SPLAT!
LET'S LOOK AT PAINTBALL PRACTICE FOR A MINUTE
We have always strived for realistic training with our troops. We will sometimes go to play paintball. When you start collecting your gear, one of the first things you should invest in is a paintball gun of at least medium grade, and a mask and large CO2 tank. Your kids might know something about these. Prices run between $200 and $600 for the whole package. If it costs less than a hundred, you get what you pay for. Don't get one that is too cheap because even the expensive ones have malfunctions all of the time. In spite of the mechanical problems, these are very valuable training tools. This is the only way that your troops can shoot each other and get together later and talk about it over a beer and a burger. It hurts a little when you get hit, kind of like that Catholic Nun slapping your knuckles with a ruler. It leaves a 1-1/8 inch round red welt on your skin that lasts for five days. If it hurts or embarrasses you, don't get hit! This kind of thing will teach you to use cover and keep your head and your ass down and out of the line of fire. It will also teach you to remember to switch off the safety when in combat.
Participating in a day of paintball war will teach you a lot about combat and tactics. If you go to an arena, and play indoors, you can learn about "CQC" Close Quarters Combat. You can bring your own paintball gun or rent one at an indoor arena. In an arena you are only allowed to use "field paint," not your own. When you buy a paint marker, ask the people who work there about safety, maintenance, the gun's performance in various weather conditions, and about the laws in your area.
If you find a place to play outdoors, you can learn about ambushes and immediate action drills. You can set up an ambush on your buddies or another unit if you know of one. You can ambush an old vehicle driven by your "Op-For" (Opposition Force) on an L shaped road, and loot the gear inside. Take prisoners or not. Use different colors of paint for each side to learn of any friendly fire. There's nothing friendly about friendly fire! Learn all of your mistakes with non-lethal weapons. Practice the four basic firearms safety rules even though you're just playing with paint markers.
- Treat all guns as if they were always loaded.
- Do not cover anything with the muzzle that you don't intend to shoot.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you are aimed at the target and ready to fire.
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
One game we played at an arena was called "Vampire" and there was one vampire and everyone else would hunt him down. It sounds really off-sided, but the Vampire couldn't die unless he got hit with a head shot. The Vampire can kill anyone else with a shot anywhere on the body. Once a Vampire Hunter is shot, he turns into another Vampire that can only die from a head shot, turning on his fellow hunters. I bagged a couple of Vampires right next to eachother, then a little kid Vampire got me. After I switched sides, figuring a head shot is unlikely, I decided to make a Rambo run at the Hunters, battle screaming at the top of my lungs. I started my one-man assault. I was running, jumping and shooting one handed taking body hits from all of the Hunters, taking three of them out and finally recieving three head shots all at once. I collapsed to the ground just like Willam Defoe in Platoon at the opposite end of the arena. Everyone was clapping and cheering and saying,"That dude was crazy!"
By the time we got warmed up, each of us were killing about 4 guys for every time we got killed. We got the other players to somewhat stick to a plan of skirting both sides of the arena using bounding overwatch and cover fire. What I discovered was that everyone's initial hazardous excitement would later give way to exhaustion and wanting to play better, rather than just go out and mindlessly shoot it out. People were starting to turn to us for plans and I think half of them actually listened and performed. We started winning almost every game. In one battle I was defending my position against two guys trying to bag me and I got a call on my cell phone. I was the ultimate yuppy, I was holding a coversation on the phone talking to a guy and one-handed shooting at my opponents. He asked me what all the racket was and what I was doing. I told him I was just a little distracted killing 12 year olds. I got one of the bad guys while on the phone. After I hung up and started to put my cell phone away, the other guy had a bead on me but my battle buddy took him out before he could shoot me. I appologised to my buddy for being un-polite and using my phone on the battlefield.
I suggest, most of the time, sticking to good tactical plans and staying scared to death so you don't go Rambo and get shot. After you think you've learned a few things for the day, try the Rambo thing and go crazy. You will learn a few things that way also.
Everyone in the area must wear a mask! Once, one of our guys almost lost an eye getting hit by a stray ball from 50 yards away. Training accidents are not good for a Militia unit that has certain authorities and officials that are waiting for any excuse to shut the unit down.
A very important thing about playing paintball is to remember that these games can give you a false sense of security that will get you killed in the real battlefield.
"Watch your six and keep your powder dry."
Badger
[Do give this some serious consideration in light of the cameras
that might, during the most serious of confrontations, need to
be rendered inoperable - CJJ]
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