So, what do people want from an event, these days?

my personal deciders are as follows:

1. dates and free time .... school holidays and bank holidays are a big no no, due to having to look after the kids and spend time with the family. normal "term time" weekends are better for me

2. distance, 2 years ago id have gone anywhere, again due to time with the family, a single night away is the maximum id do now, and even then , not often, i find "day" games easier to get time of from the wife. (i do miss the socials due to this ). petrols costs dont come into it, just the travel time, 5 hours is maximum for me

3. kit, if ive got the kit ill go, ive got 3 or 4 SS outfits, a generic heer, panzer, resistance, and a basic russian outfit too.
i wont be getting dak, fj, or other specialist stuff anymore as i cant justify the cost.

4. id prefer the events where most of the sides look the same (like ariel and the recent dragoon game) , just adds more atmosphere in my opionion, but id still attend and event with a basic axis / allied theme, as long as the site was worth it.

5. urban or woodland, i like both

6. as a personal preferance id like to see more russian front games, it would give me a chance to play against the boche, i loved it at borzin loop, hearing familliar german voices and almost thinking i was on the same team. im not keen on USA kit, having done it when i first started out, brit kit would be ok, but not for a year or to yet

just my ideas, theres been some good one by others as well

With a player head on, then the distance and travel time are the major deciding factor for me. I'm only prepared to do the six hour treck up north once a year. I have a busy schedule locally and time commitment etc are the main factors in the decision for me. IMHO if CiA did a Jedburgh with a friday night social to begin the event in 2011, then that would be the game I'd put everything aside to attend.

Im with you on that one Jimbo. When I used to run larp weekends, the game started friday night and ended sunday at around 1pm. Social can happen on the friday with a place central to both sides, but their camps and tasks are seperate.

Jeds was the first ww2 game run that took my (player) fancy and NOT because it was 24hr, but the fact you were in the game from start to finish and could still get your head down without any pressure to stay up all bloody night I would love and be happy to run a side from the friday till the sunday.

These style of events are role-play plain and simple and im very at home with that

More germans. Seems that there are virtually none. Its all weel and good having shed loads of allied players but you can't have a game without and opposing force.

i think there are quite a few germans, just a lot of them seem to be busy/skint/away/other things at the moment.

devils hill booking is mostly germans at the moment

If possible, i'd like any organisers that post to put their 'player' head on, not their 'organiser' head.

With respect to the original post, maybe the mods would want to split this post, but can we look at the topic from an "Organiser's" point of view as well. As I've become very aware choosing the date for any proposed game is as important as the venue or scenario. Is there any way we can centalise proposed dates and maybe cross reference them with whatever big events in the non airsofting realm occur. For example there's no point in trying to run a game when the War and Peace show is on, nobody would show. Likewise those of us independant to CiA really dont want to try and organise a game that could clash with a future Cia / Gunman / PBI or whatever.
I appreciate we still have only a limited number of players available and distance is the major problem for most, I just wondered if we coul pool our info it could help make plannimg for events easier.

From a forum POV we take a view that dates can't be 'reserved' or 'pencilled in' otherwise the calendar would be chock a block will aspirations or pie in the sky propositions or slot squatters. Organisers don't get a forum slot until they can provide a fully worked out plan (outline scenario, date, venue, cost) - the same for CiA as anyone else. Its also first come, first served - so the further ahead you can plan a game the more choice you have for a clear month or the date of your choice.

None of this prevents anyone running a game whenever they want - short notice, on a date of another game, on the date of an external significant happening - but if organisers are, errr.., organised then this shouldn't happen. I can tell you CiA are planning four games next year but I genuinely say I have absolutely no idea when. When a plan comes together and an event is a solid goer it goes up on the calendar, same as anyone else!

That said, one of the the main 'competition' factors are reenactment/big airsoft events so I will have a word with the moderating team about a stickied calendar to be placed on the forum and ask that moderators keep it up to date for reference.

Our main battle months are March and November with a summer game somewhere in the middle (summer) I have NO asperations to run more than 3 major events a year in ww2 The smaller games with 20+ players ill slot in anywhere I can as they are normally sold out before we've even started. An organisers forum would be a great idea, where we can share ideas, props and make not clash with dates.

back on topic, I still want to play a german sub commander! had the beard and kit for 2 years now

che is the finest ginger sub commander I know

Plus, Che is the only person we know who can do the full haven't-washed-for-8-weeks/Das-Boot look to perfection

I think the key thing for me is:

1. Less of a stance on historical accuracy. Both in scenerio, and kit. Maybe run atleast 2 games where its all about getting people playing and interested. Especially after a tough year financially.

2. More Urban games!! - I've attended 2 (longmoor & Sennybridge) and they've been the best games for me.

3. US marine based scenario - If the Jap kit becomes available for the european sized person.

I think the key thing for me is:

1. Less of a stance on historical accuracy. Both in scenerio, and kit. Maybe run atleast 2 games where its all about getting people playing and interested. Especially after a tough year financially.

...which is the crux of the idea behind Operation Sealion.

3. US marine based scenario - If the Jap kit becomes available for the european sized person.

Japanese kit is available for European sized people; try Hiki shop on ebay. I'm 6' and mine fits me perfectly; even larger sizes are avilable.You could get kitted out for around £50-£100, including postage.

Ultimately, the problem I had with the CBI game was finding enough Allies - between providing rental kit and outside bookings, I would have had around 7 Japanese players; if I had of advertised the game earlier, maybe up to 15-25. The key as far as Pacific/far east airsoft goes is going to be getting the re-enactment groups involved; I don't think the support within the airsoft community is large enough at this point to have a balanced game.
-Matt

I think you're right about getting re-enactors involved with airsoft. I'm hoping that Sealion will also help with this. Everyone tells me that airsofters and re-enactors dont mix, yet on the Saturday night in the beer tent I bet we find that we are all like minded people. At the Range we have had a lot of enquiries from re-enactors who are thrilled with the idea of airsoft, not having heard of it!
I believe there is good scope for recruitment there. One of my new airsofters at Ford has been a target shooter for years but has now really got the bug, got the loadout and playing his first game at Sealion. Not bad for a 60 year old guy!

If we are discussing potential sources of new players.

Re-enactors are one market. They have the kit and may have the urging.

Current airsofters (modern and 'muck about' players) are another. Games where the sides are very easily discerned at a glance, the scenarios are usually a bit more advanced that most, and the high quality of sportsmanship I've seen at the games I have been to (I have never heard the cry of "take your hits" at a WW2 game) must all be selling points to the them.

I'm trying to convince some larpers I know to come and visit us at sealion to see if I can infect them with the bug (they are nearish the Worthing EAG site as well) I can see them enjoying the more advanced scenario design and the playing to "types" (though knowing them, they will likely come as the "two types" or "Willie and Joe"!).

What do I want from a game?

A day or two of escapism and the teamwork and shouting I suppose.

We've been to games organised by just about everyone and they've all been fun. A large amount is what you bring to it yourself I think.

However, distance is a factor and the Dukla Pass game, at about a 5 hour trip, was just too far for me. We do car share every time but can't driver share because my car is a company car. So I do all the driving. It's the same for the upcoming CiA game, again in Wakefield. We had to draw the line somewhere and it's somewhere between Matlock and Wakefield I'm afraid. So this is the first CiA we won't be at.

We would have done Sealion but unfortunately it clashes with a family wedding.

I hope Mikoyan gives the Jap game another go maybe next year - I was just trying to sort us out a couple of caps and we'd have been good to go for that - I even have a (wooden) katana!

Next game for us is looking like Gunman's Op Shingle.

Where abouts do you live Barrie? I thought you were in Essex? Surely it can't be a 5hr trip to Wakefield from there?

The distnace thing for Dukla has been noted so a change of venue is likely for any future replacement. When ever that may be......