Ever since I was a kid I wanted to get in a game of paintball but whenever someone scheduled a match, I had plans. This time around, being single there was nothing holding me back. And the game was glorious albeit with a few complications.
I showed up ill equipped to say the least. When the other guys started to show up to get the game on they were wearing camoflauge and I? Well I rolled up in some old jeans and a white t-shirt. Apparently I didn't get the memo of appropriate attire. So I rolled into the paintball shop and picked up some gear. Cha ching and $140 later I walked out with some decent paintball gear (pants and a shirt). Changing in the car I re-engaged. Then it was off to get the rental equipment. Needless to say it was time to head back into the shop as it was raining and my mask's lens were fogging like it was cool. I was not having that for my first trip out to the field. Another $100 later and I had a pretty bad ass mask.
After the last of the stragglers arrived it was time for us to hit the field. We had our own referee so we had the courses to ourselves with just 11 people. The rules are explained and the horn sounds. Heart starts pumping because you don't know where the hostility is coming from. Marine Corps tactics start coming back quick and you're wondering if they can be properly employed in this environment. Within a few moments you say yes, but also no as the rental guns lack any semblance of accuracy. I wasn't the first knocked out, but my teammate did shoot me as I scared the hell out of him.
We played so many games, and there were memorable shots. I was blasted in the jugular and that felt pretty good until I was blasted later on at point blank range in the chest during another match. That match it was capture the flag where you call yourself out. Translation says he with the biggest balls willing to take some punishment can with the match. Well one guy did just that at the expense of me blasting the hell out of him about 30 times in the back at point blank range as well. He earned that win to say the least.
I too had a couple memorable moments. I managed in one match to sneak up behind enemy lines and was about to take out two members of the other team only for a couple of my teammates confusing me with the other team. Yeah, I was lit up about 15 times before I threw the arm up in submission. That was becoming an all too common occurrence. I tried that tactic again in another game and came away with a win where I knocked out all but one member of the other team. It was non stop supressing fire scaring the hell out of them as I charged to close in on the kills. Then there were the coordinated attacks. I was providing cover far allowing my boy Rajah to advance. As I was picking away at one guy pegging him in the ankles non stop, he refocused his attack upon me. Calling out to Rajah I told him to flank him. After a couple minutes Rajah did just that and it was something you would see in Saving Private Ryan where he charged over the bunker and firing on those in the bunker. My vantage point was awesome as Rajah got the kill, but was then taken out by another... which enabled myself and Dennis to take out the final guy. Rajah sacrificed for the team in a Medal of Honor type manner. The final game was much like that one, but I was finally the guy to run in for the flag dodging fire and earning the win.
And now? Well I'm bruised as hell, sore to an extreme, but can't wait to get out there again. This time around I will have a better paintball gun. It was a hell of a lot of fun and I would encourage others to give it a try. |
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