One day after an-Naksah, Boss Paintball’s recreation of the battle between the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Egyptian Army during the 1967 Arab-Israeli 6 Day War, I am in severe DISTRESS! Starting around 8 pm Saturday night parts of my body began to cramp, and I mean CRAMP! But as I suffer through the pain and momentary body contortions I am reclining in my Lazy Boy reflecting on what was one of the best paintball events I have ever attended.I have been to a few paintball events (large and small) over the years; some have been outstanding, some have been terrible, and most have been somewhere in between. Few have ever been the qualified success that was an-Naksah.
Let me start at the beginning…. Generally speaking, few big game/ scenario producers and field owners put any real emphasis on the customer service aspects of their product, it is as if many of them assume we are a captive market and will continue to consume their sub-par events no matter what. We have all experienced long lines for registration and air, games that start two hours late, poorly trained referees, and overpriced, poor shooting paint (or worse, paint that does not shoot at all!)…… Boss Paintball has quietly raised the bar in all these areas. While by any measure this was not a large game, 220 reported by the field, their attention to the details was quite evident.
Cost - These days, given the economy, cost is a major consideration. A week-end of paintball for one person can easily run into the hundreds of dollars after registration, paint and the other incidentals required to play. Boss Paintball’s pricing was more than reasonable. $25 pre-reg then $35 afterwards. Reasonably priced paint options, $50 for a case of mid-grade paint $60 for premium. All in for me and my son, I paid $180 dollars plus maybe another $30 for food, ice and water for the entire day. While $210 may seem like a lot of money, I have paid that much for a walk on day and much more at many scenario / big games.
Online registration was easy and straight forward and I especially thought the purchase confirmation e-mail was well done. It included links to driving directions, the field waver (which could be completed electronically), as well as other nice to know information. This was a great start to what was going to be a great day of paintball!
Advance Pick Up - I was able to pick up our registration and pre-purchased paint at the store the Thursday before the game. This is a HUGE customer service point on so many levels! Avoiding the registration line the day of the game and being able to prepare my paint pods and chrono my markers the day prior were all wonderful things! I’m not sure to what extent others took advantage of this but I would recommend Boss expands this service in the future. Not only is it a great courtesy to players but just imagine the foot traffic into the store that could be generated and the potential additional sales.
Referees - It’s my understanding that the Boss team took great pains to ensure that their referees were prepared for the game. This meant not only being ready to perform the basic function of keeping the game safe and orderly but also being knowledgeable about the game rules. Now, we must all admit that many post game assessments of referee performance are generally subjective and tainted by one’s limited perspective of the game…. I mean, one can only comment on what one sees at a specific time and place. Also throw in the emotions of winning and losing, especially in hotly contested games, and it is easy to see how folks opinions of referee performance can end up skewed. But from my limited vantage point (meaning I only saw what I could see) the Boss referees did a great job! I did not hear one complaint about a referee during the game. The referees I encountered were well informed and pleasant and the game seemed well managed. It is clear this type of preparation of the referees leads to a much more enjoyable game experience for the players and reduces player misconduct such as wiping and other forms of cheating and bad behavior. The bottom line…. A well trained and run reffing crew can eliminate a ton of evils! It will be interesting to hear and read other players comments but from where I was Boss did a great job!
Finally, let me say a few words about the game design. In my opinion, Boss introduced a number of nice game features that really added a nice touch!
Game Meter - A game meter was hung in front of the air shack that was viewable by all players. A large skull, one side red (for the Egyptians) the other side yellow (for the IDF) and an arrow in the middle. As the game progressed the arrow would be moved to one side or the other to indicate which team was in the lead allowing everyone to have a sense of how the game was progressing points wise.
Briefing Tent - Next was the requirement that each general maintain a briefing tent near their side’s respawn entry so that players re-entering the game could get an update on what was actually happening on the field and be routed to the places of high action.
Having once been an unaffiliated walk-on player at these events, I know what it is like to pay my money and then be totally cut off from the central game activities. It always seemed like there were two games going ; one for a few select teams and role players and a seperate undifferentiated free for all for everyone else. It was almost as if the walk-ons and un-connected teams were just props in someone else’s movie. While these things are small and perhaps not 100% original, I think they had a positive impact on how players percieved the game. The more people walk away from the event feeling they were a part of something the more likely they will return to the next event (especially the first time player).
Tactical Respawn - This was a great idea, the game referred to it as a Communications Tower. Each side had one standard respawn site, basically their game entry points. Now we all know the drag of humping to the far side of the field only to be eliminated and have to walk all the way back to the field entry point, in the process losing game time and expending energy. So each side was given a mobile respawn site (the communications tower) that the generals could move around the field. Effectively reducing the distances to respawn from high action areas . Also, as part of the game, the communications towers could be lost due to actions by the other side which also made them an interesting tactical twist since they had to first be acquired then protected. As a scenario game general, I think this is a great idea both in terms of adding to the tactical texture of the game play as well as making life a little easier on respawning players.
The game also included a host of standard game features such as special recon teams, satchel charges and airstrikes. However, since I was not part of the game planning I cannot really speak to how well these aspects of the game worked.
Finally, for those of you who have not visited Boss Paintball in a while, the field has been significantly improved with new structures and field features, such as the Ark. The field played extremely well during the game with areas that generated a lot of heat while allowing space for teams to maneuver freely.
Let me say this, while mega games such as OK D-Day, ION and Fulda Gap have become all the rage, a lot can be said for the smaller games such as an-Naksah. While I can see the clear profit motive for the mega game, as a player, the smaller games provide a much better opportunity for maximizing my fun and value for each dollar spent. I sincerely hope that Boss made money on this game because I’d like to see more of this type thing from them. I would also suggest that they continue their focus on high quality customer service, which for an-Naksah was excellent, and player centric game design rather than simply going for the numbers. I think this can be the marketing differentiator that will put them in that elite group of game producers. VIper and Dollack watch out!
On to the GAME!
Pre Game Prep -As stated above I (as well as several other Boxer members) took advantage of picking of my paint and registration package on Thursday which meant that when I got to the field on Saturday all I had to do was air up and chrono. This was a major departure from what is my normal scramble to get my act together before game on….. This normally results in a high level of aggravation and getting onto the field late. But not on this day. In fact, all of Boxer was ready to go at game on, which has not been a regular trait for us.
Runaway, Boxer’s team captain, made contact with Big Bear of Section 8 and the Egyptian general to let him know Boxer was present and ready to help in any way possible. While we had not been involved in any pre-game planning Big Bear tasked us right up front to link up with team Brute Force (out of SC) and take and hold Bridge 3, located on the far side of the field, near the Spool Fort.
We linked up with Brute Force at the game starting point before game on and was able to map out a plan of attack. In addition to taking the bridge, Brute Force had a secondary mission of taking out specific targets with demolition charges. Boxer would provide security while they did this. Once we got to the Bridge Boxer was supposed to push to the far side while Brute Force controlled the side we had crossed from. With that plan quickly confirmed between the two teams it was game on.
Game On -As the starting horn sounded we moved out in good order, working in three teams. Terminator jumped forward to scout our route, reporting back by radio what he was seeing. MGB’s team which included: Killa, Broadsword, Mouse, Six and Flank. Moved out next followed by the command element of Runaway, myself, and Phantom. Our movement started out fairly well but we somehow by passed New Town and reached the Spool Fort. Brute Force apparently made it to New Town and completed their demo mission. However, by that time the IDF had reached the bridge and crossed over to our side of the field and reached the Spool Fort about the time we did. A fierce fire fight broke out with the Spool Fort at its center. At first it seemed like we were going to gain control of the Spool Fort and be able to move on the bridge but IDF forces kept coming hard and gradually began to push us back. As the IDF numbers began to build around the Spool Fort it was becoming clear that getting to the bridge was going to be rough but we still felt confident about our chances.
It was at that time that the Egyptian command re-routed us to the Ark, I believe with the intent of having us link up with other Egyptian forces in the area to try gain control of our communications tower. So we broke contact and redeployed. During this time I think Brute Force must have been gaining points for our side running those demo missions, but again not really being on the inside planning I can’t say for certain.
However, by this time it appeared as if the IDF forces where making a major push across the length of the field and pushing the Egyptian forces back towards New Town. As we tried to make our way toward the Ark, generally following the road that splits the field we ran into major IDF fire and were forced back. By this time there was little chance of moving forward so we decided that rather than fall back we would try and hold the road until reinforcements could be brought up. We set up a skirmish line on the New Town side of the road and traded fire with IDF forces. This seemed to go on for quite a bit of time with little movement from either side. As it neared noon time we were still holding the road when the IDF made another major push which knocked us further back almost into to New Town, but Boxer, Brute force and other Egyptian forces dug in around the town held the IDF back. As noon approached it seemed as if the IDF were going to make a major push on our positions, twice hitting New Town with Air Strikes. Fortunately, following Boxer’s standard SOP of defending from outside a town or structure we suffered no eliminations due to the airstrikes. But then the IDF began their push coming at New Town from two sides. As they began to swarm across the road the paint was flying heavy and our numbers began to whittle down until it was only myself and Runaway from Boxer left in New Town with a mix of players from Team Fracture, Brute Force and others. With the IDF coming in hard and really no where else to go, Run and I decide to play until we were eliminated and then break for lunch with the rest of the team. We were on the far left side of New Town (away from the entry point). As IDF began to push into the town, first on the right side taking the first row of buildings from where they began to pot shot at us. I was in a forward bunker on the left side and Run was maybe 25 to 30 feet behind me. Since I could not raise my head without exposing myself to IDF fire, Run began to call out IDF players moving towards my location over the radio and giving me fire directions, a technique we have used before to great effect.
“You’ve got two tangos 40 feet to your front at your 11 o’clock, stand by to pop up and shoot.”
Since, I could not see anything I had to totally trust his directions. Since he could see me he would even give me instructions to position my body and marker so I was oriented correctly. We were able to get an elimination using this method and to make the IDF forces to our front a little less sure about moving forward since they never knew when I’d pop up. Also, there were 2 or 3 Egyptian players behind me shooting as well. So this held the IDF back on the left side for several minutes. However, even though they had pushed into New Town from the right they were not able to make any more ground and their attack seemed to stall and the battle seemed to bog down into a stalemate.
As IDF activity on our side of the town trailed off we decided we might as well break for lunch since things had become slow. So I pulled back to Run and we put on our barrel condoms and headed back to the parking area where we linked up with the rest of the team.
As we came off the field we were told that our side was slightly ahead in points even though it seemed as if the IDF had had their way with us in the morning. I think this was due to the points Brute Force was scoring with the Demo missions. This was a welcome surprise!
One of our main objectives during this game was to allow Boxer to reconnect as a team since we had not played since March (Gen Kill). Two new members played with us as part of the team for the first time, John “Broadsword” Nguyen and Jacquez “Mouse” Diaz, both of whom blended in easily with the team and operated very well. Good job guys! Its new blood like you that keeps Boxer going.
After getting a bite to eat (some of us more than others Mouse) and rehydrating we saddled up and headed back onto the field. Once there we began moving on the far left tapeline behind New Town moving toward Fort Defiant when we reached the Ammo Dump, we were told we needed to hold it for points. Which we did. At that point Boxer had become split due to several players respawning. Holding the Ammo dump with me were Broadsword, Six, and Terminator. I actually sat in the Ammo Dump while the other 3 Boxers arrange themselves in a 180 degree perimeter about 35 to 40 feet apart. Since the Ammo Dump is positioned against the tape line this defense worked best. So we waited as Runaway and MGB rounded up the rest of the team to join us. There was sporadic contact with IDF forces but nothing major ever came our way. When Run and the rest of the guys rejoined us we expanded our defensive position while we waited for confirmation of the points. Once the points were confirmed the Egyptian command then directed us to run a mission to the Hidden Mine which sits just a few 100 meters below Fort Defiant, the IDF Command Post.
So we pushed out Broadsword to recon a route to bridge 3. Looking at the map, it seemed that our best bet was to push down the tapeline until we came to the “river” then move in towards the bridge. Runaway, being Runaway, decided to recon forward without his marker. This worked out well as Broadsword cleared the tapeline and Run working farther in was able to recon a larger area. We then moved the entire squad up along the tapeline working our way closer to the Hidden Mine.
It was at this point that one of those great (and funny) moments in paintball occurs. As we moved along the tapeline Broadsword radios back that there is a photographer taking pictures in our area. Since I was at the rear on our tactical column, it took a few minutes for me to see what he was talking about. Sure enough here comes this young guy with a camera taking pictures. Okay…. Nice photo op for team Boxer sneaking into the other team’s backyard, nothing to worry about. So I get in my best tactical pose as the “photographer” walks up and takes a picture. I’m thinking yea boy, we are looking gooood! As he passes by I refocus and get on the radio to start moving the squad forward when the “photographer" turns and walks back to me and says, with a wicked smile I could detect through his mask, “barrel tag, your dead.”
It was one of those moments when you know someone just took your lunch money and all you can do is just smile. It was also then I noticed the Yellow and Green tape on his sleeve and the marker slung on his back. It turns out it was one of the Rogues making a classic play. The camera had completely distracted our focus from what was in plain sight…. Oh how vanity is at the root of all evil. What was further slick about the move was that he waited to take out the last man in line.
However, what is it they say about revenge. Knowing I could not talk since I was out, I muzzled up and began to walk with this sly young Rogue. I could hear the rest of my team as they tried to raise me on the radio not knowing what had just occurred. So as we walked away from the squad back towards New Town I chatted with the young man complimenting him on what a great move he had made and how hot the weather was thinking, “okay, if I can track him until I get back to the respawn I can at least let folks know we have a smooth operator in our rear area and to be on the lookout.”
Well, to my surprise this young man walks with me all the way back to our respawn site in New Town, at which point I walk into the building, touch the communications tower, exit the building and promptly shoot him in the feet. He was completely caught off guard. I can only guess he did not realize I could respawn there. Anyway, we both had a good laugh at the turn around in events and went our separate ways. I did not get the young man’s name but he plays for Rogue Cell. I saw him again briefly after the game and again congratulated on his great play. That was paintball at its purest!
At that point I checked back in with the team on our TAC channel only to hear their shocked responses once I told them what had happened.
Anyway, the team continued on with the original mission to take the Hidden Mine. Once Runaway reached the waterline of the channel that separated the IDF side from the Egyptian side he turned and walked back towards the tapeline. At which pointed he found a hidden pass that led to the IDF side of the field. As Run approached the tapeline he saw orange tape crossing over the channel (water) and a referee standing nearby. He approached the referee and asked him what the orange tape was. The referee looks at him and states “I can’t tell you”. So Runaway, not wanting to be eliminated for drowning sticks 1 foot in the orange tape, at which point the referee then states, “I guess you just found the secret pass”. Runaway, had found a secret crossing that allowed us to cross over to the IDF side without using the bridges.
Now as I moved by myself to catch up to the team I had a few minutes to reflect on what originally turned me on to paintball. Few people know (or remember) that paintball was originally not about shooting paint. The markers were actually just a small part of a bigger test of skill. Woods ball at its purest is about playing in the woods; a combination of hide and seek with gotcha or tag. The first paintball game ever played was won by a single man who never fired a shot after several hours avoiding the other players in the woods and flipping flags unopposed. After chatting with Run I could tell that he was feeling good about the movement the team had just made. It was tactical, it was disciplined, and it proved a point….. Paintball is not about who has the best marker….
After locating the secret pass I also crossed over into IDF territory and linked up with the team at the Hidden Mine. It was a good opportunity to rest and drink some water as there did not appear to be any IDF in the area. The Egyptian command then radioed that the General was in route to our position. When the general arrived we had to wait a few more minutes for the points to be counted at which point the general left and headed back to Cairo. Before leaving the General asked us to stay behind enemy lines for a bit more. Once the General was out of our AO Run and I discussed what our next steps would be. Since we could see the IDF Command Post from our location we decided to position ourselves for a potential CP kill. Run crossed over the small ravine to the high ground opposite the Hidden Mine to scope out a hide for us. When he got there, he called back that we could position the entire team on the reverse slope in a good defensive position.
Run has a penchant for running around without a marker…. He is one of the few people I have seen who can impact a game or situation with nothing more than his wits and aggressive action, but what happened next made me wish this was the one time he didn’t leave his marker behind.
Once we decide to move I began to reposition our guys so we could cross the ravine tactically. I was planning on having them cross in twos with me bringing up the rear. There was a small trench that lead from where we were down into the ravine that I figured would provide cover while we crossed. So I sent MGB and Mouse across first. Right at that moment an IDF patrol appeared from the direction of Fort Defiant (I believe it was the Rats). I think Broadsword saw them first and reported in. Before we could do anything they saw us and opened fire. Since they had numbers they split into two groups, one fixed on me and the guys at the crossing and the other circling to our rear. We were trapped and decided to fight it out. The thing was they never saw Run as he was on the high ground opposite us. Had he had his marker he could have pinned them down while we maneuvered to take them out. One by one Boxers were eliminated until I was the only one left on our side of the ravine with Run still on the opposing high ground.
Every game, Runaway does something that you just have to say DAMN, how did he do that! Knowing there was nothing else he could do, Runaway slipped down from his position behind the IDF patrol. Approaching from their rear, he quietly came up on a player with dreadlock looking strips of cloth or rope hanging from his mask (sort of Predator like). Using a paint pod as a make believe knife he gently grabbed the player from behind drawing the pod across his mid-section as if disemboweling him. Run then began to move on two other IDF players with his fake knife when he tripped and they shot him. Had he not tripped he would have gotten at least one more player maybe two. Like I said, DAMN, how did he do that!
With all of Boxer in the parking lot we decided to stand down and get ready for the final battle scheduled to begin at 4 pm and go until 5. Big Bear gave us our marching orders, he wanted Boxer and Brute Force to hit the Ark and hold it since it was the big prize worth 1000 points.
Thinking it through I suggested to him that it would be better for us to hold back for the first 20 minutes, letting our main forces hit the Ark in order to tangle with the IDF while his heavy hitters stayed fresh until the final 30 minutes when we could go in and secure the win. Big Bear and the Team leader for Brute Force agreed to this strategy. To make things go smoother I gave Brute Force one of our UHF radios to ensure we had good comms. At 4 pm the final battle began. We had arranged to link up with Brute Force at New Town at 4:20. When we arrive on the field, Phantom, who managed our link to Big Bear all day, reported that Brute Force had all ready move into position behind the Ark so we moved in and linked up with them. By this time the we had control of the Ark but it was under heavy attack. The IDF laid down a heavy smoke screen and was hitting the front of the Ark hard. They also began to circle troops around the left side through the woods.
Slowly the weight of the IDF attack began to whittle the Egyptian forces down. Brute Force had sent players into the Ark but as they were shot out they called for us to reinforce. At which point MGB led a contingent of Boxers into the Ark. This, allowed us to keep it a little longer. But then the IDF gained control of one side of the Ark while other IDF forces began to press in from the left around behind.
By now it was a desperate close quarters battle to hold on to the Ark. Orange smoke dropped visibility down to a few feet. Paint rained in both directions. Runaway, held up in a bunker behind the Ark as IDF paint literally painted the bushes and bunker around him. I could see MGB, Broadsword, and Terminator battling inside the Arc as IDF forces swarmed around the outside. However, one by one they were eliminated by the IDF. The IDF now completely controlled the Ark with less the 5 minutes left in the game.
This was it. The Game was on the line. Without the Ark our side would lose. After taking several hits to the mid-section I headed back to respawn. In truth I was done and really planning to head off field. But on the way back I ran into MGB who was hustling back to the Ark for one last push. He was fired up and ready to give one last try. Chastened by his example I turned back towards the Ark not knowing what I could contribute to the effort, but I headed back just the same.
However, before I made it all the way back the final horned sounded. I turned around and headed back to the parking area sure we had lost. But I can honestly say that up until that point I had not given much thought to winning or losing. The game had been so much fun that It just didn’t seem to matter!
When I got back to our tent area I heard the story of what happened in those final action pacted minutes after I saw MGB. With time running down Run, MGB and Broadsword and Terminator fought their way back inside the Ark. When the final horn sounded there were IDF players in the tower and Egyptian players in the bottom of the Ark. At first we thought that this final push by Boxer had won the day but alas it was determined that the IDF had control of the Ark and were given the 1000 points and the final victory. But it did not matter, sure we had lost, but we had all had big fun and everyone was excited about what we had just experienced. Back at our tents there was nothing but smiles and animated war stories. But that would not be the end of our day.
At the awards ceremony, my son, Sonic was standing around when Greenman of ODX was announced as the Most Valuable Player for the IDF. Being the big hearted guy Green is he turned and pointed at Sonic. We were all slightly confused at what he was indicating when he walked over and handed Kendall the brand new TM-15 he had just been awarded. Of course all of our jaws hit the deck (Sonic’s included). It was a great gesture by a great paint baller and human being. All I could think was WOW!
Then the other shoe fell when Big Bear took the mike to announce his MVT and MVP. Based on how they had tore it up all game long we were pretty certain Brute Force would get the Egyptian MVT. Although this was our first time playing along side them they seemed like a great bunch paint ballers and they definitely got the job done! But then Big Bear announced his MVP…. Since my jaw was all ready on the floor from Kendall’s windfall all I could do was go up and gracefully accept the Egyptian Most Valuable Player. HOLY S@#T Batman!
To be honest I quickly realized that the MVP was not about anything I had done in the game. In fact, I did little more than act as a small team leader. This MVP (as with my ION MVP and Run's at Adventure Beach) was more about Boxer as a team than X-Man as a player. Now to be sure I did my part for my team but it was nothing that Big Bear could have been aware of.
More prominent in my mind is the way Runaway pulls the team together and gets us going in the right direction (not to mention his “how did he do that?” antics. )
Then there was Phantom who maintained our link to the Egyptian command and Brute Force all day long. A critical job that requires someone willing to put their marker down and handle radios all day long.
Then there is MGB who reached out and made the connection with Brute Force that made for such a great pairing, not to mention leading the final charge into the Ark that almost won the game.
Finally, the rest of Boxer: Killa, Broadsword, Terminator, Mouse, Six, Flank, Monster, and Sonic.
Having generaled games before, I know there are times when you give the MVP award to recognize the actions of another team when you have all ready given out the MVT. I think that this is what Big Bear did in giving me the MVT. He was recognizing Boxer the team not me, and while I humbly accepted the award it was not for myself but for Team Boxer. Congrats guys, once again you make me proud to wear the Dogs Head facing forward!
Now on to the thank yous…..
First I’d like to thank Clyde and the guys at Boss for really taking the time to think about the players when they put this together. To often today the main goal of field owners and game producers is to maximize their profits at the expense of the players. Boss Co. clearly put in the time and effort to put on one heck of an event. Everything was first class! As I said above, I hope these guys made a ton of money because they really have set the standard for paintball in the Carolinas and I want to play more games at this field. Well done Guys!
I’d also like to thank Big Bear of Section 8 for generaling and bringing us into the mix at the game. We had never met Big Bear before and he could have just as easily ignored us. We enjoyed playing under his command and look forward to working with him and Section 8 again.
We also want to congradulate Brute Force on the MVT. I can tell you that from where we sat your award was well deserved. On top of that we enjoyed playing along side you guys.
Team Boxer looks forward to playing with our new friends Section 8 and Brute Force in November at PB Charleston. We’ll be in touch guys!
Finally, I'd like to thank Noah, Dogs of War and all the IDF teams for their GREAT SPORTSMANSHIP and excellent play. In a game like this losing to a bunch of good ballers (and people) isn't losing at all. Their were some great teams on that side we have played with and against over the years. Rats, Rogue Cell, OMEN, Carolina Sabers, AFC (did you guys play as the Golani Brigade?), 1st Reborn and others.
Congradulations to ODX and Greenman on their MVT and MVP awards..... Guys, one of these days we're going to play on the same side.
Overall I have to rate an-Naksah a 9 out of 10, because nothing is perfect. But Boss Co came pretty close. Great field! Great Production! Great Customer Service! Great Game!
What I want to see is if there is another field that can do better!
