Thinking of putting together a Meta-campaign - Any one interested?

[Bigduke6]

Slim,

If you aren't comfortable commanding battalions this is not really for you, the successful commanders are going to be the ones who can get the best out of combined arms.

Sounds to me like you would be a boffo Assistant GM, but it's close to work, you're taking information from players and GMs, and building CM battles on an already-created CM map. Your experience with OBs is great, very useful.

If you get into GMing then there is room for interfacing with the players and feeding them fun intelligence (An Me-262 just overflew your Army HQ, Comrade Rybalko...) but the main job is just building battles for other people.

May I pencil you in for that job?

[Bigduke6]

Acre,

In general, you've got that right. Here's some bits of the guidelines on what the players in the line do:

Tactical German or Soviet player

This is the guy that actually fights the CM battle, commanding one and in infrequent cases two or even three MEs. Besides listening to his superior and trying to defeat his opponent, this player also:

1) Gives his commander the senior player whatever intelligence he sees fit. This is both observations from the battle itself, and data from the AAR.

2) Creates an Excel Spreadsheet of his ME, and keeps it updated based on the battles the ME goes through.

3) Works with the Assistant GM/Battle creator to set up battles, by:

- Giving his updated ME spread sheet to the Assistant GM/Battle creator when he asks for it

- Updating his ME spread sheet honestly

- Giving the Assistant GM/Battle creator information about how he is "fighting" his ME.

An example might be operational orders call for an ME to move to a particular location, but the ME commander is convinced there will be an AT ambush at the location. He then volunteers to the battle creator/Assistant GM "I'm sure there will be an ambush at this location, I want to be prepared as possible." The Assistant GM/battle creator takes this policy into account when he sets up the battle.

All concerned need to be aware there are penalties for overloading GMs with orders and information. See communications and movement penalties.

And what military organization is an organization worth its salt, if some higher up doesn't write a check list for the guys in the ranks?

GETTING READY FOR THE CAMPAIGN

If you are a player

- Register on the forum as a player. You can use your standard forum name or invent a cool-sounding Soviet or German name, it’s up to you.

- Find out from your side commander the make-up of your ME, or in some cases your MEs.

- Decide what “tweaks” you might like to make to your ME, and then get the tweaks approved by a GM. See the section “Tweaking MEs”

- Using a standard format provided by your commander, create an Excel spreadsheet of your ME, listing all squads, HQ, vehicles, etc., and their quality, and their number of personnel. If you want to rename commanders go ahead, but bear in mind there may be a limit because editing units in the CM editor takes time, and one of the priorities of this campaign is to make the creation of battles quick and efficient. The spreadsheet is called “The unit data sheet.”

- If you wish, write up SOPs for your ME to follow in particular circumstances. Remember every one is assumed to be reasonably intelligent, but perhaps you have a clever idea like extra smoke rounds aboard your tanks or extra ammo to your MMGs, or routinely using your flakwagons to take out enemy OPs. Also, anything that gives your ME “personality” could fit in here. For instance, you could decide that every vehicle in your ME will have a red dragon stenciled on it, and then the opposition will eventually get a report of a “red dragon” formation. Or you might want to instruct your ME never to take prisoners. Once your SOP is complete, keep it with your unit data sheet, and make sure that when your ME gets into a battle, both documents go to the Assistant GM.

[Guest Guest]

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[ParaBellum]

Don't you worry. The Soviets might have someone like JasonC, but they will definitely have me, which should even things out quite a bit. I once managed to lose the bigger part of a tank brigade within 3 minutes. Just ask Andreas...

[Sgabuzzino]

Big Duke, can you give a little more information about the terrain please?

[Guest Guest]

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[Bigduke6]

Adam L,

Ok, you are the German commander.

*Checks "German commander" on clip board, looks satisfied.*

Send me an e-mail and I'll send you a write-up on the campaign, it's fairly detailed although IMO slanted a little pro-German.

Sgabuzzino,

Send me an e-mail and I'll send you the 1:200K campaign map. It's a 1900 Austro-Hungarian map, which I used along with modern Polish road maps to draw the .cme files.

Once I get Drescher's forum running this stuff will be available for download obviously, but for the time being either you e-mail me and ask for this background stuff.

[Cuirassier]

I don't think I have the time or experience right now to participate, but is there anyway for people not involved to see how this campaign progresses. I would be very interested seeing some AAR's, or just how these operational CM campaigns work and the decisions players make at this level.

[Baron von Beergut]

he could probably have someone post here in a way that it wouldn't give too much intel to each side. Or players could post embelished propoganda here.

[Bigduke6]

The plan is to have a running thread here where the GMs (me) post sort of a runnning commentary with little intelligence value. If players want to post in the thread and lie about their achievements that's great.

Cuirassier,

Too bad you don't have time for a single low-speed PBEM game, but don't worry, when you do I'm sure there'll be a spot for you.

[Bigduke6]

Hm, no progress in the last 24 hours, can interest be falling off?

We need about five more people; especially a Soviet commander and a couple of GMs who know their stuff.

AdamL has taken on the weighty responsibility of the German commander role. See separate post.

Slim hasn't answered on whether he would do the assistant GM job

So right now the staff situation looks like this:

ADMINISTRATION (This is GMs and battle builders)

Soviet head GM: ?

German head GM: ?

Bonxa - Assistant GM

Slim - Assistant GM? (Hasn't said yes)

John Nash - Battle manufacturer

THE BEER-SWILLING KRAUT SIDE, A/K/A 4TH PANZERARMEE

German Commander - Oberstgeneral Schoerner: AdamL

Die Kampfkamaraden

Vergeltung

Stndrtnfhr

Moonfog

TDog

Baron von Beergut

Grumlin? (Prefers operational)

Cargol

Vergeltungswaffe

PeterLorre86

Michael Dorosh - "Small role"

Earl Grey

VODKA-SWILLING COMMIES A/K/A THIRD GUARDS TANK ARMY

Commander - Generalpolkovnik Rybalko: ? (Soviet CIC)

JasonC expressed mild interest, time issues. Maybe Grumlin, he likes operational...

Tovarishchi po Boiu:

Parabellum

Sivodsi

Acre

Sgabuzzino - Available 4/5 months

Parker

cillmhor "not very experienced"

Parker

Drescher - Head GM biased in his favor

bitchen frizzy

NO PREFERENCE EXPRESSED, MAKE UP YER MIND ALREADY!

Fizou - About to be assigned to the Soviet side

USS Wyoming - About to be assigned to the Soviet side

[ May 08, 2007, 06:55 AM: Message edited by: Bigduke6 ]

[Bigduke6]

This is a note on where the campaign is and what comes next.

Since we now have a German commander - AdamL - I have just dumped a lot of information on him. This is the campaign map, a tentative German OB, and the draft rules.

His job is to look at everything and then start sorting out the German side.

The next two tasks that I have to do are:

1. Hammer the OBs down, right now they are in draft form.

If there is any one out there that knows the CMBB scenario engine and the late-war Wehrmacht fairly well, and wants to help out, please contact me. It would be good to give the German OB a once-over. AdamL will be doing this as well, of course.

The Soviet OB needs more work, but since I know the Red Army better getting that in shape is just a matter of my doing the work.

2. Contact Drescher and get a forum for this campaign going.

I'll get in touch with him today (Wednesday 08.04) and whenever the forum comes up, it comes up. At that time I'll tell every one it's there and we can shift our discussions to that location. So keep watching this space.

As to time lines, if everything works smoothly I see no reason we can't kick off the campaign by the beginning of June.

However, we are still short about five people, and more critically a few experienced people who know the subject matter well. So as of this date, I rate this campaign as "probable, but not confirmed."

Stay tuned...

[Earl Grey]

So I can't bloody well say 'no, I WANT to play no matter what' since we still haven't enough people, anyway, right? I think I can manage the job, though I'd still prefer to play. But if it means pulling this thing off, I'll be Assistant GM.

Another question: Do we get commemorative medals or something similar? I'd like to have something framed on the wall...

by the way: It's 'Generaloberst', not 'Oberstgeneral'. I should know, I AM German.

[Bigduke6]

Earl Gray,

Mea culpa, die Sprache des Goethes und Schillers habe ich studiert, aber - sieht es leider so aus - noch nicht vollkommend gelernt.

No problem, this is a voluntary project, either people want to do what they're supposed to do or we don't play the campaign. Raby tut ne nuzhny, one might say.

Which side would you rather fight on, Herr Grey (as if I didn't know.)

[Earl Grey]

I'd prefer commanding German soldiers, if possible, I've got not very much experience playing Soviets. But, as I said before, if you still need an Assistant GM even when we have enough people, I'll take the job. As that decided enough? In no way am I gonna quit, that's for sure!

[Bigduke6]

German it is.

And now...The Lauban Battle Forum is up and running!

What's more, you can find a campaign map, the campaign rules, and background information, and usually some useless gamers. Go here:

http://the-battle-of-lauben-campaign.foren-city.de

And take a look!

If any one wants to create a login and sign just for the heck of it, please do, but if you are a Soviet player please use a Soviet-sounding last name, and if you are a German player please create a German-sounding last name. If you are a GM you can be any one you want, just precede it with "GM".

I am Senior GM BigDukeSix. If you need help on creating a proper-sounding German or Russian name, let me know.

[ May 08, 2007, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: Bigduke6 ]

[Andreas]

Stefan

I can confirm what Jochen is saying about his capabilities.

Couls you email me please in relation to this campaign?

Thanks

Andreas

[Bigduke6]

Message sent, although I kept it brief, as difficult as that was for me.

[Baron von Beergut]

Originally posted by Bigduke6:

Hm, no progress in the last 24 hours, can interest be falling off?

We need about five more people; especially a Soviet commander and a couple of GMs who know their stuff.

It sounds like you have enough to start whenever you feel ready. This sounds like a long term endevor. So as time goes by if there are not enough reserve players I am sure more will come along later and/or us players can make a better effort later to recruit more. I can think of a few that are mildly interested and there might be others not wanting to commit until they see if this will really work.

Salute to your efforts sir!

[Bigduke6]

It's not players but admin that we're hurting for. Maybe the web site will convince more of the doubters this could come off. We'll see, all we can do at this point is try and get enough people interested. The forum has only been up for about a day, give it a little while to see how many people are going to sign up.

Are you in there, BTW?

[JasonC]

One thread there says it has the map (ruled into "red squares"), but I don't see it...

[McIvan]

Happy to play on the Sovietski side. Or whatever I'm well used to combined arms battalion sized battles.

Unfortunately work and real life would get too much in the way of anything more, although it sounds fascinating.

[Cuirassier]

"Too bad you don't have time for a single low-speed PBEM game, but don't worry, when you do I'm sure there'll be a spot for you."

Bigduke,

Sorry if this was already mentioned in the thread, but if I were just a regular player in this campaign, what would my role be? Would I just have to play a couple battles and achieve a turn a day or so? Does a player have additional tasks?

If all a basic player has to do is get a turn done a day, then I could probably participate, if spots are still available.

[Cuirassier]

Just looked at the Lauban forum and saw that it more or less answered my questions. I would be interested in being a German player if possible.

[Bigduke6]

Cuirassier and McIvan,

If you haven't already, go here -

http://the-battle-of-lauben-campaign.foren-city.de/

And sign up. Unless some one signs into the forum, I don't have much confidence he's really willing to participate in the campaign.

Jason,

Go here -

http://the-battle-of-lauben-campaign.foren-city.de/topic,6,-the-campaign-map.html

and you will see the red squares.

I will be writing you an e-mail pretty soon, unless you beat me to it.