The Guns of Port Merrimac Take A Beating - or "The Most Fun the ol' Port Has Seen Yet"

Mars and Bacchus would have both felt at home in Port Merrimac last night as the Thursday Night Iron Melee hosted an event of a different sort. I shall let the Commodores (Dagger and O'Toole) give you the detail of the strategy and/or the After Action Reviews, but I shall greatly enjoy sharing my thoughts, photos, and some anecdotal evidence of a merry time had in scenario battling.

The general premise was that we would once again pit Red against Blue. Teams were chosen (self-identified) as the crowd gathered and learned what each would be doing. Red would defend the guns and port; Blue were to attack from Sea and Land.

"What's that?" you say.

Yes indeed - a landing party scenario. Or at least the first runs with the MMCS system used by our friends in New Brunswick.

We had an excellent crowd! By my count at the height of our participation we had 18 folks. Everyone was anxious to give the infantry battle a try along with the now normal use of the ironclads and guns on the dock.

We ran the scenario (variations on the theme) three times. Despite the casualties on both sides, at the end of each attack (Blue won all three!) we were friendly and ready for the next thing. No drama! Just so much fun that Bacchus would barely have been able to keep up with us. :) Why is that, I wondered briefly. But I think the reason is that the rules of the road are always clearly spelled out, and everyone knows the mission here is to have a good time, and to run generally authentic scenarios (i.e. one's gun does not work underwater in RL, therefore, we do not shoot guns underwater) for the time period. When the battle is over (or each round) then we are back to our "normal" SL selves.

Let me show you the evidence - and after you've read and viewed I'm sure you will want to join us next week. I'm in favor of running the same kind of scenarios next time since we are just scratching the surface of possibilities on this.

Blue Team prepares for the first round.
(l-r) Remington Pinion, Exrex Somme, Hotspur O'Toole,
that's me with my back to you (sorry), and Krystine Qinan

Oh - here I am. :)

For the first two rounds, I had the honor of gunning for Mr. Easterman of the Caledon Navy. We totally killed the mortar on the dock at least twice! Hee hee hee!

Red Team members: (l-r) Commodore Nabila Nadir, TotalLunar Eclipse, Tensai Hilra

We gather between battles.
(l-r) Alex Chadbourn, Eva, Nabila Nadir, Justinian Huszar

Oh the huge manatees! The Penzance and one of the cannon are aflame!

Lunar is down (round two)

MrBunwah, Dale, and Maxim

Group shots after round three.

And then things really got silly...

Climbing aboard Alex's "Happy Missile"
O-0

This was at least as fun as Cow Jumping at IBM.

Now don't you want to come play next week??
Thursday nights at 7pm SLT, Port Merrimac, Roatan.

BATTLE ON!

*

Recalling the Fun from Last Week

The Fleet of Wrath Exiles' Open House

In the new lands of Roatan. It was great fun as DJ Therese Slade cranked out the electronica for our Time Warp event. (Which really was our way of saying come in ANY theme you like. )

Crap Mariner even dropped by to dance a while.

I am in my Burlesque costume, and Therese is in her French pre-revolution era costume.

Iason Hassanov, Baron Klaus Wulfenbach

Part of the crowd

View from the sky

Sea Fever

A lovely undersea scene - in fitting tribute to my late Cousin Kendra.
Blake's Kendra

As has been reported in several other journals including ZATZAi, Hibernia, and a Caledonian Journey.

Today, I found myself over in Roatan checking the progress on the docks and the sea was so quiet and lovely, I pulled my Columbia out of storage and went for a sail.

It was truly wonderful - and I barely scratched the surface of the available water.

Heading out to Blake's Kendra past Breaker's Rock

The open sea!

Vast and beautiful water

Approaching Althorn Point

Dropping anchor at Althorn Point

Sunset at Althorn Point overlooking my boat

Back in Roatan

Sea Fever

by John Masefield

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
All I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.