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View Full Version : [idea?] Live BdU Players


bert8for3
08-18-09, 07:48 AM
The lack of a dynamic BdU in SH3 is just the way it is and beyond being assigned a patrol grid at the beginning of each patrol, players are basically left to themselves to decide where to patrol.

I wonder if anyone would be interested in a "live BdU" arrangement. I've had this in the back of my mind for a while, but it moved to the RAM portion of what passes for a brain, as I was resuming a patrol I'd left off 3 weeks ago. It's the usual thing we all run into now and then, absolutely zilch in way of targets. In consequence, after a period of time in one area, I've shifted my patrol area about four times. That's ok, but as I "pretend" that I'm being given fresh patrol orders from BdU, it leaves something to be desired. Even using SH3Gen, the absence of someone actually giving me orders detracts from the experience.

The idea is that player A, the one actually playing the patrol, would partner with a volunteer B from this forum. Nothing formal to it in way of organization, but B would act as A's BdU for the duration of the patrol. A and B would agree beforehand on the way things would work and the extent of B's involvement.

The better to illustrate, here's how I might see it working in my case.

In posting to ask for a B, I'd say that it takes me quite a while on the whole RL time to do a patrol, maybe 3 weeks or more. I would send "periodic" patrol reports to B. I'm happy if my B only sends me relatively occasional orders, in the main to give me a fresh patrol assignment if I've spent a fair bit of time in one area with no contacts. I prefer "realism" as much as can be managed. If my B gives me an order that I think is really out of wack, I'll feel free to ignore it, messaging some convenient excuse such as "Bernard has misplaced the charts for the ordered area and thus cannot comply". I use SH3Gen and ideally can periodically run it and export to TatukGiS and email the viewer file to B so that B can give me orders based on the SH3Gen map.

That's just an example, but the basic idea would be that A and B would agree on the broad outlines of how things would work, i.e. mutual expectations are ok.

Patrols could be run via threads here, or if mods prefer, by PM.

Well, that's it. Could be an idiotic idea and/or already tried in the dark past and discarded, but no harm asking. Anyone find this interesting?

Dowly
08-18-09, 07:55 AM
That is wonderful idea. :up:

Have you ever tried Wolves at War SH gaming league? That's pretty much how they do things over there (if it's still going, dont know). Players are separated to Flotillas and given boat. All flotillas have their flotilla kommandants, who give his boats the patrol grids and give new one's mid-patrol if needed.

Everything you mentioned is done in W@W. :yeah:

IF W@W isnt alive anymore, I think I can take a try acting as BdU for you. :hmmm:

Johann Vilthomsen
08-18-09, 08:26 AM
Do you know Wolves at War? :hmmm:

Enjoy it

www.wolvesatwar.org (http://www.wolvesatwar.org)

Dowly
08-18-09, 08:30 AM
Do you know Wolves at War? :hmmm:

Enjoy it

www.wolvesatwar.org (http://www.wolvesatwar.org)

Ah, that answers my question wether it's still alive. :yeah:

bert8for3
08-18-09, 08:36 AM
Yup, I know about WaW, although I didn't think it was still going. I'll have a look at it again.

It may be (and this is most certainly NOT criticism of WaW, of which I know not that much more than the name) that a less formal A/B setup would suit some people.

Dowly
08-18-09, 08:38 AM
Lemme know then via PM or in this thread if I'm suitable to give you orders that more than propably end up in your death. :O:

bert8for3
08-18-09, 08:40 AM
@Dowly. Thanks (and sorry for not responding to your kind offer in my previous post) and I'll get back to you soon.

mookiemookie
08-18-09, 09:08 AM
I think it's a great idea. I'd be open to something like this.

bert8for3
08-18-09, 09:35 AM
I had a look at WaW, nice to see it's still going. It looks the same in terms of the way it works from when I last looked at it quite some time ago. Looks like a blast.

My hesitation about WaW is purely personal (and again to stress, is in no way criticism of WaW, which I think is terrific) in relation to my playing habits/time. I tend to be pretty up and down in terms of how often I play and for how long. Sometimes for no reason at all, other times because of RL stuff. But the end result is that while on occasion a single patrol may have taken me less than say three weeks, for the most part, they can and do take a good bit longer. Some of that is because I also like to stay in 1xTC when I'm in contact, so if eg I get in with a convoy, it can take a good while.

So I'm thinking that for me, something like this A/B thing on a pretty informal basis is the way to go.

@Dowly. So if you're up for it, I'd be more than happy for you to be my BdU for my next patrol, which expect to start sometime next week. If that's ok, how about I put put up a new thread for it and we run it via the thread? But I'm not fussed either way and we could go by PM if you like.

bert8for3
08-18-09, 09:44 AM
I think it's a great idea. I'd be open to something like this.

Nifty, and maybe I'd volunteer for BdU. Why don't you post your outline of what you'd be looking for in way of eg patrol timeframe, what you'd like from your BdU etc, sort of like I did in my first post.

mookiemookie
08-18-09, 01:09 PM
Like you, I'm pretty up and down on my playtime. Sometimes I get sidetracked by another game, but I keep coming back to my patrols. Currently I'm off Rockall in my Type VII in '39. I've shifted over two grid squares south as I've had no luck in spotting anything in two weeks. I don't deviate a whole lot from my assigned squares...If I'm ordered to patrol the North Atlantic, I don't jaunt on down to Gibraltar to pick off convoys. I usually stay in the same general area I'm ordered to.

I'm with you on either a thread based or PM based deal. The way I see it working is that the boat reports its current grid position, fuel and armament situation, along with the date. The BdU player would come up with something realistic in terms of a new assignment grid. Is that what you were getting at?

bert8for3
08-18-09, 01:34 PM
... Is that what you were getting at?

Yup, pretty much. Sounds like your timing suits mine, so feel like giving it a try with me as your BdU? Worst that happens is that it doesn't work, but we may just have a bit of fun.

mookiemookie
08-18-09, 01:38 PM
Sounds great!

bert8for3
08-18-09, 01:54 PM
Sounds great!

:up: sent you PM.