Well done jerries, great victory.
As far as I could see it was pretty much even-stevens by lunchtime (I'll tot up all the intel I have tonight) but we were well and truly on the back foot all afternoon.
Our 1IC then decided to relieve himself of command and control duties so, having finally got to our CP, intel was stashed and a plan formulated. Webby had the notion that the room he had found in the morning with radio-active stickers all over it was a likely location for the xerum - seemed a plan! Search parties were sent out to prove the theory but just as they were leaving the room out CP came under immediate attack. Shit! Our some of the searchers went, others were pulled back to defend out intel. It took a while to get flankers out to dispose of the trouble makers then push out our defence to choke points since our CP was vulnerable to attack from five ways. Once the CP was locked down I sat tight waiting for search parties to come back saying they had found the location. And I waited. Returning parties reported heavy enemy fire from the routes to our target point. Again and again parties were sent out to no avail.
Eventually a scientist was brought back - hoorah, some progress. And I waited. Then a second scientist was brought in. Great! We now had two scientists - the xerum even if found by jerry couldn't be removed. Progress at last.
Now we were strongly defending intel and two scientists, no way for the enemy to get them.
And I waited.
With time ticking on I thought SOD IT and I grabbed both scientists and we ran off at all speed towards the supposed site of the xerum using the site knowledge of one of the scientists. Left then second right. Down past two entrances and next left. Firefight in progress, double back. Picked up allies en route who secured corners and provided rear guard. Scientist's direction were spot on - into the room we went, entrance and corners defended while we searched the room. And searched. Feck, where the hell are they? In desperation I even looked in little lockers knowing full well they were large 25 litre containers and the SHOULD have been it that room. Bloody jerries - they have swiped the xerum without two scientists! I was livid. The the penny dropped with Yith. He interrogated one scientist - have YOU been in this room before with the Germans? No was the answer. Question repeated to the second scientist. YES came the answer. Shit, shit, shit. The Germans HAD beaten us to it - ages ago.
Knowing it was futile even trying to reach their CP as access was so restricted up that end there was nothing else for it but to try and reach the control room which was swarming with enemy. That mezzanine floor is deadly once its defended from upstairs and a barrage of grenades from the Germans (with Allied stocks non-existent by this time) meant that kicking jerry out was going to be bloody battle and a half. To be honest when the enemy destroyed their own control room it came as something of a relief!
Bloody Fantastic game! Loved every second 
.
Wotan ranked as my all time fav WW2 Game and this one topped it! Big thanks to CiA, Andy and the UCAP team and of course all the players. superb game play from everyone all day long
The Red/No lighting really added to the tension and atmosphere and made for lots of great sneeky beakyness on both sides.
Having nearly every player helmeted was also great and really help identify friend or foe in the murky half-light. I was really glad to have my helmet on as I whacked my head on the roof and walls on numerous occasions.
Search parties were sent out to prove the theory but just as they were leaving the room out CP came under immediate attack. Shit! Our some of the searchers went, others were pulled back to defend out intel. It took a while to get flankers out to dispose of the trouble makers then push out our defence to choke points since our CP was vulnerable to attack from five ways.
Haha, great to hear our little 3 man advanced raiding party (shellshokt, Bosh and me) cause you so much trouble. It took a long time for Yith to finally bring the expected attack on our rear and we were really unlucky that the lights came on just at the wrong moment for us and made us easy targets. We heard you coming for a while, its hard not to walk into those barrels in the dark isn't it? 
My Ghey-est moment was when I heard a "clonk" on the floor by my feet, and though Sh*t, grenade! So I kicked it hard across the room and darted behind some cover. After the "grenade" failed to go off, I then realised that the "clonk" was actually my mp40 mag which had falling out of my gun, and I had just sent it flying across the floor in several pieces! 
. R.I.P one mp40 mag 
“I wanted to come to the Volga at a specific location at a specific city. By chance it carries the name of Stalin himself. So don’t think I marched there for this reason – it could carry another name – but because there is a very important goal... this goal I wanted to take – and you know – we are very modest, we have it already."
Adolf Hitler, November 1942
"Comrades, Red Army men, commanders and political workers, men and women guerrillas! It is on your perseverance, staunchness, fighting skill and readiness to discharge your duty to the country that the defeat of the German-fascist army and the liberation of the Soviet land from the Hitlerite invaders depend! We can and must clear the Soviet land of Hitlerite vermin."
Joseph Stalin, November 1942
That mezzanine floor is deadly once its defended from upstairs and a barrage of grenades from the Germans (with Allied stocks non-existent by this time) meant that kicking jerry out was going to be bloody battle and a half.
I was soooo glad I'd saved some grenades for the last few minutes, as I was out of ammo! The mez' was a great platform to lob them from and, even in pitch black, I knew I was finding my mark by the constant cries of "medic" and "stretcher bearer" (plus the odd cry of "sani" 
). There was only myself, Stu and Guy up there but, like C-W says, it was a great defensive position.
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
I knew I was finding my mark by the constant cries of "medic" and "stretcher bearer" (plus the odd cry of "sani"
One day, I will actually see the Mez. I've never got in there in either game yet. 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
It wasn't there when we did Wotan!
Great game, I got a few good kills with my pistol including a very well aimed shot in virtual darkness, I could see a German head silhouette in the dark peering round the corner, the only lighting at this point was a red light somewhere behind the German, it was virtually pitch black, distance about 30 meters, as the head peered round the corner I took a shot & missed, a few seconds later the head reappeared around thaw corner again, bang, missed again, my front & rear sights where perfectly silhouetted against the corner of the wall & the position where the head was appearing being lit with a faint glow, once again the head appeared, bang... "hit", as I slowly raised up from behind the oil drum in true US style I got shot in the back by one of my own team, another blue on blue by the allies....
Steve.D
Excellent fun as usual!
Great work by the Germans who followed orders to the letter and collected plenty of intel in the morning.
Whilst aggression was lacking a little in the morning, it was more than made up for in the afternoon when they hammered the Allies as hard as they could.
There was a particularly good charge down past the laboratory where they picked up the second scientist and grabbed the Xerum. Unfortunately I was out of the game when this happened because my gun had broken. (Thanks to Sgt Ash for the offer of a replacement!)
I was firm with the way I wanted the Germans to play and gave specific orders which were followed to the letter. Nice work fellas.
Whilst I'm at it, many thanks to Steiner and Kermit for kit loan and to Chommers for driving! Also thanks to the other CiA organisers as usual.
Big thumbs-up to Andy and the UCAP guys for being perfect hosts. Great site you have there!!
Whilst aggression was lacking a little in the morning, it was more than made up for in the afternoon
That equates to the best moment / worst moment scenarios for me.
Worst moment: being part of a squad who were heavily pinned down in the map room about 11.am. BBs pinging off everything and stitching anyone who moved. HS (from the safety of the mezzanine) shouting "Come on Germans, let's see some aggression" and me muttering to myself "that's easy for you to say, you're up there and we're down here".
Best moment: Waiting for the Allied assault on our CP before endex. Almost no light at all, mind playing tricks on you and The Fear slowly rising, knowing that it's all going to kick off very soon. Cue: Old 'un strolling along with no attempt at concealment in Lt Col. Kilgore Apocalypse Now style, muttering "this all looks OK" . Alright, maybe it's a bit of a best moment, but for me it represented the kind of cameraderie that makes CIA games the best in the bid'ness.
Top marks to everyone involved.
Worst moment: being part of a squad who were heavily pinned down in the map room about 11.am. BBs pinging off everything and stitching anyone who moved. HS (from the safety of the mezzanine) shouting "Come on Germans, let's see some aggression" and me muttering to myself "that's easy for you to say, you're up there and we're down here".
Yes, well....shortly after that I found out that the mezzanine isn't a nice place to be when A Feck Load of Allies pile into the room where your defending forces used to be!
Allies recovered:
8 blueprints
2 letters
4 diary note pages
The boffins at Bletchly have decoded two messages as 'Guy loves the beer' and 'xxxxxx is a cock'
Clearly juveniles time wasting in the research lab office and of no miltary importance!
Foooooooking mint still trying to dry out the poo in my shorts great game, top players,
heres some photos i took with my mobile so not that good .
[attachment=1]P260409_15.21[01].JPG[/attachment]
few more
[attachment=0]P260409_15.34[02].JPG[/attachment]
Nice pics just proves how dark it was
Great pix. The first one is especially good.
First pic is great - it even has one of your spooky orbs Gaz! or is it just a torch?
Allies recovered:
8 blueprints
2 letters
4 diary note pagesThe boffins at Bletchly have decoded two messages as 'Guy loves the beer' and 'xxxxxx is a cock'
Clearly juveniles time wasting in the research lab office and of no miltary importance!
I think from memory, Guy said we'd got 16 pieces of useful intel by lunchtime, but you'll have to get him to confirm that.
I didn't find any of them! 
First pic is great - it even has one of your spooky orbs Gaz! or is it just a torch?
who ya going to call
Dunno what all the fuss about the dark is , I was on my own for vast times of it, though that could be seen as an improvement to some . I was actually surprised how quickly I remembered the directions/set up of most of the tunnels from our last visit, seeing as I wasn't even issued a map 
and left the torch in the car .
Had some great moments watching peoples faces when they found me, having not realised I was there at all (I think I got bored after 30 mins alone and then started to allow myself to be captured by bimbling very riskily close and then hiding say in the tunnel space. Next to the crates I was before I was found (after what felt like forever) there was a visit from the blaggers who were so close I could have put the frightners on them as they didn't know I was there. Daren't tell them I was cos I think a) they were lost and b)going back to regen (both options judged from their conversations), but they were completely oblivious having stood mm away from me and said oooh its a dead end 'ere and then turned around and left. They did the same in the locker room on the afternoon but were too scared to investigate and I was sat desperately trying not to giggle at their comments of "noone would hide in there" At the crates when I was found, the first person to check where I was tucked away shone a torch on me and saw nothing, then proceeded to move and nearly stand on me and check the crates. It was only when the second person checked and saw me, then walked back around and said theres a body around the crates did they investigate dunno what they were expecting
Comedy moment was being captured by webby, then recaptured by UCAP andy, to be then recaptured by the brits sadly the amusing novelty wore off quickly as Che proved his navigational skills were on par (having had the journey downs escapades) by completely having no idea where he was, where he was going or what direction the cp was in fancy trusting him with a prisoner
Other than that it was the merry dance to get the xerum with C-W, mildly amusing when the penny dropped oh
Was very novel not playing and there were times I had to stop myself following the Germans about (mainly as they'd have captured me ).
I think from memory, Guy said we'd got 16 pieces of useful intel by lunchtime, but you'll have to get him to confirm that.
Cool, strictly speaking I listed the intel I had - no idea what my 1IC had!
