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| i ' | Ss ie i - ee SR ---- 22 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, August 22, 1989 Spending one day in the Combat Zone Rob Streich "Look out. They're in the trees, behind those bushes. Make a break for it. Get your . leg back ... late." There is a little known es- tablishment lurking behind the mask of the sleepy little hamlet of Raglan. A secret place where men and women strip off their jack- ets and ties to change into com- fortable khaki. A therapeutic place where everyone allows a little of the beast hidden under the surface tobreak free. A fantastic place called the Wilderness Games Inc., Com- bat Zone. SPLAT ... oh, too What? Wargaming to many peo- pleis an ugly word, reminiscent of crazy survivalists, inner-city gangs and weapons fanatics rolled intoone. To some people, playing at war is making war seem like a game. Removing the conse- quences of people actually be- ing injured or killed may pro- mote an irresponsible attitude about guns and pointing them at people. I must admit, that when I went to the game that hot, steamy Sunday morning few of ~ these concerns were running through my head. I was going out for fun of it - Cowboys and Indians for adults, who would have thought it? I, who had never operated firearms before, (excepting some squirt guns on occasion), was a tiny bit leery of the ques- tionable ethical considerations of the activities of the day. I1did not need tobe. The camp in Raglan is op- erated by a great group of peo- ple who are themselves war- game enthusiasts. Above everything else, they stressed safety first. Mary and Jim Patterson from Stouffville and Kirk and ~ (9yearold) Ryan Wanvig acted as cook, instructor, police, scorekeeper, vendor, photogra- pher and director as they ran the days activities. What happened? Imanaged to worm my way into a session with my buddy Jeff and a gang of just over 30 men from a division of Magna This rough and rugged as Re L BARE 3 International, in North York. Jeff camped out at my place Saturday night and Sun- day morning we rose before Peakiist and donned our kha- 8. After a hearty 'Breakfast of Champions', we gathered our Suphlics and ignoring the heat, rolled into Raglan listen- ing to the inspirational"Flight of the Valkyries". At our arrival, there were the normal 'mext of kin' style forms to fill out, and then a short jeep ride later (a tradi- tional army jeep with all the rattles and whines), we were at the base camp. As soon as we stepped out of the jeep, we were lined up and issued our equipment. Any extra supplies we pur- chased from the Canteen (such as extra CO2 cartridges or sur- plus paint pellets). Safety first When the entire company had arrived (everyoné 18 or old- er), the boot camp began. We received a complete training course in the operation and maintenance of our firearms, and a stern lecture on safety procedures. "Keep your mask and goggles on at all times," be- came a familiar call which was echoed all day long (in case someone forgot). We were given a few min- utes for target practice on the range (we discovered that even the pistols propelled the colour- ful paint pellets several hun- dred feet with some accuracy), and a chance to determine if there were any problems before we moved out. How was it arranged? There were five different types of weapons, fairly evenly distributed among the group. Two types of pistols, a pump- action and a slower slide type. There were several pump ac- tion, sub-machine guns, as well as several modified pistols and one long-barrelled rifle. The group was divided up into two teams, a 'blue' team and a 'white' team - both with armbands toidentify theiralle- giance. day we were to play nine games, with a break for lunch/ rest period in between. Durin the morning, Jim wandere Cnt pa me © WEI wry pnt) i RR ed vo Xo N [SPN ANS 3 yy Y band of weekend warriors Is ready to go Into action. After a During the course of the around with a video camera and later a 35mm camera. During lunch we were treated to a recording of some of the highlights of the mornings play including a colourful voice track. The organizers took home a role of colour pictures which they could arrange to dis- tribute Songs) the players. The coordinators, Jim and Kirk had developed a course which was over 50 acres of roll- ing, rough, tree-lined terrain, ideal for this style of 'cowboys and indians'. This was their second try at operating a 'com- bat zone', and they have - aged to keep things w g well for the past four years. Although they typically ca- ter to a "Toronto Sun" crowd, not a "Globe and Mail" group, they have few problems and most people seem to really en- joy themselves. The business as been gaining in popularity over the years, so that thereis a greater number of women out to each event, and they even op- erate a winter session (in arctic whites and snow gear). With over 140 pieces of weaponry in stock, camouflage gear, face masks and safety goggles for over 100, they are prepared for any size group. They continue to stress safety first, and provide a list of rec- ommended gear including, sturdy boots, energy foods and along-sleeved shirt and pant. Over the combat zone, are distributed a variety of classic and creative combat scenarios ranging from simple 'capture the flag' to Bunker Hill and the exciting Blisterball Run. It is hard to capture the ex- citement, the rush of adrena- line you feel in these games on paper. But here is a simple sketch of how it worked. Let the gamesbegin The games coordinators explained each scenario to usin advance, outlining where the opponents base was, and where our was in relation to it. They explained the objective of the event, whether to capture their flag and return it to our base, or to try to hold, or capture a fuel depot or a trench stronghold. We moved to our starting positions and had a moment to _. ready our equipment, discuss strategy and decide on a code- word or identification signal (to day of dodging paint balls and planning successful campaigns against enemy Installa- tions, everyone was happy, but ready everyday was as bad as this - oh my aching feet! to head home to a hot shower - could you imagine if Yes, this Intrepid reporter was tired but happy after a day of crawling, running and hiding In the woods outside Raglan. Although this picture doesn't show It well, there are red, yellow and blue splotches on his clothes (water soluble thankfully), shoes and skin. With adrenaline still coursing through his body, he was glad for the opportunity to learn that war Is not a game, and that guns really can hurt, even If they only shoot paint pellets. learned, or If you are interested In an unusual business out- ing, consider "The Paintball Adventure Game" with Wilder- For more Information contact Jim Patter- ness Games Inc. son at 642-0944. try and avoid having us shoot- ing each other - which hap- pened with regularity, I'm, afraid tosay). In a short time, a signal was announced with whistle, horn and voice and the games began. The very first scenario was a typical 'capture the flag', and 'blues' strategy was simple. Leave two or three behind to protect the flag, and the rest at- tack. eating our masks and goggles (looking a lot like "Ja- son" of Friday the 13th fame), we laced up our boots, gritted our teeth and marched out onto the field. Those of us who stayed be- hind settled down for a rest, but we were soon surprised to see the movement of approaching figures both on the hillside (where our flag was), in the val- ley and over the crest of the hill. With all the blue team try- ing to slink around the sides to gain access to the white flag, white sent several teams of sharpshooters straight up the centre. In seconds, my position was outflanked and I was un- able to pull back. BANG. Si- multaneous strikes from my right and left side and I was out (by the rules, any player elimi- nated puts a hand on his head and walks out to the staging area - this also avoids being shot again, or in case of a gun jametc.). Surprised although I was, by the hits, they really did not hurt. In fact the paint pellets often failed to burst on contact throughout the day, especially when they struck. one on the side and glanced off, reminis- cent of a flesh wound, a graze. Waris hell While blue' reigned victo- rious by the close of the day, it was a hard fought contest. For a similar lesson well By the time our ninth game was over, most of the combat- ants were tired, thirsty (al- though drinks were supplied during the day), blue, red or yel- low. I know I was complaining of sore muscles and the occa- sional bruise from a fall, or welt from a close-range shot. But for the most part, all were happy and satisfied with the outing. It should be noted that there were no serious injuries. Even though several players were accidentally shot in the face(definitely accidental be- cause the rules called for auto- matic disqualification for a 'head shot', while the player who was shot kept playing), the masks and goggles kept the paint from getting into eyes, nose and mouth, and it was a simple job to wipe it off and con- tinue. In discussing the days ac- tivities with several of the par- ticipants, we all agreed that to be 18 years old, trudging around through a tropical jun- gle wearing and carrying all of this hot gear, and to have peo- ple jumping out and shooting at you on top of it all - that is just too much. No one expressed a desire to join the armed forces after the day. In fact most players said that they could now begin to empathize with the hell that a foot soldier goes through, both the physical and psychological trauma. Playing at war was, for me, the surest way to learn why to avoid war at all costs. There is an SX Teigon to the effect that you should not criticize anyone until you have spent a day in their shoes. Well my feet got blisters from a day in those army boots, and I will evermore respect the dedication of those people who actually chose to do this as a profession - to protect the rest ofus. IknowIcouldn't! "a rm