ORIGINAL OPORD 20-355 ~ LIVESTREAM ARCHIVE ~ AAR
Armchair Dragoons, Regimental Operations Order 20-355
Distribution restriction: No restriction; unlimited distribution is authorized
Situation
- Weather – Winter is here and it sucks. Stuck inside, no human contact, living in your bubb… OK, we might be over-dramatizing things a bit
- Enemy Forces – The rampaging plague of COVID-19 that cost us the summer convention season has yet to subside and is getting worse in some places, thus our biggest enemy threat remains biological warfare
- Friendly Forces – Friendly forces for this mission include Moe’s Game Table, Lock ‘n Load Publishing, Academy Games, Enterprise Games, No Enemies Here, The Wargaming Company, DGS Games, Ad Astra Games, and the Georgetown University Wargaming Society. Other friendly forces may join at a later date.
- Attachments & Detachments – None at the present
Mission
The Armchair Dragoons and other friendly forces conduct online/virtual game convention operations beginning with registration (28 December 2020) and culminating with the execution of the Armchair Dragoons Digital Convention (The ACDC), from 15-17 January 2021, at a cost of $3 to attend.
Link to ACDC Registration/Scheduling at tabletop.events
Operations
- Commander’s Intent
Following the success of last summer’s Virtual Dragoons Assembly, and subsequent online conventions like the SDHISTCON, the Armchair Dragoons have elected to organize and execute another online convention, set for mid-January 2021, to give players an opportunity to meet, play, and congregate in another online/virtual convention. Reinforced with the addition of some new participants, the Armchair Dragoons intend to offer a wider array of games and time slots, over a wider time period, for this Winter’s online convention.
- Concept of the Operation
The ACDC will focus on the following 4 features:
- Wargaming Events: the primary activity will be wargames played through virtual tabletop systems like VASSAL, Tabletop Simulator, and Tabletopia. Registered players may play in any number of non-overlapping events for their $3 registration cost. The GMs will load ensure the appropriate game-specific modules are available for the players joining the game.
- Wargame-related Seminars: several wargame-related seminars are planned, including formal presentations, industry interviews, and talk shows.
- Vendor and Sponsor Support: Different vendors have expressed their willingness to support the ACDC and will be offering convention specials and/or discounts during the event. Details will be announced as they come available.
- The Convention ‘Community’: There will be additional channels opened up on the Discord server to creat virtual ‘meeting places’ for attendees to congregate between games, whether to discuss past/upcoming events, arrange future games, or kibitz about wargaming. The ACDC will also include several “pick-up game” voice/chat channels for use by players who decide to join in any impromptu or unscheduled games they organize between themselves. Note that these pick-up games are notofficial ACDC events, and will not appear in our schedule nor will tickets to those events be required (though you will still need a badge for the show for access to the channels on the Discord server).
- Subordinate Tasks
Specific members of the Armchair Dragoons have the following tasks
- GMs – prepare, present & supervise games played during the convention, including ownership of the game modules for the games/platforms you intend to use. Be prepared for platform test w/ Armchair Dragoons HQ NLT 9 January 2021
- Players – Ensure you have the correct platform software (VASSAL, TTS, etc) loaded and functional before registering for any games. The GMs will provide the appropriate game module and invite you into the game, but it is your responsibility to ensure your computer is working. Additionally, players are asked to provide their user names for the online platforms, to ensure that GMs can invite them into their game at the appointed time.
- Seminar Speakers – Prepare & present content for online audience, including participant Q&A.
- Editorial Team – ensure content is captured during the event to most accurately capture the convention for follow-up articles.
- Coordinating Instructions
- The ACDC has a cost of $3/attendee for a weekend badge.
- Event schedule will be posted here, for you to recon before registration opens.
- All times for all events are listed as US/Eastern time.
- Only ticketed attendees will be given access to the ACDC Discord server.
- Badges are needed to play in the games, but not to watch. While we hope to stream many of the games through YouTube, they will primarily be made available to registered participants through the screen streaming function on Discord.
- All GMs will make every effort to stream their games through the Discord screen sharing, and through publicly-viewable channels (YouTube, Twitch, etc) when possible.
- ACDC Merchandise will be available through the Armchair Dragoons CaféPress store
- There is an option to print your badge, if you want it as a keepsake. Obviously, we don’t need no stinkin’ badges for an online convention.
Service Support
- Support Concept
Armchair Dragoons will provide the scheduling & registration framework, as well as the online ‘anchor’ presence for the convention. As the central clearinghouse for information, Armchair Dragoons will take the lead in supporting convention attendees.
- Technical Support
- Armchair Dragoons can offer limited technical support for the registration / scheduling software through the tabletop.events platform
- Armchair Dragoons makes no promises, guarantees, warranties, or assurances that the platforms used for this convention (such as TTS, or VASSAL) will load and function correctly on your individual machine. In short: it is your responsibility to make sure your computer works with the platform for the game(s) you want to play this weekend.
- Armchair Dragoons will be publishing a few “tips & tricks” guides for specific platforms, but these are in no way intended as any sort of guarantee of success nor an implied offer of universal tech support.
- Personnel
- Anyone wishing to volunteer as a GM is instructed to contact the convention team at dragoonsassembly – (AT) – that ‘gmail’ thingee. Please include game, platform, duration, max # of players, and your experience with playing/leading the game in an online platform. Include at least 2 options for times at which you can run the game.
- Anyone wishing to volunteer as a seminar speaker is instructed to contact the convention team at dragoonsassembly – (AT) – that ‘gmail’ thingee. Please include a draft outline of the content to be covered and include at least 2 options for times at which you can present. Note that whenever possible, we will try not to schedule multiple seminars at the same time.
- No one is to submit events to the convention without first clearing them through the convention team.
- Promotions
- A bank of images is available to freely share here: banner ad (728×90) ; social media box (500×500); large banner (728×250)
- Everyone registering for/attending the ACDC is asked to share information about the convention through their social networks; the more, the merrier!
Command & Signal
- Command
- Armchair Dragoons will lead the effort, with assistance from other organizations as needed
- Questions or concerns should be communicated to dragoonsassembly – (AT) – that ‘gmail’ thingee
- Signal
- We will use online comms for site administration and other coordination
- All games are played online through virtual platforms like Tabletop Simulator, VASSAL, and Tabletopia. It is the player’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate software is working on his/her own computer.
- Games will operate with online voice channels, such as Steam Chat or a Discord server. The GM will communicate to the players which channel is being used, but it is the player’s responsibility to ensure the audio is appropriate for the game.
- While some GMs prefer Steam Chat for their voice comms, the priority will be the dedicated Discord Server available for that weekend for both voice and text chat
The schedule is sortable by clicking on any column header (title, GM, date/time, etc). Check the bottom of the table, too, as there’s more than one ‘page’ of events!
| Event Name | Event Type | Host Names | Max Tickets | Starts | Duration | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wargame Bootcamp - Learn to Use Discord, VASSAL, TTS | Wargame | Karl Kreder, Tim Porter | 20 | Friday at 18:00 | 2 hr | Discord / VASSAL / TTS |
| Romance of the Seven Realms Teaching Game (Squadron Strike) | Wargame | Ken Burnside | 3 | Friday at 18:00 | 4 hr | ASCBI |
| Freeblades! (demo/learning game) | Miniatures | Matthew Gooch | 4 | Friday at 18:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| World at War '85 - Storming the Gap (learning game) | Wargame | Devin Heinle | 4 | Friday at 19:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Attack Vector: Tactical (learning game) | Wargame | Mike Zebrowski | 4 | Friday at 20:00 | 4 hr | ASCBI |
| Conflict of Heroes - France 1940 | Wargame | Uwe Eickert | 4 | Friday at 20:00 | 2 hr | Tabletopia |
| Happy Hour & Convention Welcome with Moe & Brant | Seminar | Maurice Fitzgerald | 100 | Friday at 20:00 | 90 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Wargame Bootcamp - Learn to Use Discord, VASSAL, TTS | Wargame | Karl Kreder, Tim Porter | 20 | Saturday at 10:00 | 2 hr | Discord / VASSAL / TTS |
| Breakfast wakeup & Welcome | Seminar | Brant Guillory | 100 | Saturday at 09:00 | 90 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| This War Without An Enemy | Wargame | Scott Moore | 2 | Saturday at 10:00 | 3 hr | VASSAL |
| Napoleonic Warfare (detailed topic TBA) | Seminar | David Ensteness | 100 | Saturday at 10:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Freeblades! (demo/learning game) | Miniatures | Matthew Gooch | 4 | Saturday at 11:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| The Battle of Abu Klea (Men Who Would Be Kings system) | Wargame | Jim Owczarski | 8 | Saturday at 11:00 | 4 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Shores of Tripoli | Wargame | Kevin Bertram | 4 | Saturday at 11:00 | 2 hr | VASSAL |
| GUWS Presentation ~ Russian Roulette: A Game of Control (GUW | Seminar | Sebastian Bae | 100 | Saturday at 11:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Last One Standing (pre-pub) | Wargame | Ryan Heilman | 4 | Saturday at 12:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Forlorn Hope - Song of Drums and Shakos | Miniatures | Marc Gacy | 4 | Saturday at 13:00 | 2 hr | Roll20 |
| By Stealth & Sea | Wargame | David Thompson | 4 | Saturday at 13:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Lock 'n Load Tactical: Heroes of Normandy (new players) | Wargame | Stéphane Tanguay | 2 | Saturday at 13:00 | 3 hr | VASSAL |
| A Hot Dry Season | Wargame | Patrick Mullen | 2 | Saturday at 13:00 | 4 hr | VASSAL |
| Three Armies: Troop Quality in Defense of the Philippines | Seminar | Jim Werbaneth | 100 | Saturday at 13:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Why You Don't Want Realistic Logistics in Wargames | Seminar | Brant Guillory | 100 | Saturday at 13:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Et Sans Résultat | Miniatures | David Ensteness | 6 | Saturday at 14:00 | 3 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| 300: Earth & Water | Wargame | Scott Moore | 2 | Saturday at 14:00 | 60 min | VASSAL |
| Brian Train Interview with No Enemies Here | Seminar | Brian Train | 100 | Saturday at 14:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Romance of the Seven Realms Teaching Game (Squadron Strike) | Wargame | Ken Burnside | 3 | Saturday at 15:00 | 4 hr | ASCBI |
| World at War '85 - Storming the Gap | Wargame | Devin Heinle | 4 | Saturday at 15:00 | 3 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Conflict of Heroes - France 1940 | Wargame | Uwe Eickert | 4 | Saturday at 15:00 | 2 hr | Tabletopia |
| Naval Metaphors & Science Fiction | Seminar | Chris Weuve | 100 | Saturday at 15:00 | 90 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| DGS Games Interview, hosted by Moe's Game Table | Seminar | Maurice Fitzgerald | 100 | Saturday at 16:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| White Eagle Defiant | Wargame | Ryan Heilman | 4 | Saturday at 17:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Freeblades! (demo/learning game) | Miniatures | Matthew Gooch | 4 | Saturday at 18:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Bruce Maxwell Interview with Moe's Game Table | Seminar | Bruce Maxwell, Maurice Fitzgerald | 100 | Saturday at 18:00 | 90 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| Epic Battle of Bastogne for Memoir '44 | Wargame | Jim Owczarski | 8 | Saturday at 19:00 | 4 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Lock 'n Load Tactical: Day of Heroes (experienced players) | Wargame | Stéphane Tanguay | 2 | Saturday at 20:00 | 3 hr | VASSAL |
| OCS Bootcamp featuring Smolensk: Barbarossa Derailed | Wargame | Gary Mengle | 4 | Saturday at 20:00 | 4 hr | VASSAL |
| Wargame Bootcamp - Learn to Use Discord, VASSAL, TTS | Wargame | Karl Kreder, Tim Porter | 20 | Sunday at 10:00 | 2 hr | Discord / VASSAL / TTS |
| This War Without An Enemy | Wargame | Scott Moore | 2 | Sunday at 10:00 | 3 hr | VASSAL |
| Squadron Strike / Battle of Axanar | Wargame | Ken Burnside | 6 | Sunday at 12:00 | 4 hr | ASCBI |
| Forlorn Hope - Song of Drums and Shakos | Miniatures | Marc Gacy | 4 | Sunday at 12:00 | 2 hr | Roll20 |
| Et Sans Résultat | Miniatures | David Ensteness | 6 | Sunday at 12:00 | 3 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| World at War '85 - Storming the Gap | Wargame | Devin Heinle | 4 | Sunday at 13:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Conflict of Heroes - France 1940 | Wargame | Uwe Eickert | 4 | Sunday at 13:00 | 2 hr | Tabletopia |
| The Great War - Q & A & Game Design with Dana Lombardy | Seminar | Dana Lombardy | 100 | Sunday at 13:00 | 60 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
| White Eagle Defiant | Wargame | Ryan Heilman | 4 | Sunday at 14:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| 300: Earth & Water | Wargame | Scott Moore | 2 | Sunday at 14:00 | 60 min | VASSAL |
| Shores of Tripoli | Wargame | Kevin Bertram | 4 | Sunday at 15:00 | 2 hr | VASSAL |
| Lock 'n Load Tactical: Heroes of the 'Nam | Wargame | Stéphane Tanguay | 2 | Sunday at 15:00 | 3 hr | VASSAL |
| Freeblades! (demo/learning game) | Miniatures | Matthew Gooch | 4 | Sunday at 16:00 | 2 hr | Tabletop Simulator |
| Happy Hour with Brant & Ardwulf | Seminar | Brant Guillory, Gary Mengle | 100 | Sunday at 17:00 | 90 min | Zoom / Youtube / Discord |
We appreciate you visiting the Armchair Dragoons!
We’ve got a dedicated forum to discuss the January 2021 ACDC.
You can also find the regiment on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and occasionally at a convention near you once we’re allowed to hold them again.