[PBOldTimer]

ViperScenarios, your posts are probably the best damn, clean cut, no-nonsense posts I've ever had the pleasure of reading on these many threads! Overall, I would agree that your approach on how to ID groups of people at night is superb. But what about D-Day at Skirmish when you have over 3000+ players attending, usually over 900 at night, and the groups encountering each other are about 50 vs. 50! Your approach should still work (shouting louder for ALL to hear of course.) But when you have so many, all it takes is that one idiot to just open up and turn the entire ID-checking-session into an all out shooting gallery. And unfortunately, you get that one idiot more often than not at Skirmish.

Shot2Pieces, the "crickets" sound like a good idea at first, but poeple tend to lose things. Try working with your friends about developing a reflexive code. Instead of "hotdog" answering "ketchup," try using a predetermined number like 11. So that when your buddy yells "nine" you respond with "two" -because 9+2=11. Your buddy yells "seven" you respond with "four" - because 7+4=11. The reflexive response will always equal the predetermined number. This in only an overly simple example of a relexive code, I'm sure that you and your friends can develop more complex ones to confuse the enemy.

[John9898]

night balls r pretty sick i got 2 cases waiten for my 1st night game

[PBOldTimer]

John9898, where do you intend on play'n the first night game?

[halofreak39]

My cousins and I are going to ION this year and we figured we would use words at night. Like in Saving Private Ryan, they say "thunder" and you have to answer with "flash". If not then you are shot, lol. Only downside is if someone picks up on it from the other team, and the fact that noone esle would no what it means on your team.

[PBOldTimer]

Halofreak, try co-ordinating with the command staff at ION in an effort to make the words you use at night widespread among your entire army. As for your concerns about the other army "catching on," then refer to my previous post about a reflexive code. They're pretty simple to create, but damn near impossible to crack within the 24 hours of the game.

[halofreak39]

Aha I see it now, must have gone past it reading. That is a very good idea, Im going to have to throw that idea out to my friends.

[Capt.unforgiven]

good tips! most will be used thanks all

[InfiniZ]

Originally Posted by ViperScenarios

"Red or Yellow?"

The key to dealing with "red or yellow" is learning how to play at night. When my group encounters another group someone (usually me) calmly states something to the effect of the following before anyone fires a shot;

(This should be stated plainly, calmly, and loud enough to be heard.)
"Hold your fire a second and listen. Neither of us knows what color the other is, so if you'll work with me we can all find out. I'll come out, alone, toward you. Send one representative forward to meet me and we'll compare armbands. If we are the same color we can hook up. If not we will both call ourselves out and step out of the way of the firefight. Sound good?"

You have to offer the choice of "We're both in, or we're both out" to avoid the silly barrel tag war that would ensue otherwise. If you present it as I have stated it won't happen. If you have different colors just be a good sport and quietly tell him "I guess we better get the he|| outta the way, huh?"

Believe it or not this has worked every time I have used it in the last ten years. No group has ever just opened fire on me after I proposed this. Sometimes they're bad guys, and we walk out and laugh about it. Sometimes they're friendlies and we hook up and run our missions or hit the enemy base.

I really like this idea ....I definetly like this better that just starting to fire until one man stands....and I'm surprised it has worked so long for you....

[McGuinness]

Sounds awesome Viper. Just gotta watch out for the trigger happy 12yr olds with the electros that Mommy bought them.

[dr j. h. gerbenstein]

or in your case, McGuinness, the super expensive but still not great palmer blazer that you bought for yourself by selling herpes

[AirborneGI]

Originally Posted by shot2pieces

I heard about the clackers, aka "crickets", that the paratroopers used. That's what I was getting at. Give everyone somthing that they can ID other teammates with, so that if you do come across another group in the mid. of the night, you won't have to reveal yourself (which would suck if you were trying to ambush the same group, cuz now they now where you are).

Peace

I bought Crikets for my four Airborne teammates coming down with me, hope they're some use. they're the real thing too!
Damn expensive though

[HELLFISH88]

Originally Posted by McGuinness

Sounds awesome Viper. Just gotta watch out for the trigger happy 12yr olds with the electros that Mommy bought them.

Quoted For Emphasis.

[LoveInAPsychoWar]

yea i got lit up prety bad on the front lines at ION in the dark by my own guys..

[AirborneGI]

Originally Posted by halofreak39

My cousins and I are going to ION this year and we figured we would use words at night. Like in Saving Private Ryan, they say "thunder" and you have to answer with "flash". If not then you are shot, lol. Only downside is if someone picks up on it from the other team, and the fact that noone esle would no what it means on your team.

Hey HaloFreak!
Sorry to rain on your parade and all, and you might not be going for "historically accurate" but if you are...
The actual password used by the WWII paratroopers during the Normandy Invasion was first "Flash!" followed by "thunder". Steven Spielberg made a mistake when making SPR (which was still a pretty well made war movie for the time) and the Rangers were not known to use this password anyway.

Just thought I'd let you know

[DanteCarberelo]

Id have to agree with viper, there are some easy ways to identify teamates and hostiles at night. Ive been to a few viper scenarios in my time and i throughly enjoy his events. As for night play, sometimes i play, sometimes i dont. I dont mind getting lit up (i generaly only fire when i know its an enemy). But i generaly play when the weather is nice (not weird and uberfogarific on the masks). But really, you guys should read up on Ninjitsu, There are some great teachings how to see perfectly fine at night through the means tought in that martial arts (the art of the ninja ha). Im learning it currently, along with two of my friends, and it works quite well.

[mariol]

Originally Posted by DanteCarberelo

Id have to agree with viper, there are some easy ways to identify teamates and hostiles at night. Ive been to a few viper scenarios in my time and i throughly enjoy his events. As for night play, sometimes i play, sometimes i dont. I dont mind getting lit up (i generaly only fire when i know its an enemy). But i generaly play when the weather is nice (not weird and uberfogarific on the masks). But really, you guys should read up on Ninjitsu, There are some great teachings how to see perfectly fine at night through the means tought in that martial arts (the art of the ninja ha). Im learning it currently, along with two of my friends, and it works quite well.

Got any recommeded reading?

[DanteCarberelo]

Sure, Check out "Secrets of the Ninja" by Ashida Kim.

Its got alot in there, Meditation, walking, engaging, night vision, etc.

Welcome to the family

[JokerBebop]

Ambush Detail At Night, Usually Works Good For Me. Havnt Had To Many Problems With FF

[Smakman]

I have completely done away with night play at Smak Zone. Instead of night play, I have extended the day play hours to the max. By the time the players have experienced 11 or 12 straight hours of day play on Sat, they are plenty ready to sit around the fire and swap stories that evening. Sure, some people miss it, but most tell me that they are so tired by the end of the day, that they are happy to not feel obliged to have to go out at night to support the team.

It kind of sucks in a way as I did spend a lot of money wiring the field, but I think it is for the better. Night play is inherently more dangerous than day play anyway.

[jrock0910]

smak ever given any thought to useing that wireing for other purposes like a PA/sound system the pa system would help when someone goes missing just crank it up and call his name the sound system just play tapes of sound effects which are appropriate for the game

[jallan5074]

Well here we go, the whole idea about night play is to out wit the enemy, if they have night vision light them up, if any of you have seen service its no different my freinds... From para illuminating flares to trip flares to search lights, all are designed to assist the defender in keeping a sound all round defense... If you want to keep your night vision and a light comes on, close an eye, or if you're down on the ground maybe even both... Night vision has its uses, the sniper in the woods, watching for late night approaching squads but thinking you are going to use throughout paintball at a large game, forget it... Remeber the average joe can easily afford a flashlight the size of a ghetto blaster, as for decent II or III night vision, alas only a select few... On one other note, I played last weekend with glow sticks lighting up tracks, a real pain - believe me they do nothing for your natural night vision either... Look and listen for movement, never look direct at the target (it will dissappear), look to one side of the target and it will reappear (cells around the parimeter of eye are more sensative to low light)... And oh yeh, stick with it... I don't use night vision but love the night game... Bulldog