Scenario

Not really, the big marshy strip will be integral to the game as it is both a 'feature' and a choke point. My initial thoughts are to use the grassed avenue for a strafing air attack finale (the whole area can be overseen for H&S) or an air attack finale at the big bridge as pyro can be placed easily off limits.

However, pyro is a side issue really - main thing is to get a working game and make best use of the site. My initial thoughts are start Germans from RHS of site, they sweep in and occupy old US camp. Get them busy clearing and fortifying while sending out recce parties to map terrain and locate fuel dumps and enemy positions. Same thing for the US who work from the LHS and occupy their base. These are the US/German HQ's. They can be attacked for nuisance value but not occupied (until after lunch). Brits start from the back LHS and have to find the bridge and then locate US. Brits have specific demo roles, key of which is to blow the small bridge across the boggy river (German engineers can 'fix' the bridge, much as the F&O Hurtgen game with the 88's).
Lunch will be early so giving 1.5 to 2 hours morning play only. Food will be delivered to each HQ.
Thereafter main battles will take place and HQ's can be taken if deemed of strategic value. Germans will have to recce for the Meuse bridge, this being the principal objective. To get there they will need fuel and quantities will need to be amassed to achieve it - they can't send two men to the bridge and take it, it has to be resourced with fuel and men. Fuel dumps will be all over the site. Allies can depend it or move it but it can't be scattered or split but can be amalgamated.

This way game play can be strategic, use the whole site with no need to manufacture game direction, have a bit of physical endeavour, sneaky beaky as well has full on battling, and it starts the day slowly leading up to frantic activity and a big barrage as the weather lifts and the US can at last get their planes in the air and stop the battle in it's tracks.

First thoughts anyway, lots of detail and logistics to think about....

(Wonder if F&O can get hold of some scaffold planks for engineers to use to make alternative bog crossings? Are they expensive?)

Can we have some photos please?

I'll sort some tonight - pics of woodland airsoft site

With a big fecking bridge in the middle, or is that somewhere else?

Hang on, I'm at work - I show you tonight, you can see the bridge as per my description if you look at the googlemap aerial view.

Photos

PS Kermit ....Helgas the hottest thing we have at our events (barring the jailbait at Husky) don't reckon you'd have to be desperate or David ...& she looked a lot better out of uniform ...er ...you know what I mean Hey ho .

Erm, just noticed this. How about that uber-hot spy at the Eagle game!?!?!?

I love the way the Allied base is full of water. They'll love that!

Looks an interesting site. The water and wall could form interesting point to move around.

I like the look of that!

Meh, that's what the M1's are for!
Jamie did say they were going to dig them out - bigger and deeper, but I'm assuming nothing will change by the time we get there...

OK, nearly there with scenario.

Principle battle objective
Germans have to reach the bridge at Huy on the river Meuse.
To do this they need men and fuel.

Main battle actions
This will be a game of strategy and fluid action across all of the site, all of the day and will require command and control.
Commanders will be Monty and whatever Guy wants to call himself - Peiper, say.
There will be elements of security patrolling, recce, mapping, snatch squads, attacks in force, defending assets and maintaining control of vital areas.

Secondary actions
Bridge blowing, minefield clearing, destroying ammo dumps, controlling ground.

Flow of events
There will be few things in-game that must happen in terms of 'scripting', all the rest is strategy and a natural dynamic. One of the things we will need to watch is blocking by either unforeseen game event or too successful game dominance.

Game starts with US troops deploying to their HQ - this is a permanent HQ until after lunch so cannot be occupied by Germans but can be attacked if so desired. At the HQ is a big pile of jerry cans. Troops must be shown large scale map of site and squads sent out with cans to make dumps (to make sure no mistake these areas will be marked on the ground as well!). This has two functions a) gives them something to do and b) familiarises them with the ground they control.
Rule throughout the game is one man can only carry one can, anyone carrying a can cannot use a weapon (might relax that and let then use a pistol - meh, it will be cold and they won't work so no advantage!).
Once fuel dumps are created then US troops switch to defensive patrols, preparing defences (digging, using forest litter).

The Brits move out at the same time as the US but occupy the other HQ and take up defensive positions.

After a 10 minute head start the Germans move out from the corner nearest the road, sweep through a dense wood (tactically, they must believe they are moving into Allied territory) and come across the British strong-point. Battle ensues and will be short-lived as it's all the Germans against a few Brits. Germans occupy this as their permanent HQ (until after lunch). Germans are then organised with compass, field glasses, pencils and pads and sent out on probing and recce patrols - the objective being to locate fuel dumps and Allied HQ. Information fed back to commander will be the basis of strategic attacks. Ammo dumps will be marked with coded signs - this must be marked on the German master map and counts as part of the objective (a device to make sure Germans do explore the woods and give them a sense of achievement even if they can't get the fuel itself).

The ousted Brits retreat and have to locate the Meuse bridge which they mark with a flag. There is no point in defending the bridge as it cannot be attacked yet. Then they need to locate the US HQ and make their presence known to US commander. Brits will be used as special forces for such roles as deep enemy infiltration (surveillance of German movements, locating German fuel stores) and demolitions.

All this to-ing and fro-ing will take up to lunchtime when food will be taken to HQ’s. Troops rotate in for feeding or do it en-mass, as commanders please. Once feeding is over there is no reason to keep fixed HQ’s so they can be attacked and occupied. Raids, attacks and counter attacks can take place anywhere and at any time. Germans must move the fuel to the bridge (symbolically fuelling tanks and transport), which we will start at a fixed time - say 3pm. They have an hour to get to the bridge along with a strength of men. They must get to the bridge as here will be the set piece barrage, safely laid on the non-playable side of the dam,

How many men and containers of fuel are required to ‘take’ the bridge? The players don’t know. The commanders will determine this as the game moves on - if Germans are doing ‘badly’ then it might be two jerry cans and five men - if they are doing well then it might be 12 cans and 15 men. It doesn’t matter, they must get to the bridge area by 4pm.

At 4pm rolling barrage will be triggered signifying the weather lifting and the Jabo’s stopping any further German progress in it’s tracks and the Battle of the Bulge grinds to an inevitable stop. Germans, out of men and out of fuel are defeated by superior numbers of a surrounding enemy and air superiority.

Endex.

The game will 'feature' a prisioner rule to add to the tactical nature of the game. Where possible they must take prisioners - it will be 'sold' to the players as depleting enemy resources and boosting moral. In game-play terms it will mean less shooting and running and more making an action and following it up by securing the area clearing it. No change to any of the rules needed. At booking in as well as a bandage they are all given ten card tokens, different colour for each side. In game you are shot and call for a medic. If the enemy medics you you are taken 'prisioner' and hand over one of your tokens. You return to your regen just as you would when you bleed out. The safety brief will a line to the effect of if you are shot and clearly no medic is available don't just walk out to a regen imediately (seen it happen sooo many times) as enemy may be moving in to capture you and it will be ghey if you just walk off.
Captured tokens must be handed over to one of the four commanders and totted up at end of day.
It's a small addition to the game and will add no organisational overheads but it will give a bit more purpose to the gameplay and something to crow about at the end of the day.