The NVA laid a clever trap for their nemesis, the 1st Air Cavalry Division, in the remote northern region of Tay Ninh Province, not far from the border with Cambodia. Charlie Company of the 8th Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry was dispatched to inspect suspicious activity by the NVA north of Fire Base Illingworth. On March 26th they were ambushed by the 1st Battalion of the NVA's 272 Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. Deep in jungle terrain, Charlie Company was cut-off and unable to call-in accurate artillery or air support. The jungle canopy also made impossible any extraction by helicopter. It looked like the Communists were about to wipe-out or capture over 100 US soldiers.
Four kilometers away was Alpha troop of the 11th Armored Cavalry, along with Alpha Company of the 8th Regiment of the 1st Air Cav. Commander John Poindexter, monitoring the increasingly desperate radio messages from Charlie Company wasted no time in ordering his men to "Saddle Up!" in order to rescue their trapped comrades. Busting through jungle and risking ambush, the rescue and battle fought here in March, 1970 rank among the war's most epic and amazing fights.
Fortunate Sons is the companion “sister” game to Bad Moon Rising: The Battle for Firebase Illingworth. The two games use the same design and scale. Players use a standard deck of playing cards to activate units and resolve some game events, as well as a six-sided die.