Operation: Valor vs. Venom

["Runaway"]

Operation: Valor vs. Venom
When: Saturday 16 August 2008
Where: Black River Paintball (Freedom Field)
Subject: After Action Report (AAR)

Shout Outs:
Thanks to Allen, The Staff and Referees, for putting on this event.

Next I want to thanks The following Boxer Boyz Muffin, Backside, NinerRef, Seoul, Phantom, Killa, Abnotic, MGB, IronMan and his girl Amerra, you guyz did a heck of a job out there.

I’d like to recognize Spyder and the two other guyz for his group from their support. They perform each task I asked of them with the utmost professionalism. Way to go guyz.

Thanks to The Carolina Sabers and our Commander "General Specter", and congrats on you first victory as CO.

E.P.I.C. unit thanks for fighting on the same side as us, you were the only other unit I could talk to all day, ha ha ha. (Oh well, the best laid plans!)

**Special Thanks to a Team: SNAFU a group of Marines from Camp Lejeune, who just return from a combat tour! Not just for all the help during this event but for keep our country free.


Pre-Game Details:
My day as always starts off the day before, I gathered up my gear and my boyz (Killa and Abnotic), loaded up the truck and headed out approximately 1530, we were looking at a 3.0hr trip (158 non-highway miles). We had intend to go to the field first set up camp, then over to the hotel, hit the Wal-Mart (as it seems I do each time I play paintball), grab a bite to eat and then back to the General’s Meeting a 2100.

We made it to Fayetteville around 1830, but for whatever reason the TomTom sent us to the hotel first. No biggie we check in dropped off some of our gear and headed back to the field which we had passed on the way in. We found once we arrived that Muffin was there and had already picked a campsite. We threw up our Pop-up set out some tables and chairs, then headed off to Wal-Mart and to grab a bite to eat. We made it back to find we had guest, Muffin, Spyder and his boyz had been moved in out of the rain. Being the good host that we are, we quickly put up the side curtains on the Pop-up so the wind and rain wouldn’t get us wet. By this time the General’s meeting is only minutes away so I head over meet everyone, everyone who showed up that is. After the briefing, I offer to create a Com Plan and supply radios, and promise that I will deliver both in the AM.

I get back to the hotel and work on the Com Plan as the boyz prepare the gear. The Com Plan would include four core teams or Divisions (Mamba, Rattler, Python and Viper) plus Cobra Command. All other teams would then fall under one of the core teams and each core team assigned to a zone to be designated by the Commander.

Game On: AM
We get to the field at approximately 0800, to find several long lines, they had no signs, but we were lucky enough to have Muffin there and he told us what we needed to do. Registration, could have been better, after standing in line about 20min, I decided to go back and start filling all of our tanks, since we had all register on the same card we had a few guyz stand in line to get the ID, once we got those we were allowed to move in to the other lines (paint & uniforms). Not sure if they had separate lines for pre-reg vs. walk-ons, if they did, it was not made clear or marked by a sign. If they weren’t separate lines, which I don’t believe there was, it should have been. Next I headed over to the Commander’s tent to go over the details of the Com Plan and review the over all Commander’s Meeting for those teams that didn’t make it the night before. We are assigned as core team for Rattler and given a zone on the North most part of the field, our mission to control the Chemical Zone, an open field with very little cover and no concealment, on the opposite side of the Chemical zone lay an area and small base the map calls "Pulse Emitter." I move back over to Camp Boxer and get the radios and head back over to meet with the other Divisional Leaders and Commander to hand out the radios. After waiting for some time and having only one team, EPIC, come over and get their radio. I guess communication wasn’t going to be important in this game, bad sign. I return to the camp, with three radios and ask Spyder and his group to clear the "Snake pit" then move up the tape line toward the Pulse Emitter. Guess we had waited too long trying to hand out radio cause the game was about to start. We had neither communication with Cobra Command nor any other units, other than EPIC. So we gathered up our gear and hurried on to the field. We pushed through the Chemical Zone. Meeting some Joe’s on the other side and pushing them back in to the wood line per my last set of orders, we were to control this clearing, so we didn't push beyond that. (That’s all we had to go on). We get a call over our inter-squad communications…it Cobra Commander, guess he lucked up and found the channel we were using. He tells us to push across the Chem Zone and retrieve the pulse emitter we soon push the Joe’s back far enough to take the base so I ask the guyz to set a defensive perimeter as we search for the 3 part of the emitter, we finally get them all and send them back via the Team: SNAFU, MGB and a few other Boxer guyz as security/escort. This left only Seoul, myself and few others to hold this position. Since I had no further orders we decide to pull off a fighting retreat back to our primary mission area, to keep control over the Chem Zone. As we fall back we see the treeline head fill with OP4. I get a call from MGB, they’ve dumped the package and are in route to our position, but we’re taking heavy fire from the woodline, now it’s time for Alpha-2 (Twin A-5s with flatline barrels). Once we get her all set up and start shooting the whole enemy front fall back into the woodline, now I don’t know if it was the sight of it or the sound. But they clearly didn’t want any part of her, lol. Once we are joined again with MGB and the rest of the Boxer boyz we push them back again and cut the field in half. We lose all but 5 of Boxer guyz and I sit with NinerReff and Killa, a guyz walks by I’m so busy on the radio that I pay him no mind, but Niner ask “Hey what’s up with that guy.” To which I reply “I don’t know……………………………….Shoot him!” After a short burst he gone, come to find out that he was a spy, good call Niner.

What the heck is goin on!!
Niner, Abnotic, Muffin, Killa and I are standing behind a line of Cobras (Friendlys) they are in contact with Joe, where the we had cut off the field. All of a sudden they all just stood up and walked off the field, letting the flood gates loses on just the 5 of us. We get on the horn and ask Command what going on (are they breaking for lunch?) and ask for help as our position (standing out in the open) is now being attacked from two sides by over 30 players, we deploy the Alpha-2 and try to fight back but we are taken out in short order

["Runaway"]

Game On: PM
As we are walking off the field, still trying to figure out what happened. We notice that many of the other teams and players, from the Cobra side, are taken in chow and water or just hanging out underneath their canopies enjoying the shade. There is no official word yet, so we figure to do the same and rejoin the battle at full strength. Just as we get to our campsite we see two guyz running with a stretcher and a horn starts to sound, we have a man down on the field. Rumor has it that he was hit in the throat by a paintball, happy to say that he soon walked by our site with the help of a few of his friends. (Get well soon my friend). Not long after that I get the word that the game will resume at 1400. "Great we kick back, eat, take in water and lie about what we did that AM, lol"

Back to the Action
We get our orders from Command and I'm sorry to say they were much the same as the AM mission, I had hoped that we would not have to march back up to the far end of the field, as we would be alone, far from the respawn area and even further from supplies, such as water, paint and air. How would we deal with this problem it would be even hotter in the PM. We take a look at the map. Our mission is the same control the far end of the field and clear the Chem Zone. This time we would control the field horizontally instead of vertically (example: We would protect the Goal Line by keeping them off the 20). We deicide to do as we had done in the AM, we clear the far end of the field first, then continue to push the tape line all the way around. This would allow us to defend our lines from the shade and at the same time put us much closer to our CP (Respawn Point).

We cut the field in half again, but we don't want to push them to hard from our side, just want to hold them in place and draw their attention, since I had no communication with the Division Commander and had a hard time reaching command for most of the day (Dang, I wish they had taken the radios). This we figured was the safest course of actions, we protect our area and apply pressure to OP4 and hopefully the other units could take advantage of our efforts.

I spent most of the afternoon fighting along side of Seoul, I must say I was impressed. We played off of each other's move with very little talking, it just came very naturally. We started off getting taken out at the same time once we returned to action, we encountered four guyz with a shield moving through our zone. We sit in the treeline as I see two of them break cover and head North in the open. As we watch the two enemy soldiers move away from the shield. I say to myself or maybe out load "Their F-*% now", I ask MGB to move north under the cover on the trees and track the guyz heading North. Once MGB and his crew get into position Seoul and I hit....it was sweet, we both open up taking out one of the two guyz hiding behind the shield, leaving just one. Seoul rains down on his with fire, giving me top cover as I d duck underneath and move back to the right Seoul hits high while moving. I'm firing the whole time, hitting the shield, finally I wake up and see that his legs are exposed.....well you know the rest of the story ( I wear them legs out, lol). By now the other Boxer guyz are putting pressure on our two Northbound friends, so we join in that effort and soon after they are gone. I ask Seoul to join me in a shaded are to water and rest a bit. We move over in the shade, add paint to our hopper when he hear and see movement. We hunker down their and hold down are sizable force of I don't know how many, killing at least 9 of them in the hour or so that we held this position. Soon after we are joined by Spyder and a few other by now we are out of paint and air, so we ask them to hold this position until we return. "AND HE DID, MOST GUYZ WOULD HAVE JUST WALKED OFF MISSION" but not this guys. As we begin of reinsert I get a call from him requesting further orders (You gotta love working with people like that. We rejoin him and begin push forward from our former position until we get a call "Inbound Helo, heading toward our CP" We move back only to find that there is nothing that can be done.

Helo rule: Helo could land anywhere, dropped soldiers had ten seconds to get to cover!

Well the Helo set them down right at our camp, needless to say they blew our base up with a satchel charge. "Boy to talking about some tick off Paintballers" After that we took out a few building with a rocker launcher. Then became a Helo Pilot, you'll like this one.

We flew into the enemy base and just hung around there making them nervous for several minutes. Then once we finally dropped them off and they were engaged, I flew back in the enemy base camp and landed, got out and put my hand on my head (mind you now, I had no weapon) they freaked out shout of "SHOOT HIM" "WATERBOARD HIM" "TAKE HIS ID" "WHAT THE F_CK IS GOIN ON" everything you can think us. But none of them moved, until finally I stood up and said "Shoot Me!" and began to walk off. One of them shot me and I said bad move and began to laugh....then the shouting starts up again "You dumb azz, why did you shoot him, haven't you ever been in the military you don't shoot unarmed prisoners. Keep in mind I done this to by my fight crew some tyme to set up, lol.
I Pilot one more mission, this time we blow up their base the same way they done our (which I think was a bad rule, no matter who used it, but what's good for the goose). On my way back, I kinda fly around doing RECON and making OP4 nervous, when I find a bunch of guyz from EPIC unit boxed in...lucky them I helo in and pull them out (right place at the right time).

Final Battle:
After about a 30min break...we head back out (boy I wish this game was over, lol). Im so tired I can barely walk. We try to take a tower, I'm behind cover when I see MGB start to cramp up, I put my weapon down and move over to him. I give some water (now I'm freakin Medic, lol), tell him to just stay down, they got us covered and start working on his leg. Once will finally get it all stretched out we continue the push. Finally ending with MGB low crawling in for a bunker tag. But the horn sounded before we could flip the flag.

Summation:

PROS:
1. Field was nice
2. Refs did a fair job, as far as I can see anyway
3. Prizes were great (Since our side won the markers)

CONS:
1. Helo rules needed to be redesigned
2. Registration process needs improvement, maybe having special line for pre-reg or allow night before registrations
3. Only one Deadzone and Chorno, could have used more of both
4. Communication between Division Commanders would have made a huge difference

["Runaway"]

From: Carolina Paintballer
Now as far as the Joes losing we lost, because we were out maneuvered and I know one thing my team was in slow motion for some reason because we never reacted as fast as we normally do. When they captured the pulse emitter, and they were leaving with it in the morning we were like, wow they did all that work to come here, beat us out of the area and leave, and then we watched them carrying something and I said a little bit later to another guy what do they got, and then we realized they were carrying something which must be important, call me slow that day.

[MrGoodbody]

Well, it's about time I got my gear together and joined in on some fun, and it was well worth it. I didn't get any flac from my wisdom (wife) and I was able to turn a friend and his lady on to the sport for the first time. Phillip Rupprech, an active engineering Sgt. has been at bragg. for about six years, and I was surprised that he'd never played before that day, so when I told him about the event which he hadn't even heard about, he was amped up about it, which was great. Then, I told him that he and his lady might have a chance to receive a free marker depending on the outcome and that put the icing on the cake, He and his lady were in and that was that.

I made it down the day before and and caught up with my partner, his woman and Ironically, another old friend from Alaska that I hadn't seen since my tour (small world man, crazy) we all shot the junk at Texas roadhouse and talk about the event the following day. Now check this when we got to Phil's house his House mate was also up in Alaska with me and he remembered me as we'll now that's was shocking too, we tryed to get him to come but he had to study for some classes. we crashed out at about 2400

The Day Of,


We arrived at the the field which was perfectly located on post, only mile in, at about 0800. As we approached the camping area we started to see the cars and then lines of folks standing in line to get there uniforms, air and paint. Things seem to be moving fairly well and this was a good thing. I immediately called Wendall to hone in on his position, he answered right away and I was able to track him down, he then directed us to Boxer's OP ( Operation Post). Upon arrival ( after meeting with Runaway) we were greeted by a slightly aged muffin, rocking this new do, and I started introductions.

I then saw Killa who seemed to be ready to walk on the field at 0800, then Abnotic followed by the coolest Korean I know Seoulbro, and his kick ass crew, Nineref, Phantom Agent(hey Phantom I tryed a romeo and Julieta, and its good) and Dana ( hey Dana you find some of the coolest hinding spots ever!!!) So about 11 of us all together.

Everone checked equipment and suited up for game on. I could see the nervous excitement on Phil's an Amerra's faces an I could tell they were ready to be swept away by there first paintball event.

Game On
The event started alittle slow due to slow registration timing and I think we commenced at about 1040 or so (correct me if I'm wrong) but when we got out there we really got rolling. Now, I may be tripping but I thought we were gonna flying low under the radar for this game but when I talked to Run we had already volunteered us to be in charge of 60 guys, basically a platoon sized element. LOL haha oh how things change. Good stuff!!! Back to the Report, We had a base plan of action off gate, which was to move about two quarter speed up the right tape line (rectangle sized map from top to bottom) and secure an array ( Pulse Emitter) of some sorts. A good mile walk in retrospect, we received no resistance and found the object(s) pretty quickly. We were accompanied by members of team Saber and A few other teams, we had probably twenty five or so guys with us and you could tell we were all ready. We radioed command and were told to return the equipment ASAP, the trek had us cross 200m of open field and with such bulky item I new the enemy would harass us across that area, which was fine with me because I wanted Phil and Amerra to see that it wouldn't be as easy as they thought. As we all emerged from the wood line, about twenty feet in the open could see the enemy beginning to notice us and here they came. The few skirmishes we had reminded me of Movie Black Hawk Down because of the jogging that we all were doing while at the same time lobbing balls at the oncoming enemy to try and keep them at bay.

It was during this, I noticed about 15 enemy in the woodline directly to my front (which I had point), and I thought to myself, "OK dude, don't stop coming at them, just go!!". So, I continued jogging and slinging paint, toward the open enemy and to the wood line and kept this up until we reached the wood line and the viper pit which was the wrong structure, (we all thought it was the command post for a minute). I guess we just scared the opposition and caused them to flee, giving us the right-away to proceed without any further harassing. I really thought from that display that those 15 guys must not have had good leadership in there little group because they could have really put a damper on things. We managed to actually complete two mission when we thought we completed one. This information came from a player on our side that was either wearing his team logo or it was he's name, it read "Havoc" I recall this fellow turning in the mission card to the Command Sgt. Major.

By this time Runaway is calling for backup, seems he's down to four and there doing what they can to hold on. I tell all available to hightail it back to were we came and I manage to get all twenty five back to Run and his crew. When we got back Run could see enemy trying to head toward the wood line in our general location, so Run motions to stay, and hits me on the radio to hold the wood line, I then let him know that we would spread down the line about 100m our so and set up a hasty ambush for enemy's that are trying to cross our paths. It was a good plan but was never used, I guess they pulled back just as the trap was about to be sprung. Wow, this is getting long so I'll make it quick. The second half went just as quickly adding up to a final battle which I believe ended in a tie, there was some cramping going on, tick pulling, and low crawling, don't tell Runaway, but that was all I could do at 1800 ( I got a sweet bunker tag) but it was over looked being that everyone new it was like the last minutes of the game.

Conclusion

All in all, it was great fun, there was alot of complaining from the Joe's side of things and that's to be expected giving they lost, I enjoyed as always operating with my Boxer brothern and some new faces that we will hopefully see again. the field was pretty cool and I actually like the open area, standing out there like that kinda made you feel like a piece on the chess board. Phil and Amerra couldn't stop talking about parts of the day and different situations they found themselves in, and assured me that it wouldn't be the last time. Oh yeah and the free markers, how awesome was that. They resemble the A-5 without the cyclone feed and look pretty d**n good if you ask me.

Thanks goes out to my brothers for putting my down with the family, I love you guys, to the field owners for drawing a great crowd, and some honest player.....I think there was only one marble incident, Runaway can shed some light on that. Anyway to all the Teams, I won't name as to not leave anyone out. The game score was 750 Joe's 850 COOOOOOBBRAAAA!!!!

Next one up Fulda, get ready!!!

pro
Nice field, locations were easy to find, A-plus
Free markers

cons
refs should be assigned to shield carriers

[Seoul]

I'm still trying to figure out how the Joe's got within 100 points of us....they pretty much had 1/3 of the field all day. Keep us updated on Phil....our thoughts will be with him when he leaves for Iraq in a couple months. BTW....is Amerra military also?

[MrGoodbody]

No surprisingly, her poise on the field was outstanding throughout the day. Wendall and myself thought the same thing.

Yeah you got a point Seoul, about the whole points deal.
You know David with all the politics involved who really knows, we sure won't that's for sure, but, we did win and that was great.

I think the reason we didn't get a halftime tally was do to the fact that we were smashing them. So they tryed a final battle to even things out but that didn't work, as you were there to see that. We had 2 of the four flags and was overwhelming the third (bunker tag) when the horn sounded.

So there points, if any were received, (catch up wise) had to have happen in the smoke and fog of the second half, but, like I said who knows.

Oh yeah Seoul, Phil will be going to Alaska in a few months, my old stomping grounds. He actually got hurt last year over seas and he's just recently gotten back on jump status so he's bounced back from that.

I will let him know that our prayers our with him, I'm sure he'll like that.

[destro]

Two people with at least 4 radios took a bit to get used to.

And the scoring thing we wondered about also due it seeming that we dominated the whole day and their AAR's reflect that.

["Runaway"]

Aug 23, 2008 11:00:01 GMT -5 destro said:

Two people with at least 4 radios took a bit to get used to.

And the scoring thing we wondered about also due it seeming that we dominated the whole day and their AAR's reflect that.

I bet it did...The radios that we wanted to use would have allowed communications of all those channel plus more with the use of one radio. And still allowed the subordinate units to still have their own ComNet. But as it turns out the outcome was still the same Cobra victory!
Where are the other AAR located?

[destro]

brpaintball.proboards19.com/index.cgi?board=valorvsvenom&action=display&thread=1546

You have to register to see it, but on the Joe side is seemed like mass confusion.

And oh they never blew up our CP. Ref's ruled it a no go.

[Juk]

Yes I made that statement on Carolina paintball, this was our second game as a team and it showed. Once I got there you guys were already in the tree line where the emitter was located. I thought at that time that once you took the woods where the emiiter was that you would stay and hold the area. When our two group’s first meet I was told we had about 10 adults and 5 little kids give or take a few. We sent a runner to get more help and later when we did have a little more help we were planning the attack to try and get the woods back when you guys started to leave. We did not at first see you all carrying anything and then when we did we were like what the heck is that they are carrying, then someone said and it was classic, well there goes the emitter. We started to give chase but I had to leave the field after I ran out of air after only about 300 shots. I usually get 1500 from a tank of c02 but they never did fill it up all the way like they should have the entire day. Even though I had to leave we had already lost the emitter, you took it by force or like candy from a baby, and I doubt at that time we could have done anything about it.

So to close you guys outmaneuvered us, outfoxed us or should I say outboxered us by the fact that we never considered the emitter to be carried away as you guys did and that was classic.

Juk

To the victors of wars goes the spoils and you took the emitter in the morning and then the guns in the afternoon… Good Job…

[Seoul]

Thanks for posting Juk....What team are you from? Besides all the chaos throughout the day, we all had fun. Heck, that was the most paint I've ever used! Regardless of the outcome, it was great fun fighting great opponents. Let us know if you are planning on going to Fulda Gap in November at Command Decisions. Take care!

[MrGoodbody]

yeah Seoul, did you reach your mark of two boxes?.

That was a great post Juk, and during that little situation, the whole time I just felt like we were falling into some trap. You should have seen how we advanced on the place, it was slow and with great caution but then we sort of realized that you guys hadn't even reached that point yet and we then tryed to move even faster to further out maneuver the unsuspected enemy.

Crossing the open, I suppose is when you guys manage to catch up, some what, but it was too late once we reached the woodline.

Thanks for your description, that was sweet, don't be a stranger your always welcome here with Boxer.