Flashback at The Swamp - by Jason 'Foolybear' Lineberger
Flashback
at The Swamp
Words and photos by Jason “foolybear”
Lineberger
The
Swamp paintball park in southeastern Virginia is a field anchored in the
past and looking to the future, and that’s a good thing. Their recent 24 hour scenario game, New Reno,
showcased their approach. If this is the
first you’ve heard of The Swamp, then put them on your scenario map because
they’ve got a good thing going, and it’s only going to get better.
Home to east coast powerhouse teams like
SOVA and Assault & Battery, the core players who call The Swamp home have
deep roots in scenario paintball, going back to legendary and influential teams
like Blitzkrieg and The Virginia Irregulars.
With this strong sense of where they’ve come from, the field owners are
looking to the future with the intent to improve the field and to provide teams
with a top-notch paintball experience.
Scenario paintball has gone through some
major shifts in the past 8 years. While
games used to build over the course of a weekend as the story unfolded and
players shaped the plotlines through their actions on the field, most
contemporary events only make a cursory attempt at incorporating a theme. This side is super soldiers; that side is
alie
ns, game on! What follows is simple,
mission-based scenario fun, but it’s a different game from the complex,
story-driven adventures 8 years ago.
Enter
Trapper Davis
Trapper Davis, a man with a thousand great
stories from the heyday of scenario paintball, brought to The Swamp a game that
is both contemporary and classic. Based
on the hot Fallout video game franchise, New Reno, this scenario challenged players
to not only take land and complete missions, but also to handle a variety of
situations – from aircraft and radiation to high stakes gambling.
For New Reno, Trapper went prop heavy –
seeding the field with over 300 props and game cash (poker chips). Not only could teams collect the props to
complete missions, but they could use the props to give their side
advantages. Engineering plans eliminated
the need for liquid fuel in the scenario aircraft. Radiation suits or RadX spray allowed teams
to enter the taped-off and deadly radiation zones, where some of the best props
could be discovered. Syringes gave
medics the ability to heal players from any hit, and any prop could be
exchanged for cash through the neutral marketplace in the center of the field. In classic fashion, the marketplace and
casino operated on a for-profit basis, so they always drove a hard bargain,
whether players were looking for cash, props, or information that would give
their side an advantage. They also ran
games of chance as part of the game’s story.
Imagine a Texas Holdem tournament happening in the midst of a paintball
shootout! While the marketplace and
casino was netted and neutral, players leaving the taped-off boundaries became
legitimate targets, and with a rule in place that required eliminated players
to drop any props, even the best deals could fall apart when negotiations
speeded up to 280 feet per second.
The field itself transitions from natural woods to a large concept field with plenty of
forts, a castle, and some unusual structures (a boatyard for instance). Outside the field players had access to a
stocked proshop, quick air fills, food (world famous gator burgers), and a
stage used for game-briefing and live musical performances.
Team
Capital Offense
Capital Offense, coming off their
commanding performance at the Zero Dark Thirty scenario at Splatbrothers only
three weeks before, were ready to throw down at New Reno. CSL, ETHA, Etek, LV1, Geo – the Capital
Offense shooters brought almost the whole range of Eclipse markers on the field
and brought a barrage of accurate paint to bear on the blue team. The best run of the day started at the red
side insertion and ended, only ten minutes later, just outside the blue CP,
leaving a wake of eliminated players. TCO
made pushes through the woods, though the fast-paced concept field, against the
castle, playing their aggressive and coordinated style of scenario
paintball. The dominating performance of
the red team on Saturday ran up the score, and while blue mounted a come-back
by completing some missions, they never caught up.
Capital Offense plans to return to The
Swamp in the fall for another scenario event.
The field plays great and the producers are looking to craft fun games
that challenge players at every level.
Check
foolybear’s calendar to see where he’ll be in action next. For regular doses of paintball insight and
photography, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, both are @foolybear.
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