[Sticky] Final gameplan

FFS, change the sites then.

It should be that we all know everything about the event and are trying to provide the best event for the punters, not try to out-fox one another with a bit of ghey one-upmanship.

Yes and no - at Ariel we did both - that was the point of the game. Guy and I left no quarter and this gave the real edge to it, we were each trying to get the upper hand!

Ah, so that's why I wondered what the fuck was going on when the plan was changed and the patrol along the railway line that we had discussed turned into a fixed lookout position facing exactly the direction we were coming from thus making it impossible for us get anywhere.

This isn't about 'sides' or 'winning' or anything like that. It's about knowing WTF's going on so we can react accordingly and give the punters the best time possible.

Now, Pete and I are obviously thinking the same things and you and Guy are thinking differently. As Pete seems to have just gone with it, I guess I'll have to too.

In future, lets think about these things earlier. Christ, why we hadn't discussed the need to pitch palatial tents in a suitable area more than two weeks before the event is beyond me.

At Ariel we expected you to crawl down the stream bed and lie low for half an hour and wait for a chance to bob across one by one - you did have the hardest mission and were supposed to be ultra sneaky. With no time limit you could have taken until lunchtime to do the job! No matter, you did the job.

Much the same with this game - its a fluid, rolling event with decisions and tactics being made on the spot as information comes in or events unfold. There is only a skeleton framework for us to work to and a huge amount of time so we will all be thinking on our feet (no matter where the camps are ).

I mean, personally, Id rather not know where the SAS camp is or the drops - there is no reason why we should and its more fun!

Yes, I agree this is a spanner in the works and it should have been considered earlier but we are where we are. I would have thrown a real wobbly when I turned up on site and found I had no better camping that the SAS and shoved between mingy trees like at Churchills.

or 'winning' or anything like that.

I'd agree with that of course but Ariel wasn't winnable, neither is Jedbugh. We all have different objectives - the outcome is the outcome, the fun is along the way!

Before I go on, let's get one thing straight. I am NOT "throwing a strop"!

If it'll make you happy and, more importantly, the punters, then relocate the German base.

The supply drops will need to be relocated and I'll do that when I'm on the ground on the friday (or saturday if you're bring them Dave). I'll also choose a new Jed insertion point, which I'll send to Steve via pm beforehand. Being inserted on the western edge will make their lives more difficult but not impossible. The Jed's will be free to choose their own harbor area for the night. For the SAS, I'll choose a harbor area on the day (it's pointless for the Germans to attack it, even if they find it, as there'll only be me in it for most of the time).

All I ask is for the German camp to not become a fortress and for German commanders to give consideration to the allied tasks when placing patrols and sentries. Not in terms of game fixing but, to at least give the allies a fighting chance of at least completing their recces without needless firefights. I had always envisaged the saturday as being a day when not a shot was fired and tension built up. Given the ratio of Germans to allies, it would be very easy to "lock out" the German base and assets from the allies because of the nature of the terrain in that area.

At Ariel we expected you to crawl down the stream bed and lie low for half an hour and wait for a chance to bob across one by one - you did have the hardest mission and were supposed to be ultra sneaky.

Just for the record, we did that. Then a bloody fence was in our way and the only way around it was over a large hummock which was directly looked over by the sentry.

I distinctly remember Pete crawling through a large patch of brambles and swearing quite viciously, although all whispered...

Before I go on, let's get one thing straight. I am NOT "throwing a strop"!

Heh, I had a strop with Guy - even put the phone down on him. I've has a really stressful week and I had to get a new project ready for approval and minutes and hours have been eaten away one way or another making my deadline impossible. Anyhoo - I got the job so that's out of the way except I don't have time to do it so I'll be doing all I can to delay things while I get on with an 80 page brochure - which I also don't have time to do.

Anyhoo, as always, we do give consideration to the 'game' first and foremost (it shouldn't even need saying) - it would be just as rubbish for jerry to sit in a ring around the camp for two days as for Steven to run hell for leather to collect the drops inside the first hour knowing barely half the Germans would be even out of the camp.

I'm fine if Germans don't know where Jeds or SAS or drops are, much the better we don't. All I'd say is the Jeds are supposed to be in jeopardy having dropped in amongst the enemy whereas the SAS are much more in control. The Germans have 700 acres to control so outside the camp you are unlikely ever to encounter more than three at a time but the closer to the camp the higher the concentration will be, naturally. As for firefights, well that's down to the allies - if jerry has nothing to shoot at...

I don't throw strops to be honest! I only ever lose my temper at work and that usually results in a junkie going to casualty . Life is too short to fall out over hobbies, or get stressed by them.

We all have to bear in mind that we're dealing with airsofters, not soldiers. So, my expectations of them are tempered by this. I expect both sides to go hairing off after the enemy when they see them at some point! As commanders, we need to give explicit orders to all troops and make sure that they report contacts and sightings, so that plans and tactics can be formulated, rather than have people go charging off after people and f**king the plan!

Absolutely.

Before I go on, let's get one thing straight. I am NOT "throwing a strop"!

Heh, I had a strop with Guy - even put the phone down on him. I've has a really stressful week and I had to get a new project ready for approval and minutes and hours have been eaten away one way or another making my deadline impossible. Anyhoo - I got the job so that's out of the way except I don't have time to do it so I'll be doing all I can to delay things while I get on with an 80 page brochure - which I also don't have time to do.

Anyhoo, as always, we do give consideration to the 'game' first and foremost (it shouldn't even need saying) - it would be just as rubbish for jerry to sit in a ring around the camp for two days as for Steven to run hell for leather to collect the drops inside the first hour knowing barely half the Germans would be even out of the camp.

I'm fine if Germans don't know where Jeds or SAS or drops are, much the better we don't. All I'd say is the Jeds are supposed to be in jeopardy having dropped in amongst the enemy whereas the SAS are much more in control. The Germans have 700 acres to control so outside the camp you are unlikely ever to encounter more than three at a time but the closer to the camp the higher the concentration will be, naturally. As for firefights, well that's down to the allies - if jerry has nothing to shoot at...

Yes & notice I didn't mention that ....
My objections to gameplay were much the same, but on reflection it's such a large site that the idea of being bottled up is a bit obsolete. Also if we have some large command tents etc to recreate a half decent rest area then it seems a shame to waste. When Pete and I recce'd it, I was thinking more of odd Zelt tents between the trees .The only thing the Gernam camp needs to be near is one of the roads.

BTW we have Jamies and his 110 landrover coming as well . We'll cammo it up and strip it back ot disguise it since Mr Barrets stuff isn't going ot be there in any numbers.

Ok, I've done my map studies and have found new points for the air drops and for the Jed insertion point. If we stick 2 radio packs in seperate drop containers as well as ammo and pyro's, it gives the Jed's an incentive to find them! The other 2 radio packs can go to the SAS and I'll just have a PMR in my pocket, as Dave said.

I can get to the site pretty much whenever I want on the Friday, so, all I need to know is, from Guy, what time do you plan on being there with the keys? Obviously, I can't site the drop boxes until David arrives on saturday but, that's no biggie - I can do that while punters are arriving.

Also, I've thought some more about the allied objectives. On reflection, only having 2, to be attacked and destroyed on sunday, may be too little. If we have an MG pit, a mortar pit and say, an ammo/supply dump as secondary objectives, that will spread the Germans a bit thinner and, at least give us a chance of blowing something up before we are wiped out or chased away on sunday. It also means that it's not quite so rigid in terms of what happens on sunday, as well as giving more for the recce patrols to find. It also means the Germans will be kept busier in building them and then, defending them.

Game plan now edited, mainly for the Jed's benefit but also to reflect the changes of campsites and the addition of vehicles.
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Edit - I'm at work until late tonight, so, I'll use the time constructively to print off copies of the plan for everyone to hand out at the event. I'll go through it all thoroughly and, if there are any last minute tweaks, I'll do them tonight but it shouldn't be anything too dramatic.-- attachment is not available --

A couple of questions that struck me as I was briefing players:

1. Game plan says allied players when captured have to hand over maps/intelligence. What form does this take?
2. Following release prisoners must make his way back to his HQ to rearm before rejoining the game. The JEDs don't have an HQ and for a good chunk of Saturday won't know where the SAS one is. Where will they go and how can they rejoin their group?
3. The brief still says SAS/JED commander can call in airstrikes. Quite apart from the communication problem, the radio station won't be blown until 12 noon endex. This is either by allies planting explosive on time fuse or 'airstrike'. Either way, it won't go until noon. This will allow the area to be used free of wired pyro as I will do that at a convenient time and when the moment comes the area can be cleared.

1) Each player will be given a map. If they are captured, they hand it over. If they are stupid enough to write/draw on it, intelligence is gained. Simples. Also, if they're carrying a radio, you will get the frequncy from it and, also, if they are stupid enough to write down codewords and callsigns, you will gain intelligence from that as well, giving you potential to put in a radio deception plan.

2) In the orders that they are given, SAS and Jed's will have ERV's (emergency rendezvous), which they can go to and wait to link up with friendly troops after "escape" from captivity. They can reload their mags only when at an FRV (to simulate there being an arms cache at the location).

3) The "airstrikes" are a contingency if the allies fail their objectives, so there will still be some big explosions. At the debrief we can say "the allies reluctantly resorted to airpower to destroy the objectives, despite the inevitable loss of civilian lives and the inevitable loss of their support in the area", or something like that.

That's great.

On a technical note, all the radios will be locked to one frequency so they can't accidentally switch on scramble or fiddling and getting in a mess. This will also mean we have an organiser's radio net available should an emergency arise. With seven radios out on site the settable permutation of frequencies is in the billions - Germans wouldn't have a hope of hearing a single word, probably not the allies either!

Thanks for the info on the radios. So, exactly who will have a radio?

Allies - There are four radio packs plus one handheld by SAS CO
Germans - One radio will be at the DF in the field and another at the radio station at HQ. We will rely on the field telephones for personal comms and use radios for eavesdropping only.

I'll have a couple of spare handsets at HQ in case of breakdowns but which can be switched on in an emergency to extend the net.

Pete, if you could brief your men on the relay principle please as it is highly likely that direct comms will be difficult at times.

Could we, for a bit of fun put out a jamming signal - broadcast some German music or something? Not in a way - but it will make the allies realise their signals are being listened to. (Radios stop transmission automatically after 60 seconds so its impossible to be stupid and put the radio net out of use.)

Yes, Steve and I have already discussed relays and rebroadcasts. Good idea on the "jamming", go for it. I'd suggest only doing after having picked up allied radio traffic though, as then, the German radio operator has a reason for doing it.