Regarding Operations

Now before I start I want to say that I do love all the operations we've had so far, but I think I know why they dont always come off as fun as we'd like (not that they're not fun). I think we plan the op in a wrong way. We plan the op out before it begins. We have objectives for each team and everything. I think what we need to do is have it more spontanious like real life operations. What I mean by that is in real life there are two different teams with different tactics ( ie US & taliban) but in airsoft our teams are too similar. In real life they are divided into classes each with seperate objectives (ie special forces and GI) but in airsoft we all just go for the same objective. In real life, operations are more spontanious (ie taliban suddenly capture hostage) but in airsoft everything is planned and expected. I know that airsoft is not real life but we do base our ops off of real life. I think if we could figure out a way to make ops more random then it would add to the effect and fun. Just my opinion, tell me what you think.

Spontaneousness would definitely work for an all-day op, like the summer or winter one, but for the ones I've been to, there just wouldn't be enough time. We'd have to plan things for them to work, as you've already seen how long we take between games when we DO know what we're doing...a very good idea though.

We actually did divide teams into classes before multiple times (I don't think you were there Clayton) first at Arcstorm with the Special Forces and Warriors, and at a recent game where we had divided teams up based on units, so a DMR, Support Gunner etc etc on each team. Capturing would not work well because I like most people would rather pull a grenade pin than have to sit around for an hour (real soldiers prefer the grenade over capture most times) or to go down guns a blazin' so I don't think capturing would work very well, the Classes Idea always worked well as long as you put people on teams with people they are familiar with, you do NOT want to put them on a team with people they don't know, thats like changing your type of ammo right before a shooting competition.

I would like to do squads, with correctly divided fire teams, but the equipment of our players doesn't really allow that. Most people have their one primary rifle (usually m4/m16 platform) and that's it. I would love to have squads divided into 3 fire teams with 2 rifleman/1 support/ 1 grenadier role, but to do that, you're asking people to spend more money.

The spontaneous operation is a good idea and can be done, but it requires referees in order to run smoothly. For the Ezekiel Option OP, I was going to try a more open ended game, but I didn't get enough volunteers to ref.

cameron: Iam not saying we should neccesarily use the capture thing that was just an example of something that randomly happens in real life.
What Iam trying to say is we need more acting like players need to act and look like the characters they are portraying.
Also if we do the squad idea I think each squad should have different objectives judging by the type of squad.

The squads would work but most squads would be made of riflemen, I doubt anyone really uses a grenade launcher, but yeah Captures would never work effectively, unless you did a gamemode where a Pilot gets shot down and gets a pistol with a few rounds in the mag and 2 sides have to try to get him, and if the bad side gets him then they take him back to their base and the other team has to raid it and get him, Just a thought you can try, I was going to try this but not enough people were willing... pansies... haha

Good points all around. Referees and radios are definitely needed. I'm open to be a ref for the next couple months since I'm out of BBs and will not be restocking any time soon.


Clayton had an idea a really long time ago for HVT that I liked. The idea was that one team goes to the field first and sets up their position, then the other team comes a half hour or so later and the game starts immediately. Obviously, this would only work for a Defense/Offense type of game like Frontlines. The defending team would be at the field first.

So one team would be told to come at 10:00 (for example) and the other would be told to come at 10:30. There would be a small safe area at the entrance to the field (the giant tires at the Union Valley field?) where people could get their gear together and refs would direct them towards their team. In a real war, there is no "go!" shout or whistle to designate when the combat starts; it starts when the two factions make contact. People will naturally arrive at different times, so it will be more like an actual combat insertion. Sure, it might unbalance the firepower for a short time, but it'd create an interesting dynamic--the first person on their team to enter the field would have the decision to try and do a covert strike or to wait for reinforcements.

Outside of the basic briefing each side is given through the forums, email, or PM, only the refs know about the spontaneous events. When the appropriate time comes for the event, the refs will individually tell the captain of each team. From there it would be the captain's job to relay the objectives to the rest of the team. It will either promote good team communication, or will make chaos. Either way, the realism goes up.

That's the general idea I have in my mind after reading these posts. Maybe it is a little ambitious, but it would be great if we could pull it off.

Admin wrote:

Clayton had an idea a really long time ago for HVT that I liked. The idea was that one team goes to the field first and sets up their position, then the other team comes a half hour or so later and the game starts immediately.

Holy Karp, I remember that! It would be awesome to have one large force trying to take out an HVT and bodyguards...(perhaps a militia vs. professionals?).

With the referees, we could even have them secretly have one person on each team be a traitor, waiting to turn on the team...one or two on each team...

But, yeah, if we had some people willing to be dedicated referees, that would give us so many more options...

So for Claytons idea you mean pistols vs aegs but the aegs are highly outnumbered correct? or at least semi only vs full auto, just tossin some ideas around, I never saw the post.

Cameron wrote:

So for Claytons idea you mean pistols vs aegs but the aegs are highly outnumbered correct? or at least semi only vs full auto, just tossin some ideas around, I never saw the post.

Not so much pistols vs aegs, but if we could find some way to quantify how "good" someone's airsoft gun is, then get the several highest values on the escort...but of course, the HVT would still only get a pistol, machine pistol, or machine-pistol type PDW (MP7 yes, P90 no)

the thing with good guns vs bad guns I don't think will work out so well, especially since its hard to determine most of that now, Depending on whos at the game, maybe skill level instead?

Perhaps, but then we're judging people, not guns...although after awhile, we could instead group based on who we think'd work best as bodyguards...

Maybe have a private poll? No no that never works everyone just votes for himself! (Pirates of the Caribbean moment)