News Updates: September 5, 2010
Finally some cooler weather for a Scenario Sunday! We added 12 more club members today. Thank you for joining us! Although Olivia had already been 110′ed earlier this year for her tunics, we would like to thank her yet again for the beautiful tunic she made for the opposing team’s (Blue) Captain Jason Tippett. It was a wonderful Birthday surprise, and it is truly amazing. That is what this club is all about. Thank you!
How exactly do you add our traditional September “twist” when the games have been kept secret all year? Well, for the sixth installment of the War Games Scenario, we ran PAINTBALL! Who’d a thought huh? Both the Blue (Roughnecks) and Gray (Last Chancers) had around 40 players each. After Ted gave the Splatmandu Safety briefing, Kathy stepped forward to reveal the “twist.” Because of the numbers, three fields could be played continuously - running a best of five series. The winning team of the series would start BIG GAME XIV with the flag pole their color.
The teams were divided to fields as follows: The City had two tunic wearers and eight team members (10 vs 10), the Hornet’s Nest had one tunic wearer and four team members (5 vs 5), and the Mine Field ran with two tunic wearers and all remaining team members, which ended up being (Blue) __ vs (Gray) __.
The other half of the “twist” … the Reds. Normally this month is set up as the Specialty Characters’ BIG GAME, as most Reds are off the board for the final BIG GAME to help ref, cook/set up the Feast afterwards and so on. Because so many refs were needed to pull off this game, the Reds have been given the option to sign up as Blue/Gray players in the BIG GAME! It has been MANY MANY years since some of these guys have been allowed to play a BIG GAME. Thirteen years for Ted!
Since this scenario fell on a Holiday weekend, we tried to keep the total time limit to 90 minutes. Each field ran 15 minute timed games, with five minute breaks in-between. The games could be won by completing the objective (City and Hornet’s Nest - touch rail, Mine Field - return the gold to own rail), or by elimination.
Each field was played hard. Many great gun-fights were witnessed. Not a single game on any of the three fields lasted the entire fifteen minutes - all winners were decided at game five. On all fields, the Gray team pulled out to an early lead, taking the first two games. The Mine Field games were insanely fast… one of which even surpassed a record set by Todd several years ago! The strategy: - 3,2,1 GO - run at the gold bag in the center. It was great to watch… but don’t blink!
In the Hornet’s Nest, the battles were also fast and hard. One game in particular almost timed out… if it hadn’t been for that one little Blue player who ran down and got the rail moments before time expired. He was the only player left on the field, but it made for a suspenseful game. Good job!
With the early deficit facing the Blue team, they rallied together and ended up taking the Hornet’s Nest and Mine Field games, securing those two fields for BIG GAME XIV. The City Field was the last to finish, and the final game was a great battle. The Gray team, spearheaded by Dando, Bruce, Josh W. and Chad wrapped the Kilgore side of the City and set up behind the Armory Tower. Bruce was the first to make a charge towards the rail but was eliminated. Next was Josh W., who was also eliminated a split-second before touching the rail. Finally after players were re-set after a Paint Check, Chad made a run at the rail and won the field - giving the Gray team the City flag pole for the BIG GAME.
With still many people wanting to play, a group vote determined that two more games would be played back-to-back to determine the final two field flag pole colors. First was the Painted Forest - twenty minute max time, turn the flag pole in the center your color to win. This game was incredibly fast and intense. Each team of consisted of 31 players, each 85 feet from the flag. The Blue team started out-of-bounds running through the Painted Forest Door entrance, and the Gray team started in the Hornet’s Nest running though the corner opening. The game lasted less than 40 seconds. The two fastest players were Colby of the Gray, and Jerry of the Blue. Had Colby run for the flag only and not drawn his gun to fire, he would have beat Jerry, but this was not the case. Jerry ran directly for the flag and pulled it cleanly, winning the field for the Blue team.
The final flag pole location to be determined was that of the Pasture. Starting off the main path at either end of the field, both teams battled for the final location in a 20 minute max-time game. The objective of this game was to knock over the opposing team’s flag pole. This was the only game of the day to end in the time expiring. The final count was only three Gray players remaining to guard the flag, which gave the Blue team that location going into BIG GAME XIV on September 19, 2010.
All game were hard-fought and a lot of fun. We were really proud of the sportsmanship and honor everyone showed on the field today.
Flag Pole Starting colors going into BIG GAME XIV on September 19, 2010:
Blue: Painted Forest, Hornet’s Nest, Mine Field and Pasture
Gray: City
And finally…. stop shooting the referees! We can’t seem to put on much more orange than we have on already! Trigger control please! This WILL be a factor in the BIG GAME.
Shannon took MANY for the team... from out of bounds!
Remember to get here at 10:00am on Sunday, September 19, 2010 to secure your team of choice when the Registration Booth Opens. See you all soon!
