So it was a good game overall. I felt that the scenarios were good in basic design. I wasn't up to speed with the airstrikes, napalm, nanobots, UAV's etc. but if people find that sort of thing enjoyable then more power to them. I could tell that quite a few players felt that it distracted from the overall gameplay, but for people who had been in the campaign and had fought for those dollars that they were spending on UAV's and such that may have added another element to the game play. I think that some small amount of those things would have been good but only if the complexity was low and if the usage was well understood by all. Most of the briefings appears to take place on the web before hand and despite my best efforts to use the funky forum I never saw the map before I was on the field, etc. What happens when only a couple are briefed is that command gets shot and anarchy ensues. All participants deserve an equal share of the information.
I think that to get more AP players at these kinds of events there should be some kind of middle ground between the events of the campaign and the one-day players from AP. I would have immensely appreciated some kind of "AP Briefing Package" for those people who don't have the time to keep up with the campaign on the web yet still want to attend the event and know what the heck is going on. Sounds like Clown is already headed in that direction and I appreciate it.
Positives:
-Being able to operate with one team throughout the day.
-Playing on a course I haven't played on much with lots of natural terrain and cover.
-Running against Attack37 and his shiny new toy
-Seeing innovative new airsoft features like UAV's.
-Working with new, less experience airsoft players (yes this is under positives)
-Getting to set three ambushes in one day.
Not-so-positives:
-Inconsistency in information from admins, also a mix up in sector assignments.
-People not calling hit even though they were hit and were in the process of going out. They just don't do anything at first, no yell, no hand, and never a deathrag. Just a slow trudge away.
-Off-field stuff having an impact on the field. My CO told me that he had a hit out on him (from off the field, spending credits or some such) and that he counter-offered on the field. I guess had he not won the counter offer he would have just been killed by an admin and removed from play.
-Close-range sniper engagements. I saw someone on my team get shot with an assaulting bolt at a range of no less than 20 yards (crossroads to the trench).
-Lack of briefings. There was no overall briefing, only team briefings at starting points. Our particular admin glossed over safety matters in the briefing as if they were old news when my team had no fewer than 4 players who were in their first airsoft game ever.
Overall, none of the problems I saw were that different from things that happen at other games.
Major props to the new players on Cryo. I am sure that your opponents had no idea how many airsoft games you had played in because y'all were dishing it out. I really like working with new players because in many ways they are not yet spoiled or jaded. Some of the things they were doing are things that even the vets can take lessons from. Without any orders from command they were using runners to keep a link between the front line and the back line, reacting/investigating situations that were possible threats not just confirmed threats, sitting on defensive watch for a long time in the cold with no errant fire and little talking, and just generally not being jackasses.
On a final note, as the person who was on the other side of the above discussed Vamps charge I took great delight in being able to just target down one pipe and get you all. This is not only because the gun I was using was new and hungry but also because my position apparently had great lines of fire with little exposure. I was having so much fun I switched to semi.
If it's any consolation Vamps and the rest of them fell as well after the initial charge. If you had advanced as a line instead of as a column you would have had me. Admittedly you probably didn't know I was the only one there at the time and were probably trying to keep your exposure low, it was just unfortunate that the advance was right down my line of fire. After that I repositioned to the left and the assaulting force regrouped and charged. That was an awesome charge. It was a broad line that crossed the road all at once running and firing and as soon as I identified my position by firing I had no fewer than 2 people RUNNING at me to get me. It was an awesome demonstration of how to use superior numbers and I felt quite powerless and gaffled.
Good game, thanks to NWAC for putting it on. I would encourage AP players to check out these games as this group is really trying to do some next level things not typically seen in airsoft.
