Munin
01-09-2005, 02:49 PM
First off, we'd like to thank everyone who made the (in some cases very long) drive to come to this event. Turnout was great, which made for a high enough player density in the facility to ensure some wicked firefights. We hope everyone had a good time and that it was worth the trip.
From an organizer perspective, this was an eye-opening experience. Since this was the season opener for the CQB league, this was the first time that there'd been that many people in the facility for a game. As such, we didn't quite know what to expect, which led to a few hiccups along the way.
Most specifically, our biggest fear was that the US team would control the staircases and that the terrorist team would be stuck down in the bay the whole game, unable to fight their way out. We were correct in that there would be choke points, we were just a little bit off on where they were going to be and who was going to be stuck there. Let me explain:
The concept of operations was that the US team would be able to have free run of the facility. They would be able to post some sentries and have some number of their people in place just sort of milling around waiting for the game to begin. Once they had people in place, they'd be told that the game was starting in (say) 20 minutes. The game would then start in 12, giving the Terrorist team a (slight) element of surprise. That was what was supposed to happen.
What did happen was that the US team was waiting for us to tell them to start. People were milling around, but only in the office area. Copping a smoke, bull****ting, etc. We couldn't seem to drop enough hints to motivate people to take strategically important places without spilling the beans - in which case all the terrorists would have gotten murdered as soon as they came in the door. Unfortunately, this meant that the terrorists were able to advance very deeply into the building in the first few minutes, and the US team was getting murdered coming out of the office. Had the US team had 50% of their guys in advance positions (in groups of 2 or 3) scattered around the building, the terrorists would have had to go much more slowly, giving the US team time to get organized and solidify their hold on certain areas.
As it was, we were mightily impressed with the way the US team fought their way to the ammo locker and recovered their long arms. Even against furious fire, you guys were able to get it done admirably. Kudos to you for an outstanding job there.
Kudos also go to the terrorists, whose initial plan depended on speed, speed, and more speed. They left the search for their objectives for later, once they had total control of an area. Many of their objectives were located such that had the US team not been penned in early, they'd have had a tough time getting to them. This was a risky maneuver, because their casualty reduction method (the opium) was in limited supply and depended on them being able to search thoroughly. Had the US team been able to repulse them early, the terrorists would have been in a world of hurt.
Part of the asymmetry of the scenario was such that it put the US team behind the 8-ball early, but if they could hold out long enough the terrorists would be running out of supplies, surrounded, and cut off later in the scenario. Also, the terrorist team had an initial assaulting objective in that they needed to penetrate the facility and collect bomb components while the US team was defensive - protect the Secretary of Homeland Security and stall the terrorist advance. Later, as the terrorists bog down and "law enforcement" surrounds the building, the nature of the objectives switch - the US team is trying to assault out in order to get the Secretary to safety and the terrorists are fighting defensively as they try to hold off Customs while they assemble the bomb, all the while running out of opium and ammo.
The terrorists (initially) had no idea that the Secretary was present, and in fact when he was shot and lying wounded, the terrorists actually stepped over his body no fewer than five times without stopping to collect him as a hostage. Nevermind that he's wearing a suit and tie and looks pretty "out of the ordinary." Whoops!
But no plan survives first contact with the enemy, or in this case first contact with the players. :) Still everybody got to get some shooting in, which was the goal. Hats off to the US team for being good sports about it, and for being willing and able to exercise the "SWAT option" and shoot some terrorists in the back. We learned a lot from this Op, both about ways to better balance things and about the actual facility itself. Thanks to all of you for coming. We had a blast hosting this event, and we hope you guys enjoyed it too. Look for more in the future.
From an organizer perspective, this was an eye-opening experience. Since this was the season opener for the CQB league, this was the first time that there'd been that many people in the facility for a game. As such, we didn't quite know what to expect, which led to a few hiccups along the way.
Most specifically, our biggest fear was that the US team would control the staircases and that the terrorist team would be stuck down in the bay the whole game, unable to fight their way out. We were correct in that there would be choke points, we were just a little bit off on where they were going to be and who was going to be stuck there. Let me explain:
The concept of operations was that the US team would be able to have free run of the facility. They would be able to post some sentries and have some number of their people in place just sort of milling around waiting for the game to begin. Once they had people in place, they'd be told that the game was starting in (say) 20 minutes. The game would then start in 12, giving the Terrorist team a (slight) element of surprise. That was what was supposed to happen.
What did happen was that the US team was waiting for us to tell them to start. People were milling around, but only in the office area. Copping a smoke, bull****ting, etc. We couldn't seem to drop enough hints to motivate people to take strategically important places without spilling the beans - in which case all the terrorists would have gotten murdered as soon as they came in the door. Unfortunately, this meant that the terrorists were able to advance very deeply into the building in the first few minutes, and the US team was getting murdered coming out of the office. Had the US team had 50% of their guys in advance positions (in groups of 2 or 3) scattered around the building, the terrorists would have had to go much more slowly, giving the US team time to get organized and solidify their hold on certain areas.
As it was, we were mightily impressed with the way the US team fought their way to the ammo locker and recovered their long arms. Even against furious fire, you guys were able to get it done admirably. Kudos to you for an outstanding job there.
Kudos also go to the terrorists, whose initial plan depended on speed, speed, and more speed. They left the search for their objectives for later, once they had total control of an area. Many of their objectives were located such that had the US team not been penned in early, they'd have had a tough time getting to them. This was a risky maneuver, because their casualty reduction method (the opium) was in limited supply and depended on them being able to search thoroughly. Had the US team been able to repulse them early, the terrorists would have been in a world of hurt.
Part of the asymmetry of the scenario was such that it put the US team behind the 8-ball early, but if they could hold out long enough the terrorists would be running out of supplies, surrounded, and cut off later in the scenario. Also, the terrorist team had an initial assaulting objective in that they needed to penetrate the facility and collect bomb components while the US team was defensive - protect the Secretary of Homeland Security and stall the terrorist advance. Later, as the terrorists bog down and "law enforcement" surrounds the building, the nature of the objectives switch - the US team is trying to assault out in order to get the Secretary to safety and the terrorists are fighting defensively as they try to hold off Customs while they assemble the bomb, all the while running out of opium and ammo.
The terrorists (initially) had no idea that the Secretary was present, and in fact when he was shot and lying wounded, the terrorists actually stepped over his body no fewer than five times without stopping to collect him as a hostage. Nevermind that he's wearing a suit and tie and looks pretty "out of the ordinary." Whoops!
But no plan survives first contact with the enemy, or in this case first contact with the players. :) Still everybody got to get some shooting in, which was the goal. Hats off to the US team for being good sports about it, and for being willing and able to exercise the "SWAT option" and shoot some terrorists in the back. We learned a lot from this Op, both about ways to better balance things and about the actual facility itself. Thanks to all of you for coming. We had a blast hosting this event, and we hope you guys enjoyed it too. Look for more in the future.