A: Our site has extremely diverse terrain including open flat areas, dense swamp, woodlands, streams with bridges, a lake, and urban terrain. Most of the course is tank-navigable, depending on the size and mobility of the tank.
Q: Is there going to be like a sniper team or anything like Special forces & so forth?
A: Of course! The units within the game will be based off of the units from Operation Iraqi Freedom, which include SF and Sniper teams.
Q: I don’t own any equipment. Can I rent or buy at the game?
A: We will have limited quantities of rental equipment available at the game. Please annotate that you need to rent equipment on your pre-registration form! There will also be many vendors at the game from which you can buy new equipment.
Q: I’ve never played paintball before. Can I still come and play?
A: There is no better way to dive into this great sport than to come to a huge scenario game like this one.
Q: I run a paintball site, or write for a paintball magazine or other media. Who do I talk to if I want to write an article about the upcoming game, or if I want to attend this event as media?
A: Please contact
Jeffrey.hermanson@usma.edu .
Q: How many people are going to participate in this game?
A: We’re aiming for this to be the one of the largest scenario events in the country, and from what we can tell by the responses we’ve been getting through our website, that may not be too lofty of a goal.
Q: I’m in the Army. What can I do to help?
A: Talk to your peers and try to set up a team. Let people know what’s going on and point them to
www.armypaintball.com . If you’re willing to lead a team on game day, please contact
Jeffrey.hermanson@usma.edu.
Q: Is there cell phone reception at the game site?
A: Cell phone reception is blotchy to say the least. You may not be able to reliably communicate via cell phone from the game site with some service providers. SprintPCS, T-Mobile, and Verizon seem to work OK.
Q: How will units communicate?
A: We will have a military signal network set up for command and control of the game, but we strongly recommend that players bring their own means of two-way communication, like Talk-About radios.
Q: Will there be a gunsmith or a maintenance tent at the game?
A: Yes. There will be an maintenance/repair tent at the game site, and a more comprehensive repair and parts vendor at the command site.
Q: Will there be food concessions at the game?
A: Yes. We will offer Friday dinner, three meals on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday.
Q: Can I use my own paint?
A: No. We are using field paint only for many reasons. First, we use the profits from paint to improve our next scenario game, so it directly benefits you. Second, paint colors mean different things. Small arms paint will all be red or white, and higher caliber paint will be different colors and we won’t be able to distinguish tank-killing hits from small arms. Third, some non-field paint stains clothing, vehicles, buildings, and drop cloth, which makes a lot of people mad.
Q: Will there be vendors at the game?
A: Yes! There will be a wide variety of paintball and military products vendors for you to peruse.
Q: I am a vendor, and want to set up shop at this event. Who do I contact?
A: Contact
scott.anderson@usma.edu and he will get you all set up.
Q: I want to join the Army/come to West Point. Can I do that here?
A: There will be recruiters at the game that will be more than happy to talk to you. You will also be able to ask cadets about their experiences.
Q: Will there be security around the command site when the game is ongoing?
A: Yes. The military police will be patrolling the command site during the entire weekend.
Q: What happens if the weather is bad?
A: The game will go on, of course! The only weather conditions that will delay the game are lightening, hurricanes, or tornadoes.
Q: Who will be leading the battles?
A: Pre-registering teams and groups will have the option to lead themselves, otherwise cadet or military leaders will lead platoons and companies, as we have done in the past.
Q: Will there be medical assistance or first aid available on site?
A: Yes. We are required to have medics, combat lifesavers, and emergency plans for this event, and safety is our number one priority.
Q: What all is included in registration costs?
A: Your registration costs go to pay for the cost of the game and operating expenses. We’re spending more money on set-up and supplies for the game this year than we ever before. Everyone gets glow sticks, unit patches, free air/Co2, raffle tickets, a whistle, and a whole bunch of other fun stuff that is mostly for safety during a game as large as this. Most money goes into transportation, site improvement and cleaning, and other associated operating expenses.
Q: Will there be prizes?
A: Naturally. Lots of them.
Q: Will I be able to see the game site before playing in the game?
A: Yes. The weekend before the game, 26-28 March, the game site will be open to players who wish to scope things out. The only condition is that players will only be allowed on the field that weekend if they pre-register with the HelpingHands 20% discount, which means they will come to the field to improve defenses, build bunkers, and help to prepare the field in various ways under our guidance. This is a great opportunity to not only improve the game and get a feel for the field, but also to save some money!
Q: When should I get there? What is going on Friday Night?
A: Get there on Friday night if at all possible. We will give the operation/scenario brief at 2200 on Friday, 2 April in the movie theater at the command site. There will also be military demonstrations, exhibitions, equipment, movies, and all kinds of other fun stuff to get everyone pumped for the game. You will need a lot of sleep Friday night, as the game will not stop until Sunday morning. The game starts promptly at 1000 on Saturday, 3 April, and players will be on the game site preparing as early as 0700.
Q: Where are the bunks in relation to the playing field? Can we sleep on the playing field?
A: The bunks are indoor military style open bays at the command site, a few miles away from the game site. You may bivouac/tent/camp at the command site, but not on the game field for safety reasons.
Q: Are there going to be crazy paintball weapons we’ve never seen before at this game?
A: If they’re going to be anywhere, it’ll be here. We already have many special weapons/tactics teams pre-registered to come that have promised exciting things.
Q: Which airport(s) are best to fly into?
A: Stewart-Newburgh (SWF) is closest, about 20 minutes North. Next easiest in order are Newark (EWR, 1-1.5 Hours by car), LaGuardia (LGA, 1.5-2 hours by car), and JFK (2-2.5 hours by car). Use Islip (ISP) or White Plains only if you get a really good fare. See our travel discounts on Avis and American Airlines at
www.armypaintball.com.