Fulda '23: Warsaw strikes Back
Fulda. WARSAW's coming back.
Every year, around this time, I normally interview the Generals for Fulda Gap---both Nato and WARSAW, without prejudice no matter what side I am playing for. Well, this year, I have to do something a bit different, as I AM one of the two Generals for the event. And I'm not about to ask myself a set list of questions.
But I am going to tell you about myself, why I took this on, and why I want to see you out at CDWC on November 3rd through 5th for Fulda Gap.
But I am going to tell you about myself, why I took this on, and why I want to see you out at CDWC on November 3rd through 5th for Fulda Gap.
This. This is Fulda. Bring in the armor!
To do that, let me take you back to my first Fulda in 2016. It was a great November weekend in NC. The weather was perfect. There were 1400 players, give or take, throwing paint like crazy, and making pushes all over the field. I had one of the best weekends I've ever had in terms of eliminations. Tanks were rolling. Rockets were hitting. Paint was flying. All exactly as the paintball gods intended.
And the game was EVEN. How even, you might ask? It ended with a massive push at Duckett by both sides, with me literally putting my barrel across my buddy Eddie's shoulder, pulling pods out of his pack to constantly fill while holding my trigger down and taking a sizable chunk out the final NATO push out as time expired. It was glorious. The buzzer sounded. We stopped the push---and the game ended in a tie. My team walked home with MVT, but honestly the things that stuck out the most that weekend were the moments of oversized chaos that made it amazing.
That stop. Knocking out a row of players as they made a push out of Sim City. Taking out another group as they tried to cross the road by Rex. Heading into the forest and getting into gunfights at all different angles. Seeing full sized tanks just mowing through areas, and rockets slamming into them to knock them out. Cheering on your teammates as they flipped a flag. Seeing others toss their markers over a wall, and then dive over it themselves while ten different people shot at them. It was just FUN.
And the game was EVEN. How even, you might ask? It ended with a massive push at Duckett by both sides, with me literally putting my barrel across my buddy Eddie's shoulder, pulling pods out of his pack to constantly fill while holding my trigger down and taking a sizable chunk out the final NATO push out as time expired. It was glorious. The buzzer sounded. We stopped the push---and the game ended in a tie. My team walked home with MVT, but honestly the things that stuck out the most that weekend were the moments of oversized chaos that made it amazing.
That stop. Knocking out a row of players as they made a push out of Sim City. Taking out another group as they tried to cross the road by Rex. Heading into the forest and getting into gunfights at all different angles. Seeing full sized tanks just mowing through areas, and rockets slamming into them to knock them out. Cheering on your teammates as they flipped a flag. Seeing others toss their markers over a wall, and then dive over it themselves while ten different people shot at them. It was just FUN.
SavethePaint, right, bunkering last year at Fulda. Yep, you can come play with Killian and get to shoot people point blank repeatedly as well. Kinda his thing.
So when the casting call for WARSAW General went out this year, I threw my hat in the ring, and was honored to get asked to do it. I accepted, with my stated goal being to bring that feeling back to the game. I decided to do it because I want to see faces look like mine did when I came off the field from playing my first Fulda. Exhausted. Dirty. But mostly, just happy.
Happy to have done it. Happy to have shot so many people. Happy for the gunfights I won. Happy about the ones I lost. Happy for the moves that I tried on that worked. And for the ones that failed.
And that's what I want for my side (really both sides) as General this year. I want you walking off the field talking about the copious amount of ass you got to kick. Sure, you're playing for me---but not really. You're playing for you.
Happy to have done it. Happy to have shot so many people. Happy for the gunfights I won. Happy about the ones I lost. Happy for the moves that I tried on that worked. And for the ones that failed.
And that's what I want for my side (really both sides) as General this year. I want you walking off the field talking about the copious amount of ass you got to kick. Sure, you're playing for me---but not really. You're playing for you.
Like kicking ass? Might wanna join up with Shaun and Eddie.
My feeling, as General, is that the game and that weekend isn't about me. It's about the other 700 people on my side, and all of the players on Nato. I feel that way about smaller games I've commanded, and I absolutely feel that way now. My job is making sure that you're having a great time, and I put you in the best positions to succeed.
Like playing in the woods? Let's get your ass in the woods. Like bunkering people? Man, do I have a place for you. Want to go all god-mode and be in a tank? Let's try and make that happen. Want to cut the guy I just mentioned down to size? Let's get you an A/T card. Fulda has something for damn near everyone, and my job that weekend is to try and get you to your happy place---especially if that happy place is violence.
Like playing in the woods? Let's get your ass in the woods. Like bunkering people? Man, do I have a place for you. Want to go all god-mode and be in a tank? Let's try and make that happen. Want to cut the guy I just mentioned down to size? Let's get you an A/T card. Fulda has something for damn near everyone, and my job that weekend is to try and get you to your happy place---especially if that happy place is violence.
Join the 172 and enjoy yourself some flat ground before you roll into Simm
So why WARSAW?
Great question---why join WARSAW over Nato? Dezi, Nato's General, is a great dude. We've actually been buddies for a couple of years now. He's my opponent, not my enemy. And I have friends that are always on Nato and are playing on the other side.
All that said, our side has a hell of a lot going for it. We have last year's WARSAW General, and someone who has played Fulda since it's beginnings in Jason Mann. We have the winning General of the North Carolina versus Virginia game. We have multiple members of the Allied Command of D-Day. We have a commander who just got done Generaling a big scenario at CDWC this fall. We have multiple former unit commanders of Fulda itself returning, as well as multiple MVPs and MVT winners on the command staff. We have some of the very best in the world when it comes to A/T and tanks a well, and one of the best comms teams in the business. I tried to surround myself with a bunch of great people, and think that we've managed to do that.
And if you don't know me, here's a little bit on my paintball life. I've played for around 25 years now, and regularly travel around the country, from SuperGame Oregon to games all over the Mid-Atlantic. I have made and sold over $25,000 in autococker parts of my own design and have written for multiple websites. Myself and my team have major awards at games including Fulda Gap, Bones and Ashes, and Castle Jam, along with over 50+ awards at regional games. I have also commanded up and down the East Coast---including acting as a commander on the NATO side for 3 years. And my team and I have helped raise over $50,000 for Breast Cancer and Autism charities through our work with the paintball community.
All that means to say is that we've got a strong command team together that brings a lot of experience to the table. Again, it's putting you in position to succeed. It's making sure that you're out there having fun. We win by you winning, and we know it. And we have a group that can help you send Nato back to dead boxes all weekend long.
Great question---why join WARSAW over Nato? Dezi, Nato's General, is a great dude. We've actually been buddies for a couple of years now. He's my opponent, not my enemy. And I have friends that are always on Nato and are playing on the other side.
All that said, our side has a hell of a lot going for it. We have last year's WARSAW General, and someone who has played Fulda since it's beginnings in Jason Mann. We have the winning General of the North Carolina versus Virginia game. We have multiple members of the Allied Command of D-Day. We have a commander who just got done Generaling a big scenario at CDWC this fall. We have multiple former unit commanders of Fulda itself returning, as well as multiple MVPs and MVT winners on the command staff. We have some of the very best in the world when it comes to A/T and tanks a well, and one of the best comms teams in the business. I tried to surround myself with a bunch of great people, and think that we've managed to do that.
And if you don't know me, here's a little bit on my paintball life. I've played for around 25 years now, and regularly travel around the country, from SuperGame Oregon to games all over the Mid-Atlantic. I have made and sold over $25,000 in autococker parts of my own design and have written for multiple websites. Myself and my team have major awards at games including Fulda Gap, Bones and Ashes, and Castle Jam, along with over 50+ awards at regional games. I have also commanded up and down the East Coast---including acting as a commander on the NATO side for 3 years. And my team and I have helped raise over $50,000 for Breast Cancer and Autism charities through our work with the paintball community.
All that means to say is that we've got a strong command team together that brings a lot of experience to the table. Again, it's putting you in position to succeed. It's making sure that you're out there having fun. We win by you winning, and we know it. And we have a group that can help you send Nato back to dead boxes all weekend long.
WARSAW Young Gun goes home with a new Emek. MVP wins the Golden Barrel.
So that's it. That's my Ted Talk on why I'm General for WARSAW this year, and why you should be helping me hunt down my pirate buddy Dezi and his Nato pals all weekend. He's my buddy, but we're absolutely going to make his life hell all weekend. And if you had a little too much to drink before registration and decide to go Nato, that's okay---we need targets too.
Reach out to me when you decide to let yourself have a great weekend, and I'll help you find a good home unit for the game. I look forward to seeing 1000+ of my extended family and friends there.
#RedorDead
Reach out to me when you decide to let yourself have a great weekend, and I'll help you find a good home unit for the game. I look forward to seeing 1000+ of my extended family and friends there.
#RedorDead
