A war journalist/photographer role?

[Guest Specs]

This is as much for AMS staff as it is for the AMS community. 

 

I know many of our teams have someone that currently attends events as a photographer. (To you that do shoot AMS events, many thanks. You all keep the memories alive.) I'm unsure if this has been a possiblility discussed in the past, but I'm very curious if there could be a war journalist/photographer role for anyone willing to sign up as such. The difference being as follows:

 

1. Said photographer would still sign up as usual for the event.

 

2. Photographer would dress the part to blend in with a unit or squad that has been "tasked" with providing safety to. (Would probably be dictated by the event and sides in play, but this would allow them to blend in, roleplay somewhat as active press, and not give away the position of the squad they are moving with.)

 

3. Photographer could perhaps still adhere to the player medic rule. (Or not. Really that's a topic for discussion in itself. Clearly they shouldn't be exploited as a shield or anything.)

 

4. Photographer could be an added addition to the field and be understood as a body that shouldn't be shot knowingly as they aren't an active member in combat. (Perhaps they could still be downed as they will inevitably get shot in different situations, but it would be in bad taste and avoided if the attacking party knows they are a member of the press and not a soldier.)

 

5. Would be required to wear something on their gear that denotes them as a member of the press. (Possibly a large chest sized label clearly stating "press" as is common with many war journalists in our time.)

 

I think that the role would be great for adding indoor photography to collections posted post-event and give attendees another option in experiencing milsim culture from a non-player perspective. 

 

Thoughts?

[Doc Dodge 666]

Maybe yellow tape armbands and make it a war crime to shoot them. One way to get -negative- points for your side.

[TheJP 3,301]

Think it'd be awesome.

[Downs 99]

Pretty good idea.  With the proliferation of "embedded" reporters from the kick off of the War on Terror it has some basis in reality.  And in some cases their deaths have shown to be a galvanizing event gaining a lot of negative attention to those who killed them. 

[Kolt1911 75]

At the risk of heat cas and general uncomfiness, I could see someone going all out with the blue kevlar and flak jacket with "PRESS" in giant bold letters. Maybe make it scripted/controlled? I wouldn't mind playing this role. I wrote for my high school newspaper and actually won a substantial amount of rewards. 

[Guest Specs]

Maybe yellow tape armbands and make it a war crime to shoot them. One way to get -negative- points for your side.

The yellow arm band could work, but I'm not sure that war crimes would be effectively policed or fair in most circumstances. If press were dressed as a squad member, or similarly and I saw their back poking from a doorway, I'd probably take the shot regardless. (And I don't know that I could fault anyone for making that same call.) 

 

I think that killing a press member would simply need to be an "understood" evil and be known by the players, vs another thing that staff would have to keep up with. Not to mention all the stray shots they are likely to take from SSW suppression and such.

[Guest Specs]

At the risk of heat cas and general uncomfiness, I could see someone going all out with the blue kevlar and flak jacket with "PRESS" in giant bold letters. Maybe make it scripted/controlled? I wouldn't mind playing this role. I wrote for my high school newspaper and actually won a substantial amount of rewards. 

Ditto, I think it would make for an interesting time being a non-violent civilian with the objective of recording what's going on around them. (I could think of some awesome and interesting camera rigs as well.) 

 

I think that provided there's a consistent label applied to the journalists that it would be fine to leave their uniform/dress up to the team. I simply wouldn't want whatever that journalist is wearing to give away the positioning of my squad, or get confused for someone of the other team. As a UFS for example playing on RY's AO, I wouldn't want our squad's press member to wear civi clothing lest they get confused for a CDF member by either side. I think they would need to be matched to their faction for best results.

[PoeticPariah 3]

I didn't think I'd be commenting too much, but I kinda want to voice in, despite not actually being a player in the MilSim world just yet.

News Reporters only wear helmets in military zones, iirc.  I don't think I've ever seen a news reporter in full military garb, a helmet and maybe just a bullet resistant vest.  Thus, provided the reporter doesn't wear khakis to work I doubt they'd be shot under the circumstances of "They dressed like the enemy!"  Rather, I think black or blue pants with a white shirt and a black helmet or gray helmet with a black or gray vest.  Include those reflectors for the helmet and vest maybe, idk, but the idea certainly has a lot of merit behind it.

[EvilRedNeko 37]

It seems like an interesting idea but...

Problem 1: If the journalist is a non combatant but tied to a team and counts as a war crime if killed they will be used as a point man or human shield by they team they are tied to.

Problem 2: If the journalist does infact count as part of one of the two factions and can not be shot then what stops them from going out spotting enemies and relaying that info back to their team.

 

The way I see it is the press pass already covers someone who is only takeing pictures and is not shooting. I do understand the thing here is to have less of a chance to give someones position away but unless they are not tied to a faction and are not able to be used for info or decoys then the press pass should be enough.

That said press as NPCs in an event is not a bad idea as some kind of objective.

[Doc Dodge 666]

Tape 'PRESS' signs front & back of torso and on the sides of their non-camo helmet.

 

"Back to you, Chet."

[Kolt1911 75]

Watch footage from the first Gulf War. Can't remember his name but there was an embedded reporter doing commentary. He was in the whole get-up. Six-colors, PASGT, even had LC-2 gear. 

[Whiskey06 23]

Have them play just as a combative player would. They can still be hit and need to go to respawn point. This would prevent them from taking pictures of Opfor and relaying positions back to their squad. People as press should still be able to be targeted and could still be shot at if the shooter wishes. Just adds realism. In documentaries, the person filming has to take cover and protect themselves. 

If this were to be an actual position, it should be held to the standard of real life (or as close as possible), because I mean it is indeed a simulation. 

Just my thoughts though

[Top 366]

This is as much for AMS staff as it is for the AMS community. 

 

I know many of our teams have someone that currently attends events as a photographer. (To you that do shoot AMS events, many thanks. You all keep the memories alive.) I'm unsure if this has been a possiblility discussed in the past, but I'm very curious if there could be a war journalist/photographer role for anyone willing to sign up as such. The difference being as follows:

 

1. Said photographer would still sign up as usual for the event.

 

2. Photographer would dress the part to blend in with a unit or squad that has been "tasked" with providing safety to. (Would probably be dictated by the event and sides in play, but this would allow them to blend in, roleplay somewhat as active press, and not give away the position of the squad they are moving with.)

 

3. Photographer could perhaps still adhere to the player medic rule. (Or not. Really that's a topic for discussion in itself. Clearly they shouldn't be exploited as a shield or anything.)

 

4. Photographer could be an added addition to the field and be understood as a body that shouldn't be shot knowingly as they aren't an active member in combat. (Perhaps they could still be downed as they will inevitably get shot in different situations, but it would be in bad taste and avoided if the attacking party knows they are a member of the press and not a soldier.)

 

5. Would be required to wear something on their gear that denotes them as a member of the press. (Possibly a large chest sized label clearly stating "press" as is common with many war journalists in our time.)

 

I think that the role would be great for adding indoor photography to collections posted post-event and give attendees another option in experiencing milsim culture from a non-player perspective. 

 

Thoughts?

This is a very good Idea! (inbedded safety Officer/team) if you got the right person who wanted to run this for each side they would be dedicated and become for lack of a better term the team PA (political affairs) or local reporter team, they do a "news paper" or news report from the field that can be posted on face book or web page... or whatever.. as far as what they wear same as the side they are on except a off color vest perhaps and head gear that is marked press or something loud. they get shot they have the same medic rules as the rest maybe.. 

 

this has merit in my opinion nice Specs!

[Guest Specs]

This is a very good Idea! (inbedded safety Officer/team) if you got the right person who wanted to run this for each side they would be dedicated and become for lack of a better term the team PA (political affairs) or local reporter team, they do a "news paper" or news report from the field that can be posted on face book or web page... or whatever.. as far as what they wear same as the side they are on except a off color vest perhaps and head gear that is marked press or something loud. they get shot they have the same medic rules as the rest maybe.. 

 

this has merit in my opinion nice Specs!

 

I do like the concept of the journalist having a bias! I could almost see the role as being a faction specific hire brought on to photograph their side of the conflict as positive propaganda. That would give incentive/reason for their faction specific uniform.

 

Even if the role itself doesn't become a signup option, It could make for a fun variety to the usual "find the VIP" sort of frago. It could even be a time sensitive role played event such as "This person is live-streaming the conflict in a negative light and needs to be silenced".

[Zone 178]

I agree with pretty much everyone in this thread.  Super cool idea, would absolutely love to see it implemented in some way.

[Whiskey06 23]

The paper idea online would be so F*cking cool. One of my friends is kinda hesitant about doing milsim with me because he only sees videos from youtubers. I feel like if there were articles with dope pictures, I could get him to join up. I love that idea. Frankly, I think there shouldn't be those guys in neon orange getting in your face because it gives away your position. You see an orange guy, you know the enemy has a high probability of being there.

[Janitor 8]

Oh, since people are talking "war crimes" and role playing with embedded reporters, maybe reporters would always carry a piece of intel with them. Same medic rules as everyone else. If the enemy team SEARCHES the reporter and takes his intel, they get a small point reduction (for intentionally killing journalists) but that piece of intel can yield a bonus frago that would more than make up for the point loss if successful. Risk vs. reward. Bonus points if you would have to actively search a journalist for the intel, but the same search rules as everyone else would work out too.

 

I also like the idea of going out and killing/extracting a VIP journalist for their coverage of the war, but that would likely have to fall on staff role players. Still, giving role playing options for paying players would definitely spice things up.

[Beaver 105]

I'm with you on adding to the realism by having a ComCam, but that individual will also need to understand that they will get shot. Rules can state otherwise and adding a "PRESS" plate to their gear will help, but even when we have the Neon Yellow shirt photographers on the field, they get shot from time to time.

With that being said the cost and durability of a camera is not the same as our gear. Walking onto a field of play should be done at their own understood risk. 

[Doc Dodge 666]

My little digital camera came with a waterproof lexan case. These seem to be tought enough to withstand the errant 6mm hit.

[Bob_IRL 74]

I'd probably consider more of a "combat camera" role. these guys have weapons but their primary job is taking footage. I'd love to go to an op where I could function in this capacity...

[Priest01 0]

Perhaps if people want a more combatant role in photography and they are able to be killed they could have the option to be equipped with a side arm. Other wise they are sitting ducks

[Beaver 105]

COMCAM is equipped with a rifle and gear just like the units they support. They are still Soldiers in every respect, they're just double duty with the primary role of recording the events/missions through still and video acquisition.

[Downs 99]

^^^ True dat.