What would you like to see at an event??

Now you mention it I'd like to see some civillian activity in a game, would also like to try your idea of the real steal ammo limit

Most importanly I'd like to see a weekender closer to home

Roleplaying is always nice, not convinced it can be done in a military situation- tried it many times on the tabletop, but would give it a shot*.

A proper '24hr', like what Bastogne promised to start with, would get my interest.

Oh and of course anything not centring around the big three - but I have resigned that I will have to run those

*ironic wording as you need shooting to be not a big part of it.

Although I have never been to an airsoft event, I was in army cadets for a year and a half (left because I broke my ankle which made me fall behind) and I went on couple of field exercises and it was practically airsoft without the airsoft guns (I got a dummy rifle ) and I always enjoyed having to be alert for 24 hours non stop, so yeah that and civilians would add a touch more realism, you would have to look twice before you pulled the trigger (unless you were the nasty germans ). Maybe some more realistic capture rules too, like you could be a POW for the whole event if you were captured.

you would have to look twice before you pulled the trigger (unless you were the nasty germans )

I believe it was the nasty British Maj. Chomley-Warner who summarily executed all the civilians at Operation Lightning.

Interesting that people are asking for 24hr events. When we've tried to run them in the past the majority have objected.

killacommy wrote:

you would have to look twice before you pulled the trigger (unless you were the nasty germans )

I believe it was the nasty British Maj. Chomley-Warner who summarily executed all the civilians at Operation Lightning.

😯 I don't think I'll play as civilian then...

I really like the idea, a battle in pitch black would be really atmospheric, especially if there was some tracers in use

Two Midlands-based very low ammo limit games coming up this year (any lower and it wouldn't be airsoft!) one of which will have an entire side in 'civilian' attire.

But what would I like organised by others? Hmmm. The D-Day beach landing of 2007 was stunningly ambitious and unique and beyond the capabilities of 'hobby' organisers. An amphibious landing scenario would be gob-smacking (there is/was a suitable site but way down in the south-west). I like planning and recce scenarios and dislike scripted game plans.

props really bring things to life, maybe dead bodies (dummies) we could all stuff our spare kit to make them,my brit kit does nothing when im german ,it could be made into a corpse as set dressing,sand bags (could be polystyrene bead filled like a bean bag for easy transport). civilians would be good ,maybe people could volunteer to be a civie for an hour then get back in normal kit after or just slip off the webbing and put an overcoat over uniform .not really into the 24hr bit myself ,a job for the young me thinks but i hope those that want it can get a chance to enjoy it, it could be done by having a supply dump that needs sentry duty all night in shifts and the other side has to do a surprise attack, that way those not interested could be in a safe area and those keen could do sentry go all night.with more vehicles we need more anti vehicle weapons, watching the armored jeep get hit by the panzer shrek was so cool,maybe some form of mine or trip wire across the road connected to a smoke grenade ,that way armored vehicles would need infantry support to defuse mines.

Interesting that people are asking for 24hr events. When we've tried to run them in the past the majority have objected.

I didn't want to qualify my post, but 24hr without escape and evade would be what gets my interest.

How about a 24 hour regular infantry vs regular infantry, no paras, no elite divisions, just two infantry forces fighting for a town, beachhead or general area?

Not sure of the practicalities especially on bigger sites, but always thought some background sound effects going through the game may add some atmosphere, ie machine gun going, planes going over etc. Also maybe the use of bird scarers in areas to go off at set times to simulate artillery landing, but understand that would take some serious thought for safety reasons.

It's the practicalities and realities of 24hr that makes it almost impossible to do. Perhaps with proper rotation you could get around he lack of sleep issues, but with many people with long drives home it's just not really safe.

Also playing in the pitch black in a forest scenario is just too dangerous I'm afraid. It was fine in the tunnels at Drakelow as it was contained and the ground was even and predictable. As an organiser I don't want to be dealing with myriad injuries and lost folk.

I think '24 hr in the field' is probably closer to what I was thinking - like Jedburgh... just without the Jedburghs lol.

the driving thing for people is something I do appreciate,

edit: not that I would have a problem with another Jedburg with the Jeds included, just so long as I'm on the other side to them.

When I was in cadets, the only time we really moved significantly was at night and the only time someone was injured was in daylight because they were dicking about and twirling around with a fully loaded 40lb bergen on their back, lost their balance and broke their arm, but I can understand why you, as an organiser wouldn't want to take the risk.

Not sure of the practicalities especially on bigger sites, but always thought some background sound effects going through the game may add some atmosphere, ie machine gun going, planes going over etc. Also maybe the use of bird scarers in areas to go off at set times to simulate artillery landing, but understand that would take some serious thought for safety reasons.

That did add a lot to oddballs and portas games at the tunnels, those radios pumping out the recordings reminded me a lot of the atmospheric horror computer games like silent hill
the only things i would propose would be more defensive positions like fox holes or trenches as sometimes when your defending positions a bush and or tree does not really cover it and am sure i have seen plans on one of the re enactor forums for flat pack pill boxes and the like.
secondly just a little one like if there are containers to be moved maybe have them a bit more weighted to not make them an easy carry, i know it was in a bridge too far but one man and a drop canister

I think 'civilians' is a bit off track for most WWII battles.

You know those *miles* of columns of refugees you see in WWII footage... thats people getting out of warzones

Usually the civilian population voluntarily or is forcably removed from an area by the advancing army or if they think that there town is going to become a warzone.

You get 'civilians' in pacified rear areas (as in lightning) and if the advance has been so rapid as to catch the popualtion by surprise (re arnhem).

Even at Arnhem most the civilians either left the town or hid untill it was all over.

Having 'civilians' wandering about and having to be careful of your targets smacks a bit too much like modern operations to me (and bear in mind even in the falklands war population centres were evacuated before any fighting - there was outrage when three old ladies who refused to leave ther homes were killed by stray shellfire into an area that was *supposed* to be cleared.

Civilians in 'partisan warfare/ behind the lines game' yeah but its a bit silly in the sort of battles we usually do.

I's also like to see more pitch battles between line infantry forces but most people want to be elite underwater knife fighting ninjas and want 'airborne' or camo kit... you tend to find feldgrau and battledress appeal to people later on once they've gone through the 'head to toe in camo and dripping with knives' phase.

What I'd like to see:

More force on force games with single nation/regiment per side orbats
More one day events (while i love the social it tends to really damage any second days play... iv'e seen players still pissed by the time we're supposed to start the next day!)
A few more interesting but less famous battles, rather than trying to refight all of operation sealion with 20 blokes a side and rowing boat lets look at some historical battles for say a farmhouse, hamlet or crossroads that actually went on for a day.

But tbh i'm also not unhappy with how things are at the moment.

I think the rules are pretty much there for the games i usually play at. I'd personally rather *less* roleplay at battles. I'm happy to do larp at larp events like flying lead, wastelander, curious passtimes, maelstrom etc... I dont want to have to feel i have a 'character sheet' to have a WWII battle. I dont mind getting into the feel of the time but playing a part like a film character isnt for me in WWII battles, i'd rather channel my energy into coming up with a nifty battle plan and moving the squads into position.

The day battle idea does sound good, but i still like the idea of civvies but maybe that could be saved for invasion type games, surely the odd few can't hurt?

The day battle idea does sound good, but i still like the idea of civvies but maybe that could be saved for invasion type games, surely the odd few can't hurt?

The problem with civvies is that they usually just end up as a 'third side', that, due to the limitations of airsoft weaponry, are just as well armed as either of the other main combatants, and so can easily unbalance a game if not handled very carefully.