The War College: How to General a Big Scenario
For my first win at Fulda, I got a nice little trophy. Got to keep it but all of our side did a great job to earn it.
If you made it here, you are looking for ways to become a better General for big scenarios. I can't tell you that I have all of the answers. I know what worked well for me, but that doesn't mean that it will work well for you. What I can do is pass along what seemed to work, as well as a little advice for recruiting, social media, and attitudes to that can help along the way. Again, take what works for you and feel free to ignore what you don't like. I'm not the definitive source---and I don't know that there can be one. Players and games evolve, so we need to as well.
I am going to try and help out other Generals that may not know where to start, or give advice to those want to see another person's perspective. I can say that I didn't just wake up one day and go, "Sure, I know how to General some of the biggest games in the country." I have had some damn good people to lean on and get advice from for a variety of areas and perspectives, including Jim Rost, Joe Perez, Archangel Mikel, Big E, Simon Stevens, Steve Solo, Damian Fowler, Johnny Bravo, and Ivan Pabon. It truly takes a village, and they've been part of my village for years, all in different ways. No one, and I mean no one, does it all on their own if they're going to do it well, and you don't always need to reinvent the wheel. Learn from the people who came before you, take what they did, and make it your own. That includes me if you know me. Learn and evolve, and make the game better for the players on your side.
Which brings me to point number 1, which is the most important thing and something that should be taped above your doorway like the 'BELIEVE' sign in Ted Lasso.
Being a General is not about you.
I will say, one constant that needs to be there---you need to know that the game isn't about you. It never is and never was. Take your ego out of it immediately. You should honestly be wary of any General who doesn't get that. When you take the General position on, understand that you're taking responsibility for hundreds of players' weekends. They paid a hell of a lot to drive or fly out, camp out or stay in hotels, and for registration and paint. If they're using heavy A/T or a Tank, toss even more cost and resources onto that. If they had to take off work, that's even more money that they dedicated to this game---and we haven't even gotten to time away from family.
You don't owe it to the players to win, but you DO owe it to them that you will do your absolute best to make sure they have a good time while they are there, on AND off the field. You want to make sure they have a memorable event that keeps them wanting to come back for more. That's the job you are signing up for. That's it. Period. Winning is a byproduct, but the quality of the game and the stories they take home will last in their memories much longer down the road than who won and who lost.
I am going to try and help out other Generals that may not know where to start, or give advice to those want to see another person's perspective. I can say that I didn't just wake up one day and go, "Sure, I know how to General some of the biggest games in the country." I have had some damn good people to lean on and get advice from for a variety of areas and perspectives, including Jim Rost, Joe Perez, Archangel Mikel, Big E, Simon Stevens, Steve Solo, Damian Fowler, Johnny Bravo, and Ivan Pabon. It truly takes a village, and they've been part of my village for years, all in different ways. No one, and I mean no one, does it all on their own if they're going to do it well, and you don't always need to reinvent the wheel. Learn from the people who came before you, take what they did, and make it your own. That includes me if you know me. Learn and evolve, and make the game better for the players on your side.
Which brings me to point number 1, which is the most important thing and something that should be taped above your doorway like the 'BELIEVE' sign in Ted Lasso.
Being a General is not about you.
I will say, one constant that needs to be there---you need to know that the game isn't about you. It never is and never was. Take your ego out of it immediately. You should honestly be wary of any General who doesn't get that. When you take the General position on, understand that you're taking responsibility for hundreds of players' weekends. They paid a hell of a lot to drive or fly out, camp out or stay in hotels, and for registration and paint. If they're using heavy A/T or a Tank, toss even more cost and resources onto that. If they had to take off work, that's even more money that they dedicated to this game---and we haven't even gotten to time away from family.
You don't owe it to the players to win, but you DO owe it to them that you will do your absolute best to make sure they have a good time while they are there, on AND off the field. You want to make sure they have a memorable event that keeps them wanting to come back for more. That's the job you are signing up for. That's it. Period. Winning is a byproduct, but the quality of the game and the stories they take home will last in their memories much longer down the road than who won and who lost.
Celebrating a good team effort and bringing home the belt with my officers at Living Legends. Couldn't have asked for a better group.
Ok, so I am doing this. Now what?
If you've never done this and don't know where to start---that's normal. At least in my experience, you'll likely to get hit with a wave of nerves (what the hell did I just agree to?), and have a bunch of questions. How do I find a metric ton of players? Where do I find tanks? Heavy A/T? Who should I tap to be my officers? How do I catch up to the incumbent, since they already have a built in army and I have nothing?
Every single one of those is a fair question. And you'll have more---a lot more. That's perfectly natural, and luckily you are nowhere near as on-your-own as you think.
If you've never done this and don't know where to start---that's normal. At least in my experience, you'll likely to get hit with a wave of nerves (what the hell did I just agree to?), and have a bunch of questions. How do I find a metric ton of players? Where do I find tanks? Heavy A/T? Who should I tap to be my officers? How do I catch up to the incumbent, since they already have a built in army and I have nothing?
Every single one of those is a fair question. And you'll have more---a lot more. That's perfectly natural, and luckily you are nowhere near as on-your-own as you think.
Thinking about what all I needed to do at Living Legends XVIII to make sure we were all good
Building out a network
Unless the scenario you are Generaling is a new event, there is already some infrastructure there. Use it. Again, don't let pride get in your way. You aren't going to know everyone who is entrenched, you aren't going to know the politics of what's going on (sometimes that's for the best). You aren't going to know which teams always play one side. And you probably aren't going to know the winning strategies.
Thankfully, other people do. Lean on them. Call them. Text or email them. DM them. Go ahead and ask for feet pics. Totally okay.
When I agreed to do Fulda, I reached out to Jim Rost and Archangel Mikel to ask them how they went down this road, what issues they ran into, and where they succeeded. They told me about their experiences and areas that they did well, as well as areas to avoid. Same goes for people. I also asked Eric Engler (the producer) for advice; he gave me a list of people to reach out to. If you know the General from the previous year (or hell, even if you don't), reach out and ask them who they had as officers. Ask them about their strengths and weaknesses. I did the same for Living Legends. It really helps if you can connect with the field's home teams and see if you can involve them and get them on your side.
Knowledge is power---don't be afraid to to ask for it and lean on those who have come before to help you. You don't know everything. Don't try and pretend that you do. It's okay to defer to the veterans for things like their existing network of players, strategies, or things that they specialize in like communications. Lose the ego and listen. In the end you are the one people will look at to make a decision, but make an informed decision with the best knowledge available, even if it didn't come from your head. I did this a ton at Living Legends with Bravo, John Lee, John Vance, Kory, and Dylon---who were my officers. They were absolutely vital in the build up to the event and the eventual win. I got to keep the belt, but it was a group effort on every level and there's no chance that our side has the weekend we did without all of those guys going above and beyond and taking the wheel for different things at different points. I swear all of them said, "Don't worry. I told you I got you." at various points over the weekend. And they all did.
My point with all of this is simple. You might feel alone. You aren't. Find your people. Listen to them. Respect what they have to say and contribute, and be a leader by being a student.
Unless the scenario you are Generaling is a new event, there is already some infrastructure there. Use it. Again, don't let pride get in your way. You aren't going to know everyone who is entrenched, you aren't going to know the politics of what's going on (sometimes that's for the best). You aren't going to know which teams always play one side. And you probably aren't going to know the winning strategies.
Thankfully, other people do. Lean on them. Call them. Text or email them. DM them. Go ahead and ask for feet pics. Totally okay.
When I agreed to do Fulda, I reached out to Jim Rost and Archangel Mikel to ask them how they went down this road, what issues they ran into, and where they succeeded. They told me about their experiences and areas that they did well, as well as areas to avoid. Same goes for people. I also asked Eric Engler (the producer) for advice; he gave me a list of people to reach out to. If you know the General from the previous year (or hell, even if you don't), reach out and ask them who they had as officers. Ask them about their strengths and weaknesses. I did the same for Living Legends. It really helps if you can connect with the field's home teams and see if you can involve them and get them on your side.
Knowledge is power---don't be afraid to to ask for it and lean on those who have come before to help you. You don't know everything. Don't try and pretend that you do. It's okay to defer to the veterans for things like their existing network of players, strategies, or things that they specialize in like communications. Lose the ego and listen. In the end you are the one people will look at to make a decision, but make an informed decision with the best knowledge available, even if it didn't come from your head. I did this a ton at Living Legends with Bravo, John Lee, John Vance, Kory, and Dylon---who were my officers. They were absolutely vital in the build up to the event and the eventual win. I got to keep the belt, but it was a group effort on every level and there's no chance that our side has the weekend we did without all of those guys going above and beyond and taking the wheel for different things at different points. I swear all of them said, "Don't worry. I told you I got you." at various points over the weekend. And they all did.
My point with all of this is simple. You might feel alone. You aren't. Find your people. Listen to them. Respect what they have to say and contribute, and be a leader by being a student.
With all of the officers and production at Living Legends. Johnny Bravo, Dylon, Damian, John, and Kory were all the real stars here.
Finding your Right Hand Man - Qualities to look for in an X.O.:
Ok, so you're down with the Generaling and you are doing your due diligence by reaching out to local points of contact, teams, and the producer. You've asked the producer about the email list of the people who played the year prior (and if you are comfortable, sent out an email to those players to invite them back to the event---get comfortable if you are not). You've asked previous Generals about which teams you might be able to recruit and if they like playing for a certain side.
Still feels like you're way behind the other side, You need officers and you need specialists. There are a few things that you may want to consider when looking for those positions.
For me, I know I look at a few things when picking my XO. Lately, I've worked a ton with Johnny Bravo from Earth Pigs, who are absolutely part of my paintball family. Johnny is a hell of a commander in his own right who views a lot of things the same way as I do in paintball as a whole; we see eye to eye most of the time. He is GREAT at giving everyone a job, keeping everyone involved, and making sure that they have a memorable weekend. He's also works hard at recruiting and has a strong sense of tactics. Those are all things that I value, and he's willing to share ideas that I may not think of. He compliments and reinforces a lot of what I do, and at the same time fills the gaps that I don't see. He also isn't afraid to voice his ideas. I love the guy, and we work very well together.
I also have been lucky enough to work with my friend Ivan Pabon, a former General at D-Day and someone who is a brilliant tactician. One of my favorite memories at Fulda was directly due to him. We had no one defending a base and got word that 20 players from NATO were about to take it and flip the flag near time for points count. We only had 4 people who saw the group in the area and they would have gotten wrecked in anything resembling a fair fight. Ivan picked up the radio and called in a chem strike in front of the base. Production asked 3 separate times if we really wanted it in front of the base, reminding us no one was in it and sounded completely baffled. Ivan told them, "Yes, in front of the base." and then sat back and waited. I trust him implicitly and went along for the ride. The smoke screen stopped the twenty players dead in their tracks, convincing them that the base had a strong occupying force hidden out of view. They stopped and popped shots into an empty hull of a base---while the 4 people that we had, caught up to them from behind, and cleared all 20 of them out in the confusion.
I tell that story for a specific reason---I never, in a million years, would have thought of that. Ever. In an XO, look for someone who can pick you up in areas that you might not be as strong as you wish you were. Someone who compliments what you are doing, whose ideas you will listen to, and someone that can make your side stronger. It might take some self-reflection to realize what exactly that means, but it will make your job easier and be a major advantage for your side if you're willing to do that. No one, including you, is perfect or will even know what your blind spots are going into a game. Find those to help who can.
Ok, so you're down with the Generaling and you are doing your due diligence by reaching out to local points of contact, teams, and the producer. You've asked the producer about the email list of the people who played the year prior (and if you are comfortable, sent out an email to those players to invite them back to the event---get comfortable if you are not). You've asked previous Generals about which teams you might be able to recruit and if they like playing for a certain side.
Still feels like you're way behind the other side, You need officers and you need specialists. There are a few things that you may want to consider when looking for those positions.
For me, I know I look at a few things when picking my XO. Lately, I've worked a ton with Johnny Bravo from Earth Pigs, who are absolutely part of my paintball family. Johnny is a hell of a commander in his own right who views a lot of things the same way as I do in paintball as a whole; we see eye to eye most of the time. He is GREAT at giving everyone a job, keeping everyone involved, and making sure that they have a memorable weekend. He's also works hard at recruiting and has a strong sense of tactics. Those are all things that I value, and he's willing to share ideas that I may not think of. He compliments and reinforces a lot of what I do, and at the same time fills the gaps that I don't see. He also isn't afraid to voice his ideas. I love the guy, and we work very well together.
I also have been lucky enough to work with my friend Ivan Pabon, a former General at D-Day and someone who is a brilliant tactician. One of my favorite memories at Fulda was directly due to him. We had no one defending a base and got word that 20 players from NATO were about to take it and flip the flag near time for points count. We only had 4 people who saw the group in the area and they would have gotten wrecked in anything resembling a fair fight. Ivan picked up the radio and called in a chem strike in front of the base. Production asked 3 separate times if we really wanted it in front of the base, reminding us no one was in it and sounded completely baffled. Ivan told them, "Yes, in front of the base." and then sat back and waited. I trust him implicitly and went along for the ride. The smoke screen stopped the twenty players dead in their tracks, convincing them that the base had a strong occupying force hidden out of view. They stopped and popped shots into an empty hull of a base---while the 4 people that we had, caught up to them from behind, and cleared all 20 of them out in the confusion.
I tell that story for a specific reason---I never, in a million years, would have thought of that. Ever. In an XO, look for someone who can pick you up in areas that you might not be as strong as you wish you were. Someone who compliments what you are doing, whose ideas you will listen to, and someone that can make your side stronger. It might take some self-reflection to realize what exactly that means, but it will make your job easier and be a major advantage for your side if you're willing to do that. No one, including you, is perfect or will even know what your blind spots are going into a game. Find those to help who can.
After my last Fulda, honestly felt a bit of relief. Here with my friend and producer Eric Engler.
Okay, so you have an idea on an XO. What about other officers?
When it comes to field officers or Unit COs, the big questions to ask are: a) can they herd cats on the field and lead groups on attacks/base pushes, b) can they keep players hanging around for important jobs that may not be as fun (i.e. 30 minute guard detail with no action, recon missions with no fighting, role-playing specific missions, or even running supplies/coms for other units/event logistics...), and c) will they be able to fill a unit in recruiting? Because if they can't do at least one of those three things, you probably want to try and find someone else who can. If you can find someone reliable in those three areas, you're probably in great shape. If not, look elsewhere. They need to be able to help you do your job, which is support your side and make it fun for everyone under them. I will never ask an officer to do anything that I wouldn't, but understand that doesn't take much off the table.
Also, understand your COs aren't taking up your job. What I am saying here is that you shouldn't expect them to do their job on their own---they may need your help in recruiting, finding teams, or finding armor/A-T/Medics. Get off your ass and help them. A lot of them will absolutely try their best, but you may have to step in and help. Understand that and be willing to do so. Helping them helps you. Ultimately at the end of the day, you're the person leading the charge...lead from the front, be proactive!
More than likely, last year's event General or the promoter can give you a list of people to reach out to for officers if you don't know where to start. He or she should also be able to give you a list of specialized units to reach out to. In other words, the heavy A/T, tanks, Medics, mission guys, and possibly NPCs. DO NOT FUCK AROUND when reaching out to these units. Move fast. If you notice a tone shift in that sentence, understand it's on purpose. I can guarantee your opponent will reach out to this very limited pool as well. So get moving! Lots of players go to big games and scenarios just to shoot paint and a lot of people and could care less about the 'missions' or 'story'. The players who dedicate themselves to roles and role-playing move the story forward and make it more fun and immersive for everyone else. It changes the setting from a bunch of people shooting at each other in the woods to an epic battle with real stakes and a story on the line.
You'll want to collect the specialized units like they're Pokemon. The more, the better. A lot of them are also great people. I've been lucky in working with Tracker ran Larry and his family at Fulda, the Cash Money Krew in Blade from Florida, Clifford the Big Red Tank, Brock as an NPC, Wade and Ross as A/T, and Werewolf, Jason, Popeye, and AJ as some of the best coms guys on the planet. They're all great people off the field and make your job a million times easier when they're on your side. And if the other side has better armor, A/T, or coms than you, you are at a massive disadvantage. Get these guys quick, do what you can to make their weekends easier and more fun, and listen to them about their specialized areas and what they can offer you and your side. They know more than you, they have been doing it longer. Do what you can to enable them, get them what resources they need, wind them up, and set them running.
Have to make your promo posters---prior to AI, posters like this took a little while to get made
Ok, so you have your officers. That's five people. Now what about the other couple hundred?
Time to get to recruiting. I am telling you now that if you're doing a really big game, you need to expect to get out of your comfort zone. Odds aren't really great that you know a few hundred people that will come out wherever you're playing and all join your side. If that's the case, you still need to do something to fill out your roster. So, what to do and where do you start? I can tell you what I have done and what has worked for me.
The first thing: ask if there's an email list for the people who played the year before at the event. Most events don't have that, but some do. If they do, I'll email everyone that played my new side or everyone from the year before. I just try to introduce myself, tell the players about my plans for the year, update them with any news like officer announcements or where I might be playing so that I can meet them, and offer to answer questions that they might have. I know for Fulda, I got a bunch of parents or teams that reached out wanting to play specific roles, and it helped me set them on the right track. It also helped me get to know my players better when they did want to talk. I was actually surprised that I didn't get more 'Take me off your list emails,' with me only getting 2 out of the hundreds of people I reached out to --- monthly --- over 3 years. People get what you are trying to do and I got a lot more positive reactions.
Unfortunately, a lot of promoters don't have email lists. And that means heading out to social media.
I know that it can be a daunting thing if you don't have a big online presence, but it really is necessary. My first step was to immediately join every relevant group on Facebook. That means scenario groups, paintball groups for states nearby or that you know might be interested. I know that for Fulda, I would post in a dozen state groups as well as groups for D-Day and ION as they were similar types of games. My thought was that those were similar types of games and if players like those games, they'd probably like Fulda. And it worked. I got over a hundred players from those two games alone. And I posted in those games for months prior. If you aren't doing that, I will tell you what I have told several officers in the past: You can't win a game 6 months ahead of time, but you can sure as hell lose it. As a general, my sides have won two of the largest games in paintball in no small part because our staff put in the groundwork and the other side coasted. When game day came, they complained about it not being fair. Bullshit. They didn't want to put in the work and they ran into someone who did.
As soon as you know that you're the one tapped to run an event, the clock starts ticking. Start your work early, get your commanders, specialists, teams, and players lined up on your side, and push to get the best you can. The earlier the better! Not only does it build the comradery more before the event, it solidifies your team more once the fighting starts.
Time to get to recruiting. I am telling you now that if you're doing a really big game, you need to expect to get out of your comfort zone. Odds aren't really great that you know a few hundred people that will come out wherever you're playing and all join your side. If that's the case, you still need to do something to fill out your roster. So, what to do and where do you start? I can tell you what I have done and what has worked for me.
The first thing: ask if there's an email list for the people who played the year before at the event. Most events don't have that, but some do. If they do, I'll email everyone that played my new side or everyone from the year before. I just try to introduce myself, tell the players about my plans for the year, update them with any news like officer announcements or where I might be playing so that I can meet them, and offer to answer questions that they might have. I know for Fulda, I got a bunch of parents or teams that reached out wanting to play specific roles, and it helped me set them on the right track. It also helped me get to know my players better when they did want to talk. I was actually surprised that I didn't get more 'Take me off your list emails,' with me only getting 2 out of the hundreds of people I reached out to --- monthly --- over 3 years. People get what you are trying to do and I got a lot more positive reactions.
Unfortunately, a lot of promoters don't have email lists. And that means heading out to social media.
I know that it can be a daunting thing if you don't have a big online presence, but it really is necessary. My first step was to immediately join every relevant group on Facebook. That means scenario groups, paintball groups for states nearby or that you know might be interested. I know that for Fulda, I would post in a dozen state groups as well as groups for D-Day and ION as they were similar types of games. My thought was that those were similar types of games and if players like those games, they'd probably like Fulda. And it worked. I got over a hundred players from those two games alone. And I posted in those games for months prior. If you aren't doing that, I will tell you what I have told several officers in the past: You can't win a game 6 months ahead of time, but you can sure as hell lose it. As a general, my sides have won two of the largest games in paintball in no small part because our staff put in the groundwork and the other side coasted. When game day came, they complained about it not being fair. Bullshit. They didn't want to put in the work and they ran into someone who did.
As soon as you know that you're the one tapped to run an event, the clock starts ticking. Start your work early, get your commanders, specialists, teams, and players lined up on your side, and push to get the best you can. The earlier the better! Not only does it build the comradery more before the event, it solidifies your team more once the fighting starts.
This should be you
That covers passive social media. You'll also want to do active.
What does that mean? It means reaching out, sometimes finding your own leads. This is where you'll be DM-ing people left and right, including doing cold DMs where you're reaching out to people that you don't know and have never met. You'll have to, especially for large games. So how do you do that? It's a fair question.
Again, I would look at event posts for groups that I joined and look for teams that were commenting and making posts. And I went back a couple of years. If I saw someone making several posts, I would reach out to them individually. If the team was active, I would reach out to team pages respectfully. I put a lot of time and energy in it, but figured if I did that for a couple of hours a night on a random Tuesday in July for a game in November, my opponent wasn't likely to be doing the same. And a lot of times, that might net me a team or two, which is more than I had the day before.
I also made sure I got back to everyone. I don't care if it was a team of 60 or a mom about her son and his friend. Every single one matters. All of them are counting on you to make sure that they have a great weekend playing with you. Own that. Take that responsibility seriously. They're all spending money for the experience. They're spending time away from family. A lot are taking vacation days to be there. The least we can do is our best to make sure that it's a positive experience where we are doing everything we can to make it fun. We can't always win, but we can do what we can to make it memorable. And if you are blowing off players because it's only a player or two or it's a group you don't know, they'll remember you for all of the wrong reasons. If you let them know that they're important and involved, they'll remember you and the event and want to play again. So pick which one you want to be.
What does that mean? It means reaching out, sometimes finding your own leads. This is where you'll be DM-ing people left and right, including doing cold DMs where you're reaching out to people that you don't know and have never met. You'll have to, especially for large games. So how do you do that? It's a fair question.
Again, I would look at event posts for groups that I joined and look for teams that were commenting and making posts. And I went back a couple of years. If I saw someone making several posts, I would reach out to them individually. If the team was active, I would reach out to team pages respectfully. I put a lot of time and energy in it, but figured if I did that for a couple of hours a night on a random Tuesday in July for a game in November, my opponent wasn't likely to be doing the same. And a lot of times, that might net me a team or two, which is more than I had the day before.
I also made sure I got back to everyone. I don't care if it was a team of 60 or a mom about her son and his friend. Every single one matters. All of them are counting on you to make sure that they have a great weekend playing with you. Own that. Take that responsibility seriously. They're all spending money for the experience. They're spending time away from family. A lot are taking vacation days to be there. The least we can do is our best to make sure that it's a positive experience where we are doing everything we can to make it fun. We can't always win, but we can do what we can to make it memorable. And if you are blowing off players because it's only a player or two or it's a group you don't know, they'll remember you for all of the wrong reasons. If you let them know that they're important and involved, they'll remember you and the event and want to play again. So pick which one you want to be.
Yelling because I lost my voice, but handing out awards at Fulda - I actually think it's difficult because there are a LOT of teams that deserve something.
Recruiting does not stop until the paint is flying. It starts when you get told you are allowed to by the promotion. Keep going until you hit your caps,
Start early, keep going. The last thing you want to do is get to game day knowing you're about to get pounded, look back, and ask yourself if you could have done more and know that the answer is yes. I know that I can live with losing a fair fight. I can't live with losing and knowing it was my own damn fault for being lazy.
And understand this---I think it's important to put out there because most people don't talk about this and should---you are probably someone's villain. Somewhere out there, some guy is probably mad he missed the chance to punch Mr Rogers in the nuts. It does not matter if you're the nicest person on Earth, there will always be someone that doesn't like the way you speak, look, act, or who you are. There will always be negative comments that rub you the wrong way. Unless you're seeing a ton of those comments, try to not let it get to you (if you see a lot of that, you may want to do some introspection). It's obviously easier said than done, but just understand it will probably come. You're putting yourself out there and it's not comfortable for a lot of us to do and it's the internet. If it's humanly possible, you're going to run into some people who are just dicks. Try to remember most people are pretty good. Some are awesome. And some people kick puppies.
Believe me, I know how this goes---I literally had the hosts of one of the biggest podcasts in paintball talking shit on me because I wasn't smiling in a picture on a poster when they did not know me at all---Later at a SuperGame weekend I had spent 30 minutes trying to help that same host find a screw he dropped while getting tech work done by a good friend of mine...he had no idea. I just had to remind myself that he doesn't know me at all and that I wasn't going to allow their opinion determine how I was going to feel or act. His opinion didn't matter. At all. I'm not giving someone else that kind of power over me or what I was doing to help promote the game and my side. Don't give someone else that power to ruin your day or your efforts. My advice would be vent to your friends when you have to, they understand you the best, and keep trying to be one of the good ones. Know that it's a hell of a lot harder to be the man in the arena than the person in the crowd.
Start early, keep going. The last thing you want to do is get to game day knowing you're about to get pounded, look back, and ask yourself if you could have done more and know that the answer is yes. I know that I can live with losing a fair fight. I can't live with losing and knowing it was my own damn fault for being lazy.
And understand this---I think it's important to put out there because most people don't talk about this and should---you are probably someone's villain. Somewhere out there, some guy is probably mad he missed the chance to punch Mr Rogers in the nuts. It does not matter if you're the nicest person on Earth, there will always be someone that doesn't like the way you speak, look, act, or who you are. There will always be negative comments that rub you the wrong way. Unless you're seeing a ton of those comments, try to not let it get to you (if you see a lot of that, you may want to do some introspection). It's obviously easier said than done, but just understand it will probably come. You're putting yourself out there and it's not comfortable for a lot of us to do and it's the internet. If it's humanly possible, you're going to run into some people who are just dicks. Try to remember most people are pretty good. Some are awesome. And some people kick puppies.
Believe me, I know how this goes---I literally had the hosts of one of the biggest podcasts in paintball talking shit on me because I wasn't smiling in a picture on a poster when they did not know me at all---Later at a SuperGame weekend I had spent 30 minutes trying to help that same host find a screw he dropped while getting tech work done by a good friend of mine...he had no idea. I just had to remind myself that he doesn't know me at all and that I wasn't going to allow their opinion determine how I was going to feel or act. His opinion didn't matter. At all. I'm not giving someone else that kind of power over me or what I was doing to help promote the game and my side. Don't give someone else that power to ruin your day or your efforts. My advice would be vent to your friends when you have to, they understand you the best, and keep trying to be one of the good ones. Know that it's a hell of a lot harder to be the man in the arena than the person in the crowd.
A few of the best guys in paintball and one of my favorite Generals in Dezi Johnson
Ok, so got a lot of the boxes checked. You know your officers. You have your specialized units. You're recruiting your tail off. What else is there to know?
You are part of production.
YOU ARE PART OF PRODUCTION.
What does that mean? You are trying to do what you can to make the event great for everyone. That means you're an ambassador for the event. Promote it. Push out flyers and advertising. Repost everything that the field and event puts out when they put it out. Keep promoting your side. Be visible. Be loud, Answer questions about the event. Help people asking about bulk orders or group rates, even if it's just directing it to the right people. Be a source of knowledge for the game.
Help the promoter. If one side looks like they're about to get hammered, talk to them about what you can do to make it fair. I know that might look weird coming from someone who had a few blowouts in my time---but understand even for those games, I repeatedly reached out to the promoter and to the other General asking how I could help them and prevent that, whether people knew that publicly or not. I know for my first Fulda, Dezi Johnson, literally one of the best people in paintball I've ever met, helped me when I was a big underdog. He worked with me and Eric Engler to make sure that it was going to be a good game---and it was, largely because of that. He was a much bigger name than I was, especially at the time, and he was awesome about working with me and helping make it a great game. He called it the Battle of the Buddies, because it was. The other General is your opponent, not your enemy. Work with them and production to do what you can to make it a fun game for everyone. Neither side has a ton of fun in a seal clubbing. Promote the event to make it grow. Help the promoter make enough money to want to keep doing the event. Keep in touch and help each other out. Everyone will be better off for it.
You are part of production.
YOU ARE PART OF PRODUCTION.
What does that mean? You are trying to do what you can to make the event great for everyone. That means you're an ambassador for the event. Promote it. Push out flyers and advertising. Repost everything that the field and event puts out when they put it out. Keep promoting your side. Be visible. Be loud, Answer questions about the event. Help people asking about bulk orders or group rates, even if it's just directing it to the right people. Be a source of knowledge for the game.
Help the promoter. If one side looks like they're about to get hammered, talk to them about what you can do to make it fair. I know that might look weird coming from someone who had a few blowouts in my time---but understand even for those games, I repeatedly reached out to the promoter and to the other General asking how I could help them and prevent that, whether people knew that publicly or not. I know for my first Fulda, Dezi Johnson, literally one of the best people in paintball I've ever met, helped me when I was a big underdog. He worked with me and Eric Engler to make sure that it was going to be a good game---and it was, largely because of that. He was a much bigger name than I was, especially at the time, and he was awesome about working with me and helping make it a great game. He called it the Battle of the Buddies, because it was. The other General is your opponent, not your enemy. Work with them and production to do what you can to make it a fun game for everyone. Neither side has a ton of fun in a seal clubbing. Promote the event to make it grow. Help the promoter make enough money to want to keep doing the event. Keep in touch and help each other out. Everyone will be better off for it.
The belt I got to take home but my Vikings earned at Living Legends
Like I said when I started writing this, it's not about you. It never was. It's about the other hundreds of people at the game. We're all just doing our part and hopefully this helps you understand the commanding part a little bit better if you're not sure where to start. Again, it's just my perspective and I know others out there will approach this entirely differently and that's okay. Take what you might like out of this and make it your own. But if you're willing to try out being a General, I truly wish you luck. The sport will be better off the more of us that succeed in the role. Because while it isn't about you, the more people that can get into these roles, the better off ALL of us in the game will be. It's a position that can be used to promote growth, camaraderie, community, and the sport we all love! So go out there, kick some ass, and have fun!