2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 26, 2012 0:54:45 GMT -5
what we read about in our WW2 history are typically battalion level and higher engagements but WW2 airsoft events typically involve several dozen players or less. To tailor any event for such small forces one must recognize that even in the largest battles, (D-Day, Kursk, The Bulge, IWO JIMA etc.). The battle, though it involved tens of thousands of men, for the soldiers involved their world seldom extended beyond the realm of the small section of men or their squad. The tunnel vision of combat rarely extends beyond about three guys. You can design activities so the participants have a sense of being a small part of a greater "whole". The mission briefs or scenarios can include the "big picture" while explaining the isolation of the actual gameplay.
Men in a defensive line can have prepared defenses with a singular fairly abbreviated focus and the attackers line of advance can be restricted by tape. Not uncommon given areas cleared through minefields. Radio traffic or runners can bring the element up to speed about what is going on elsewhere and firecrackers set off in the distance can create tension and drama leading up to the engagement.
An element can be well behind the front lines at a CP or ammo point or well in front at an Observation post/ listening Post
Squads or section of men were often sent off on patrols with missions such as contact with adjacent units. (often there were considerable gaps between companies or battalions). Prisoner of War missions (Go out and grab a prisoner). Ambush missions. Area or point recons. Locate enemy wire or their main line of defense. check to determine if a bridge is intact etc. Advance guards for a large movement to contact. Roadblock duty. Forward observation post for artillery. Protect a command element or RTO. String wire between elements. establish a radio relay point. Go for hot chow or fill canteens for the "larger unit". Clear a minefield, set bangalores under wire, neutralize a machine gun position.
By building activities around these actual missions and creating support theatrics you can create weekends with authentic flow and an opportunity for tremendous susspension of belief. Those moments where participants get sucked in like a good movie and forget they are playing airsoft. Remember that moments that dont involve shooting can sometimes create your most powerful memories.
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stuka
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Post by stuka on Dec 26, 2012 18:20:27 GMT -5
sounds like a good idea but you'd still need 20+(i would think) for each team
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2nd Bat
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 26, 2012 20:12:55 GMT -5
Look closely at several of the missions nd you realize as few as to or three guys could end up with the assignment. LP/ OP. look for wire, contact patrol between units etc.
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stuka
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Post by stuka on Dec 26, 2012 21:00:50 GMT -5
Sure but there are still a good amount of things which in total will require more people, at least, if you want to be efficient
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Post by cdi on Dec 26, 2012 21:13:10 GMT -5
If you guys have field phones well thats a few missions right there. Run the wire, cut the wire, do morse code, tap the wire, repair the wire ect ect ect. Retrieve the wire. That will keep some people busy for a while.
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stuka
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Post by stuka on Dec 26, 2012 21:18:07 GMT -5
lol alright, better bring some artillery pieces in and sight them in too XD
What is being suggested is not a bad idea, but my question is, how roleplay do you wanna be?After a certain point you'll either get bored and assualt the balls out of the enemy or you'll say "screw the enemy, i have wires to cut!"
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Post by Rekkon on Dec 27, 2012 12:51:50 GMT -5
If all you want to do is sling projectiles, there is speedball and video games.
The last two WWII events I co-organized made heavy use of recon patrols. Both were sub-20 player events on a 100 acre field. I wanted to make use of all that area and do something that would not make our low numbers a handicap. Recon patrols seemed the perfect solution. Both sides had other concurrent objectives, so conceivably enemy patrols could observe these activities. HQs and other important locations could not be captured, so guard duty was unnecessary. Mostly the men were told to report anything of interest rather than given specific "find X" objectives. There might be something there; there might not. That cluster of enemy soldiers might be manning an OP or just be shooting the breeze. Firefights tended to be short and brutal surprise affairs. Extended engagements were discouraged because a soldier had to return to HQ alive to convey any intel. Several times the morning recon phase was intended to find targets for the afternoon assault phase where we would focus the players on a smaller section of the field.
I like running atypical and asymmetric scenarios, even to the point of directing one side to avoid contact as much as possible. However, I always remain cognizant that most players do not get to play as often as I do, so I always balance out these scenarios with periods of BB slinging action.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 27, 2012 16:07:49 GMT -5
Rekkon, i couldnt agree more. There is much excitement in the anticipation and sometimes just as much thrill in avoiding contact as making it. When the focus is on emmersion rather than winning the bb slinging is all the more exhilerating.
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Post by CharleyNovember on Dec 27, 2012 18:47:20 GMT -5
but feel free not to take the advice of people that have run multiple events over several years.
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Post by Rekkon on Dec 28, 2012 12:38:25 GMT -5
Precisely 2nd Bat. At one of my previous Vietnam events, the VC team was attempting to sneak across the field. After a pause, my tail elements pointed out a patrolling American on an adjacent trail. We could have eliminated him easily, but the noise and a dead man returning to respawn would have given the enemy information, so I signaled "do not fire, stay low, keep moving." We ended up getting to our exfil with zero casualties or shots fired. Those kinds of moments of tension cannot really be scripted.
I imagine the scenario was boring for the Americans, but that was their own fault. The setup was supposed to be a scripted ambush, and I gave the American commander (co-coordinator) our exact route. How they failed to be in position I cannot fathom.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 28, 2012 13:55:08 GMT -5
We set up the events so each side has the opportunity to succeed famously or fail miserably depending on their decisions and execution on the field. Forces are directed from their higher headquarters in an authentic manner and this guidance is intended to insure opportunities for contact or field friction (tension that may or may not involve firing). it also allows for both sides to have adequate (though fully emmersive breaks) which they never know are built in down times. this provides opportunities for planning, rehearsal even training between action phases without these being formally non action phases. This approach could be done with a small group or a large group although they require a centralized command running both sides but in a way that is not transparent to the individual participants.
There are also ways to run full force on force continuous action events but these also require an effective centralized controller group , talented staff members, good maps and participants who either know what they are doing or have great leadership structure (uncommon at reenactment or airsoft events). I loath "point" events or "win" mentality airsoft games as for me winning is getting caught up in the scenes not the schemes.
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Post by masterchef on Dec 29, 2012 1:08:54 GMT -5
I hate to hark on this more but for those that like this kind of structure at events you may want to consider East Wind. For instance, this my most vivid memory from any eastwind I have attended:
Night raid on Colleville from the perspective of a single US private:
13:00 hours. With unit sitting on border in peacetime. High Soviet activity level on opposite side of border. Command does not have effective comms with higher.
13:07 hours. Soviets push across border en masse. My unit, backed up by British armored infantry, holds the line but just barely.
13:15 hours. Local commander decides to commit his armored scout car to the fight. Knowing that by doing so he's potentially losing his only effective runner to higher HQ.
13:20 Hours. Ratelo finally gets through to higher. Word is reinforcements are coming.
13:35 hours. Combat Isolation sets in: We've lost contact with the Brits but things don't sound so good over there. My fireteam is down by one, the squad leader and 1st fireteam are down as well. An RPG just took out the Ferret so our only wheels are now a burning wreck. Down to two mags.
13:37 hours. A deuce rolls up behind town. Troops dismount and begin to sweep forward.
13:40 hours. The situation is not advantageous, Reinforcements push up to the Brits and get them then everyone hastily withdraws from town. It was a bad fight but we managed to break contact pretty well and at least we're not leaving anyone behind.
14:00. We arrive back at camp and after grabbing a pile of ammo and reloading, we grab some lunch. All the leaders are in the toc, something is up.
15:00 Two other squads push off to probe the enemies defenses and look things over. My squad, who's been up since 0:200 hits the rack for some sleep.
20:00 We get up from bed and grab a quick meal. An oporder is being issued at 22:00 and we've been told to prepare for a night raid. We check our rigs for jingly things and tape over anything that shines. Then we wait...
22:00 Oporder is issued. It will be a full company raid on the town we left earlier today. Recon says that the enemy is set up primarily in two main buildings. Estimated 2 full sections of Soviet troops, no vehicles present. One squad's got near security to make sure the doors open to get back out, the Brits have got far security to make sure that no help gets to the towns garrison once we hit. Another squad's got the church, our squad gets the larger of the buildings. You'll be going in hard and fast. Zip in, kill some Ruskies, pick up priority intel, grab any important prisoners and zip out. Mission will kick off at 02:00.
23:00 Squad leaders draw a set of nods, we camo up our faces and go through our rehersals with the squad. Who's on our left? Who's on our right? What's the recognition signal when we head back out through our near side security? How far can we advance? What buildings are ours and which ones do the other squads have? What's our rally point if things go haywire? Information is pouring at us and we are working hard to digest it all. I24:00 the entire company gathers for a rehearsal. Mini glow sticks show the layout of the town and we run through each step so we understand how it's all supposed to go down. My squad leader is concerned about the 75 meters of open ground we'll be crossing to get to our building. If the Soviets are up and lively that's going to be pure murder. The CO hopes that we'll be across that ground before the Soviets can react. Nothing to be done about it.
01:00 final checks. Nod batteries are good. Mount is straight right? Tape over the illuminator in case you accidentally switch it past on. The enemy has nods so they can see that stuff. We double check our mags, double check our gear, double check our everything. Everything is dark dark dark now, the whole unit is lights out right now so eyes can adjust. Tension is really high. The single German blurts out a quote from the movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. "Master Blaster rules bordertown" Morale is high.
01:15 3rd squad pushes out to sweep the road ahead and link up with the recon team that's been keeping eyes on the Soviets for the last 6 hours. We are jamming as much coffee down your throat as you can stand. We did not get enough rest and there is no doubt we've got a hard night ahead.
02:00 everyone is on the trucks for the movement forward. Slowly, the trucks grind their way into the blackness, the moon is not yet up and it is seriously dark out.
02:25 the truck slows to a halt at your drop off point. A member of 3rd squad is there to act as your guide to get your squad up to your assault position. The units break up and disappear into the inky blackness. You move forward feeling like every stick that snaps, every stumble, every breath sounds like the loudest rock concert. How are we supposed to sneak up on this place?
02:50 Our guide got us lost and we're coming up on show time but our squad is not to our assault position yet. If they kick off the attack with us not there, we're screwed! There's no way we'll cover that ground!
02:59 We reach our assault position with little to no time to spare. We halt and wait for the signal to move out...
03:07 No signal but we hear a volley of fire from another squad and know we're screwed now but my squad leader yells "let's go!" Over the berm we go running forward with all our might, watching the distance close to your objective. Almost immediately, we find ourselves running into an enemy position. Silhouettes move in the blackness, waking and stirring, grabbing weapons, reloading. I fire as I move killing several but I cannot afford to get bogged down here. A machine gun opens up from the upper floor of the building we're headed for. Rounds zip through the night you hear some of your squad mates go down. Forward... Forward we run, nothing but death here, you've got to get to that building.
03:08 grenades flash in the night (pea grenades) there's a lot of yelling and violence. We make it to the building and race in finding yourself face to face with a room full of guys. We open fire and clear them out one by one. About that time we got the last one down and noticed the familiar shadow of a PASGT helmet: we just wiped out a good portion of the US squad that was supposed to be taking the church across the street. They had heard the fighting over here and had raced over to help disregarding the plan.
I'm pissed that this happened but the flash and boom of a grenade just outside the door reminds us that we don't have time to focus on that crap now. The machine gun upstairs starts hammering away again. The one guy left that we did not kill screams in my ear that we need to get up there and get that machine gun or we'll never get out of here. The other fireteam leader (the only other guy to make the building) nods and the pair of us round the corner heading towards the stairs. Suddenly, almost in slow motion a grenade arches down the stair well. He grabbs my Y-harness and yanks me back hard to get me out of the blast radius, but I end up shielding him from the blast. This was the end of the night for me, but on our forums the other fireteam leader, last survivor of our squad that night, recounted the next few hours. He picks up the story from here.
"There is firing everywhere, rounds are impacting the building and zinging through the windows, the machine gun upstairs hammers away again and some unseen target and all you can think of is two words that seemed so foreign to you when the operations officer mentioned them in training just a few days ago. Combat Isolation....
03:10. This is a mess. You're whole squad is gone, you killed the squad that's supposed to be holding the church across the street and you can see that the squad that supposed to be covering your way out is engaged in a fierce firefight with the guys who are upstairs. It's time to get the F out of here while hopefully everyone is looking another direction. You crouch and peek out the door eyeing the woods that long 75 yards away. You take a breath and sprint for all your worth. Running, running, running... The machine gun hammers and your just waiting for the rounds to stitch you the back but they don't come. You bust into the wood line and dive over a low berm.
03:15. You catch your breath and peer over the berm across the battlefield. The firing from the near side security team has ceased and you hear Russians yelling back and forth to each other. The woods crunch and pop with movement and you know you are in serious trouble. You slowly begin to make your way south to the rally point.
03:22. You stop suddenly when you hear the familar "Click-pop" of squelch breaking on a PRC-68 radio. You scan and spot a shadow in the darkness. You challenge the shadow and get the correct reply. It's 1st squad's ratelo. He's working his way back as well. He tells you he thinks there's a sizable Soviet force moving through the woods just north of here and you guys need to make tracks.
03:45. Slowly you ease your way into the rally point. Nothing much to see... Creeping forward slowly, looking. Suddenly a quiet voice with a British accent comes out from the darkness. "Over here mate" You close up meet with the supply sgt who hearing the fracas on the radio decided to move a truck up to help evacuate everyone. He sets you off on the perimeter to pull security for a while till we get everyone gathered up.
04:15. Nobody else comes... The supply sgt gathers up all who are present and loads everyone in the truck. The engine cranks and the truck creeps back home.
04:45. You are back. Tired and dejected. You know that raid was a disaster. The Brit guy next to you in the truck referred to it as a "dick dance".
05:15 More units return on foot. Many tell stories just like yours, darkness, violence, confusion. You are exhausted. You meet up with some other members of your squad including your squad leader who finally tells you to go get some sleep. (2 hour respawn time meant most of us were again "alive")
05:20 you are fast asleep."
The next morning, a recon team cleared the town. The Soviets had cleared out around dawn.
Once the event was over we learned the whole story of the disastrous raid. Turns out that most of the NATO force got out ok. In fact our friendly fire rampage killed almost as many NATO guys as enemy action. The guys that were just up that stairwell turned out to be the last remaining Soviet troops in the town. All that crunching and scary noises you heard in the woods was just other NATO troops heading back. All the Russian yelling was just the Soviet guys calling out to see if any of their other positions had survived the attack. (they hadn't). The guy upstairs, a combat veteran of the Russian Army who was wounded in Chechnya says of that battle: "McClane and i were ready to fight to the last BB! That was one of the most memorable moments at EW for me."
Out of the 16 and a half hours tracked here. 40 minutes involved fighting. The rest was spent doing other activities leading up to the fight or supporting the fight. The point here is that East Wind is not a high action event. We don't just Yosemite Sam charge the enemy without a plan, respawn 5 minutes later and do it again. When you head out on mission, there's a lot involved. All of that "lot" requires attention to detail and interest in what is happening. If this is your thing, you would LOVE East Wind. If it isn't, then you probably won't.
Sorry about the wall of text, I got a bit carried away. My heart is racing just recalling and re-reading accounts of that night.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 20, 2013 13:52:40 GMT -5
Awesome account and precisely the type of event I like to participate in, put on or support.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 9, 2013 16:30:18 GMT -5
To provide greater clarity on how a small event with few participants could be conducted in a more emmersive more military simulation fashion. If you have even a dozen guys you could have a couple small bunkers or casually fortified positions with a dedicated "front". The approach to the defensive position or positions could be marke off with twine boundaries with the understanding that the attackers must stay within those channalized approaches. Potentially there could be wire obstacles in front (again created with twine) the attackers could have bangalore torpedoes (easily made with sections of ABS tubes) the defenders and attackers could equal in number BUT the defenders might be limited to one or NO Regens where the attackers might have as many as five! a time limit is given for the entire engagement that allows prep time, planning and rehearsal for the attackers as well as prep time for the defenders.
The attacker leave their briefing area and cross their line of departue from where the action may begin. Once the scenario has played out teams reverse roles. You can run this same event repeatedly and the action and outcomes will vary greatly. The attackers will see great value in rehearsal, training and the effectiveness of fire and manuever. Smoke and pyro (dummy explosies) etc will add a great deal to this mission. 10 or 12 players could easily pull this off and it can be done with even less. For those insisting on keeping score, winning could be determined on success patterns of fewest casualties for the attackers or speed at which the mission succeeds.
Lots of BB slinging in this scenario and lots of intense action typically.
More missions to follow.
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stuka
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Post by stuka on Nov 9, 2013 16:56:58 GMT -5
One of the field i used to frequent had this small "fort" structure, it was like 1.5 stories. Anyways, basically you would have an approximate ratio of 3:2 attackers to defenders respectively and the defenders would have 1-2 respwans while the attackers would have unlimited but there would be a 15 min time limit to step into the fort to capture it. more or less with your "front" idea you could more or less recreate d-day but i am not sure what you would want for a time limit but you would want to cap all those positions and then perhaps move more "inland" after establishing a "beachhead". This could just be done with either allies or axis invading a position and throughout the day there could be counter attacks and attempts to repel attackers.
should the initial invasion fail, they could regroup perhaps and try another "wave". i don't know that seems more like a whole event not just small event stuff XD
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 10, 2013 1:11:37 GMT -5
I am again thinking in terms of activities for 8 to 12 players. Obviously with more participants greater complexities could be built upon. This bunker assault game play works very well and while it requires a little set up. Preparing the positions before the fact, laying out your attack lanes etc. It allows for both offensive and defensive roles even with equal sized teams which is generally hard to do. Typically a rule of thumb for attacking forces is for them to have a 3:1 advantage. For prepared positiond without the advantage of surprise at least 5:1 is required. Plan your regens accordingly. I like having a time limit once the offense crosses the line of departure and it's easy to create a scenario explanation for the need for haste.
My portable sandbags (bags filled with shreaded paper or sawdust) allow you to quickly build convincing bunkers without much time or effort.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 10, 2013 23:15:22 GMT -5
So following an intense shelling Of enemy artillery the platoon leader comes up to your bunker to check on everyones well being. Assured that everyone is okay he says the CP thinks the artty must of broken some wire between your unit and the adjacent company to your left. Your section of men 3 or 4 guys are assigned to follow the wire, find the break(s) and repair them. your briefing includes the warning that the barrage might have been used to screen enemy attempts to infiltrate between units and enemy patrols have been conducting probes over the past few weeks,
For this mission a single controller is needed to provide the briefings and control the two sides departure. Before the mission the controller can route twine through a forested area with one or more breaks in the "wire" The enemy mission can be a wide variety of assignments from route recons, to POW snatches, ambush at the point of the break or even their own mission to follow the "wire". Design opponents assignment so they both release at appropriate times and there is a high likelihood of contact.. For this mission wound cards and medic rules work best rather than traditional regens. Radios to coordinate start times are an administrative plus, this is a nice 30 to 45 minute tactical phase including the briefing, prep time, rehearsal and actual mission phase.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 11, 2013 14:51:09 GMT -5
Here is another small unit mission that has an air of authenticity to it. Your main line of resistance endured a heavy counter attack earlier in the day and the attack included enemy armored support. Fortunately these were beaten back by the arrival and timely ceipt of friendly artillery. An enemy medium tank was damaged and partially withdrew although a patrol indicated in was broken down just out of sight from your position. The Company commander has asked for volunteers to go out and destroy the tank as apparently the enemy crew is attempting to repair it. Your mission is to attack the crew and destroy the tank in place using (demolitions or a "bazooka" if you have a NERF launcher or some other such device). put a time limit on the mission and you can use whatever is appropriate to replicate the "tank". Give the attackers multiple regens. Switch roles and repeat as many times as it's fun. NOTE the defenders can put folks in an ambush position to defend the most likely avenues of approach although the risk is the attackers will use a different route.
incidently this mission is based on an account from Audie Murphy from an incident in Italy. In that case it was a night mission.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 24, 2013 17:08:18 GMT -5
US Battalion CPs and Regimental CPs have been chronic targets for brief but remarkably accurate German artillery strikes since the landing at Normandy. initially G-2 thought the US forces had simply located their headquarters in overly predictable sites but after an effort to consider such things when situating the Bn CPs these effective attacks continued. These couldn't simply be lucky guesses or random fire missions. The second theory was that Germans effectively infiltrate small recon elements who manage to find these locations and call their locations in by radio. Wide ranging aggressive patrolling were implemented around the areas the CPs were located in to prevent their discovery.
For this mission phase a simulated HQ CP should be set up in a location specifically unknown to the enemy. Use a generator and some recorded radio traffic to simulate the location with perhaps a bunker or tents or something so it will be recognizeable as a HQs Give the defenders a large area to patrol and be sure the area is thickly foliated enough so infiltration is possible. Set a broad time frame. Perhaps and hour and a half to two hours. The mission for the Germans is to locate the HQs and call in an artillery strike. The mission for the US is to prevent its discovery with broad wide ranging 360degree patrolling.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Nov 24, 2013 20:21:50 GMT -5
It wasn't until later in the war in Western Europe that the US Army discovered that the Germans were using powerful mobile devices that could detect and destinguish radio transmissions. These radio locator beacons could accurately establish an azimuth and when two or three of them were used they could establish quite accurately where allied Command and Communications Centers. It was in fact through this technology that the Germans were able to consistently and fairly accurately target them with artillery. Counter measures have been employed to detect the approximate location of these radio locator beacons and dummy transmissions are being sent to keep them on station. Your patrol is tasked with the mission to find one of these radio tracking stations, attack it and bring back the main control unit for G-2 to study. If possible capture one of the technicians alive as well.
This is the reverse scenario for the mission laid out above. the Germans can actively patrol to prevent their station from being found and attacked and the US has to infiltrate the enemy patrolled territory, locate the station, carry out the mission and exfiltrate the area avoiding or fighting their way past the enemy patrols. The Allied insertion point and extraction point will be unknown to the Germans but the tracking station will be identified fairly closely. A simple tent, camo net, table and chairs and something looking like a tracking station can be set up. Box with a direction loop and antenna deal, headsets etc.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 20, 2015 16:09:17 GMT -5
At Junp to Destiny we had well over 100 players but even then contact was typically between small units. initially the event was all trainng by both sides. The Germans were focused on preparing defensive positions, their camps and active patrolling, signalling techniques as well as anti partisan tactics. we had French civilians who wrre gathering intelligence and occassional ambushes or planting of boobytraps. They were also tasked with gathering equipment drops in anticipation for the night drop conducted Saturday night. The civilians had identity papers, bycycles and also delivered food to the Germans on Saturday.
The Germans tried to keep the civilians from observing their defenses and arrested people acting suspiciously. The US troops trained on patrolling and Arborne Operations most especially how to reconsolidate and regroup after a night drop and how to conduct raids and ambushes. Some units (The British contingent fr example) had two night time objectives to locate and destroy field obstructions in anticipation of morning glider landings and the elimination of a German Radio Transmitter. The Americans were taked with attacking and eliminating Anti Aircraft and radar positions. And to avoid contact short of those coordinated attacks.
In the daylight the entire Allied force was to assemble and tasked to conduct an attack on a major roadblock with an anti tank gun. (cool prop we made) Any of these individual small unit missions and action phases could be carried out at an event without the 100 plus players involved. Do not let small numbers at an event Guy on a short bus your efforts to generate authentic and emmersive action phases.
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Post by insterburger on Mar 20, 2015 18:45:59 GMT -5
One other thing I've noticed is that when you have an objective beyond "engage the enemy and kill them" it can be a real test of the mettle of your troops, and the quality of the commander. I remember at the Bulge event last year, we were tasked with scouting out a specific position, but engaged an enemy force on the way. It was extremely difficult to keep my guys (and myself, for that matter) focused on the objective, and harder still to try to disengage the enemy force. Much more interesting-- at least to me-- than yet another toe to toe slugfest.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 20, 2015 22:20:31 GMT -5
A great way to keep an event interesting and frankly more authentic is to give both sides different assignments during a simultaneous time frame and put the objectives in close proximity to one another. In this way, conflict and tension will be inevitable but both teams can stay mission focused, probably (but not assuredly) enjoy the fruits of success while experiencing tension and drama.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Mar 24, 2015 13:42:49 GMT -5
Prior to the Breakout from Normandy at St Lo, much of the fighting in the Western Front was hedgerow to hedgerow, close in, fairly small unit tactics. Units had little sense for successes or failures with adjacent units, in fact territory gained was often given back as an aggressive unit mighht find itself all alone or with exposed flanks and a high likelihood of being cut off. This reality plays well into our event size and terrain.
Following the break out ( during the pursuit phase in France) contact was extremely random and again often small unit in scope. The US called these deep penetration areas "Indian Country" as often units would have to bivouac in areas with completely unknown enemy presence. They would have to create 360 degree defenses and vehicles were often circled like wagons in the old west.
Enemy actions were just as likely to be German units trying to exfiltrate to an established "rally point" as formalized counter attacks. Units often simply blundered into one another from unpredictable directions. Roads and trails, treelines and low hills were natural locations for small battles. in their isolated situations, supprt from artillery and aircraft was chaotic at best (especially the Germans where it was virtually non existent). Mortars were the closest thing typically drawn upon with regard to indirect fire support. Grenade range combat was commonplace. It was hard to tell friend from foe.
The US had attached air support liasons in some cases although these were often at battalion level. Companies often had Forward Observers for artillery attached but again not at the squad and platoon level. US Armored Cav units frequentlt fought as small units in desperate circumstances even though their normal orders were to try and avoid contact.
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