Paintball
I urge any of you who haven't tried paintball to do so.
I've done so on several occasions, and found the experience to be most enlightening - and unlike a shooting range, your opponents don't stand still waiting for you to perfect your shot.
Here's some of what I learned (in a visceral way - theoretical understanding is insufficient combat preparation):
- War is hell; being an educated student of history, I thought I already knew this, but after a dose of real pain, fear, doubt, and confusion I was even more opposed to war (I have lot more respect for vetrans now).
- It's every man for himself; during combat, your comrades will either be killed or have to split up to deal with dispursed opponents - you'll eventually find yourself alone.
- Battle plans fall apart as soon as battle commences; in my very first engagement, our orders were to storm a field and take up positions in a creek (which was in a ditch 4 feet deep, a natural trench) before the enemy could do so - half way there, I saw the enemy taking the trench, but it was too late to turn back, and we were under fire. Quick wits and luck were all that I had to rely upon, but it was enough for me to make it to the trench.
- The "fog or war" can be usefull; I once found myself walking into what I thought was an encampment of my comrades, by the time I realized my comrades were actually prisoners it was almost too late - I took advantage of the situation, calmly raised my gun, carefull took aim, and killed the guard before she realised what was happening. No matter how scared you are, take the time to aim well enough to get off a shot that counts.
- Weapons fail at the worst moment; I found myself nailed down behind a tree stump and the only way out was to kill the opponent, when my gun failed. I realized why the more experienced players have *two* guns (in real combat, even a good knife would have been helpfull).
- Dirt is your friend; I often found myself crawling along the ground, it was often the safest (or only) way to travel the front lines. I learned to love the dirt.
- No one knows what's happening; not long into each battle, no one really knew what was happening, often I didn't know what my comrades 50 feet away were doing. On one occasion I heard a small firefight not far away, so I crawled through the bush, occassionally taking a carefull peek, until I found myself located just behind enemy lines, where the two sides were taking ineffectual shots at each other. My comrades didn't know it, but they were serving as a diversion for me as I got myself into position to carefully take aim at an enemy hiding behind a tree, the distance wasn't good, but I had time to take 3 shots and kill him before he had any idea where I was (he didn't know what was happening either).
- Defense sucks; when it was my turn to defend the flag, I found out how few options a defender has (no reinforcements, no surprise attacks, no rest) - all I could do was kill as many of my opponents as possible before they killed me. Not an enviable position. The advantages of mobility can not be overstated.
...Regular practice at the shooting range is good, but if you *really* want to be prepared, paintball is the only way (for civilians) to get experienced for combat.
Nerf gun
Nerfgun fights do the same, minus the pain but you can do them inside. Thus simulating urban warfare.
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