Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Frazier Park
Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 7:29 pm Post subject: Expanding Empires III-August 7, 2010-Mt. Top Field
Before I knew any better I concocted an odd scheme whereby the game ofRisk could be played out over every corner of Mt. Top's field. It was just the second airsoft op I ever wrote and was to essentially be the "B side" of Piños Envy. After three years it is the largest game we put on and the most unique. With recurring commanders we now strive to limit the players to just 140. Each commander tries to fill out his roster with teams they meet throughout the year. Commanders get to command in a very strategic op while each player affects the outcome by either holding or taking a base on command.
This is truly a commander's game: No rogues allowed. The game will actually begin on a quiet Tuesday (7/27) night with commanders getting a random-based picking order. Two days later, those very commanders choose, in a semi-private i-room, the territories they want to start with. Many players watch this procedure but comment in another i-room.
So, no backstory really. This game is what it is and if you haven't heard of it before let me just ask: "Where the hell have you been?"
I. Introduction Players
For up to 4 teams
50-160 players
A comprehensive knowledge of the game of Risk™ would be very helpful in determining your team’s strategy. That is why each airsoft commander will have a Minister of Tactics and Strategy that is well versed in Risk’s™ nuances. This is particularly necessary as this airsoft version is different enough that only a seasoned player will know how to adjust to its distinctions
Roles
The Commander runs both the officers and the players on his team. His loyalty is 100% to his team and to the goal of winning.
The Minister of Tactics and Strategy will consult with their commander with strategic help. The MTS should be well-versed in the nuances of Risk™.
Both commanders and Ministers of Tactics and Strategy should play Risk™ online together in the weeks preceding the airsoft game.
The Medical Officer (MO) chooses the sides' respawn point and distributes the medical supplies.
The terms “players” and “armies” are interchangeable terms in this thread.
II. Initial Setup Choose your territories
Each of the commanders will choose territories their team wants to begin with one at a time in a predesignated manner. Once the commanders have chosen their initial flagged territories, they may then divide their remaining troops as they see fit among the flagged positions.
Scoring
Each continent will have a specified number of flags in it representing territories. To get the most troops for the next round, you must control all the flags in a continent by the time the horn sounds. For the purposes of this game, the flag’s color indicates that the territory is controlled by that faction.
Battle 1: Colonization
The objective for the first battle is to consolidate your forces around a continent to get as many armies as possible for the next round. An additional concern is to prevent other commanders from occupying entire continents themselves. Be mindful that after this round, you will be allowed to build defensive structures.
Consolidating defenses
After Battle 1, the commanders will be meeting with Commander Hasbro at White Rock briefly to receive their medical rations and to review the updated map.
III. Subsequent Gameplay
All play after the initial setup and battle goes in turns. Each turn consists of four stages:
Deployment and reposition
Combat
Evaluation
As the day wears on, the transition between these stages should go quicker and more smoothly.
Deployment and reposition
Each soldier must be touching a friendly flag when the round begins. The commanders may choose to leave you at the flag you were closest to previously or may move you to an altogether new flag.
Combat
In the morning battles, each commander will seek to solidify his territories and hold on to every flag within a continental boundary. Additionally, commanders are to try to stop other commanders from solidifying their continent. There are “natural” alliances that are necessitated by geography and mutual interest. While I will not disallow cross-talk and subtle alliances, Game Control will NOT enforce the terms of the alliance as eventual skullduggery and treachery abounds. All commanders are to try to win as many points as possible for their team. Game Control WILL enforce the “Best interests” clause as alliances have to be strategy based devoid of social influences.
After the final battle, the team with the most valuable territories wins.
Evaluation
Each faction will be awarded medical supplies based on missions accomplished from the prior battle. These supplies carry over into subsequent rounds.
Commanders will get 2 medical units for every territory they own and bonus supplies for every continent they control by the battle’s conclusion. The points vary by continent according to the chart below:
Continent values: Asia = 7 N. America = 5 Europe = 5 Africa = 3 S. America = 2 Australia = 2
IV. Combat Objectives Battle 1: Colonization
Commanders have just 30 minutes to establish their colonies by capturing and holding as many flags as they wish to occupy. The colonies they end up with will be the same colonies they begin with in the next battle. To be healed, the wounded soldier must shout “HIT” and move to their designated respawn flag where they may self medicate. The Medical Officer determines which territory is the respawn place at the beginning of the round.
Battle 2: Expanding Frontiers
Battle 3: The Quest for Empire
Battle 4: Domination
Battle 5: Hold On
In Battles 2-5 (30 min. each) the commanders are to expand and hold on to as many territories as possible. They must conquer and hold on to at least one flag in order to get medical supplies for the next round. They should do this even if it costs them one of their own flags.
The other thing they ought to do is keep in the uppermost part of their mind what the other commanders are doing. Do not let another team get too strong too early.
Battle 6: Weakest Link
Just as in Battles 2-5, the commanders are to expand and hold on to as many territories as possible (45 min). Factions must conquer and hold on to at least one flag in order to get medical supplies for the next round. They should do this even if it costs them one of their own flags.
The weakest faction will join the lead commander’s forces for Hegemony.
Battle 7: Hegemony
The final battle is the longest of the day (105 min). The top and bottom team will form an alliance against the 2nd and 3rd place team. If we are going over our scheduled time, this battle will be truncated.
Promotional Avatar:
Final word so that it stays with you all:
Bring a red rag, a *map of the game, and plenty of water!!
*Map will be available for download after the commanders choose their territories.
Schedule 7/27-Tuesday-Commanders are assigned a picking order.
7/29-Thursday-Commanders and MTS choose territories.
8/3-Tuesday-Commanders and MTS assign 25 deployment positions.
8:00 Gates open (earlier than usual Mt. Top games)
8:30 Chrono and registration opens
9:00-9:15 Commanders’ tour and meeting
9:15-9:40 Commander meets with team
9:40-9:45 Safety briefing
9:45-10:00 Take preset positions
10:00-1:15 Battle straight through Battles 1-6
1:15-2:00 Lunch
......Hot dogs/chili dogs-Two per player
......Chips
......Soda
2:00-2:15 Joint deployment
2:15-4:00 Hegemony Battle 7
Weapons Restrictions
Please read the restrictions carefully. The hosts, sponsors, and field owner are adamant about these!
AEG, LPEG and Springers
The guns must chrono less than or equal to 376 FPS with 0.25 bbs-No exceptions
8mm: 310fps w/0.34g, 300fps w/0.36g-No exceptions
Magazine Restrictions
Players may carry unlimited non-winding magazines or just one highcap magazine. Look, this means don’t even carry two highcaps on you. C-mags or box mags are for support weapons only.
Knives
Rubber only. If the knife makes contact with the enemy, the enemy is killed. Knives can be thrown but not stupidly.
Support Weapons
Support weapons (SAW/LMG) will be the only ones allowed to use box mags, and may be limited in number on your side.
Sniper Rifles
Sniper guns must chrono less than or equal to 515 FPS w/0.25s-No exceptions. Also, must not be able to go full auto. This means that a "Promise" not to go full auto is just too problematic to enforce. You must be 18 or over to play this role.
Explosives
That is a figure of speech. Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
Hand Grenades
Each player may carry a maximum of four grenades and each may be used only once per scenario. Inert, rubber grenades can be used as well as Thunder B grenades. The blast radius of a grenade is 15 feet from its final point of rest or CO2 detonation. Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
Rocket & Grenade Launchers
Limited to one for every ten people on your side (Axis or Allies). Rocket launchers, M203s, and M79 grenade launchers may only fire soft, foamy rounds like Zockers and Nerfs. All homemade launchers must be approved by Game Control. A rocket has a blast radius of 15 feet from its point of impact. Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
Land Mines & Booby Traps
Commercially purchased mines are fine but good luck enforcing it. Just sayin.’ Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
During the game, we will spot check weapons for velocity violations. I believe we are starting to get velocity creep. DON’T even bring a hot gun to this field.
Player Pack will be available for download on SoCal after sign ups are completed as this will determine the initial map.
Alternate promotional avatars fortified with shit-talking possibilities:
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Frazier Park
Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 7:47 pm Post subject:
OK, so another BSR op way far north and costing just $25. Must not be worth the drive at that price.
Well, you are getting a special invite because we need to take on The Regiment and their allies (Wardogs and Hatchet Force), Dark Brigade and their Fresno allies, and finally the Highlanders and their Inland Empire gang.
We (Devil's Brigade and Mountain Mercenaries) NEED Hajis from SJG to help us out! Of course camping comes with this invitation. You will be a part of a recurring op that gets more atttention and attendance every year. For the first time, we will have 4 teams!
So here's the skinny on the op...
4 teams vie for the most geography and are rewarded with additional medicine. The more territory you take the larger your army. It is the airsoft version of Risk. This game gets rave reviews year after year and is unique to our field.
With controlled, team-based enlistment, a lot of the n00b riff-raff is already factored out. Over 120 experienced players spread over 80 mountainous acres trying to take or hold multiple mini-bases.
Ask Bob-O about it. Ask Longshanks about it. Ask Daddy-O about it.
If you act now, we can arrange for Devil's Brigade to whore out their newest probie to the group that travels the furthest. _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
I'm kinda over the haji thing. Are there any other uniform choices available?
Other than that, I am very interested. _________________ When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.
~Niccolo Machiavelli
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Frazier Park
Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 9:02 pm Post subject:
Tan, Green and Black.
Tan is new to the op this year. I have Daddy-O from Highlanders running that squad. He will have to fill out 35 players. He has a lot of IE players to pick from.
Green is being run by a Bakersfield guy called Beast. He runs his own fields in Bako and is a fantastic and affable airsoft leader. He may well get substantial support from Fresno and Tehachapi.
Longshanks has won both years and has the solid core of veteran airsoft players running black. He needs more talented teams like Bill Gates needs a loan. His roster bristles with Hatchet Force, War Dogs, Bad Karma, and The Regiment.
We (Devil's Brigade and Mt. Mercenaries) are doing Haji as it is a four-sided game and tribal is distinctive from the other three teams. It is a harder team to fill out so we are light especially when some of us have to run GC. Not everyone can run tribal. The only advantage to SJG of running tribal with us is the case of Guiness SJG will get.
EDIT 6/7: OK, everyone is doing what I wanted them to do but only they are doing it too well! They are recruiting only the top players and will come with a stacked roster. _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
Last edited by Brave Sir Robin on Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:34 am; edited 1 time in total
I must admit that this is one of the most fun game/scenarios that I have ever played, especially as a CO.
I have yet to encounter any other OP where as a CO, you get to determine any sort of real strategy other than "your group starts here and you need to kill/eliminate the people not dressed like you" type OP's out there. Believe me, I'm not ragging on other OPs/games out there at all, but only at Expanding Empires have you been able to pick what "territories" that you want to start with, as well as getting to place your troops strategically in order to win. I have yet to play in any other OP/game that allows that level of strategic thinking/planning - and I've been to plenty.
Whenever I talk about/explain airsoft to people who have no idea of what that (airsoft) is, I always tell them about Expanding Empires ("Have you ever played Risk™? Basically we play a live version of it.") and they are always like "that is way cool".
Truly one of the best OP's I've been to. If you're into wargaming, I highly recommend attending, especially as a CO or "Tactics Officer". You will not be disappointed.
BSR's mother wrote:
Go to my son's game. He is a good boy. Quit slouching.
Where else are you going to get free camping & beer? That's over $3,000 in savings if we normally charged $3,000 for camping.
The Regulators will be joining us for Haji too!
Mt. Mercenaries
Devil's Brigade
Your name here
Chaos Krew
The Regulators _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Frazier Park
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:31 pm Post subject:
As of this posting, we are at 18 (Bob-O is permanent GC) and that's without any SJG or much CK input. I suspect that we will close out this roster by Monday. Our roster size can be a little higher than others because we have GC duties.
I don't know how large The Regulators are but the others need to decide pretty quick what they will be doing on August 7th. BTW, it may reach all the way up to 83 degrees by then. _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
Count us in for between 4-6. _________________ When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.
~Niccolo Machiavelli
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 21 Location: Frazier Park
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:33 pm Post subject:
Eclipse wrote:
Count us in for between 4-6.
Great! At my ops I always refund even for last minute drops so please put down the names even if they aren't 100%. I can also use a placesaving pseudonym too if need be.
EDIT: Placesaving pseudonyms
Aaron-St. James Grenadiers
Bruce-St. James Grenadiers
Clifford-St. James Grenadiers
Dominic-St. James Grenadiers
Eugene-St. James Grenadiers _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
Registration starts on July 19th
PayPal $25 to:
Subject
Expanding Empires
Content
Callsign: Wild Bill
Age: 32
Team: Wiley's Warriors (Tan)
You must bring: Waiver filled out
Red death rag
Water
You should bring:
Map
Player Pack
Sun screen
Charged batteries
Schedule 7/27-Tuesday-Commanders are assigned a picking order.
7/29-Thursday-Commanders and MTS choose territories.
8/3-Tuesday-Commanders and MTS assign 25 deployment positions.
8:00 Gates open (earlier than usual Mt. Top games)
8:30 Chrono and registration opens
9:00-9:15 Commanders’ tour and meeting
9:15-9:40 Commander meets with team
9:40-9:45 Safety briefing
9:45-10:00 Take preset positions
10:00-1:15 Battle straight through Battles 1-6
1:15-2:00 Lunch
......Hot dogs/chili dogs-Two per player
......Chips
......Soda
2:00-2:15 Joint deployment
2:15-4:00 Hegemony Battle 7
Weapons Restrictions
Please read the restrictions carefully. The hosts, sponsors, and field owner are adamant about these!
AEG, LPEG and Springers
The guns must chrono less than or equal to 376 FPS with 0.25 bbs-No exceptions
8mm: 310fps w/0.34g, 300fps w/0.36g-No exceptions
Magazine Restrictions
Players may carry unlimited non-winding magazines or just one highcap magazine. Look, this means don’t even carry two highcaps on you. C-mags or box mags are for support weapons only.
Knives
Rubber only. If the knife makes contact with the enemy, the enemy is killed. Knives can be thrown but not stupidly.
Support Weapons
Support weapons (SAW/LMG) will be the only ones allowed to use box mags, and may be limited in number on your side.
Sniper Rifles
Sniper guns must chrono less than or equal to 515 FPS w/0.25s-No exceptions. Also, must not be able to go full auto. This means that a "Promise" not to go full auto is just too problematic to enforce. You must be 18 or over to play this role.
Explosives
That is a figure of speech. Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
Hand Grenades
Each player may carry a maximum of four grenades and each may be used only once per scenario. Inert, rubber grenades can be used as well as Thunder B grenades. The blast radius of a grenade is 15 feet from its final point of rest or CO2 detonation. Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
Rocket & Grenade Launchers
Limited to one for every ten people on your side (Axis or Allies). Rocket launchers, M203s, and M79 grenade launchers may only fire soft, foamy rounds like Zockers and Nerfs. All homemade launchers must be approved by Game Control. A rocket has a blast radius of 20 feet from its point of impact. Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
Land Mines & Booby Traps
Commercially purchased mines are fine but good luck enforcing it. Just sayin.’ Absolutely no pyrotechnics!
During the game, we will spot check weapons for velocity violations. I believe we are starting to get velocity creep. DON’T even bring a hot gun to this field. _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
Thanks for coming down and I hope you enjoyed the refreshments.
SJG really distinguished themselves by helping turn around Green's opening gambit. They spent so much trying to blast us out of Ural that it cost them so much everywhere else. It was fun to hear what really was going on throughout the field. _________________ Mountain Mercenaries
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