How was it ? - Post Your Comments Here

I think the support gun thing needs a proper squad command structure to work properly.

This means regular people in the squad and practice, like the PBI and Kamfgruppe are trying to do.
The reason I say this is I have had a go at support gunning and generally you get no No2 or protection fro the rest of the squad and the commander forgets you are carrying lots more weight and expects you to wander up hill and down dale randomly. There is then no thought to firing position so you just get shot in the bum!

So it is a lonely hard job. I think this will change at the PBI games.

That said, I brought a dodgy pseudo one and Del had the MG42 so that was two but they were positioned by the mortar to support the crossing point assault.

I don't know why we didn't manage to get across, I just think we couldn't erode the numbers quickly enough?

OH GOD!!!!! almost forgot about pete 59s bog snorkelling lol, come on pete lets hear the full story

The site is very confusing it must be said. That's one of the reasons for the German recce and Allied patrolling - to get a grip on what is where. It took me three site visits! Blaggers and Webby knew the lay of the land so the was a little bit of help there. So I can say with complete conviction that base 2 (that the Germans eventually used as their HQ) was unoccupied until you cleared the bunker closest to the road. I saw the Germans wandering too far out an buzzed Guy who wheeled you round so that your extended line enveloped our first base. When the Brits had re-grouped on base 2 we had a very long wait (chaps kept very quiet and still ) only to have the Germans cross backwards and forwards in front of us, then turn and walk straight into our guns. Bloody big Union Flag up too!

OK, how to get over the river. I had a cheer when walking back from fraternising with the enemy and saw Pete, Stu and Andy hugging the Allied side of the river bank having waded through it. Top marks for ingenuity, all the better as I had pulled all men I could find off the river to concentrate on the bridge below German HQ and there was only one sniper whose arc of fire could have reached you, and he was looking the wrong way. So, the easy way? There were three ways of crossing the river (four if you went through it!) The bridge below the HQ had that fearsome bog in front of it - very hard to get men across fast. Further down there is a fallen tree - again, crossing would be very slow going. The bridge at the sluice (nearest the road) had the German advantage of high ground enabling a huge amount of covering fire, easy route down to the crossing, miles from the Allied regen (at Allied HQ - a long walk to regen or reload) and if there were any Allies there couldn't have been more than eight. Right, three men at German HQ make a lot of distraction noise - chuck pyro out, dry fire guns if necessary! Back at the other crossing suppress the few enemy and pile men across who leg it in an extended line following the line of the road wall. Then turn into the site and sweep through in an extended line, coming across dumps as you went.

And yes, training at the last Hohenstaufen training day was partly using the MG to suppress, while flanking infantry take out the enemy - and I fully expected this to happen in game
Of course MGs are heavy but they give you a fearsome advantage. No question teamwork and mutual support is required, but that's what it's all about?

Thanks for the comments so far esp. Pete's breakdown (loved his description of 9th SS assaulted the Brit position, under covering fire from the MG42's. 'The CP was quickly taken with small arms and grenades under heavy fire with only light casualties to report'. Ahem - it was completely unoccupied, all the Brits being dug in at the other base!)

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Lies herr chommley .

i personally gave you quater of a magazine to the side of the beret, in that 1st attack, unless someone else has a twin cap badge beret

Don't exaggerate.... we only had 24

Ah yes, commaders don't count!

you did count in my scorebook

'Tis true - at the first Brit base, second base was at a distance and as said, unoccupied! I counted them all in and I counted them all out!

Just to reinforce your orientation: Brits were dug in (literally ) at the first base. (This is the one nearest the road). We had two sappers forward laying trip mines - who were the first to be bumped. Adjacent was our sniper, everyone else at the bunker. When you had cleared the bunker we all convened on bunker 2 (which eventually became your HQ). If the 9th had shot anyone at base 2 it was those dead from the first bunker assault (as they were regenning there). If so, 9th SS were very late into the battle!

I had a great time, wheres the 2009 calendar, can we do it again soon?

a lot of boasting about captureing the mortar......................

as for the allies attacking the mortar pit, heres the truth of it

there were 4 of us on the hill

2 mg gunners and 2 squad medics (kermit was also unarmed)

as squad medic , all i had to do was sit in the mg 42 nest with del and keep regenning him.

after medicing him twice, i decided to play fair and come out of the bunker to give the allies a chance,

the result, i slipped in some mud and rolled halfway down the hill in to a storm of bb fire and die.

all i did after that was film the allied assault , (VID TO FOLLOW)

kermit also played "in the spirit of the game" and didnt keep fixing our mg gunner from cover, he walked about allowing for a chance to be hit

if we had gone down the "win at all costs" game the game route, the allies WOULD NOT have captured the mortar.
in the spirit of the game we role played our parts (i even fell when hit whenever i got shot, even in the mud) and kept it as real as we could. so as not to turn the game into another and frustrating open day fruitless assault against teflon bunkers

...............................................................

in the first hour i kept assaulting, and as squad medic was wasting my medic ability be just being another troop

as the day wore on i tried to medic more and stay back

i enjoyed the day immensly, but experienced the same difficultys as everone else

my mp 40 Jammed up 10 mins b4 final assault, but i pegged an american by the river with my springer pistol at 40m respect for taking the hit mate, whoever you were,
before crossing the river and dieing for the last time, (again falling when hit, right in to a bog)

That dramatic death was hollywood, wish we'd video'd it

told you we let you have the mortar

And yes, training at the last Hohenstaufen training day was partly using the MG to suppress, while flanking infantry take out the enemy - and I fully expected this to happen in game Of course MGs are heavy but they give you a fearsome advantage. No question teamwork and mutual support is required, but that's what it's all about?

Only at the first attack did we have the luxury of a full squad, for starters.

Ah the truth Anthony! Truth is Germans were struggling to cross the river so I pulled all allies over to the boggy bridge under the pretext that intelligence said you were massing an assault there. Then I stood by the sluice bridge and ushered a long column of Germans across and guided them to the extended line plan I outlined above.

Meanwhile Headshot put in an order for the mortar to be taken - 30 vs 4, the outcome was inevitable. But, while the mortar was a huge amount of fun it wasn't of great use tactically and the Allies were horrified to find out that while all this manpower had gone into getting the mortar the bulk of the Axis was now behind them and worse, had reached their HQ!

OK, it was a bodge but the Germans were storming now, and so, cock a hoop, entertained themselves probing their prisoner. I don't think Taffy was complaining.

airsoft snipers would/should have been handy. The scope means they could spot targets fairly well, unless the trees and foliage got in the way.

How did the mortar work? was it like using bbs or a nerf ball? ( a nerf ball is like an american football with a fin on the back like a mortar round, and makes a whistling sound as it flies through the air) but i suppose they arnt exactly cheap though.

Rob

Only at the first attack did we have the luxury of a full squad, for starters.

Any reason you couldn't have had a 'full squad' all day?

Yes, there were snipers there but anyone with a gas gun wouldn't have had a hope, springers only at that temperature!

Mortars launch a pyro on a timed fuse and so explodes with a bang once landed, no BBs (get the trajectory wrong and you get a useless airburst).

I'm not going into the mechanics of how it works - and I should know, i built the damn thing LOL, but i'll say the following.

1: Using pyro to fire BB's out of a rather large tube = A Very Bad Idea i.e illegal
2: Using pyro to propel a Nerf Football/Howler = Illegal, (stabilised projectile = 1968 Firearms Act, Section V)

Suffice it to say, what we use is legal for the purposes, and the mortar rounds are designed by the manufacturer to confirm to all legislation.

On another note.....

Who was the Yank in the stream? The one whose helmet ended nicely full of water, and when he put it back on his head had to endure a nice refreshing bath........

Who was the Yank in the stream? The one whose helmet ended nicely full of water, and when he put it back on his head had to endure a nice refreshing bath........

I think that was Lipton

Well I had a fantastic day, well done once again to the CiA organisers and thanks to the F&O guys for a hot lunch, it was very welcome. All in all, an excellent day's gaming. The first hour was hard - bumped when I was changing my boots, my rifle packed in after 3 shots in the first engagement, and then I was the only one of our platoon to go nut deep in the big bog by the bridge. After that I was moving around alot so a soaking wet leg didn't bother me at all (and once I heard about Pete's accident I counted myself lucky.) and Yith lent me his MP40 which was just so much fun. I might get myself one for christmas.

I thought we (the Brits) worked really well tactically as a squad most of the time with excellent fire and movement, it was good to be able to tell someone to cover you and actually get some covering fire, and it was good to lay down some fire, shout "go" and see the other guys make use of it.

"it should have been fairly easy to deplete Allied numbers by death and running out of ammo and then make use of the MGs in the nest to give covering fire as you massed across the bridge"
It was a careful three or four minute job single file pulling each foot out as you went to get to the bridge from the MG nest there was no way of massing across the bridge.
Anyway the secret plan was to keep the brits and yanks interested in the mortar so when you took it there was only 4 of us firing back at you and we had used most of the ammo .It was serious fun at this point trying to hold back the massed assault though.
Having been to this site before it did seem like we only used 1/3 of it what happened to 137 acres? I know this was because of the lack of bridges and scenario needing the rivers but I agree the whole recci thing was very difficult I was in the center group that got the furthest forward and we did hold our fire for a long time whilst sneaking forward .
The difficulty comes when there are three separate groups of allies all within sight ,they didn't know we were there for 10 minutes but how are are u supposed to go anywhere else .
This is not meant to be a slag off secession i found it challenging but wished i was wearing my ghilly and on my own might of had a chance .
"a concerted German effort to breach the river at the sluice crossing would have been easy-peasy. MG support would have made all the difference for covering steam crossings!"
Well I tried twice and it only took 4 allies to hold of around 15 of us as they had all the cover and as we took one out they got medicated behind the cover and were back at us .
Glad we were allowed to walk get over by allied command as they were allowed to have the mortar. (not sure if that was a direct swap between commanders)

"3: When you get pinged let the rest of your team know where the sods are! (yup, another excuse to get shouty )"
You are not supposed to do that as far as i know when your hit ?

One thing about being dead and having a regen very close by as in at the bridge is that you can't be jumping up in the putting hands up and waving a 10 ft flag (saying I am dead in the regen reloading and it's the same regen it has been for the last 20 minutes)as i think some of the allies needed to know ,AND be reloading .
Maybe this could have been remedied to some extent if the flags had been used in the afternoon or we had some idea what to do when over run and ready to regen as happened at the bridge .
There were 3-4 of us all ready to fight but just had to stand there and let the place be over run as we can't just start shooting and dropping piros in the middle of the all those guys who like shooting dead players .
But we could have been straight back at them in minutes if we had known were to regen instead of it just being stop the game time .
I found this to be frustrating at the mortar capture we were told to not regen and let them take it when we could have put in an admittedly feeble counter attack .
I was getting a bit worked up about the fact that we were letting them walk away with it as well till it was explained that it was part of the plan we could have just hosed the lot of you .Though it was a nice assault to be on the receiving end of .

"airsoft snipers would/should have been handy. The scope means they could spot targets fairly well, unless the trees and foliage got in the way."
I took mine and got some amazing kills I had not realized I had that sort of range it just seemed to all come together with my sniper when I used it ,however i do like being at the front when there is an attack to be had so I ditched it after lunch .

I have been to 4 ww2 events now and have to say that having served with PBI and seen just how well team work can work . I did not experience this much on the German side (this time) i was surprised not to be put into a squad and told who the squad leaders were etc as far as i know it was just " play in your groups of mates " that was my biggest disappointment of the event .
The last time i was a German at matlock F&O same time last year we were put into squads and had an idea about who was leading etc.
I find that that is the main reason I like to do mil sim and ww2 events but thought I had better not say anything at the time as it was a bit late advancing on our first contact .
One major criticism I have is that why bother with the safety/game brief if you are only going to talk to 1/3 of the players .I know I do not have the best hearing and I made sure i was near the front well 10 ft away but I was straining to here and there were people 25ft away who probably could not even see lips moving ,I remember thinking at the time surly you want to either stand in the middle of everybody or up higher not just up by the admin landy .It just seemed a bit pointless and most of the people behind me were talking after the first minute .
I know there were some noobs there and I have no idea if they herd you at all not everyone there is an avid internet junky like us lot and had read everything to be read about this event.

One think I experienced very recently at operation pheonix 2 at senny bridge was extremely coordinated command structures (not easy without radios ) and the best thing that might make CIA games much better was getting the TLSFX piro team in with military piros they were the best i have ever experienced and actually sounded like (how i imagine) artillery /airstrikes to sound, probably not possible at most sites.

Sorry to make it seem like my post is all about quoting others then adding my opinions i absolutely loved it and had an amazing day worth all the expense and driving etc .
Will get my pics posted tomorrow including the pete bog fairy ones

1. Good game - thanks to all involved as usual.

2. There really was quite literally no room in the car for the bren AND Pete's gunshop. Otherwise I would have brought it and gladly lent it to Yith/A.N.Other . In fact, I've been on the lookout for someone to shoot it for ages with me being just the no.2. Maybe next time.

3. Regarding the allies not being in character and just abandoning our defensive positions and attacking all the time - at no point were we told to just sit on a position. Our orders (Baker squad at least) were to do roving patrols around the fuel dumps. We didn't fire a single shot all morning because we kept to our orders, didn't engage, and reported back to hq. The only action we saw was shortly before lunch when we just happened to bump into and join in the surrounding and soundly trouncing of a large german patrol.

4. Likewise just after lunch - three of us patrolled down past some fuel dumps and towards the river but then saw 12 germans approaching the crossing point. We weren't dug in but just went to ground before you saw us. Another brit patrol then turned up just in time and started shooting so we joined in and the germans fell back, leaving several casualties. After that action we returned to HQ to report and for further orders.

5. It did then go static and we were all directed to one spot to get the game going - no problem with that.

6. Regarding the moaning about thompsons outranging mp40s, don't forget the germans had a long hot summer enjoying the advantages of k98s and we didn't whinge one bit, at all, ever when we were on the receiving end. It's all swings and roundabouts, I am constantly frustrated by the range of my M14 which always seems to be just that little bit worse than the chap firing back at me! (our M14s were on single shot throughout).

7. I said after the game, and during it, I thought it was a very tough scenario for the germans to be attacking all day and hats off to you all for keeping at it.

well after reading the 6 pages, the qustion stands did you enjoy it? looks like the the germans had a tough time(but thats what we do, fight against the odds), seen to me that the cold and terrain were against us and fair play to all who took part and remember the summer is coming. Sorry for jumping in, slightly pissed as it me and the other half anniversity. still would have love to be there, but the MP 40 does lack range.