So, what was your take on the day?
I had a really enjoyable day it has to be said - the players were well known to me and played the part well. As a way to spend a sunny Sunday I'd give it top marks.
However, as a realistic military exercise it failed for me big time. The half hour/hour 'games' as Gadge repeatedly called them were just that - games. All suspense of disbelief for me is lost when the action stops. Ive said it before but really this was just like Gucci's open days of old when he had an overall plan which he then adapted (on the fly, not preprepared) as the day progressed. This made the whole open day a continuous story rather han a collection of scenarios.
But, the real killer for me was the partisans thing. At times it was hilariously funny and everyone was falling about laughing - hmm, not very mil/film-sim. At one point Stephen was babbling away to me in a fantastic characterisation that I was so taken aback (my mind really was on controlling a squad of men and winning our objective) that I was completely dumbstruck! In the end though the partisan thing just got in the way and was a complete distraction. It didn't help that their characters changed game by game so there was no continuity of who could be trusted plus the fact that I was shot more by partisans than Jerry. One partisan (site marshal) who I searched and rather than stick my hands in his pockets told him that he was now disarmed walked away then turned and shot me which was very 
. In the second to last game my instructions to my squad was to shoot the partisans on site 'cos they were being a complete PITA. In the last game it backfired as we lost the political battle and hearts and minds and all the partisans joined the Germans which made our extraction to the boats impossible. Heh, much carnage!
Very similar thoughts on this. Playing a partisan was fun, but very frustrating at times. I got searched several times but each time they missed one of my knives or guns so I managed to get away with it.
The short game style killed it for me. No continuity, FAR too long between games and not enough clarity of the objectives to make it tactically possible to do anything. The reason I came walking up to you babbling away (then having a massive 'argument' with a fellow Slav) was because there was nowt else to do!
I thought the games and resources were very well thought out and Nige's sentry boxes were brill though.
If they used this style of play and added a little consistency to the characterisation and didn't stop every half an hour, it would have been much more immersive.
One other thing. I thought the site was cack. Far too much open ground at this time of year meaning we ended up playing in the same few acres all day. In summer, with leaves on the countless trees, it would be really intense to patrol around trying to find the enemy; as it was you could see them wondering around all the time.
S
LOL so ....
CiA ....
original and best ! 
One thing it has confirmed for me. There's no doubt that we can up the ante on the role playing and kit.
Also, it might be worth looking in to our medic rules to make 'dying' a much more costly thing.....could we adjust so that dead players are out for 20 mins for example?
Did think 300 round wasn't quite enough. If you got into an intense firefight it took a 1/4 of that to get someone to acknowledge the hit from an MP or SMG. Rifles really benefitted from that though.
Hmmm, it seems most people liked the way it played out.
Makes me think that people prefer the shorter games like an open day.
Funny thing is, so many people have said things like the game required more thought and was more cerebral and that they got a lot more action. Seems people really don't understand the thinking behind our games.
TBH, I thought Op Lightning was much more prescribed and restrictive than our games. People are clearly wanting more of a 'SISK' compared to a game where you are in the field all day having to hump kit around and think about where you are going and what you are doing. 
True - players say they want want one thing but the actual reality is quite the opposite!
Short games suit unfit airsofters, no doubt about it. A bit of action then a rest and natter. Even on such a small site they were huffing and puffing just running across a field.
I didn't feel for one minute I was in Yugoslavia or I was fighting for my life or to save my mates lives so that was a big downer (but then I knew that anyway). That said, for the first time for ages I was playing to win rather than being concerned about how the other side was doing or whether players were bored etc. Which was nice!
I think if PBI games are 'proper kits & squads in an airsoft game' then that is well and good. It will differentiate between Gunman 'wear what you like & bugger history' and our 'tough & gritty battles - knobs, noobs or gays need not apply'.
Funny, that's exactly what I said (albeit in a more diplomatic manner) to someone on Saturday night. I was drunk, so forget who. Think it was Scaley and Del.
They agreed that the variety was great.
