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Post by Legion Etrangere on Jun 6, 2009 19:13:28 GMT -5
Argh.  After spending 20 minutes surfing the b------t on the main WWII proboards, I always return to the safe confines of my mes'ami, here on the Indochina War forum. Smoke popped, I'm coming in... The difference could not be more palpable: I hate to use that most overused noun-adjective farb/farby, but the main WWII proboards is just that [ and the English proboards as well ]: a bluthering group of well-meaning hobbyists who collect trinkets. Although there are some good points to these boards, to be fair, in general, I always leave wanting to wash my hands. The tackyness of the questions, the frumpy websites, the silly "I killed me five Germans" coupled with the self-righteous "Chief Board MPs" literally piss me off every time. The forum moderators are an established "clique" that are the end-all, be-all in WWII reenacting. "We are board Gods" one told me in an email. I truly beleive that we have the /best/ historians, /best/ reenactors on this board who treat history and their wartime namesake with respect and honor. Cookie's photo shoot is just one facet of the incredible type of people we have on here. I always feel priviledged to slam the keys when I am on this board with you lads. Ok, off soapbox.  /martini/ |
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Post by lonestarcharlie on Jun 9, 2009 13:40:39 GMT -5
Mick, I'm going to start referring to you as the FICW board god!
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Jun 9, 2009 14:49:36 GMT -5
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!  It's interesting [ and sad at the same time ] but when new reenactors, many who have never served in the military and are new to the world of reenacting, weapons, blanks, etc., post a very basic question on the WWII proboards forum, its sad to watch them get "flamed" month after month by the reenacting Gods. I've seen it on the WWII proboards as well as the www.canadiansoldiers.com forum run by the Canucks. It's not unusual for newbies to be runoff by these a--holes. Yet, in the real military, thats what basic training is for - to teach uniformity, drill, weapons familiarization, zeroing your weapon, safety, etc., what the proboards should probably reflect in some way. Over the past 28 years, I have heard comments from civilians who have tried to ask questions from reenactors, reenacting units or have tried to quietly or slooooooowly ease their way into reenacting only to get bitten by the d----heads that lord it over everyone else. Thats why show battle events are so crucial to reenacting: its our real, hands-on contact with the public. A chance for them to meet us and vice versa. /martini/ |
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Post by cookie on Jun 14, 2009 7:43:35 GMT -5
Mick,
Very very true. I and my friends in TFH have the same feelings on our WWII forums. There is a self righteousness to most of these people, mixed in with a lack of understanding and a lot of complacency (tommy guns! fighting knives, chincups! Pistols!). People post photos of themselves standing next to the burger van, holding a can of beer and a hot dog, wearing their 101st Airborne or SS panzer uniform, thinking they are the pinnacle of reenacting! It is at once both depressing and disheartening to see in such huge quantities.
But then we take a step back and look at what we do, in our displays and in our photoshoots, and the vein in my temple stops throbbing so much...
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Jun 15, 2009 10:10:19 GMT -5
Cookie,
We just got back from our event this weekend ... and I have to say, it was authentic. Apart from the gimps on the WWII proboards [ "We are the reenacting Gods" ] I took pleasure this weekend, possibly for the first time of:
- pushing flies away from my food;
- sweating my a-- off in 105 [ F ] temps;
- getting stuck by cactus, burned by razor grass;
- feeling hot, sticky, sweaty and generaly like sh--
... and then thought to myself, I wonder what it was like for the men in guerre d'indochine?
They could not pack up after 6 hours and drive home to modcons, a warm wife and a hot meal. They were stuck in the hell hole of DBP, That Khe, Yihn Bin or Lang Son. And there were no women there, no warm food - just morte.
After this weekend, experiencing the heat, humidity, flies, mosquito's and all manner of slimy, slippery creatures, it felt good to get my rear end kicked by the elements ... and not be a proboard reenactor...
;D
/martini/
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Post by cookie on Jun 15, 2009 11:49:06 GMT -5
Ahh, the humble mosquito. My enemy for life! Our next event is going to be themed as the Po River Valley, Northern Italy, 1945. German and Italian paratroopers sitting around outside a mocked-up Cafe/bistro. With a nice shady awning, old wooden chairs, wine, cheese, pasta... War Italian style... |
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Post by lt13demi on Jun 15, 2009 22:05:50 GMT -5
LOL! Mick,
You were lucky enough to miss the 60 -65 mph straight line winds that took all the canvas down in camp Thursday night. We had to go to town to finish some last minute logistical needs.
But you did get to hear the story about La Miss pushing the jeep out of the creek bottom ! LOL! She's a trooper and I'd never have got it out if she wasn't there.
But you are right. We sweated, and leeches aint got nuthin' on Texas redbugs aka "chiggers". I'm eaten up! But no rattlesnakes and that's a good thing. It was hot, humid and miserable. LOT's of cactus, and like i told Grayden, everything here is trying to stick you, sting you, or bite you!. But I wouldn't trade the weekend for any weekend at the water park!!!!!!!!
It was a heck of a weekend!
Renault
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Post by lonestarcharlie on Jun 16, 2009 9:18:22 GMT -5
Oh good, Holland wasn't the only one... her body is completely covered in chiggers... mean little devils! Just this morning I pulled out a quarter inch cactus needle that has been lodged below the skin of my knee since Saturday! It's huge! Mmmmm... battle wounds...
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Post by lt13demi on Jun 16, 2009 11:58:10 GMT -5
LOL! The first WWII event we had on this ranch was (Feb 07). I got into some prickly pear ine night on the way to my tent. I pulled a 1/2 thorn out of my leg that following June! Many times they will simply not fester.
The old-time cowboys in south Texas lost many a good horse being crippled by mesquite and prickly pear working cows in the brush!
Renault
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Post by grog on Jun 16, 2009 20:05:00 GMT -5
No rattlesnakes, but as far as I know there is still a scorpion lurking under the seats of Niv's vehicle It made for an interesting ride home. |
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