Game On!

One of my pet peeves is the actions of some teamates. When I go to a big game I am on the field all day I dont come off the field. Unless I absolutely need to due to marker going down or needing paint and or air. I return to camp grab what I need and then return to wreck my opponents. When I return to the campground it never fails I see people hanging out screwing around while their fellows fight on. I never understood this because I pay to play. I intend on getting every pennies worth so I cannot do what these others do. I know alot of people are there to visit friends and meet people who share a love of the sport. Also they spend money to play too and if they choose to hang in camp so be it. Hopefully my own teamates will not let me find them in camp I will express my displeasure lol.

More about teams....
Guerilla Mafia- These guys are one of the teams I want to play with instead of against. They are agressive tough and never ever back down no matter how badly the odds are stacked against them. Led by Alex the "Axe Killer" these guys are just fun guys to hang out with. I am happy to count them among my friends.

Woodland Raiders- They appeared at one game and started their legacy with kicking butt from the start. They were mostly newer players with a good team orientation.
Whether it is just them or other players and teams thrown in they bring it 100% all the time. If you see the black shirts with skull bandanas you know you are with true die hard players.

RCT- Another young team made up of players of varying ages. They work well among themselves or mixed with other teams. They are aware of what their assigned job is and go all out to acomplish it. This team is still growing and getting better with each event I hope they continue to play axis with my own Green Devils.

Its a small world after all.

I have seen alot of good working relationships go down the crapper because one party will bad mouth the other and it gets back to the first party. I steer clear of these political snafu's that people get themselves into. Unless it involves a teamate or myself I steer clear. I am very much a people person and get along with almost everyone. So I try not to upset anyone I am out there to have fun first and foremost. I try to make sure those near me are having the time of their lives playing paintball. I admit it talk trash I talk trash alot I like it it gets everyone riled up and play harder.
I do not talk bad about promoters or field owners. Only once have I felt the need for it. And that was a field that was gonna get someone hurt badly. For the most part I cannot say I have played a bad game or on a bad field. I realized long ago that fields are closing at a alarming rate and that promoters remeber those that talk trash. It is not a good thing to be remembered for.
I had this one Promoter who I was helping at a event who was to put it mildly in a war of words with some friends of mine. I just told him it was none of my business but that I was friends with the other parties. I told him I wasn't there for his sake but for the sake of the event.
This is something many in our sport have forgotten. Do not burn your bridges you may just need them later.

Wipers and cheaters.

They exist everywhere in every sport and every walk of life. I have never wiped and have no need to. I have seen others wipe and when I see it I call them on it. It is a game we play it to have fun so why cheat? You cannot evaluate your skill if it comes from a cheat move. I call myself out if it is questionable and I cannot get a paint check. Hell i call myself out if it hits solidly and doesnt break. Honor is something that is earned and if you forego your honor for a recreational game then you probably had too little anyway. I think it is one of the reasons I like the Ref in play. If the guy next to you might be a ref the honor system is more effective. The guy beside you might or might not be a ref it keeps you honest. Ha besides if I get out I am coming right back with the next reinsert.
Cheater cheater- I have met those that skirt the rules or find the loop whole good for you but there are those that straight up cheat and here are my bottom feeder list.
Dead men dont talk. So why is it I see this so much i shoot a player and as he walks away I hear him say to his buddies. "He is behind the big tree at your one o clock." His buddies then let loose I dont really care its still a fifty fifty that they will hit me but still come on be honorable.
Fakers- These are the bastards that fake being out and try to get behind you. I admit it freely I fell for it once. I was guarding a crossroads and shot two or three guys out. they walk up the road with hands in the air saying dead man walking. Now I admit I should have checked for barrel condoms but then again if they were honest I shouldn't have too. Well this one guy gets about five feet behind me spins and stitches me point blank up my back. a ref watched the whole thing so I am Pissed and screaming at the guy that he is a cheating pirate hooker and that i would get him back in a honorable way. So everytime I saw this guy I took him out first and if he didnt put his barrel sock on I would shoot him a few times and wait still no BBD I would shoot again until he went out or put his barrel condom on. To this day I dont trust it that a gun is in the air if it doesnt have a barrel condom on in my mind you are still in.
Decievers- This seems crazy but it works and it really isnt cheating so I dont mind this one nearly as bad. You see a guy who says he is looking for something he dropped or lost or whatever. he walks past your lines then a few minutes later he is shooting the hell out of you! I have seen it work alot but I will go with a guy to help him....help him be honest if he says Oh thats alright I will find it I go with him anyway.
In the end it boils down to this cheaters never prosper.

Games,fields and teams to watch.

Let me start by saying I have played alot of fields and I am always looking to play new ones. Some fileds I will visit soon and may add comments at said time. Same goes for certain games or events. And the players list will grow with every game I attend.

So let me start with games that strike me as the most fun,different, difficult and enjoyable.

Panzer Attack-Bailey's battlefield.

This has been and continues to be one of my all time favorite games. The field is wooded With simple but effective bases and even though Bill only does one game a year there. He is always improving the field for each Panzer game. I like this game for the following it brings some players I only see at this game because it is like a paintball holiday drawing players from all over the country and Canada. Which is saying something since many would consider this a "Smaller" game. Like I have said before I feel it has to do with the ole Pirate behind it the Heart and soul of the Midwest scenerio Bill Bailey.

Red Storm Rising-CPX Joliet Ill.

Another game I truly enjoyed was Red Storm Rising. This was a game put on by the Hellions out of the Chicago area at CPX in joliet. It was simple to follow the game flow and it was very well thought out. The props were top notch and it was a great story. I met alot of people at this game and many had never played a scenerio but the did great. The Hellions were gracious host and with the high quality of professionalism made for a great day of paintball.

Ohklahoma DDAY- Wyndotte Ok.

What can compare to nearly 4000 players and lots of tanks battling for supremacy? I love this game for the game itself. I have been a grunt and I have commanded a unit for 2 years and have been on the German command staff. There is so much that goes into this game and it evolves each year trying to make the game better as it goes. There are aspects which some never see or appreciate. The commanders and staff of both sides deserve a round of applause for their work. Trust me they start working the day after the event until the day of the following years event. Players travel from around the world to attend the one and only DDAY. To me what makes this event remarkable is the guest speaker for the last couple of years. Jake McNiece was acting sergeant of the filthy thirteen whose exploits inspired the dirty dozen movies. He calls it like he sees it and his stories are inspiring as to what we can do as a country. I bought his book and it is a great read and I recommend it to everyone.

Pirates Plunder- Paintballtogo Roodhouse Ill.

Who wouldn't love a paintball game on a real pirate ship? Everyone dresses as pirates and the battle for the high seas is epic paintball fun. Joe the Captain of the captains owns Paintballtogo and is a truly remarkable field owner. He makes it his personal mission to insure fun be had by all. Sadly this game is on hiatus due to the small numbers in the last few years.

Teams to watch for.

Ghost Recon- These guys for years were the nemesis of my Team Green Devils. For one simple reason they play hard both on and off the field. I have a world of respect and am honored to play with or against this team. Many of their players are top notch and are always a friendly face. They truly understand the concept of mixed arms and use it to their advantage. So Punisher and company here is my salute to you.

Omega red- I am proud to say I have watched this team grow and change over the years. They are always rock solid and I can run with any grup of this team and feel right at home. They work well in large groups and can do the solo lone wolf thing. Among this team they have some great paintball medics and just a good core of solid players.

Lapu Lapu-Played with this team at Red storm rising. They bring the pain do not shrink from overwhelming odds. To try and talk to them on a radio can be entertaining as they speak Philipino.(at least I think it is!) With their tiger stripe uniforms the look like something out yesteryear but are stand up players.

I will continue to add teams and games with regular post

Running with the Devils

In 2007 At the players appreciation game at Bailey's I gave in to peer pressure. After many attempts to recruit my team by the Green Devils I quit fighting. My team the 1st ARC was growing, and doing well the Devils were well known and fearsome opponents. We would run with them everytime we took the field with them. I really wanted to build my own team and worked hard at it. Building a team is harder than you might think btw. Every team needs a leader and it needs dedicated players. I didnt want to lead my own team I just didnt want that responsibility. I did it out of necessity not the "happy lucky feelings" of being a leader. Joining the Green Devils would give me resources my own team never had and if I wanted to lead a squad I could. I like leading a squad sized element but anything bigger is a headache I dont want/need. Senior members of the team asked me to reconsider and I thought about it then agreed. I told myself if it didnt work out I could always do my own team again.
Now before I joined the team it had taken a body blow that had hurt its honor and reputation. It involved a teamate and a friend who didnt take responsibilty for his actions. People lost money the teams honor now had this black spot and it was all ugly. I began to get calls and emails asking when the team was going to refund money. I responded that it was before I was on the team and it wasnt a team problem it was a single person responsible. I suggested to the team we make a public statement or we would continue to suffer from the stigma of a bad situation.
The team is always evolving into a stronger unit players and friends come and go but never really gone. We carry them into battle in our hearts and that is quite remarkable. Team Green Devils have been around in one form or another since well before my time. I hope and work to insure it is around along time after i go the way of the old Devils and fade away.
The Green devils are more than my team it is my second family each teamate is my brother or sister. I know I can call any of them anytime if need be oh they might be pissed or bitchy if it is 3 am but they would still answer. I do not regret my joining the Green Devils and I hope to never discrace my team, my family.
So my brothers and sisters in the Devils thank you for making thisa team worth fighting for.

My alter ego

Early on I picked up the moniker Hellhound. It started when someone I was playing with said something about releasing the hounds of hell. Some kid kept calling me Hellhound and it stuck. I didnt mind it seemed to be fitting in a way I cant describe. I kept doing things to enhance the Hellhound like howling like a madman. Somewhere along the way I started to put Devil horns on my mask visor.
The Howl of the Hellhound is not to spread fear or any of that nonsense its about celebration. When something I do affects the game or if I want the enemy to be drawn to me. It is a gimmick a ruse to confuse or distract. As i watch the games year after year it is all about the mindgame. If I can effect the way my enemies play I win no matter the final score.
Horn of the hellhound is all show I admit it may seem silly. However It does get my picture taken alot lol. There is so many pictures others have taken that I have seen or saved that I could probably fill a whole photo album. I know I have no shame it alright I dont need it.
Five years ago most people in the paintball world had no idea who I was. Now I know alot of great people in the sport some famous some eh not so much. The funny thing about that is they dont know me by my real name only ...the Hellhound

Glorious defeats & Sweet Victories

I think there is something to be learned from every defeat. One such event was Fire Fall objective at Smakzone paintball, which is sadly no longer open. This was a Woodland Warriors vs. the world game. We were outnumbered by a considerable amount and it showed. The players on our side charged out of the deadbox again and again. Man it was brutal to get mowed down before you could get to good cover. Late in the day the WW forces were in the SATCOM base. Now there was about 60 players in the base and the surrounding trenches surrounded on all sides. I had gone up that hill with a total of 16 pods of paint and 3 tanks of air. When it was over I had no paint left and around 1/2 a tank of air. It was humbling to me but I thought Wow these guys play as hard as i do. I knew then that those guys were the friends that i would take with me to any game i attended. I have lost games it doesnt mean I like it everytime. But I dont mind losing once in a while. I learn from my defeats everytime no matter what. I like to win I mean I really like to win! For me victory should be hard if it isnt hard it isnt worth it. I am competitive and it shows. Some play ice cold and others play fire hot. I hate to admit it I play hot sometimes my temper gets the best of me frustration eats at me most. But back to the point The Smakzone defeat was my favorite loss and the favorite victory so far was Ohklahoma DDay 2009. I worked on the german command staff and worked hard to recruit for the game and was rewarded with the win. I felt pride in the guys in my unit and the heart they showed with their play. It was another good day for the Germans.

The Tour of Duty

In Oct. of 2005 My stepson,Jeremy Risch and I went to a TOD game in Holden Missouri. We arrived after dark and were met by Bill Bailey. He asked if we would mind playing allied since they were short in numbers of players. We said ok not knowing this would haunt us later. Some other players camping next to us sat around the fire and talked the night before the game. They were members of the Suicide kings from Arkansas. Bill Bailey joined us and we had a great time telling jokes and laughing.
The next morning we prepared for the game and I met some of our "enemies" for the weekend. One of these "enemies" was Sean "Dropzone" Fischer of Team Green Devils the Axis general. The game started and we fought hard but the axis were ready and fought just as hard but they were organized. I played as hard as I could and spent most of my time sneaking around behind the germans. I was wearing a ghillie suit I had made and it worked quiet well. Sunday we were kept in our own deadbox. I mean all day it was a great day to be a german player. We had so much fun that Jeremy,Jory and I started the 1st ARC based on the clone troops from the Star wars movies.
We began going to three to five games a year and worked hard at being good at getting secondary objectives. These were mainly prop missions that alot of players tend to avoid or overlook. Later we were asked to join Team Green Devils and we accepted. I have played many games and many fields and I always play hard and I always have fun.
I love Bill's games and I was sad when he retired and turned it over to the fields because it lost a certain aspect. Bill puts his heart and soul into his games and without him they seem hollow to me.

So here we are.

So I keep reading the crappolla that spews from the mouths of others. Things that do little to nothing to help the sport I love and endorse. So I have decided to fight this trend with my own positive outlook. Paintball is a sport that embraces all Man,Woman,child,Handicapped and those that wouldn't make it in other sports. It is fun and it brings people together which in this electronic age is saying something. I have been playing this sport for 22 yrs now.(Although I admit I didnt play much while I served in the army.) My first marker was a splatmaster pistol that served me well until I got a P68 SC stock class marker. I remember well the first semi I seen it was a VM 68 magnum and it was heavy! Back then about ten of us would go to the nearest woods in the Waha area in Idaho. A little area known as Soldiers meadows became our church. Every Sunday we could be found shooting the crap outta our closest friends. Paint cost was 70 dollars for five thousand rounds. We would keep it in the closet and flip the box every couple of days. I had played with some great guys who I know to this day.The bonds made in this sport are stronger than some realize is possible. I have taken upon myself to teach the young guns I meet the things some forget about or never use. I want all my kids to follow me into the great sport that is paintball.
Skip ahead about oh say 15 years to when I moved to the Midwest. I started playing outlaw ball unaware of the scenerio world here in the midwest. I was playing speedball with a cheap marker but I always had fun. I found out about a game here in the St. Louis area at a well known field near six flags. They had a Vietnam themed game I decided my stepson Jory and I would play. The game was a disaster a truly terrible event that had all the potential to be a truly great game. There was no Staff ran Chrono so some unhonorable players opted to shoot around 350 FPS and higher. There are so many things I could say that were wrong so i will tell you what went right. I somehow ended up in a command slot and found that I loved Scenerio paintball!
This began my affair with my mistress .....Scenerio Paintball