Some thank you's

Thanks for a fully awesome weekend, especially to Pete for rolling with the changes and pulling out all he could to keep us SAS in the game. In no particular order, I have ticked off a number of childhood fantasies, including, but not limited to...

Ambushing a German patrol car on a lonely pine wooded road

Driving through an enemy camp on the back of a jeep, thompson blazing, hurling grenades and insults

Sleeping "rough"(ish) behind enemy lines with only a small band of comrades and some animal cunning to hide us from the enemy

Diving off the road at the sound of a nearby engine only to have 2 German patrol cars drive past as our squad cowered in fear behind almost no cover, waiting for the fateful cry of "Achtung. Halt !"

Hurling grenades into a (already destroyed) radar station

and last but not least, cutting thethroat of a captured SS officer. Which to be fair, probably wasn't a boyhood dream, but was jolly good fun all the same

100 rounds fired. 3 grenades thrown. 1 Fairburn Sykes bloodied. An event that rates easily in my top 3 ever, and that's a big compliment in almost 20 years of LARP, airsoft and reenactment. Oh, and I'm fitter than I realised.

Had a fantastic weekend, been three years since I last did a CIA event and had completely forgotten what it was like! Everything ran well and worked (especially the interrogations, that made me smile a little bit!) and summed up for me what these events are all about; a group of like minded individuals who are all out to enjoy the scenarios, work with the terrain and just have a bloody good laugh.

Big thanks to the organisers for pulling it all together, to the squad leaders for keeping us all in order, also a huge cheers to dave and the lads for sorting out the grub Sat night and the breakfast Sunday morning, I think that bacon and egg sarnie will keep me going for a while yet!

See you all at the next event.

Been reading with interest all this talk of a German Ambush on the patrolling Jeds when it was actually 3 of us that had got split from our patrol, were lost and looking for a way to cross the river. The moving jeds without realising it were silhouetting themselves walking along the fence line. We were in dark woods and the bright field to the side of them meant that the dark moving shapes made a good target. Thinking that Jeds were in small groups we engaged them, but were soon overrun by the rest of the group. 3 Bolties against 5 semi autos, we didn't stand a chance. I had just been mediced when I recieved more fire and that was the end of that. Good battle but certainly no Ambush.

but the contact was taken as an ambush as you were all in the woods and we had no idea how many of you there were or any idea if we had cut off groups in front of us and follow ups behind.
All i saw was incoming fire, me and head shot shouting a lot then throwing smokes and legging it.
It actually worked really well for the germans as it pretty much ruined the jeds night time plans with the SAS, not to mention the following mornings attack.
We decided to walk the outskirts along the fence at great risk because the terrain elsewhere was just too harsh for us with all the kit, all of us were suffering at the point of contact.
strange thing was , as i pulled away from the attack i did take a burst of semi auto fire in my direction..if you guys all had bolties who the hell shot at me??? lol..friendly fire?? ...hmmm

I must admit feeling sorry for the said prisoners. Guess I would make a poor Nazi in reality.

You were certainly a very hospitable captor (and the only German who went to the trouble of actually speaking german ) Then you spoiled it all by politely asking me to sit with my hands on my head, which is frikkin' agony after about 5 mins and was the most uncomfortable part of the hour or so I spent in captivity

Actually I thought that the interrogation techniques were very good. Theatrical shouting and screaming and threatening to pull out our fingernails obviously wouldn't have worked, but overhearing comments like
"...and we got all their call codes too. Result" was very depressing to hear at the time, especially as I now know that you hadn't

Guy and Kermit did a great job in subtly eroding our morale. Although I didn't buy the claim that one of us had defected to the dark side, I genuinely believed that one of us had sacked it off due to exhaustion and that Stephen and Stu were having beer and a BBQ with Josh and the boys whilst we sat in the cold with bags on our heads. The killer was hearing that I'd be dropped off alone in the middle of nowhere with my Bergen and knowing that I'd have to choose between the prospect of either camping out alone in some horribly uncomforatble terrain or else try to navigate my way back to our camp in the in the dark with full pack. Had Guy offered me a single malt instead of a cigarette at that point I think I would have cracked

Anyway, just to say that the capture phase was yet another feather in the Jedburgh organizational cap

I too felt more than a tad guilty at the sight of a long row of men, heads bowed and bagged. In fact appalled. Quite how you stuck that out I don't know. As someone who generally tries to get through life being nice to people I realise how crap I would have been at war but I guess circumstances change you.

Incidentally, the interrogators were pussy cats - I was terrified by Keith's performance, I'll never look at him the same again. And to think he wanted to use his cuffs as well.

As promised (threatened?) the full version. Even though I *still* havent got my arse in gear and sorted out all the kit yet

Thanks to all those who attended. We knew it was going to be a tall order for the SAS and the Jed's, and you boys came through. We also knew that it was going to be a slog for the Germans. It's bloody difficult to keep your attention focused when you're searching a vast area for a small number of people.

For me there are several things that stand out.

1: Watching the guys building the MG & Mortar pit, and the RDF bunker. You did a great job of it all - and you can't really get more "in the zone" than doing what they did back in the War: dig holes that would only be used for a short amount of time!

2: Interogating prisoners. Some lovely false names were given (I had to stop myself from laughing when Martin gave the "R Sole" joke), and it was all taken in the manner it was intended to be (thankfully!). Was bloody good to see those Jed's that had been hanging off their chinstraps on Saturday night still giving it 100% on the Sunday morning.

3: The German camp not only looked bloody good, but everyone cleared up their own rubbish leaving the area looking almost untouched. Good drills there!

4: The amount of kit that was brought by many people, who generously allowed others to use it - particularly the vehicles!

5: People followed orders - no matter how mundane and boring. You got into the spirit of it, and from an organisers point of view, its really satisfying to see that happen!

It's fair to say that this has been the most physically and mentally demanding event that CiA have yet run, Congrats to all who attended for seeing it through.

Sounds like you chaps really raised the bar with this event . Is this the way all CIA events will go in the future, or was this a one off ?
(and CW, what are you doing with my beloved Jenny as your avatar ? )

Slick, hopefully, we'll do something similar in the future, maybe with the roles of the sides reversed. For now, I think it's nice to reflect in hindsight how tough Jedburgh was and what a sense of achievement people seem to have taken from it.

Devil's Hill will be challenging too but, in a different kind of way and not as "full on".

Its MY beloved Jenny.

No, CiA events won't all be as hard core a this but this isn't a one off but a proof of concept for sure. We have been working up to this from day one and chuffed to bits how well it went and was received. But out of consideration to player's health future events we be a mix of physical and mental effort within the distinctive CiA package - getting past the fancy dress and toy guns and into the mindset of a 1940's soldier.

You were unlucky. I'd just come up from the Jerry camp with a wagon full of troops in order to carry out a sweep further up the site. It was only when you got spotted that we piled in.

Heh, that was aaaaaages after first contact! First reports came back of contact to the south of HQ and a larger squad went back to first contact point. No info came back while I was in camp. After a while I gathered a couple of vehicles full of men and we set out a line on the middle road in the wooded area. Patrolled for the road twenty mins or so. No movement seen either down to the bottom road or up to the bottom road. Decided to extend a line to clear northwards through the trees from middle road to top road. Got halfway and it was clear no one of consequence was there. Returned to middle road.

Jamie drove up with orders from CO, who by this time was on the top road, to sweep up northwards to him. I sent Jamie back with a negative, area already swept and we would sweep downwards to the bottom road instead. Very slowly we tracked down from the old Churchill's German camp until we were onto the bottom road. Then noticed movement on our left - a column of men moving up on the edge of the forest tree line. Definitely allies - bergens and radio packs. I'd been seen unsurprisingly, I didn't make any effort to hide our presence, we were trying to dominate the area not set sneaky ambushes! One of allies waves to me. Rather shocked I called up the next man to me and asked him to confirm what I'd seen. Enemy waves to me again.

I move back behind a tree and call troops in - explain enemy seen and we are to move at a pace diagonally to try and make up ground and hit them before they reach the road. Running hell for leather (and arse over tit) we track them up to the road where they bunched up clearly not wanting to beak cover across the road. Open fire, enemy run across the road as Kermit arrives in transport, we now have two prisoners while the transport group crash into the woods to follow up. Hopefully the CO was still on the top road and intercepted enemy crossing the road to the SAS base. Extract prisoners on foot and in transport, return to base to gloat.

Yes thats right, as we chased the Jeds up to the road we shouted "Halt" which alerted our transport group at the top of the road and also spurred the Jeds to run across the road. Due to them all carrying full packs they were bloody knackered and two Jeds took cover just off the road. Whilst my fellow Germans were advancing and keeping the Jeds heads down I flanked left and took aim next to a tree on our side of the road and give full auto from my MP44 which took out the 1st Jed. Not having a great view of the 2nd Jed I ran onto the road to get a better view however I was spotted and he began to fire but his view was blocked by a bush so I waited until he stopped firing and stepped right and opened up on him, down went the 2nd Jed, I then shouted cease fire to my group who went forward with myself and took control of the prisoners. As our group stood on the road with the prisoners another German patrol gave chase on the surviving Jeds but it became apparent that they were taking fire and I could see one German wounded about 30m to my front and could hear others calling for a medic. After having a breather I decided to medic the German to my front. I reached his position applied bandage and set off to medic a 2nd German further to the left when I recieved a burst of fire by a Jed not more than 10m away under a tree. Down I went hit in the arm where I was promptly mediced by my collegue. Knowing the position of the Jed I got up giving his location a burst of fire, down went Jed number 3 who was disarmed and sent to the road to join the other captives. As we set off to the other wounded German my collegue infront of me took hits from another Jed under a tree not more than 10m to our front/left so I took cover behind a tree and fired on his position hitting him in the head (sorry). This prisoner was pointed out to Guy who dealt with him and had him escorted to the road where he and the other captives were transported for interrogation. Us Germans that had,nt gone back to base via transport then patrolled back to base as it was apparent that we had been fogotten about as the officers now had something to play with lol.

You were certainly a very hospitable captor (and the only German who went to the trouble of actually speaking german ) Then you spoiled it all by politely asking me to sit with my hands on my head,

What can I say...I was taught German by polite people. I'll work on removing the pleasantries next time.

Right finally I get the chance to do this, I been trying all day but keep getting distracted.

A big thankyou to all the organisers for a cracking event. This probably has to rank top of the list of all the events I've been to, and thats saying alot as there have been some corkers. It clearly took alot of effort (as well as balls) to run one like this but you pulled it off brilliantly.

Thanks to the Germans for making the whole thing look and feel very authentic, but without being too harse to us prisoners. I did try to make some friends with the guards by offering them sweets, one of whom accepted (Guy/Seidler) who allowed me to relax my stress position some what (as did Carl) but made me turn around when he noticed we watching the German movements withing the camp.

Thanks also Josh and Dai for leading us out of the enemies grasp to saftey just before the end, Pete for the ration pack (which I still owe him for, Webby for the webbing loan (which I still have), grenades (which i still owe him for ) and ammo loan.

The slog through the 'world of spikes' felt like the worst part of the weekend at the time. However looking back it helped us to gel as a team and seems worth it now as it put the rest of the event into perspective, you have to take the good with the bad. Plus we did eventually find all three supply caches- even if I did get all my pyro (and one of my own smokes) taken away after capture. If I had them sunday I would have been very tempted to use them in the mortar. My actually worst part was my nights sleep, I got bugger all as I kept waking up freezing despite piling on layers and feeling toasty only to wake up a while later feeling cold again. I even rebuilt my shelter at 2am as I'd had enough- to no avail.

On the ammo usage front I got through about 3000 rounds. However 2700 was on one rabbit when I knocked the bag down a rabbit hole during a frantic reload. The remainder was about 250 during that engagement (see below) and about 50 during the attack on the German camp.

Edit- must have been about 350, I'd forgetten about the first engagment/ambush.

It certainly was a damn tough weekend and I've not been so tired in a long time but it was well worth the effort. Same again this weekend?

Then noticed movement on our left - a column of men moving up on the edge of the forest tree line. Definitely allies - bergens and radio packs. I'd been seen unsurprisingly, I didn't make any effort to hide our presence, we were trying to dominate the area not set sneaky ambushes! One of allies waves to me. Rather shocked I called up the next man to me and asked him to confirm what I'd seen. Enemy waves to me again.

Its the 3rd engagement you're talking about there Dave. That was Myself, Martin, Ed(wildfire) and Steve (R arty). We'd broken contact with the enemy in the second engagment during which webby & Steiner had been captured and gone to ground for a while. Once we were convinced we weren't being followed we decided to head for the SAS base before it got dark and we couldn't see where we were going. We'd just cut in from the edge of the wood as we felt exposed we we were distracted by movement behind us. This turned out to be a couple of locals out for an evening strole. Upon turning around I saw movement ahead (you in your big hat) and we realised we'd been spotted. It was Steve who waved at you, and he said someone waved back.

The ground was too open to go to ground, we were wary of going back after just escaping the enemy behind us and with the fence to our left we had only one option- go right towards the road. We tried to move as fast as possible but by that stage we were about knackered so it wasn't very fast. Just as we aproached the road a vehicle full of Germans appeared from the right and we took cover as it sped past without spotting us. We pushed up to the road to see it had stopped some 200m up the road by another vehicle and the troops debused into the trees on the otherside of the road. With you behind us we didn't have time to waste so we just legged it across the road as you opened fire.

Martin & Steve decided to make their stand at the roadside whilst I shouted to head for the thicker cover further into the wood, but only Ed followed. Myself & Ed managed to reach the thicker undergrowth where we held out for a little while taking a few of the enemy with us. I did consider carrying on up the hill as I could see Germans trying to flank us and with the adrenalin pumping I felt I could keep going but opted to stay and not abandon my comrades. I managed to get Sean & Gavin as they came around behind me and Ed & myself 2 or 3 Germans that came up on my right (including Kermit I think and obviously Rifleman from his account above) and possibly 1 on on the left before Ed was hit on my left and 3 SS moved in from that direction. I got the first guy but the second hit me with a burst across the forehead and I went down. Guy then appeared from behind me to capture me and I was escorted down to the road to picked up by a vehicle, passing an unfortunate Ed who didn't get the luxury of a ride to the German camp.

I took cover behind a tree and fired on his position hitting him in the head (sorry).

Not worries, it was a good shot. They all hit my hat in a nice line across my forehead.

Much has been made of the waving incident.

It's an indication of how fooked we all were by then. We desperately wanted to find some friendlys. Seeing a bloke in a green cap and knowing that Pete wears a green cap we put 2 and 2 together and made 22. I didn't see who waved but I definitely saw someone wave back

I could pretend that Steve and I made our last stand in an effort to give the rest of the squad more time to escape, but that would be a lie. By that point I'd have preferred having Kermit wire a car battery to my knackers than run up another fekkin hill carrying the Mother of all Bergens.

By that point I'd have preferred having Kermit wire a car battery to my knackers than run up another fekkin hill carrying the Mother of all Bergens.

Don't think for a second that the thought hadn't entered my mind of attaching a field telephone to certain parts of certain individuals then cranking the magneto over. Sadly, however, it was pointed out that people might object

Plus, it wouldn't be right to torture an Officer. The same can't be said of the enlisted men though

We desperately wanted to find some friendlys. Seeing a bloke in a green cap and knowing that Pete wears a green cap we put 2 and 2 together and made 22. I didn't see who waved but I definitely saw someone wave back

Yes I was desperately hoping it was the SAS led by Steve & Stu coming to our rescue. I can't tell you how much my heart sank when I saw the white trim of a peaked cap.

Plus, it wouldn't be right to torture an Officer. The same can't be said of the enlisted men though

And Ed thought it would be a good idea to be low ranking and unimportant. Clearly that nearly backfired! My aim was to try to be interesting enough to be worth keeping alive (hence the notebook/officer rank) but not interesting enough to warrant special treatment (only a 2nd Lt and saying nothing). Made no difference in the end though!

...and he said someone waved back.

It would have been impolite not to. I watched the walkers walk by (well I guessed none of you would be wearing bright red). Hey, the Jeds are a man down - Webby and Andy copped it first, Stu and Stephen legged it, Rich, Martin, Ed and Steve in a group - who is missing and where?

Gawd, we well and truly boxed you in - by luck timing-wise. HS & Slippy took the furthest/longest option to evade and succeeded.

Paul/ Wraith. Got blown up in the first firefight & was captured moving to the RV.

Ah yes, all accounted for. We haven't left one behind then!

You Jeds went down fighting I will give you that but with the amount of Germans coming into the area you were all doomed lol. On my part getting four kills on my first engagement made my day, right place right time to be honest. The allies did a great job, its not easy humping kit around and then having to try and get out of a contact situation, I know. The terrain did,nt help either but you all stuck with it and played the game. Thanks.
A great job at the start of the Operation as us Germans were waiting and waiting, sending patrols out and setting up O.P,s with no sightings and no noise to give up your position. We were all wondering in which direction you were going to attack. It was only when we had the first contact did we learn of the area you were in and that was when us Germans concentrated our efforts in that area and obviously getting results.
The next day the patrol I was in chased down a SAS/Jed patrol but due to one of their party sustaining a leg injury we had to quit the chase and get the prisoner back to the camp. With 2 Germans helping the prisoner back the remaining 3 of us were not enough to take on the Allied patrol so we let them slip away (typical, we were that close to nabbing ya lol).
Later on an Allied ambush northwards took out a few Germans so I was tasked to sweep through the area behind the mortar and radar pit. Being the end man on the left and due to the terrain it was,nt long before I lost sight of my right hand man and due to the density of the area I was,nt really expecting to find any enemy. I was bloody surprised when a SAS member belonging to Josh,s team walked out infront of me about 10m away. We both fired a hastily burst at each other before diving into cover and with no hits a short skirmish took place with the SAS taking the first hit. My patrol linked up with me and the prisoner was escorted out, I carried on searching for other members of his team.
An enjoyable weekend and I would like to thank everyone for their comrademanship.

Paul/ Wraith. Got blown up in the first firefight & was captured moving to the RV.

Yeah, I was killed by a grenade and still got interigated.

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