Hitman Paintball Challenge '07

The Hitman Paintball Challenge was a cross promotion by Twentieth-Century Fox Pictures and the NPPL (National Professional Paintball League). Thirty Fields in 18 states spread across the nation participated in the Hitman challenge over the past two weekends. Oddly, none of the fields in NY, NJ or PA participated. Two fields in Connecticut and two in Massachusetts did with three out of the four holding the event on the same day?!? About 50 people registered and played at the Challenge at Strategy Plus.

The format at Strategy Plus was 3 mini-scenarios each 1 hr long. One team was comprised of ‘The Agents’ and the other was the ‘Russian Mafia’. The first mission was for the agents to retrieve a brief case of documents that was in Mafia possession. Of course it was the Mafia mission not to let that happen. The second mission was for the Mafia to infiltrate the Agency base and retrieve a small file cabinet of important documents. The agents were not to let that happen. The last mission was elimination round with side with the most players left standing winning the mission.

Team Extreme Measures played agents. I believe there were about 12 of us dressed the part; black suits, red ties and bald heads! (Personally I found a Tux at my local Goodwill for 12 bucks!) For the first mission (retrieve briefcase) the agents set out on a two-prong attack. I was involved in the attack in the right flank and had fun blindsiding a couple players involved in skirmishes with our squad to the left. With ten minutes counting down and no major ground taken in the last ten. I decided to sacrifice myself and run up on the bunker that was holding us back. I got one of the two men that were there and that was enough for us to advance our side. When I got back to our re-spawn point I had found that the other fork of our attack had come back to our base with the briefcase.

Starting off the second mission we took defensive positions in between the two bases. From our vantage point, we could see which way the mafia was trying advance and adjust our players to fend them off. I began reinforcing our right flank. We spread our forces and widened our angles of fire on that side. Those that weren’t eliminated were retreating. We could see a squad of 6 or so of the mafia going far to our left. So a number of us broke off to hit the opposing force broadside as they tried to advance. With word passed up to the base and agents coming down to meet the opposing force head on, it was not long before the left side was cleared. I claimed three eliminations for my own. Then We made our way to the base and began to clear it. It seems most of the opposing force that was remaining was outside the base to the left. I came into the base on point and took out one before being taken out myself. A teammate to my left took out the 6 of 7 players on that side and we had their base. The Russian mafia never got close to our base!

During the third mission, I was out in the first 3 minutes due to a longball to the leg. Eeeh, it happens sometimes!! The Agents won the first two missions and the Mafia won the last. That put the agents in for the win.

It definitely was a fun day of paintball! The three mini-senarios, with a 5-10 minute break in between, was a welcome change to the usual all day / multi day play. The weather was beautiful! There was never anyone in line in front of me for air and each tank fill was a full one (3000 psi in my case). I didn’t have any paint or marker problem (gotta love Tippmann!). The staff was top notch as usual and the crowd playing seemed to be a good bunch.