24: BlackCat Paintball produces scenario game based on the hit television series, at Ford Ord.
by Ian "Lo" Ebersole on Nov 18, 2008
It was only ten minutes in, and Raymond Salas, leader of the Salas cell, knew he was in deep trouble. His Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) adversaries had wiped out the force moving on Center for Disease Control headquarters, posted snipers in several second story windows overlooking his position, and were also taking ground on his opposite flank. His drug runners and terrorist brethren swarmed back and forth from the respawn point faster than bees to and from their hive. Something needed to change, and soon, if he’d have any chance at completing the missions sure to come his way.
Players from across the country had gathered at Fort Ord, California for this game produced by BlackCat Productions. One of the best known scenario producers in the country, Spiro Mamaligas created the game based on the popular television series “24”, and players eagerly filled the roles of Jack Bauer, Morris O’Brien, and others from the show. Pitting LJ Marcus as Antonio Almeda, CTU Director, against Brock “Skull Man” Frieszell, head of the terrorist Salas cell, both sides were ready to fight a battle of paint and wits across one of the most unique fields known to scenario paintball.
Fort Ord was an Army base founded in 1917, which rapidly expanded during World War II to host thousands of US troops. It remained in use until the mid 1990s, when it was abandoned, and the land given to several local municipal authorities. It is currently the planned site for homes and businesses, but due to construction delays, the rows of World War II era barracks still stand. Spiro saw an opportunity in this, and began hosting games in this amazing urban environment. Intense firefights and challenging struggles to clear buildings, intermixed with mad dashes across the wide streets, characterize game play in the venue, which can be both a player’s greatest dream and his worst nightmare.
I had been assigned a role as Robert McPhinney, a terrorist purchasing agent for the game; but for the moment, I wasn’t concerned with buying anything except a little more time to stay alive. The CTU had our command point almost entirely surrounded, with paint pouring into the barracks building known as Mom’s Diner, and we were pinned. Attempts by the terrorists to recapture even the adjacent buildings met with resounding bursts of fire, and sharp calls of “Hit! Hit!” Those who stayed inside the terrorist headquarters to attempt a gunfight met the same demise. Eventually terrorist forces broke out toward the rear and opened the flanks again, but the first half hour would be an indicator of the tough fighting to come.
As the day progressed, both sides fought vehemently over buildings, with players alternating between fighting their way across the field, and trying to sneak through enemy lines to meet non-player characters (NPCs) and complete valuable personal missions. Ryan “The Player” Mackey led up the NPC contingent by playing the always-present arms dealer, among other roles. Among the traditional scenario missions such as detonating charges to destroy buildings and General Assassinations, less orthodox missions also found their place, such as taunting the enemy in their own command point (as a live player). This was my first BlackCat game, and while I had played many a scenario before, the roleplaying during this game surpassed anything I had seen before.
As the finale to a long day’s play, a dinner battle was called, which required the CTU to retrieve a bomb planted in an isolated trash bin, and the terrorists to protect that bomb until it detonated. With both groups starting in sight of each other, at a distance of four buildings, the battle’s beginning was intense. Most players disregarded cover in hopes of firing off enough paint to longball an opponent. Those few who didn’t sit back to sling paint dashed forward, trying to get as close to the objective as possible. After the dust settled from the initial blows, the terrorists pushed the CTU agents back on both flanks and had the definitive territory advantage, but in a moment of negligence, a CTU agent had managed to retrieve and re-hide the bomb in a secured building. As the game wound down, the terrorists found themselves guarding an empty trash bin, and the CTU added to their small lead in points on the day.
Directly after the battle, the players gathered for a hot meal prepared by the BlackCat staff. After filling themselves with steak, mashed potatoes, and salads (as a side note: I have since determined that having a hot meal waiting for you as soon as the game ends is the best thing to happen to scenario paintball since well.. scenario!), the players took roleplaying to an even higher level. Throughout the day, players from the terrorist side had made the case that the CTU had acted outside their legal rights, including kidnapping or arresting, then “killing” characters without due process. Lawsuits were brought against the CTU leadership, and that evening, the court of Judge Spiro Mamaligas convened, with nearly every player in attendance.
To lend credibility to his actions, Spiro appointed a bailiff and insisted evidence be appropriately tagged and submitted. Procedure was upheld, with a few exceptions, and witnesses were sworn in (on a paintball magazine, of course!) In the centerpiece trial, Ryan “The Player” Mackey was accused of attempting to assemble and operate a mechanism to guide a missile onto US territory, during which CTU agents found and arrested him. With Ed “8-Ball” Mentz as the defense attorney, and Doug “Slick” Grider as chief prosecutor, allegations, evidence and witnesses were swiftly brought to bear by both sides, until the final jury vote found Mr. Mackey guilty on all charges. In a surprise move, the prosecution then submitted video evidence showing Mr. Mentz, the defense attorney, firing on CTU agents, and apprehended him. In the ensuing confusion, however, Mr. Mackey fled the scene unharmed, mitigating the damage to the terrorist cause.
After a short night game and a good night’s rest, the players suited up again in the morning to make one final run at the points available. The terrorists moved their command post back further into the city, and began on a stronger foot. The CTU, however, led by veteran players from the SoCal Ghosts and Team Bad to the Bone among others, kept the pressure on throughout the day. Another round of personal missions were distributed, moles placed to be uncovered, and props scattered. Both sides pushed to be within range of the opponents’ command posts, and were subsequently repulsed. Buildings were cleared and then re-cleared, bombs planted and defused, snipers took their roosts only to be stormed by squads of ten or 12 men. With experience from the previous day guiding players’ actions, certain buildings were labeled impossible, and avoided, while others gained importance. And as always, players came on and off the field with unmistakable grins behind their masks.
Of course, in any scenario there must be a Final battle. Having recovered radioactive material during the game, the terrorists schemed to plant a dirty bomb over a water main in the city center, from which the radioactive contents could spread most quickly and effectively, both in the air and the water. By the diligence of a CTU mole, this plan was discovered, and once again, both teams faced each other down across the long span of Main Street, with full tanks of air and massive amounts of paint, ready to duel one last time.
The objective of this battle called for the terrorists to plant the weapon in the center intersection. On the opening horn, players sprinted to try to gain control of as much ground as possible. Once again the initial stalemate in the center led players to flank wide, eventually battling across the entire span of the field, with small groups penetrating opponents’ lines and re-appearing unexpectedly inside crucial buildings, only to be taken out and face the long walk back to respawn.
This time, the terrorists seized a few crucial bunkers along the length of Main Street, and periodically sent out a runner to move the bomb ever closer to the objective before being eliminated. However, for the part of the CTU, the government agents kept up a steady rain of fire on the crucial street, and remained well-entrenched. Eventually a terrorist runner planted the bomb, and the CTU could not to reach and disable it before the time limit, giving the points for the final battle to the terrorists. As the players stepped off the field, the question remained, had the terrorists pulled out a victory?
In the end, the points awarded for planting the dirty bomb did not close the gap which the CTU agents had so diligently built up in the previous day of play, and LJ Marcus, as Antonio Alameda and director of the CTU, claimed victory. On one hand though, it can easily be said the true winner for the weekend was the City of Marina Youth Program, towards which all the proceeds of the game were donated, and whose members had come out to play the full scenario. For a few it was their first game, while most had several events under their belt. Regardless of their level of experience, these players were easily the most enthusiastic both on and off the field. You could spot them leading charges, making mad dashes across the city streets, or helping their less experienced friends during the game. Late Sunday afternoon, you could spot them animatedly recounting stories of their adventures. While one can never say where the next great player in our sport will come from, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps one of those kids will grow up to be the next Tom Cole, Blue, or Darryl Trent. In which case, I might have shot him!
Ian “Lo” Ebersole is a founding member and captain of Band of Brothers, a paintball team based out of Pueblo, CO, and a member team of the US SOCOM Coalition. An avid pump player since 2005, and self-termed “SPPL bum”, he currently resides in Northern Colorado and has been seen “gracefully colliding” with bunkers and trees on fields across a good portion of the Midwest.