Re: How much difference does the kind of rifle make?
For a Vietnam game as US, I would go with the M16: you will often find yourself needing to dig out AK armed Charlies in close terrain, and for that you want your infantry squads to pack enough close range punch.
Especially in scenarios with tighter time limits to capture objectives, trying to sit just outside the Kalashnikov range and pound the enemy with your M14 rifles is not likely to produce quick results.
Having long range firepower is still handy, though - I would recommend taking a decent number of tripod-mounted MG teams as a support. Use these to suppress and hurt the enemy from outside rifle engagement range, while your rifle-armed grunts try to close in to finish the enemy and capture the hexes.
BTW: besides the rifle, it is also good to pay a bit of attention to other armaments available to your rifle squads. So far my favourite combination has been M16 (for the close in work), M60 on bipod (for extra firepower and 12 hex range), M79 (for the warhead effect, and lucky HEAT round can take out a sandbagged foxhole) and LAW (for blowing up bunkers).
Griefbringer
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