Originally posted by culero
This is in response to Brooke's BoB CO recruitment, I just didn't want to hijack the purpose of his thread.
I'm shocked to see a veteran of scenario experience like Brooke proposing the time schedule for BoB when COs haven't even been found. Trying to cram this process, registration, formation of team structures, testing of arena settings, practices, etc all into 30 days is, all due respect intended, lunacy.
The same thing was IMO the major factor resulting in Japan becoming the debacle it in the end was. Scenarios are team events, and teams need time to organize. CO recruitment needs to happen before registration, and registration needs to be complete a month before the first frame in order to allow proper preparation.
I've worked with ROC in the past enough to know he knows better (or should) and I know Brooke has more experience than ROC and I combined. Guys, wake up and smell the coffee, the course you're setting leads directly to rocky shoals.
culero
Oh ye of little faith.
Proposing a *tentative* time schedule is fine and is how it should go, so that people can at least plan a little and get moving on things. Sticking to it if things don't happen in time is a problem, and that's not what I have ever suggested. Keep in mind:
1. "The dates and times of this four-frame scenario are not yet finalized. This scenario is tentatively scheduled for Saturdays, September 23, September 30, October 7, and October 14 . . ."
2. This is a stock design that ran fine before, and we are running it again without modificiation. Thus, no lengthy shakedown is needed (as otherwise must be allotted for with a new design), and there will be plenty of participants who played in BoB 2004. It should be quite possible for a competent CO to formulate his frame 1 strategy in less than a month. You or I would have no problem formulating frame 1 orders in a week.
3. This scenario doesn't have any unusual things to practice -- it's standard air combat and bombing runs, which people are used to. It should take a lot less preparation.
4. We want to run Pearl Harbor next, so we can't indefinitely delay BoB. We're running BoB to fit in between (if there is enough interest).
So, given the above, here's the estimated/sought-after timeline:
Sept. 3: finish getting both CO's, open registration.
Sept. 16: beta frame, close registration
Sept. 23: frame 1
If we're a week late in signing up CO's, we can move the schedule forward a week. If no CO's step up even one week after Sept. 3rd (i.e., no one steps up even after 3 weeks), then we should skip BoB 2006 due to lack of command interest and because there is not enough time to run it before Pearl Harbour.
Every scenario should have at least a tentative timeline and plan, with time alotted for the various necessary tasks and with enough flexibility to adjust it within reason. If it's a new design, it needs a lot more time. If it's a straightforward stock design, it needs much less. If it's a scenario without something else desired after it, then it can be indefinitely delayed until CO's are found, then the schedule can march on as planned from that point on, or delayed further if there is some problem or things don't go as quickly as planned. If it's a scenario that is meant to run in between, like this one, there is only so much delay that can be accomodated. Beyond that, it needs to be cancelled.
I hope this information causes you to be unshocked.
