The Wild World of TB!

I read your editorial about the Blackhawk Down game TB. Here is where I stand. I am all for it on moral and ethical grounds. We all have our own standards and some of us may approve of things other do not. For example, you will never catch me at the Oklahoma D-Day game. Those guys seem to enjoy it just a little too much. Not that I have anything against a D-Day game in general. Is it honoring or defiling? I don’t know. Some players are certainly there to honor the battle and it’s heroes (some may be there to “honor” it’s villains as well) yet the veterans could take it either way and some may see it as defiling the memory of their comrades. My guess is that most players are just in it for a good time and haven’t even considered any moral implications. Most veterans are probably unaware of what we do, and could hardly care less if they did know.

So I’m fine with the game on moral grounds. My problem is this. It’s totally impractical.

First of all, most players come to a game and put down hundreds of dollars expecting a “fair” game. Well here’s a newsflash, war isn’t fair. I wasn’t in the Marines like TB, but I was raised by one, and I learned early – never get yourself in a fair fight. Any good scenario player will agree. Norman Schwarzkopf didn’t hold back divisions of tanks or order that the A-10s stay behind in order to make it fair for the Republican guard. Would anybody want to play the Iraqis in that game? I didn’t think so.

So how does this apply to a Blackhawk Down game? Well first of all, the numbers in the battle were not fair. Estimates vary, but let’s say that the number of combatants involved is something like 200 vs. 5000. Bringing that down to a paintball game scale, let’s just call it 20 vs. 500. How long is that going to take? Is it fair? What are we going to do for the next twenty three hours and forty five minutes?

OK, OK, the Americans were elite forces, Delta, Rangers and SEALs, so let’s put all the best players on that side and give the other side all scrubs and walk-ons. That might get us another 10 minutes. Hey don’t worry that the elite guys have NODS. They can’t use them this game, remember the Rangers left theirs at home and this is mil-sim, as in simulation. The D-Boys had theirs, so we’ll let Cilio hang on to his. Still, everyone is gonna be dead by one o’clock. Let’s get the whole Somali side drunk to simulate chewing khat all day then the Rangers might last until two. What else can we do to put the sim in mil-sim? We’re gonna need helicopters and lots of them. We’re also gonna have to change the rules so that the ‘copters can shoot. A lot. That’s really gonna make the scrubs mad, so we’d better have a lot of refs and hole-punchers. At this point, nobody is thinking this game is fair, but how much farther can we take this? Well, the Somalis can shoot down choppers with RPGs, but in the context of the scenario game, the RPGs will actually have an advantage. They have the same top speed as the choppers, maybe more since it’s hard to run while holding a rope. New rule – all RPG players have to have their shoelaces tied together.

Does this sound like a mil-sim? Well it isn’t. First of all, nobody should know what the fuck is going on (I can say fuck on WOTB can’t I?). Second, we should be on a MOUT site that makes Blanding look like a model of a MOUT site. Third, there should be civilians everywhere so you can’t just shoot everyone you can see. Finally, if we want to simulate a war, everyone should care if they die or not. Let’s have them all put $1000 in escrow and they can’t get it back if they get shot. Maybe that will keep some of them from dancing around in the middle of the street like idiots.

So again, I’m all for these sorts of games, but let’s chose games that can make a reasonable leap to paintball. Let’s be open-minded and creative with the rules to make the game fun. Scenario has been around forever, and I’m sure it started as mil-sim. I’ll bet that the first day those guys ran around with paintball guns in New Hampshire somebody thought of playing “downed pilot” and I’ll bet it was quite sometime later before anybody thought of playing center-flag. Let’s honor those guys in New Hampshire and keep scenario ball alive.

Erik 'Epic' Timmerman

So I got this forwarded to me when it happened and I have been waiting to see what develops as time allowed. At the outset and in the minds of people who don't know any better, this seems like a disaster waiting on a place to happen and all smoke should be banned from paintball unless you posses a pyro license. Well that is just plain stupid and a knee jerk reaction to something based on heresay and conjecture. I haven't been able to get a quote from Dave Massey, but I have gotten quotes from quite a few people who were there. So here is the story, and I will quote the articles and give links.

First and foremost the actual article in the local paper: http://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080406/NEWS01/80406003/1002

Two injured in explosion - with videos and photo gallery

Two men were transported via helicopter to the University of Michigan Medical Center Sunday morning after a 9 a.m. blast at the Pinckney area business Hell Survivors.

A 22-year-old Bingham Farms man and a 41-year-old Milan man were injured by flying shrapnel after a large smoke bomb misfired, causing a spray of plastic from the casing, some of which landed more than 100 yards away, police said.

According to Pinckney Police Department Sgt. William Cook, the men were testing the device outdoors for possible use in paintball competitions at the facility less than a mile north of Pinckney. A second similar unit was found at the scene and secured by fire and police officials, who called in Michigan State Police Bomb Squad personnel to dispose of it. The smoke bombs, which were believed to have been purchased over the Internet, appeared to be roughly 36 inches long and about the circumference of a coffee can.

According to Putnam Township Fire Chief Greg Amburgey, there was no larger risk to the public.

D-19 was closed for a brief time as firefighters prepared landing zones for Survival Flight helicopters.

Police did not immediately release the men's names.

Now first and foremost look at the dimensions given for the smoke. Most people are used to two types of smoke grenades; The orange marine smoke and the smaller Superior Signal smoke bombs. But here is the thing, both are cold burning and have been used at local scenario games for years with few injuries. The injuries have come from people being stupid and picking up a 'cold burning' smoke not realizing that cold burning denotes that it has no flame vs actually being cold to the touch and people being hit in the head as they have been thrown overhand (the orange ones at least). The dimensions of this device look awfully odd and not like anything you would see most people use in a scenario paintball game So the knee jerk reaction of wanting all smoke banned is crazy, I know people have said time and time again that this was bought over the internet but was it a reputable firm? In fact why has no one published who it was it was bought from so no one else buys from them? I am not saying that the incident was not a tragedy but just because someone experienced the accident is no reason to remove the ability for players to use approved smokes in a game.

Now that does lead to this aspect of the story. The field owner is stating that he didn't give permission for the people to use the smoke grenade. Now is he covering up something? See for yourself: http://www.livingstondaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080408/NEWS01/804080308

Paintball business owner discusses explosion
By Christopher Behnan
and Lisa Roose-Church
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

A Sunday morning explosion at the Hell Survivors paintball field in Pinckney wasn't planned by the business, and setting off the device that exploded was done without permission of business owner Dave Massey, Massey said Monday.

The device, which Massey called a small smoke canister, was set off at around 9 a.m. Sunday, and sent Matthew Steuer, 41, of Milan, who works at the field, and Jeffrey Lemke, 22, of Bingham Farms, one of two people who brought the device, to the University of Michigan Medical Center by Survival Flight helicopter with injuries.


Steuer, who required stitches on one of his lips, was treated and released. He is recuperating at home. He was closest to the explosion, Massey said.

As of Monday, Lemke was in fair condition at the hospital after suffering injuries to his face and neck.

Massey said a group of players bought the canister over the Internet and asked him if they could detonate it in a gravel pit on the business' property.

Massey, who was leaving town Sunday morning, said he would think about it, but never gave his consent.

The group approached Hell Survivors employees Sunday and told them Massey had given
them permission.

Massey said such devices are never used at Hell Survivors, and that there have been no paintball-related accidents on the field in 24 years of operation.

"It malfunctions, and pieces blew out of it, and plastic went flying, and, unfortunately, it hit a couple of people. We do not allow anything like that," he said.

A second, similar device was found Sunday and secured by fire and police officials, who called in Michigan State Police Bomb Squad personnel to dispose of it.

Police said Lemke and Steuer were injured by flying shrapnel after the smoke canister misfired at the paintball business, just north of downtown Pinckney.

Steuer, whom Massey said was in "good spirits," made sure others at the site were attended to even though he was injured himself.

"We're just praying both of them have a speedy recovery. It's just an unfortunate accident," he said.

There was no damage to the paintball field, and the business, open on Saturdays and Sundays, will reopen this weekend like normal.

So who is right? I don't know, but here is what I do know. The fact that this happened on a paintball field is the reason people are up in arms. It was not during a game, it was not with approved smoke (or even common smoke used by hundreds of field) and it was not done in a safe way to conduct a test of some 'new' product. The main thing is that there is no difference in this and some kids making pipe bombs in their back yards.

So there is no call for the outlawing of standard smokes or removing the players use of it. Although I am sure that the knee jerk reaction by insurance companies will indeed do this, just like the tank thing at Wayne's a few years back. Hopefully Larry Cossio will do his research before issuing a ruling or we could see the end of smoke grenades in paintball.

However my best wishes do go out to the people involved in the accident and I wish them a speedy recovery.

Where is this being talked about?

http://www.greatlakesrangers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=560&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=2632891

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/paintball-news/37077-smoke-grenade-exploded-hell-survivors.html

http://undergroundmodshop.com/forums/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=14185

Speaking of PB Nation, here is their interesting take on this: Check out this thread:

http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=2664578

And some lame non-scenario mod closed the thread. So if this was some kid wanting to use smoke then you just closed any conversation with him about it. Where to buy, how to use and such. But you can have 6 pages on the raping of Hannah Montanna right? Fucking worthless website!

So there is this huge push for everyone to have a Blackhawk Down game. I have seen posts about such games from the East Coast to the West with sprinklings in Texas and other places and it makes me wonder, what the hell are people thinking?

As a Marine who was in Somila (not during Task Force Ranger) during Operation Restore Hope, I must say that I find the game and exhuberence that so many take to it to be highly disturbing. To see people on message forums quoting Islamic verses, repeating Islamic Chants and screaming death to the infidels is beyond what most would consider to be good taste.

I like to play bad guys as much as anyone. I have played all manner of badguys in scenario paintball games, however there is and should be a line that just isn't crossed. Like for instance the dressing up in Nazi regalia complete with swastika. I mean you could dress in the uniform, but do you have to have the swastika? "but TB, we have to be historically correct!" you may say. For a freaking paintball game? is my reply. And some of you people claim I take the game to serious. If that is the case then some of you, take the playing dress up way too serious and need to get some help.

My biggest issue with Middle East themed games is the fact that we are still at war with several insurgent groups there and are still actively searching for Bin Laden. To make light of this does none of those men honor no matter how people try to sell it or re-package it or call it honoring the sacrifices. Scenario paintball isn't freaking history, none of these games are meant to teach anyone about history. Anyone who has been shot at in a combat zone will tell you that paintball and combat have nothing in common. Absolutely nothing!

So here is a question for some of you? Do you think people should dress up as Shughart or Gordon? Or should they have dummies that they pull out of helicopters and drag through the field chanting anti-american sayings? Maybe some 'kidnappings' and be-headings or even better some anti-american propaganda? I have seen some call it friendly 'smak talk' but some of the things that they are saying would have me on edge if I were going to the event.

What the reality is that most of these players like playing war and soldier and this fits into their macho fantasies of being 'elite' or 'tactical'. Even the ones who play the terrorists. I played in a D-Day game and I had grown men coming up and saluting me and trying to treat me like I was really a Captain in the 82nd Airborne. While I didn't laugh at them, it made me highly uncomfortable to be in that position. Maybe that is just me and my Marine upbringing, who knows.

I know that it isn't going to stop. I mean it has gotten bigger and bigger, with more and more people doing these mil-fun (oops I mean mil-sim) games thinking that if you tie the US Army to your games then you are guranteed success! Well all one can do is try to stay alert and not take part in the events that makes one uncomfortable. But I do have something to say to all you 'tactical' and 'elite' teams and players who think you are the man at events like these. Why not join the Army or the Marine Corps, go infantry and then volunteer to head over to Iraq or better yet Afghanistan, maybe you can use all these 'skills' you picked up on the paintball field to end the wars and find the real Bin Laden, otherwise well you are no better then the 10 and 12 years olds running around shooting at each other with cap guns on the weekends.

So here is something that I am sure will really twist some of you up in your views of me, a book review. But not any normal book review, a Christian Speculative book review if you can believe it. But first a little bit of history on a few things, as some may remember I used to be a youth minister and heavy into religion in my early years. I have always prided myself on being well read in most religions and more so in the Christian aspect. In fact there were a few years where I did nothing but research the book of Revelation and the coming of the Rapture. So yes I have read speculative Christian fiction such as the Left Behind series and even more speculative non-fiction like the Late Great Planet Earth and others. But one thing that always caught my ear and eye in those years was the resistance of many in the hierarchy of organized Christianity to allow this type of writing to not only be supported but actually encouraged. I have had some debates with people about this type of fiction and the fact that they do not let their children read books with dragons and wizards and other planets because it is against God’s view of things.

If that was the case many centuries ago, would the Bible have ever been written? Since it is a book written by man but inspired by God, who is to judge in that manner what is appropriate or not. I am sure that some of the stories of abject wickedness that is portrayed in the Bible set society on its ear when they were debating which books to include in what would become the Bible. However, they were looking to the future and so is this group of writers in this anthology of speculative Christian fiction, Light at the edge of Darkness. This book was sent to me by one of the author’s Susan Kirkland after she and I re-connected over the internet after the death of my mother last year. Now Susan and I were engaged when I first joined the Marine Corps, but life and distance has a way of providing its own path of resistance and we moved on with our lives. More then 10 years later, we started talking again and this is when she told me about her writings, her books and this one in particular. I was intrigued and interested and read the Lost Genre Guild’s website and while not interacting with anyone there, I did pick up quite a bit a resistance from organized religion to this book, this genre and the whole idea. Since I am pretty well known as a devil’s advocate in debates, to see something that was so adamantly opposed by some was interesting.

Susan sent me the book to read with the promise of a review on my web site. What does any of this have to do with paintball, you may ask? Well nothing really, but this is the World of TB, and not everything revolves around paintball in my world. However, I know that some of you are Christian and play scenario paintball, a world of fantasy and such and some of you might have found yourself at odds about enjoying this sport while being a Christian. Maybe reading this book will help those feelings or even change some of your opinions towards fantasy, horror, sci-fi and cyberpunk that this book encompasses. Either way, you’ll have to buy the book to prove me right or wrong.

27 short stories and novelettes is what await you as you prepare to read this collection. It runs the gambit of fiction with horror, sci-fi, fantasy and more. All have a distinctive feel in the fact they are written from a Christian perspective and as such all try to impart a message that reflects the current feelings of many of the authors in regards to Christianity and how they are attempting to spread the message. Now I do not pretend to be an expert of the authors in this book, so in a way I got enjoy the stories without any preset thoughts about each story. I feel I was able to hold each on its own merits. And there were several that jumped out at me.

“Undeniable” by A.P. Fuchs is one that is particularly disturbing to some as it takes you in depth into the journey of one man’s faith and makes you wonder if you could do that same. Think of it as almost a modern take on Daniel in the Lion’s den and you can see where it may be coming from and what the message is.

There were several that I found very enjoyable such as ‘The Rider’ by Deborah Cullins-Smith. This particular story has a twist in it, that seems to permeate many of the stories but like the others this one was enjoyable to pick up on. It is one of the alternative western fiction stories with supernatural overtures that are sprinkled in the book and is one you should take a close look at. Another was ‘The Agent” by Adam Graham, mostly because of the ‘Faustian take’ set in a modern age and one that many people have often wondered about when it comes to celebrities meteoric rise to fame closely followed by their tragic falls back to mediocrity.

Of course, I read ‘Fair Balance’ by Susan Kirkland first, simply because of my past with her and my interest in her writing and thoughts. Another of the stories with a twist, it may be one that you don’t realize until the final scene because of the intentional use of ‘un-acceptable’ clothing and the prose that makes one hold the introduced characters in a distasteful manner until you realize that looks and manner should not be confused as to who is good or bad.

And to me that is the biggest thing to take away from this book. The physiognomy that just because something appears to be bad or counter-productive to your beliefs, how many people will be led to God because of this book? I am sure more then most may give it credit for, but this is a great book to buy for your teenage children or youths as it will capture their attention and speak to them in ways that are sure to bring about debate. Is there the potential for someone to read this book and then venture into the darker fiction that most Christians cringe at? Sure, but we all must remember that the message and the ministering of the message is supposed to be what Christianity is all about. And this book is like attending a non-denominational service with ministers for every age.

And yes there were some stories, I didn’t like or even didn’t get, but the beauty of this book is that there are so many others that are great that you should give this book a read. I will put the links below to several places, if you feel like exploring this genre or book, feel free. And I wonder how many of you will be emailing me about this……I can hardly wait to read them.

Want to buy the book? Click here.
Want to meet the authors or read more about this Lost Genre? Click here.

Our favorite resident TIP Brad has been around on WOTB again. Remember what a tip is, Brad? Oh, that's right, you 'don't' know what that means...but I guess you have a good working definition of what I think a TIP is, right?

You posted this to Indy:

To Indy and his clone: Impersonation of an Active Army Colonel, no, certainly not...acknowledging my status as serving my country in the capacity of a Ranger Qualified officer, yes. You are the ones who, so quickly and wrongly assumed I was indicating that I was an active army Colonel. I report to a Bird, actually. I noticed the typo...but did not fix it..I did encourage it. I told him about this site...He thought the thing funny at first and then told me clarify it after it ran its course. We are old friends. He went to West Point. BTT...=It was funny, so, I ran with it. That being said, no offense was meant to anyone having actually served in the USARMY. If you took offense, then, you were probably a REMF anyway and who cares. Rather, my having an active role in the defense of our country in whatever capacity I once, now or will serve is assured.

YOUR POST BRAD, on PBN dated 8/10/07:

You may call me Sir. Lt.Col or Bird, it makes little difference in how quickly a leg must salute. When you make your mark in the REAL WORLD you can then afford to buy your way to whatever fake rank you want on SpecOps. I merely wanted my fake rank to at least match.

Now, here is the link for all you who are interested: http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=2307638

I suggest you go read it before Brad erases it, as I'm sure it was all one huge typo. WTFE, you lying PAB.

I didn't wrongly assume anything. You said he could call you by the title of LTC. And that's what it is Brad, as someone of your ‘hooah’-ness should know. A title you weren't entitled to use, call yourself, or ask others to call you by. I knew you weren't and I called you on it on PBN.

The following are my statements, taken from different quotes, that I directed at you on PBN.

Why would he call you 'bird?' Now I know he was a marine...different branch and all, but I know the rank structure of the Army...especially the officer side of things. Being an officer's wife, I know that Bird refers to 'Full-Bird' Colonel...not to LT. COL.

You list yourself as a retired 0-5. Wow! And at what, 39? That makes you one of the most high speed, low drag retired 0-5's that I know...and I know a bunch of them. And that is certainly something to be proud of, if it's true...

And if you wanted your fake rank to match your real rank (which, according to your spec ops page is a retired 0-5), then why a major? The ranks don't match.

You aren't in my COC Brad, and since I've never had a LTC (retired or otherwise) mention me and his 'tip' in the same sentence, I have my doubts about you. In other words, you are not talking the talk of a field grade officer, or even a company grade one....and as previously mentioned I've known more than a few.

I gave you your props and said it was something to be proud of, if it was true.

High speed, low drag wouldn't even been to describe what you say you've done!

But, enlighten me, Brad. I'd love to hear about this. Tell me what 'hoop' I need to 'jump through' to be educated about this. I'm always open to new information. You have my email, darlin or you can pm me here.

Not once did you say, "You are mistaken. No, I'm not a retired 0-5.'

Here is the phrase for the day, hand-picked especially for you, Brad: LIE BY OMISSION. But apparently you don’t know what it means...

You've made several statements about not being fake:

There is nothing fake about me. I do not color my hair, have hair plugs, use rogaine, viagra and I do not cheat, I do not steal and I do not abide those who do..cheat and steal. (use viagra, plug your hair and color those greys...if you want to, lol)

But lying is ok, right? As long as it’s not cheating or stealing, right?

But what a typo that was! From 0-1 (maybe 0-2) all the way to 0-5. I’m looking at my keyboard, and wondering how that could have happened. And even, if I could believe you for one minute, you totally blew it when you thought it was ‘funny’ and didn’t take the time to ‘fix’ it. And you didn’t fix it until TB challenged you to send your DD-214, mentioned you’d only been in 5 years (and a med out at that), with you posting on spec-ops in some obscure thread you didn’t think anyone knew about that you were only a lowly lieutenant. Can we believe that? Or is that a typo too?

I think not. And this is why I think it:

you posted this on Viper’s forums in June of this year after the Blanding game, when you were attacking me, TB, Thunderstruck and Viper Paintball:

To Nudi...whoever you are. I tell the truth, but, THE TRUTH is a competitor of yours, pun intended. Your slander and innuendo only dig your little hole deeper. I am really glad that I had enough of an effect on you and yours (no such thing as bad publicity) that you remember my given name, as I, with the exception of Pacman and Mother, do not know any of you...even by sight apparently.

Yet now, you suddenly ‘remember me’ and not only remember me, remember barrel-taggin me at that same game, and now remember me and mine ‘cheating.’ You, are a liar and a fucking shitty one at that. But your responses? Threats to dig into our pasts. And now how you ‘didn’t mean to offend’, but if you did, ‘they must have been REMFs’. My darling husband was never a REMF and he found all of your posts highly offensive… especially the ones directed towards his wife.

I’m really tired of your stupid shit. I’m normally a very nice person, but you don’t deserve any ‘niceness’ from me with all the stupid shit you’d posted to me/about me. I just happen to be on a website where I can say what I really, really think and not worry about censorship.

Dig into my past all you want to, bitch. I’ve done nothing that has a fucking thing to do with paintball, or anything else that I’d give a rat’s ass if anyone knows. Take shots at me here if you like, mental boy...but I don’t think it will get you very far here.

But really, from the bottom of my heart, I want you to go fuck yourself...just be sure to tell yourself how fucking high speed/low drag it was Bird, when you are cuddling later with your MPD manifestation(s).

*MPD=Multiple Personality Disorder.