Looking forward to 2015

[baronsass]

Thinking back on 2014 and how sparse it was is making me wonder about 2015... I got that burnin' feeling that tells me we need to get this scene of ours rolling again - if not in the field (it is kinda cold), then at least in our frontal lobes. I played way more modern in 2014 that I care to reflect on. Good times to be sure, but I live for the WWII. And the 'Nam - that's another thing I'd love to get rolling on this year. My ODs are far too clean. So, any thoughts out there on how to add a bit of sizzle to the scene? SHOOT! 

[bandit brother]

Dont know about the WWII stuff, but we got a bunch of guys out to the one Nam game this year year(don't get me started with some of the player issues) and had quite a few begging for more. A few even volunteered to help organize and run it. I think part of it is that the era is a little more modern so the weapons/kit is a little easier to access or forgive for being a little too new. M4s can stand in for XM177s, multitudes of AK variants are close enough to old school AK47s, etc. And older Canadian OD kit looks good enough to be era US. And who cant buy a pair of black sweats or scrubs at Wal-Mart. We got some of the guys to the Nam game because we promised a night game with fireworks so they came. Then a lot of em realized it isn't as intimidating as they thought or had been told, had fun, and wanted to do it again. As a side note on what to do better next time is to make the next game a long day game. Already have some thoughts on a long objective based game set around the siege of Khe Sanh.

My hope is that some of these guys who make it to Nam games take an interest in historic and then try to cross back into WWII. I do have a few thoughts on the WWII stuff as well, but bear in mind I didn't make it to about half of the few WWII games run this year so some of my comments may be a little innacurate. First off, someone either needs to take over or help with any future Overlord games. I don't know what the one this year was like(had no choice, work called) but a series of small mini skirmishes with long breaks between and no real purpose except to storm the beach AGAIN with long breaks in between the mini games and a big price tag for the event is cool for guys who love dressing in their era stuff as much as fighting in their era stuff. But for guys who aren't that into it yet? Jeff (Baker) is great with ideas, but with a young family and a constantly expanding business he comes up with hype he doesn't have time/energy/ability to follow through on by himself. It really makes it hard to draw new players when the big, expensive, promoted event of the year looks more fashion show than game to the new players. My second thought is more of a not to self than anything, but I have enough full on kit to outfit 2 guys head to toe in era US stuff, and a third that just needs boots. And I could almost outfit a fourth. And guns, I have 2 Thompsons, a BAR, an M3, an M1, an MP40 and a STG44 (I still want at least 2 more rifles). I am not saying I want to lend it out indiscriminately, but I should offer to give it out to select players to try and get them out End rants

[baronsass]

Bandit - thanks for the input.
'Nam - YES! I agree that 'Nam is a tad more accessible than WWII for the reasons you've outlined. The music is also way better. That being said, is there a core of guys in your purview that can be relied upon to show up, to say nothing of organize? We have at least 4 guys here (myself included) that are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to get a 'Nam game off the ground. Awareness and of course attendance are our biggest issues right now - this may be partly offset by the gun/gear accessibility you've mentioned. I know you'll travel to a game, but will others? I'd love to do you Khe Sanh scenario - hell, I'll help you plan it. I'd also love to do a Tet scenario, or simply a day of skirmishing in gear - the latter is never a waste of my time.
And yes, we do want to hear about the player issues

As for WWII - Overlord was a debacle. The first one I went to was 3 or 4 years ago I think, and it was awesome - tons of guys, the Bren carrier, huge game. This year was pathetic - disorganized, boring, under-attended. I love the field, but as you point out, Jeff's capacity to make more of the event simply isn't there. I had organized a full on bolt action game for the beginning of the 2014 season. It was almost totally ignored. It was like the zeal had just suddenly up and died. When Steve finally managed to get a few folks out some months later, it was great time - small, but good. I think the travel thing is a real issue - the 3-hour trek to Edmonton or Calgary is a lot for a lot of us. I'd love to be able to play around Red Deer, just to cut down on the travel. I think that some of the reenactment obligation also cut into people's ability to attend games. Anyway, now I'm meandering... I'm gonna work on awareness and sow the seeds as best I can. And I think I'll expand that effort to include the 'Nam.
That being said, anyone have a line of a good XM177 aeg? I have two old TMs that just aren't quite up to snuff.

[bandit brother]

Yeah, I totally understand the whole long drive thing. I been making the trip out to Calgary a few times this year for work and don't really mind it, but getting up at 4 is a little different than leaving at 8. There are a few guys out here that would come out to Nam games with me in a heartbeat, and probably more than a few I could talk into it. As for player issues, I don't really want to get into player bashing, but someone who should know better decided he was above the rules, there were some issues with alcohol that in hindsight I should have expected when you start the game at 5 pm, and have guys show up early and just hang out till it starts. Then there was some issues with pot, which was made even harder because the main people involved were the field owners son and his friends. But whatever, its over.

I have had a pretty bad year this year, dealing with the legal issues with my ex. The only worse year was the year my dad was dying, otherwise I would have made it out to all the era games. I really hope we can rebuild the WWII stuff especially, but a main part of that is going to have to be not relying on Jeff and Overlord. To be honest, while they were fun, they also haven't been exactly realistic, although at last years he did try and make some improvements. To do that again there would need to be better planning for the Allied Paras to have real objectives at the back of the field, more things for the Germans to do than hunt down the Paras and repel the beach, and some way for the Allied side to counter on the beach in a realistic way. I mean they took as many or more casualties on some of the beaches as Germany had defenders, and still landed enough able bodies men to overwhelm the defenses, so some way of allowing the Allies to throw men at the problem till its solved should be worked out. Honestly if you were dong Normandy again I would have more interest in the breakout than the landing. I know that takes on of the premade fight areas either out of it completely, or changes it from its intended use to a different one it may not be as well suited to, but whatever. I know the whole Saving Private Ryan thing makes that fight appealing, but really that wasn't the whole war, and in many ways was the beginning of the end. Even doing a Caen game in Silver Creek has more appeal to me than just storming the beach again. Ok, I can end rant now.

I haven't talked to anybody about it yet, but there is a group of guys out here who have a pretty undeveloped field out by Sylvan Lake. Really barren for structures, and lots of wide open space, but also los of treed areas , a hill that towers over a large part of the field, and a section I like to call the valley of death. Its a REALLY big field, with great vehicle access in the game area, so putting vehicles in it can work easily. I have been mulling over using it for the Khe Sanh game I have in mind. One nice part of that field is you can shorten the field if only 30 guys show, or put the whole thing in play if 100 show up, it sort of divides itself into smaller fight zones like the real terrain of Khe Sanh did, and vehicles can have at it. On the downside, few if any usable field structures. But at least its about a third of the way between Edmonton and Calgary.