| | Da Nang Strategy Men of Valor™ gives first-person shooter fans the chance to revisit the Vietnam War in the combat boots of a young U.S. Marine. Vivendi Universal has taken pains to make this game as authentic as possible, from the music to the weapons to the intense jungle combat.
Your first mission takes you into the wilds of Da Nang, where you have to clear out the enemy and call in an air strike. Have no fear, though—this article will help guide you through it, step by step. 
Welcome to the jungle.
From your ride atop an APC, you and your convoy are hit by a steer-triggered booby trap. Take cover and stay with your troop mates until your objectives are updated. This is nerve-wracking, but it's essential that you learn to stick with your squad. Charging ahead into unknown danger will almost certainly get you (and some of them) killed.
Adjusting to the terrain is your next challenge. The jungles of Da Nang are thick, claustrophobic, and packed with enemies. Get used to going slowly, preferably crouched, as fools who rush in will certainly be tread upon. The enemy attacks in waves and charges quickly, making good use of trees, rocks, and abandoned shacks for cover. You must do the same.
Stay low, move from cover to cover, and lean frequently. You can take the initiative once the enemy has been engaged (or if you see him coming). But, never stray too far from your squad, or you'll wind up either as sniper bait or just plain outgunned and cut off.
In this manner, move across the open field until you reach the path through the thicker jungle. This is pure search-and-destroy action at its finest. The enemy is camouflaged and hides in well-defended positions. Stay with your squad, choose your targets, and mop them up. Regroup with Zook and move out into the heavy jungle. 
Fill this spider hole with lead.
On your way to the hilltop, you'll face even thicker brush and more enemies to fight. Watch for booby traps and be sure to engage the enemy at medium range, where your M14 is most effective. Take a covered position, lean and zoom, and pick the enemy off as they approach you and your buddies.
About halfway up the hill, you'll encounter a series of spider holes. Drop to your belly and crawl through the thick brush under the enemy fire until you have a clear view of the spider hole. From there, just wait for the sucker to stick his head up and cap him. Crawl forward into his hole, loot the body, return to your crouch, and continue. Stick to the left side of the trail. A VC or two will pop out at you, but you can handle them.
At the hilltop, you must maneuver past the snipers and machine gun nests to get close. Once you're in range of the hilltop target, you can drop a smoke grenade to call in the air strike. The trick to getting there is to tack back and forth, taking the spider-hole on the left and then following the ridge across to the right.
Blast anyone who comes at you and keep one finger on the B button, just in case. You should be able to crawl in close enough to drop the smoke. One round of bombs later, the hilltop is yours. Backtrack to recover any med kits or canteens from dead soldiers and wait for the big VC rush still to come. 
Hot and heavy on the hilltop.
After your squad takes the impromptu rocket-launching station at the top of the hill, the enemy will come to take it back. Stay with your squad and under cover, mowing them down as they come. If you stay alive long enough, you will be treated to a front-row seat as the flyboys drop a serious load of napalm on the advancing enemy.
This first mission in Men of Valor sets the tone for the rest of the game. The tactics and strategies you use here will serve you well throughout, as objectives become more challenging and enemies more dangerous. By J.N. Cobb |
