TCA Battlegrounds Action at TXPB

Leading up to OP DINGO in San Antonio, the TCA Staff wanted to get some team training and execute a great scenario at Texas Paintball’s excellent field. The growing MILSIM player base there is eager to try out our scenario designs.

The JTF players had nearly a 3 to 1 advantage over the OPFOR, 42 vs 16. Granted, most of them had not played this type of mission before. The objective was to drive the OPFOR out of the town and then onto the trenchlines beyond until the JTF captured and returned to their Casualty Collection Point, an ammunition can (marked on the map with a Blue dot). Regen rules for both sides were the following, get hit, immediately return to your CCP and get back in, simple, unlimited regen until the JTF made mission or time ran out (45 min limit). Terrain adjustment made was that all the buildings were on “fire” and could not be entered by either side. The JTF players (in blue) would start their attacks from their CCP in the West corner, their CCP would not move over the course of execution. Ours (OPFOR) would slowly shift rearward as the JTF pushed us back.

On STARTEX, the JTF moved out in a rush mode, leading to quite a few immediate KIAs on their part. The OPFOR had initial field position starting forward in the defense. Slowly the JTF players began to communicate and cover each others movement, realizing that the dead space created by either side not being able to go inside the buildings would create covered routes protected from enemy small arms fire.

Soon the JTF players began to move, shoot, and communicate, finding those avenues, leading to the OPFOR being pushed back.

The enemy evolves

The JTF players finding those lanes to move into the town and finding positions to get some great shots on the OPFOR began to cause more and more OPFOR KIAs, soon the OPFOR had 2/3rd of our force on line and a third KIA at any given time (10 on the line and 6 at regen). We had to give ground or risk a blow defensive line, we started setting a new line with the regenerated OPFOR, and prepared for a fall back to it.

Breathing Space

The OPFOR fall back bought time, but also gave the JTF a chance to rush forward (taking some casualties) and quickly find new fields of fire dropping more OPFOR on the fallback. The OPFOR CCP had to be moved due to it being under fire, we shifted it to a bunker (noted on the map). Sensing another surge coming by the JTF, the OPFOR team leaders recommended another withdrawal in order to prepare new positions and possibly catch the JTF on the move from those new positions. At this point, more than half the OPFOR was down at any given time (8 on line and 8 at regen).

More pressure

We shifted our CCP back to the Counterstrike Barracks in the South. And roughly split our element into 2 sectors. Due to the amount of contact and casualties being taken in the north part of the field, we were being steadily pushed back across the trenchlines.

Finishing Moves

Our CCP was moved to its final position in the south in order to give us some reaction time. Once the JTF was in the trenchlines, it became a slugging match, but their numbers were now not as many, but they retained a numbers advantage. We had shrank in numbers as well due to batteries and guns going down (33 to 12 at this point). At the 42 minute mark, the Ref called game, one of the JTF players had low crawled to the can, grabbed it and exfil-ed back to the CCP. A great scenario had ended in a well earned JTF Victory and lessons learned for all.

Lessons Learned

Initially, some players who had consistently rushed out of their Start Point only to get hit got frustrated, while others took the time to get the lay of the land. Like all stressful moments, we cannot cloud our heads with frustration, stop take in the moment, THINK, and then try something else. “3 strikes and you’re not out, there is always 1 more thing you can do,” Colonel Hal Moore said it best. The scenario given was not unbeatable, it provided a problem set to work through.

Identifying gaps and surfaces; JTF players started to find the gaps in the OPFOR defense and exploited them, with only 16 OPFOR, not every inch of terrain can be covered and as OPFOR get taken out, the need to exploited either a natural or created gap was how the JTF pushed down field.

The OPFOR, communication (this one is for you Castle) enable them to flex, to read something of the enemy in front of them, and attempt to adjust accordingly. Did it always work? No, but it kept the round from being a shut out.

Scenario being a Challenge; yes, it was on both sides. Players were fist bumping each other after the round was over. Was it athletic event? Yes! The real thing is, so to capture some physical exertion in an airsoft scenario should occur. It forced you to think as Travis Haley has said before “Combat is a thinking man’s game.”

Leaning forward, looking at OP DINGO, SHOOTING STAR, CROSSFIRE, Urban Siege and DRAGON ROGUE 6, the TCA Battlegrounds Event Types are going to challenge players in both a mental and physical sense. You can’t just quit, after all for some players doing impressions of real life SOF, your heroes wouldn’t, so neither should you.