Bob and I have been milling the idea back and forth. Los being posted to fun
places and Bob being in PR did interfere a bit or we might have tried
something like that this year.
It might be an interesting excercise to setup a game like this PBEM, with a
number of players in a heirarchical structure of command and give each player
only the small bits he sees (via digital camera). The ref would have to leave
the board setup and handle the interplayer communications.
Beth and Derek said: Now that sounds cool!!! Though Derek says why wait for
ECC
;)
Tomb: Too right! Fill your boots! I'm signing up for the first player slot,
since Derek is volunteering....:)
This could be moderated through something like WebEx. Allows sharing of Video,
Files, etc. High bandwidth connections for the host and the frontline
commanders, top level would just have to be connected (why make it any easier
for them:))
Michael Brown
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G'day,
> Tomb: Too right! Fill your boots! I'm
I passed on the news and he's currently zinging around the kitchen (though
he'd prefer to call it "currently planning tactical options").
Thanks
> At 09:48 25/03/02 +1100, Beth wrote:
Actually I call it "washing up", mind you this is beginning to feel like a
case of ......
> "I need a volunteer, front rank take one step back...NOT you Fulton"
:)
Some advice based upon experience with similar games ahwile ago:
a) Have a single tabletop somewhere, with multiple players at the lowest
level. Typically, one player would command a single company or other manouver
element. Each player at this level can see the entire world, including
"hidden" units, but shouldn't take notice of them. The role of these players
is part player, part umpire. Their duties are to communicate with the "company
commander" who's
separated by the Internet, to do the appropriate die-rolling, and to
move units in a reasonable fashion consistent with the orders they get from
their company commander.
Note that for some games, you could substitute "platoon" for "company".
I'd suggest having a digital camera available, so that pictures could be taken
*at ground level* from the company command vehicle to represent the Company CO
getting up close and personal and using his own eyes.
Communication between the company players and company commanders should be by
IRC or e-mail. Logging should be on if using IRC.
b) The Company Commanders should continuously give orders to their individual
platoons, which may be quite detailed or fairly basic. It helps to have a
standard doctrine, to cut down on the detail. They should listen to what their
troopies on the ground are saying (ie get communicated to by the company
players), and keep the brigade commanders appraised of what they are doing,
where they are, and what the enemy is doing. They get to see (via digital pix)
only what they could see from the Company Command element.
It is highly recommended that back-up company commanders be provided,
who can take over if the umpire determines that the company command element
has been
KO'd. Said back-up commanders should be kept appraised of what's going
on by the company commander. Often they won't be. BWA HA HA.
c) Brigade Commanders (who are in charge of groups of companies - these
may be Batallion commanders instead) get to listen to what the company
commanders
are telling them, and have a map. If they are represented on-table by
brigade
command elements, then they also get digital pix. Of course if on-table,
they
can be casualties.... so should have a back-up.
Brigade Commanders would be sporadically incommunicado as they moved to
alternate
locations (or would get hit by artillery and/or aviation)
d) Resource Commanders. Usually an artillery and/or air support
commander. These get communicated to by the Brigade commander, they have to
make up a fire plan, and must play the role of forward observers. Typical
interactions: 1) Brigade HQ to Artillery HQ "We need 3 Batteries allocated to
us NOW!" 2) Brigade HQ to Artillery Battery 3: "You are in direct support of
Company Lima, he'll give you fire missions." 3) Company L to Artillery Battery
3: "I want FPF at position 5 right now, and send a FO to map reference
010122". 4) Umpire to Artillery HQ: "Division has ordered you to relocate,
batteries
1-6 must cease ops for 3 turns."
An air resource commander will usually have a player "on table" to take
digital pix from recon aircraft to be reticulated to brigade, air and
artillery commanders.
Finally, and most importantly, the Umpires must keep a log of all events for
an after-action report. Half the fun for the off-table people is finding
out
what REALLY happened. At the same time, all off-table commanders should
be keeping a diary of what they *think* is happening.
I've simplified things quite a bit. In games we had back in the days of the
Cold War, WARPAC "Company Commanders" actually were Batallion Commanders,
usually
with 4 companies under their command ( 3inf+1Tk or 3Tk+1Inf). All
manouvers at company level were stereotyped, strictly according to "the book"
with rates of advance to be strictly adhered to. There was no "artillery
commander", all
artillery was pre-planned in great detail - with one exception.
Frontal Aviation intervention was represented by a continuous fighter
presence,
some pre-planned strikes on NATO artillery positions and HQs that stayed
in place for too long. Some WARPAC artillery was also tasked with
counter-battery
fire on any NATO unit that communicated from the same place for too long.
Recon sorties were scheduled periodically, but often didn't show up due to
enemy activity.
OTOH the NATO forces had a lot more flexibility with their artillery, some was
available "on call". NATO formations were about reinforced company size,
though recon units were smaller. Most of their air support was "on call" close
air
support or anti-air missions. Recon missions were flown a few turns
after they
Reporting for Duty! I'll take a slot.
---
Brian Bell bbell1@insight.rr.com <mailto:bbell1@insight.rr.com> ICQ: 12848051
AIM: Rlyehable YIM: Rlyehable Cygnus X1.info
http://www.cygnusx1.info/
---
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