DML BBQ Paintball


The purpose of this page is to provide information and convey ideas regarding playing paintball at the DML BBQ. I apologize if the safety type stuff seems overbearing; I'm not trying to be your nanny, its just that I had to write the page from the perspective that most people wishing to participate in paintball at the BBQ will probably have never played before, so I wanted to make sure all of the bases were covered.

If you have any ideas (for the page, or types of games we could play, etc.) please feel free to contact me (dmlbbq@dakota-truck.net) or even better, post a message about it on the list!


You can click on the items in the list below to take you to that portion of the page:

Facilities


Play area
As anyone who has been to the DML BBQ can attest, we've got plenty of space to play, the majority of which is wooded. The main DML BBQ area which has been mapped out for trail riding (see the "Map" section) is approximately 90 acres, and should we get bored with that, there is an additional 108 acres or so of (unmapped) land available to use. So, we've got somewhere in the neighborhood of a third of a square mile of varied terrian to run around in, ranging from open fields to dense forest, and from flat land to steep hills and cliffs, with a few ponds, creeks and gullies thrown in for good measure. As you have probably guessed by now, the style of play will be "woodsball". You won't find any motocross players running around on a football field filled with big multicolored marshmellows here!

Gas
Free CO2 fills will be available on-site. (If you get any fills at the BBQ, tossing an extra buck or two into the donation can would be appreicated, but is not required.) HPA fills are not available.

Paint
You are welcome to bring your own paintballs, but I will also be sure to have a supply on-hand, which I am willing to sell to you at cost. (The price might vary but I expect them to be in the neighborhood of $27/1000, $13.50/500, $6.75/250. Whatever they cost me is what they will cost you.)

Chronograph
A chronograph will be available on-site for those folks who would like to check their velocity and make adjustments to their gun. (A chronograph check will be mandatory for all guns, the maximum allowed velocity is 280 feet per second.)

Arm Bands
I plan to have an ample supply of arm bands available for the games which require quick team identification.

Spare guns
Unfortunately, I don't have any spare guns at the moment which could be used as "loaners" for folks who don't have one, but if I have enough time I might be able to throw together a couple of crude single shot or "bazooka" type weapons to be used for this purpose. Definitely don't count on this though. Time has been in short supply for me lately, and it only gets busier as the BBQ approaches.






Back to the top of the page

Safety Equipment

We have come up with some ideas for types of games where people without paintball guns (markers) can still participate, but you still must have some safety equipment. A bare minimum would be a paintball approved mask. These include eye and face protection, and many provide full head protection. A pair of safety glasses or goggles simply won't cut it. For the safety of everyone involved, anyone wanting to participate in the game MUST have a face mask designed specifically for paintball. The mask is the one piece of equipment which is non-negotiable (if you've got that, you're OK to play), but you may want to consider some additional items such as:
Long sleeved shirt and pants
A paintball can sting if it hits bare skin, anything you can put between the ball and your skin will help, even if its just a single layer.

Neck protector
See "bare skin" above. The neck is a rather sensitive area. Also, if a paintball hits you in the throat, it could be a bit uncomfortable.

Groin protection (for the guys)
Does this one really need an explanation?







Back to the top of the page

Safety Regulations

Marker velocity
A chronograph will be on-site and anybody who will be using a paintball gun (marker) will be required to adjust the velocity to 280 feet per second or less. (This is the standard used by almost every professional paintball field.)

No-shoot distance
Please don't fire at anybody at distances closer than 20 feet or so.

Don't shoot unprotected people
Never fire at anybody who isn't wearing a paintball mask (no matter what the distance).

Keep your mask on
Never remove your mask while on the "playing field". Although it may be tempting to pull it off to wipe off fog or adjust the fit, if you must remove your mask, you should leave the field and get to a neutral area first.

Standard firearms handling rules apply

The "Four rules of proper firearms handling" are a core tenet of firearms safety, of which everyone familiar with firearms are no doubt already aware. However, for those folks who may not be familiar with them, they are basically intended to prevent an accidental discharge (AD) and to minimize the amount of damage done in the event of an AD. These rules work perfectly if followed to the letter. The rules (with explanations and notes relevant to paintball) are as follows:

One: All guns are always loaded
Treating a gun as if it is always loaded (even when you're sure it isn't) will engender a certain respect for the firearm. Most ADs occur with "unloaded" guns.

Two: Never let the muzzle point at something you are not willing to destroy
If you are not willing to pull the trigger and destroy or kill whatever you are pointing the gun at, then don't point it there! This not only applies to "horseplay" type actions like jokingly pointing a gun at somebody or some object, but also the sweep of the barrel when you are simply carrying it around. In general, the muzzle of a gun should be pointed at the ground until you are ready to bring it to bear and take a shot.

Three: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target
The only reason to have your finger on the trigger is to pull it and discharge the weapon at whatever you happen to be aiming at. If you aren't actively involved in pulling the trigger, there's no reason for your finger to be on it.

Four: Be sure of your target
Before pulling the trigger, be sure that what you are aiming at is actually what you are intending to aim at, and be aware of people or objects behind your target which could be struck as a result of a miss or a penetration of the target. (Ok, so penetration isn't going to be a problem in paintball, see "Marker velocity", above.) Also, be aware of anything or anyone between you and the target, which might be moving into the path of the projectile.

Granted, the consequences of ignoring these rules are obviously less severe in paintball than they are in comparison to actual firearms, but paintballs can still do some damage. A paintball fired from a properly calibrated gun will be traveling just over 190 miles per hour. Hitting somebody in the eye could cause permanent blindness. Also, when dealing with a less than lethal weapon such as a paintball gun, its a natural human tendancy to adopt a lackadaisical attitude towards it (i.e. "it can't hurt anybody", or "its just a toy"), so there is a danger that somebody who would be meticulous in their handling of an actual firearm could get a bit sloppy with a "paintball marker". However, although shooting someone with a paintball gun certainly isn't life threatening, there is a chance of injury or simply discomfort (especially to a non-participant who probably isn't wearing protective gear), and obviously that's something we would all like to avoid.





Back to the top of the page

Map


Paintball Map
This is our standard "DML BBQ Map", over which I have laid a grid. This may prove useful should we decide to play a paintball game where the relaying of coordinates might be important. (For example, to radio the position of enemy combatants to teammates, call for reinforcements, plan a strategy, etc.) It will basically give us a "higher resolution" method of relaying location information. Being able to say "the northwest corner of sector I-9 (or India Niner)" conveys more info than "a little ways up Mud Lane". I will be sure to have some of these maps available at the BBQ, but they will be in black and white. If you would like a color version, be sure to download it and print it out for yourself before you leave for the BBQ.

web version (250K)


print/large version (1.3M)

Just in case anyone would like to brush up on their NATO phonetic alphabet, it is provided below for reference. (Just for fun, there's no requirement to use it or anything. I just thought some people might be interested in it as its quite useful for avoiding communication errors during radio transmissions.)

Letters:
Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu

Numbers:
Zero One Two Tree Fower Fife Six Seven Eight Niner






Back to the top of the page

Game Possibilities



I am hoping that paintball will become a regular fixture of the DML BBQ. However, one problem that I anticipate (at first, anyway) is that only a small subset of the BBQ attendees will already have paintball equipment, putting people in the somewhat awkward position of deciding wether or not to go out and spend their hard earned cash on paintball gear which they might only have an opportunity to use once per year. I myself was in that same predicament, and decided to go for it. I am hoping to find some local games to participate in also. However, I realize that many people probably won't be able to justify the expense. I have seen paintball packages in Wal-Mart which consist of a gun, tank, mask, etc. for under $100, but that may still be too much money. Keeping that in mind, we're trying to come up with game ideas which can involve participants who don't have their own guns. At the very least though, you will need a paintball mask. These can be purchased for $20-30 at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, there is no way around that particular expense. However, if you can see your way clear to trading in an Andrew Jackson for a paintball mask, you will be able to get out there "in the field" with the rest of us, even if you don't have a gun. It might be possible to involve folks without the mask, possibly by delivering an item to them in a "no fire" zone for some task to be performed? I dunno. If you have any ideas, please let me know. The best case scenario would be if everybody had masks and guns, but recongnizing that this probably isn't going to happen, here are some ideas which have been put forth as far as types of games we can play, many of which involve unarmed players:


Border crossing
Participants:
  • Border agents (armed)
  • Smugglers (armed)
  • Illegal aliens (unarmed)

Description:
A border is established, which the border agents are attempting to protect. The smugglers are attempting to provide protection to the illegal aliens as they try to cross the border. The border agents are trying to take out both the illegal aliens and also the smugglers, while the smugglers are attempting to take out the border guards.


Treasure Hunters
Participants:
  • Treasure hunters (unarmed)
  • Police/Military (armed)

Description:
In this scenario, a group of treasure hunters (either individually or as a team) are attempting to locate a hidden item (or items) and bring them back to some neutral point (the airport, or a fence, perhaps). The police/military are roaming the area, looking for these treasure hunters, which they will shoot on sight. In order to give the treasure hunters a fighting chance, the police/military should probably not know where the hidden objects are located, so that they will not be able to simply converge on the spot and stand guard over it.

Variations:
  • Some treasure hunters might be armed
  • Some police/military might be unarmed, and used as scouts to call in the armed forces
  • Perhaps the police could also capture the treasure hunters, rather than shooting them on sight. (Maybe make it points based, where a prisoner delivered to jail is worth more points than simply shooting them.)
  • The location of the hidden items could be given to the treasure hunters either via a verbal description, treasure map, or GPS coordinates.


Secret Service
Participants:
  • Dignitaries (unarmed)
  • Secret Service (armed)
  • Assasins (armed)

Description:
In this scenario, it is the job of the Secret Service to escort a group of dignitaries from one location to another. Also in the area are assassins who are attempting to take out the VIPs, and no doubt these assasins would have no qualms about mowing down any Secret Service agents who happened to get in their way.

Variations:
  • Although the escort was originally conceived as being on foot, the potential exists to involve vehicles of some type, if it could be done safely.
  • If the starting and finishing points of the escort are not known to the assasins, perhaps unarmed players could be used as scouts for the assasins.


Bounty Hunters / Fugitives
Participants:
  • Bounty Hunters (armed)
  • Fugitives (unarmed)

Description:
A group of fugitives is released into the woods, and given a certain amount of time to dissapear (5 minutes?). After the time has elapsed, the bounty hunters are allowed to enter the woods to try and find the fugitives. A bounty hunter can capture/kill a fugitive by shooting them, at which point the fugitive is out of the game. The goal of the bounty hunter is to find and shoot the fugitives, while the goal of a fugitive is to make their way to a "safe" zone. The safe zone should probably be large enough to ensure that the bounty hunters can't simply camp out there and tag anyone who comes near it. Either that or we might need to create a zone around the safety zone where the bounty hunters are not allowed. (A sort of "neutral zone".)

Variations:
  • Instead of making their way to a safe zone, this could be set up as a timed game whereby a fugitive wins if he has not been shot before a certain time has elapsed. (15-20 minutes perhaps?) If doing it this way, it would probably be necessary to set some boundaries to narrow down the search area a bit, otherwise a fugitive could just hide somewhere for the entire game, which probably isn't as fun as having an objective to reach.
  • Additional unarmed players could be used on the bounty hunter side, by acting as scouts and reporting fugitive sightings to the armed players


Global Biological War
(Note: I haven't had the time to build the fancy device described here, but the same basic game could be played with any old object that we declare to be a "bomb".)

Participants:
  • DML soldiers (armed)
  • DML technicians (unarmed)
  • Terrorist security detail (armed)
  • Terrorist scouts (unarmed)

Description:
The short version:

A biological device has been planted by a terrorist group who left behind a security detail to take out anyone who happens into the area. The good guys need to find the device and disarm it, either by inserting a key and turning it off or snipping the proper wires. The device, a key to the device, and instructions as to which wires to cut are all hidden on the property, and the good guys have the approximate coordinates of all of these. The terrorist security detail doesn't know the location of any of these, just that they need to kill anyone in the area.


The long version:

A rogue terrorist group has aquired a black market Soviet biological weapon, which they have planted near DML HQ. They are just biding their time; waiting for the right moment; they have the ability to remote detonate the device at any time. They have placed it such that runoff will cause the chemical to contaminate the creek that forms the northern boundary of the property, which in turn will contaminate Silver Creek, then Lake Erie and eventually all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence seaway. Much of the northeast US and southeastern Canada will be uninhabitable. Security leaks have rendered the US military's special forces units useless; any attempt to send them after the device will be noticed and (it is assumed), the device will be immediately detonated rather than risk its being found and disarmed. The best chance for success is to use the DML (Detached Military Logistics), an elite, highly skilled private army which uses an Internet truck club as an elaborate front. With divisions and individual members scattered throughout the US and Canada, combined with the ability for instantaneous e-mail/IM communication, this group has the capability to put soldiers almost anywhere in Northern America within hours, with further reinforcments just a convoy away. In a stroke of luck, the terrorist group has made the collosal blunder of placing the device right at the doorstep of DML HQ, where a large portion of the DML has gathered for Operation Shenanigans; a series of semi-annual offroad and severe terrain driving/navigation drills. A private phone call over a secure link directly from the President is all it takes to shift the DML's focus from training to the real deal. Here is the situation facing the DML:

Objective:
Find and disarm the biological device

Enemy combatants:
The members of the terrorist organization who were directly responsible for planting the device are no longer in the area. However, they did leave behind a security detail of unknown size. This detail does not know the location of the device (it is possible that they do not even know of the existance of the device), they were left with the simple instructions to secure a certain boundary and eliminate anyone who enters it. We know that all members of the security detail are in constant radio communication and that they will be using scouts. Although the primary objective is to secure the device, it is recommended that any enemy combatants which are discovered be terminated with extreme prejudice.

Device location:
Fortunately, we did get a little help from the inside on this one. The terrorist group recruited a former KGB agent to set up and install the device. Before he finished the job however, he managed to leak some information to the right people which should prove very helpful. It is unknown wether he was motivated by a guilty conscience or simply a spirit of revenge after learning that the group intended to liquidate him when he completed his work. All contact has been lost with this person, and he is presumed dead. At any rate, we do have the approximate lattitude and longitude of the device.

Disarming the device:
There are two ways to disarm the device. The standard way is to insert the proper key into the arm/disarm switch and simply turn it off. If the key is unavailable, an access panel can be removed and the device can be disarmed by cutting the appropriate wires. Be aware that cutting the wrong wire will result in instant release of the chemical agent.

The agent left instructions as to which wires should be cut to disarm the device hidden nearby, and we have the coordinates to that location.

We have learned that the terrorist group itself has hidden a key to the device nearby. They did this in case they decided to move the device to a different location (for greater impact, presumably). In order to reduce the risk to the high ranking members, rather than coming in themselves to remove the device, they would merely transmit the coordinates of the key and device to the security detail and have them bring it back. Fortunately, we also have the coordinates for the key, although it is likely to be very well hidden.

Variations:
  • Possibly have the device brought back to a "safe" area to be disarmed? (Might be able to involve non-masked players.)
  • Unarmed "technicians" for the good guys might be required to disarm the bomb, such that the mission would fail if the technician were killed. Or, it could be points based such that having a technician disarm the bomb gives you 10 points, but naving a non-technician disarm the bomb would only be 5 points.
  • Require some sort of puzzle solving ability to determine the device coordinates? Clues could be radioed back to the non-masked players where the coordinates are determined and then relayed back to the team in the field?
  • The device could be nuclear, if you prefer, allowing us to play Global Thermonuclear War.


Capture the Flag
Participants:
  • Team A (armed)
  • Team B (armed)

Description:
The paintball standard. Two teams, two flags. The objective is to capture the other team's flag and bring it back to your own base. This type of game is best where all the players are armed however.



Hunters and Mutants
Participants:
  • Hunters (armed)
  • Mutants (armed)

Description:
This game consists of a group of hunters and a group of mutants. If a hunter hits a mutant, he is out, but if a mutant hits a hunter, the hunter turns into a mutant and switches sides. The game continues until the remaining players are all hunters (the hunters have shot all the mutants) or the remaining players are all mutants (all of the hunters have been mutated). This is another game where its best if all combatants are armed.



Back to the top of the page
Thanks for reading this far! If you have any comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. please drop me a line or post on the DML!