RUNNING WITH THE ENEMY: Part 1,defending the flag station     
                                                 by:   Rob “L B “ Morse

Well here I am, comfortably sitting in thick brush waiting for the bad guys. To my face at about two hundred yards is my flag station. To my back at ten times the distance is the enemy’s flag station, so I know that I have a good ten to fifteen minutes to nap, and so I do. Its so peaceful  that sometimes I think this is my favorite time in playing paint-ball, (nah).

                             Light footsteps rise me from my sleep (they always do), Its the enemy heading to my flag station. My inner eyes begin counting two, three, maybe four properly newbees looking to rambo the flags defenses .I stay right were I am and let them pass. After a few more minutes there comes many more footsteps and the familiar  sound of the paint-ball guns going off some two hundred yards away (newbees getting experience ). Meanwhile the many footsteps are settling around me, the shots up ahead are making them slow down and becoming aware, as they slowly  make their way to the sounds of the guns that’s when I fall in, and mingle in with the rear of their unit. I stay hunched , keeping my arm band from being notice. Nodding to my new found comrades , I am always amused by the look they give me , like where did you come from , but they always acknowledge me and we move on . ( Maybe its because people figure that the enemy will always come out shooting , and when you don’t  they  become so willing to except you as one of theirs , ). I’m not sure of the reason why but I do know that I never had a problem with befriending the enemy, I do it every time I play, and I do it well. The people that know me and play the game can verify this

.                               I’m running with a dozen or more of the enemy. We are with in a couple of hundred feet of the flag station , long balls are fallen here and there. I need to be where  of friendly fire, for they (my own team) will take me out just as if I was the enemy team , because at this time I am.( this is the fear I have when I run with the enemy. ( BEING SHORT BY MY OWN TEAM).  As we close in on the flag station  we begin to deploy. A couple of the players moves to the left and some to the right, the others cover and begin firing at the defenders. Still in the rear I decide to move to the left, for one reason and the main reason its the arm my colors are on so it helps to keep me unnoticed. We crawl along ,fire now  is intense .The two comrades I’m with  move into cover to check out the defense and set down some prep fire. I take a good look around , it’s just the three of us (bap, bap ) now it’s just me both of my comrades have been hit and are now out. They both yell “hit”, looking around to see where the shot came from, I look up at them and yell back” where the hell did that come from”, my head looking to n fro like I’m afraid I’m going to be next. Keep in mind that I’m lying flat on my arm band. They shake their heads and walk , barrel plugs in place.

                                Crawling back over to the center , I see the enemy still deployed and firing down on the flag station. I keep on to the right there’s three deployed just taking pop shots across the field. Looking on to the flag station I Notice two defenders crouched  behind  a bunker just waiting for the enemy’s push. Crawling up to the shooters I coach them into making a move on the out-ward bunkers, telling them that they are undefended

I’ll lay down cover fire as they sprint for the bunkers. So I lay down fire harmlessly just hitting bunkers and telling them  to go for it, in a flash I watch three targets running and shooting , they almost make it too. A second later the two hidden  defenders jump up and let them have it, I crawl off towards the center. The firing line of the enemy here is causing havoc in the flag station. Most of the defenders are pinned. the dozen or so paint-ball players are enjoying the turkey shoot. Then they begin to talk, making their hasted  plan to take the flag. Two crawl off to the left ,two more to the right. They decide to also leave two here to cover fire. I quickly  volunteer , so there I am again shooting at bunker walls as six or seven targets do the bonsai. Turning to my right I cap the other team player laying down cover fire. He turns to me and has the look of shock in his eyes. Quickly I turn my team colors to him he shakes his head and walks off Putting my aim onto the backs of the bonsai team I open up. One , two  then three are out before they make it to the bunker walls. Their fire has taken two defenders out also. Not yet realizing  they are being hit from the rear they huddle against the wall hugging  cover. Soon they discover the deadly predicament. The cover they counted on isn’t any good, as they try and scramble for a better place to fight

from the cross fire takes them out also. Now with the offensive fire quite vanquish, the defenders of the flag station go’s

into the offense, soon the last of the enemy team players are taken out or driven off. I wait knowing the games almost over. When it gets close to the end I call my colors in and tell the flag station I’m coming in, and rejoin my team.              

             This is a typical game I call running with the enemy. There are few rules to go buy , it’s more a mind set and being a good actor. First you need to make your mind up to run in the middle of the enemy , this isn’t always easy, it’s hard to run with a bunch of guys that you know want to shoot you. Getting rid of this fear is the first step. Next you need to over come the fear of being notice. You want to expose you self to the enemy, make your self known, be their best friend. No one expects to be shot in the back by their best friend. They are not checking you out closely if you are one of them, they will be counting on you, and that’s what you want. They won’t see your colors if they believe you are one of them. Remember never open up until the enemy team you are with are preoccupied , a good fire fight is what you are really waiting for. Many times I have stood in the rear of the enemy in a good fire fight , just taking them out one at a time and they never realized. The sound of your gun going off is expected. But if some reason

they did catch on start acting. If your actions are the reaction of someone who is being short at ,they ( the enemy )  will start looking for someone else. Also yelling at them and making yourself known helps a lot. Attention to yourself  always throws them off , nobody in there right mind makes them self known to the enemy especially when the enemy is all around you. If the enemy realizes something is wrong, that they are being hit from the rear and attention is being focus towards your direction start yelling things like “sniper” or “where are those shorts coming from”, all the time moving  and acting like you are the one being short at. Put your back to them act like you are looking for this fathom  sniper, nobody puts their back to the enemy, act like they are your team and they will believe they are.

                                                Alot of  players would say this is kinda like cheating especially  if they have been on the receiving end. I had more then a few players even get a little upset, but I also had many shake my hand and tell me that they had learned a lot from the experience . Its all in good sport. I spoke of running with the enemy in defending the flag station, but there are many other ways my team deploys this tactic. Once I was defending the flag and we were over ran , most  of the defenders were tag out I was one of the last. Well I waited and when the enemy grab the flag and had ran off I just began to run with them. As we were running to their  flag station to bring the captured  flag in  , I short one player in the back. Medially they all hit the ground , I began to act. A few  minutes later, when no sniper was spotted we began to run again. Then again I short another player in the back, and again they fell to the ground for cover. This kept up until I got the flag , and ran like the devil. I never did get the flag back to my station time ran out, but the enemy didn’t get it back to their station , and get the win. A lot of times I will walk point for my team , and when I make contact and have not been spotted  I will let the enemy move bye then fall in on the rear. When their team meets mine and the shooting starts that’s when  I do my thing.   

                                                     HINTS ON WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR                                              

                                                YOUR OWN TEAM. They will take you out, I have only been taken out once by my own men, but I keep my distance. I know what you are thinking! it is confusing . your enemies are your friends and your friends WILL SHOOT YOU. But I will admit , I have short my own team members also. Some that had also got  around to the enemies rear or flank, and I never expect friendly’s to be there on the enemies firing line with their backs to me. Paint-ball is hell sometimes.

                              MAKING SURE THAT YOUR ENEMIES MIND IS OCCUPIED.  

                                                The best time to filter into the enemies ranks is when they are looking somewhere else, for an enemy beyond not one standing in their mist . I will always wait in a place where they expect to find oppression and walk in on them. As their eyes are focused  on the far away bush or clump of trees. Next only make your gutsy moves when the enemy is really occupied . I always wait for the shooting to start and then I always look at the situation . Sometimes its better to wait for the right time.                                                          

                                                TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SITUATIONS                                                           

                                                You don’t have to shoot everyone in the back to win the game. Let your team do it if given the chance. Like leading them into a trap . I once got two groups of the enemy team shooting at one another , I saw a large group of the enemies team moving towards us and I just opened up and soon both groups were down and taking each other out while I slipped away. Like I said paint-ball can be hell.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                      HELPFUL HINT                                                                                                                                

                                                Keep extra gear in order to change your appearance . Sooner or later you will be found out. I always keep a different jacket and goggles , hat , no hat . If your found out they will be watching  for the same person so become someone else .                                                                                                                

                                                Running with the enemy is fun and done in good sport . I enjoy the trill , and so do the other players who use this tactic. And remember , keep an eye on the player next to you given you that comfort wave.