Post by SfcMigs on Jan 16, 2013 19:20:07 GMT -5
The World War II Airsoft Association
&
Presents
The Battle of Hürtgen Forest
When: Sat. April 27 & Sunday April 28th, 2013
Where: Lashs Paintball, Johnstown (Perth), NY
Field Address: 1174 County Hwy 107, Johnstown (Perth), NY 12095
Store Address: Same
Please send your registration info to the following Email address:
SfcMigs@gmail.com
Please put "Hurtgen Forest" as the subject header:
Name:
Call Sign on Boards:
Unit Impression and rank:
Address:
DOB/Age:
Weapon:
Email address:
Please indicate if you will be camping out on the Friday night prior when registering.
Cost:
Pre-payment via paypal: $35.00 Pre-pay ends: midnight 4/20/13
Pay at Field: $45.00
Pre-payments sent via Paypal to: SfcMigs@gmail.com
Please go to the following link to download the Lashs Paintball waiver form. If you can print and fill this out prior to your arrival at the event, it will make your registration go a lot smoothly. All players under 18 must have waiver signed by parent/guardian.
Link: TBD
A “Code of Conduct" form MUST BE SIGNED by all participants at Registration. NO EXCEPTIONS
Authenticity guidelines
U.S. Impressions
Headgear- M1C helmet with fixed d-bale. Helmets were covered with nets, a white winter cover or were just plain.
Uniform-M1943 Field Uniform was most commonly worn. M41 Field jackets and M43 Rigger trousers are also fine. Even though the 101st AB was not present for this Battle, that Impression will be accepted as well.
Footwear- BROWN repro Corcoran jump boots or M43 buckle boots. Black ones will be acceptable for this event if brown cannot be had. NO modern Army tan or suede boots. Roughout Infantry boots also acceptable with or without leggings.
Webgear- Original or repro khaki web belt or cartridge belt depending on your weapon.
Original or repo M36 Suspenders. These can be found at WPG, At the front or on Ebay.
M1910 Canteen and Canteen pouch.
Original or Repo Musette Bag. OD or Khaki containing extra socks, K-rations, Ammo, raincoat, and other personal items.
Holster, or shoulder holster for M1911. Holster must be BROWN leather. Black wasn't used till the 1950's or later.
U.S. accepted and correct weapons include:
BAR
M1 Garand
M1 Carbine
M1A1 Thompson
Browning .30 cal MG
M3A1 Grease gun
M1911 .45 cal pistol
All German WW2 Impressions are acceptable
German correct and accepted weapons include:
K98
MP-38 or 40
STG44
MG-34
MG-42
Resistance Fighters
Try to wear period looking clothing. Dark earth tones for trousers, shirt and jacket. Black or brown boots acceptable. No Jeans or sneakers.
Resistance Weapons accepted
Any of the above weapons will be fine. And in addition, it has been decided that this event’s main objective is to stir local interest thus gaining and expanding our membership. Rules for Resistance fighter weapons will a little lax. We will allow some modern guns BUT these guns will be wrapped in a burlap wrap (provide at field) for camouflage. Any type of Bolt-action Rifle (with no scope) spring or gas will be allowed. We will also allow M4, M16 type assault rifles as well as AK-47’s. There will be no SAW guns allowed. We will also NOT allow modern pistols such as Glock 9mm or Sig Sauer.
Anyone who wishes to have his/her gun evaluated for event play can PM or email me for final determination.
Historical Background
The little known Battle of Hürtgen Forest was fought from October 1944 to February 1945 south and east of Aachen, Germany. The ferocity and horrors of this long running engagement rank near the top for World War II. The name is sometimes Anglicized to be spelled Huertgen or Hurtgen.
Eight U.S. infantry and two U.S. armored divisions fought the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. The 1st Infantry Division, the 4th Infantry Division, the 8th Infantry Division, the 47th Infantry of the 9th Infantry Division, the 2d Ranger Battalion, the 5th Armored Division's 46th Armored Infantry Battalion and Combat Command Reserve, and numerous supporting units all spent time in the "Green Hell of Hürtgen" or the "Death Factory" as it was variously called. More than thirty thousand American GI's became casualties in the longest battle ever fought by the U.S. Army.
Beginning of the Battle:
The Allied breakout from the Normandy landing area in France was followed by a series of rapid victories against the Wehrmacht, which seemed to be collapsing in the summer of 1944. Initial optimism became tempered by increasing Allied logistics problems and a stiffening of German resistance as they fell back toward Germany itself. By late September 1944, the Allies had reached the West Wall defenses of the Fatherland taking Aachen on 21 October, the first German city to fall.
Following the successful Aachen offensive, the Allied plan called for a drive to the Roer River, then to cross the Rhine River plain to reach the Rhine itself at Cologne. General Courtney H. Hodges' First Army was in the center of the drive, in the territory between Aachen on the left and the Hürtgen Forest on the right flank. To secure that flank for the Rhine operation, Hodges ordered the 28th Division into the Hürtgen Forest to relieve the 9th Division that had been operating there since 19 September 1944 with little success. The 9th suffered 4,500 casualties, up to 80% in some units, trying to secure Lammersdorf and Hill 554, an attempt to dominate the Monschau Corridor (one of the few routes through the Hürtgen Forest), to cross the Kall River and seize the small town of Schmidt.
The Hürtgen Forest battle area was about 50 square miles that became a chamber of horrors in the late fall of 1944. The forest lies on a plateau adjacent to the Ardennes, cut through in the center by fast running Kall River and Weisser Weh Creek, with the Roer River as its southern and eastern boundary. It begins a few miles southeast of Aachen, Germany lying in a triangle defined by Aachen, Düren and Monschau. Its 100 foot high, closely spaced fir trees created the equivalent of a twilight jungle in Europe where the enemy could not be seen or attacked until far too late. Large units could not operate cohesively among the deep gorges, high ridges, and narrow trails. Small unit patrols were routinely cut to pieces by machine guns and mortars firing from well-hidden German bunkers or were ambushed by mines, booby traps, and trip wires. The well-built and dug in defenses included elements of the Siegfried Line that ran through the forest. The winter of 1944 was cold and wet keeping the rugged terrain covered with snow or mired in mud while sleet, snow and fog obscured the scene.
End of the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest
The 2nd Ranger Battalion was brought in to take Castle Hill (aka Hill 400) at the eastern edge of the Hürtgen Forest, a high point that the Germans used to dominate the surroundings that had not fallen to multiple attempts by First Army. On 7 December, the Rangers (who fought on Omaha Beach on D-Day) charged the hill and dislodged the surprised Germans in vicious hand to hand fighting that lasted all day through wave after wave of German counterattacks. The amazing Rangers held until reinforced on 8 December, although there were nearly 100% casualties by then. Nine days later the Germans retook Hill 400 and held it until February 1945 at the end of the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest.
On 13 December, the newly committed 83d Infantry and 5th Armored Divisions emerged from the Hürtgen Forest near the towns of Gey and Strass. Although the eastern section of the forest including Schmidt were still held by the Germans, First Army forces had finally reached the west bank of the Roer. Early in the morning of 5 February 1945, American soldiers attacked into the Hürtgen Forest for the final time. The ruins of Schmidt and Kommerscheidt fell on 7 February, opening the way for the advance that finally secured the Roer dams on 10 February. The First Army's ordeal in the Hürtgen Forest ended.
Event Rules
What determines a "Hit"? A hit on a player is when any part of the body is hit by a fired BB. This includes any ricochet that may hit you.
What do you do when your hit: A dramatic fall to the ground while calling out "Hit" always works best. Once you've finished your "you got me scene" what comes next depends on your wound status. (See medic rules)
What about grenade kills? There are two kinds of grenade kills because there are usually two kinds of grenades brought to the events. Non-exploding "dummy" grenades and Exploding grenades.
Any "dummy" grenade landing within a unimpeded 10' radius, all within that radius is now DEAD. No wounded, just dead. (See medic rules)
For Exploding grenades, same rule as "dummy" grenade except, if you are hit with the exploding contents of the grenade, regardless of where you are, you are DEAD. This is important to repeat. With the exploding grenades, even if you don’t get hit with the ordnance, if it lands within the 10” radius, you’restill dead. The advantage of the exploding grenades is that if you do get hit beyond the radius, you’re dead.
If you are in a trench, same rules apply except instead of a radius, the kill zone will be 10 feet in each linear direction from where the grenade land.
If you are in a building or bunker and the grenade enters, your dead! **Any building that does not have a roof, grenades are only allowed in through windows and entrance ways.
Smoke grenades: are just that. You can not die from a smoke grenade.
Bazooka, Panzerfaust and Mortar hits: The same radius and trench rules apply as the grenades rules. In regards to buildings/bunkers, two direct hits to the building destroys and kills everyone inside. Hits to sand bags above trenches do not constitute a hit.
Land Mines: If you step on one, Boom! You’re dead. If you are within a 5’ radius of someone who stepped on one, you’re dead too!
Safety Kills: All engagements within a 50 foot range, a safety kill shall be declared. First combatant to call out safety kill lives. Any disagreements, both combatants are dead. We all know it is sometimes hard to estimate distances in the heat of battle, please use your best discretion as safety should prevail. Safety kills are mandatory in close quarters (buildings,bunkers and trenches)
Knife kills: Although rare, since this event does have night fighting and thus could have some sneak attacks, there could possibly be some knife kills. Only FAKE knife kills will be allowed. You must make contact with your target for the kill. For those of you who bring real knives and/or bayonets, please keep them holstered.
Aid Stations
Each team will be given one medical flag to serve as a mobile or HQ re-spawn point. The mobile aide station location should be determined by CO's and be at least 50 yards from the front lines. The HQ aide stations shall also be 50 yards to the rear of each sides primary HQ location. These aid stations can be captured by the opposing team for points. (Point system T.B.D. later) Aid stations that are captured by the opposing team must take the flag to their base to be awarded the points for the capture. After one hour the flag will be returned under a parlay to its original owner and may again return to it's original status. It is obviously important to secure your mobile aide station, if captured, your teams re-spawn point will be 50 yards to the rear of your HQ for the duration of it's capture.
Medic Rules
When a player is hit, they are to fall down (acting is encouraged!) and call for a medic and or buddy aide. Any teammate can medic their fallen comrade by holding onto them for five minutes. Contact must be kept for the entire five minutes and once time has elapsed the player is back in the fight. If no medic or buddy comes to your aide, after 5 minutes, you are considered "bled out" and you can leave for either the mobile aide or Battalion Aide Station (B.A.S.) where you must remain there for an additional 5 minutes.
After a player has been hit a 2nd time, the player must lay dead in place for 5 minutes before falling back to an aid station or to their main base. Once at the aid station the player must wait five more minutes before returning to combat. When leaving the field as a "dead man walking" no talking to teammates about enemy positions will be allowed. Dead men will grip their weapon by the business end and sling their weapon over their shoulder while holding up their free hand. No dead man shall be fire upon!
Ammo Restrictions
At the beginning of the Operation, both teams must bring all of their ammo and supplies out with them for the day. They are to leave these supplies at their primary positions for the duration of the battle. Soldiers can only go into battle with their loaded magazines or clips and CANNOT bring speed loaders or BB bags with them. Team leaders must work with their Squad leaders in order to coordinate rearming and refitting during their assaults/defenses. Only players with 8mm weapons that require "hand feeding" of their ammo may carry loose ammo with them.
Support weapons (1919s, mg34s,42s) may be reloaded with the use of ammo cans or with bandoleers of deactivated ammunition/blanks. Each belt or ammo can equals one bag of bbs which can be carried on the attack and these items must be supplied by the soldier.
Camping: Camping will be allowed on the Friday night prior to the event. Players camping out in the field of play shall only be allowed to pitch WW2 period tents. These tents can be found on various internet locations for as little as $14.99. If you decide to bring a more modern tent, you may do so, but you must leave the field of play and camp out in the designated area by each sides parking area. If we have enough players who wish to conduct night missions, this may occur.
Water and Rations: Only period canteens will be allowed on the battlefield. Each side may "hide" additional water supplies at their HQ's. Gatorade buckets, coolers or bottled water must be kept out of sight (either in a structure or tent). Food rations are encourage as we will not have a "formal" lunch break for this event as German and Allie HQ's will be far apart. A short cease fire may occur, but is yet T.B.D. You can purchase period rations for either side at reprorations.com/index.htm I would purchase at least 2 meals worth. Candy bars will be accepted. Please take your meal trash with you if you are in the field. This was mandatory for all soldiers, as they knew if they left their trash behind, they would be giving away their positions. We will follow the same practice. Bring a plastic bag with you and put trash in your musette bag. Open fires in designated areas that are properly dug out and shielded by rocks may be allowed.
Night Missions: Depending on the Friday night attendance, there may be night skirmishes organized. This will hopefully be coordinated with the team’s CO’s prior to that night.
Video or still cameras: Anyone that wishes to spend some time taking either video or stills from the event during the battles may do so and not be fired upon, nor can they do so themselves. If one decides to do so, they must discard their weapon, and attach a RED rag to their helmet for ID purposes. For those of you new to the hobby, we encourage all photography.
Here is a "unofficial" schedule for our event:
Friday: All are welcomed to stop by the field and "dig in" for the event or just help out with field set up and construction. Camping will be allowed.
Saturday: Arrivals may start anytime after 0700 hours, but everyone should plan on being at the field no later than 0830 hours.
0900 hours: Safety and Event Rules briefings. You will be briefed on our rules of engagement, what is a hit and how we will use our medic/respawn scenarios for this event. Safety and sportsmanship requirements/expectations. Nothing to complicated, just need everyone on the same page.
1000 hours: Germans and Allied forces will move into their AO and prepare for Battle.
GAME ON:
1800 hours: Game over
A couple of points and preparations everyone should read
1) It is strongly recommended that everyone participating in the night mission (if we have one) have a period flashlight.
Please see link:http://www.whatpriceglory.com/shopexd.asp?id=817&bc=no
2) It is also recommended that you bring with you adequate rations and water for this event. You can find rations for both German and Allies at: reprorations.com/index.htm
3) It is also recommended that everyone carry w/ them either a FRS radio or a whistle. In case of injury, we want you to be able to notify us. If you carry an FRS radio and are not a CO or event coordinator, you can keep it off unless in case of an emergency. Hope everyone understands the importance of this. More on this at the safety briefing.
One more thing. We are always looking for someone to volunteer to video this event. Please PM me if interested.
Joe Migs