a.R.a.B.S. Weekender

[Jaylordofwaargh]

https://filmsim.co.uk/event/territory-pt4/

 

This will be my first weekender! I am not gonna lie, quite excited.

 

Anyone else going to this or am i the only one repping afuk?

 

So with 18 or so days to go i have only a few bits to buy (for medic rules). Now it is a case of finding an hour or so to do a 'gather' of kit and lay it all out to see if i need to trim. Then there is the check and pack with possibly a re-pack depending on how the weight is on the packs.

 

I am likely to use this thread as a diary on the lead up and review once i am done. 

 

Do have a read of the story and rules as it will be great context. 

 

I am in the civilian militia!

Edited August 18, 2021 by Jaylordofwaargh
Edit: changed post as opposed new one.

[Jaylordofwaargh]

So the first pack wasn't as fun as i thought it would be. 

 

Still have a number of bulky items that i need to get into the assault pack. The weather has turned against me so i will need extra layers, i will need to be smart with the quality of layer.

 

I also still need a little space free for a touch of food and cook kit which i am borrowing. 

 

It has shown up that if i plan to do more weekender i will need to upgrade certain pieces of kit, the rifle slip case for example isnt happy with carrying the shot gun as well.

 

Thing is, i know that i will be repacking once in site as i will be wearing chest rig and such like and that will create/ move the spare space i need for pyro an cook kit. 

 

With raids being a thing for this game, and without more info to what this means, i want to be carrying almost everything. 

 

So question for the group is this unatainable? 

 

Some of the vids and threads here and elsewhere seem to view this as madness unless i have a 100lt carry system.

 

Oh well, second/final pack tonight or tomorrow, if i get the chance i'll dump some pics and kit list. 

 

[Jacob Wright]

In my experience at this sort of game, less is more. 
 

If you’re on a ‘raid’ with the world packed on your back you’ll start to feel it and probably won’t take long to regret it!

 

Most events tend to have an area where teams can drop sleeping/cooking/spare gear. This will save you having to try and carry it round with you all day. 
 

Ive really cut down on what I carry, and have got it down to the following;

- Primary magazines (4-6)

- Grenades (Mixture of smoke and bang)

- Radio

- Secondary magazine (if sidearm carried)

- Water and a couple of cereal bars

- Map

 

It was only through time I discovered most of the stuff I carried on me, or even took with me to the event wasn’t used. I tend to leave a spare gun in the car, with its magazines etc. 
 

That said, see what works for you! The event looks interesting and I’d love to go but I’m training that weekend! Have fun!

[Jaylordofwaargh]

The plan is that we do get a FOB, i still have to hump gear to the fob. 

Where i have taken medic role i also need to carry my share of bandages and the load carrying for the bandages. I think my load out is as light as i can get it but it is the extra, the clothes, sleep system and food that are bulking. 

It might be that i gain a fob bag to carry which would contain safe to leave gear, again with the repack on the friday. 

 

A big part if the issue lies in my use of public transport to get (most of the way) to site.

[Jacob Wright]

I see, fair enough!

 

A FOB bag sounds like a good shout, and tbh bandages won’t be that hard to carry, I normally just stuff them in a pocket so they’re easy to get at; nothing worse than having to dig through pouches when someone needs one!!

[Cannonfodder]

Was this the game organised by the A.R.A.B.S. group on facebook? 

Edited September 1, 2021 by Cannonfodder

[Jaylordofwaargh]

10 hours ago, Cannonfodder said:

Was this the game organised by the A.R.A.B.S. group on facebook? 

Yes it is, Andy has run a number of game weekends, this being number 4. I am buzzing for this. 

 

As such I have a small update for this thread.... my kit list! unpacked and packed pictures. 

The packing process its self was a touch frustrating i had planned on just the assult pack grab bag and rifle slip case. That didn't happen. My first priority was to get the kit to site, knowing that i would be repacking on the Friday night with loadout in mind. So for a start the kit list i broke it down into the following 

Camping

• Hammock
• tarp
• sleeping bag
• microfibre towel (to act as underquilt)

Loadout

• rig 
• grab bag
• med kit - battle belt with vintage pouchs  - bandage - (safety) scissors
• medic patch (yes a special metion, i think i have a weakness for patches....)
• watch 
• 'gas' mask
• eye pro & spare + accessories
• gloves

Weapons and ammo

• m4 + mags
• shotgun + shells & bandollier
• actual ammo (3 bottles, just to be sure)
• smokes (distractions and 'posion' gas) & bangs
• speed loaders 

 

Clothes

• key points of extra layers - hats and such like
• and more spares in case of rain

Food kit & food (work in progress)

• a VX coffee filter ....yes really
• coffee 
• well, lets just say i plan on snacks throughout the day with two hot meals (raman)

 

Wash kit

• kept really simple 
• teeth stuff and wet wipes....

Misc

• notebook + small pencils 
• bin liners 

I accepted that i needed an extra bag so the brown one will be my fob bag and the assult pack will have snacks and stuff. 

 

I just need to get the three bags to london waterloo from east london, then on to fleet where the last supply run happens before hitting the site. 

Given the amount i know some are taking i think i have done well...

 

There was a last minute info drop with some fun rolling objectives. i am buzzing.... 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

Good stuff!  

 

I do these style of events as often as I can, one a month spring to autumn and couple each winter.  I would say take a variety of food (even if just a couple of 'extra' ramen packs) and a bottle of something decent for the evenings.  If you can't eat what you fancy it's miserable, and a half bottle of rum works wonders if the weather turns nasty/noisy fuckers stay up half the night etc.  A seriously warm jumper is a must for evenings too. 

 

The thing with September events is that you ca still get August daytime temps, but combined with October nights!  A thick fleece poncho that rolls up into its own bag is a good cheap addition as night wear/extra blanket/looking vaguely like Clint Eastwood etc etc.  

[Rogerborg]

8 hours ago, Tactical Pith Helmet said:

noisy fuckers stay up half the night etc

 

Earplugs, and a sleep mask.

 

You haven't mentioned water supply.  Unless it's nearby and copious, I'd avoid any diuretics like caffeinated covfefe. 

 

Hmm, did I leave A.R.A.B.s or get kicked out?  Can't seem to recall, I'm sure it would have been ranting about the rants either way.

[Jaylordofwaargh]

@Jacob WrightThe plan is that we do get a FOB, i still have to hump gear to the fob. 

Where i have taken medic role i also need to carry my share of bandages and the load carrying for the bandages. I think my load out is as light as i can get it.

 

@Tactical Pith Helmett good shout on the bottle of something, i'll have a look in the cupboard and add my hip flask. I think i have warmth covered with layers, i'll let you know, although the idea of poncho..... as to food - veg (not much) is part of the supply run

 

@Rogerborg its both really easy and really hard to get kicked from the a.r.a.b.s page....there are not many lines but cross one and you're out. 

Good pick up on lack of water mentioned, that is part of the supply run on the friday heading towards site. Its the Gunman Alpha site so not plumbed in, need to carry or leave at fob - given that food/water raids are part of the objectives...i'll be carrying most of that gear/supplies

 

As to the coffee thing....its safer for everyone that i get all the coffee i want/need 😉😂

[Jaylordofwaargh]

Not doing too badly so far on my list of, well, full disclosure these items wernt on a list....thats how they are still at home....

Sleep mask - if i get more than 4 each night i am doing better normal

 

Train book! Have one for the longer journey back but not for now....

 

Still doing better than my brother, who forgot his guns and had to go back for them.....

[Jacob Wright]

How did it go?! Did you manage to carry everything okay?

[Jaylordofwaargh]

How did it go? I am still processing the games or rather my interactions with the games so i will leave that out for now but as to kit....

 

The social aspect of sharing camp space was great, there was plenty of for all and chat and banter came easy.

 

Carrying this lot was a pain but not unfeasable it was really only between trains and platforms. There was a (short lived plan to walk to the site from the train station but thankfuly i got a lift.

 

sleep system - needs tweaking - the hammock and tarp went up really easily with the exception of needing extra loops for the hammocks to attach to. So that will be the long ones that i ordered in june and simply didn't appear so had to order alturnites, which are much shorter. nevermind there was spare rope.

 

Now to make you all laugh, i fell out. i landed like a sack of spuds being rejected from the harvest. rolled all the way over and thud. I also need to plan a bit better when it comes to set up as i managed to have opening for sleeping bag on the opposite side to the opening of hammock. But over all slept well. 

 

Cooking - need to invest in a burner as i borrowed for the weekend. so the plan was to make a couple of high veg count super noodle numbers and supliment with breakfast bars, nuts and biltong and that was mostly the case for the Saturday. Sunday was only breakfast and biltong due to how the day played out.

 

As a whole on the next weeekender there are likely thing that i will not pack and i think a larger backpack; to allow for more compartmentalised packing.  

[Rogerborg]

Ace, glad to hear that you made it work.  I do intend to do a weekender while I'm still physically capable of it, it's always useful to hear experiences.

 

Did you do the mandatory in-spin-and-out dump from the hammock on first getting in, or manage to fall out of it later on?

[Shamal]

On 03/09/2021 at 14:22, Jaylordofwaargh said:

 

 

Still doing better than my brother, who forgot his guns and had to go back for them.....

Haha. First year at nae in ringwood. I got there early to set up camp.Stepson arrived with mate about 8pm. Upon getting gear out of car he discovered he had left his gats at home!! Two hours later and round trip of 100miles he was back and ready for a drink. Feckin knobber lol.

[Jacob Wright]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it and that the amount of kit wasn’t unmanageable! I’ve found as you attend more weekend events you learn what you do and don’t need, and tailor your kit as such. 

[Jaylordofwaargh]

OK, so the game itself. I am very aware that the quality of my weekend was different to others. The site its self is amazing with loads of sturcures and varied terrian. Alpha is was an absolute blast to play on even though my actual game time happened in a very small area. Highlights for the site include:

'west town' - western style small single story buildings some are just blocks others with doors. really fun to defend with shotguns - although it is easy to get rolled over if attackers have the numbers

 

Viking village - larger buildings, markee, firepit - lots to shout about.

 

The wall - gate tower with walkway above and a couple smaller buildings, very defendable. 

 

Firebase -  well dug in area with (some) good lines of sight 

 

Now, as i said my weekend was heavily influanced by a very small number of people and thier actions. I was in the Civvy milita 

our 'leadership' was worrying from the start, this is even before game day...

 

They did manage to organise smokes and bangs. They were not however responsive to ideas and talking to anyone out side of the council of elders about how to run the game, this was a massive red flag but i had commited to the civvy cause (and only load out i could do). in the lead up to the event the team was asked by the CoE who we would want to be teamed up with....those of you that have read the game brief linked at the top will see the folly in what happened next. 

 

In the lead up we had been told that comms were 'sorted'....as it turns out that was a partial lie

 

it gets to game day and we have a number of last minute drop outs for various reasons including the civvy 2ic, on the friday evening 1ic of the civvy team is more concered about the pyro and the range of the comms. 

 

Gets to the saturday morning and some of us socialised too hard...

There are loose game (where it is mentioned that there are Mainline Objectives for the day, so each hour essentially has its own mission to keep things moving) and safety briefings.  My 1ic didn't bring one wth him, didn't have a spare on his phone to forward to people and beyond infil, didn't have a fucking clue. 'leader' ( yes i am already thinking in these terms almost first thing sat morning), asks for fire teams to do item/contraband search, i grab a couple of bodies and voluenteer, we are not given a radio, other teams put their hands up and are given radios....

 

My team go out meet an NPC find a little contraband and make it back before the others, we get a look and a comment of 'why are you just carrying those' no thank yous....  In the lead up to the event the civvy team are told that the police/blue light team are our allies and will be looking after us as long as we are respecting the rules of the territory and back them up.....another 60 mins of standing around doing fuck all with me taking turns at perimiter one of our team runs past with the contraband my fire team found, being chased by the police... they have raided us....whilst this distraction was happening i bugged out and went on a reccy. i find the Wall is in habited by 2 just 2 af sentries. i report this back that we could raid them and grab any contraband the af have and be gone but no. we wait for the next police 'raid'...

 

the whole weekend went like that, the 'leader' would ask us to do nothing accept stay on posts and wait for the next police raid...whist this is happening a couple of the fire teams on the civvy teams have not come back. A firefight broke out in the West Town, posion smoke, cover smoke, heavy fire - the whole shibang, i start running over ready to support as i thought we were backing up the fuzz...'leader' calls me and the couple of others back, i ask wtf, repeatedly. As it is kicking off one of the civvies come over to the leader and told the 'leader' that the attack was his guys, flat out said that his fire team were attacking the fuzz and the 'leader' did nothing. The fire team leader then runs into the town and shoots any civvy that doesnt pull out counter to all previous information.  turns out that fire team is the embedded foriegn (russian) armed force with their own agenda..... that is 7/8 people now not on the civvy team...

 

The day goes on. some larping happens, which was fun, we have luch, i ask if there is more that standing around doing fuck all to be done...at which point the game organiser comes over to only just discover that the 'leader of the civvy team doesn't have a fucking clue, (sidenote: at breifing the organiser said that the way he had planned it meant that he didn't need to be there as leadership of all factions (including the Russians and PMC's) had MLO to move the day along) he told us the objective was to attack the Wall (held by uk armed forces) using gas. alot of us on sentry leave posts to do this, a number of us went for it and after the first failed attempt of 'up the middle' a small number of us try other avenues, the main body of the force under the 'leader' kept trying up the middle......

 

you will see the common thread here. 

 

on the sunday the PMC extract themselves from the civvy group leaving us with maybe 12/16 players.... 

 

Part way through the day i find my brother slumped against a tree looking down, having the same frustrations, a nip of (exceptional) rum later and a plan was laid, we would iritate the fuck out of any one in camo, constantly bombing posion from one direction and shooting from another only to fade and try another compass point, that was a lot of fun. although as the af didn't have any ammo limits our cover got hosed till they sent the recovery/kill team out to us, by which point we were gone. 

 

I know this has been a tough read and a little scatty. but the main takeaways are, yes i will do another weekender with this level of emmersion or a battle sim. Yes the camping and social aspects were good. oh and the game its self was good fun once i got past and over the usless civvy leader.

 

So yes as a whole (excluding 'leader') the weekend was great fun. I will go back to Alpha to one of their sims, looks like my brother will take the chance as well, an offer of a cheap game will do that for some one with a IG Commissar cosplay....

I will likely sign up for another game by the organiser, may even scrounge another loadout up from somewhere to be on a different faction and over winter i may even meet up with a couple of the other civvies for a random skirmish day.

 

 

[Rogerborg]

Incompetent leadership appointed based on nepotism and gobbing off, standing around doing nothing, what more do you want from a milsim?

[Cannonfodder]

1 hour ago, Rogerborg said:

Incompetent leadership appointed based on nepotism and gobbing off

One of the reasons I left that faceache group. 

[Captain Darling]

Jay, try looking up the Okto 8 games, they’re an offshoot of Gunman airsoft. The people running them have been organising airsoft for as long as I can remember, and can be trusted to not cock your weekend up.

 

There’s a game with them in a few weeks on the same Eversley site. 

[EvilMonkee]

As an alternative, look at the Gunman Cold War games, much more organised leadership wise, especially the East German side.  And the kit is all provided.

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

I'll second those above.