Post by COL Champagne on May 6, 2008 19:56:03 GMT -5
During this past Sunday's weekly 313th Special Operation Group's training event and rec game, tension was bountiful as the first game of the night began. Two members of the team were coming onto the field directly from weekend military duty, one from the Air National Guard, and one from the Army Reserve, yours truly. With a low turnout, the team was already in need of a split, in order to make things even. As the Airman took command of the away team, and took the field before we began, I rallied my troops, and came up with an initial plan, all while smoking my traditional pre-game cigar. As the clock ticked out 10 minutes, we took the field with an intense hunger for combat, and a thirst for victory.
As SSG Lajoice took point down one of the main trails, we readied our weapons, ensuring that all magazines were properly seated, and all weapons were ready to fire. SSG Lajoice lead the squad to a fork in the trail, about 300 meters down, and we came to a halt. As I analyzed the area, I called for a tight 360 formation while I scanned the area for enemy activity. Just as I prepared to give the directive to continue down the right fork, I noticed a small movement approximately 75 meters to our left. As I looked, I saw none other than the enemy commander himself, dressed in his ABU uniform, with 2 more enemy troops dressed in BDU at his sides, all three in the prone position and taking aim. I quickly alerted my team to their position and, while myself and 2 other troops stayed in position and fired, the remaining 2 soldiers moved quickly to wence we came, to flank the enemy position. As the firefight grew in intensity, the enemy commander and one of the troops with him quickly retreated to our left, behind cover from the tree line that ran alongside the trail we were on. Before we could move into a better position, we heard the disheartening sound of our two soldiers, who had attempted to flank, get cut down in a hail of automatic rifle fire and call their hits, leaving the teams at 3 to 5.
During the firefight, they had managed to kill one enemy soldier before they became casualties, and had chased two other enemy troops into the western tree line of the field. As we rushed towards the area where they were hit, we were raked by automatic fire, with my other two troops taking hits, one being a confirmed ricochet of a pellet that had split in two after hitting a nearby tree, and the other taking 4 hits, including one pellet that bounced off of his eye protection. As my team left the field, I was left to fend for myself, carrying a UTG M3 full-stock shotgun with 6 shells left, and a CYMA Glock 18 with 3 magazines. The enemy commander and his battle buddy moved quickly, attempting to flank my position from my left, while the other duo of enemy troops began to flank from the right. As the enemy commander fell back to a safe defensive position, his fellow troop had exhausted her ammo and was about to reload. I gathered up my courage and charged her position, saturating her area with fire from my shotgun, effectively removing one more enemy troop from the battle. As the enemy commander realized what had happened, he began to fire indiscriminately, cutting swathes through the brush in an attempt to rake me with fire. As he attempted to move closer, I rushed him, firing with my shotgun and chasing him, as he ran back to a defensive position some 20 meters behind him. As I ran, I suddenly became very light, as my feet left the ground. I had tripped, and was now in mid-flight, and my drop zone was right in the middle of the trail, with no cover. I landed hard on my right side, my shotgun between my ribs and the hard ground. The force of the landing had winded me, and I knew I was dead, as I now had 3 enemy troops advancing on me as I lay in the dirt. Suddenly, I felt as if I had received an injection of pure adrenaline. The pain subsided, and I could breath as well as the day I was born. As the enemy commander rushed in to finish me off, I pulled my Glock 18 from the holster on my right thigh, flipped the selector switch to Full Auto, and cut him down as I emptied my entire magazine in desperation. As soon as he was out, I immediately turned my attention to the 2 soldiers who had been attempting to flank me from my right side, as they had been too slow to catch up with the action. As they slowly made their way towards my position, I took up a good stance behind a large tree, allowing me to turn and fire to my obliques, covering their movement, while providing good cover from incoming fire.
As the enemy troops slowly advanced, moving from position to postion, I took the time to reload my pistol and shotgun, now only having 2 32-round magazines for my pistol, and only 5 precious shells left for my shotgun, with no chance to reload my magazines without being rushed by the enemy and cut down. As they advanced, laying down fire, I returned fire, as a true firefight began. The troop on the left side of the trail began to slowly make his way to my left, attempting to flank me, while the soldier on my right was laying down suppressive fire. Suddenly, my chance came. The soldier on the right had dropped the magazine he was about to load into his now-empty M4. I moved in quickly, ending his existence on the field with one blast from my shotgun. Now came the true test of courage: a one-on-one showdown with the remaining troop.
As I made my way towards his position, taking cover from the bursts of automatic fire he was sending my way, I took up a prone position in a small ditch running along the eastern border or the field. I low-crawled forward slowly, taking shots every few seconds. I reloaded my shotgun as he took cover, and as he popped out from behind his cover, he fired upon me, only to realize that his rifle was now completely out of ammunition. I moved quickly as he drew his pistol and fired, and I returned fire from behind another tree. As the battle raged, he finally made his fatal mistake and attempted to run to a tree approximately 20 meters to his right. As he ran through the open area, I pumped the slide on my shotgun, lead him slightly, and fired, hitting him with all three pellets from my shotgun, ending the game, and what was undoubtedly the most intense 45 minutes of my entire Airsoft experience.
I returned to the waiting area to a slew of high-fives from the 313th, as well as a cold drink and a celebratory cigarette, so I could catch my breath, reload my shells and magazines, and lead my team out into battle once more, after congratulating the other team on a valiant effort, and undisputed honor.
As SSG Lajoice took point down one of the main trails, we readied our weapons, ensuring that all magazines were properly seated, and all weapons were ready to fire. SSG Lajoice lead the squad to a fork in the trail, about 300 meters down, and we came to a halt. As I analyzed the area, I called for a tight 360 formation while I scanned the area for enemy activity. Just as I prepared to give the directive to continue down the right fork, I noticed a small movement approximately 75 meters to our left. As I looked, I saw none other than the enemy commander himself, dressed in his ABU uniform, with 2 more enemy troops dressed in BDU at his sides, all three in the prone position and taking aim. I quickly alerted my team to their position and, while myself and 2 other troops stayed in position and fired, the remaining 2 soldiers moved quickly to wence we came, to flank the enemy position. As the firefight grew in intensity, the enemy commander and one of the troops with him quickly retreated to our left, behind cover from the tree line that ran alongside the trail we were on. Before we could move into a better position, we heard the disheartening sound of our two soldiers, who had attempted to flank, get cut down in a hail of automatic rifle fire and call their hits, leaving the teams at 3 to 5.
During the firefight, they had managed to kill one enemy soldier before they became casualties, and had chased two other enemy troops into the western tree line of the field. As we rushed towards the area where they were hit, we were raked by automatic fire, with my other two troops taking hits, one being a confirmed ricochet of a pellet that had split in two after hitting a nearby tree, and the other taking 4 hits, including one pellet that bounced off of his eye protection. As my team left the field, I was left to fend for myself, carrying a UTG M3 full-stock shotgun with 6 shells left, and a CYMA Glock 18 with 3 magazines. The enemy commander and his battle buddy moved quickly, attempting to flank my position from my left, while the other duo of enemy troops began to flank from the right. As the enemy commander fell back to a safe defensive position, his fellow troop had exhausted her ammo and was about to reload. I gathered up my courage and charged her position, saturating her area with fire from my shotgun, effectively removing one more enemy troop from the battle. As the enemy commander realized what had happened, he began to fire indiscriminately, cutting swathes through the brush in an attempt to rake me with fire. As he attempted to move closer, I rushed him, firing with my shotgun and chasing him, as he ran back to a defensive position some 20 meters behind him. As I ran, I suddenly became very light, as my feet left the ground. I had tripped, and was now in mid-flight, and my drop zone was right in the middle of the trail, with no cover. I landed hard on my right side, my shotgun between my ribs and the hard ground. The force of the landing had winded me, and I knew I was dead, as I now had 3 enemy troops advancing on me as I lay in the dirt. Suddenly, I felt as if I had received an injection of pure adrenaline. The pain subsided, and I could breath as well as the day I was born. As the enemy commander rushed in to finish me off, I pulled my Glock 18 from the holster on my right thigh, flipped the selector switch to Full Auto, and cut him down as I emptied my entire magazine in desperation. As soon as he was out, I immediately turned my attention to the 2 soldiers who had been attempting to flank me from my right side, as they had been too slow to catch up with the action. As they slowly made their way towards my position, I took up a good stance behind a large tree, allowing me to turn and fire to my obliques, covering their movement, while providing good cover from incoming fire.
As the enemy troops slowly advanced, moving from position to postion, I took the time to reload my pistol and shotgun, now only having 2 32-round magazines for my pistol, and only 5 precious shells left for my shotgun, with no chance to reload my magazines without being rushed by the enemy and cut down. As they advanced, laying down fire, I returned fire, as a true firefight began. The troop on the left side of the trail began to slowly make his way to my left, attempting to flank me, while the soldier on my right was laying down suppressive fire. Suddenly, my chance came. The soldier on the right had dropped the magazine he was about to load into his now-empty M4. I moved in quickly, ending his existence on the field with one blast from my shotgun. Now came the true test of courage: a one-on-one showdown with the remaining troop.
As I made my way towards his position, taking cover from the bursts of automatic fire he was sending my way, I took up a prone position in a small ditch running along the eastern border or the field. I low-crawled forward slowly, taking shots every few seconds. I reloaded my shotgun as he took cover, and as he popped out from behind his cover, he fired upon me, only to realize that his rifle was now completely out of ammunition. I moved quickly as he drew his pistol and fired, and I returned fire from behind another tree. As the battle raged, he finally made his fatal mistake and attempted to run to a tree approximately 20 meters to his right. As he ran through the open area, I pumped the slide on my shotgun, lead him slightly, and fired, hitting him with all three pellets from my shotgun, ending the game, and what was undoubtedly the most intense 45 minutes of my entire Airsoft experience.
I returned to the waiting area to a slew of high-fives from the 313th, as well as a cold drink and a celebratory cigarette, so I could catch my breath, reload my shells and magazines, and lead my team out into battle once more, after congratulating the other team on a valiant effort, and undisputed honor.