Photo By Karu Pappa
HOM
Our Cover Guy is Risto Voima from Finland.
Risto plays at URHO Red (3.division team)
www.urhopaintball.com
Paintball RefereesYou have a thankless job.
WE WANT YOU! Tell us like it is. Your experiences are a far cry from those of the regular player. You deserve to be in the spotlight. Now it’s your turn.
Send your stories to 180Paintball@Gmail.com
Story By: Steven Armstrong
Hiatt’s Game On Paintball The foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains just outside of Knoxville Tennessee, is not where paintball started but it is where you can find its roots. Reaching deep into the rocky soil and the spirit of southern hospitality is Andy and Norma Jean Hiatt’s Game On Paintball.
Those who visit are rewarded with the type of field not seen in the age of commercialism. Built by hand and the hard work of family and friends, the field is the way paintball was 25 years ago; good honest people playing a game that is crafted for the players, not for profit or corporate gain. There are no sponsorships and no vendor area. This is a player’s field.
It is said that necessity is the Mother of invention. In Andy Hiatt’s case, necessity was born
of hardship. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis four years ago, Andy was being consumed by the disease until his doctors found a treatment that worked for him. Then through his own motivation and determination he was able to return to work and once again begin to look forward at life instead of back. It was Andy’s Son Sam who first suggested building a paintball park on the family land giving Andy the physical challenges his body needed to halt the progress of his disease. Again his motivation and determination kicked in. With the help of his children, two grand children and family friends, in just eight months the first organized event was taking place.
Never forgetting that this is a player’s field the Hiatt’s are always asking for suggestions on ways to improve the park. One of their points of pride is that if the players want it, they will do their best to make it happen. This was reinforced at the April
25th event when at halftime, (a lunch and hydration break) the staff asked the players about changes to the game. Many players asked for a longer reinsertion window and the Game Coordinator Matt Tomm gave the players what they wanted. Many other suggestions for field improvements were also made like: adding a netted dead zone to the upper portion of the field to replace the caution tape; giving the players a secure area to unmask and cool off. Andy agreed and the new DZ is in the works.
The Hiatt’s have a great philosophy of giving young people an affordable place to have a good time. They stress safety and wholesome family values. Years ago parents could drop their children off at a local skating rink and know that they would be safe within its walls all day. This same ideal is found at Hiatt’s. With $18.00 field fees, bring your own paint ($12.00 field fee if you use field paint) and all day free air; this park is an every weekend escape if you are lucky enough to live in the Knoxville area.
and a great value. Bring your ideas and your friends, but be sure to bring your game, because the hospitality ends when it’s Game On.
The Iron Horsemen, Scenario Paintball Team Andy and Norma Jean offer 10% discounts to the military, college students and to groups of ten or more. They are more than happy to host your church, Boy and Girl Scouts, birthday party and family reunion.
Last November a 72 year old Grandmother brought her family to Hiatt’s where her grandchildren were quick to point out that they would “Get Granny”. Aunts, Uncles and the entire family were witness to the carnage that Granny brought upon her progeny. “Anybody can be a kid” she said to Andy as he looked at her with a knowing smile. Her plan is to make Hiatt’s a family tradition.
Game On has rental equipment and a football field sized campground. The playing field stands currently at about 6 acres with a very well planned layout. Andy takes great pride in the way he has created the playing environment. There are five flag bases and a speedball area, so many trails and places to hide and ambush that even professional level players and teams find this field a challenge. Currently the field can accommodate about 150 players and is expanding.
www.hiattsgameonpaintball.com
The future of Hiatt’s Game On is truly in the hands of the players. “It is what they want to make of it”, Andy said. He and Norma Jean do their very best to give everyone a family atmosphere
Norma Jean and Andy Hiatt; receiving an award for creating a home for players.
Game On holds a drawing where 10% of the players win their entry fee back.
Hiatt’s Game On Paintball 1281 Reed Bull Road New Market, Tennessee, USA 865-475-2896
New to the Game, New to the World
Marquis is wide eyed with adrenaline as he lays cover fire from his bunker. In February, in a small hospital in the Arkansas River Valley, two new people came into the world. One was named Carter and the other was me, a new man, a new father. Little did I know that since that time I would learn things that would change me forever. I would learn realizations about my life that forced me to no longer skate around truths as I had for so long. It made me face life head on. Since then I have never felt more excited, energized, or alive.
This brings us to a few weekends ago at Paintball Arkansas, the largest field in the state, located in Mayflower. The steel gray sky and the thick moisture in the air had no affect on the one hundred players that had come to do heroic charges, acrobatic leaps over bunkers, and dexterous shooting positions. I of course was none of those people; instead I was the idiot chasing them all over the 100 acre field with my camera. Their shots stung their opponents, mine just immortalized them (ok so
that’s not entirely true but it makes me feel better about not playing, so go with me here people). It was during that humid day, with sweat dripping off my nose, that I met a young man by the name of Marquis Brown, who was playing the game for the first time with his family and friends. It was his sixteenth birthday and he was all adrenaline. After I watched his group play a few games, my curiosity got the best of me so I struck up a
conversation with him about why he played. A first time player scans the area as he prepares to charge to the next bunker.
“I had always heard it was a real rush,” he said. “But man, I had no idea. Once the game started all I could do was just duck and cover and fight back the best I could.”
day with our heads high like this new player did, or we duck for cover and never look up, safe from the incoming rounds but never experiencing the feel of victory. On my way back home, I thought about my life. Mine is a crazy one since I juggle playing paintball with writing about paintball and have a real day job as a coach that takes up so much of my time. I have a loving wife, a new baby, and the same insecurities as the next person. As I listed them one by one, I quickly realized that I could easily quit on any of those things, we hear about people doing it all the time, but it’s the fact that I don’t and instead hustle to each one that makes me who I am.
Charge! Marquis runs into incoming fire as a decoy for his team to go in for the winning elimination.
new world out there everyday and if we forget the wonder and adrenaline that comes with each breath of it we are forgetting why we play or more importantly why we live.
It's all about team work. Marquis and a friend learn the value of leapfrogging as they move toward their target.
I finally reached my home and went to the crib. Carter must have sensed my presence because he opened his big blue eyes and reached for me.
The future of Paintball. My son Carter, greeting me after my paintball adventure.
Now I’ve interviewed a lot of people before, but something in his words struck home with me. It made me ask questions that I had never asked before. Is paintball and life so much a like that we have the same two choices in both? We either fight to the best of our ability and call it a
I have met paintball players who I think are heroes. Not because of what they do just during the game but how they tackle life once its time to unscrew the air tanks and go home. Maybe we should realize we are all new players, every time we wake up in the morning or load a new pod into a hopper. Because it’s a
Chills went through me as this future paintball player and man looked at me with the same wonder and excitement as Marquis had when he took off his mask. At that moment, I made my choice. Bring it on life. There is no hiding for me. It’s a full out charge for the rest of my days.
You think no one is watching. That you go unseen. Un-noticed. You couldn’t be further from the truth. In Every Field, Pro Shop, Vendor Area There will always be Eyes On You. Before now, stories about you have gone unpublished. Before now, you never knew you were the hero. Brace yourself. You have made an impact. They’re watching you, learning from you, writing about you.
Cousins Paintball – Big Game May 16 , 17 Coram, NY USA th
th
http://www.cousinspaintball.com/ By: John ‘The Swede’ Eklund
Age 16, New York, USA This year on May 16th and 17th I went to Cousins Big Game for my 2nd time and I have to say this year was the best. Nearly 3,000 players showed up from all around the country to play on 88 acres of land. On the first day I arrived at the field at 7:30 a.m., got chronoed, my paint and my friends Jimmy, Joe and my other friend Joe came along for their first big game experience playing on the Blue Team. May 16th - 9:30 the game started. I was pumped with excitement waiting to see the Red Team and get into the first firefight of the day. It was slow in the beginning because every body was getting used to the field. So thirty minutes later I was still hanging out at the base called “The City” on a hill with wood houses talking to the ref about the sport. After hearing from a bunch of our men coming up the other side of the hill that red players are coming through our lines and pushing us back, I followed
those guys until we engaged in the first fire fight of the day. There were so many red and so little blue on that battle that we had to make a tactical retreat back to try to hold the line. During our retreat I hid behind a fallen tree. Because of the Flatline on my barrel I had a farther shot than most of my team. I think I took out at least 5 guys - if they didn’t wipe. The helicopter didn’t come out since it was a real foggy day. As I was walking on the tree line near a road, I heard a motor vehicle coming up the road the Red tank! The gunner really scared me he had a double Tipmann A-5, which sounded like a Gatling gun and a double-barreled shotgun on his back that actually shoots paintballs. I ended up getting lit up by him. Later on in the woods with my friends we hooked up with about 5 or 6 more players. After taking control of the squad we spotted a group of red in the woods with their
backs towards us and we went through them like butter. We then went further up and saw maybe 40 Red and we ran after them. They then ran into the tree line so we followed. You can guess what was coming out of the tree line - their TANK and about half of their army! Yea, my heart was pounding so we headed out of there retreating as fast as we could until we found a road. I instructed my guys to hide along the road so we could ambush them after the tank passed. When the tank past and we were about to attack the game ended and it was time for lunch. During the second game of the first day, three hours long like the first game, nothing special happened just ended up being lost behind enemy lines for most of the day trying to sneak around the enemy units and tank.
May 17 - Second day of the big game. I went to the bunker called the Command Post and it
was probably the coolest thing there, but it had no cover from the air so that meant it was easy pickings for the Doc (the guy who shoots from the helicopter, plus a really cool guy) so I ended up leaving the Command Post to link up with a unit made up by the Wild geese and some other guys. We patrolled the tape (the boundaries for the field) and the guy in charge was really cool and really motivating. He said, “Do not shoot until fired upon so we don’t give away our advantage so we can destroy the Red Team. We ended going around the tape and saw two Red on a hill. We quickly made a scout unit to flank the two Reds while the main force went up the other side. The guy in charge of the scout party was Wild Geese team member called Bob, another nice guy. We encountered Red guys getting into a fire fight with another Blue unit on a base down the hill so we just waited there for them to retreat right into us and we just destroyed them. A big group of Red came over the hill on our right and we linked up with the other unit and got into a big fire fight. I had to lie down because I couldn’t see any body and I was getting shot at. A paintball just bounced right off my Kevlar Helmet giving me a scare. Eventually we were
totally destroying the Red so bad that we had to give them our tank. Along with my friend ‘Noodles’ and his friends we went to the mission table to see if there was any missions that we could join. We were going to bring the missile coordinates to the missile base and hold it for 15 minutes. Along with us were the Long Island Strong team, a good bunch of guys. Arriving at the missile base I saw a bunch of Red guys up the hill at the base armory - they didn’t know we were there. I went behind them and hid behind a decent sized tree. When they started walking by me, one guy started looking at me like he had no idea what I was, but when he got close enough I lit him up. I then went to another tree behind the base and started
lighting up all the guys at the armory before deciding to run back and warn my team mates of the advancing Red team up the hill. We held them off just in time to accomplish our mission at the missile base. After that I ran out of paint and decided to go to the parking lot and hang out in the tents there where they were selling stuff. I ended up buying a Tippmann shirt and Special Ops tac vest. I met Greg Hastings at a table signing autographs. He signed my Tippmann shirt so did Hitman #007 the leader of the Undertakers and the captain of the Blues Crew and even Doc. I had a terrific day at Coram that weekend and probably never going to forget it.
Ye s t e r da yi twa s65de gr e e s .T omor r owi s s uppos e dt obe26a nds nowi ng.We l c ome t ot hemi dwe s t . He r ei ti s , mi dMa r c ha ndmyt e a mi sge t t i ng r e a dyf ort het hi r da ndl a s tofas e r i e sofni ght ga me st ha tha v ebe e nhe l dt he2ndwe e k e nd oft hel a s tf e wmont hs .Ohy e a h, i tdi ppe di nt o t he“ t e e ns ”l a s tmont h, butt ha tdi dn’ ts t opus . . . we ’ v egott r a i ni ngt odo.
Wet houghti tf i t t i ngt ona meourt e a m“ Ak k a di a n. ” F ort hos ewhodon’ tk now, Ak k a di a nme a ns“ As s a s s i n. ” Wi t ha s s a s s i nbe i ngs uc hane ga t i v ewor d, weopt e d f ors ome t hi ngt ha tc a r r i e dt heme a ni ng, butdi dn’ t putane ga t i v el i ghtont hes por tofpa i nt ba l l k nowi ng t ha tpa i nt ba l l doe s n’ tne e da ny mor ene ga t i v el i ght ! T het e a mi ss pl i ti nt o3ma i ngr oupspr e s e nt l y ; Al phaT e a m, Br a v oT e a m, a nd S pe c i a l F or c e s / S e c ur i t yT e a m.E a c hgr oupi sl e dbya nOf f i c e roft het e a m, a nde a c ht e a mme mbe r wi t hi nt hos egr oupst r a i nsnotonl ywi t ht he i rgr oup, buta sawhol et e a ma swe l l . I a mpr oudt os a yt ha twec ur r e nt l yc ons i s tofwe l l ov e r90y e a r sc ombi ne dpa i nt ba l l e x pe r i e nc e . L i e ut e na ntMi c he l l ea ndI hol dov e r30oft hos eour s e l v e s ! !Weha v e3mi l i t a r yv e t e r a nsa nd ones t i l l a c t i v ea ndpr e s e nt l ys e r v i ngi nI r a q.S T AYS AF EANDY! !Andyi saCQBi ns t r uc t orf ort he Ar mya swe l l a sf orT e a mAk k a di a n. We ’ v egotc ol l e ges t ude nt s , f ur ni t ur ebui l de r s , a ut opa r t ss a l e sma na ge r s , ar a i l r oa dwe l de r , a l a wnc a r es a l e sr e p, a nde v e nade nt a l hy ge ni s tc ur r e nt l ye nl i s t e dont het e a m. Oury ounge s tpl a y e ri s14a ndhol dst her a nkofS e r ge a nt .He ’ se a r ne di t .E v e r y onewhoi sont he t e a mha sha dt oE ARNt he i rpl a c ea tt het a bl e .Ourr a nk sa r eba s e donapoi nt ss y s t e m.Onc ey ou pa s sc e r t a i nl a ndma r k sofpoi nt s , y ouge tpr omot e d.T hemor ey oupl a y , t r a i n, a ndhe l pt hes por t ofpa i nt ba l l , t hemor ee x pe r i e nc ey ouha v e .T hemor ee x pe r i e nc ey ouha v e , t hemor ev a l ua bl e y oua r et ot het e a m.
Ourmos tr e c e nta ddi t i onst ot het e a mha v ec omef r omal oc a l gr oupc a l l i ngt he ms e l v e s“ Ri v e rRa t Pa i nt ba l l . ”T he yha v es ogr a c i ous l yope ne dt he i rpr i v a t ef i e l dt oT e a mAk k a di a nf ort r a i ni ng pur pos e sa nds omeoft he mha v ee v e nbe c omef ul l Ak k a di a nme mbe r s .Be c a us eoft he i rpr i or e x pe r i e nc et oge t he r , t he ya r et r a i ni nga sAk k a di a n’ sS pe c i a l F or c e s / S e c ur i t yT e a m.T he i rba s i c dut i e sa r et opr ot e c tt heT e a mL e a de ra swe l l a st a c k l emi s s i onst ha tr e qui r eac e r t a i n“ f i ne s s e . ”I f i ndt ha tt he yf i twe l l t he r ebe i ngt ha tt he yc ons i s tof , buta r enotl i mi t e dt o, ac r a z yguywi t ha moha wka ndapa s s i onf orpa i nt ba l l l i k eI ’ v ene v e rs e e n, a ndt wi nst ha tl ov et obui l dt he i rown we a pons .Ont opoft ha t , t he ya l l s ha r ea ni ns a t i a bl ehunge rf orc ha l l e nge sa ndt hei mpos s i bl e . T e a mAk k a di a n’ sc ur r e ntobj e c t i v ei sOk l a homaDDa y2009.T ha ti swha twe ’ v ebe e nl i v i ng, br e a t hi ng, a ndt r a i ni ngf or .T e a mAk k a di a nha sbe e nr e c r ui t e dbyt he716t hGe r ma nI nf a nt r i e Di v i s i on.T hi si sourf i r s tr una tOk l a homaDDa y , butwel i k et ot hi nkt ha te v e r yt r a i ni ngs e s s i on, e v e r yga me , a nde v e r yme e t i ngbr i ngsusones t e pc l os e rt opr e pa r e dne s sf ort hi sAWE S OMEe v e nt . Ok l a homaDDa yi sde f i na t e l your“ gol de ngoos e . ”We ’ v edonel a r ge rl oc a l ga me swi t h700+ pa i nt ba l l e r s , butnot hi nga sbi ga st hi s .Re ga r dl e s s , wehopet os howupa ndi nt i mi da t e , notbe i nt i mi da t e d. Be s i de st r a di ngpa i ntwi t hot he r‘ ba l l e r s , a nda mungs tour s e l v e s , T e a mAk k a di a na l s os e e st he i mpor t a nc eofpa r t i c i pa t i ngi nt hePubl i ca swe l l .Pa i nt ba l l ne e dsa l l ofourhe l pt oc ont i nuegr owi ng, l i v i ng, a ndbr e a t hi ng.T e a mAk k a di a ni sdoi ngi t ’ spa r tbypa r t i c i pa t i ngi na nAdopt AHi ghwa y pr ogr a m, a swe l l a sc ons t a nt l yt r y i ngt oge tbus i ne s sgr oups , c hur c hgr oups , l a we nf or c e me ntgr oups , a ndot he r st oc omeouta nde x pe r i e nc ePa i nt ba l l !T e a mAk k a di a ns t r i v e st ohe l pne wc ome r sby gui di ngt he m, t e a c hi ngt he m, a ndbynotov e r s hoot i ngont hef i e l d. I fy ouha ppe nt obea taga me , a nds e et heT e a mAk k a di a npa t c hons ome one ’ sa r m, bes ur et o e x t e ndawa r mgr e e t i ngi ft he yha v e n’ tdones oa l r e a dy .Wel ov et ome e tot he rt e a msa ndpl a y e r s i nt hes por tt ha tl ov epa i nt ba l l a ndwa ntt ohe l pi ts uc c e e da smuc ha swedo. T ha nky out o180pa i nt ba l l f orgi v i ngust hi soppor t uni t y , a ndt ha nky out oMi dwe s tCus t omPa i nba l l f ors pons or i ngus ! !Wec oul dn’ tdoi twi t houtpe opl el i k ey ou! ! !
KPX PRODUCTIONS
By Maureen “Bond Chick� Armstrong
Finland All videos are made in the spirit of "Player to Player"
In March we asked for players from around the Globe to tell us their story. With over 20 countries checking in on us, Finland was the first to take us up on our offer.
For those involved in Northern European paintball you are probably familiar with the videographer in the sport of paintball, Mr. Janne Ivanoff, better known as Karu Pappa.
Karu Pappa (translation: “Rude Old Man”), is very interested in having the rest of the world know about paintball as played in Finland.
serve as a reminder where Karu Pappa is from. I would not be able to speak his language were I to visit his country. Would you?
Through our recent communications he writes about his videos, “You can see games so differently inside the field, than if you would watch them outside the field, behind nets. Yes, we take hits like judges and players, but maybe not so much, although our cameras has not had not so many bad hits, but yes few hits has came to cameras, but it is name of the game.”
In one of his initial emails Karu wrote: “This weekend here at Finland is first round of league paintball and I’m going to shoot some video there, at least 2 days, with many cameras, at least 1 HD cam, one HD helmet cam and high speed camera.
Although Karu Pappa was concerned that his English was too poor to use as text with his footage it is absolutely the perfect touch to
It would be cool to have some Finnish paintball to knowledge of us paintballers. Let me know if you are interested of using my
videos at magazine.”
your
Are you kidding me?! OF COURSE we want to see how the sport is played worldwide.
It is my honor to further present Karu in his own words:
came other photographers to field, so I moved on to videos.
“Introducing KPX Productions, player to player videos.
I usually video shoot with my girlfriend Hanna "Xannah" Orrenmaa and she also plays Paintball and is definitely much better than me.
Video footage by Janne "Karu Pappa" Ivanoff, age 33. Played paintball about 4 years, but in year 2007 I took my video cameras with me to the fields of paintball and KPX productions was born. Before that I took only photos of paintball, but then there
Usually everybody just thanks me for video shooting, but Xannah needs also as much credit from videos as me, without her I would not shoot those videos.
Hanna "Xannah" Orrenmaa
All videos are made as a hobby by both of us. This first video is shot at Kirkkonummi, Finland, Progames field, where was Inspire Cup tournament May 3, 2009. Filmed with Highspeed camera, so video is shown 300 fps (frames per second), as regular video camera shoots 30 fps, so everything in paintball is now visible. I think I'm
the only one who has shot videos with a highspeed camera, at least for now.” “I have to say that it was very difficult make some normal speed videos after doing one year only slow motion videos, cutting clips and fitting them to stream was extremely difficult, so that 1 Division video was almost just practicing.”
Inspire Cup Programes – http://kpx.galleria.fi/kuvat/2009/Paintball/Inspire+ Cup%2C+Progames/InspireCup_300fps.wmv (if that link doesn’t work try this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CL79ilJLT4) My absolute favorite minutes of the above video are 4:39 – 5:00. You’ve got to watch this video through to the end. The ref dive towards the end is priceless. God Bless Refs all over the world.
3rd Division games from Ikaalinen, Finland. Filmed May 24th, 2009 by KPX Productions. http://www.youtube.com/user/PaintballDOTfi
2nd Division games from Ikaalinen, Finland. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-jncFxTnUM Filmed May 24th, 2009 by KPX Productions. 1st Division games from Ikaalinen, Finland. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkQKgSKcm Dc Filmed May 23rd, 2009 by KPX Productions. Karu Pappa continues with, “All videos will come to http://kpx.galleria.fi/kuva t/2009/Paintball/ next week and you can download Federations videos from there to your computer. Then just copy videos to your memory stick and copy
videos for example to your PS3 and watch them via big LCD television, Even if I say so myself it looks very impressive on big television, because resolution in those videos are 1280 x 720 (HD720p)”
One of the obstacles Karu is faced with as a videographer is the need for legal, free and copywrite free music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0sNlJkESRg&feat ure=related You can help out and get world wide recognition at the same time. If you’ve got music you want to get noticed, send it in! karu_pappa@hotmail.com Let him know you heard about his need for music from 180 Paintball.
“For these videos so far I have used 4 songs, now I need another 4 songs for next round of federation games. Next tournament we have planned to shoot regular video + judge video + player video, meaning that I will put my HD helmet cam on to player and referee. Then I have planned to shoot slow motion, when my girlfriend shoots regular video...so next rounds videos, might look again very different.”- Karu Pappa
You hace got to check out the vids he’s filmed of paintball in slow motion.
Slow Motion One http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLkCINmME c&NR=1 Slow Motion Two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsJ3doEjf6s& feature=related
Screen Capture
Screen Capture
Karu has promised video footage of the Big Games in August in addition to some woodsball footage in our October 1st issue. Want to know more about the SPBL? Check back with us in October to learn more. Our eyes are on Finland – and their eyes are on us! http://paintball.fi/page.php?id=1783 If you like the music from Karu Pappa’s videos he offers the following links to download from: http://www.mikseri.net/artists/?id=20933 Championship music http://www.mikseri.net/artists/theknob.15999.php 1. div music http://www.mikseri.net/artists/tosissaanlapalla.62527.php 2. div music
Don’t Neglect The
GIRLS
We know you're out there. We know you're playing. A special edition of 180Paintball Magazine will feature Girls In Paint. The Real Women that play the sport. Ladies, tell us how it is. Does it hurt? What about the bruises? How do the male players treat you? Do you recommend this sport to your sisters? Get your female team featured. Show Us Your Tanks! What local fields, if any, have a day just for Girls? Does anybody out there have a pink marker? With bling? Who is the youngest/oldest female player out there?
Photographs by Mariel Bilyeu http://www.marielbilyeu.com
Marker by Str8shooter Invert Olive Mini Custom Rails Hammerhead Barrel Dye Rotor Hopper
Sarah 19, Tennessee
Political Correctness According to Silverback
Hey there fellow paintball junkies, let me introduce myself. My name is Sam Moyers, but on the paintball fields and forums I am known as “Silverback”. For those of you not familiar with the term, it refers to the “Alpha” or Lead Gorilla of the group. Due to their age, they commonly have grey hair across their backs, hence “Silverback”. So by my nickname, you could correctly guess that I am a “take charge”, type “A” person, on or off the paintball field. And as my spouse “lovingly” points out; due to my age and experience, I generally think I am right all the time. (Thanks sweetie!) That being said, let’s get onto the purpose of this little corner of “180 Paintball”; Political Correctness according to Silverback, and I assure you, my ideas about political correctness, are ANYTHING BUT, politically correct. As Paintballers, we all march to the tune of a different drummer, and most of us eat, drink, sleep and LIVE PAINTBALL. But even among hardcore paintball fanatics, there is a group that
is not satisfied with the “Status Quo” or “Fitting in”. These players are always looking for different ways to “spice up” the game of paintball; they were always the Indians, instead of the cowboys, when playing Cowboys and Indians, or the Robbers, in Cops and Robbers. Now as Paintballers they choose to play Japanese, Germans, Russians or any side other than the proverbial “good guys”. And these Paintballers be US! I myself am a 2nd Leutnant (Lieutenant) in the D-day, German Special Operations Airborne Group, 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment. When I told my father, who, as a teenager, lived in Heidelberg, Germany for seven years between 1947 and 1954, that I was a member of the 6FJR, he said, “What! You’re playing a damn NAZI! What the hell’s wrong with you! I raised you better than that!” Now my father knows that I do not believe in, nor condone what the Nazi Party did before and during the Second World War, but it was an emotional response to the Germany of WWII. Your friends and family may have the same response if you told them you were going to play an Iraqi soldier in an “Iraqi Freedom” Scenario game. Since the Iraq War is in the news, many people might think you were siding with the Old Iraqi Saddam Hussein regime, but this would not be the case would it?
In order to play a game, you need TWO teams, or sides; in WWII scenarios, it’s ALLIED and AXIS and the Axis include the Germans, Italians and the Japanese. So in order to play the game SOMEONE has to play for the AXIS, correct? And since it’s no fun to play a game when the competition SUCKS, you always try and get the BEST players to play on BOTH sides (Naturally we want more of the best players on our side…). In fact some of the greatest military minds have been on the opposing side; Field Marshall Erwin Rommel was a master of Armored Infantry tactics and wrote several books on the subject, which were studied closely by the Allied Armored Infantry General, George S. Patton Jr., also a master of Armored Infantry tactics, due in part to the study of ENEMY tactics. How does this relate to paintball scenario, and Mil-Sim games, you ask? Well, I’m not sure, but I was on a roll, and I always liked Rommel and Patton, when studying WWII history…. SO GET OVER IT… Let’s get back to the point of this article. When your friends and family ask, “Why do you play GERMAN? You like playing a NAZI?” You simply explain to them that NO ONE, in their right mind would want to be a NAZI, they were EVIL, TWISTED, PSYCHOPATHS. The same can be said for any opposing force from ANY war. (EXCEPT, the Civil War… DON’T YOU DARE
cast dispersions of any type at General Robert E. Lee!) Sorry, I digress again, where were we, oh yes… This whole issue breaks down to this, when we play paintball as AXIS, or any other “bad guys” in a scenario, or Mil-Sim game; first, we are simply playing on the “other side” in a game that requires two sides, or teams in order to play. And secondly, and most important, we represent the common Soldier who fought with HONOR and BRAVERY, because they were PATRIOTS, and realized their DUTY to the country that enlisted them into a war not of their design or choosing. REMEMBER, most “Politically Incorrect” issues come about because people have a pre-conceived idea about an issue and do not take the time to check out the opposing view. Having only part of the story, they generally have a myopic, one sided opinion, which usually involves the other person being wrong, or uncaring, i.e. Politicus corruptus. In short, who or what is Politically Incorrect (Politicus corruptus), depends on whose point of view you get. The moral of the story: Check things out for yourself, and don’t take anyone else’s word for anything. This is why I still shoot an AUTOMAG RT and E-MAG with devastating results to my opposition, despite most of the paintball community claiming the AUTOMAG is a “Paint Blender” and not worth a damn! Am I preaching again? Sorry bout that…
Hopefully, this will help with any issues you, as a paintball player, may run into because of your interest and motivation to play for “The Dark Side”. If not, I am sorry; after all, what do I know… I ALWAYS PLAY ON THE “DARK SIDE”, THEY HAVE COOKIES, AND THEY’RE GREAT!!!! Do you have a paintball related issue that is Politicus corruptus? Send your questions to: politicuscorruptus@180paintball.org
Tactical Series
Defensive Operations Adapted from U.S. Army Training Doctrine by: Master Sergeant Steven Armstrong
Though the outcome of decisive combat derives from offensive actions, it is necessary and inevitable at some point in time to defend. The general task and purpose of all defensive operations is to defeat an enemy attack and gain the initiative for offensive operations. Purpose of the Defense • • • • •
Disrupt or Disorganize Delay Defeat an attacking enemy Deny an area to an attacking enemy Protect a flank
While it is said that in the defense the purpose is to delay or deny an area to the enemy, there is a bit of a misnomer here. A static defense is anything but static. No successful defense in world history was ever conducted by and army who waited to be attacked. Combat operations, offensive or defensive in nature have to aggressively be undertaken. In the defense a force must prepare for combat by moving into defensive positions (finding defendable ground). They must moreover establish their defensive positions (to ensure all areas are adequately covered). Successful defenses have knowledge of the enemy prior to engagement (locate the enemy). In addition, the defense has a much greater chance of success if the defenders initiate contact and know what actions to take upon enemy contact. As if this were not enough to do, consolidation and reorganization within the fight, not just after, has often been the deciding factor in a successful defense.
Characteristics of the Defense • • • • •
Preparation Security Disruption Massing effects Flexibility
As a leader there are certain responsibilities to ensure a good defense. Priorities of Work – Leaders must ensure that Soldiers prepare for the defense quickly and efficiently. Work must be done in order of priority to accomplish the most in the least amount of time while maintaining security and the ability to respond to enemy action. Listed are basic considerations for priorities of work. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Emplace local security. Position and assign sectors of fire. Establish command post. Clear fields of fire and prepare range cards. Prepare sector sketches. Prepare fighting positions with frontal and side cover. Establish communication and coordination with adjacent units. Review sector sketches. Emplace antitank. Improve primary fighting positions. Prepare supplementary and then alternate positions. Distribute and stockpile ammunition. Dig trenches to connect positions. Continue to improve positions, replace camouflage
Defensive positions may be classified as primary, alternate, supplementary, or subsequent positions. All positions should provide observation and fields of fire within the weapons or platoon’s assigned sector. They should take advantage of natural cover and concealment even before Soldiers begin to camouflage them. Soldiers improve their ability to reposition by using covered routes or communications trenches; by employing smoke; or by planning and rehearsing the repositioning by fire and maneuver. Primary positions - A primary position provides Soldier, weapon crew, or unit the best means to accomplish the assigned mission. Establishing the platoon’s primary positions, the platoon leader and subordinate leaders normally plan for preparation and occupation of alternate, supplementary, and subsequent positions. Alternate positions - Covers the same avenue of approach or sector of fire as the primary position. Located slightly to the front, flank, or rear of the primary position. Positioned forward of the primary defensive positions during limited visibility operations. Normally employed to supplement or support positions with weapons of limited range, such as Infantry squad positions. They are also used as an alternate position to fall back to if the original position is rendered ineffective or as a position for Soldiers to rest or perform maintenance.
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The requirement to cover the squad’s assigned sector by fire
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The need for security; that is, prevent infiltrations of the squad position
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The requirement to prevent the enemy from using hand grenades effectively to assault adjacent positions, should he gain a fighting position
Each gun is given a primary and secondary sector of fire. Their sectors of fire should overlap each other and those of adjacent platoons. A gunner fires in his secondary sector only if there are no targets in his primary sector, or when ordered to do so. All of the positions should have interlocking and mutually supporting fields of fire. Very rarely if ever should a soldier fire directly to his front at the enemy. Properly laid out sectors of fire will have each soldier covering the area in front of the fighting position to his left or right while maintaining cover from enemy fire to the front.
Supplementary positions - Covers an avenue of approach or sector of fire different from those covered by the primary position. They are occupied based on specific enemy actions. Subsequent Positions - Covers the same avenue of approach and or sector of fire as the primary position. Located in depth through the defensive area. Occupied based on specific enemy actions or conducted as part of the higher headquarters’ scheme of maneuver. As a guideline, a paintball squad of 8 individuals can physically occupy a front of about 70 feet. From this position, it can defend 100 to 120 feet of frontage. The frontage distance between twoman fighting positions should be about 10 feet; however, terrain will always ultimately dictate the distances between positions. Every position should be observed and supported by the fires of at least two other positions. In determining the best distance between fighting positions, the squad leader must consider:
NOTE: The picture above is a two man position with the primary sectors of fire shown as the angles to the front left and right As the enemy attacks forward, they encounter the frontal cover (parapet) of the fighting position to their front; at the same time receiving direct fire from at least two and up to six fighting positions on their flanks. The key to this defense is the interlocking fields of fire working with the frontal cover provided by the parapet.
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Dead space to include coverage by grenade launchers
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Obstacles, mines, and booby traps
A typical squad sector sketch would look something like this.
Mutually supporting fighting positions. A range card is a sketch of the assigned sector for a direct fire weapon system on a given sector of fire. A range card aids in planning and controlling fires and aids the crews and squad gunners in acquiring targets during periods of limited visibility. Range cards show possible target areas and terrain features plotted in relation to a firing position. The process of walking and sketching the terrain to create a range card allows the individual Soldier or gunner to become more familiar with his sector. Range cards also aid replacement personnel in becoming oriented on the sector. Soldiers should continually assess the sector, and if necessary, update their range cards. Detailed sketches aid in the planning, distribution, and control of the platoon fires. Gunners prepare the range cards. Squad leaders prepare squad sector sketches, section leaders prepare section sketches, and the platoon leader prepares the platoon sketch. Each squad leader prepares a sector sketch to help plan the defense and to help control fire. The squad leader prepares two copies of the sector sketch. He/she gives one copy to the platoon leader and keeps the second copy at his/her position. The sketch shows the following: •
The main terrain features in his sector of fire and the ranges to them
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Each primary fighting position
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Alternate and supplementary positions
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The primary and secondary sectors of fire of each position
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Maximum engagement line
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Observation posts and the squad leader’s position
Please note how all of the individual fields of fire are at 45 degree angles from the front. Anything in these converging fields of fire would be destroyed. In this sketch 10 soldiers have the entire front of the area covered. This type of overlap is repeated layer upon layer from trench line to trench line, all the while giving NO fire directly to the front, thus giving the enemy nothing to shoot at. As the battle progresses, the leadership must continually evaluate for weaknesses just as the attacking army would do. As a potential weakness is discovered, reconsolidation and reorganization is necessary to continue the successful defense. Personnel may be moved to alternate fighting positions or subsequent positions to repel the attack. Speed and flexibility are the key to reconsolidation and reorganization. Taken as an aggressive tactical combat operation, the defense is just as dynamic as a direct attack or raid. However, it will set the tone for offensive operations within the area of operation. The reverse cannot be said.
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Oklahoma D-Day The World’s Largest Paintball Event!
-SPECIAL EDITION-
Devoted To Oklahoma D-Day Coverage! Attending the game and want to tell your side? Have a great story to share? Tell it like it is! The article submission deadline is June 27 . th
Send your stories to: 180Paintball@Gmail.com
Game winner takes the July cover! Who will it be? Allied? Axis?
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SEE YOU JULY 1 ! Til Then Just Chill Out
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