The Joy of Outfoxing

Out of boredom, I thought I'd post one of my favorite paintball memories, for posterity.

It was sometime in the mid-nineties, and a group of about ten of us had gathered for some recreational play in some river bottoms that line the banks of the Snake River. After a few friendly games, we noticed another group of about ten guys in full camo approaching us, paintball guns slung over their shoulders. They too had the same idea. They seemed like nice guys, and it wasn't long before it was decided we should band up and play together as one large group.

We played a few mixed games with them. By mixed, I mean we were all mingled together...no us vs them mentality. It was all fun and games, until they decided that they wanted to take us on. Their most out-spoken player said, " Hey how about us versus you guys for a game?" Suddenly the competitive juices started to flow. Don't get me wrong. They were the consumate good sports, but you could feel that somehow a lot of pride was being laid on the line. We all felt a burning need to beat these guys, and show them who was king.

We agreed. The format would be simple. Elimination. Each team would start from opposite ends of the field. The goal was simply to eliminate the other team. No flag to capture or other objectives to win. The last team with a surviving player on the field won. We seperated and startd walking to our respective sides of the field. My mind raced for some kind of strategy to use against these guys. I was more used to capturing a flag or achieving some other objective in order to win.

Suddenly a light bulb went off in my head. It would be a risky plan, but if we could pull it off it would work great. When the whistle blew to start the game. We sprinted towards the other team as fast and as quietly as we could. When we reached close to mid-field we quickly went about burying our team mate, Jon, under a pile of branches, grass, and leaves. With Jon completely camo'd, and the other team not in sight yet, we faded back towards our base, taking cover in the trees and undergrowth.

It wasn't long before the other team began to appear in a skirmish line, emerging from the forest- one by one- like phantoms from a mist. We let them come a little closer, and opened fire. For a little bit we traded fire with them, until they eliminated one of our guys. That was our signal to fall back slowly. As we fell back, they naturally pushed forward, and to my much delight, they pushed right on past Jon, who still lay motionless under his hiding spot. Once we knew they were past Jon, we stopped our feigned retreat, and really opened up aggresively on them, moving, shooting, flanking, and pushing up a little. This was all to cause distraction - to get them so they had tunnel vision. Jon waited patiently for his signal to start the main phase of the plan.

With a loud war cry, I charged like a kamikaze towards the other team, firing at them as fast and wildly as I could, and also keeping myself in the open to present an irresistable target. The other team fell for my distraction technique, as all of them were firing like mad to take me out. Which in fact, they did. I felt the hot sting as several paintballs impacted on my chest and legs. Raising my hands I called myself out and started walking over to the side. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jon emerge smoothly from hiding. His gun reminded me of a coiled snake about to strike as I watched him take aim at the back of one of the unsuspecting opponents.

To wrap things up, let me just say, Jon had single handidly eliminated at least half of the other team, before any of them had any idea what was happening. The remaining four opponents collapsed on themseleves as our team rushed in for the kill. With Jon firing a hail storm of rounds at them from behind, and seven of our guys doing the same from the front, while charging and flanking, they didn't stand a chance.

The game was over. There were handshakes and smiles. War stories shared. The other guys were in utter awe.

One of my favorite things about paintball is when you put together a plan as a team, and follow that plan, using solid tactics and team work, and come out on top. It really is the icing on the cake in the sport for me.