The Outsider Coast – Operatie Fort Napoleon

The garrison in Fortress Napoleon is asleep, the battlefield is far away, the occupation inadequate and battle fatigue is huge.

Suddenly the ominous message: war is on its way and Ostend is very likely to be the scene of battle. Urgent action is necessary: getting the settlement ready, arming and training the soldiers, stock up provisions, elaborating strategies, building field hospitals,…

Spies and scouts are sent out and secret communication channels and codes are being elaborated. The event takes place under the code name “Operation Fortress Napoleon”.

Each company of the fortress has to accomplish five missions. Each company wants to do best, after all, the commander of the garrison promised a double payment for the best company.

Minefield
We need to find the right way through a minefield, which is presented as a checkerboard. Alternately someone of the team can try. Is there a mine, then you hear a signal and the participant must leave the field. Did he make a right step, he can try again. Who will be first to find the right way?

Defence file
The team is divided in two groups, each on another side of the dry ditch. The mission is to draw a similar defence plan in the form of a scale-model, without seeing each other’s plans. Communication is only allowed on the boundary, each time one person of the group is delegated for that communication.

Strategy
We are surrounded. Our spy is behind hostile ranks and he has a message for us…  Trying to get through the hostile ranks would mean his own death. From the roof we try to understand his signals and codes. 

Provision
The whole army needs provision: from the baker’s the companies head to the different locations in order to supply everyone.

Calibrating the artillery
You have to hit a target. Which team has the best snipers?

The above-mentioned package can also be adapted with the following missions:

Putting booby traps
Booby traps are trip wires that you put in order to hear the enemy coming. We need these booby traps to warn us if the enemy tries to get closer at night.

Formation (in ranks)
The army has a strong hierarchic structure, in which everyone needs to know his place. 

Evacuation
During an attack the wounded soldiers must be transported secretly. We have to practise this.

Drill
Of course the members of our garrison need to work on their physical condition. Therefor the whole team needs to cross a caponier.