# Fire in the Lake: Tru'ng Bot Update Pack ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2020 - **BGG Rating**: 8.0 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 1 (Best with: 1) - **Duration**: — - **Weight**: 4.09 / 5 - **Designers**: Bruce Mansfield, Mark Herman, Volko Ruhnke - **Artists**: Rodger B. MacGowan - **Publishers**: GMT Games - **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game, Vietnam War, Wargame ## Verdict The ultimate upgrade for those wanting to play Fire in the Lake solo without losing strategic depth.Impressive bot intelligenceQuick and fluid implementationFeels very human-likeCompatible with multiple editionsExclusive to Fire in the LakeRequires base game knowledgeRECOMMENDED ## Description If you're a Fire in the Lake fan but lack a group for an epic session, the Tru'ng Bot Update Pack is your best friend. This bot system is no amateur; inspired by the brilliant card-based system from the classic Gandhi, it brings a tabletop AI that truly makes you sweat. Tru'ng operates very smoothly: you use a specific deck of cards for each of the four factions (USA, ARVN, NVA, and VC), making implementation quick and avoiding the mess of constantly switching between player aids. The secret to its sophistication lies in how it analyzes the current board state to make strategic decisions that feel remarkably human. It knows when to block an opponent's operation or when to focus on an ally, making the solo experience incredibly responsive and unpredictable. It's the kind of opponent that forces you to think deeply, without the need for a human master or complex AI rulebooks. The best part is its total versatility: it works in any Fire in the Lake scenario and is compatible with both the first and second editions. If you want to experience the full depth of the Vietnam War alone, without losing the feeling of playing against a real strategist, Tru'ng is the upgrade your collection needs. Just a quick heads-up: it is exclusive to Fire in the Lake and does not apply to the Fall of Saigon solo system, though you can combine them for a full-scale solo war experience. It's top-tier tech for high-complexity wargame lovers! ## How to Play Game Objective The Trưng system is an update to the non-player (NP) opponent system for the base game Fire in the Lake. It replaces the original flowcharts with a deck of cards and aid tables. The objective of this system is to allow you to play against non-player (NP) factions using the provided cards and tables to guide the actions of these factions. Setup To set up the game, follow these steps: Select Scenario: Choose a scenario to play. For a greater challenge, Medium or Full scenarios are recommended. Select NP Factions: Any combination of player factions and NP factions can be used. For each NP faction, collect its six corresponding Trưng cards. Create Trưng Deck: Shuffle all cards from all NP factions into a single deck, with the cards face up. Resource Cylinders: The NP NVA never uses its resource cylinder; set it aside. The NP VC resource cylinder should be set to 1d3 for its initial Agitate Total. If both NP US and NP ARVN are NP factions, set aside the NP ARVN resource cylinder and the Econ marker. If US or ARVN is a player faction, set up the NP ARVN resource cylinder and the Econ and Aid markers according to the chosen scenario's instructions. NP US Policy: If US is an NP faction, set its Policy marker according to the scenario's instructions. Finalization: Prepare the rest of the scenario normally, following the chosen scenario's instructions. Game Flow The game follows the base game's Sequence of Play. NP factions make decisions similar to players. The general flow is: Eligibility Determination: First, the Eligible NP Factions determine if and how they will act on the current Event Card, using the NP Eligibility Table. Action Execution: The deck of Trưng cards is used to select Operations and Special Activities. Priority tables guide the selection of spaces, movements, and affected pieces. Events: Event tables guide the selection and execution of Events. Pass: If an NP faction chooses to Pass, there is no additional effect (unless the NP COIN is passing when the other COIN faction is a player, which adds +3 ARVN Resources). Actions and How to Play NP factions use the Trưng cards to perform their actions. Each card has an face-up side (identified by a single letter) and a face-down side (identified by two letters). Executing Operations and Special Activities When using a Trưng card, follow these rules: Reading the Card: Start with the first blue box. If the condition is true, follow the green arrow; if false, follow the red one. Execution: Execute each numbered instruction in order, as much as possible. Bold text indicates which column of the Space Selection Priorities table should be used. Instructions with an asterisk (*) are executed last. New Cards and Flipping Cards: If an arrow points to the card icon, you must Draw a New Card or Flip Card to the hidden side. Inability to Act: If there are no legal spaces for the selected Operation, draw a new Trưng card to attempt a different operation. Special Activities: Execute a Special Activity from the list, following alphabetical order. If one cannot be executed, skip to the next. If none can, execute only the Operation. The Activation Number Many operations are limited by an Activation Number (indicated by a die icon on the card). After executing an operation in a space, roll 1d6. If the result is less than or equal to the Activation Number, the NP faction will not select any more spaces. If the result is greater, the faction will select another space and repeat the process. Exceptions: Some operations (such as NP NVA's March or NP VC's Terror on LoCs) do not require an Activation Number roll. Move Priorities To move pieces, use the Move Priorities table following the active faction's column: Step A: Select the destination according to the card or priority table. Step B: Select the origin (the space with the most movable pieces that is within range of the destination and has not yet been selected as a destination). Keep/Move: Follow the Keep (keep pieces at the origin) and Move (move to the destination) instructions from the table. Events Events are determined by the Event Card table and Effective Events table. NP factions only execute actions that are considered Effective. NP US always selects unshaded text and NP VC always selects shaded text. NP ARVN generally uses unshaded text, unless the event is marked "C" in the table. End of Game and Scoring Victory conditions vary depending on the game mode: Solitaire: The player can only win during the final Coup Round. NP factions can win during the Victory Phase of any Coup Round or after the Redeploy Phase of the last round. Multiplayer (2 or 3 players): Any faction can win during any Coup Round. Tips for Winning Refer to the manual for details on this section. ## FAQ ### Does this bot work for Fall of Saigon? No, Tru'ng is exclusive to Fire in the Lake. For Fall of Saigon, use the specific solo system for that expansion. ### Do I need the base game to use this pack? Yes, this is an update/expansion pack and requires Fire in the Lake (1st or 2nd edition) to play. ### Is the bot difficult to learn? Not at all! It was designed to be quick to implement and easy to use, without complicating the game flow. ### Does the bot really play like a human? Yes, it analyzes the board and makes strategic decisions, like blocking operations, making it very responsive. ### How many factions can the bot control? The system allows the bot to take the place of any of the factions in the game. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 18.47 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4812559&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 20.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2422422&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 21.40 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2733197&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 22.13 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6720710&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 23.51 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2974698&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 25.00 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4915926&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 27.98 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2707320&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 28.56 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2511083&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 29.42 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=7047632&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 29.64 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6880455&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/38368/fire-in-the-lake-trung-bot-update-pack?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com