| TALES OF T.M.A 2 �The Test� Date : Spring �94 Location : Raincliffe Woods Event : 3 Day Trials? |
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| TMA OLD SKOOL |
| OUTLINE Napoleon offered to run a weekend event, allowing 24 hour gaming with set piece games at specific times. He issued the challenge, that this would be no walk over game. Hinting that the odds would definitely be against T.M.A. after he had seen them in action in �93 |
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| Gladly TMA rose to the challenge and so did the R.F.G., who had been bolstered by an influx of good players. Getting the teams warmed up, NAPOLEON decided the first day would be a joint camp. The location of this meeting point would be the R.F.G.�s old camp in the pine clearing, just below the middle track (see tale 1). DAY 1 Our team would be lacking G-Man for the beginning of the event. Arriving at the Rendezvous point, Wraith, Papabear and myself (Phantom) checked over each others kit and secured our bergans. We loaded our Airsoft guns. Wraith and I were still using powered up, scoped, LS kits (an XM177e2 and a CAR-15 respectively.) Papabear had upgraded to an MP5A5 electric (non-hop) and he only had one, 50 round mag. He also carried a first generation gas pistol (Berretta M92F) that only held 15 pellets and had a very poor range of 20m. We arrived at the R.F.G. camp around 6pm. Atomic Pigeon was there and was in the process of selling Ginger Dave his FAMAS electric. Jamie had bought it back in �91. Now R.F.G. had two electric�s. We looked at the R.F.G.�s turn out: Ian with his lecky M16A1 was the scout. Lurch had a powered up UZI. Drew (Wraith�s brother) had Papabear�s old LS M655 Carbine, he wore all black and had an oriental style �Wok� hat. Ginger Dave now armed with a FAMAS was still learning but later, turned out to be a very good assault player. Alan with his Glock 17L was a good team player. Skelly with his Marui pump action MPL and DPM NBC suit had already proved himself very capable. �Bush� had his fourth Marui Browning High Power and a wicked sense of humour. Simpson was new to Airsoft and this was one of his first events., as was Roper. Plus Napoleon would join R.F.G. for some games. Giving R.F.G. a total of 10 players. |
| That night we played a warm up game. TMA would set up an ambush on the middle track while R.F.G. would patrol from the wood cutter�s hut, to the �Mud Slide�. The game was played around 9pm by which time it was very dark. With the quarter moon behind the clouds, you could only see around 5m tops. Moving off, we decided PAPABEAR would spring the trap by shooting the pointman. Meanwhile Wraith and I would lay hidden, back along the track some 40m away. We hoped the entire patrol would pass us and therefore surround them. We cocked our guns and moved off into the undergrowth that was dense as soon as you left the beaten path. Wraith sat with me down a bank on a corner. We tried to get comfortable and began the wait. This can be a crucial part of the game. I focused my mind and tuned my senses. Nothing would distract me. Time slipped away and I lost all track of it. I was unsure if 10 minutes had passed or an hour, when I heard the scuffle of movement on the path. It was only 5 meters away, but the bank blocked my view. Both Wraith and myself dare not breath, in case it would be heard. After a further period of waiting, a burst of fire rang out. I guessed this was Papabear and was confirmed when Napoleon shouted out �HIT.� He had been the pointman. We heard him back off past our position, towards the patrols rear. I slowly got up and moved up the dark bank. Reaching the crest, I spotted a figure moving along the path only 10 meters away, he was moving towards the patrols front. Raising my gun I fired and the report of Deno�s gun was not far behind my own. The figure span and fled at full tilt for the rear. Having revealed our positions, I decided to carry on firing in both directions, to flush out any �Ghosts.� After 20 or so pellets, we held our fire and strained our ears for signs of the opponents. Yet again, the night was still, our heart beats drummed in our ears. The only noise apparent, was a car that could be seen crossing the valley, some 2 miles away. Waiting for a minute or so, I decided to break this stalemate and with Wraith covering my back, I crossed the path. Reaching the other side, I listened; not a sound. Moving along the edge of the path, I started towards Papabear�s position. After 10m, I froze. Aware that there was somebody crouched right in front of me (2m), I realised they were looking in the other direction. Thinking quickly, I pushed my rifle forwards, tapping him, between his shoulder blades. �You're Hit!� I whispered. �Damn!� sighed Ian. Only then did I realise, this player had been using an electric M16. Clearing out the remaining Ghost, T.M.A. regrouped and started to roll the R.F.G. back down the path. Pushing forward, cautiously, we tagged every player, several times. Rounding a corner, the Ghosts turned on a torch and placed it on the path pointing in our direction. Ruining our night vision we hung back and laid down a tremendous volley of pellets. Soon the torch was heard to crack (Our calling card on night encounters, was to shoot out the lights). A figure burst from the scrub, recovering his property, he ran. Followed by his team, with a covering burst from Ian�s M16A1. The chase was on, as would not let our opponents disengage. Thus losing our advantage. As we pushed up quickly, risking an ambush, I saw Ian run and dive into dense ferns. Again, all went still. I crept forward, light footed like a cat. Once within 5m, the adrenaline was pumping. Taking my time I moved to within 2m. Aiming into the centre of the darkness under the leaves, I pulled the trigger. �Ouch!� cried Ian. The R.F.G. had lost the intense fire fight and retreated followed by our pellets and triumphant laughter. Meeting back at camp we greeted our opponents. We had won; be it only for the cover and confusion of a dark night. All members of T.M.A. had already played many night games and as such we could work effectively as a team even at night. We had proven it. With the usual fire and beers, we talked Airsoft and watched the stars. Until one by one we all slipped from the fire and into our sleeping bags. |
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