Ok Gents
This idea has been brewing in my head for quite some time now, and having floated it a few times I want to put the idea out for some thought.
We are all busy people with families, work, businesses, time limitations, financial constraints and frankly people who perhaps don’t have 1000 hours a year to devote to CiA .In the last 18 months or so, I’ve got divorced, Jays been up to his arse in college, David’s had a business to keep going through a depression and a wife who was pretty ill, Stephen got married and Pete does long shifts in a high stress environment.
At times we’ve all felt that we are carrying the others, and that just “turning up on game day†is not always the bare minimum required.
On top of the preparation before the game there is the leadership during the game, making sure things go to plan and that our players are generally looked after. And again this ain’t always happened, and not always with 100% enthusiasm from all of us.
If we actually focus on a core list of what needs doing between the 5 of us it’s quite a big list:-
This forum needs running, updating and moderating.
Sites need finding and booking
Site visits need to be done for new sites
Props need to be stored and transported, and occasionally made
Bookings from players and the financials need to be completed
Games need to be designed, research done and event plans written
Pyro and other consumables need to be acquired.
On the game day this gets worse
Props need to be put out, players marshalled to start on time, pyro set up, and then the actually job of leading people in the game, sorting out 101 things that need doing. We are the first on site and the last to leave, and have a responsibility to be on the ball for the full event. Players can slope off and say sod that for a while, we can’t.
Alright so where’s this going?
Firstly I would suggest that what I have outlined as the core list stays with us 5, however on the understanding that all of us are willing to do these tasks from time to time. The point of there being 5 is to stop it becoming too much of a job for one or two people. Cherry picking “easy jobs†and letting others always do the time or money consuming ones is not really an option I’m sure we’d all agree.
Now the big idea …
For some time now I have used selected Germans players, Che, Carl, Dave Barrett etc. in game as trusted Lieutenants to actually run teams of people on the day. When Kermit knacked his leg at Husky I spent the resto f the day trying ot coordinate a battle over a huge area on my own .
Bed’s n Herts did a really good job at Jed and there are others who can lead in a military sense but also in a looking after people sense. Making sure they are kept active, rested, not allowed to get bored , basically are enjoying themselves . All the stuff we have to do as well .
I propose that we formalise this arrangement by invitation , creating a second layer of orgasnisers albeit at a much lower level . The core tasks I’ve outlined we’ll keep to ourselves, however if we have a cadre of 5-6 trusted helpers who we can involve in the game itself it will take some of the load of us and allow us to command through them rather than lead from the front . In the run up to the game we could give them some idea of the plans for the event after we have finalised them , and perhaps get them a forum space to discuss with us . Helfwillge, Senior Comrades?……. I dunno, but the thought of turning up to Schaulen knowing we have people on the ball ready to help would make it a lot less stress.
Thoughts ?
Heh, once the games are under way that is the least stressful and easiest bit!
The bit I HATE is the setting up, we always run out of time and that's why I get pissed off with you lot larking around when there is a lot of shit to be done. I'm an organised person and I like to be calm and collected at the start of an event, not flustered and unready. Oh, and packing up is a right ball ache. By the time I'd finished packing at Jedburgh you lot had eaten and were dressed and driving off. 
I can't see a great deal of merit in an Untermensch to be honest, in any formalised way. We use, by trial and error, players to lead in games and we know what works now. Creating a sub layer would mean more people we would find it difficult to charge for, create a sub forum where bitching about other players goes on, mean more players who know the game plan (and ruin the surprise) - and not a lot else. We have 'the faithful' we can use, and they are willing to help. Do we need more than that?
Heh, once the games are under way that is the least stressful and easiest bit!
The bit I HATE is the setting up, we always run out of time and that's why I get pissed off with you lot larking around when there is a lot of shit to be done. I'm an organised person and I like to be calm and collected at the start of an event, not flustered and unready. Oh, and packing up is a right ball ache. By the time I'd finished packing at Jedburgh you lot had eaten and were dressed and driving off.
I can't see a great deal of merit in an Untermensch to be honest, in any formalised way. We use, by trial and error, players to lead in games and we know what works now. Creating a sub layer would mean more people we would find it difficult to charge for, create a sub forum where bitching about other players goes on, mean more players who know the game plan (and ruin the surprise) - and not a lot else. We have 'the faithful' we can use, and they are willing to help. Do we need more than that?
I agree with the last paragraph. It also means we'd lose a decent amount of revenue that we need to run the games how we want.
I do take slight exception to your Jedburgh comments Dave. I think you'll find I was driving behind you at the end, after I'd cooked for everyone and cleaned and emptied the barbecue and picked up all the waste and litter that was left behind.
As has been agreed I'm going to be looking for sites this year and as I've mentioned many times, I'm more than happy to take back the accounts, bookings and membership side of stuff as I always quite enjoyed that.
I'll be starting to look for sites in April. Assuming that we're going to have our first event of 2012 around March/April, I think any earlier would be pointless.
Props storage is an issue for me because space is limited and I did put myself forward to plan an event this year, but that was kinda brushed aside. I'm not particularly adept at prop making, but am perfectly happy to have a bash if anything needs doing.
For those very confused, Dave edited my post instead of quoting! 
Here's what I wrote:
I agree with the last paragraph. It also means we'd lose a decent amount of revenue that we need to run the games how we want.
I do take slight exception to your Jedburgh comments Dave. I think you'll find I was driving behind you at the end, after I'd cooked for everyone and cleaned and emptied the barbecue and picked up all the waste and litter that was left behind.
As has been agreed I'm going to be looking for sites this year and as I've mentioned many times, I'm more than happy to take back the accounts, bookings and membership side of stuff as I always quite enjoyed that.
I'll be starting to look for sites in April. Assuming that we're going to have our first event of 2012 around March/April, I think any earlier would be pointless.
Props storage is an issue for me because space is limited and I did put myself forward to plan an event this year, but that was kinda brushed aside. I'm not particularly adept at prop making, but am perfectly happy to have a bash if anything needs doing.
Thing is Dave, I do think there might be a bit of misrepresentation here. I also set up all the pyro for Devil's Hill and collected up all the remaining props at the end of the event.
Agreed, it's shit that you have to pack them all up into your car and store them, but I don't see a solution at the moment, other than what I've suggested in the past, which is to hire a lock up and rent a van for events, then we can share the burden.
Yes, sorry edited 
I said - Just an example dear boy, at Hauptmann I'm not running around like a blue arsed fly before the event, I'm going to dump all the props and you lot can set up the event!
I also set up all the pyro for Devil's Hill and collected up all the remaining props at the end of the event.
Yes, I know, I was with you.
Props are an issue for me too - I have a studio full of them and I have to cart the buggers around! Whether a van is hired or not (what a ball ache that will be) I will still have to do it.
This is beside the point of the thrust of Guy's post though, which is about bringing others in to help.
I also set up all the pyro for Devil's Hill and collected up all the remaining props at the end of the event.
Yes, I know, I was with you.
Props are an issue for me too - I have a studio full of them and I have to cart the buggers around! Whether a van is hired or not (what a ball ache that will be) I will still have to do it.
This is beside the point of the thrust of Guy's post though, which is about bringing others in to help.
Truth.
In that respect, I do think we cope ok to be honest.
