OK so you got a taste of scenario ball and now you are thinking about starting a team -- good for you. First lets get something team straight. Tournament paintball is about winning - and you need to think about teammates who can help you win. Scenario paintball is about fun - when you recruit, think of who is likeable, easy going, fun loving and plays with honor. A bad sport or player with a bad attitude makes your whole team look bad - especially when you get uniforms. Think about this when you recruit.

The teams that last are always focused on having fun. And yes, its that simple. Now what..

STARTING A TEAM : OFFICERS : Many teams use "Captain" some use several "Co-Captains" - Here is a bit of advice: A captain may not be able to make all events, and it is usually good to attend what the team wants to attend. This means you need Co-Captains.

STARTING A TEAM : Patches / Uniforms / Jerseys / Banners : It is nice to look similar and to be able to spot each other on the field. Think about it, figure out what you want to look like and then do it.

QUESTION : What would be the best thing to get to start off to show that we are a team?

MY ANSWER: On the cheap and easy:

T-SHIRTS : I would get some matching T-Shirts with the team name silk screened on it. 2 shirts per player recommended. Add matching BDU pants and that should work for the field.

CAMO : Stepping it up a notch would be matching tops and bottoms

DEW RAGS : Also take a look at matching dew-rags. -- wholesaleforeveryone --these are available by the dozen and less than $2/ea.

PATCHES :

STARTING A TEAM : COMMUNICATIONS : Being able to regroup and coordinate on the field is critical - technically this is what defines a team. Don't assume you will always be together - infact, assume the opposite. I would stick with the widely available FRS/GRMS radios you can find just about everywhere. Best Buy carries a good variety and lots of accessories. I would get the most powerful Motorola sets I could afford.

NOTE: The refs for an event will likely be using FMS/GRMS radios, as will most teams there.

STARTING A TEAM : TEAM SCHEDULE : Set up a schedule and start planning. There are tons of games in the South East.

Make a list of all that you would like to hit and then get the team together and vote on what ya'll want to do. Your team forum can help with "votes and polls" - allowing all to comment. Or the captain can just make his opinion policy - but the voting thing works well.

Anyway, look at the events you want to hit and then work towards them. Work in some practices - and don't forget to have fun.

SCRIMMAGES: Around TriggerTyme there are a few teams that practice "scenario" style - These include Worrpath, Knightfall, Team CF, SC Riot, ect.

Practices once every few weeks at TriggerTyme -- here are a few drills we use to hone our members into a team.

Scenario games usually are won by the army which can accomplish the most missions. Eliminations are usually not worth anything. (Generals may be an exception).

Missions cards are issued to opposing generals usually every 20, 30 or 40 minutes and frequently synchronized with each other.

These cards are read by the General (or XO) and then he will call on a squad leader to execute the mission. The squad leader reads the card at the base and then forms up his squad, picks up the necessary walk-ons and stragglers he deems necessary and then moves to accomplish the mission.

These missions usually have a destination and a time component.

Typical mission types follow:

• Hold Objective Location for 20 minutes.
• Hold Objective Location for 20 minutes and sweep area for intelligence and return intelligence items to base.
• Hold Objective Location at time 2:30pm.
• Sweep coordinates X/Y looking for intelligence and act on intelligence.
• Patrol road from X to Y for 20 minutes.
• Ambush - Set up an ambush in area between X and Y and wait until 2:30 (Usually goes with Patrol).
• Set up Listening Posts (Supply Chain) at X, Y, Z and hold all at time 2:30pm.
• Blow up Objective Location with satchel charge before 2:30pm.
• Meet person X at Objective Location and hold at 2:30 for info.
• Escort person from A to B and hold B until 2:30pm.
• Take route A, B, C, D and hold each for X minutes.
• Assault Objective Location for 20 minutes.
• Photo Recon : With camera take X photographs of location objective and return to base. Points awarded for quality of pictures.
• Sniper Mission : Send sniper team to Objective Location and shoot target X before time.
  

Enemy Missions - A hint

Since the event producers like action, missions are frequently synchronized to conflict - meaning you and your enemy are issued the same mission - or very similar - such that a conflict will certainly to occur. Another variation is where the two armies have side by side mission objectives or mission objectives where your paths will cross.

MISSIONS : DEPARTURE
If you are never at your base, you may never get a mission card or a mission assigned to your team. Go there and let the XO know you are a mission team and ready to go! Also let him know what Channel you are on.

And If he thinks your team capable, he will issue your team a mission card. If he issues it to another team, you may want to take your team along for fire support to protect the mission team. You are relatively expendable in this case.

But NOW you have your mission card and know what you need to do - now what?

Rally your troops - get on the radio and let your team know you have a mission and look around for available stragglers you may need. Brief every one on your mission objective and to be quiet.

Squad sized vary from 1 man to 24 men but around 8 is typical. You would be amazed at the percentage of one man missions accomplished.

Your goal should be to get there first and quietly - Mission objectives usually have a piece of cover, bunker, or building associated with them. If you can get there first, you deny the enemy the cover and you can use the cover to buy time to reinforce the position. This means your squad needs to move with a purpose. Veteran scenario teams frequently use a forward team and a rear team, moving the forward team to the objective very quickly and letting the rear team reinforce (with mission card in tow).

IMPORTANT : If you get eliminated, you may pass the mission card to a squad member to carry on.

When moving, the common squad formations are the the horde, the single file with point man, and the inverted wedge. The squad leader and or mission card holder should not be on point. They should ride in the pocket or middle if possible. The guy in the back is called " security" and should be responsible for looking backwards and listening for anyone moving up behind you or trailing the squad.

Veteran teams use the inverted wedge or a very skilled point man way out front. Hordes grouped together are a sign of poor leadership and they make for a tasty ambush target.

The squad should have a plan for what to do when you encounter an ambush. Typical plans include a heavy gunner to lay down fire to help your point guys return to safety and the rapid deployment of flankers.

When moving, don't bunch up and do shut up. Your squad should move without sound. Veteran teams make good use of hand signals while moving through hostile territory.

Don't shoot for no reason. Its classic for scared new players to randomly shoot while on patrol - if you think about it, what better way to advertise your squads position and your movement direction to the enemy.

If on-mission you find some allies doing nothing, you may want to invite them to join you. Its a judgment call on the squad leaders part.

#1) secure the area. Have your team fan out and secure the area. Don't just stand there in a group chatting. There is a good chance an enemy team is on the way. Consider putting out a distant listening post with radio in the likely direction of enemy travel to radio enemy movement and strength. This may buy you a minute or two to deploy well before they spot your strength and positions.

#2) Read your mission card carefully and double check your map and make sure you are suppose to be where you are. Ask a ref if you are not sure. He may or may not tell you.

#3) Find the mission ref in the area & make sure he reads the card - - ASK HIM HIS NAME and REMEMBER IT and introduce yourself - and ask him to verify you are where you are supposed to be and that the mission has started, and "start the mission".

As a mission ref, in this situation I tell the squad leader:
"My watch has started - you have X minutes remaining"

Mission cards usually have a TIME STARTED space where the mission ref is to write in what time you got there. Most times the mission ref will hold the card. Use your own watch and start a stop watch. NOTE: if you used the forward team technique, you may be able to argue the point with the ref that you started earlier. Your forward team leader should have made the proper communications to the ref when he arrived, and he likewise should have started his stop watch and made the ref make note of the time even though the mission card was not on location yet.

#5) DOWN PILOTS - If the mission has a down pilot - check him for intelligence - I've seen and heard about special underwear, voice recorders, hidden maps and special cards with instructions. You may need to act on the intelligence - but before you leave the area - make sure you don't have to hold it to complete the mission. Ask the ref - he may not tell you, but he wont lie to you. It is your job to read and understand your mission card - and some do get tricky.

#6) UNDER ATTACK : You are holding the mission objective and you get attacked. Duh - I told you missions are written to conflict - well here is your conflict. It's likely the attacking force has the same or similar mission. If they have a ref in tow, that's a clue that they are on mission. This means HOLD YOUR GROUND and if possible call for reinforcements. If the mission has a big piece of intelligence, get it out of there. If you are sure to be swamped, radio the situation to your XO for advise.

#7) MISSION COMPLETE - Communicate with Missions Ref: once your watch is close to mission complete, ask the mission ref "how much longer ref" and resynchronize. If you are way off - say "my watch says X minutes" - but don't press the point. Note: If the mission ref left the area and is not there to sign off - get on the ref channel and call for the mission ref that has your card - and be nice. Once the mission is complete, visually make sure the ref signs off on the card. Usually the mission ref holds on to completed and failed mission cards.

#8) Radio your XO : Call your XO and report mission complete - or mission failure - report your strength and position and ask for instructions.

#7b) MISSION FAILURE If your mission is a failure - turn your card into the nearest ref and tell them your mission failed (this does not make you neutral)

#8b) Then Radio your XO and report the failure, your strength and position and ask for instructions.

#9a) After the mission and in the absence of orders - return to base or radio your teammates at base for mission assignments. With good timing and communication , you may get a jump on the next mission. Sweep the area looking for props during your return.

- OR -

#9b) If you see and enemy squad on mission, attack and deny them their mission - it is just as good pointwise as accomplishing yours.

RADIOS : If you have a scenario paintball team, you should have good communications with your teammates and ideally back to the XO and or General. Good commo will allow you to stay together and fight as a cohesive team. If you need to split up, good commo will help you coordinate movement. Once a few of your teammates get shot and have to reinsert, you will need radios to get back together. Veteran scenario teams will all have excellent communications. Another important usage for the radio for the squad leader is to 1) to be able to call the XO for reinforcements, or to report large enemy movements - and 2) if there is not a ref at your mission objective you may switch to the ref channel and call a ref to your area. Radios are necessary to function as a mission team.

RADIO DISCIPLINE : Team your team to restrict commo to the bare essentials. Once you get more that a hand full on the same frequency, the traffic becomes annoying and your stealth guys will turn the radios off - and that compromises your squad and your mission.

PRIVATE CHANNEL -- Try to find a private channel to operate your team on. Many veteran teams will switch channels periodically to throw off anyone monitoring their channel.

CODES -- In case your mission team is being monitored, consider using codes for things like : I see something, I hear something, enemy, allies, I'm shot or out of paint, enemy spotted, all quiet, take cover, halt.

PROPS : The event producer will likely distribute props (maps/bombs/documents/gold/missile parts etc) on the field - and likely at more than just one time. If you find a prop - it is likely worth points - and some times a lot of points. Example: If a mission is worth 100 points, then a bar of gold might be worth 20 points and a missile part worth 100 and a map worth 50.

You are out on patrol and you found the prop - now what?

PROPS : THE PICKUP : If you are on mission, the mission is usually the priority. If you have a man to spare, and know a safe route back, send the prop back to base with a runner and continue on with your mission. Radio your XO to let him know "something" is in route and he may send out an escort , that is if you trust your commo and your XO.