Got "schooled" in a woodsball game ( ramble )

[punkncat]

We played at my buddy's season ender last Saturday. Unfortunately due to weather and other circumstances we were unable to play more than 2 games at that site this year. The storms that have been through this area lately completly changed his field. It was like playing at a different place as compared to the same field late last year.

Had a good turnout on a sunny but windy day. At the high point there were probably 20 people, mostly kids under 16. We played several mixed games and the outcome was pretty even among the two teams most of the day. Later in the afternoon a few of the "adult" group had to leave. Ended up that we were going to have to divide teams again, change armbands and all for what would be a few games before most players were out of air, paint, etc. We decided to play adults vs. kids for the last few games.

There were 4 adults. 3 of which are very experianced and the other guy's first game. The 3 of us were sporting vastly superior firepower in terms of speed, as well as having pods of paint available. Problem was that there were somewhere near 12 kids against us. Several of the kids are veteran woodsballers, as well as the young in shape loads of energy thing.....so we were pretty tuckered out, and they were still good to go.(see I am already making excuses)

The first game we played, the adults decided to try a bait and flank strategy. I ran straight out the middle of the field firing like a fool and drawing them in towards me while the other 3 flanked their right. It turned out to work pretty good in the beginning, but as we became seperated it was impossible to know what was going on.(more excuses)

I had been holding a roughly figure 8 shaped path near our middle. I walked along the area and whenever I would see anything even resembling a kid I would blast and quickly move to another spot. The other guys on my team had been eliminated by sheer numbers, and I noticed the sides of my perimeter starting to close in. I thought it would be a good time to find a sweet spot and bed down. Let them come after me for a while. I did a final sweep of my "rearward" area and had gotten to my honey spot.

Right as I settle in I hear one of the older boys tell me:
"I could just shoot you......"
I look around and he is standing about 10 feet from me barrel on me. I could have been toast. I just went ahead and surrendered and told him thanks...

Turns out, when I noticed that the guys on my team had went out, I got in a hurry to get into my spot. I forgot to check my six well. Being really windy took away the ability to hear well. As I suppressed a few of his teammates he moved in behind me and shadowed me. Followed me all the way up the trail....
only the second time in 6 years of play I have been surrendered in woodsball. :(

[mag88888]

owned haaaaaaa. bet it was fun though.

[Maggot6]

At least he didn't bunker you (is it called bunkering in woodsball?). Yeah, even if you are experienced sometimes quantity just plain out beats quality.

[peewee]

I'd have told him to shoot if it wasnt required by the field. Gotta save face!!! ;)

[Evil Bob]

Giving your opponent a chance to surrender is both a gentlemenly and a tactical thing to do. You give your opponent (who's there just like you do to have fun) the opportunity to admit they were caught with their pants down and acknowledge it and leave under their own power (99% take this option when provided it, its the 1% you need to worry about). It is also very useful when you catch your opponent relatively by themselves where the sound of your marker may cause his buddies to come and investigate thereby blowing your cover.

-Evil Bob

[matmc89]

el capitan will never surrender.

When i play woodsball I always get killed, but I just get everyone to line up and march... :ninja:

[-=Squid=-]

Flanked. You crazy woodsballers. :)

[j.storm]

Flanked="Darn, now I gotta shoot the guys over THERE too!" :clap:

Rule out here is usually: You must ask someone to surrender within 15 feet. It is a QUESTION! They don't have to. It's a good option, imho. If they are close enough to touch you, your out. No ifs ands or buts.

[Paintchucker]

Getting old sucks but it happens to everyone. Best advice, always keep atleast one or two teenagers on your side at all times! Being 44 now, certainly puts a new perspective on the game for me. Of course, I was kinda over the hill already when I started playing PB at 32, and then played tourny ball at 35, and it was hard then at the end of the day at a tourny if you made it to the finals. We played one day and were in the final game for championships. My over 35+ 3 man vs. their 22 and younger 3 man. It ended up being a draw, requiring another game and we were so pooped we almost gave it to them. After a 5 min. rest and some gatorade, we decided we would make them shoot us out!

I quit playing for 3-4 years and then started playing again 3 years ago. Updated my mags, got an emag. I played walkon(another big change after playing tourny) with a buddy from work and his 15 year old. Wonderful combination. Let the youngsters run out and take the ground from the break. We walk out, survey and push one side or the other. We called his son "speedy" for obvious reasons... "Speedy, can you make that log up there?"... "Yeah"... "Go on 3..., 1 , 2, shoot shoot shoot shoot" as he runs up to the next position. Then he holds them down while we work our old butts up the trail again.

That is what I love about paintball. Sure being fast is great but there are many compensating factors like gun quality, stategy and communication. They all have to find balance to compete well. I started in the woods but always loved the short course hyperball/speedball fields. Of course, being old and out of breath is not quite as hard on a hyperball field as it is in the woods.

The opportunity to surrender is a very cool thing. As mentioned earlier, it give your opponent (or you sometimes) the chance to bow out gracefully, although they do get that "schooled" feeling. Given the opportunity to miss a couple extra bruises is something that should be considered thoroughly and quickly! If you wait too long or twitch too much, expect to get shot. No one likes getting shot by an easy elimination. To avoid the problem, I normally stop outside of 15 feet limit and eliminate them with one shot, preferrably to the harness or gun where it won't bruise. Guns are quicker these days, but if you have to light someone up and can't take them with one shot, you got no skillz...

[Big Weapons]

(is it called bunkering in woodsball?)

Who knows. It'd be odd to hear someone say "dude i treed like 4 people today" or "i bushed this guy reloading"

[peewee]

Personally, I wouldnt be trying to shoot back. I'd just take my lumps. For me pain is a good reminder to pay attention. ;) . I have played at one field where the refs called you out if someone got within ten feet of your bunker. I got one guy out by getting his flank & running in on him. Ref didnt realize I had no paint left!!! :argh:

[sbpyro]

Getting old sucks but it happens to everyone. Best advice, always keep atleast one or two teenagers on your side at all times!


I second the notion with one little amendment. Not being able to run is bad.
Usually we get the newbies to form a skirmish line and then we amble down the tape line.




No one likes getting shot by an easy elimination. To avoid the problem, I normally stop outside of 15 feet limit and eliminate them with one shot, preferrably to the harness or gun where it won't bruise.

Little word of caution about hitting them on the gun some places gun shots don't count.

[JimmyBeam]

never, ever surrender. just go out in a blaze of glory

[punkncat]

Good post paintchucker. Us "old" guys need to stick together... :)

I have been a late bloomer in paintball as well. My first game I was 28 years old. I was still in better shape at that time than I am now...not that I am really old, just 34, but I can certainly feel it by the end of the day. I also tend not to be a brazen as I was years ago. I don't want to get hurt anymore, just takes too long to heal.

Being up in Norcross you must make it out to Regulators every now and then?
We ought to get together with some more paintballing buds and get some game on. Had a great time up at Command to Conquer/AOSE......

[Chris42050]

Quantity has a quality all its own.