Scenario Team Tactics

Let's start with the "all starting together" thing. That doesn't always work out. You can get knocked out of a mission, go to your respawn point, and spend half an hour looking for your teammates. This is assuming they're not doing the same thing because they were knocked out too. It's possible to go to an event, play all day and never find your teammates after the first mission.

It's things like this that frustrate tournament teams who show up to scenario games. Look, you guys are talented. You've got the gear and you've got the individual skills down pat. In a snapshooting contest, hands down you've got game. But scenario play isn't a 5-minute sprint; it's a 24-hour marathon. It works a little differently than you're used to.

Let's start with the basics. I'm assuming that you already know what you're doing as a team. You may have a few tournaments under your belt, you've got some of the basic strategy down, and you know how to communicate and work together. The core skills that serve you well in the arena will serve you well in the woods. Angles, communication, teamwork: The "ACT" core of skills are vital to winning. After that it's just fine-tuning your current team game and making it work in a longer time frame.

You will have to invest in some gear. Don't worry: You don't need a new gun or pack. In fact, wear your brightest speedball stuff in the woods if you want. Other people will follow you around assuming you're either really good, or they're just curious to know what the heck you're thinking. Or buy some BDUs, blend in with the crowd and mess people up who think "Oh, those are just rec guys."

But as a team, you will need radios. FRS radios are inexpensive, easy to get, and the only way you're going to find your teammates if you get taken out of a mission for whatever reason. Hit up your local "Electronics Warehouse" and find a few two-pack radios you like. You're looking for an FRS (Family Radio Service) -compatible radio; 2-mile range is standard. All FRS radios can talk to each other, so you can mix brands if you want. Get a spare and batteries, and learn how to use them. If you're a real tech geek, get some hands-free throat mics. It makes using these things easier.

Right around here you'll understand why a lot of scenario players wear vests or BDUs. There's really no better way to carry a radio other than in a jacket pocket or figure out how to make an armband holster kind of thing. You don't need a vest, but they're useful. Having a radio solves a lot of your problems. If you've just been respawned at your base, you can radio your team to find out where they are and if they need some help. You can also make radio calls to update the missions on the field. If your team is on "Archie's Bunker" and the big point mission just came up at "Edith's Bunker," you can radio them with the news. Not to mention that if you have one guy who's really good at stealth, a radio is a nice way not to blow his cover.

Don't ask. It was a long day.

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