[OOC] Jungle Fever: A Vietnam War Survival RP

[RoadRash]

Also you need to roll back through and fix some of your grammar, double-check your spelling, write more information from where TomeBinder prompted you (he already auto'ed your character's arrival to our squad, the only unique thing you added was that he walked through an active firefight, upright, at 7 feet tall) and get rid of your bit about having a parachute in the helicopter. Because never in the history of helicopter piloting has a motherfucker been able to parachute from a crashing bird.

Helicopters don't glide like crashing planes. They plummet straight down, spinning 360 degrees. The man who jumps from a crashing helicopter is going to end up flying ball-sack first into the propellers and end up spread across nine miles of jungle like the contents of an open blender.

Helicopters also typically max out at the minimum safe height for opening a parachute, meaning you wouldn't have time to pop it anyway.

Dude, I don't mean to be a dick, but this needs some serious revision.

[Rare]

Also you need to roll back through and fix some of your grammar, double-check your spelling, write more information from where TomeBinder prompted you (he already auto'ed your character's arrival to our squad, the only unique thing you added was that he walked through an active firefight, upright, at 7 feet tall) and get rid of your bit about having a parachute in the helicopter. Because never in the history of helicopter piloting has a motherfucker been able to parachute from a crashing bird.

Helicopters don't glide like crashing planes. They plummet straight down, spinning 360 degrees. The man who jumps from a crashing helicopter is going to end up flying ball-sack first into the propellers and end up spread across nine miles of jungle like the contents of an open blender.

Helicopters also typically max out at the minimum safe height for opening a parachute, meaning you wouldn't have time to pop it anyway.

Dude, I don't mean to be a dick, but this needs some serious revision.

@RoadRash

So, what, I just fall out of the helicopter? I mean, it's low enough that I don't die; but, he did he live without breaking anything? Such the trees would of made his fall slower; but, he would still get cut and stab wounds for the trees.

Was there a second helicopter and I just miss that somehow? Or is there some detail that I missed? Tell me, I need to know how they survived and they still live without being hurt (besides the damaged eye, that Wyatt got for a couple punches to the face).

[RoadRash]

Yes. You fall because the helicopter crashed, and through the power of Paragraphus, God of Plot Devices, you survived because that's how the RP starts.

Dude, TomeBinder narrated more or less all you need for an intro. Just start from where you meet up with our squad, and take it from there.

[idlehands]

@Rare

He's right, I should have caught it and let you know before hand but I wasn't thinking. We all got introduced by the GM and then we picked up where Tome left us.

[Rare]

Yes. You fall because the helicopter crashed, and through the power of Paragraphus, God of Plot Devices, you survived because that's how the RP starts.

Dude, TomeBinder narrated more or less all you need for an intro. Just start from where you meet up with our squad, and take it from there.

@RoadRash

I know that the GM placed me with the group. I went to the group; I didn't go off by myself and killed all of the VC in the jungle. I am just filling in what he missed.

I don't just post a paragraph and be done. I am post more two+ paragraph posts rather than a paragraph or less.

[idlehands]

<Snipped quote by RoadRash>

I know that the GM placed me with the group. I went to the group; I didn't go off by myself and killed all of the VC in the jungle. I am just filling in what he missed.

I don't just post a paragraph and be done. I am post more two+ paragraph posts rather than a paragraph or less.

@Rare

It's not quantity, it's quality. Don't worry about the length, short or long. Worry about the content and the actions.

[Rare]

<Snipped quote by Rare>

It's not quantity, it's quality. Don't worry about the length, short or long. Worry about the content and the actions.

@idlehands

I can't just change. I post at the length, that I like. Such, the content and action are important and I try to add that in my post. But, I am not the 'greatest writer out there'. Lets end it there before it gets heated and just wait until the GM tells me to change it.

After all, the GM has the final say in anything.

[Tearstone]

Here's a primer on helicopter crashes.

The main rotor puts out a lot of torque. If it weren't for the tail rotor spinning 3x faster or greater the Huey wouldn't fly. The tail blades help prevent the spin, stabilize the helicopter, and acts as a rudder by applying more or less power to counter the rotational torque from the main rotor. A helicopter is basically 2000 moving parts flying in close formation. And in this case if the wings are moving faster than the body, you're on a helicopter.

If you take out the tail, then the chopper begins to spin, and the rotor stops, or spins slowly. It still provides some downward force, which helps slow the fall. If the main rotor is damaged, it's going to spin as well, but slower, and it's probably going to maneuver and wallow like a drunken sailor or a bovine with Mad Cow Disease.

In our case the cockpit took a direct hit, so the whirlybird is a dead stick. No control, and linkages and hydraulics are damaged. It's not going to fall like a rock. Instead it's going to spin like a top and come to the ground at about forty-five degrees almost like a glide angle, though what position and orientation it actually is when it hits God only knows. From there, the real bad things happen.

In the meantime as it's coming down, physics are your enemy. Being flung from the chopper by it's rotation out the door is probably what's really going to be bad. If you're hundreds of feet up... sucks to be you. Over jungle you might have a chance to survive.

A helicopter's bread and butter is staying low to the deck and below radar. If they fly too high, Charlie has SAM (surface to air missile) sites around the region that can reach out and touch, not to mention anti-aircraft. Being high up gives long lines of sight, but if they stay low to mid range they can use the terrain, and maneuver, and also have more of an element of surprise. It just depends on the situation. For something like this, I believe the 1st Cav was not too far above the trees and got caught with their panties down.

As such it wasn't that far of a drop, and it is likely that a person could have been thrown from the falling Huey. One thing that might alter things in the crash is that it slammed into a tree with enough force to break it in half. Another chance to be thrown out. Rotor blades would have snapped off against it, depending on how much speed and rotation force they had, I'm going to assume they might have. That would throw the broken pieces around, but this means that it's safer for those able to ride the wreck to the ground. When it hits, it's probably going to do on a shearing/shallow angle from the rebound or drop almost straight down, and possibly roll.

Based on these factors the crash is pretty survivable. A lot of chopper crashes seem to be that way from the accounts of them that I have heard. It's a combination of how they fall out of the sky, and that they aren't usually as high altitude, and how they often 'land' and with what speed and force. Not everybody makes it out, no... but it's not instant death all the time either.

Just my two cents. Not sure why this is hard to understand.

[HeySeuss]

It's entirely possible for the helicopter to crash land and be survivable, basically.

Incidentally, 1967, not a lot of SAMs in South Vietnam. That's North Vietnam's air defense grid, which is ferocious terribad and only gets more sophisticated as the Vietnamese gain experience in using the SA-2. But the SA-2 is huge and not man portable. 12.7 and 23mm AA guns are definitely not ruled out, however.

This will be a concern when my pilot character gets involved as flying Sandy for a CSAR operation. (A-1E escort for rescue choppers)

[Tearstone]

Oops, I forgot we weren't over the North... still...

[TomeBinder]

Hello everyone, looks like we have a few problems that I need to deal with.

@Rare, I'm not mad, and I'm not going to boot you from the RP. What kind of GM would I be, if I didn't at least try to help those who appear to be struggling with the subject matter. We're all busy, we all have ideas, we all have our own skill levels and comfort zones - and that's fine, I'm strong in the belief that these issues can be over come. Not always, but I have had some successes.

So I can see that you've been on the guild for a while, and have contributed in many RPs over that time. So regardless of your writing skill, I'm going to go ahead and say you're an experienced player. This is good. So, no doubt in your time here, you've probably made a few posts that have upset the other players? This is not a bad thing either, because we all do it.

You probably also know, that if everyone and their dog is saying "NO THATS WRONG", then you probably need to go back and make their recommended changes. You might not agree with them, but an RP is a team effort, and if you're swimming against the rest of your writing buddies - then well, you're hindering progress. So you know, it's always wise to take on board what the others have to say, and indeed, implement changes where possible. Even if you don't agree with them. Of course, if you feel strongly over your point of view, then I would not look down on you for saying "Well screw you guys, ima going else where!", because at least you've left the RP, and are no longer hindering it.

Hindering RPs is bad, you see. They die if they suffer too much llama drama. You're an experienced player, probably quite well known to the community, so I reckon you don't want to be seen as a problematic user, do you? Hell no! No one does! So I'd like to think this is just one big misunderstanding. I'd like very much to see if we can repair the situation, amicably.

So, there's my rousing speech. Now let me see if I can help you out. Clear your post, and leave it there. Start a new post.

In this new post, I want you to do a few things:

• Focus on the present. I've said how your guy got there, going backwards will just risk conflict. Forget it, get it out of your mind. You're a medic, who has escaped the VC's clutches with the help of a comrade, and now you've linked up with some survivors from another crashed Huey. That's all you need to know. Take it from there, and develop your character with a forward-facing gaze.
• Think caution. You're a medic, in a hostile jungle environment. There's three thousand ways you can die. When your guy moves, I want to know why, I want to know if he's evaluated the risks, and I want to know if he's negating them. Running around in the jungle without a care of your surrounds will get you shot - or worse.
• Pay attention to Road's character. Ryan is in charge of the whole lot, and his orders are excellent jumping off points for your character. I.e, if Ryan gives Wyatt an order, then Wyatt can go follow it. It's easy! You can literally tunnel vision yourself around that order, reducing the need to increase needless fluff. Not that I'm saying you should do that, because you know, it's the lazy way out - but it'd still be a valid way of playing, in my book.

So, I want you to go and write me a new post. I want this post to focus on the present events, and I want the character to display a want to live.

I want this post to start with Wyatt's reaction to the current situation. I want this post to show how Wyatt intends to survive it - even if that just means crawling on his arms and elbows to the rear of the squad's position, where he'll be safe. Or, you know, he could draw his weapon and add to the slaughter.

And then I want you to PM it to me, so I can review it, and help you shape it up a bit more - if needs be.

However, if you're not prepared to do this, then I fully respect your right to leave the RP with no hard feelings.

If you'd like to talk more about it, then please PM me. This has probably been embarrassing enough for you, and I don't want to make matters worse by broadcasting our subsequent discussions.

But on that note, don't feel bad about any of this. I doubt you're dicking me around on purpose, and I have plenty of time for my players who are struggling but genuinely need help - it's nothing to be ashamed of. You're not the first, and you wont be the last, to misunderstand one of my RPs.

As for everyone else, ignore Rare's post please.

[RoadRash]

Well said, @TomeBinder. Things always work best when we pull together, especially in the case of survival RPs where character death is a real possibility.

@Rare if you have any questions about keeping your character alive, or the best way he can help with whatever new and horrible crisis befalls the squad (I'm Combat Lifesaver qualified, which isn't as in-depth as a medic but is a good start), feel free to ask me. I'd be happy to help you out. @HeySeuss is also an outstanding resource. The guy has an impressive wealth of knowledge about everything from weapons and the environment they're in to the tactics they're using to survive and counter the threat of the Viet Cong.

Hit up either one of us. I'd also suggest googling "Combat Lifesaver". There are a lot of sources out there that can tell you exactly how your character would implement his skills, and what he would do to stabilize and care for a wounded comrade, if you don't want to ask me.

[Tearstone]

Another one to look at is MOS 68W.

While I never served in the military, I have a fair bit of working knowledge bouncing around in my head as well. I enjoy helping people, as well as doing research and the like. If I don't know something, I can usually find it, or I can direct others where to find out that information. @HeySeuss is a great source of knowledge, and he's a mod for the site. He's pretty awesome sauce when I've hung around him. @RoadRash is a great source of knowledge and experience as well, and I'm happy he's on board and is running the unit.

I'm pretty sure everybody is willing to help and provide information. And I know of Rare from other RP's and friends of mine. I hear fairly positive things, and I have heard that he/she (not sure on that lol) has a lot of good qualities, so don't feel like you're under attack or anything. I've been enjoying this RP immensely so far, both IC and OOC. I know this is true for the others, and everybody wants to keep it healthy and strong, well written and make it something that others are going to want to check out and read. We already have at least one stalker. :D

Anyway, carry on.

[Tearstone]

double post?

[idlehands]

Same here, I haven't had a post yet that I didn't have to go back an edit.

[Tearstone]

The board was being twitchy so... yeah I dunno. Doesn't usually happen to me.

Also, Posted - @RoadRash Dodge had a question for Ryan.

[RoadRash]

Same here, I haven't had a post yet that I didn't have to go back an edit.

@idlehands

Same here. I hit up a few minor changes after it's posted, and I usually read it three or four times out loud before I put it in the IC.

The board was being twitchy so... yeah I dunno. Doesn't usually happen to me.

Also, Posted - @RoadRash Dodge had a question for Ryan.

@Tearstone

Groovy. I'll get to it in a few hours. I have a DAV meeting to work on some compensation stuff for my disability rating, so I'll be around later in the day.

[idlehands]

I'll have a post this evening at some point.

Good luck with that, Road.

[TomeBinder]

Righty'o, bit of an RP update.

Roadrash has kindly agreed to CO-GM this with me, to ensure the RP doesn't run into a wall whilst I'm not around.

He'll have the following powers:

• To accept or reject new characters.
• To suspend players who fall foul of the RP's rules or spirit. I'll have the final decision on their fate, however.
• To instruct players to ignore posts, if they've been flagged as dodgy or game breaking.

Generally speaking, his role will be to keep things going in case anything breaks. Obviously, I'm only around for 4-5 hours a day, and am asleep whilst most of you critters are awake, so it helps to have someone here who has the authority to maintain the RP's stability.

Suspended players' posts will be ignored, and their participation halted, until I've had a chance to look into the matter and decide on an outcome.

Optionally, should Roadrash want to get a new character into the fray pronto, he's more than welcome to do this on my behalf. He seems a good judge of things, and I doubt I'll have a problem with anyone he chooses to admit to the RP on his own accord.

Annnnnnnnnd that's about it. Obviously, I'll still be doing all the hardcore Game Master stuff, alongside my usual duties. Just helps having someone minding the fence when I'm not about.

[idlehands]

He does make a good NCO.