OP: Steel Talon - March 14 - 15th, 2009

[Steak]

Thanks for not shooting too close. I was dead, killed behind a large stump and wearing a fluorescent orange deadrag, and was still getting shot up. Sometimes it's impossible to know if someone is dead, even if they are wearing a rag because you can't see their head. I just wish that 5 minutes had gone by faster...

[Deliverator]

If you start getting shot up grab your death rag and wave it.

[LettuceHead]

This was my first big op, though I've been to Splat Action many times for paintball. All big paintball games there turn into a giant clusterf**k so I was mentally prepared for it! I woke up in the morning with an upset stomach and the need to use the restroom often... figured it was something I ate and would live through it. Hiking down to the Cartel startpoint I was getting weak, dizzy and nauseous. Turns out it was actually the flu!

Hung in there for Phase I, I had the RPK so I was trying to provide fire to screen our flank late in the phase when Cartel was pushing the right. I can't really say if there was much no-hit calling going on from my vantage point, but I did notice a lot of dead players not effectively communicating that they were out or wounded. That was frustrating.

After the first phase I slowly hauled my virus-ridden body up the hill and hung out until my ride came back up.

All in all, I had a blast! Thanks to everyone who put this together!

[Steak]

I did but my own team was using me for cover too. not cool.

[Solid]

Almost forgot.... who ended up carrying the Nerve agent crate? I bet that was some serious "fun" wasn't it

I did for a bit, I hated whoever built that thing.

[Deliverator]

Oh yeah, next time for the exposives a satchel charge might be a little more mobile...

[Peaches]

Almost forgot.... who ended up carrying the Nerve agent crate? I bet that was some serious "fun" wasn't it

I did for a bit, I hated whoever built that thing.

At least you guys took the smart route, and came up the north end of Hamburger Hill.

[Ivan Daylovich™]

...That said, the game itself was, at best, a mediocre one. It seems like all games at Splat Action quickly degenerate into large clusterfucks. I came to this event expecting coordination, structure, and a higher level of milsim than I normally get from Splat Action OPs. I was let down on all accounts. It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose, and I'm sure if I were still new to this sport OP:ST would have been an amazing experience, but here on the forums we had a functional OPORD, we had a well-developed chain of command, we had strict fire team regulations, we had clear and concise objectives. I went to this game expecting all of the above, because the last three months of planning have implied that all of the above would be important (because they are), and yet when the game started, very few people had any understanding of what the hell was going on...

This is exactly the opposite of how I felt.
I came to the game assuming in 5 minutes all command would break down and it would just be a force on force Cluster f**k.
I was surprised to see and hear squads and platoons following their commands and getting sh*t done.
Maybe this was a difference between Cartel and US teams.

[Easley]

One of the only downsides to me, was people not calling their hits. This is bound to happen, especially at large OPs but it was getting out of hand in the 3rd phase. The US forces just seemed to not want to call hits anymore, especially around Hamburger hill. Either out of desperation because they were loosing, or more likely it was just the result of a few dishonest players.

I was on Hamburger Hill in that firefight on the US team and I was a medic. We kept respawning because we had two medics up there and all the players were either the SF team or pretty experienced guys. I had the same phenomenon with Cartel players not calling hits though. I think I would have to agree thet the newer players present didn't make anything better. But yeah, all the trouble on the hill was probalby due to Shorty's and my medic skills. By the way, great OP. When are the pictures going to be posted?

[SilentStalker]

American,
Thanks for all the help on HH during Phase III. Without you as the Medic I would have lost my entire team in minutes. Also way to help us stay alive during the search for Juan. Would be honored to fight along side you again.

[mrice1]

...That said, the game itself was, at best, a mediocre one. It seems like all games at Splat Action quickly degenerate into large clusterfucks. I came to this event expecting coordination, structure, and a higher level of milsim than I normally get from Splat Action OPs. I was let down on all accounts. It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose, and I'm sure if I were still new to this sport OP:ST would have been an amazing experience, but here on the forums we had a functional OPORD, we had a well-developed chain of command, we had strict fire team regulations, we had clear and concise objectives. I went to this game expecting all of the above, because the last three months of planning have implied that all of the above would be important (because they are), and yet when the game started, very few people had any understanding of what the hell was going on...

This is exactly the opposite of how I felt.
I came to the game assuming in 5 minutes all command would break down and it would just be a force on force Cluster f**k.
I was surprised to see and hear squads and platoons following their commands and getting sh*t done.
Maybe this was a difference between Cartel and US teams.

I"m with Ivan, but then I was on the Cartel side too so maybe it indeed was a US thing. I felt our side was pretty well organized and together and I had a great time repelling the invaders.


As for banning high caps, bad idea. For one thing when I drop 300 dollars on a gun I don't always have the extra 80 or so to get a set of good magazines and most guns come with one high cap at least. "Sorry son but you don't get lunch this week. I've got airsoft expenses." This shortly followed by the sound of a blunt object bouncing off my head as the wife hears. Besides, not everyone wants to be totally milsim. I prefer to run with midcaps, myself.

And just what sort of high caps do you have? Endless stream from a 400 round magazine? I've got to wind my highcap after 30 or so. Which takes about as long as changing magazines.

[Deliverator]

Respawns are fine, but you need to have everyone understand what their objectives are and as soon as they respawn head back up there and find someone that knows whats up.

[wake.joe]

Respawns are fine, but you need to have everyone understand what their objectives are and as soon as they respawn head back up there and find someone that knows whats up.

My wife sat at Cartel's respawn all day directing people where they were needed.

She did a great job, too!

[Bad Karma]

...That said, the game itself was, at best, a mediocre one. It seems like all games at Splat Action quickly degenerate into large clusterfucks. I came to this event expecting coordination, structure, and a higher level of milsim than I normally get from Splat Action OPs. I was let down on all accounts. It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose, and I'm sure if I were still new to this sport OP:ST would have been an amazing experience, but here on the forums we had a functional OPORD, we had a well-developed chain of command, we had strict fire team regulations, we had clear and concise objectives. I went to this game expecting all of the above, because the last three months of planning have implied that all of the above would be important (because they are), and yet when the game started, very few people had any understanding of what the hell was going on...

This is exactly the opposite of how I felt.
I came to the game assuming in 5 minutes all command would break down and it would just be a force on force Cluster f**k.
I was surprised to see and hear squads and platoons following their commands and getting sh*t done.
Maybe this was a difference between Cartel and US teams.

I"m with Ivan, but then I was on the Cartel side too so maybe it indeed was a US thing. I felt our side was pretty well organized and together and I had a great time repelling the invaders.


As for banning high caps, bad idea. For one thing when I drop 300 dollars on a gun I don't always have the extra 80 or so to get a set of good magazines and most guns come with one high cap at least. "Sorry son but you don't get lunch this week. I've got airsoft expenses." This shortly followed by the sound of a blunt object bouncing off my head as the wife hears. Besides, not everyone wants to be totally milsim. I prefer to run with midcaps, myself.

And just what sort of high caps do you have? Endless stream from a 400 round magazine? I've got to wind my highcap after 30 or so. Which takes about as long as changing magazines.

Any stock hi-cap should fire at least half of the magazine capacity off of a single full wind.

That said, there is a time and place for these kinds of events, but there is, I would argue, a large market of airsofters who do want to have that higher level of milsim. Part of making people spend $100-$200 just to buy decent mid or standard caps is the exclusiveness that creates. Only the truly committed players will invest that kind of money. And, quite frankly, those are really the only people I want to play with anymore anyway. There is enough of an interest in this community to start holding more advanced operations.

[Matt]

...That said, the game itself was, at best, a mediocre one. It seems like all games at Splat Action quickly degenerate into large clusterfucks. I came to this event expecting coordination, structure, and a higher level of milsim than I normally get from Splat Action OPs. I was let down on all accounts. It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose, and I'm sure if I were still new to this sport OP:ST would have been an amazing experience, but here on the forums we had a functional OPORD, we had a well-developed chain of command, we had strict fire team regulations, we had clear and concise objectives. I went to this game expecting all of the above, because the last three months of planning have implied that all of the above would be important (because they are), and yet when the game started, very few people had any understanding of what the hell was going on...

This is exactly the opposite of how I felt.
I came to the game assuming in 5 minutes all command would break down and it would just be a force on force Cluster f**k.
I was surprised to see and hear squads and platoons following their commands and getting sh*t done.
Maybe this was a difference between Cartel and US teams.

I"m with Ivan, but then I was on the Cartel side too so maybe it indeed was a US thing. I felt our side was pretty well organized and together and I had a great time repelling the invaders.


As for banning high caps, bad idea. For one thing when I drop 300 dollars on a gun I don't always have the extra 80 or so to get a set of good magazines and most guns come with one high cap at least. "Sorry son but you don't get lunch this week. I've got airsoft expenses." This shortly followed by the sound of a blunt object bouncing off my head as the wife hears. Besides, not everyone wants to be totally milsim. I prefer to run with midcaps, myself.

And just what sort of high caps do you have? Endless stream from a 400 round magazine? I've got to wind my highcap after 30 or so. Which takes about as long as changing magazines.

Any stock hi-cap should fire at least half of the magazine capacity off of a single full wind.

That said, there is a time and place for these kinds of events, but there is, I would argue, a large market of airsofters who do want to have that higher level of milsim. Part of making people spend $100-$200 just to buy decent mid or standard caps is the exclusiveness that creates. Only the truly committed players will invest that kind of money. And, quite frankly, those are really the only people I want to play with anymore anyway. There is enough of an interest in this community to start holding more advanced operations.

I agree 100%. When you get 300-400 participants, you can afford to be picky with your requirements, even if it means a bunch of people can't make it. Say you enforced real-caps only. Say you enforced uniforms and camo patterns (1 pattern per side). Say you required death rags. Say that you had to be pre-paid, registered, and listed in a squad before you can even show up for the game. How many players would we have left? 200? Maybe only 100? But those would be 100 of biggest mil-sim enthusiasts this community has, and would make for a truly amazing event.