(archiving)
Armchair Dragoons, Regimental Operations Order 20-181
Distribution restriction: No restriction; unlimited distribution is authorized
I – SituationA: Weather – Summer convention season is here, and the world rejoices anew at the invention of A/C
B: Enemy Forces – With the current rampaging plague that is COVID-19 decimating the summer convention season, our biggest enemy threat has been biological warfare
C: Friendly Forces – Friendly forces for this mission include Moe’s Game Table, Lock ‘n Load Publishing, Academy Games, and (unofficially) the Georgetown University Wargaming Society. Other friendly forces may join at a later date.
D: Attachments & Detachments – None at the present
II – MissionThe Armchair Dragoons and other friendly forces conduct online/virtual game convention operations beginning with registration (30 June 2020) and culminating with the execution of the Virtual Dragoons Assembly 2020, from 31 July – 1 August 2020, at a cost of $2 to attend.
III – OperationsA: Commander’s IntentWith the loss of the Summer convention season to COVID-19, including Origins, WBC, Historicon, CSW Expo, and Adepticon, the Armchair Dragoons have elected to ally ourselves with several other wargaming organizations to present the Virtual Dragoons Assembly for wargamers to have an outlet for their Summer wargaming woes.
B: Concept of the OperationThe Virtual Dragoons Assembly will focus on the following 3 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 $2 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 Virtual Dragoons Assembly and will be offering convention specials and/or discounts during the event. Details will be announced as they come available.
C: Subordinate TasksSpecific 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
- Editorial Team – ensure content is captured during the event to most accurately capture the convention for follow-up articles.
- 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.
D: Coordinating Instructions- The Virtual Dragoons Assembly has a cost of $2/attendee for a weekend badge. This is the absolute lowest that the registration system would allow us to charge, and it essentially covers our cost to use the system, and (maybe!) a large cup of coffee.
- All times for all events are listed as US/Eastern time.
- Badges are needed to play in the games, but not to watch. We intend to stream as many games as we can through our YouTube channel and those of our partners.
- Badges are not needed if you only plan to watch the seminars. The seminars are included in the schedule so you can plan your games around any seminars you might want to attend.
- All GMs will make every effort to stream their games for viewing on YouTube
- 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.
IV – Service SupportA: Support ConceptArmchair 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.
B: 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.
- The summer Steam sale is currently underway, and Tabletop Simulator is 50% off through July 9
C: PersonnelAnyone wishing to volunteer as a GM is instructed to contact the convention team at dragoonsassembly – (AT) – that ‘gmail’ thingee. No one is to submit events to the convention without first clearing them through the convention team.
D: PromotionsA 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 Virtual Dragoons Weekend is asked to share information about the convention through their social networks; Contests for sharing through social media will be announced as we get closer to the event.
V – Command & SignalA: 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
B: 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 many GMs prefer Steam Chat for their voice comms, there is a dedicated Discord Server available for that weekend for both voice and text chat.