Operation East Wind; The outer limits of extreme war gaming!

How would you like to experience 9 days of 100%, full immersion life as a soldier of the DDR (East Germany) or NATO Forces outside Berlin, Circa Cold War period and as things may have turned Hot? Authentic to all the important details and a genuine experience from start to finish?

As a participant at East Wind you will know the feeling of walking out on a multi day patrol, the sound of a truck delivering your hot food (if you are lucky) and the sights and sounds of dark forest seemingly teeming with the enemy around your little patrol base in the black of night. You will use night vision, you will use mines, you will ride in military trucks and armored personnel carriers, you will be supported by armor and you will use period correct comms equipment. You will know the boredom of a 03:00 guard shift and the sinking feeling in your stomach when that shift suddenly stops being boring. You will know the true value of a hot drink on a cold rainy day, you will learn to lament T-rations, you will know the joy of walking into the mess tent and smelling hot A-rations. You will know how lonely the world can be when your little outpost is under attack and you know that the nearest help is way too far away.

What this doesn't cover in the space I can quote and why I figured this might be the forum to share it is that these guys aren't kidding about being serious. It's an Airsoft "Milsim" or Military Simulation. 24 hours, no regard to weather conditions on that, and everything authentic to time period.

They offer training events on a monthly basis to certify in different areas like radio operation ...at a real operating level.. before you can do that 'job' at this annual event for your simulated deployment. Authentic means you need to understand and be functional using the equipment and the Airsoft guns are only part of it. Also, just from my relatively little experience in primitive camping when I was younger, for a week or more and with long guns...it won't be as nifty as much as a pain in the butt for that particular aspect. It's all the equipment to a field deployment in a building combat environment by the sound of reading the information.

It says digging your night positions is also part of the experience ...and Latrines don't dig themselves in this simulation.

East Wind Expectations

I think they repeat the statement that this event is not for everyone a dozen or more times around the site, while also saying they've had combat vets go through and have a very deep and interesting experience.

For instance,

As a DDR Soldier......

Operation East Wind is set in the DDR (East Germany) specifically the area surrounding the enclave of West Berlin. As a Warsaw Pact soldier in this time frame you would be finding yourself surrounded by a period of great flux. You are most likely a draftee serving your mandatory 2 years of military service, it is entirely likely that you are not getting paid regularly, there is considerable...

As a NATO Soldier......

As a NATO soldier in the Berlin District will find yourself as part of an elite brigade surrounded on every side by the full might of the Warsaw Pact. If the Cold War went hot, your job was to hold out as long as you can and make the enemy pay for every brick, stick and curb in blood. It was common knowledge that there was to be no such thing as a victory for the Berlin garrison...

(Source: Operation East Wind)

The event is actually located in Wyandotte, Oklahoma and held in D-Day Adventure Park, which is apparently over 100 acres of space by one description I saw on their site.

Registration is shown as being open for next year's event and it happens in March, apparently. The Photo Galleryy shows they've been doing this a number of years and so I would imagine they have the kinks and bugs worked out of it pretty well by now.

It looks like a real blast for folks who would find this sort of thing fun, as well as a 'No Kidding' wake up experience to taste what extended periods without any conventional services or creature comforts may be like, while still expected to do everything this talks about for a 'round the clock 24hr deployment schedule.

Please do check out the site if it piques your interest. I found this through the submission of a user at the site I work at, tossed up for folks to check out over there. After spending time looking at the extensive site they have for this thing, I couldn't think of a better thing than sharing it here, too.

Look like fun? Perhaps beneficial?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Interesting, but not for me personally. I've had enough combat in Iraq to not need to simulate it for fun. I think that non-vets that do that will see how non-fun war really is. 99.9% boredom and soul crushing routine.

I walked Agony ,Misery and Heartbreak,I have been in the field in Korea,It is time to take it easy now.

reply to post by BobM88


I second that, at least for me. It does look pretty cool and I think non vets would probably get a good experience out of it but personally myself while I do miss the excitement of our training ops and the fun of jumping out of planes and such, I have seen enough combat real or simulated to last me 3 lifetimes.

My sons get aggravated with me because I won't airsoft with them and show them certain things to do with combat tactics and strategy when the are airsofting.

Good find though Wrabbit.

reply to post by Nucleardiver


I have to admit, that that .1% is a rush, very very addictive really. At least that's how I felt. Then again, anything is better than reading the same issue of People magazine for the umpteenth time. lol.

Wrabbit, I do such exercises frequently at least once a month. You had me until you said it was in Oklahoma not Warsaw. I think that would be really creepy and I for one am a fan of getting creeped out lol!

Anyways there's a game called ghost in the graveyard have you ever played it?

Not for me, dug too many trenches and latrines as well as all the other stuff. Still it would be a great idea for anyone who hasn't been in or done any military training. It might even change some minds regarding war even if they can't get shot.

I'm not surprised to see actual vets shy away from interest in going to play what you've all lived for real. At the same time, I find it interesting that those to respond agree with what I'd originally thought about this being valuable to non-military for a taste of what life was and is like, however brief a look it may give.

Actually, my first thought was that it would make a fine 'required step' to many armchair generals who note the Coulda/Woulda/Shoulda on every event that happens with military people, without ever having spent a day sleeping in mud, just to be kicked at 3am and told it's time to watch absolutely nothing happen, while staying wide awake to see it, until the sun is up and bright.

Somehow, I'm thinking a number of people in the media, as one example, would benefit from the experience in their future reporting. Of course, they could just come to hate the military even more ...but they'd at least know why they hated it after that.

@Tx

I hadn't heard of that before. I looked the term up online but I figure we may mean different things. The kids game I found reference to didn't seem to relate?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Actually yes it was a game that I used to play as a child. However it can be modified into a war game. I dont know about you but, I do a lot of primitive camping and this is a game you can try next time you go out camping with the kids or whoever.

Traditionally though, the game is about stealth. It is played at night, usually in the woods but can be modified to any environment. The ghost has to go hide out in the woods and then a search team comes out looking for him. The ghost has to be spotted visually by a member of the search team. Likewise to not continue to be the ghost you must tag a member before they run back to base. So in other words, you have to let them get really close without seeing you. When you are spotted whoever sees you must yell ghost in the graveyard and everyone runs back to base. Whoever gets tagged is the next ghost.

I mention this game because it is kind of creepy looking for someone in the woods at night that could jump out and grab you at any given moment. And if you are the ghost you might find yourself stealthily hanging out somewhere for a period of time which can be quite boring and exciting at the same time.

In any case it sure is a rush to play and modifying the game could have some interesting results too. Just don't run into a tree or a barbwires fence. lol

reply to post by txinfidel


Okay, now I see the relation and that's an interesting thing to play. Yes, I could see how that would be ..well, educational. You'd learn the ways of nature and the night environment, real quick..eh?

I guess, in a way, we did something similar when I was growing up except to say we did convert it to a war game. Imagine playing 'war' or what paintball/airsoft is today, with actual copper BB guns across the Santa Ana mountains of Southern California? Oh..those were the days. We were so young, dumb and full of ......vigor ( ), we didn't even give thought to losing en eye, tooth or even life. One sure learns how to be quiet and hear others failing to be ..when a mistake means 6-10 BB's at 400fps in the chest and other areas ...sans the body armor which paintballers use today. Learning experiences.....and youth. The things you'd never try as an adult.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Hehehe...we did that growing up in Maine, too! When I think back on it now, or worse...imagine *my* kids shooting and being shot at with a BB gun, I get hackles! Wow, was I a dumb kid!