Turnout: 8. Game Report by Joe Lambert and Mike Abrele

Pre-Game We had 8 players show. The weather was ideal for paintball, mid to high 40's (though the wind was a tad stiff). Jeremiah and I got to the "Backyard" first, about 11:30 am. Jeremiah is (was) a first time player, 9 or 10 years old, the son of my wife's friend Diane. He was very excited about playing. I was letting him use my trusty old Spyder (which started double ball shooting until I figured it out and Mike loaned me a new ball detent nub). We got the guns chronied and were getting ready as the rest of the guy's started showing up. Aaron, Mark, Ryan, Ken, and Craig (who came straggling in last). With Mike, Jeremiah and I that made 8. Below are the games as I remember.

Saturday was sunny, with a light breeze and highs into the 50s, an excellent day for paintball. I would not have been surprised to have a turn out of twenty.

Game 1. {Attack/Defense} I thought, since we had a couple of new players it would be good to play "Attack/Defense" with the new guys in the Bunker on defense. I figured it would be less confusing than capture the flag, and defense limits your decisions, thus simplifying things for the more inexperienced players. Craig volunteered to to command the defense, with Jeremiah, Ryan and Aaron, leaving the more experienced player on attack. The defense was stiff (I was hit after shooting Jeremiah in the gun) but brief with Craig going down early. Attackers win.

Those who came out to play split into two teams of four each, the yellow team who wanted to defend the Bunker fort, and the red team whose goal was to capture it in less than 15 minutes. We, red, decided not to spread out too far but keep our fire power somewhat together. Joe and Mark went center & left, Kenny and I went right. No one on the ridge East of the bunker. I advanced to a large pile of sticks about 40 feet in front of the pig pen and soon received fire. Kenny took cover behind a pallet behind & to my right & returned fire. I could see movement and attempted putting paint through the pig pen's holes. Splatter & near misses, a paint ball tugs at my face mask's vale as it skimmed by. He's on target, I duck for cover but pop back up shooting when Kenny returns fire. One of us score a hit. I'd lost sight of Joe & Mark buy they were defiantly keeping the yellow team busy. I chance an advance on the pig pen & take it, gaining a lethal view of the Bunker. No targets, no movement. I start to advance when someone calls "Game over".

Game 2. {Attack/Defense} After the intro game I was ready to re-choose the teams, but Craig's pride wanted to have another go at us with the same teams! This time he wanted the rolls reversed with he and the lads on attack! Just before the game started I suggested we all stay inside the Bunker, to lessen our flexibility and give the attackers a better chance. Ken and I took the bottom leaving Mark and Mike up top. This game lasted longer, we all shot more paint, but it went about the same. It was down to 1 attacker and still four defenders, with time running out, that I announced to my teammates I was moving out of the Bunker to speed things up. Aaron was the lone attacker, I moved to out flank him, dodging a few of his long shots. I got him just about as the clock was running out. I noticed afterwards I had taken an unfelt hit on my web belt. I apologized to Aaron for my error but I think he was just as glad to get the game over with before the rest of my teammates started moving out of the fort.

Red's turn to defend the Bunker. Yellow will start as we did, from the staging area. We decided to give yellow free advance by all four of us staying in the Bunker. Kenny and Joe took the lower level, Mark and I in the upper. Game on! We could see two yellows moving through the reeds and expected them to circle and attack from both sides. I kept watch on the pig pen and ridge area for the other two. Both yellows came out of the reeds to the pallet pile at the Bunker's 1:00. The other two show up advancing on the Dead Man's fort. I fire a couple of long shots at Craig to test my range. One drops a full ten feet in front of him. He moves forward and I try again, coming close. Only have a hopper of paint, can't afford many long shots. Yellow takes the Dead Man's fort. Its in range. We trade shots. I'm over confident from my higher & better cover. A paint ball that hums past my head. I get down & use a gun port. Two shots come in close, curving just right and left of the port. He's got my range. I'm on him as well. One drops into his silhouette he calls out. One of the yellows behind the pallet pile make a dash for closer cover and makes it under a hail of long shots. Soon two more yellows are long balled away. Joe could not take any more staying in one place. He moved out to flank the last yellow and end the game. Joe was soon eliminated. Nice shooting! One of the remaining three defenders tagged him for another red win.

Game 3. {Capture the Flag} We mixed the teams again. Mike, Ken, Jerimiah, and myself on red vs Mark, Ryan, Aaron and Craig the yellows. We then played 2 capture the flag games between the Stick fort and the Old fort. The first game my team manned the old fort. We decided to go full on defense and see if we would get a chance to go over to offense as things swung in our favor. It never swung. Everyone except Mark stayed on the same side of the creek. The game went the distance and ended in a tie with the yellows knocking on our door.

We traded Mark for a less experienced player to better balance the teams. Next game: Capture the flag; Old Fort verses the seldom used Stick Fort. Yellow in the Sticks. We decide not to try to attack. The stick Fort it's self is hard to defend, but the new bunkers in the "pinch point" more than make up for the fort's weakness. Knowing this, we hope to reduce yellow's advance before attempting a push. Game on! I advanced in hope of a target of opportunity but mainly for reconnaissance. I reached the Crossing Fort, could see someone behind a "pinch point" bunker and knew I could go no farther. Movement in the woods advancing on my right. Time to fall back. Take up a new position behind a pallet about 50 feet in front of & to the right of the Old Fort. Movement in the woods. That yellow guy is still advancing. I relay that back to the team. Long shots from the Crossing Fort drop past my position and thud against my pallet. I return fire. Jeremiah moves up to the tree to my left & adds support. Near misses for both sides. Fire erupts from the creek bank. Something thumps my forearm. I pivot back to get some protection from my pallet and check my arm. Its clean. Return fire at the noise, then at weed movement. Nothing. Glance to the right. Movement. I call to Jeremiah to fall back and do the same. We take positions in the Old Fort. Crag advances to the big hedge tree some 60 feet this side of the Crossing Fort and just in range. Looks like Mark and Ryan on the other side of the creek; must be Aaron in the woods to our right still trying to advance but held in check by Kenny and Jeremiah. Craig is getting splatter from three of us. Joe is trying to get a ball through the brush to Mark and Ryan. Only a few minutes left. Ryan gets tagged when he emerges on this side of the creek. Time runs out. Tied game.

Game 4. {Capture the Flag} The second Stick/Old game starting with us at the Stick fort was my best game. Mike and I took the left. We pushed forward when Mike got penned down by Aaron, who was behind a pallet, and Craig who was long balling him from the back fence line on our left flank. I moved in to help as Mike extricated himself and swung behind me. Craig was just starting to annoy me with his increasing close fire when Ken (I thing) long balled him and took him out of play. I then scored a lucky hit on Aaron who was using his pallet cover very well. I thought, "now we're gong to roll them up", when Mark, sensing my thoughts, dashed over from the creek side to the same pallet Aaron had been manning. Mark held us off until I got another lucky hit as he popped up. Ryan was no where to be seen. Ken moved up near Jeremiah from the Crossing fort. Jeremiah fired at the Old fort thinking he saw something. Mike seemed to be missing. I started slipping along the left/hill side trying to get a bead on the openings in the fort. Suddenly Jeremiah ran in fount of me Spyder blazing into the fort and then grabs the flag the flag. Ken accompanied Jeremiah back to our fort with the flag. Mike showed up and guarded the Old fort with me until our teammates placed the flag and won the game. It turned out Ryan had crossed the creek, went all the way to the bridge, came down the trail behind us and was on his way back with our flag, but didn't make it in time.

We switch objectives. We have attack in mind when the game starts. We'll focus on staying on this side of the creek to concentrate fire power. Joe and I go left. Jeremiah and Kenny go center and right. (Kenny will watch the creek for infiltration attempts.) I spot a yellow behind the pallet I defended the last game and tell Joe. Scant cover. I swing right to a fair size (buy far smaller than I would like) tree for an angle. Fire a couple shots but the holes in the brush just are not right. Joe found a hole and is pelting his position. If I can move farther ahead ... no! Craig is taking a position at my near 12:00 and sighting for a hole. I retreat while I can. Joe has the pallet covered. Jeremiah has advanced to the big hedge tree and hassling Craig. I swing around Joe for a different angle on that pallet. Joe has his attention, Craig can't see me. No fire from the fort. I risk exposure for a shot. Can see butt pack, missed it but not his attention. Trade shots and jump back to cover. We do this dance a few times, narrowing the protection from his pallet. He must give me or Joe a shot. I think it was Joe who got him. We move. I to the hedge. Joe forward. Jeremiah went up to the pallet we just won. Somewhere in the fray Craig and Aaron were eliminated and I moved from hedge to (right) pallet to across the creek and advanced. Where is Ryan? I see Jeremiah push quickly into the fort to pull the flag. I cross the creek into the rear of the fort as Jeremiah runs out, flag in hand. Kenny joins Ryan on the flag run. I take a position on the Old Fort's rampart and see Joe aiming at me! "Red man, red man" I yell out, showing my arm band. (Don't shot me Joe.) I'm not the only one nervous about that missing man. Some three minutes left. Joe and I won't give a flag carrier easy access to this fort. About three minutes left when we hear Kenny yell out "Game over!". They reached home fort with the yellow flag. Moments later I spot movement across the creek. It our flag and Ryan. Does he know the games over? I wait until he reaches the creek and call out "Bang!, your dead." and finish putting my barrel plug in. Ryan had ran all the way around so he could not be seen. Crossed the bridge. Got our flag and returned the way he came. Make me tired to think of it. If his team had held just four more minutes they would have won.

Game 5. {Capture the Flag} The next 2 capture the flag games were started at the Corner fort and the Bunker. In the first one we (red) started at the Corner fort. Mike and Jeremiah decided to go to the right toward the field while Ken and I would hold the fort and wait for things to develop. Ken long balled Craig (much to my glee) seconds from the start. I heard firing off to my right in the field. I moved up and got Ryan trying to make a break to the Bunker from the hill side. I moved closer and caught Aaron not looking in the bottom of the bunker. Things were looking real good. Only Mark was left in the top of the Bunker know, I could now smell the sweet scent of victory. I moved toward the field and got behind a pallet and started trading shots with Mark, knowing it was just a matter of time before Mike and/or Jeremiah would show up behind him. Suddenly Jeremiah pops up over the rise straight across from me and comes running toward my pallet, I was urging him to find a better spot when Mark hit me in my now exposed side. Jeremiah ended up quite close to the Bunker, but only lasted about 15 seconds against Mark's well placed shots. About this time I noticed Mike was out, walking in from the field! Mark, on a roll then dueled with Ken for about 6 more minutes before taking him out and winning the game. Yellow wins. Wow, it just shows you how quickly things can reverse in paintball. The only thing that made up for our loss was listening to Craig complaining (whining) about Ken's "another lucky hit".

Next game, capture the flag, yellow in the Bunker, red in the Corner Fort. Game on. Joe and Kenny go center and left Jeremiah and I go right. We move quickly to the ridge and the way looks clear to the tri bunker, just below the ridge and about 60 feet West of the Bunker. We take cover in it. Looks like Aaron is behind a stack of pallets about 10 feet this side of the Bunker. We need him out of their to gain control of the center field. We exchanged a few shots. I moved up with Jeremiah & told him I'm going to try a flanking run to cover. I fired a couple of shots and I'm off ... lets see ... three seconds to acquirer a running target. This target is firing a pattern all around the targeter as it runs. No good. I changed course to further away (and better) cover. I got stung on the upper side of the head followed by one on the back of the leg. After few running steps , I'm behind the cover. The stinging on the head is dry. No surprise, breaks hurt less. But the sting on the back of the leg is a big green spat. "Out!" I spend the rest of the game calling out time remaining and watching both teams whittle down to Mark in the top of the Bunker and Kenny behind a pallet some 70 feet North West of the Bunker. They fire away at each other in front their barrel plugged fans watching anxiously from their hillside bleacher for some 5 minutes until Mark scores a hit to win the game. He had roughly four minutes to get & retrieve the flag.

Game 6. {Capture the Flag} The next game, a reserved version of the one we just lost, went our way. Starting at the Bunker Mike and I took to the field. My idea was to try to get to the Log fort and put pressure on them while Jeremiah and Ken held the Bunker. Mark saw what I was up to and beat me to the Log fort. I scrambled back to the nearest pallet in the field just in time. While I was trading shots with Mark, Mike, off to my right, got Craig (long ball shot in the top of his head while he was lying prone). As Craig passed me moving out of the fire zone with his barrel plug in, he said, "I think he actually was aiming at my head!!" "We shouldn't have got him the Autococker", was my response. Mike charged into the brush at the bottom of the rise and got into it with Mark. I decided to throw caution to the winds and charge the Log fort hoping Mark would stay locked up with Mike long enough for me to take him out. I had only covered about half of the distance when I heard first Mark and THEN Mike call themselves out. They apparently had gotten each other. As I slipped up to the creek side of the Log fort I saw Ryan about halfway between me and the Corner fort on my side of a log pallet. He didn't notice me and moved off of the rise down onto the field toward the Bunker. I moved quietly to the spot he just left and saw him in easy range, on my side of some cover, with his back to me. It would have been an easy shot with my Shocker but there was way too much brush between us. I looked toward the Corner fort and saw Aaron looking toward the bunker, unaware of me. I decided he was the better target. I moved quickly along the fence line and got him before he figured it out. The Corner fort had to be unoccupied, so the headed for it. I was entering the fort when I saw Jeremiah, my little buddy coming from the other side I waved to let him know who I was, grabbed the flag and handed it to him to run it bag for the win. I told him to run along the hill, staying away from the field side where I had last seen Ryan. He got back OK, Red won.

Trade objectives and try again. Joe and I push out to the center, Joe plans on advancing to the Log Fort when we see Mark running for the same, full tilt through the woods. At this rate, Mark should reach cover while Joe is still in the open. Joe holds up at a set of pallets 60 feet in front of the Log Fort Craig also comes out on the ridge. I fall back to the Pallet pile to keep an eye on Craig and the ridge. Looks like Ryan has moved up to a pallet some 60 feet West of the Bunker. Craig calls out our positions, but "somewhere near the Bunker" indicates he does not see me. I wait until his head turns, then charge low straight for the tri-bunker. Made it! I have Ryan flanked but lots of brush between us. He wisely falls back. I concentrate on Craig who does not know I'm here. I send some calling cards and he hits the deck to dodge them. I try aimed shots for brush hole with lots of Craig in the back ground and find one. Craig calls out. Ryan has a good position but there is a lot of brush for my cover. If I can rush ahead and left to the ridge, I'll be flanking Mark and should get him if he doesn't see me coming. Then I'll worry about Ryan. Its a calculated risk. I wait 'til Joe fires and rush. I make the ridge but Mark is watchful and turns to defend. We exchange a volley and Mark calls out just when I hear a "Whap" on my gun and my sight turns all green. He hit my plastic elbow & red dot sight. That ball was in the air when he called. I'm out too. Mark and I watch from the open. Ryan moves up to the tri-bunker. He does not know Joe is coming up behind him. Joe watches from the trees. "Doesn't he see Ryan" I whisper. But Joe has apparently sized up the field differently and move to a different objective. It is not much longer before red brings in the flag to win.

Game 7. {Attack/Defense} I was getting tired, but they guys wanted one more game. Attack/Defend on the Bridge fort with us as the attackers was decided. Mike and Ken took the left in the brush, I took the right side of field and I sent Jeremiah into the reeds on the far right. There was no resistance on our side and we got up to the edge of the trees pretty quick. I saw Craig and Aaron around the staging build starting to fire at Mike and Ken, I had a good flank shot over the brush, so I stood up tall (I'm 6'6") and held my Shocker over my head and started raining on them. I was to much for them so they took off toward the bridge. Ken got Craig (you guess it, long ball), and Aaron was also hit by one of us. Upon moving closer Mark turned out to be (uncharacteristically static) in the top of the Bridge fort and Ryan was nowhere to be seen (I was thinking he must be out). I could hear that Mike had moved around the staging building when his autococker started pinning Mark in the fort. I covered for Miah as he slipped into cover about 30 feet from the fort. I was firing through the gun ports when Mike got Mark. I was trying to yell "Game Over" when Craig said "No, we still have another guy in play". I was wrong about Ryan, Mike and I went toward the fort. Mike was entering the fort about the time I got hit by Ryan from across the creek. Seeing him, Mike finished the last Yellow and Red won another.

We all had a good time, even Craig. It was a good day, hope to see you next time, Joe

Last game. Yellow will defend the Bridge Fort. Kenny and I move left. Joe and Jeremiah center and right. I work my way up the left tape line with no resistance. Only occasional sounds of contest. I continue to advance and loose sight of my team. This is not good. I've out pushed the team and their support. Its a habit I just can't seem to break and gets me lots of rest and game watching. But here I am. Okay, they don't know I'm here, maybe, its a risk. I continue to advance and am almost even with the "big tree' when a short burst of paint comes my way. Down and moving, I know that they know I'm here. If I can only stay concealed. Hard with no leaves. I reach a seldom used log bunker due North and just in range of the Bridge Fort. Craig is behind the large pallet pile about half way between Bridge Fort and me. We exchange shots. I call to the team to "Move up". Craig tried a dash to the staging building. I try but I don't think I connected. If, no when, he comes around the building, I could be in trouble. But Craig calls out. Could I have gotten that lucky, or did someone else tag him? I wait 'til Mark in the top of the Bridge Fort is busy with other targets and move up to the fire wood bunker. From there I can see Aaron behind a bunker some 30 feet West of the Bridge Fort. It takes several tries, each after trying to keep Mark down so he don't eliminate me. Finally, I see a pink blob appear on his hopper. I call out "Check your hopper!" and he calls hit. Now its time for me to swing around the staging building. It's a hard think to catch Mark unaware. He pops out of the back door and into my sights. My luck holds and I win the exchange. One left, Ryan. I had seen him earlier near the creek. I scan the creek bank. No Ryan. Risk a dash to the fort & take it. Got to hold it for a minute by standard attack & defend rules. I spot Ryan on the other side of the creek. He takes out Joe while I find a hole in the brush and tag him. Game over.

Mark in game 5