Nifty, injudicious, yes - because if we had had information on when the TOD was at the same time as we had the info on when BoB would be we could have made an informed decision as to what precisely we wanted to do; fly BoB, fly TOD, or fly both. As was, as I have said several times, we were under the impression that there would be no more TODs until after BoB was over. Therefore, we commited to BoB, those of us that could.
What I am objecting to is that we are being penalised for our inability to attend under the circumstances. One has to be realistic. Sure, only a minority were able to fly BoB - just as only a minority fly TODs. Pardon my lack of understanding of the AH community that I rather expected it to be the same minority that would be interested in both. (shrugs).
Lets put it another way - if the TOD were scheduled as and when it was but squads were NOT penalised for failing to show due to the unusual circumstances of BoB being on, I would be happy. Otherwise, to expect us to happily be sit and told off because we didnt want to commit to another 3 hours of AH on Sundays directly after 6 hours of AH the Saturdays before that we had committed to much further in advance is quite simply unreasonable.
As Kronos has said, this is a game. nevertheless, quite a few of us, especially the CMs, and others of us like unit CO's and folk who volunteer to help out in games with knowledge, organisation, training, etc to try to make them a success, put a lot of time and effort into trying to make things as fun and interesting as possible for as many as possible. I was doing just that in BoB. So was my XO.
If BoB hadn't been on, we'd have been doing our best to help the TOD be as good as it might be. I did in fact offer what advice I could to Kronos regarding Ju88 planning in the frame that he was CO in this TOD, despite being rather "burnt out" at the time. I ended up so burnt out I couldnt even face flying the last two frames of BoB, but I had at least done my bit helping with the planning, selection of KG FLs and what little advice and training we were able to give pilots prior to the frames.
I DID advise that KG2 would not be able to participate in this TOD due to the short notice with us being so heavily involved in BoB, as soon as I realised the situation.
Seems that wasn't enough. Look what it's gotten me; accused of not reading the rules, scolded for not wanting to force myself to play in a TOD I had not expected to happen when it did, wasnt up to flying in and certainly wasnt prepared for. My unit has been accused of not having its act together. Aye, we're so untogether we've won awards. Check
http://www.s3events.com Check our numbers in that, and how we fared compared to other bomber units since our inception. It's doubtless because we're so untogether that Wotan asked for me to advise on bomber-related matters, etc. for BoB.
What do you want, blood?!?!
All I'm asking for, for heavens sake, is a little understanding of the situation that we were put in by the scheduling of the TOD. Maybe you dont feel it was inappropriate to time it just then; but if so, then you need to accept that it effectively barred some who had already committed to BoB from attending. Would you have had me break my commitment to BoB just because a TOD was suddenly scheduled for the same time?
Put it the other way around; if TOD had been known about well before BoB, and then two weeks beforehand BoB is announced, would you have wanted folk to abandon TOD just to fly in BoB? Of course not - you'd want them to honour their commitment. Which is what we did. At the time we signed up for BoB, we did NOT know when the next TOD would be. Therefore, I have to repeat that the timing of the TOD was unfortunate, and that to insist that we either fly it or be penalised UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES is grossly unfair. The situation could have been avoided simply by delaying the TODs for a couple of weeks. Players could have been sounded out over the matter. (shrugs)
Yet again, anyone who feels that penalising KG2 under the circumstances is fair is probably not someone I want to fly with, for choice.
I'm sorry, but this situation is of the CM's creation, not mine or my units. Those responsible have, I feel, behaved thoughtlessly, unrealistically and curmudgeonly over this matter. I and my unit can hold our heads high. We will continue to support organised games of any sort, and to help promote the flying of bombers in a more historical manner to the best of our ability. Any unit taking part in TODs wanting advice or help with flight planning for bombers for a game please feel free to contact me, if you wish. I can't promise I'll be able to help, but I will if I can, and/or point you in the direction of other pilots that I think may be able to help with your query. This offer is NOT dependent on KG2's continued participation or otherwise in TOD's.
What is upsetting me the most about this is that I was just training up one of my officers to take over at the helm of the unit operationally, so that I can concentrate on the backroom stuff. I've had my share of leading planes in combat, and I like the planning side - he loves leading in combat, so the new arrangement suits us both. I'd hoped that our next TOD would be his first leading the unit into action. I hope to hell he's still given that chance by the CM's.
Esme
