User:Faithlilley
Overview
The Skirmish Team are one of the most essential parts of Empire. Our game is built around the concept of exciting, dramatic battles against the enemies of the Empire - but we need scores of capable LRPers able to fill those roles. We need a kick-ass team of warriors to make the fights feel epic. Our ultimate goal is to build a group of roleplayers who can convincingly portray every threat the Empire might face - monstrous creatures, guardians summoned from the realms, brave Jotun heroes, disciplined units of Grendel soldiers, mages of the Thule, or the slippery and devious Druj.
Although we encourage the other crew to help with the numbers needed for the battles, the key roles go to the Skirmish Team - it's down to us to provide the leadership for player monster units and represent the elite of the barbarian forces during the battles. Our involvement makes the whole experience immersive and fun for all participants.
The Skirmish Team is led by Faith Elisabeth Lilley, Chira Roberts, Rook Glanten, and Tom Hancocks as part of their role in the Battle Team. They are responsible for organising, briefing, and deploying the Skirmish Team for the battles and skirmish encounters at each event.
We are looking to build the Skirmish Team up to a hundred members, maybe more!
Team Vision
We aim to have the most effective, adaptable and experienced combat crew ever at larp. We know it will take time and dedication, from all involved, so anyone who is a part of the team will be encouraged to share their thoughts on how we can get there! The more input we can get from the team - at every level - the better it will be.
The team has a budget to purchase any materials and kit that we feel will help us run the most fun, emotive, dramatic and challenging skirmishes possible, so those conversations about ‘wouldn’t it be nice if we had x’ are now, what shall we get first! All members of the team will be encouraged to help out planning what to get next and helping to create it.
So please keep reading for the specifics of what is involved. We fully acknowledge that it requires dedication from our team, but is hugely rewarding as well as a lot of fun. If you want to help build and be a part of the coolest team in Empire then please get in touch!
Role and Responsibilities
There will be plenty of fighting, so it's essential that you're enthusiastic about LRP fighting! Hard skills, roleplaying and fighting are really useful, so we need for you to have at least some experience. You'll get plenty of practice at the events, and we have train sessions at the start of each event as well. Most of the core hard work takes place during daylight at the event, so you will get evenings off, but there are opportunities for night-time encounters as well.
Being part of the Skirmish Team isn't just about fighting, as you’ll help us create the visual look and feel for the elite units the Empire faces. It's down to the Skirmish Team to create the individual characters that bring the plots and campaign to life.
We have worked hard to create a fun environment, with interesting fighting, and the chance to get involved in other areas of the game. We have a crew area, where the team can relax and unwind, share tales of the day's exploits, dramatic combat, and glorious deaths! It can be hard work, but we have an experienced team who are always happy to help newer members learn the ropes.
There are opportunities to play more varied roles as part of other plot skirmishes and encounters that might not necessarily be combat-focussed. When the sun sets, team members have a chance to visit Anvil as a player character, join the NPC Team for other plot roles, or just relax around the crew camp.
Skirmish and Battle activities
Team members will need to be available for, and commit to the full schedule of skirmishes across an event. However, we appreciate that this is a great physical demand, and it is totally acceptable to sit out an encounter to rest up.
We expect the following from the team:
- Our expectation is that you crew both Battles and every Skirmish assigned to your team, playing monster roles, and being the main ‘fight’ resource during the event
- You will be expected to wear make-up, latex masks, armour, and engage in significant amounts of LRP combat
- To participate in other low or non-combat plot encounters as required
- To help build the team into the most effective fighting force LRP has ever seen
- To enrich the experiences we deliver through developing your own monster kit and roleplay
The activities of the team obviously require a degree of out-of-character fitness, so please consider this when deciding if you want to join.
Event Set-up and Takedown
Taking part in these duties is as much a part of being on the Skirmish Team as is chasing people through the woods with rubber sticks. We recognise that anyone might occasionally have to arrive late or leave without assisting due to a whole variety of reasons. If this is the case, then you must inform one of the team leads before or at the start of the event.
Before the game starts we are tasked with:
- Unloading kit from the Skirmish Storage Container
- Unloading kit from the PD van
- Assisting Weapons Check to ensure our kit is usable
- Unloading the plastic orc armour into the Battle Prep tent
- Preparing kit, costumes and weapons ready for the event
- Sorting out encounter packs and team briefings
- Training with the rest of the team
After the game ends we are tasked with:
- Clearing personal kit from our area of the Monster tent
- Removing infrastructure from the woods and field
- Packing the plastic orc armour into storage
- Packing kit into the Skirmish Container
- Packing kit into the PD van
- Assisting the rest of the Plot Team to quickly clear the Monster tent
Equipment and Supplies
What you Get
- Free event ticket - Empire crew get free entry to events
- Meal vouchers for every meal - these are usable at all the onsite caterers and includes hot food
- Free soft drinks at the Tavern
- Access to Crew Welfare - open 24/7 during events for free food, hot & cold drinks, and other supplies
- Time off to rest and relax - after 22:30 each evening, you'll have some time off if you want to join your friends in the field for a few hours to socialise.
What to Bring
As with the players turning up to monster, we request that all Skirmish Team provide some of their own a base kit. Suggestions include:
- Plain trousers (dark/black) – ideally linen or cotton trousers which allow you suitable movement for fighting in battle and which will keep you warm and dry quickly. However, plain jogging bottoms are fine, as well as being quite warm and quite cheap. Do not wear jeans or combats. You will likely want several pairs for when you get wet or muddy.
- Plain long sleeve top or tunic (dark/black) – it needs to be long sleeve to cover your arms when playing an orc. Many of the Team wear a vapour-wicking base layer such as Under Armour beneath more in-character layers of kit.
- Strong boots – army boots or hiking boots are strongly advised. The most important thing is having ankle support and protection for all of your feet. You will be fighting in the woods and possibly in a lot of mud. Having a pair of waterproof boots with good grip is better than having a pair of boots that look entirely IC and setting appropriate.
- Thermals – these will be useful to have at E1 and E4 when it can get cold at night.
- Neck covering – a plain black neck wrap, scarf or snood. E.g. Bandoozi Neck Warmer on Amazon
- Gloves – plain black/brown - to hide exposed skin.
- Weapons – if you have weapons then please bring them along, we can't provide everyone with them, and variety is always great to have!
What PD provides
The basic Orc costume is a coloured tunic over your base layers, lightweight orc breast plate / greaves / vambraces, a snood, a mask and gloves. If you wish to improve your own kit and make items for your own sole use then the following are the best places to start;
- Weapons – we have a large armoury of various LRP weapons that you can use for various roles. There is not enough for everyone, so if you have weapons of your own please bring them along!
- Basic costunme – We have a limited number of base layers for each orc nation, but if you want to make your own (which therefore will not be worn by anyone else), we encourage you to do so. There are:
- Druj green tunics
- Jotun red) tunics
- Grendel purple waistcoats, sashes, capes, robes
- Thule blue robes
- Armour – Profound Decisions owns lightweight armour (breastplates, greaves, and vambraces) specifically for the orc nations. However, if you have any additional armour that would be appropriate, such as chain maile, and wish to wear that then please bring it to be worn as the plot allows. The standard amour rules apply.
Crewing the Game
Please read the standard guide to Crewing in addition to this team brief.
We expect you to be as familiar with the [game rules and setting for Empire] as is reasonable for the majority of the player base. Particular attention should be placed upon correct understanding and implementation of the rules around [Combat] and [Safety].
Whilst we don’t expect anyone to know all the tiny details of the game world, we expect that you make an effort to learn the background of the [Barbarian nations] you will be portraying and follow the briefings given to you.
Attending Events
In order to attend an event you must pre-book using the Profound Decisions website. We have a larger pool of team members than actual crew spaces, so event attendance will always be based on a first-come first-served basis.
If you book for an event and fail to turn up without prior notice you will receive one warning and then, if it happens again, you will be removed from the Skirmish Team. Please do not turn up to an event without booking.
If you are unsure about attending an event, please let the Skirmish Team leads know by emailing battles@profounddecisions.co.uk ahead of the event. If you are unable to attend the event at short notice, then please let someone know via the Skirmish Team Facebook group and email us after the event.
Time off at Events
The Skirmish Team is generally crewing throughout most of the in-character time during the game. We take regular short breaks between individual skirmishes, with longer breaks between skirmish blocks to grab food, rest, and change kit.
We do not schedule encounters after 22:00 at night, but we do run a compulsory team battle brief at this point. There are often some volunteer encounters you can sign up for after 22:30.
After 22:30 you are free to take Time off to rest, sleep, chat or play an “R&R” character on the IC field in Anvil. We ask that the team follow crew rules and not take a Congregation personal resource. Due to your involvement in delivering the fight resource, we also request you do not take a Fleet or Military Unit resource. Most members of the team take a business or farm for the IC money, and spend it in the evening when in Anvil.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
While crewing at an event it is essential that you follow Empire LRP’s [Equality and Diversity policy]. If you are unable, or unwilling, to meet the requirements of this policy, then Skirmish Team is certainly not for you.
Additionally, please ensure you are familiar with the [Code of Conduct].
Social Media Policy
Profound Decisions do not currently have an official Social Media Policy for Crew.
As Skirmish team however, we do have some specifics we expect of our team. We purposefully keep these guidelines as light as possible.
Unlike other teams, the roles we play are often in direct conflict with Player Characters. We work hard to ensure Players understand that the Skirmish team, like all Crew, is here to make a fun game for them, and all conflict is between their Characters and the Monsters/Barbarians.
- No Spoilers - we trust the team and let you know what’s going to be happening at events, so you can bring the best kit, be prepared etc. Please don’t post spoilers about this for players
- Your opinion is your own - you will come across discussions on social media about the game and events. Please do not offer your opinion from the perspective of a member of PD crew - that will come across as an official statement or position from Profound Decisions
- Avoid Battle Discussion - please do not comment on player discussions about Battles or Skirmishes, even if you believe they have misunderstood something