AAR: Ballahack, VA Mar. 8 & 9 '14
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:49 am
Gentlemen,
TL;DR We went, we saw, we conquered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjjU_-fE9xg (see how many times you can spot C.Taylor and Mives)
A contingent of University of South Carolina Gamecock Airsoft team packed our bags and made the pilgrimage to the East coasts hottest airsoft AO for a weekend. C.Talyor, myself, and a third member (not sure if he's on the forums). To say it was an airsoft experience of a lifetime would not do it justice. It was in insight, a blessing, and an honor, to show those Virginia boys how we do down in SC. However, our ferocity in combat was matched by the motivation and dedication of the field staff throughout the weekend. The field owner did every briefing and organized the 300+ people that showed up to play Saturday and Sunday. He had with him an entourage of 4-6 red plate carrier bearing "field marshals" that enforced his will upon the field of play. And the AO.... was magnificent. Their "MOUT town" was a true to life sized village with a balance of defensible buildings and alleyways that provided a challenge to capture and hold. (for those architects out there, it was heaven. The design and construction of these buildings left zero room for error. You could have put real bullet holes through the plywood and it would still stand. Also, no cracks to peek or shoot through!!!!)
Both days consisted of generally the same schedule.
0900 Field opens, chrono opens
~1030 Briefing for day begins
~1100 First "warm up" game begins in the town
~1200 Small break to hydrate/reload
~1240 Second game of Chaos
~1400 lunch break
~1500 briefing and game on: small scenario operation
1700 game over
The "warm up" games were held in their "MOUT town" and consisted of a fast paced, no respawn game of gaining ground in the town to knock down the other teams barrel at one end of the street. There were designated medics, so this game would end very quickly sometimes and other times would drag on in a stalemate. This is where we got to know the layout and run of the town. Lots of Close Quarters fighting, tons of fun.
During breaks, the majority of the players were quick about reloading and getting on with the business of getting back into the game to shoot each other and the marshals were verbal about getting back to the "briefing nest".
The Chaos game type was probably the most fun. It was a game in which multiple teams of 15 players would start scattered across the field. The objective is to kill other players, medic them, and bring them on to your team. Teams would absorb other teams in this fashion until the majority or all of the players are on one team. It was a long campaign where your flank could be exposed to attack from any number of teams at any time. Speed and coordination were key to coming out on top. The first day we weren't sure what to make of the game type and ended up on a different team. However, during the second day's game of Chaos, our team took the entire field and won the game. We started in the very back and worked our way up the field. We had an outstanding starting team who communicated and moved surprisingly well for our Hodge-podge group of players we had put together. We ended up with a huge contingent of players near the town, took the town by storm, and fought enemies on all sides whilst clearing out parts of the town. To summarize: It. Was. Absolute. Chaos. But we held together and won the game. With Gamecocks leading the entire way.
The two small scenario ops were a fresh change in game play that contrasted the fast paced warm up games and Chaos game with a more deliberate force on force operation. The first one unfortunately found us locked down in a kill zone trying to assault the town, and Sunday's op got us cut off from friendly forces near our spawn as our comrades raced to the other end of the field to evac three VIP's.
The entire weekend was a great experience and load of fun. The staff at the field are very professional, helpful, and encouraging before, during, and after game play. It was amazing seeing so many motivated Virginian's out to two normal, run-of-the-mill weekend days for airsoft. And surprisingly, when we talked to the Field owner, he said that the days we came to play were actually a "bad weekend" for them. They usually had a much greater turn-out and more balanced battles. It was well worth the six hour drive and two nights in a hotel... Which means.
We will be taking another trip up to Ballahack soon! If any of this sounds interesting to you and/or you actually read to this point, stay tuned! This summer may be a great opportunity to bring an even bigger group of South Carolinian's up to Ballahack to kick-butt and take names. Like i said, stay tuned, beleive the hype, and prepare yourselves.
'till next time,
~Mives
TL;DR We went, we saw, we conquered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjjU_-fE9xg (see how many times you can spot C.Taylor and Mives)
A contingent of University of South Carolina Gamecock Airsoft team packed our bags and made the pilgrimage to the East coasts hottest airsoft AO for a weekend. C.Talyor, myself, and a third member (not sure if he's on the forums). To say it was an airsoft experience of a lifetime would not do it justice. It was in insight, a blessing, and an honor, to show those Virginia boys how we do down in SC. However, our ferocity in combat was matched by the motivation and dedication of the field staff throughout the weekend. The field owner did every briefing and organized the 300+ people that showed up to play Saturday and Sunday. He had with him an entourage of 4-6 red plate carrier bearing "field marshals" that enforced his will upon the field of play. And the AO.... was magnificent. Their "MOUT town" was a true to life sized village with a balance of defensible buildings and alleyways that provided a challenge to capture and hold. (for those architects out there, it was heaven. The design and construction of these buildings left zero room for error. You could have put real bullet holes through the plywood and it would still stand. Also, no cracks to peek or shoot through!!!!)
Both days consisted of generally the same schedule.
0900 Field opens, chrono opens
~1030 Briefing for day begins
~1100 First "warm up" game begins in the town
~1200 Small break to hydrate/reload
~1240 Second game of Chaos
~1400 lunch break
~1500 briefing and game on: small scenario operation
1700 game over
The "warm up" games were held in their "MOUT town" and consisted of a fast paced, no respawn game of gaining ground in the town to knock down the other teams barrel at one end of the street. There were designated medics, so this game would end very quickly sometimes and other times would drag on in a stalemate. This is where we got to know the layout and run of the town. Lots of Close Quarters fighting, tons of fun.
During breaks, the majority of the players were quick about reloading and getting on with the business of getting back into the game to shoot each other and the marshals were verbal about getting back to the "briefing nest".
The Chaos game type was probably the most fun. It was a game in which multiple teams of 15 players would start scattered across the field. The objective is to kill other players, medic them, and bring them on to your team. Teams would absorb other teams in this fashion until the majority or all of the players are on one team. It was a long campaign where your flank could be exposed to attack from any number of teams at any time. Speed and coordination were key to coming out on top. The first day we weren't sure what to make of the game type and ended up on a different team. However, during the second day's game of Chaos, our team took the entire field and won the game. We started in the very back and worked our way up the field. We had an outstanding starting team who communicated and moved surprisingly well for our Hodge-podge group of players we had put together. We ended up with a huge contingent of players near the town, took the town by storm, and fought enemies on all sides whilst clearing out parts of the town. To summarize: It. Was. Absolute. Chaos. But we held together and won the game. With Gamecocks leading the entire way.
The two small scenario ops were a fresh change in game play that contrasted the fast paced warm up games and Chaos game with a more deliberate force on force operation. The first one unfortunately found us locked down in a kill zone trying to assault the town, and Sunday's op got us cut off from friendly forces near our spawn as our comrades raced to the other end of the field to evac three VIP's.
The entire weekend was a great experience and load of fun. The staff at the field are very professional, helpful, and encouraging before, during, and after game play. It was amazing seeing so many motivated Virginian's out to two normal, run-of-the-mill weekend days for airsoft. And surprisingly, when we talked to the Field owner, he said that the days we came to play were actually a "bad weekend" for them. They usually had a much greater turn-out and more balanced battles. It was well worth the six hour drive and two nights in a hotel... Which means.
We will be taking another trip up to Ballahack soon! If any of this sounds interesting to you and/or you actually read to this point, stay tuned! This summer may be a great opportunity to bring an even bigger group of South Carolinian's up to Ballahack to kick-butt and take names. Like i said, stay tuned, beleive the hype, and prepare yourselves.
'till next time,
~Mives