The Herald recently spent a few hours with local paintball club Rogue Tactical during a military simulation paintball game.
Rouge Tactical members get together twice a month to play a round of military simulation (milsim) paintball.
These men and the woman with them were fully garbed in camouflage, utility boots, gloves and helmets. Before the game could begin, the nearly 100 players needed to be briefed.
“Intel has confirmed a fallen satellite somewhere in location of members of Rogue Squad. Rogue Squad has been dispatched to locate and protect the satellite until Rogue QRF secures package and infiltrates to evacuate to landing zone (LZ). Be advised, we are not only government looking for the package, reports came in of a massive movement of troops in the area.”
This was the mission given to Rogue. Their job was to defend the satellite while Raven Ops (OPFOR), the enemy force, attacked.
Rogue had their own transport to the nearly 1,5km paintball field located in the DNA paintball venue at Hobby Park in Krugersdorp.
‘The raptor’ – as it is commonly known among the paintballers – which resembles an army tank with a shooting hole in the roof was used to drop Rogue at their drop zone (DZ) near the satellite.
Rogue quickly ran into position, hiding in bushes and disguising themselves by attaching twigs and leaves to their uniforms.
Fire first broke out in the north and then the west. Enemy forces worked in twos and threes, only communicating through hand signals.
Hein van Jaarsveld, member of Rogue explained that enemy forces eventually captured the satellite but said his team kept them under fire for a good two hours before they could succeed.
It was very clear that Randfonteiners are indeed serious about paintballing. Dare mess with them, over …
