St. Lo - How was it for you?

Just wanted to echo all the comments made so far.
St Lo was another grand day out in the PBI tradition of airsofting excellence.
My personal thanks to the organisers and players for that!

Thanks also to Andy and the other Gerries for accepting me into their ranks as a novice SS.
I really enjoyed playing for the fatherland for the first time.

My favourite moments?
1) Watching Webby take out at least 5 of an 8 man SS patrol with just his pistol.
A storming piece of play - even though I was one of his many victims!

2) The 50 Cal machine gun game - (I was one of the ammo runners in the Pagoda).
I took great pleasure in shooting Pete as he declared the bunker captured and "Clear".
He was the first kill with my new MP40. So a historic moment of sorts!

3) Webby bazooking the landy!
Wonderful theatre.

4) Taking Evo on a tour of inspection - we had some great contacts/firefights in that game.

So tired as hell - but already looking forward to doing it all again at Oosterbeek!

-- Ed --

Many thanks to all the organisers for putting on another fantastic game, both Carly and I enjoyed myself wholeheartedly!

Another great PBI game, another amazing WW2 experience!

Was nice to play the short engagements as a US squad, rather than british, although the game is very similar, the engagement is so different (with the automatic rifles and M1 garands)

Great constant flanking manouvers from the Germans (even in the morning) I would say that the Germans weren't at a complete loss in the morning, it just seemed that the dogged determination of the Yanks in the morning got us through. Well played in the afternoon though, we couldn't get anywhere near you!

Thanks to Neil for the use of your MP40, thanks to Tyreal for being my loader for the bazooka! Glad you enjoyed using the BAR, even if it means it hurts your bank because you now want 1! hehe

Roll on Ooserbeek, I'm already starting work on the helmet that I got from Heide! Thanks for that fella, was great to play alongside you too (for a change)

Just another few points to mention, was very impressed with how well the US team worked well together, so thanks to Yith, Nige and the Doughboys for their hard work in training! Was very refreshing not hearing lots of quotes from films and general posing for pictures for a change.
Last point was the kit at the game, was also very amazing seeing everyones kit looking so spot on, thanks to all the Gliders and Paras who observed the kit requirements for the game, hopefully the PBI brass will have been as happy to see it as I was!

Looking forward to the pics and Videos!

I agree seing a load of uniformely dressed US troops in a sea of 82nd badges realy did add to the squad feel of the game which is annother reason why the teamwork was top notch.

The communication between squad leaders and NCO's was also very good at getting the team moving (even when they were out of ammo)

i would just like to add, as an organizer for this game rather than a player, i was a bit aprehensive about holding back and delegating, it was an unfounded fear, you all went to it like profesionals. my apologies for being a powder poof and wimping out after lunch,i was (still am) in a lot of discomfort. it was strangely pleasing to know you didnt need me, ( looking forward to getting back to being a bod rather than an officer) .

Once again another fantastic game from the PBI, absolutely loved it. The combat missions really are my favourite style fo gameplay as it make such a huge difference to manner in which people play the game. I didn't see a great deal of action for much of the morning for one reason or another but the atmosphere and tension of knowing you could be caught up in a firefight at any moment is brilliant enough on its own.

My highlight has to be holding the forward defensive position on the bazooka mission with Angel; gunning down scores of advancing glider troups after waiting for what seemed like an eternity for them to attack, all the time being pinned down by an unseen sniper (Jeremy I believe). If only because it was first time I got to truely let rip at the enemy. In fact thats probably the first time I ever have at a WWII game due to my usual rifle usage.

A big thankyou to all the PBI organisers for a fantastic scenario once more. Thanks again to Grange farm for allowing us back to use their 'second' site, I can't believe how different it looks to just a few months ago- it is like a different site. Thanks to Yith for the tent, best night sleep I've every had camping! Even if it was only 4 hours long- I can't believe how quickly the evening went. Thanks also to Boshman for letting be his MG No2, even though I sucked at it as I had a tendancy to forget what I was meant to be doing.

Plus well done to everyone who took part, you all looked fantastic- like truely cohesive units. Great to meet some new faces and all the usual old ones. I hope you all enjoyed it just as much as me and roll on Oosterbeek!

Hi,
Had a great day with too many great moments to mention. It was great to see to see all the familiar faces again after my absence. A big Thanks to the organisers and the site owners. Sportsmanship, tactics, team work & communications was excellent which really made it great.

Thanks to all that played and see you at another event soon.

Leigh

Great event, great company, great time.

I didn't like the site last time far too open, but with the leaves on the trees it made is sooooooooo much better.

Contrary to Lardass, short missions aren't my favourite style of game; but the quality of play and excellent organisation within the teams made up for that.

Highlight for me was wading a few hundred yards down the river with Heide and System-M to pop up behind German lines and take the objective in the nick of time, without firing a shot!

Thanks to the PBI guys for organising and to Ranj, Scaley, Yith and Heide for running the American side. Was nice to take a back seat for a change and just play!!

Right my thoughts now im slightly less exhausted.

Apologies for having to leave early and not indulge in the post game drinks but unfortunately with it being a Saturday rather thana sunday I had to get back to Nottingham to open my clubnight, stick up drapes, wire in the decks etc etc... bit of a busy weekend.

This was a weird one for me as as i've said many times US forces atr e abit of a blind spot in that I (before this game) didnt know much about them or their battles (or really have that much interest either).

St lo has changed all that, form initially putting on this game to give the airborne types who felt they didn't get enough games a go at one of our missions it crew to be a bit of a passion - and i was not disappointed on the day.

Having recce'd (or should that for one be reconned with it being US) the site last year i summer, Yith and I knew how lush it would be by now (hence the decision to play two battles in a row at the same site), i think this decision was rewarded when Stuart who had just come back from the D-day remembrances in the Normandy area said it looked just like where he's been and the berms made amazing 'bocage'.

Quite a few new faces at this one whihc was awesome and also lots of smiling faces whihc is even better.

I felt this game went awesomely with quicker turnaround (which has been a bit of a problem with combat missions in the past), once again the lower ammo limits works a treat and players fielded a good mix of armament.

While lightning was a blast at times it got a little 'comedic' with silly accents and behaviour but at St Lo I felt all the in game time was tense and gritty and the humour left for the safe zone which was ideal.

Definitely a game of two halves this one. The Americans ran us ragged all morning but luckily ran out fo steam a little towards the end allowing us to buck up our defence. With it being even stevens before mission 7 a last minutes suicide charge cleared the US CP but left few alive to savour the glory meaning a narrow (by a hairs breath... 3 seconds in fact) victory for the germans.

Standard of kit was amazing (no doubt helped by the generosity of all players loaning and lending needed items to comrades *and* enemies. It looked brilliant to see all the 82nd as a squad or parachute and glider infantry working side by side.

Axis forces looked suitably rag tag and the local foilaige in the kit really made some guys dissapear! The FJ looked particularly cool at this one IMO.

Well I'm still knackered but feel that once again games get better and better (largely thanks to you the players buying into our concept for WWII skirmish).

I feel after this one we'll definitely be scrapping the bang rules for good but adopting the 'headgear off when dead' rule as it stopped masses of overkill in the close contacts of the day.

Once again, thanks to everyone.

G

all the time being pinned down by an unseen sniper (Jeremy I believe)

That was me taking pot shots at you when you were behind those barrels!

Ah was it! I knew it was a gas gun but assumed it was Jeremy with his Tanaka as I thought all the PIR were flanking around to the left. Didn't think that it could have been you even though I knew you were there since you got gunned down on your charge to the Bazooka. You got pretty close at one point, putting a shot right between Che and myself.

Contrary to Lardass, short missions aren't my favourite style of game;

Its not the length of the missions I like as I love the long slow build up of longer games. Its the no regen, when you're dead you're dead bit I like as you value your 'life' more and act accordingly. Plus don't get the same bloke you shot 5 minutes ago coming back to get you and the bodies lying around look great.

With it being even stevens before mission 7 a last minutes suicide charge cleared the US CP but left few alive to savour the glory meaning a narrow (by a hairs breath... 3 seconds in fact) victory for the germans.

That charge scared the living bejesus out of me, I popped out and couldn't even guess the number of Germans running at me who all simultaneously lit me up in a hail of bullets.

Great.

I heard the charge but didnt see it, I was too busy covering the back approach whilst dressed up as a bush.

I just saw the video and I am sure there wer at least three times as many Germans...

There was a second charge with many more people making it in.....

Ah, was that the first charge. That would explain it.

ah right... that explains it a lot to me too

ah right... that explains it a lot to me too

Me too, and i was in both!

I think in the first one, i got off the kampfpistole into the hut you were in, possibly wounding you, and was simultaneously killed. In the second one, we cleared the village, and i medic'ed you with 1 second to spare!

yeah sounds about right.

i am so sorry i missed the charge.

I didn't see it but did hear it as I was on the left hand corner in a fortified bush