Cajun Chicken – Eversley – 7th October 2023
This was another instalment in the Cajun Chicken game series, based on the minor classic Southern Comfort film. In the film a group of National Guardsmen are placed on exercise in the Louisiana swamps. After a misunderstanding involving the firing of blanks and the borrowing of a local hunters boat, the guardsmen are subject to the local Cajun population defending themselves from an invader that they little understand, but much fear. It’s a cracking film and a good idea for a game.
The unseasonal hot weather was excellent news as was the site’s development. The fire base has been added to with a tower and better, deeper bunkhouse. The village has new buildings which are both bigger and better than those that they replace, and the Viking village has several new, well made watertight shacks. We were the only ones in a tent!
The game started prompt on Saturday with a run through the safety and rule brief. This was comprehensive and run through quickly as all players were familiar with the site, and/or Gunman rules I think. The game brief was split in two, the GIs and Cajuns each having separate game plans. Essentially, the Cajuns had to smuggle and set up stills in structures within the still green rhododendron forest. Once placed, each still had to be protected for thirty minutes. The GIs had to locate and destroy each still which required, I think twenty minutes.
A unit of Sheriffs and FBI officers had to be avoided by both sides if they wanted to act unimpeded by legal niceties. At the same time, evidence of previous games/incidents had to be provided to said sheriffs. Any military or full auto weapons were also seized if seen by the law men. A second offense ended in being shot.
Our ad-hoc squad of four placed our still and set up a defensive position successfully, only to find out that another squad had set up one the four others in a building almost adjacent. This would play a large part in Sunday.
Other items such as medical/drug stashes were placed and recorded. Its important to say that only the dry half of the site was used, due to player numbers. This made it both harder to avoid the enemy as they searched, and easier for them to find us. The Cajuns were successful in deploying all items undetected I think, the GIs only seeing our squad at distance, or as we ran through sparser foliage.
We did have a sticky moment as we walked passed the sheriffs, as Mrs TPH was unaware of the no milsurp weapons rule and openly carried her AK. I hung back to cover the group and simply ran as she was taken in, sure that she would be released, or that I would circle back to a covering position as my team mates argued/acted, bought time and made the sheriffs time difficult.
Having placed the stills, we were ordered to ambush the GIs as they attempted to search the valley. This went wrong. Miscommunication meant that this coincided with the GIs retreating to their base for lunch. We waited only to return to monitor them and find out the mixup. We ate what we had during the lull in gameplay.
We had so far evaded the GIs successfully, when we were told that both sides had the goal of taking each other prisoner. This made the GIs searching for the stills have to look for the Cajuns, whilst the Cajuns attacked and tried to lead them away from their targets. Both sides would have to be wary of being taken by the other. To add to the difficulty, we realised that we had placed three stills, but forgotten the fourth. This we placed in the nissen hut and no sooner had we done so then the whole US squad caught us inside. A fierce firefight erupted and we were really lucky to survive. A couple of grenades fell only inches short, and one of the ones we threw bounced off of the door frame and landed back inside. Fortunately, one of us was outside the structure and medic’s the rest of us in double quick time. The GIs could have rushed us, but did not notice our mistake. I was missed by everything by a miracle and managed to slot the three GIs that approached, getting one through some seriously thick shrubbery, always a gamble with tiny BBs.
The end of the day ended with harassing attacks against the US base, patrols launched from it after the harassers and the desperate grabbing of prisoners. By now Mrs TPH had become separated from our squad and engaged in our favourite pastime of hunting the enemy using hit and run tactics. We were doing well at this when Mrs TPH decided that a dodgy back necessitated a lighter rif, and she adopted the K98. This was a touch unwieldy if lighter, and in order to cycle the bolt, she had to place the stock against her thigh due to her titchy stature and corresponding strength. The speed with which she rattled off shots was damn impressive after a few attacks however; and she shot it very well.
The end of the day came with the FBI officers attacking the GIs for some reason, so we naturally joined in. I must say that this was a great atmosphere, with plenty of pyro and a couple of nutters with blackpowder blankfirers adding (carefully pointed) flashes. The new tower took at least one midcap from me, a magazine from Mrs TPH and multiple shots from a mate using my CYMA shotty. Both teams deployed smoke and one could really lose oneself in the game. Although impromptu, it added to the plot as well as the gameplay, as the double dealing of the FBI added a new dimension.
Saturday night was an all you can eat feast of whatever the Cajun Chicken Cookoff had left over from the night before. I stuffed myself with beef keema, a couple of burgers copious cans of cider and some decent scotch. I was knackered though and left everyone to it at 11 or so, which was a shame as it was really good to see some faces that I had hardly seen this year so far.
Sunday saw us trying to defend the stills from the GIs. This went less well. A surprising number of people played Saturday only, and the with a marshal roped in as GI we were seriously down on numbers. The Cajuns correctly guessed where the GIs would hit first and we set off. We were Mrs TPH and I, as the other Cajuns were A: too hungover to be ready and were busy bombing up, B: lost, having headed off too soon after briefing. This meant the two of defending the two stills which were too close together. Unfortunately, the GIs really got a move on, and we arrived as they did, both sides spotting each other immediately. Further disaster struck as my stomach flipped over and I had to run back to the portaloos.
Left alone with a bolty against the whole US side to defend two objectives was a bit of a tall order but she revealed nothing during capture and ended up being killed by a grenade. I arrived (full of Immodium) expecting the GIs to have taken the stills and bugged out, but they had the patience to wait for me, and I was hit as I moved around far too lazily. Captured I was taken back to the plod and issued a ticket for using an M14.
Not finding Mrs TPH nearby, I took to my heals and went to defend the still at the nissen hut, arriving just before the GIs. I opened fire, hit one at least and moved to other cover. I repeated this as they moved along the track on their sweep, not falling for the temptation to stop and try and find me. After the fourth or fifth hit and run, I figured that one player in particular would try and outflank my likely position. I was dead right, as I looked to where I expected him he stood exactly there grinning. He had me dead cold. We were both laughing until the sheriffs decided to baton me for death for being such an irritation. Apparently my mock screams almost worked at slowing the GIs down as well as the shooting, as they headed back thinking that someone was injured.
Back at respawn, we met up together again and formed our squad of two. We were back at GI hunting in no time. Hitting and running back into the bush, until we got caught in a firefight in the brewing hut area/brush between the main track and large wall structure. The rhododendrons are great for crawling through and hitting people from slightly different angles. I repaid my mate for earlier kill and we were joined by other Cajuns, the fight getting pretty intense.
After being hit finally, we returned to bump into the sheriff, who had his hands up, being out of ammo. A key objective was to recover bodies from previous games, and all our crawling around had led us to find one of them. We ordered the sheriff to follow us and carry the body back to his base, avoiding being double crossed, and getting one of the three prime objectives.
The last bodies were still unfound, and after consulting each other it appeared that no one had searched the mortar pits. Both teams must have come to the same conclusion, as we found on our return that a firefight was happening there, with the defeated US walking away to respawn as we arrived. The successful Cajuns pursued their vanquished foe to hold them down as we carried the body back ourselves, fearful of a re-bombed sheriff.
Before end of play, the US found the third and last body and tried to sneak it back to base only for we two to find them and attack. They quickly countered and we were hit, our shouts for support followed and the Cajun cavalry catching up just in time to hold the enemy down. After respawning thankfully closely, we returned for the crawl and stalk and shoot-a-thon that developed. It was great fun, with players that really thought about tactics, and who anticipated each other’s moves. Accuracy and speed came into their own as did site knowledge and willingness to slither through the undergrowth.
At close of day, the GIs pressed home and we called it quits. It had been glorious weather and I was drenched in sweat. My legs were starting to ache and it had been a great game. No one heard who won although I think that we did Saturday and the GIs did Sunday. Everyone shook hands at the end and we had a brief chat before heading home. As we have a four/five hour drive, we ate and showered and took our time before leaving site. A friend and thoroughly decent chap returned my shotgun and we gave him his spare sleeping bag back as we had left ours at home, along with my spares box, toolkit, lightweight trousers… the joys of post work in a rush packing.
A really great game, and a really good end to the Namsoft season. The organiser is a bit of a legend, the players old friends after several years, the weekend a hell of a success.
Pro’s
Excellent gameplay. Not one single moan, the whole weekend, from anybody.
Excellent game story. The game has progressed very well, with a strong narrative and clear ruleset.
Excellent social. We had a great time chatting over a few beers and sharing food.
I really like the storyline and the unusual weaponry. Lots of lever actions, revolvers and sub-350 bolt actions. Nothing post ’74 so not an M4 in sight. Even one loon with an airsoft Carl Gustave.
My M14 by CYMA shoots too well for an airsoft gun. I’ve fitted a German post reticle period Gold Crown scope. Place post on player, pull trigger, spot on. Still a bloody heavy lump though.
Mrs TPH discovering the fun of the K98 and shooting all the better for it.
Moans:
The miscommunication on Saturday wasted a bit of time. Radio use could have been better organised.
Only eight a side Cajuns and GIs, plus three sheriffs and a couple of FBI persons! It’s still a great game, seriously probably the best or second best this whole year, real shame that it’s attended in such low numbers. That said, decent organising and we were engaged in gameplay all weekend with the fighting as intense as anywhere. It really shows the value of quality players in making a game. It’s about the friendliest, best played game we play and last year had to be cancelled due to low ticket sales. At £60 for the whole weekend it’s a bargain. Period games seem out of fashion at the moment, as modern Milsim/filmsim seems to attract more players, but I’d rather use old gear and relax over a brew with Jimi on the stereo than some computer generated shite playing.
If you’re interested in playing Namsoft next year, feel free to drop me a line. Gunman, Sierra Bravo and Denn all arrange games that I and other forum members attend.
