How to Get to Swift Fox 19

Swift Fox 19 will be held at D-Day Adventure Park, near Wyandotte, Oklahoma. An address suitable for mapping and car nav systems is:

D-Day Adventure Park

66800 E 175 Rd

Wyandotte, OK 74370

Google, and most online mapping systems, tend to take you slightly twisty, dark, dangerous, and dumb ways. Sometimes, across things like low crossings that may even be flooded and impassable. So instead, attached and discussed here is the suggested route. 

Here's where the park is relative to the local highways. The best Kansas City route comes down OK-137, through the small Twin Bridges State Park:

Note the south end of the State Park is quite twisty and steep, so if driving a large vehicle, slow down. It's entirely passable in all vehicles, but do take it slower. 

Once you get past the State Park, the easiest way to get to the field is to turn south off US-60 onto OK-10. Take the first left (it's a little ways down there) onto E 160 Road. Turn right across a bridge briefly onto N 670 Road, then left onto E 166 Road, till it dead ends. Turn right (onto Cayuga Road) and look for the large sign indicating D-Day Adventure Park to the right. 

Once on site, we'll all be checking in at the same location, probably in a large shed next to the D-Day Cafe. Check the map, but you won't be able to miss us. 

Signs will be posted for parking, but we aren't going to separate each army's parking and camping. Once checked in, we will load up in slightly separate locations, so please do not go into your opponent's assembly area after check in. 

Try to park in neat rows, and look carefully at where you have parked. Make sure you aren't blocking others in, or restricting access to buildings, equipment or for other vehicles such as tractors or trucks. Do not block garages, or roadways. Some of these not only will be used by the field staff, but may even be needed for our game so you will slow things down. 

There are large parking areas available if you have an oversized vehicle or need to unload a trailer. Do not try to bring it into the labeled parking area, but use the space to the south, in front of the check in building. There is RV camping, so do not run down the hookups when turning a large trailer. Ask if you need assistance or instructions. 

You are free to camp overnight Thursday. Tents will be to the east of the entry road, in the mowed area with fire rings. If you are bringing an RV, contact us to arrange parking and hookups with the field owner. 

Try to keep quiet during camping, or overnight arrivals. Many people will be resting from long drives, and we all need to get up real early to get ready. 

We are all camping together. We'll slightly separate the two teams around check in time, but until then you can mix. Team Leaders, be sure to keep any secret equipment, and discussions of plans, callsigns, etc. to yourselves. 

Please make sure campfires, are only in existing fire rings (there are a few in the camping area) and be sure to put them out fully before you go to sleep. Take your tents down in the morning, and stow them and any other equipment you are not bringing in your vehicles to avoid damage from animals, weather, or just theft. Pick up all your trash, and place it in dumpsters or stow it in your vehicles for after the event as well.

There are many buildings, vehicles and other equipment on site. Don't mess with any of it unless we tell you specifically that you may. 

Also, do not explore outside this area, and especially do not go wandering off onto the field, as parts may be actively used for off-roading, paintball, or live fire shooting until our event starts. 

You may download a print-friendly version of the maps above at: http://centralwar.com/downloads/EventDocs/DDAP%20-%20Field%20Directions%20-%202019.pdf

Vehicle Smoke

In the vehicle post a few days ago we mentioned the need for a steel can so you can deploy marking smoke for damaged or destroyed vehicles. That's new, and everyone should know why, when they see a smoking vehicle.

We will issue both black and white smoke grenades to each vehicle. Stow them somewhere safe, where they won't get wet, crushed, or overheated.

Depending on the damage to the vehicle in the Vehicle Hit Effects book, you will deploy one of them to indicate what happened. White smoke will indicate damage, and looks like a small electrical fire or a major coolant leak, especially since during repair the hood should be raised.

Black smoke indicates a kill, and looks like the vehicle is on fire.

This is all about improving the war gaming simulation. Smoke drifting across the battlefield always helps with the realism, but it also allows everyone to tell at a glance the status of the vehicle.

A teammate seeing the smoke at a distance knows something happened and whether it is a kill or not. They can tell if they should rush over to help, or everyone is dead and they need to take other actions.

Attackers can see the results of their work, and know if they need to move in to finish the job or not.

The red flag is still used, from the time the vehicle is hit, right through to when the vehicle is resurrected.

Placement of the smoke based on wind etc can change how it looks up close - but at a distance is not that big a concern - the idea is that there is smoke pouring from the vehicle somewhere.

But it can make it look cooler if placed just right ;-)

One caution on placement: make sure that the outlet to the smoke is not pointing at any part of the vehicle. It can get hot so cause damage, so avoid mechanical components, antennas, plastic, and glass especially. It also will eject powdered smoke particles which can permanently stain a small area of the vehicle.

Vehicles at CWG Events

We usually provide a few vehicles for CWG events, and encourage participants to bring their own as well. But, only if appropriate, safe, and used correctly. 

Vehicles are supplied or permitted at CWG events based on the mission and terrain. Sometimes the mission for that event does not require vehicles or the location and terrain make vehicles mostly useless. If your team is performing a very sneaky patrol or going to mostly set up an OP, vehicles would not fit this mission at all. 

Unlike our uniforms, weapons, or many other pieces of equipment, there are many options for vehicle types, makes, and models. CWG core events always use two fictional third world armies. In the real world, countries with this degree of funding do not buy large quantities of modern vehicles, and do not replace them regularly. 

Therefore, almost any military vehicle, and many civilian vehicles, may be encountered. As long as the vehicle is serviceable, complete, safe, and fits the mission profile. Age doesn't even matter, as there are real-world armies using World War II vintage vehicles today. 

Civilian or commercial vehicles may also be used, but must again fit the mission profile. Usually, only 4x4—off-road capable—utility vehicles, trucks, or pickup trucks are usable. 

Vehicles Are What They Are

Vehicles will not be simulated or modified; plywood and green paint on a van does not make it a tank.

All vehicles will be as they actually are and may not purport to be something else. If you drive a pickup truck, regardless of what color you paint it, it will not be an armored vehicle unless it actually is armored.

Armored or uparmored versions of vehicles must carry actual plate of some sort to get the effect of the armor. Armor is only effective over the covered area; open top vehicles, opened hatches and vision ports will be unarmored areas, just like they would be in reality.

At Least Four Wheels and a Seat

At this time, no quad bikes, ATVs or motorcycles may be used. This is due to the higher risk of injury when using such vehicles; we do not have a driver certification program, so cannot guarantee you are a good driver, or have a method of assuring who is driving any vehicle. 

Off road only utility vehicles with seats, like the Gator, are generally permitted. 

Bringing Your Own Vehicle

If you want to use your vehicle for a CWG event, first please contact us to discuss. We want to make sure it meets all requirements, and is integrated into the event plan, before you spend the time and effort to bring it down. 

Also keep in mind that items used in the field are not quite yours personally. The vehicles will be assets to be used by your side. This does not mean we will force you to let others drive, but that you will be tasked as needed for the event, so must carry out missions, and accept cargo or troops to be carried. It is not just a free for all, four-wheeling event. 

Your vehicle may be critical to some operations. If you are killed, busy, or simply tired, it would be good if it could be used anyway. Consider training others such as friends you come with in how it works, so you can permit them to use it as well. 

Your vehicle may be shot by BBs, foam rockets, or other inert projectiles such as chalk TAG rounds. While everybody works to keep the potential damage low, things do happen. Dents to body panels, and radiators are common. We can advise on methods to protect the most delicate items, but minor damage is likely to occur, 

Likewise, the terrain at many CWG events is rough so the vehicle needs to be able to handle that. It should not get stuck, or break due to driving over rocks. Often, branches intrude upon trails, so will scratch the sides of the vehicles a well. 

If your vehicle has limits over what terrain it can safely cover, be sure to discuss that with us, and your chain of command, so it can be assigned for only missions it can perform successfully. 

You will need to apply the magnets provided by CWG to allow identification of your vehicle. They must stay on the entire time, and cannot be removed to pretend to be an enemy vehicle or to remove yourself from the action. 

CWG will provide on field refuel. There is no need for you to bring many fuel cans, or drive into town to refuel. We will determine your vehicle's needs when you discuss with us.

Be prepared in the event your vehicle manages to break down enough it cannot be driven home. If you drive the vehicle to the event, have contingency plans for friends to take you home, for example. The event field can store vehicles for a long time, so it's permitted—and safe—to leave it for later repair or recovery on the field. 

Marking Vehicles

Just like all military equipment, our vehicles are clearly marked to indicate their nationality and unit. We provide temporary markings you can apply and remove easily. 

The main markings will be national insignia. These generally go on the doors on each side. vehicles without doors can make other arrangements, such as the hood or a side panel next to the door. 

If you vehicle is not an obviously military vehicle, it may be badged as a Frontier Police vehicle. This is not always the case but is a likely one depending on the mission and event. 

Solid color vehicles are strongly preferred, and the magnets are all currently set up for white vehicles. Ideally, other marks such as 4x4 stickers are removed or obscured. 

For these types of vehicles you may also have full color national flags, whether or not also marked as Frontier Police.

Finally as seen in the above we have vehicle numbers as well as magnets. These provide a unique vehicle ID, but can also be used to cover up other insignia or badges, in case you vehicle has something specifically not applicable to the event, such as other unit markings, or flags.

We also have some blank magnet panels if you have even more markings to cover.  

Your vehicle should have all normal safety equipment, such as a fire extinguisher, and some tools to help extract from being stuck. To indicate hits, you also must have a red flag, and a can to hold smoke grenades. 

CWG will supply the black and white smoke grenades, as well as a vehicle kill booklet indicating when to use them. 

The can is to ensure that the smoke grenade does not cause a fire on the ground nor damage the vehicles. It may be secured to your vehicle, or can be removable (such as by magnet) but it will need to be able to attach to your vehicle when deploying the smoke.

If you have any other questions on vehicle use at CWG events, please don't hesitate to contact us.