What would you think of a paintball team called Tactical Force Paintball – sounds like a pretty serious group right??  Well, they are!!  But would you guess that the team was started by a high school junior?

That’s right, Roseville, California Junior Cody Lamont started the team about six months ago, and it has grown to around 96 people.  Now, that sounds like a lot of people on one team, but it seems like this is more than just one team.  It seems to me to be more like an organization.  Cody has organized the “team” into five branches, simulating the military.  He has the Air Force, the Marines, the Army, the Navy and then the Special Forces.  To join the Special Forces ranks, a team member needs to pass certain measurements.

One of the main objectives of Lamont and his fellow team members is to simulate military training and maneuvers.  Many members of the team plan to join one of the branches of the military in the future, and they hope to get a jump on some of the training so they might be a step ahead when they get to their respective boot camps.  Lamont has met with sergeants in each of the branches represented by his team to get insights into what types of training will be encountered, and what he can do to help simulate that training.

The team will compete three times per month, where there will be competitions between branches of the team.  Since this is all new, the first scheduled match is April 19 at Scotts Flat.  My research indicates this is in Nevada County California and the area is dominated by a beautiful 850 acre lake.  The area seems to have camping and recreational areas, but I haven’t found any specific references to a paintball field.  They must plan on woodsball.  They selected this area for its seclusion, so maybe I have the wrong idea….

It sounds like it should be a lot fun for all involved.  Just one word of advice – don’t forget your safety equipment gang.  Even our country’s finest warriors go into battle with full body armor.

In Oroville, California, on February 21, 2010, history was repeated when the North beat the South, once again, in a Civil War Reenactment.  Only this time instead of lead musket balls flying, it was paintballs of various colors.

Saturday, February 20, and Sunday the 21st, history buffs, who also have a passion for paintball sports, seized the Combat Zone Paintball Park in Oroville to reenact the Battle of Antietam, which originally took place 3000 miles away near Sharpsburg, Maryland in September of 1862.  The battle held over this weekend was  modernized, and was complete with story lines, costumes and missions.  Many areas of the battlefield were named after some real battle key locations – there was “Dunker Church”, (a tower of huge pipes), and Sharpsburg Pike Road, (a long open road splitting the tree line).

Fighting was fierce for two days, with the Southern scouts landing some heavy blows to the North during fighting Saturday evening.  But the North came back with a vengeance on Sunday, and beat the South with a score just over 2000 points to the South’s 1100 or so. 

They had a team come in from Wyoming to play, and most of the other teams were from the California area.  Members expressed a sense of playing out history.  The game was coordinated by Charles Allen, call sign “Damian”.  His company, Tactical Action Warfare has been around for 10 years creating paintball game scenarios, and dominates the West Coast in paintball reenactment games.  They have also held events in other countries.  They will be back in Oroville in July with “Operation Just Havoc”.  They also plan to be in Oregon in April and May, first with a World War II reenactment, and then a game centered around a video game “Return to Castle Wolfenstein”.

Listening to some of the testimonial videos from their web site, it sounds like paintball games arranged by this team are very much family events.

Here is a video of one of TAW’s games in Oregon.  (The field name is Hosking Field, Lebanon, Oregon)

I am not a video game player, so I went looking for Return to Castle Wolfenstein.  I found this video – it is a little lengthy, but it is really cool.  I think this is only level one.  I was a little surprised at the spurts of blood.  I know I know, but as I said, I am not a video player at all, so I wasn’t prepared.

Anyway, it looks like a paintball scenario based on this video game would be just incredible.  I wonder how close they can get to the game??  Wouldn’t it be cool if they simulated a castle…….

Anyone who has started a business knows that it is important to think outside the box from time to time.  The way to “get ahead” of the game is to be aware of what your target market needs, and what they may want.  Well, I have to say that Thunder Valley Paintball has definitely gone above and beyond in both of these categories.

According to an article I found, the owners of Thunder Valley ordered a paintball dome from China.  It is 150 feet long, 50 feet wide and 30 feet tall.  It weighs in at 7,100 pounds, and provides 2000 square feet of astro turf area to have a blast.  Although it doesn’t seem likely, the dome is portable, allowing the paintball game to come to the customer.  They rent it out to churches or colleges, anyone who has a special event and would like to have the unit on site.

It isn’t exactly a “paintball” game though.  They provide a “reeball”, which looks like and has the same dimensions as a regular paintball, without the mess.  Could you imagine what the “dome” would look like after a few games with regular paintballs? Anyway, this reeball can be used in any regular paintball gun, although Thunder Valley will provide all equipment for the game if requested.

I also visited Thunder Valley’s website.  It looks like a great facility, located in Perry, Georgia.  There several types of fields, and it looks like they have some competitive series, one that starts in the Spring, and one that starts in the Fall.  The Spring session starts next week.  Here are a few photos I found on the site that should give a an idea of what to expect once you get there.

According to the article, last year the facility hosted teams from Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, University of Southern Mississippi and Florida State University.  They also host the Carolina Field Owners Association.  It seems their grounds will accommodate as many as 500  players. Here is a pretty cool video of some teams having a good day!!

It is always good to find a great place to play paintball sports.  I must say – our hats are off to Thunder Valley for taking it a step further and providing a portable sports arena.  I would like to see that for myself!!

While looking through some industry news, I came across an article related to an eye injury caused by being shot by a paintball gun.    This particular injury was not acquired during a paintball game or training.  Rather it was inflicted during what may be a miscommunication.  The victim was walking through a park and came across an unattended paintball gun, so he picked it up.  Allegedly, a few minutes later the owner of the gun insisted the gun be returned, and when it didn’t happen fast enough he started shooting.

Now, the owner gave a different story to the police, stating that the victim, (and others who were with him), actually charged him and he fired in self defense.  I guess the courts will need to sort that out, but the victim was taken to the emergency room with a “significant” eye injury.  The alleged perp was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and a weapons offense.  A pair of Hawkeye or V-Force Goggles would have prevented the eye injury, but given the circumstances no thought was given to safety at the time.

Paintballs can hurt when they hit.  Along with eye protection, there is a great case for adding a tactical helmet as well.  Watch this video to see how this young man reacted to getting shot in the head.

And I bet this one wishes he was wearing some body armor or at least a vest. That’s going to leave a bruise!

Speaking of bruises, look at what these dummies are doing!

I know that paintball sports are a lot fun, but it can be a bit dangerous as well.  Please – anyone who picks up a paintball gun with the intent to use it against an opponent – use a minimum of eye protection.  There are many products out there that will help minimize the damage done to your body after a day of fun on the paintball range, (or in the field, or in the woods, or wherever you happen to play).  Please play smart, play safe and have fun!!