Battle Lakes meet up 7/12/24

[LMKipper]

Went to Gunman Battle Lakes on Saturday with @Asomodai. We'd both been once before (myself about a month ago, Asomodai about four years ago) and it was a bit of a mixed bag.

The elephant in the room was that there was only 12 people playing, which included two player marshals. They did cut the site down and the owner apologised in the briefing for the low numbers but it did make it tough at times. I enjoyed the morning, with some sneaky action, but there were long portions without seeing anyone from the other team.

The afternoon was more difficult. The other team had three or four people in ghillies, which with just six a side made progress all but impossible. The site owner joined our team but with about an hour to go on the main objective, and two of our team out with broken rifles it was a slog. 

I had a bit of a chat to the owner and he said the site has been struggling for about six months with player numbers slowly dwindling. It's a shame as it's otherwise a really excellent site, the owner is a nice guy who runs the site well and I've never even heard whispers of cheat calling. Their next game is early December, so if you're reading this and local I think we should all make an effort to get there before they're forced to throw in the towel.

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

Their next game is early December, so if you're reading this and local I think we should all make an effort to get there before they're forced to throw in the towel.

It's pretty local to me - if I can make it, I will.

 

[Colin Allen]

Went to Gunman Battle Lakes on Saturday with @Asomodai. We'd both been once before (myself about a month ago, Asomodai about four years ago) and it was a bit of a mixed bag.

The elephant in the room was that there was only 12 people playing, which included two player marshals. They did cut the site down and the owner apologised in the briefing for the low numbers but it did make it tough at times. I enjoyed the morning, with some sneaky action, but there were long portions without seeing anyone from the other team.

The afternoon was more difficult. The other team had three or four people in ghillies, which with just six a side made progress all but impossible. The site owner joined our team but with about an hour to go on the main objective, and two of our team out with broken rifles it was a slog. 

I had a bit of a chat to the owner and he said the site has been struggling for about six months with player numbers slowly dwindling. It's a shame as it's otherwise a really excellent site, the owner is a nice guy who runs the site well and I've never even heard whispers of cheat calling. Their next game is early December, so if you're reading this and local I think we should all make an effort to get there before they're forced to throw in the towel.

It was a bit like that last time I went, which was a few years ago.  I used to marshal there when it was just Battle Lakes and drew large numbers; the site suffered from bottlenecking at a couple of points, which probably will not be the case with fewer players.

Is Tony/Val still running the site?

They have game days on 7th and 8th December; I can only go on the 7th as I have a rehearsal on the Sunday.  Is anyone else up for that day?

I believe that @Jez_Armstrong is a regular there.

 

[Jez_Armstrong]

It was a bit like that last time I went, which was a few years ago.  I used to marshal there when it was just Battle Lakes and drew large numbers; the site suffered from bottlenecking at a couple of points, which probably will not be the case with fewer players.

Is Tony/Val still running the site?

They have game days on 7th and 8th December; I can only go on the 7th as I have a rehearsal on the Sunday.  Is anyone else up for that day?

I believe that @Jez_Armstrong is a regular there.

I am bud, it's literally a few miles down the road, I popped along on Sunday to range a few new builds 

I'll pop that in the diary and try and join you @Colin Allen

 

[Colin Allen]

I am bud, it's literally a few miles down the road, I popped along on Sunday to range a few new builds 

I'll pop that in the diary and try and join you @Colin Allen

It's in my diary.  Hopefully, a few others from here will make it as well.

 

[Anonymoose]

It's in my diary.  Hopefully, a few others from here will make it as well.

I will book with them too, looks like a huge site.

 

[Colin Allen]

I will book with them too, looks like a huge site.

It is big, with some interestingly varied terrain.

 

[LMKipper]

Is Tony/Val still running the site?

They have game days on 7th and 8th December; I can only go on the 7th as I have a rehearsal on the Sunday.  Is anyone else up for that day?

Yep it's still Val running it. I'm free the 7th too, so I'll stick it in the diary and see you all then. 

 

[Colin Allen]

Yep it's still Val running it. I'm free the 7th too, so I'll stick it in the diary and see you all then. 

Excellent!  The more, the merrier!  Should we all carry a rolled up copy of the Times so that we can identify each other?

 

[LMKipper]

A large pink carnation pinned to our collars?

 

[Tackle]

I'm definitely up for this, but unfortunately won't be able to confirm until much closer to the event ? 

 

[ButcherBill]

Sounds like everyone's well up for supporting this site, apart from a couple of choke area's there must be other reasons players don't visit often enough & it's struggling. Can I suggest while you play there, consciously look for potential reasons and let the site owners know, people can be blinkered when it comes to their business/dream and they might not be aware why it's not 'working' for other airsofters.

 

[Colin Allen]

A large pink carnation pinned to our collars?

Is the correct answer!

 

[Impulse]

it's a shame hearing this about Battle Lakes (well, that it isn't more popular!) since I was planning on making some trips there once I have my driving license. Can't make it there as it stands, but I've always liked the sound of it, and the other Gunman site I've been to (Eversley Alpha) is really well run and managed. I hope it's still around by the time I finally get a car

 

[Colin Allen]

I'm definitely up for this, but unfortunately won't be able to confirm until much closer to the event ? 

Fair enough; it would be great if you could attend.

 

[LMKipper]

Can I suggest while you play there, consciously look for potential reasons and let the site owners know.

I puzzled on this quite a lot on the drive home. The only thought I had was that they favour slower ‘filmsim’ games, rather than all out skirmish action. And that maybe, there’s just less interest in it?

They also don’t have many structures built, like huts or trenches. Also with games only once a month it will be tough to build up regulars. But Imperium (not that far up the road) is the same on all three counts and they seem to pull in 100+. 

 

[Colin Allen]

I puzzled on this quite a lot on the drive home. The only thought I had was that they favour slower ‘filmsim’ games, rather than all out skirmish action. And that maybe, there’s just less interest in it?

They also don’t have many structures built, like huts or trenches. Also with games only once a month it will be tough to build up regulars. But Imperium (not that far up the road) is the same on all three counts and they seem to pull in 100+. 

Film sims are indeed not as popular as skirmishes.

Imperium has structures, trench systems, armoured vehicles and a very strong social media presence.  Battle Lakes is almost invisible.

When we ran skirmishes there, we regularly got 80+ people.

 

[LMKipper]

Yes the lack of any real social media isn't doing them any favours.

 

[Jez_Armstrong]

its something that's being worked on, i have volunteered my free time on sundays to Tony now to help out with staffing the place and were currently working on getting a Facebook group set up for a more community based place to chat rather than just having the main page to announce game days

would more people be interested in skirmishes and not the film sim stuff and which days to people learn towards for playing, is a saturday out of the question for most?  

 

[Colin Allen]

its something that's being worked on, i have volunteered my free time on sundays to Tony now to help out with staffing the place and were currently working on getting a Facebook group set up for a more community based place to chat rather than just having the main page to announce game days

would more people be interested in skirmishes and not the film sim stuff and which days to people learn towards for playing, is a saturday out of the question for most?  

Having marshalled and played at Battle Lakes in the "good old days", I would like to see it offering skirmishes again.  However, is there enough space in the safe zone for significantly larger numbers?  The safe zone seemed very small last time I was there compared to what it used to be.

A FB group would be good, as would advertising events widely on social media.

I prefer Saturdays but Sundays are fine as well.