Mayhem Tactical: 2nd of February
Mag-fed is something that's definitely up and coming in the world of paintball, and with some awesome event organiser's in the UK such as Warfighters, Magfed PBUK, Miltac at NPF and Nextgen, Mayhem's second tactical event was my first ever mag-fed event. Here's my Review:
Mayhem Tactical: 2nd of February by David Hodder
On the 2nd of February 2015, after playing paintball for 14 years I played my first ever mag-fed event, technically it was mag-fed, tac caps and limited loaders, but I only noticed one chap with a small hopper on a luxe, everyone else was running true Mag-Fed. I used one of the Dye DAM rentals from Mayhem, and had 6 x spare magazines so 7 in total. So I was carrying around the 100 paintballs per game mark, compared to the usual loader (160) and 5 x 140 pots, I felt seriously under-armed when I walked out onto the first field, Missile Command.
Missile Command
Missile Command is a big map, probably the size and a half of a football pitch, and has some impressive features including a helicopter, missile lorry, Saracen APC and loads of sheds, brush piles and built up compound style bases. We started down the missile lorry end of the field, and I broke out to the right hand side of the field and bumped up through some of the sheds on the right hand side of the field. I quickly realised that first strike is an absolute game changer. The guys we were playing with and against, was a real mix of players from first-timers to the magfed realm, like myself, all the way through to hardcore Magfed regulars. When you had someone shooting at you with first strike, boy you know about it. The range is unbelievably longer, and the accuracy they were getting at range is also scarily high. Instead of attempting to make a bump up over the kill zone infront of me, I decided to try the other side of the field, which as it turned out was definitely the move to make. I got over the other side of the field pretty easily, it's definitely easier to move on the field. I then made an in-field bumb (thanks to Dave for covering me!) and got a couple of kills before getting mowed down! I later learned in the safe area, the guy who took me out (you know who you are!) had only just moved up, I should have made the move that little bit earlier! Could have been the game changer.
Aeroplane Wood
COD Map: Bog
I then missed the 2nd game on Missile Command as I got pulled onto a group, but I was back for the next games on Aeroplane Wood. Aeroplane Wood is large woodland field, with a big crashed passenger aircraft in the middle of the field, and a huge ridge on one side of the field. I broke to the plane on the first game, and threw the flag back to a team mate. I then continued in my crazy moves up the field, and got shot out on the move. Not before getting a few kills though :-) On the second game, we waited around for 10 minutes so people could get more paint and air, and the game started with the blues (Other team) being down on numbers. We managed to take the ridge and then we just picked off their numbers.
After the woodland games we stopped for lunch, before returning out onto the COD replica map, Bog. This map is something really special, it's a copy of the map Bog from the computer game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and features a T55 tank, buildings, containers, bus, bulldozer and much, much more! For this game, the marshals introduced respawns for the first 5 or 10 minutes, which allowed me to make some more of my crazy moves. I got straight into the bus from the top end (quite an achievement) and ran in there to come face to face with another player and managed to get the first shot in! I then had probably the most intense 5 minutes of paintball, being surrounded in the bus and being goaded my the opposition who could see me, but not shot me and vice versea. One of their players managed to get behind me through the driver's door of the bus and put a couple in my back so I was off back to my base to respawn. I then switched sides of the field and managed to get to the IBC's next to the buildings, but as I made the move to the buildings, I ran into a wall of paint. I definitely felt that one. Had a very similar game the next one, but we lost one side of the field and got shot in the back :-(
The Urban
My last games of the day was in my favourite map, the Urban. First end we started at the top, and rushed up against the barn in the Urban. Got a few kills, but they pushed through the barn and I got blown away once they took the barn. On the second game, we pushed into the barn straight away, and the reverse happened. We played well and managed to get the win by pushing through the barn and shooting their back players in the side :-)
Final Thoughts
I think the Mayhem Tactical days are still in their infancy, and there is still much room for improvement:
- Paint: Will definitely be addressed for next month.
- First Strike: Sold out before the first game, will definitely get more for next time.
- Breaks in-between games: Some sort of paint and air on the field.
We had an impressive 35 players, so a big big thank you to everyone who came and helped to promote the event.
I had a great day, and it was good to get out and play for a change! I think I'm going to have to invest in a magfed marker and get out and play some more of this up and coming format of the game, if you haven't already tried it. DO IT!
The feedback we've had already has been fantastic and we will, as ever, be looking to constantly improve our events.
Sunday 1st of March is our next event, and details will be posted up shortly.
Hope to see you there.
David Hodder