Operation: Red Out - March 5th '06

[Psychosis]

Thanks to the GK crew for pointing out flaws.

To all the people claiming kills: don't be too quick to boast, especially when you are dealing with a large crowd of people. Example? I know I had one confirmed kill on a guy walking up one of the stairs to the embassy, because he was close, I was the only defender to have a bead on him, and I saw my bb's hit him and the victim calling himself out, very simple. In contrast to this me, Toothbrush, and a DF guy confronted a large group of combined DF and RA and started laying down fire - a number of guys called themselves out, but it could have been Toothbrush's 249, my 733, or the third guy's AEG.

gestapo762 said:

It would really helpful if you guys made a list of things to improve on.

What I have right now:

1: Before event, have a safety breifing and hit rules, one thing we left out
2: Have the event organizers spread out evenly across the teams to check for cheating and safety violations
3: More objective for each team
4: Less people, deffinitly

We really want to get into game organizing and want you guys to keep comming out and playing with us.

Thoughts:
1 is essential, we should definitely go over that next time, especially since this was the first time playing airsoft for many people
3 simplify the objectives, and make them clear to everyone who is playing - a large map of Futureball with the flag locations pointed out could have been helpful, as well as limiting the number of teams, for example
4 I didn't really have a problem with the large number of people, I wish I had the chance to have been involved in some of those huge 40 on 40 firefights that I heard about

I'm not sure about the age limit. Some of the younger ones are cool (Matt comes to mind,) while I heard some extremely juvenile complaining and threats by people who would probably still be able to play under revised age limits.

[Matt (Achilles)]

psychosis said:

I'm not sure about the age limit. Some of the younger ones are cool (Matt comes to mind,)

Hey thanks Psychosis, too bad I had to betray you. Even after you saved my life in the crash.
+1 for you.

There wern't to many younger kids there. I was the second youngest, next to Overkills...daughter I think?
Most kids my age don't play airsoft, thats why 14 is a good limit.

Hey nobody mentioned that part when we were in the embassy and Pat on MEU came in, and I was hiding in the attic

Pat "ARE YOU MEU"
Me "NO!"
Pat "SURENDER OR DIE"
Me (sticks my gun down the stairwell "F*CK YOU!" Opens fire with a glock 26 in full
Knief " MINIME YOU DUMBASS HES MEU"
Somone else inside "yeah thats the ambassador"
Pat "oh shit"

[Merrick]

The objectives for the RA and DF should have been spelled out for everyone to read in one of the forums before the event. I didn't hear anything about the missile site or radio objectives during the briefing before the op. We (the DF) were informed about a weapons cache only as we were deploying into the field. It seemed to me that the event organizers wanted to produce a game where objectives would change and develop in the field. Unfortunately this is airosft, a hobbyist game. Most of the participants do not have military training, and therefore do not do well with changing objectives, unlike our real military counterparts. And it is especially difficult to communicate changing objectives with such poor radio discipline. It seems to me that this is one of the reasons that, as munin said, people improvised in a way that led to the most intense firefights.
It would be helpfull in the future to clarify objectives and rules a few weeks before an event. But still a good event for the money.

Edit: If the events and rules were posted somewhere that I didn't see, then shame on me for not reading more carefully....but I honestly don't remember seeing anything.

[Zorak]

toothbrush said:

I am glad to hear many of you had a good time at the event, however I will not say it was flawless.

There's never been a flawless op, and there probably never will...

Edit: In all honesty, I think SEMIA may have bitten off more than we could chew with this one. None the less it was a learning experience for those involved in the planning of Redout. Hopefully, when/if SEMIA has another OP, we will be better for it because of what happened at Redout.

... but with that spirit, I'm confident that your events will get better and better as time goes by.

[Damo/DK]

We appreciate all comments and criticisms. We know what we had here. We also accept the full blame, it's not anybody else's fault except ours (SEMIA organizers). We do also want your input on how we can make the game better, So we'd appreciate some feedback on that too.

[DevilDog]

I wouldn't say anybody was to blame.. All OP's are a learning experience. You guys did a good job at putting on a large scale event. Mistake were made. Like Zorak said, there will never be a flawless event. Keep up the good work. I plan to come down to one again!

[Munin]

The only way to learn how to hold a large event is to actually do it. My hat's off to you guys for even making the attempt. It's not easy, but you try to learn from it and constantly improve. Every Op that GK has held or helped to organize has been better than the previous one.

You guys also had the disadvantage of having such a large turnout. Large groups of people are hard to get moving in the same direction regardless of the situation. Even extremely well-organized hosts like Strikers and TAC (both in Ohio, both hosting excellent MilSim events) have had occasional problems where people screw up the medic or respawn rules despite having access to the rules for weeks in advance and getting a refresher briefing the morning of.

[El Phantasamo]

We all do apreciate the constructive criticisim.

Jacko, Im not taking your "worst op EVER" to heart. I know it was a mix of advice and venting your frustrations.

All I ask are:

1 did you have fun?
2 Are you gald you came?
3 Would you come again, knowing the next one wil be better?

If you answer yes to all 3, Im happy! ;D

To be honest, I really should have seeked assistance form an experienced OP host. Right now we may do this again in 2 or 3 months, too soon to tell really.

Im sure someone like Hado COULD replace an exhaust manifold in his car, but im sure it would be easier if I were to help (im a professional Mechanic). So on that note, if anyone is willing to help us the next time around, please let me know. Zorak, Im sure we can count on your Chronograph again

[RochesterJack]

Zorak if you were carrying a support weapon and are referring to having "came back alive" near the embassy, upon which shooting a few RA, then yeah that was me, the little guy who kind of stood there a few minutes after. I'm not that worried about it, all's fair in love and war, and at least it wasn't as bad as some of the more profane arguements I heard later on when I was nearer to the house. You were nice about it, and I appreciate that.

Jack.

[Zorak]

Thanks for the kind words, Jack.

[Gestapo]

matt733 said:

psychosis said:

I'm not sure about the age limit. Some of the younger ones are cool (Matt comes to mind,)

Pat "ARE YOU MEU"
Me "NO!"
Pat "SURENDER OR DIE"
Me (sticks my gun down the stairwell "F*CK YOU!" Opens fire with a glock 26 in full
Knief " MINIME YOU DUMBASS HES MEU"
Somone else inside "yeah thats the ambassador"
Pat "oh shit"

I was right behind the first car closest to the embasy when that happened. I got a good laugh.

[Jacko]

elphantasamo said:

We all do apreciate the constructive criticisim.

Jacko, Im not taking your "worst op EVER" to heart. I know it was a mix of advice and venting your frustrations.

All I ask are:

1 did you have fun?
2 Are you gald you came?
3 Would you come again, knowing the next one wil be better?

1. Yes, after lunch.
2. Yes.
3. Probably.

Don't get me wrong, I feel as if I wasted my money/time to come out and play. I've yet to go to an airsoft OP where I felt I shouldn't have even strapped my boots on in the first place ('Cause man, I hate cleaning my boots ;D ). This event just wasn't marketed correctly. It seemed like a milsim thing but with the players that showed up, it was more geared towards 'paintsoft'.

But that's not a bad thing. Hell, the first major event I ever went to, back in 2002 I think, was a 7 hour drive down to Indiana and was mostly the same thing; A scenario devised to generate combat at certain areas and not much more. And that's okay so long as people know what they're getting into. The trailer you guys put out gave a more serious impression.

But it really was the worst OP ever, looking at it from a safety point of view. I really can't emphasize how much it blew my mind that this many people were breaking what I consider to be the most important rule in this game. I was almost speechless.

I'll get to your PM shortly.

[Gestapo]

We expected a more Milsim game, but I guess, most of the people who decided to show up didn't feel the same way. MEU tried to keep it MILSIM, but it was hard with the change of events that went on.

[O'Dwah]

I think that it was MilSim until about 30 minutes into it, then it turned into a big firefight.

[El Phantasamo]

oakey said:

I think that it was MilSim until about 30 minutes into it, then it turned into a big firefight.

too many people in too small a space