex)	Phase 5 Stealth (Change Proximity*)	Phase 6 Rest (Change Endurance)
Swamp	4+	4+*	4+
Hills	5+	4+*	2+
Jungle	4+	3+*	4+
Field	2+	4+*	5+
Rice Paddy	3+	4+*	4+

Lose 1 Health every time you choose a "six" during Phases 4, 5, and 6. * You may reroll 1 die if you started the turn in a different hex.

The sheet also has boxes for Proximity, Endurance and Health, Afflictions (Deep Cut, Burn - Heat or Chemical, Broken Foot, Gunshot Wound, Fever) and Acquired Inventory (First Aid Kit, Flare Gun, Scope, SKS Rifle, Machete).

Turn Order

A turn consists of seven phases which must be done in order. You can follow the phases on the Player Sheet and refer to these rules for clarification until you are familiar enough with the game that little reference is needed.

Phase 1 Mapping

During Phase 1, roll 1d6 and refer to Table 1 on the Player Sheet. It will give you 3 terrain hexes. You will fill in the blank adjacent hexes in this order/pattern. For instance, if you roll a 4, you would fill in the adjacent hexes, Field, Jungle, Hills (repeat) Field, Jungle, Hills until all hexes are mapped. Always start at the northern-most hex and fill them in clockwise. For instance, if only two hexes are unmapped and they're not adjacent to each other (but adjacent to you) and you rolled a 4, the first would be Field and the second would be Jungle. Since there are no other empty hexes, there will be no Hills.

If you move--or are forced to move--into a hex that is unmapped, it becomes jungle. (There are some special events and items that might make you map areas farther away than just those that are adjacent to you.)

Phase 2 Encounter

Roll 2d6 as percentile dice during Phase 2. One of the dice should be a darker color. That will be your "tens" die. So if you roll a 2 on your darker die and a 5 on your lighter die, your number would be 25. A result of 11 to 14 will be a dangerous encounter, while a result of 63 to 66 will be a beneficial encounter. The encounter table varies by range from the starting Jungle hex. Count how many hexes you are from the starting hex and refer to the chart for that range. There are three ranges, 0-4 hexes, 5-9 hexes, and 10-15 hexes. Then, you check the last three pages to see what event that icon causes.

Dangerous encounters can result in Afflictions. You can only have an Affliction once (except the Superficial Wound). If you receive the same Affliction a second time, gain a Fever. If you get a Fever more than once, nothing happens.

The Encounter Icons are explained on the last three pages and they all offer two or three choices--but don't look at them until you have to.

Afflictions

• Fever (-1 to all dice rolls during phases 4, 5, and 6)
• Gunshot Wound (Lose 1d5 Health, reroll 6s)
• Broken Foot (You can only roll a maximum of 2 dice during Phase 4)
• Burn (Endurance is capped at 5. You can never have 6 Endurance)
• Deep Cut (-2 Health. If you enter a Swamp, gain Fever as well)
• Superficial Wound (-1 Health) You usually get these by rolling a "six" during Phases 4, 5, and 6.

Phase 3 Dice Allocation

You get an amount of dice equal to your current Endurance. When rolling dice during later phases, you always choose the die with the highest value. So if you really want to hide in a Rice Paddy where you'll need a 5-6 you should allocate more than one dice to increase your odds of success.

Remind yourself how your dice are allocated by placing them on the edge of the Player Sheet where the arrows are pointed. Once allocated, you cannot move them. They are locked in that position until the end of the turn. For instance, if you have 4 Endurance at the beginning of your turn, then you could allocate 1 to Move, 2 to Stealth, and 1 to Rest (for a total of 4 dice). On the Move phase you only roll 1 die, but on the Stealth Phase you roll 2 dice and choose the highest of the two rolled, and then on the Rest phase you only roll 1 die.

Phase 4 Move

It's not easy finding your way through the wilderness of Vietnam. In order to keep your bearing and move into an adjacent hex, you will have to navigate your way out of the hex you're currently in. Roll the dice you have set aside (during Phase 3) and choose only one die rolled. Refer to the chart on the Player Sheet to see what you must roll (or higher) to navigate out of the hex. For instance, if you're in a Jungle hex, you need a 4+ (4 or better) to move out of the hex. This is based on the hex you are currently in.

If you rolled and choose a "six" then you succeed but you lose a Health in the process. This could be to a wound, to bleeding out, etc. You decide during the Journaling Phase the method of losing the Health.

If you successfully moved out of your hex this turn, you will be able to reroll one allocated 6-sided die during Phase 5.

If you move into a Village hex, immediately roll on the Village Chart below to determine how you are welcomed.

Village Chart (2d6)

Roll	Result
2	Robbed. Lose all of your Acquired Inventory items, then move to any adjacent mapped hex.
3	Delayed. Reduce Proximity and Endurance by 1, then move to any adjacent mapped hex.
4-5	Kicked out. Immediately return to your previous hex and end the turn. This village becomes impassable (draw a dark outline around the hex to show that it's impassable).
6-8	Untrusting. The villagers warily ignore you. Move to any adjacent hex (an unmapped hex becomes Jungle).
9-10	Peaceful. The villagers offer you Sanctuary. Gain 2 Endurance, discard your Rest dice, then move to any adjacent mapped hex.
11	Helpful. A villager gives you a Motorcycle. Use this item to immediately move 3 hexes in any direction. All three hexes will be Rice Paddy. Increase Proximity by 1.
12	Allied. A Doctor heals any one Affliction of your choice and increases all stats 1, then you move to any adjacent hex (an unmapped hex becomes Jungle).

Phase 5 Stealth

The Viet Cong and NVA know that your F-4 was shot down and are actively looking for survivors. Your parachute hanging in the tall jungle canopy is a dead giveaway. They will steadily close in on your location. You can slow their progress by staying on the move and hiding when you find the right place. This phase is not as forgiving as Phase 4 (Rest) since you can never regain Proximity, only prevent it from dropping. Also, since you may have moved to a new hex, you might have to use a different terrain than you did in Phase 4.

Some terrain gives better cover than others. For instance, in the Jungles you need a 3 or better and while in the Rice Paddy you need 4 or better--it's a lot easier to hide in the Jungle than the Rice Paddies.

Roll the dice you have set aside (during Phase 3) and choose one die rolled. Refer to the chart on the Player Sheet to see what you must roll (or higher) to maintain your distance from those pursuing you.

If your roll is successful, do not adjust your Proximity.

If your roll is not successful, lose 1 Proximity.

If no dice were allocated here, lose 1 Proximity.

If you rolled and choose a "six or higher" then you succeed but you lose a Health in the process. This could be to a wound, to bleeding out, or whatever makes the most sense to you thematically. You decide during the Journaling Phase the method of losing the Health.

If you are in a different hex during this phase than the one you started in at the beginning of the turn, you can choose to reroll one die after your allocated dice have been rolled.

Phase 6 Rest

Endurance is the key to your survival. As you lose endurance, you lose dice to use in the Allocation Phase, reducing your choices - and chances you have at succeeding in future phases. The terrain modifies your success. Roll the dice you have set aside (during Phase 3) and choose only one die rolled. Refer to the chart on the Player Sheet to see what you must roll (or higher) to maintain your Endurance.

If your roll is successful, gain 1 Endurance.

If your roll is not successful, lose 1 Endurance.

If no dice were allocated here, lose 1 Endurance. Although you can never have more than 6 Endurance, you can still allocate dice if you're at 6 Endurance and do not want it to drop.

You will always have at least 1 Endurance. If you are reduced below 1 Endurance, remove 1 Health instead.

If you rolled and choose a "six" then you succeed but you lose a Health in the process. This could be to a wound, to bleeding out, etc. You decide during the Journaling Phase the method of losing the Health. Of course, since you may have moved to a new hex, you might have to use a different terrain than you did in Phase 4.

Force a Fail - You may always choose to fail any roll instead of taking a "six." You likely would want to do this if you only had 1 Health and taking the 6--which would apply a wound--would end the game.

Phase 7 Journaling (optional)

This is where your trek comes to life. Write a short summary (a sentence or few) on what happened this turn. Even if it seemed uneventful, a creative journal entry can enhance your experience.

For instance, "I can hear thunder in the distance. A few drops of rain start to reach the Jungle canopy. I continue into more Jungle. I could've crossed that open field but I fear an ambush and am too wounded to take the chance."

Inventory

Inventory Items are found during an Encounter roll. Each item can only be used once and can only be acquired once. Future instances of the same item are broken, empty, or otherwise unserviceable. As you find an item, fill in the bubble on the Player Sheet next to the item. Put a strikethrough line across the item once you use it.

• Flare Gun: If you are in an Open Field you can force an Encounter find and possibly win the game!
• First Aid Kit: Remove 1 affliction of your choice (except Fever) and increase Health by 1.
• Scope: You can map any 2 hexes each turn within range 3 during the Mapping Phase.
• Motorcycle: Use this item to immediately move 3 hexes in any direction. All three hexes will be Rice Paddy. Increase Proximity by 1.
• SKS Rifle: The first time Proximity reaches 0, reset it to 2.

(The Machete, listed on the Player Sheet, is used as described in the encounter entries.)

Encounters: Range 0-4 from Starting Hex

Do not read these until instructed to do so.

11-14 Flash Flood

A torrential downpour turns this terrain into a dangerous river.

1. You may choose to avoid this by retreating to your previous hex, or
2. Lose 2 Endurance fighting against the current towards higher land.

15 Agent Orange

You lose your footing and slip facedown into a pool of toxic chemicals.

1. If you have a Gunshot Wound or Deep Cut, the chemical exposure is unbearable. Lose 2 Health.
2. Otherwise, you are extremely sensitive to this and it quickly develops into a Chemical Burn.

16 Thorny Briars

You've made so much progress only to be halted by these half-inch thorns.

1. Retreat back to the hex you came from. This hex is now impassable (draw a dark outline around the hex to show that it's impassable). Or...
2. Push through the Briars and take a Deep Cut. Or...
3. If you have the Machete, you may skip phases 4 and 5 while you cut a path. Do not discard the Machete.

21 Cliff

(Disregard if in Swamp or Rice Paddies).

In the thick brush, faint human voices distracted you from the cliff face. You tumble down and suffer a Broken Foot. Also choose one of the two options:

1. You lose 1 inventory item in the fall. Or...
2. You tumble to a landing where you see a large lake in the distance. Place a Lake two hexes away between you and the River expanding the north and south of that hex by one. (a north-south 3 hex lake of Impassable terrain.)

55 High Ground

From this vantage you can see for miles. A glint of metal in the distance meets your eye. Four hexes from your location draw a Village with a +2 on it. You get a +2 to your Village roll if you visit there. In all adjacent hexes around it, draw...

1. Rice Paddies. Or...
2. Plains

56 Empty Hut

It appears that this hut has been abandoned. The burn marks and bullet holes present this as another casualty of war.

1. You repurpose the muslin-like material on the wall into a bandage. Gain 2 Health.
2. A rusty Machete hanging from a hook near the door seems to be the only salvageable gear. Gain Machete.
3. As a quiet respite, gain 1 Endurance.

61-63 Trail/Road

An easy path is found out of this Jungle.

1. Immediately move to any adjacent hex. Or...
2. Increase Proximity by 1.

64-66 Dead VC

A fallen soldier lies facedown hidden in the brush. It was likely VC by the shattered pith helmet and ChiCom chest rig over black civvies.

1. You are able to acquire the SKS Rifle still loaded with a few rounds. The kanji on the receiver lets you know that this is a Chinese model. Or...
2. You find a map of the area in one of his pouches. Three hexes from your location draw an Open Field with an X in it (If you enter this hex, do not roll during Phase 2. Instead, encounter a range 5-9 Crashed Huey). Draw Open Field in all adjacent non-mapped hexes around the hex with the Encounter.

Encounters: Range 5-9 from Starting Hex

Do not read these until instructed to do so.

11-15 Flash Flood

A torrential downpour turns this terrain into a dangerous river.

1. You may choose to avoid this by retreating to your previous hex, or
2. Lose 2 Endurance fighting against the current towards higher land.

16 Snake

You step into the knee-deep muck. You should have paid more attention because you disturbed a sleeping snake. You jerk away upon realizing what you have awoken but it's too late.

1. If you are in Plains, gain a Superficial Wound.
2. If you are in any other terrain, gain a Fever.
3. If you have the Machete you may avoid option 1 and 2 completely.

21 Wild Boar

A snort and squeal startles you as a shadow darker than night charges, knocking you onto your back. It's over just as quickly as it started. The frightened swine runs off into the foliage.

1. If you've allocated at least 3 dice to movement, gain a Superficial Wound.
2. If you allocated less than three dice to movement, gain a Deep Cut.
3. If you have the Machete you may avoid option 1 and 2 completely, but your Machete is ripped from your grasp as it lodges itself into the boar before it bolts into the brush.

22-23 Mortar Fire

The familiar whistle announces the arrival of mortar rounds around you.

1. Sprint across the field to the next hex, but take a Gunshot Wound, and lose 1 Endurance. Or...
2. Drop into cover right away. Take a Superficial Wound and lose 1 Proximity.

61-62 Crashed Huey

Partially submerged in the swamp you find the fuselage remains of a UH-1. Although it has been stripped, the looters didn't get everything.

1. You find a working Flare Gun. Or...
2. You find nothing of value, but the cabin offers a silent solace. Gain 2 Endurance.

63 Destroyed M113

The hulk of an Army personnel carrier stands in stark contrast to its agricultural surroundings. The insides have been thoroughly stripped.

1. You find a compartment with a First Aid Kit. Or...
2. You find nothing of value, but the cabin offers a silent sanctuary from the elements. Gain 1 Proximity and 1 Endurance.

64 Cave

(Disregard if in Swamp or Rice Paddies).

This small cave must have served as an OP or HQ for communist forces before being abandoned.

1. You find a map of the area. Three hexes from your location draw a Swamp with an X in it. Do not roll for an encounter if you enter this hex. Instead, encounter the range 10-15 Tributary. Draw Swamp in all adjacent non-mapped hexes around the Swamp hex. Or...
2. You find a spotting Scope neglected under some detritus.

65-66 Huey Gunships

Roaring overhead is a flight of dual engine Marine gunships escorting a Slick. If you have a Flare Gun, you are able to signal to the Slick which picks you up and you win! Otherwise...

1. The Hueys open fire on the Jungles in the distance. Add 2 to Proximity. Or...
2. "Give 'em Hell," you whisper as the Hueys let loose rockets. The pressed attack invigorates you. Gain 2 Health and 1 Endurance.

Encounters: Range 10-15 from Starting Hex

Do not read these until instructed to do so.

11 Flash Flood

A torrential downpour turns this terrain into a dangerous river.

1. You may choose to avoid this by retreating to your previous hex, or
2. Lose 2 Endurance fighting against the current towards higher land.

12-15 Punji Sticks-Booby Traps

You've heard the horror stories from the grunts about these sinister creations.

1. You step down into a short Pitfall spike trap. Gain a Broken Foot.
2. The spikes have recently been coated with feces. Gain a Deep Cut.

16 Mines

You notice dew collected on an invisible wire at your ankles. Beyond that you see a pressure plate emerged from the mud. Mines have been placed in your way.

1. Lose 1 Proximity as you slowly navigate the minefield, or
2. Return to your previous hex and mark this hex as impassable (draw a dark outline around the hex to show that it's impassable).

21-23 Sniper

You work your way across an open area that gives a perfect field of fire for snipers. A round strikes you in the shoulder. Take a Gunshot Wound...

1. You serpentine your way towards the cover of the Hills ahead of you. Take another Gunshot Wound. Move into any unmapped hex and map it as Hills. Ignore Sniper encounter results while in this Hills hex. Or...
2. You retreat back out of sight towards indefinite cover. Gain a Deep Cut and retreat to your previous hex. The hex is now Impassable (draw a dark outline around the hex to show that it's impassable).

56 Milepost

You come to a quiet back road that runs toward the River. Move 1 hex closer to any of the River hexes.

1. All unmapped adjacent hexes are Plains. Or...
2. One unmapped adjacent hex is a Village. Or...
3. Gain +2 to your next movement roll.

61-62 Song Thach Han Tributary

You come across a large stream that heads towards the River.

1. Draw a stream-path from your current hex to a River hex. While in any hex with a stream-path, gain +1 to your Move rolls. Or...
2. Take a refreshing rest in the clear waters and gain 1 Health and 1 Endurance.

63 Empty Hut

It appears that this hut has been abandoned. The burn marks and bullet holes present this as another casualty of war.

1. You repurpose the muslin-like material on the wall into a bandage. Gain 2 Health.
2. You find a quiet respite and catch your breath. Gain 1 Endurance.

64-66 Huey Gunships

Roaring overhead is a flight of gunships escorting a Slick. If you have a Flare Gun, you are able to signal to the Slick which picks you up and you win! Otherwise...

1. The Hueys open fire on the Jungles in the distance. Add 2 to Proximity. Or...
2. "Give 'em Hell," you whisper as the Hueys let loose rockets. The pressed attack invigorates you. Gain 1 Health and 1 Endurance.

(In the V2 PDF the options of this entry are numbered 3 and 4.)

Historical Disclaimer

This game is based on the true story of USMC Captain John W. Consolvo, a member of VMFA-212 stationed in Vietnam. On 07 May 1972, Capt. Consolvo's F-4J was shot down. He ordered his RIO to bail out when the aircraft was hit and became uncontrollable. Two other aircraft saw the RIO, but not Captain Consolvo bail out. There was no visual contact with his F-4J during its final 3-4 miles before impact--which could have given Consolvo an opportunity to eject. Captain Consolvo was never recovered and is listed MIA and presumed dead.