"Ghosts of the Jungle" Playtest - Charlie fights, er Charlie!

I hit the critical mass (or Minimal Viable Product [MVP]) for the cast of characters, fully painted and ready for "The Ghosts of the Jungle", so it was time for a play-test  (see below, [the "specials" from a previous post are still 'in progress' - what you see here are 15 VC [Platoon 2- and Britannia Miniatures] and 8 US Special Force LRRP [Platoon 20]):

The game board is set up (see below, I chose to use 'explore mode' by giving the US insertion force a grid map, but only exposing "stuff" in LOS and not hidden from view): 

The US player (confusingly called Charlie) has been given an information extraction mission/ Get to a designation spot and retrieve some "information" and then get out. Body count was of no consequence to him, the mission's success rested on getting the "information" off the board and having all members of the LRRP intact (as in, at least with one hit point left). I added a layer of pre-game rumour "acquisition" - some helpful, some wrong and some just pla-in contradictory (in classic D&D fashion). What was ascertained was that there was little air support because teh Americans were busy elsewhere and you could and could not trust the villagers (who were VC, maybe or just "sometimes").  Although not a regular wargamer, Charlie took to the game like a duck taking to water.

Foot Note: In his own words, Charlie's success, came from his days of playing an old 1980/90's problem-solving computer games, in particular one called X-COM. This seems to fit into the "tower style" puzzle solver game, where you break through the enemy's defences by seeing weaknesses in their patterns. X-COM recently gained a second lease of life, with a 2015-20's revamp and series of follow on releases.

Back to the mission, which was played with an impressive amount of stealth and patience (waiting for the correct moment to 'move on' or to 'strike hard' ..good enough being far better than waiting "too long" for complete safe option). Reaching "X marks the spot", the "information package" turned out to be a downed (and wounded)  USAF airman, "Oh!" said Charlie (a bit of an understatement). The flyboy was promptly patched (and drugged) up by the SAS lads to get him as a "walking wounded" - the LRRP back-tracked out the way they had came in (while pushing, pulling, carrying and cajoling the Yank). The [exciting] "helicopter evacuation" option was not activated .. which would probably mean "hold a designated Alamo position" until the helicopter gunships and rescue helicopter came in. In the end the LRRP had a few scratches to show from a bit of fighting, but had successfully extricated themselves in a very professional manner! Beer on the USAF at the Australian NAAFI bar!