OK so you got a taste of scenario ball and now you are thinking about starting a team -- good for you. First lets get something team straight. Tounament paintball is about winning - and you need to think about teammates who can help you win. Scenario paintball is about fun - when you recruit, think of who is likeable, easy going, fun loving and plays with honor. A bad sport or player with a bad attitude makes your whole team look bad - especially when you get uniforms. Think about this when you recruit.

The teams that last are always focused on having fun. And yes, its that simple. Now what..

STARTING A TEAM : CREDO / MISSION STATEMENT : Next you should think about what you team stands for - what your mission is and stuff like that. For example: SC Roadkill's credo includes:

Mission Statement: South Carolina Roadkill's missions are to promote the sport of paintball; to be ambassadors of fair play, honesty and safety; and most of all to have fun.

TEAM GOAL
South Carolina Roadkill aspires to be the best and most sought after Scenario Team in the South East. We will accomplish this through:

• Superior Command and Control
  
• Inspired mission and counter-mission coordination.
  
• Gathering and Leading by example our members, associate players and individual players we gather during a game.
  
• Effective use of communication equipment and procedures.
• Continuous fair, honest and safe play
• Aid all players we encounter to have a safe and fun experience.

For more examples, check out www.scroadkill.com - scenariobrotherhood.com and http://www.blackhearts.net

STARTING A TEAM : OFFICERS : Many teams use "Captain" some use several "Co-Captains" and SC roadkill uses a senior council. Here is a bit of advice: A captain may not be able to make all events, and it is usually good to attend what the team wants to attend. This means you need Co-Captains. Roadkill takes this a bit further by working to have a senior council member at each event, and these council members vote on most major decisions - just like a committee. When all people must vote, some decisions can hurt feelings and loose players. The committee approach helps minimize these bad feelings.

You will need a "primary team contact" and this position many call the team captain. In reality this position falls to the event coordinator since he is managing the registration stuff. Don't get worked up about the title.

Second: Appoint and rotate your event coordinator. (e.g. the guy who gets the money and waivers together and pre-registers your team for events.) It is a pain in the butt, and gets old. Spread this work around - i.e. rotate team captain.

Third: Appoint a recruiting officer and a write a recruiting policy. What you look for, and what method is used to vote in a new member. Roadkill's method is long and difficult, but is has proven effective. Check it out in our credo on www.scroadkill.com -- You should also define how to get kicked off - example:

***********SCRK Membership Requirements*****************
"OLD ROADKILL DO NOT DIE, THEY JUST FADE AWAY" - We are a fairly mature team. Many members are married, many with kids. So attendance capabilities come and go - so our expectations are a bit more lax than a tournament team. To maintain on the Active RK roster you must attend at least two RK sanctioned event in the last year. If you can not meet this requirement you will be moved to the Inactive RK roster.

There is only one way to loose your RK Membership and that is to dishonor the team in anyway. This is purely subjective decision based on the opinions of the remainder of the Membership, this takes only a simple majority vote of the Active RK membership present to be booted off the team. The offending member will be allowed to plead their case if and only when they can arrange for 3 Active RK Members to reopen the issue and sponsor a re-vote. At that time the offending member may try to plead their case.
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STARTING A TEAM : Patches / Uniforms / Jerseys / Banners : It is nice to look similar and to eb able to spot each other on the field. Think about it, figure out what you want to look like and then do it. Example:

*************** SCRK Team Uniform Policy *****************
As member, you will be given an Official South Carolina Roadkill Member Patch and Our "Colors" a yellow or black jersey with the RK name on the front. You may put your name or nick name the back. Please use existing fonts and styles.

If you are buying camo, please try and buy Vietnam era Tiger Stripe instead of alternatives. It helps us regroup and stick together. For members - its not mandatory, just helpful. For recuits and associates wanting to move up in the ranks - its a good idea to show us you are committed.

If you are a squad leaders or play a C&C role - please wear your black's. - jersey or tactical vest - your choice (with logo, etc.)
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QUESTION : What would be the best thing to get to start off to show that we are a team?

MY ANSWER: On the cheap and easy:
I would get some matching T-Shirts with the team name silk screened on it. Skeeter @ paintballcharleston had some made up for roadkill that were tie-died black on green to look like tigerstripe with the printing in yellow. Grey is another good color for the woods. 2 shirts per player recommended. Add matching BDU pants and that should work for the field.

Stepping it up a notch would be matching camo tops and bottoms - The new digital camo stuff works great. The Army Navy store on Main St may help, or the Patriot store over near Sams Club on forest dr. Then keep digging for patches - there has to be a good low volume low price company out there. Also take a look at matching dew-rags.

STARTING A TEAM : TEAM SCHEDULE : Set up a schedule and start planning. There are tons of games in the South East - with TriggerTyme (SC) , Paintball Charleston (SC), Low Country Paintball (GA), and Waynes World (FLA) leading the pack in events.

Make a list of all that you would like to hit and then get the team together and vote on what yall want to do. Your team forum can help with "votes and polls" - allowing all to comment. Or the captain can just make his opinion policy - but the voting thing works well.

Anyway, look at the events you want to hit and then work towards them. Work in some practices - and yes you can practice during normal recball.

Scenario games usually are won by the army which can accomplish the most missions. Eliminations are usually not worth anything. (Generals may be an exception).

Missions cards are issued to opposing generals usually every 20, 30 or 40 minutes and frequently synchronized with each other.

These cards are read by the General (or XO) and then he will call on a squad leader to execute the mission. The squad leader reads the card at the base and then forms up his squad, picks up the necessary walk-ons and straglers he deams neccessary and then moves to accomplish the mission.

These missions usually have a destination and a time component.

Typical mission types follow:

• Hold Objective Location for 20 minutes.
• Hold Objective Location for 20 minutes and sweep area for intelligence and return intelligence items to base.
• Hold Objective Location at time 2:30pm.
• Sweep coordinates X/Y looking for intelligence and act on intelligence.
• Patrol road from X to Y for 20 minutes.
• Ambush - Set up an ambush in area bewteen X and Y and wait until 2:30 (Usually goes with Patrol).
• Set up Listening Posts (Supply Chain) at X, Y, Z and hold all at time 2:30pm.
• Blow up Objective Location with satchell charge before 2:30pm.
• Meet person X at Objective Location and hold at 2:30 for info.
• Escort person from A to B and hold B until 2:30pm.
• Take route A, B, C, D and hold each for X minutes.
• Assault Objective Location for 20 minutes.
• Photo Recon : With camera take X photographs of location objective and return to base. Points awared for quality of pictures.
• Sniper Mission : Send sniper team to Objective Location and shoot target X before time.
  

Enemy Missions - A hint

Since the event producers like action, missions are frequently sychronized to conflict - meaning you and your enemy are issued the same mission - or very similar - such that a conflict will certainly to occur. Another variation is where the two armys have side by side mission objectives or mission obvectives where your paths will cross.

MISSIONS : DEPARTURE
If you are never at your base, you may never get a mission card or a mission assigned to your team. Go there and let the XO know you are a mission team and ready to go! Also let him know what Channel you are on.

And If he thinks your team capable, he will issue your team a mission card. If he issues it to another team, you may want to take your team along for fire support to protect the mission team. You are relatively expendable in this case.

But NOW tou have your mission card and know what you need to do - now what?

Rally your troops - get on the radio and let your team know you have a mission and look around for available stragglers you may need. Brief every one on your mission objective and to be quiet.

Squad sized vary from 1 man to 24 men but around 8 is typical. You would be amazed at the percentage of one man missions accomplished.

Your goal should be to get there first and quietly - Mission objectives usually have a piece of cover, bunker, or building associated with them. If you can get there first, you deny the enemy the cover and you can use the cover to buy time to reinforce the position. This means your squad needs to move with a purpose. Veteran scenario teams frequently use a forward team and a rear team, moving the forward team to the objective very quickly and letting the rear team reinforce (with mission card in tow).

IMPORTANT : If you get eliminated, you may pass the mission card to a squad member to carry on.

When moving, the common squad formations are the the horde, the single file with point man, and the inverted wedge. The squad leader and or mission card holder should not be on point. They should ride in the pocket or middle if possible. The guy in the back is called " security" and should be responsible for looking backwards and listening for anyone moving up behind you or trailing the squad.

Veteran teams use the inverted wedge or a very skilled point man way out front. Hordes grouped together are a sign of poor leadership and they make for a tasty ambush target.

The squad should have a plan for what to do when you encounter an ambush. Typical plans include a heavy gunner to lay down fire to help your point guys return to safety and the rapid deployment of flankers.

When moving, don't bunch up and do shut up. Your squad should move without sound. Veteran teams make good use of hand signals while moving through hostile territory.

For hand signals : http://www.scroadkill.com/art-hand-signals.htm

Don't shoot for no reason. Its classic for scared new players to randomly shoot while on patrol - if you think about it, what better way to advertise your squads position and your movement direction to the enemy.

If on mission you find some allies doing nothing, you may want to invite them to join you. Its a judgement call on the squad leaders part.

#1) secure the area. Have your team fan out and secure the area. Dont just stand there in a group chatting. There is a good chance an enemy team is on the way. Consider putting out a distant listening post with radio in the likely direction of enemy travel to radio enem movement and strength. This may buy you a minute or two to deploy well before they spot your stength and positions.

#2) Read your mission card carefully and double check your map and make sure you are suppose to be where you are. Ask a ref if you are not sure. He may or may not tell you.

#3) Find the mission ref in the area & make sure he reads the card - - ASK HIM HIS NAME and REMEMBER IT and introduce yourself - and ask him to verify you are where you are supposed to be and that the mission has started, and "start the mission".

As a mission ref, in this situation I tell the squad leader:
"My watch has started - you have X minutes remaining"

Mission cards usually have a TIME STARTED space where the mission ref is to write in what time you got there. Most times the mission ref will hold the card. Use your own watch and start a stop watch. NOTE: if you used the forward team technique, you may be able to argue the point with the ref that you started earlier. Your forward team leader should have made the proper communciatons to the ref when he arrived, and he likewise should have started his stop watch and made the ref make note of the time even though the mission card was not on location yet.

#5) DOWN PILOTS - If the mission has a down pilot - check him for intelligence - Ive seen and heard about special underwear, voice recorders, hidden maps and special cards with instructions. You may need to act on the intelligence - but before you leave the area - make sure you dont have to hold it to complete the mission. Ask the ref - he may not tell you, but he wont lie to you. It is your job to read and understand your mission card - and some do get tricky.

#6) UNDER ATTACK : You are holding the mission objective and you get attacked. Duh - I told you missions are written to conflict - well here is your conflict. It's likely the attacking force has the same or similar mission. If they have a ref in tow, thats a clue that they are on mission. This means HOLD YOUR GROUND and if possible call for reinforcements. If the mission has a big piece of intelligence, get it out of there. If you are sure to be swamped, radio the situation to your XO for advise.

MOVEMENT : MISSION : MISSION OBJECTIVE : MISSION COMPLETE

#7) Communicate with Missions Ref: once your watch is close to mission complete, ask the mission ref "how much longer ref" and resynchonize. If you are way off - say "my watch says X minutes" - but dont press the point. Note: If the mission ref left the area and is not there to sign off - get on the ref channel and call for the mission ref that has your card - and be nice. Once the mission is complete, visually make sure the ref signs off on the card. Usually the mission ref holds on to completed and failed mission cards.

#8) Radio your XO : Call your XO and report mission complete - or mission failure - report your stength and position and ask for instructions.

MOVEMENT : MISSION : MISSION OBJECTIVE : MISSION FAILURE

#7b) Your mission is a failure - turn your card into the nearest ref and tell them your mission failed (this does not make you neutral)

#8b) Then Radio your XO and report the failure, your stength and position and ask for instructions.

#9a) After the mission and in the absence of orders - return to base or radio your teammates at base for mission assignements. With good timing and communication , you may get a jump on the next mission. Sweep the area looking for props during your return.

- OR -

#9b) If you see and enemy squad on mission, attack and deny them their mission - it is just as good pointwise as accomplishing yours.

COMMUNICATIONS : RADIOS : If you have a scenario paintball team, you should have good communications with your teammates and ideally back to the XO and or General. Good commo will allow you to stay together and fight as a cohesive team. If you need to split up, good commo will help you coordidnate movement. Once a few of your teammates get shot and have to reinsert, you will need radios to get back together. Veteran scenario teams will all have excellent communications. Another important usage for the radio for the squad leader is to 1) to be ble to call the XO for reinforcements, or to report large enemy movements - and 2) if there is not a ref at your mission objective you may switch to the ref channel and call a ref to your area. Radios are necessary to function as a mission team.

COMMUNICATIONS : RADIOS : RADIO DISCIPLINE : Team your team to restrict commo to the bare essentials. Once you get more that a hand full on the same frequence, the traffic becomes annoying and your stealth guys will turn the radios off - and that compromises your squad adn your mission.

COMMUNICATIONS : RADIOS : PRIVATE CHANNEL -- Try to find a private channel to operate your team on. Many veteran teams will switch channels periodically to throw off anyone monitoring their channel.

COMMUNICATIONS : RADIOS : CODES -- In case your mission team is being monitored, consider using codes for things like : I see something, I hear something, enemy, allies, I'm shot or out of paint, enemy spotted, all quiet, take cover, halt.

PROPS : The event producer will likely distribute props (maps/bombs/documents/gold/missile parts etc) on the field - and likely at more than just one time. If you find a prop - it is likely worth points - and some times a lot of points. Example: If a mission is worth 100 points, then a bar of gold might be worth 20 points and a missile part worth 100 and a map worth 50.

You are out on patrol and you found the prop - now what?

PROPS : THE PICKUP : If you are on mission, the mission is usually the priority. If you have a man to spare, and know a safe route back, send the prop back to base with a runner and continue on with your mission. Radio your XO to let him know "something" is in route and he may send out an escort , that is if you trust your commo and your XO.