Ersatzjack
Corporal
"That silly Franz... he thinks we are winning."
Posts: 1,093
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Post by Ersatzjack on Jan 14, 2008 1:37:44 GMT -5
After action anyone? It looks like a bloody mess. I loved the pictures and I hope, we can avoid similar weather conditions in February. Heck, I hope we can avoid that Jan-Dec. I think I'd rather deal with cold (I know, you had cold too but I'm talking snow and stuff) than mud and rain. Yuk. But it looks like you had a lot of people show up and that's great. Did the Allies have any MG's or anything heavier than a Thompson? It sure looked like the Germans were loaded for bear. I bet it's gonna take awhile to clean your gear for sure. Great for pictures though.
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ersatzjack2
Private 1st Class
"We can still win this thing, once the secret weapons arrive."
Posts: 612
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Post by ersatzjack2 on Jan 14, 2008 2:46:47 GMT -5
The photos looked great. What a muddy, sloppy, cold looking battlefield. Bet it was great! I liked the artillery piece. What is it? Any more pics of it? Good looking impressions too!
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Post by binarypunisher on Jan 14, 2008 12:58:00 GMT -5
It only rained the first night, and a little the next day. The mud has been on that field all season, so it was unavoidable. The gun is a PAK40, heres some more pics from previous games:
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Ersatzjack
Corporal
"That silly Franz... he thinks we are winning."
Posts: 1,093
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Post by Ersatzjack on Jan 14, 2008 14:13:06 GMT -5
Very nice. Is it a prop or does it shoot anything. Either way it looks super. Hey, I think that is 17th SS markings, right? Thanks for the additional pictures.
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rkrueger
Private
G Co 505th Cannonballers 3rd Bat 1st platoon
Posts: 344
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Post by rkrueger on Jan 14, 2008 14:55:39 GMT -5
love the pictures very well detailed
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 14, 2008 15:49:10 GMT -5
The US had one dedicated MG gunner and his assistant who lugged an ammo can with additional hi cap magazines. They also had several Thompsons (maybe five total) everyone else had either bolt action rifles or were limited to firing semi auto. It really made for interesting play and of course made the German MGs very significant indeed.
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Post by hellmutt on Jan 14, 2008 19:48:20 GMT -5
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Post by hellmutt on Jan 14, 2008 20:22:03 GMT -5
Jan. 12, 1945
Dearest Wife,
Sorry it has been so long since I have written. This damn war has a way destroying any time to write. We’re somewhere in Belgium right now trying to push through some German fortifications before we can make the move into Germany and end this stinking war. The weather has been awful the last few weeks, rain, sleet, hail – everything you could imagine. I’ve been soaked to the bone for what seems like months and everything is coated in mud.
Our new replacements have been coming in yesterday and today. Mostly a bunch of baby faced kids with no real experience, let alone combat experience. Surprisingly though the morale is pretty high. One of the kids fell in a foxhole filled with water up to his waist coming back from a patrol last night! We had to find him some dry clothes while we dried out his soaking ones. We started a little fire after the rain let up, Top was pretty angry about that! Luckily the Germans are on the run for the most part and nothing bad happened but it was either loose a guy to hypothermia or take a risk with the fire. We’d put a big hurtin’ on Jerry that afternoon, including taking out a mortar position and a PAK40 (a big anti-tank gun) so we figured we had earned a fire. I’m still hearing about it from first sergeant though.
One of the good things about the fire though was hot chow. One of the things we found when we finally overran the German bunkers were several cases of food that they had stolen from one of our supply jeeps that was ambushed a couple of days ago. We opened up several cans of beef stew and poured it into a helmet and heated it up over the fire. I had forgotten just how good warm food could be! Even canned rations on a cold night make for an excellent meal. We also found a case of some German wine, I think it was Berliner or something like that. In any case, it really hit the spot. The vets in the group all brought out what they’d been saving up for the last few week and we had a veritable feast compared to what we’ve had for the last few months. One guy even broke out some Coca Cola and some Hershey’s bars!
Good thing we had a nice warm meal because the next day was brutal. Sgt. Johnston is our platoon sergeant and he was not impressed with the new recruits. Most of these kids hadn’t seen the business side of a razor let along heard the sound of rifles shooting down range in a fight. A lot of them didn’t come back after our first push on the German’s main line of defense. Lt. Warren briefed the men on the tactical situation and made it perfectly clear we had to take out this defensive line. We were up against a small but hardened Fallshirmjager unit and an SS mountain division. These weren’t the “old men and boys” but top notch combat vets who had been fighting for twice as long as most of our guys had been shaving. The boys did good but it was a bloody, gruesome fight the entire way.
I was surprised though, several Germans actually surrendered as we kept pouring it on. I don’t know if they were just running low on ammo or if they were as tired of this wet, muddy miserable place as we were. On Friday night, one of our patrols had found a couple of Krauts and managed to capture them and bring them back to camp. Myself, Lt. Warren and Captain Robison integrated them and found out they were the ones who had ambushed our supply jeep earlier in the week. They were both FJ, I think it was 5th but between my bad German and their worse English, it was hard to tell. One of them was actually fairly friendly and told us a good amount of information. The other was definitely tight lipped and gave the other some hard looks as he answered our questions. “Namen, rank und serial number ist alles ich hab zu say” he kept repeating. Warren didn’t like that answer and between him and Captain Robison – I think the other one knew we meant business.
With the information we gathered from these prisoners and the information on positions that our recon team had found – we began to plan the next morning’s attack. There was a series of interlocked machine gun positions that we had to push through to send Jerry packing. We took out 1st platoon and began the assault around 0900. The results were less then stellar.
We lost more then half the platoon on the first wave, mostly because the new recruits froze up when the German machine guns barked to life. It was like trying to push a straw through a frozen glass of water getting the boys moving. We were able to get through the first position but the Germans counter attacked with a ferocity that would have made Satan himself proud. Lt. Warren had to order a withdraw in order to get 2nd platoon up to the fight, we ended up loosing the first position we took. Every inch was like a mile as we crawled on our bellies through the muck and mud.
Looks like we have a briefing in about 5 minutes so I have to cut this short. Tell the girls I love them and I will see them soon. I can’t wait to be home and I miss you more every day. I’ll try to write more tomorrow.
Yours forever,
Dick
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Young Blood
Corporal
Dog Co. 504 PIR, 82nd Airborne (SoCal)
Posts: 876
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Post by Young Blood on Jan 15, 2008 0:57:01 GMT -5
whatever guys, make the games far enough so we cant play, leave us socal kats to rott!! lol, just kiddin', glad you guys had fun!!
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click
Sergeant
Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division
Posts: 1,764
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Post by click on Jan 15, 2008 4:24:57 GMT -5
Everyone looks great! Hellmut, where did you get the can labels?
Click
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Post by hellmutt on Jan 15, 2008 13:55:40 GMT -5
I made them on my computer!
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Ersatzjack
Corporal
"That silly Franz... he thinks we are winning."
Posts: 1,093
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Post by Ersatzjack on Jan 15, 2008 15:07:07 GMT -5
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click
Sergeant
Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division
Posts: 1,764
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Post by click on Jan 15, 2008 15:17:00 GMT -5
Thanks, I thought I had seen similer ones on the net but couldnt find them when I searched for them.
Click
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 15, 2008 15:50:00 GMT -5
There were so many nice little touches that added a lot to the event. The rations of course were well received and a lot of time and money were obviously spent on them. As each soldier signed in, they received a copy of their orders and received a P-38 can opener and a spoon along with their initial issue of rations. In addition they had a game packet and an ID card which were done up to look period correct. They were escorted to their billets (One of several large tents) and assigned a rotating guard duty. The Germans did probes throughout the first and second night.
On the second night the US lerned that more aggressive and active patrols was the better defense although with no moon and goggles it was somewhat perilous. The foxholes were almost completely filled with water due to the heavy rain and snow melt we had experienced. One young man did indeed fall in the water as indicated in the letter. That's a dangerous thing when temperatures are hovering around freezing.
There were a lot of new players which is always good to see. The US side struggled early while attacking the initial German bunker line but as the weekend progressed continued to get better and better and worked increasingly more effectively. On Sunday they swept the field only to note that the Germans had withdrawn leaving only a few wounded soldiers at their camp.
Vehicles were used to load up the GIs and take them to a link up point near the British forces. The Germans their put up stiff resistance but the link up was made and the sign of Brits and GIs shaking hands was a strong indication the Bulge had been filled in.
Lt Warren came back looking like his face had been smashed in but with a huge smile on his face. I thought the bloody rags and drips of blood down his jacket front was artificial until I looked at his nose and realized it wasn't. Apparently a German raced toward him and as he was shot at nearly point blank range he fell and his helmet flew off and struck the young ranger square in the pug.
An injury far bloodier then it was serious. In the end all personnel were accounted for and everyone seemed to have a great time. I am beginning to get the feeling back in my feet and recovering from my worst cold in 10 years but the weekend was well worth it.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 29, 2008 17:12:13 GMT -5
Some pictures from the event. Nowhere near the quality of Charles Peterson or GWAG but they help others to vicariously enjoy the event. When people arrived they had to report to the CQ tent where they received a copy of their orders, got their squad assignment/ tent assignment and received their first issue of rations an ID card a spoon and a game booklet. Many arrived after dark on Friday with some replacements arriving early Saturday morning. Fritz was used to orient, educate and train the US force on enemy identification since the German force was deployed seperately and unseen in camp until actual combat was simulated. (This design element is a cool feature of Hellmutts events) On the first nights perimiter patrol a couple German prisoners were captured and brought to G-2 for Lt Bakers interogation. One FJ was tight lipped and once they roughed him up a bit the other sang like a canary. Guys were well bundled up for the cold but the weather definitely took its toll Here's first platoon getting it's map orientation and preliminary briefing from Lt Baker (Ranger Warren) Additional equipment and rations were issued out and guys packed up for their first attack on the German bunker line 1st Sgt had the combined role of Medic and platoon controller keeping HQ advised on unit successes and location so the OPFOR could be optimized. Each player had individualized carlisle bandages which once opened described the nature and severity of the wound. The medics had extras that could be given out to the "replacement" once he was evacuated to the aid station Squads were often reduced to four men due to casualties Platoon Sgt Johnston noted how in the course of the weekend the US force went from virtual novices to a good performing team. Early on there was little coordination and virtually no uniformly aggressive efforts but by Sunday they were fighting well. The terrain was both Damp, cold and muddy but once the initial bunker line had been penetrated the Germans were pretty much on the run abandoning their camp before the US over ran it. The combination of airsoft and blank firing weapons along with the large amount of pyro made for a dramatic sounding battlefield. The neighbors could only tolerate the artillery simulators for so long however. The Germans encountered were not the children and Old men G-2 had described but mostly FJs and SS units. By the end of operations the survivors all had that vacant distant stare so familiar to all veterans. By late Sunday it was time to stack arms and break camp. This event had the largest collection of period correct WW2 replica airsoft weapons that I have ever been to. The US force had moved to another battle location. After a fierce fight they managed to link up with the British troops and had finished filling in the Bulge. A great time was had by all. I can't wait for next years addition and really look forward to the Jump for Destiny event
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 29, 2008 21:03:19 GMT -5
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Young Blood
Corporal
Dog Co. 504 PIR, 82nd Airborne (SoCal)
Posts: 876
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Post by Young Blood on Jan 29, 2008 22:27:04 GMT -5
cool pix, I can't wait for the "jump to destiny" event!!
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guitarmaster
Corporal
And at this range, I'm a real Frederick Zoller
Posts: 954
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Post by guitarmaster on Jan 29, 2008 22:49:13 GMT -5
IS that IBC Rootbeer? those are my initials hahaha.
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ersatzjack2
Private 1st Class
"We can still win this thing, once the secret weapons arrive."
Posts: 612
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Post by ersatzjack2 on Jan 30, 2008 17:38:46 GMT -5
Nice photos 2nd Bat. In the last photo the German on the far right is holding a beretta. Is it blank fire or is it airsoft? Curious?
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Post by binarypunisher on Jan 30, 2008 17:48:13 GMT -5
Its a parts kit waiting to be converted to airsoft.
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Ersatzjack
Corporal
"That silly Franz... he thinks we are winning."
Posts: 1,093
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Post by Ersatzjack on Jan 31, 2008 1:20:00 GMT -5
Its a parts kit waiting to be converted to airsoft. Always nice to have a project to look forward to.
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Jan 31, 2008 2:10:38 GMT -5
Wow...thats um....alot of Thompsons at that event.
TommyGunner
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Post by Jager.Drü on Jan 31, 2008 2:32:09 GMT -5
Wow...thats um....alot of Thompsons at that event. TommyGunner Thanks!
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 31, 2008 13:32:49 GMT -5
They do show up alot in pictures. In reality there were five or six Mausers, four MP-40s, nine Garand AEGs, three Springfields and a VFC BAR along with a Bren and a Sten. Granted there were lots of Thompsons as well and the assortment of contemporary AEGs wrapped in burlap but I thought the mix of period correct weapons was the best I'd ever seen. Because of the way the units were scattered around and the ongoing tactical nature of gameplay we didn't do a very good job of capturing the entirety of the event in pictures. There were a lot of great pictures but often of the same folks which is kind of a shame.
Great event! I still have it bouncing around in my head.
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