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…….

As promised, we have found another location to enjoy your paintball sports.  It is TAG Paintball, in Hollister, CA.  It is located in northern California and it appears to have some pretty good deals and pretty cool fields.

The rates are reasonable and the equipment offered for rental is top notch.  You are required to buy all your paintballs on location.  It is posted that the youngest age allowed is 12, but a mature 10 year old might be able to play too.  And get this, parents get in on the fun for free – they just need to buy their paintballs.  They even offer a money back guarantee that you are going to have a great time.  What a deal!!

The way we heard about this location was through hearing the news about a huge scenario paintball game coming up in October.  It is called Operation End War 2010, and is sponsored by Real Action Paintball.  It will be held at TAG Paintball on October 2-3.  Campers are welcome.

They have created a scenario where this will be the war to end all wars.  There has been a nuclear exchange, the Middle East and all their oil is gone and Russia now has a commodity everyone wants, Siberian oil, and it is running low.  So the Marines must, as always, save the day.  Sounds like great fun, so get your gear together, hone your battle tactics and get ready for war.

To register, contact Roland at TAG Paintball, 800 TAG 5150.  Registration deadline is September 1.

This game will allow magazine fed paintball guns only. (43 cal or 68 cal) These are some examples: