Grafton Park - Aug 2014 - take two

I'm inclined to agree with you somewhat David but, I think we could make a go of it, if only for the sake of those who have booked on. If we forge ahead, it's one in the eye for the southern clique, as well as the "immersive" splitters.

Well you are more than welcome to write a new scenario but trying to do Merville with minimal numbers will be a bit of a joke. 15 a side is the minimum I was hoping for - I was thinking more like 25 Germans and 15 Brits! And far from being one in the eye for the southern softies it will just add to their insistence that only popular, lightweight games are the way to go.

I agree with you, it'll just be a shame for those who've booked time off work and for us. I'd like to see everyone too.

And far from being one in the eye for the southern softies it will just add to their insistence that only popular, lightweight games are the way to go.

I meant that, as they seem to have some sort of dislike for CiA, then running Merville would be one in the eye for them.

OK, here is a thought. 4 and 5 troop each consisted of 50 men, so 100 men were committed to this action. We are basically fielding a section from each troop.

So, how about 3 Commando does not have regen after 80 (say) lives have been lost. Once this point is reached then if you are killed you join the German side. This way there is real jeopardy and pointless waste of life will be devastating to British strength. And act as building German troops to simulate their reinforcement. Oh, and Craig can do the admin...

This way we can start the game with under strength Germans (unlimited regen) and still make a sensible and challenging scenario.

I've only just come up with this so it will need much further thought - but it could work. Hell, even injured Brits could count to the side losses as they would be removed from the battle.

How would that work uniforms-wise?

Ask players to bring whatever spare kit they have - zelts, smocks, hats, helmets. Brit players ditch their jackets/smocks & retain trousers. To add to the pool we will have to say SS smocks are OK for the 'reinforcements' just not the proper paid Germans (I have 2 SS smocks and four zelts, so that's a start!). We could also open the British side to more players, since a good chunk will end up on the German side anyway.

Great, Johnny is interested. I think if we can get 30 players then all will be well if using the side-switch thing (actually, exactly what we were going to do at Hut 9 but the other way around).

Plus, have we told CA that we won't be playing on Sunday? 'Cos they can run a game of their own and help make the site hire pay for itself.

Well, we'll be there. But they could run a game. I'll let them know.

Sure, but only to pack up and clear off, just like at the last training day.

And Josh's offer of German uniforms makes my cunning plan all the more feasible!

I have a mild concern that some Allied players may refuse to don a German uniform. Some of them are a bit precious about the history and don't like the idea of doing it...

If we can get close enough to 15 per side, I'd like to try to make sure people play on the side they elected to.

Also, I want to start the day with a artillery barrage. This is easy enough for us to set up the night before or on the morning. I'm happy to put it all together. Just 10 or so charges. Unannounced and as we're moving into position or digging in. I think it'll add something nice. I'll just shout 'incoming!' or some such and stuff can start going off.

We aren't going to get near 15 a side, even if people swap sides. If anyone doesn't want to swap sides then they had better make sure they aren't killed - it is an incentive to stay alive. We can always ask if anyone has an objection (privately, no need on the forum) then we simply nominate someone else. I'd much rather have a dominant British side to start and a German dominant end - each have both an easier and a harder aspect to their game. It stops the Germans from feeling they are OPFOR and being pushed back all the time (even if they will be, by design to start with). And since some Brits have already offered to be German then they would be first candidates for the switch - we'd only need five or six to switch in-game anyway to markedly change the side strengths. I'd really like to get away from the airsofty 'fair' even side thing - it isn't necessary!

Stephen - do you mean a barrage on the bunker? I was going to start the Germans halfway up the site and the Brits at the far end so that gameplay works its way towards the bunker at the end of the game. Perhaps the Brits could 'call in' a naval barrage on the bunker when they get in sight of it?

I was thinking of just a barrage around he area the Germans start in, to signify....something. Basically, I'd like to get rid of all this pyro in my shed.

Haha. We will have a little bit on the Brits side - McV has a hand blaster so he can be the engineer to blast the guns (if we get there!). We could perhaps get the Germans dug-in in the area where we used the pyro before? I'll put in a call to our mortar section (unseen!) once you are located, you can let one bang off and call out for cover, then let the rest off. Expect a blazing battle straight after!

Sounds good to me.

So here is how it can work.

We ask at the outset, as part of the game dynamic, for volunteers to take duel roles - primarily British but prepared to be German. They will most probably have German kit anyway but if not we can sort a pool of spare kit.

Game starts at 10 v 15 (or 10 v 20, or however it finally works out). Germans are defending so start with so will have a stronger position anyway, but inevitably they will lose ground (I'd say have them out on forward patrols to start, then fall back to prepared strongholds and hold each as long as possible).

Then, depending on how quickly or slowly they game is progressing (a pre-set time loses the flexibility we need) British loses can no longer be replenished by other sections of 4 & 5 Troop and killed Brits (or their nominated deputies) return to safezone and swap uniforms and join the German side. It only needs to be five or six people to turn the side strengths on its head. Gradually the German side will become stronger (no limitation on regen) and the British will then have to use less force and more brain power/leg work to either find new routes to the bunker or utilise distraction or flanking or somesuch.

It will make the day much more varied for both sides and turn a problem into a calculated game plan.

I've finished my nights now. So, are we going ahead with it?