National Liberation Front (NLF)
| Mặt trận Dân tộc Giải phóng miền Nam Việt Nam | ||||
| National Liberation Front | ||||
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“Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.”
The NLF, or “National Liberation Front”, otherwise known as the Viet Cong, were a guerrilla force of Communist supporters who waged an underground war against the Capitalist of South Vietnam and their US allies. For many members of the NLF, however, the fight was about defending their home from what they saw as foreign invaders, not about political ideas. Many fighters are armed with a mixture of French, Russian, Chinese, and improvised homemade weaponry, but what they lack in firepower they make up for with guile, stealth, speed, and an unbreakable will to defend their homeland.
History
Founded in 1960, the Viet Cong was designed from the ground up as an insurgency. It was based on the Viet Minh that had fought the French while the People's Army of Vietnam was still being organized, but the VC was specifically a South Vietnamese political organization. The existence of a paramilitary wing of the VC was a widely-known secret. Largely composed of young Southerners convinced to fight what they saw as a repressive military junta, the VC also incorporated older Vietnamese who had fought the French in the South and, due to a loophole in the Geneva accords, never moved North.
By the time the war in the South became hot in the mid-'60s, the VC was organized into the same command structure as the rest of North Vietnam's military. However, because it was ostensibly a Southern organization, it often spearheaded offensives against American installations and South Vietnamese cities, in many operations taking a more important role than the PAVN. The VC was also responsible for many instances of war crimes against Southern civilians in the war for the hearts and minds of the people. Nonetheless, in the end, the Viet Cong and North Vietnam were victorious, and reunified the two Vietnams. Though many individuals within the Viet Cong acted dishonorably, it is still a mark of honor to have served in the Viet Cong.
Characteristics
Much of the NLF's cosmetics compared to the PAVN are quite common and shared. The default Tunic and Pants, as well as its other varieties are designed after pyjamas. The options featured for each set includes three colors: black, grey, and blue with tan trousers. Other noticeable cosmetics include a variety of headgear, mainly the iconic tan pith helmet; the pith helmet features a couple of versions, such as a black covered version. There are also other featured headgear unique to the NLF, such as a few exclusive head-wear and and black-colored versions of the PAVN headgear. Other characteristics shared among a majority of troops includes a brown rucksack with a shovel as well as a canteen bottle, and a black and white checkered with a red line, wrapped around the neck.
Similar to the PAVN, are a variety of heads, five different head models; each head features different characteristics such as skin, facial structure, and age. Each head features three types of hair colors: black, grey, and white. There are also a few voices featured in-game, representing those of different dialects such as age and place of origin.
Customization
Weapons and Equipment
| Primaries | Secondaries | Equipment |
|---|---|---|
| AK-47 | TT-33 | Type 67 Grenade |
| SKS-45 | PM | Punji Trap |
| PPSH-41 | MD-82 Mine | |
| MAT-49 | RGD-43 Smoke | |
| IZH-58 | Tripwire Trap | |
| RPD | RPG-7 | |
| DP-28 | Mattock | |
| MN 1891-30 | ||
| MN 1891-30 PU | ||
| SVD |
Trivia
- The NLF's Non La, the rice hat, is unlocked at level 99; the reasoning behind this was because the Non La was a Hollywood image of North Vietnamese soldiers portrayed in films as combatants never really wore them to battle. There had only been a few documents of Viet Cong trying to disguise themselves as civilians.
- The North Vietnamese will sometimes speak in English when taunting or killing the enemy.
- There are three total voice actors for the North Vietnamese, two of which are not native Vietnamese; Duong Duc Nghiem, a native Vietnamese, voice acts both a soldier and the North Vietnamese announcer.
- When on fire, the Japanese lines from the first Rising Storm can be heard.
- During later updates after the game's release, a questionable change had made all North Vietnamese first person animations make the North Vietnamese run with two hands instead of one; this remains inconsistent though, as all North Vietnamese run with one hand in third person animations.