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BUMMERS RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Written By the Bummers Event Staff
Written By the Bummers Event Staff
Hello Everyone. In this post, you will find (hopefully) everything you will need to know about the event that we can tell you before the event. If you are participating in the event, we ask you to read this carefully. It may look like a lot of words, but this is the information that we need all of you to know so that things can run smoothly. By all means, ask questions so we are clear when we arrive on site in about 2 1/2 weeks. Enjoy!
ARRIVAL TIME:
Registration will open up at 12:00 Noon on Friday. All military participants must be on site and in kit by 6:30 PM on Friday. This is to ensure that everyone has time to, park, check in, and get organized. Registration Check-In is under a pavilion near the Scout office. Signs will be installed to help you find registration as you enter the site.
PARKING:
Parking will be at the designated locations at the northwest portion of the event site across from the main Scout office; overflow parking is located nearby. No participant vehicles are allowed in the event site during the event.
EVENT BEGINNING/ENDING TIME:
Beginning Time - We will go live at 9:00 PM Friday Evening. You must be on-site by this time at the latest or risk missing the event.
Ending Time - Our plan is to end the event no later than 12:00 Noon on Sunday to allow for everyone to get home in a timely manner.
OFFICER’S CALL:
There will be an Officers/Leadership meeting for both forces at 7:30 PM on Friday at the registration area. We need all column commanders, forage party commanders and their chief NCO to attend for the Federals. No exceptions. We need all Georgia Militia officers to attend. This is battalion commander, his staff, and all company officers. (Captains and Lieutenants)
This meeting is to get everyone on the same page, review the Rules of Engagement, towards each force and the civilians, and to go over the time table.
INSPECTIONS:
Authenticity Inspections will begin at 6:30 PM. The event staff will be conducting this. Just follow the event guidelines and you’ll be fine.
RATIONS:
Federals are to come with flat haversacks. (Exception - Medical Items should be stored in your haversack) This means no food. The event staff will check your haversacks.
Militia will be issued rations, but you are encouraged to bring period food if you would like to.
Citizens will be issued food. We do ask citizens to bring as many extra food items as possible with the understanding that all food can be taken by the Foragers.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND RULES:
First Person - The event is not a specific historical event, but “situations” that occurred during the opening of the Savannah Campaign. This event is full immersive, full first person. For your enjoyment and the enjoyment of others please do not speak about anything modern unless an emergency arises. Your willingness to “be in the moment” will be important to the success of the event. If you have to break “first person” the code phrase is “Howell Cobb could eat an entire chicken”. If someone disagrees with this, please take the conversation out of ear shot. If a true emergency arises it is agreed that the person who is in need of help should have first priority and that is the most important element at that particular moment.
Injuries - First off, we ask everyone - on both sides, to travel in pairs. This way, we decrease the chances of someone getting lost, or if they are injured, you will have a comrade with you.
If someone is hurt seriously enough that they need to be evacuated out of the event site “MEDIC” is the term to use. If an issue arises there are event staff members in each Federal group and the Georgia Militia. There will be event staffers on stand by throughout the entire event that will assist if there is any health related emergencies. If an issue arises there are event staff members in each Federal group, the cavalry, the militia, and Jordan Roberts will be roving around the event site during the weekend checking up on all civilian participants who are in a fixed location. The rest are posted on the Civilian E-Mail List.
Inclement Weather - If bad weather occurs, every participant should have measures prepared to create some form of shelter where they can. Per the guidelines, Federals are encouraged to bring shelter halves and plenty of twine. On the militia side, ground cloths, canvas flies, or floor cloth are encouraged. Militia command staff will be responsible for arranging shelter for the men if the weather turns bad. If the weather makes conditions hazardous for the participants, the event staff reserves the right to call off the event at their discretion.
Refunds - If the event is called off for any reason, (i.e. weather), there will be no refunds. All money will be contributed directly to the Wray Collection.
Alcohol - This is a Boy Scouts site. Alcohol is not permitted on the site.
GENERAL RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, MILITARY:
Federal Foraging Parties - Your primary goal is to look for provisions for your comrades back in your home regiment. Fighting was incidental as the Foragers and local militia and cavalry ran into each other. According to history, if gunshots were heard nearby, the Foragers would run to the sound of the gunfire to protect their comrades.
Georgia Militia - You are not engaging in a giant battle. The state forces are trying to delay and harass the Federal foragers where and when they can. If you are faced with superior numbers, fire and bleed away into the woods. If you are faced with a small foraging party, press forward to take prisoners.
Ammunition - Federals you get forty rounds as per history. No exceptions! You cartridge boxes will be inspected during the authenticity inspection. Georgia Militia will have eighty rounds.
Rammers - We will use rammers for this event. You will load, and ram cartridges. Please load and aim with care. You must return your ramrod to its spot before firing.
Taking Hits - We are not looking to recreate any large scale engagements. At most, there will be small skirmishes. We are going on the honor system so there is no need to yell out “I got you.” Some advice: take a glancing wound if you see that you are in the sights of someone else. Be a good sport. You can later get up and make some mention of the “spent ball” or a “glancing hit.” There are not dead companies.
GENERAL CITIZEN RULES:
Arrival Time - All Civilians must be on site, in kit, and in their designated area by 4:30 PM on Friday. No exceptions.
Food - Your primary goal is to hide food from the foragers. All food can be taken from you by the Foragers.
RULES FOR TAKING/HOLDING PRISONERS:
Surrendering - If faced with superior numbers, and cornered, lay down your arms and surrender to the opposition.
No Prisoner Exchanges - If someone is captured then they are a prisoner for the duration of the event. There will be no prisoner exchanges, but prisoners are encouraged to escape if the opportunity arises.
What Can Be Taken - Captured soldier’s ammo is fair game. Half of the food in the prisoner’s haversack is fair game. If a soldier needs a certain item of food in their haversack per medical issue then it is to be left alone.
CIVILIAN/SOLDIER INTERACTION RULES OF ENGAGEMENT:
The interaction between soldiers and citizens represents the cornerstone of the event. It is extremely important that everyone stays “in character” during any interaction between citizens and soldiers. We expect the interaction to be adversarial, but any physical contact between military and citizens is prohibited. If anyone initiates physical contact, they will be asked to leave the event site immediately. This will be passed along to every commander on both sides and will be enforced by them and by the event staff.
Burning - Although individuals burned things during the original march without the consent of officers, we will not allow individuals to do this at the event. We have designated what will be burned. The burning of any structure MUST be approved by one of the event staff, who will be imbedded with each division. There are no exceptions to the rule. Further, all items must be removed from inside the structure before burning it and everyone must be a safe distance away.
Food Items - All food items and containers are fair game to be taken by Foragers.
Citizen Personal Items - Such as clothing, blankets, and floor cloths are OFF LIMITS to Military participants. Note - The event staff has some “items” that might be good to “take” for the Federals participants. These will be items that the Citizens are not holding.
Remember - Sometimes the Foragers did not find anything, but we will be hiding items everywhere, so before leaving a location, make absolutely sure that you have searched every possible location for food. This may be a slow process, but this is how they did it.
FORAGERS/CAVALRY INTERACTION:
If you are in a small group and happen to get cut off by cavalry, lay down your arms and listen to what the commander of the horsemen tells you to do.
SUMMARY:
The event staff has put a lot of time and effort into making Bummers event as challenging, enjoyable, and memorable as possible. We are here to see that the event succeeds. As participants stay in First Person, stick to your objectives, be good sports, and overall have fun. (Fun being a purely negotiable term).
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