Command Descisions

[Colin23451]

I would love to go to Berget, if I had the money, but watching the videos, boy some of these lower level commanders need to pay more attention. I'm an ROTC cadet, but believe me, they teach you discipline more than most other things so I have had to learn on my own various ways, and I know tactics. I see some of these videos, people are marching and the column is either two close together (I would yell Grenade Bang your all dead to teach my men) or two far a part to be effective. Remember to use hand signals, even make some up if you want. Before coming make sure to carefully read all rules and descriptions so you know how to brief your men so they don't screw up. IT'S YOUR RESPOSIBILTY!

Next choose either airsoft or military experienced commanders to be your underlings, establish a chain of command. Get a trusted buddy as an XO, next set up platoon and then squad commanders, make sure they know what to do and when and how. Get your men into a proper formation for basic stuff then let them fall out and relax for briefings. Make things clear and ask for suggestions and questions, starting with the most experienced but ignore no one. Make sure everyone works well as a team member LONE WOLFS GET OTHERS KILLED!

Next explain tactics, roles, and signals and practice if possible. Next have a print out of events and rules to read and explain. Make sure they no what to do if captured or if capture is imminent. Hide or destroy documents. You can get new ones later and if you hide them make sure it's a place they probably won't search like a boot. You may even just want to go down fighting, it's just a game. Try to gather your own Intel and don't fall for your own tricks, if you can think of it so can they.

Make sure your men are squared away in dress and supplies like water and food, as well as yourself, people get dehydrated and hungry fast, carry extra. SHIT HAPPENS MAKE YOUR PLAN FLEXIBLE EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. MILITARY INTELIGENCE THERE'S A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS. Always be able to asses a situation before making a decision and don't take to long, lives are lost in seconds. Don't take time arguing with a subordinate, the decision is yours, but take suggestions if you have the time, someone may actually have a better plan you just didn't think of, thank them and execute, don’t criticize, encourage, the Army often gets that wrong, unless ass kicking is needed, it depends on the man and the situation. THE COMMANDER IN THE REAR IS ALWAYS WRONG UNLESS PROVEN OTHERWISE! Take initiative, it earns points if it works. Always take the blame SHIT ROLLS DOWN HILL TRANSFER THE BLAME LATER BUT EXPLAIN IF NECESARY.

Next on my list of things I see wrong, find good cover and set up a defense perimeter if attack is expected or happening make it appropriate size and shape for the situation but make it adaptable and collapsible without compromising one side, don't fall for faints only send reinforcement as necessary. Make sure your men don’t get overcome by adrenaline, you need to keep a cool head for them, let a subordinate issue your order so that you can control a whole line versus just a squad. Make sure your men know who is issuing orders to avoid confusion, give you underlings some leeway but always have a leash. Make sure to get acknowledgements and confirmations on commands issued. (THE FOG OF WAR!) Battles have been lost when orders and reports are lost. Always assume the worst; it is better to assume a situation is worse than it is to imagine there is no situation at all. Another note of discipline; make sure uniforms look smart, don't insult the real military or your unit. Commanders and press love it when you look great.

In regards to bio warfare make sure to find loopholes in rules (it goes for all rules) for example it says you can't say your infected but that doesn’t mean you can't avoid contact, if someone is acting suspiciously in that manner assume they have the virus and need treatment. Finally in regards to night ops, if resting make sure to post guards and have passwords, sleep close to your weapon and have an emergency wake up and action plan. Also before bed do briefs and debriefs (after Action Reports) for improvement and the next days events, make sure your men get rest, food and water any time they can, you never no what will happen next. Also have a start time for the day like if you want formation at 0800, have you men up an hour earlier to rake care of everything else (packing, bathroom, food, etc.). As for night ambushes and ambushes in general be quiet and wait until just the right moment when a lot of them are in the kill zone, choose your moment, have a booby trap or anti-personnel mine if possible. If the night is dark do frequent silent listening halts sound will be the key. On well lit nights if you can see them make sure they can't see you, meaning cover don't stand there like a target. If engaged get down don't be a dear in the headlights. And on a weather night you're kinda screwed but you can't pick and choose. Well Good Luck out there and give me some replies to discuss. Thanks for reading my rant!

[Sebbe]

Welcome to Airsoft.


Your post is a wall of text, i won't read it all until you've made it easier to read.



(call me an asshole if you want to, you know what i say is true)

[Colin23451]

sorry you were right I relized that before you said it, Hope I fixed it

[Colin23451]

Oh and Sebbe you're still an asshole anyway hahahahaha, just kidding

[motorhead]

Most factors mentioned in the thread start are already discussed and attempted as good as possible by many ingame Berget unit leaders. But airsoft is not like real mil unit behaviour patterns. The true bottlenecks are quite simply that besides some kit similarities - most airsofters are simply individually mindset enthusiasts not operating like military units.

At best an ingame group/team leader can influence his ingame subordinates about general issues like radio callsigns, mission objectives and hope that these relatively non-coherent group of individuals function as an ingame unit.

Most group training and teamwork conditioning must take place pre-game - within the respective club or teams. Stitching together a properly working milsim-unit within the game time-frame is quite a challenge.

Game-day 1 mostly goes to let people sort themselves out and get the game going. Public adress sessions are more needed and may improve later game performance at Berget.

[Geboren]

Been a few years in Military, more than some of Berget players and less than other Berget players.

My conclusion is:

-come and play.

Is not the same thing than:

-Speak about theory and men leadership.

Is not the same thing than:

-Really involve his mind into a true military way.

In Berget, everyone involve his mind at different levels. That is the liberty you have when you play airsoft, that's the liberty that you don't have when you "play for real", at war..

That's only my opinion

But your advices are good, I do not deny that.

[conger]

The OP offers a great vision within the game environment. In reality, implementation in BE or any large Airsoft event will be the limiting factor.

Fun and enjoyment must be solid pillars of the game environment no matter what.

It's really the squad leadership level that the individual players will have the most contact with.

Squad leaders have a responsibility which is unique. They are the last link in the comms and often they need to react to the situation on the ground.

Military "leadership" experience is clearly an advantage here. But 'leadership' is more important, and this does not have to come from military experience to be successful in airsoft.

I would guess few really understand the HQ command or the platoon cmdrs role during the game. [I know I don't!] Perhaps they are the least obvious to the individual player because the individual player rarely if ever sees them.

Motorhead, I too agree ... For NATO at least, if HQ can provide more faction level comms, especially on day 1, it will be hugely beneficial.

Setting player expectation solidly up front [before the game] will also help. Perhaps encouraging engagement on the forum can assist here

Geboren concluded with ....

come and play

. Simple but yea it makes sense.

Bring your best with you, engage and step to with an open mind and see what happens.

"it's all good"

Regards to all from BE7

Conger Out

[Colin23451]

Hey thanks for everone's reply thus far, keep 'em coming. I can't wait to get there when I can. I have seen many forces on videos that are at least platoon size forces, so many of my previous notations are still relavent . One thing is definatly organization and training though. I see to many times where people are using the wrong tactics that makes them targets. I hope anyone who reads this takes something away in case they are ever in charge.

Another thing I know a lot of you talked about small unit actions but it almost sounded like you were saying the company commander was in the rear. only force commanders should be back there making an overall assesment based on radio comms. if the company commander is not with his men he is not an effective leader, it's his job to be up front cordinnating his men's movements. I mean we are talking over a thousand people in this event. Surely there is a similar command structure to the military with so many people.

One more thing I know it's only a week but I'm sure there is still some down time to brief you men. They may be tired but they can bear with you for a moment. We did it in ROTC on our FTX, we got 4 hours of sleep the night before but we lived with it. it was hell but we made it through remember the tougher you are the better, just overemphasise because eventually weariness takes it's toll let me tell you actually I got no sleep because i was shivering all night. the Army has nothing for tall people let me tell you.

I'm both an airsofter, occasional paintballer, and an ROTC cadet so I understand all points of view, hec sometimes I have to remind myself and my team that there has to be an element of fun and game combined with realism. Again Thanks

[Colin23451]

For conger eyes only (thats why it's in plain sight):
Well thanks especially to you hec it sound like you need me sign me up. anyway i understand airsoft leadership can come on it's own. No military experience required but I must admit even with the the simplicity of some of the basics of ROTC (most of which I already knew) what I learned the most about was disapline, communication and structure. Shit does happen but the better all of the afore mentioned things are, the quicker, easier, and more effectively a problem is resolved. Thats why i would choose people who preferably have both experinces under their belt as my underlings.

[Geboren]

Thanks conger for your words

Colin; I hope to see you one of these years in a Berget events, in order to share discussions and beer.

'till then, godspeed.

[Murrdohk]

Hey Colin, welcome to the forums dude. I too hope to see you at Berget some day. I think I was the only American that showed up this year. Lots of people wearing ACU's and U.S. gear but they were all from different countries.

Anyway, Berget 7 wasa hell of a goodtime and well worth the money spent.

[Colin23451]

Well Geborgen. I'm only 19 so at least I can't drink in the U.S., Europe is probably different not that it matter because i don't like alcohol but a Coke will do fine. thanks, and thanks for your service, no matter what you did.

To Murrdohk (what is that a knock off of Chuck Norris?) That's interesting, well if i go that would be great but it will probably be a while since i don't have that kind of money right now but me and my friend would love to come . I used to wear ACUs until Congress ordered the Army to change their pattern (at least for Afganistan for now) i would have gotten MARPAT but they were out in my size at the time so now I wear MultiCam with a MARPAT vest (I need new photos and some video). my friend wears MARPAT though. It blends really well. And so naturally a lot of these guys are wearing or have copied our uniforms, because we've been kicking ass for 200 years.

[Colin23451]

After reading some other comments made about battle sequences i am begining to gain an idea of just how bad the command structure is. it sounds perhaps overcomplicated. Until this is resolved my recomendation to lower level commanders is to cordinate with others on your own instead of waiting for higher authority to do as it seems a lot of reports are lost. In a large attack get with the people on your right and left and sugest they do the same. try to keep in contact.

[Jonathan]

Murrdohk your a bit wrong, there where 3 more americans that i know of from the nato camp, two of them from Oscar Coy, Alaska, and ME from Fox Coy, California.
Anyway nice to meet a fellow American.
cheers

[conger]

Like I said, there's a lot of merit in this thread and I think very little if anything to disagree with overall

Colin23451, hope you can see your way to coming along sometime. Sweden is very welcoming, the BE participants are all good people, I think you'd have a ball.

Conger Out