| HOME |
 The staging area at Sequoia Airsoft has been transformed into an awesome campground. Multiple fire pits are accompanied by huge public barbecues for all to share. The stage is being erected in the common area and the staff is busy getting ready as the place buzzes with activity.
 The Mobile Guerrilla Force from Washington! More and more familiar faces begin to appear and plenty of new ones as well. For some of our players, this is the only time we get to see them all year and many are regulars that attend every, single one of these weekend events. Some have never before played in an organized venue and for others it's their first airsoft experience ever. What a way to begin!
 Kim and Tasha in the Registration Booth! Campsites begin to spring up all about as the registration booth opens for business. Nam IV guests are greeted with a t-shirt, raffle ticket, and specialists are issued their gear such as medic packs, engineer kits, sniper cards, etc. More and more players arrive but our MP's handle the traffic well and everyone finds a nice spot to call their own.
 "Is that a hot link? Mmmmmm...." As darkness falls, that great smell of campfires and outdoor cooking begins to fill the air. The stage lights up and the sounds of 60's music are broadcast through the PA. Friends can be heard greeting each other from the last time they saw them and you can feel the excitement building now as the atmosphere starts to become festive. Briefing time arrives and the call goes out to assemble. The guests take up a chair and the commanders are invited on stage. Both armies have a commander and lieutenants to assist them on the field.
 Dave 'D-Day' Dollarhide Dave begins the ceremony with a big welcome as the crowd begins cheering. Then, he introduces the commanders to the accompaniment of cheers from their troops -and less kindly words from the other army! It's all in good fun and everyone is yelling and having a hoot.
  The US Forces are being led by Col Mark "Dutch" Meijer and Lt Steve Griffiths of Team 911 in Southern California. Both Marine and Ranger units alike look awesome in their olive drab and tiger stripe uniforms!
   Clad in their authentic black pajamas, the Vietcong units look just as frightening. They are being commanded by the Centurion's own Cpt Will "Dinh Nah" Sani and his Lieutenants John Summers and Nate Nissim.
The crowd continues to cheer as Dave mentions some of the guests and teams in attendance. They have travelled from as far as Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico, plus a strong contingent of Southern California players and locals as well. Then, the commanders take their turn on the microphone. The crowd erupts once again to support their unit and yell at the enemy commander, too! Both Col Meijer and Cpt Sani take their turn to deliver some words of inspiration. Once finished, the ceremony then comes to a close with a brief review of the event rules. These have been sent out in advance in the player packs and we address any questions at this time. Once the questions are answered, we break for a night of fun around the campfires and Vietnam war movies. The sounds of fun and laughter can be heard late into the evening as even more guest continue to arrive. The next morning the place is a buzz of activity. Everyone is up and getting ready making breakfast and getting their gear on. Registration is opened briefly for the latecomers and everyone has been chronographed from yesterday so they are ready to go. The countdown to game time is being called out every so often and the anticipation is almost to much to bear!
 At last! time to deploy! Then, the troops are called to assemble. Everyone is suited up and looking spectacular. They have been issued maps, orders, and are ready to go! A brief pause for photo's seems like it takes forever, but everyone deploys on the the field only fifteen minutes behind schedule. With nearly one hundred players on hand to organize, that is a real accomplishment and great work by the staff! Marines, Rangers, and Vietcong alike begin to take up their positions on the field. Each session is two and one half hours in length so they are armed to the hilt with weapons and supplies. The commanders radio in that they are ready to go and the final countdown begins. Both infantry and recon units are thinking about their own objectives they need to accomplish, and these last few minutes begin to seem like hours!
 "CA CA DAU GI'S!" Finally, the call comes through the radio... "THREE! TWO! ONE! GAME ON! GAME ON! GAME ON!" And with that, the battle for The Nam IV was under way. Both armies have standing orders. These included defending their headquarters from being overrun and protecting their officers from enemy snipers at all times. Snipers can eliminate enemy officers as targets of opportunity. The side with the most confirmed kills get a bonus and there is a nice trophy for the Best Sniper, too!
 Vietcong Sniper! The infantry's objectives were clear: sieze control of the Northern Outpost, Middle Outpost, and Hill 187. The latter of which would later come to be known as "Hamburger Hill" -and for good reasons. Recon teams were assigned to perform surveillance. Their mission was to recon specific sectors and obtain evidence of such as located on the field. Both sides were able to perform their stealth mission and complete their objectives! All the while the infantry battle raged on simultaneously as well.
 Both sides are locked in heavy firefights! Marine and Ranger units alike were under fierce assault by the Vietcong. The VC had already taken two of three positions when the recon teams joined back in. With their backs against their headquarters, they were fighting desperately to hold the Northern Outpost. Most of the US forces had not been to the field before and many of the locals were VC. Just like trying to fight the enemy in their own territory, the Vietcong seemed to have the upper hand. The battle raged on as both sides continued to fight amidst the screaming and yelling of dying soldiers...
 "DEAD MAN! DEAD MAN! DEAD MAN!" Excellent leadership by Col Mark Meijer kept the enemy forces at bay, but the Americans needed to adapt -and quickly. They were learning the hard way about inserting troops via "helicopter" drop which allowed them to deploy any where on the field. They could also utilize the "helo" for pickups to respawn their passengers, too.
Nonetheless, the Americans continued to fight like a pack of wild animals. Nearly overcoming the US headquarters, the VC were attacking even harder and harder. As game time approached, the Americans pushed them away and the battle was back for the Northern Outpost. The final minutes were ticking away as the countdown began. Both sides popped smoke bombs in an attempt to break the lines and mounted assault after assault against each other. Screaming and yelling, the intensity cranked up until the last few seconds of the game as both sides fought on! Finally, the game was called and the VC were still in control. The sounds of battle were quickly filled with the sounds of exhilaration as both sides started to congratulate each other. Everyone was buzzing from the battle and thanking each other for an awesome game. This would continue off the field and in to the parking lot as evidence of what a great time was just had. We keep a pretty loose score and are more interested in fighting hard and having fun. The players seemed to agree!
 Jaron and Mike Osborn! Back in camp everyone begins to rest up for the next session. Beneath the thick, shaded canopy of the glorious Sequoia trees, we took a nice lunch break which was then extended a little longer at the players request. With plenty of daylight left, there was no rush and everyone seemed to enjoy the recreational pace.
 Peter Ho from Airsoft Extreme! There were plenty of guns that needed repair and Peter Ho from Airsoft Extreme was there to help out. The AEX booth was buzzing all day with grateful players as Peter worked frantically to keep them up and running!
The recon and infantry objectives were going to be equally difficult and the battles this afternoon were expected to be just as brutal. The Vietcong were holding hostages and the US special forces were assigned to rescue them. The infantry was informed of Vietcong operatives hiding in the "ville" and their mission was to destroy the ville and try to uncover them. Interestingly, the USO hostages identified as the "German" and "Swedish" girls were indeed... German and Swedish. What a guess! They played the part well and took up position on the field surrounded by their Vietcong captors. As the American recon teams got close, they could begin to hear screams coming from the VC position... "HELP US! AHHH! WE'RE DYING!" followed taunts from the VC themselves. They were torturing them over the loudspeaker! The Americans could hear everything and were becoming quite infuriated. They then charged forth in a rage, but the VC defenders were just too strong. They had set up an organized defense and were dug in all over Hill 187. That, and they had the local mercenary armed with the .50 cal working for them which didn't help things, either....
 Mercenary 'McFrag' blasts away! The Americans tried repeatedly to liberate them, but to no avail. The Vietcong remained in possession of the hostages and fate of the girls went unknown as their screams dissipated in to low gurgles, then vanished entirely... The US had their own heavy weapon and assigned it to the infantry. The RPG fires a 1.5" water balloon 350+ yards and is used exclusively against fixed positions. This "bunker buster" will eliminate anything inside with one hit!
 "GIT SOME!" The Americans were becoming more effective at using their helicopters and making more and more successful drops. I immediately saw their heavy weapons crew deploy down near the ville along with two full helicopters as soon as the game had started. Now, they were taking the fight to the VC! Wave after wave of landings deployed the Americans across the other side of the field, but they could not crack the defense around the ville. The Vietcong were now defending their homes and fighting with the same passion. They had set up a squad through the gorge along Northeast perimeter of the field and were cutting down any troops that tried to flank around. The middle was a complete meat grinder as both sides went on pounding each other relentlessly!
 Intense firefights are everywhere! The US forces continued to give them a good fight and the middle outpost changed hands a few times, but ultimately the VC held them off and kept them away from the Ville. One Vietcong operative was discovered during the battle. The lowly peddler had successfully traversed the field without being stopped and almost made it inside the American headquarters. He was found to be carrying a large quantity of dope but whom for delivery was for could not be determined. An unsuccessful interrogation yielded nothing but another corpse...
 Dutch leads his weary troops off the field. Both sides fought a magnificent battle and the players congratulate each other as they leave the field once again. Everyone is talking about the intensity of the fighting and what a great time they were having! The conduct was great and the outbursts negligible. It's nice to be able to fight that hard on the field with people that know it's still just a friendly game.
 John Perry and Jack Ma of the Q Project!
Players can be heard telling their war stories from the day to friends both old and new. The laughing and camaraderie is all about and it's easy to tell everyone is having fun. Each side has already fought a terrific battle and everyone is just as exhausted. Tired and hungry, they begin cooking their dinners and the smell of succulent meats is everywhere. The band has arrived and is beginning to set up. Tonight features live music and go-go girls! Then, another war movie of course.
 Cosmic Wobble We listen to the band warm up while everyone relaxes and finishes their dinner. Soon enough, people begin to trickle in with their chairs and settle down in front of the stage. Meanwhile, the girls get ready back-stage and the band begins to play their set.
 Tasha, Dave, and Kim! The dancers are brought forth by our MP's amidst screaming and cheering from the audience. They look absolutely beautiful in their go-go outfits and the crowd goes crazy!
 Go-Go! Go! Next year, Ashley gets a skimpy outfit too! ;-) After three exhausting sets, they even went in to the audience and got everyone up in a wild, dancing frenzy!
 "Oh, yeah!" It's just the kind of fun we need to finish up an even more fabulous day. The movie projector comes out afterward for the feature presentation and some stayed while others went back to their campsites. Some crashed out right away and others stayed up late to party. It doesn't get any better than this!
 Later that night, the sounds of snoring were all that filled the darkness -except for the snickering of a few GI's. They had taken the liberty of booby-trapping some of the VC with our screamers. These harmless devices emit a loud, shrieking sound. They placed a few out in the VC camp including the commander himself! They had also placed a... "message" for the VC out in plain view by the stage. I could see glimpses of their red flashlights and hear the giggling in the distance as they went about their business. Sunday morning arrived and the camp began to stir. I was up only moments before I was greeted with, "Dave, you need to see this" and I think I knew what to expect.
 What's left of the peddler... Sure enough, the GI's had made their intent clear by putting the peddler's "corpse" out in plain view. It was mutilated beyond recognition and the message to the Vietcong was clear; there was going to be some payback.
The Vietcong were assigned to capture the field position by position. They had to take them in order by starting at the middle outpost then working their way up to the US headquarters itself. Recon teams were ordered to proceed directly to the enemy HQ and destroy them in advance if possible. The Americans deployed and set up their defense. Once the game began, a ferocious battle erupted for the middle outpost. The GI's then proceeded to hold off the maniacal Vietcong attackers at this first position for over an hour! The level of carnage was unbelievable as both sides attacked and counter-attacked each other relentlessly. Cries of "MEDIC" rang out all about amid the constant drum of machinegun fire!
 Ultimately, the VC would capture their first objective and the Americans began to fall back to Hill 187. To their surprise, the Vietcong were already beginning to ambush them! In a brilliant move that even the US forces had to appreciate, the People’s Liberation Armed Forces guerrillas of the 274th Regiment were already one step ahead of them. They had sent scout squads out to take position around the next objective in advance. Working their way in amidst a relatively light firefight, they were in perfect position and waiting for the call to attack when the first position fell...
 Brad covers Ho-Yin while he reloads! Pouncing in on the Americans all at once, the Vietcong proceeded to sweep through Hill 187 in a coordinate assault. The position fell almost immediately as they ripped though the defenders and confirmed the meaning of "Hamburger Hill" to them once and for all! With the VC hot on their trail, the Americans had to fall back once again. They withdrew uphill to defend the Northern outpost which was only one step from the US headquarters itself.
 "FALL BACK! FALL BACK! FALL BACK! The Vietcong were on them like a pack of hungry wolves. Screaming warcries and charging forward, they assaulted up both the lower creek and upper creek forming a front across the field in between. Attacking them from two sides split up the US defense while the VC began to coordinate a large attack on the objective itself.
One highlight of the attack was when Sgt Osborn of Bat Squad single-handedly charged a US machinegun position. Of course, charging an M60 in a fixed position is pure madness no matter how loud you scream! The gunner let him get about fourty feet away or so before he shredded him to pieces. "YOU ONLY WOUNDED ME!" he cries out. This startles the gunner for a second, then he blasts him again! "I'M STILL ALIVE!" he cries out again. So, the M60 opens up on him once more! All the while Osborn's carcass is flopping about on the ground under the hail of fire just for effect. What an image... Way to get in to it! Ultimately, the Northern outpost fell into the hands of the VC amidst an eerie smokescreen filled with screaming silhouettes running about and the constant hum of full auto fire. The sound of dozens of guns going off all around is like being in a swarm of bees. This was accompanied by the frequent cry of "SURRENDER!" as a testament to some of the great conduct and control our players exhibit -even in these intense situations! Now, the only thing left was the American headquarters itself.
 "KEEP HOLDING! KEEP HOLDING!" The game was nearing the end and the Vietcong were getting close. The Americans called in their forces to defend and prepared for an all out battle at the final objective At first, the incoming fire was light and the Americans seemed in control. Defenders in the base kept a cautious eye out as those along the outside perimeter began to take some fire. Maintaining their positions, they were even confident enough to send out a helo loaded up with an assault squad to deploy in the lower creek and counter-attack the VC from below.
 "THEY'RE BREACHING THE PERIMETER!" However, this would turn out to be poor timing as the firefight began to approach increasingly closer and closer to the American HQ... What happened next was one of the finest airsoft experiences ever. I watched as the Vietcong began to punch holes in the perimeter defense around the US base. The mood in the base had changed now and the defenders were heavily engaged with the enemy. No one had heard from the last helicopter drop and they were presumed MIA. The timing couldn't have been worse!
 "You gotta be &#%$@ kidding me! The perimeter began to collapse and the Americans appeared to be surrounded. A few of them tried to move out from the base, but were quickly annihilated.
The fog of war had overcome the US base and all hell was breaking loose! Amidst the screams of "WATCH YOUR FLANK!" and "KEEP FIGHTING" I saw one of the last defenders outside the base, John Perry, holding his M60 from the hip letting loose with a constant stream of machinegun fire. The VC were no more than fifty feet now bouncing around from tree to tree trying to avoid the solid stream of bb's being emitted towards them. Nonetheless, John had to fall back as well and now the Americans were defending the base itself. The siege was in full swing and the Vietcong were hitting them hard. The battle had become so intense that I instinctively ducked down myself from the hail of fire and lay inside the base with the Americans! They were crouched down against the inside of the bunker and taking fire from all sides. The sound of full-auto hitting against the bunker was constant and all the defenders could do was let out a quick burst, duck down, then pop up and try to return fire again. They were completely pinned down!
 "THEY'RE ALL AROUND US!"
You could hear the loud "pop" of grenade launchers going off, screaming and yelling, and the seemingly never ending hum of rifle fire from both sides. The VC appeared to be everywhere! I knew what was coming and so did they. Charlie was still hungry and wasn't going to stop for anything! To my surprise, I made it out of the base and through the lines with minimal damage. I was just in time to watch the Vietcong plan their final assault...
 "Get ready! This is it!" The VC are no more than 30' from the base now; point blank range. As the casualties increase, all that can be heard above the rifle fire are the cries of "MEDIC!" and "I NEED AMMO!" coming from both sides. It is complete chaos! The VC commander isn't helping any by spewing his communist propaganda through the loudspeaker, either. Even at this close range, both sides are locked in sustained combat! American defenders are still holding as the battle turns even more vicious! Vietcong reenforcements begin to arrive plan their final attack. Medics are reviving the wounded as fast as they can as the troops pass the word down the line to prepare for the assault. They reload and get ready to assault as the fight rages on all around the base!
 Landon Tanner, MVP. 80+ saves as a Medic! The final attack came in what could only be described as a human wave. The kind of airsoft excitement we live for.
 The Vietcong sprang up together and began to charge forth all at once. Screaming war cries and firing as they went, there had to be more than thirty attackers running towards the base as fast as they could!
 I saw them running, diving, even falling to the ground as they went forward only to get up with blood curling screams and keep charging in to the fray! I found myself running along with them in a pure adrenalin rush as VC fell to the ground all around me!
 THE FINAL ASSAULT! They closed the gap in seconds and I got there just in time to see them reach the base itself -and the wide eyes of the combatants as they stared into each others face. "SURRENDER! SURRENDER! SURRENDER!" is being screamed now by both sides in the very climax of the attack! "DON'T SHOOT! DON'T SHOOT!" I'm screaming myself as I watch enemy troops stick trembling rifles in each other's face. The sound of gun fire then dissipated, leaving what felt like a void after all the fighting and chaos. That, and the two enemy soldiers still screaming at each other... "SURRENDER!" "NO, YOU SURRENDER!" "NO, YOU SURRENDER!"
  It seemed to all have come down to these last two warriors squared off and standing there with neither one wanting to give in. A befitting image after what I've seen this weekend I thought to myself. "Hang on, guys. I'll make the call." I walked up the last few feet to look inside the American HQ and see who was left. Four or five defenders were all that remained and most of them were pinned down when the VC came upon the bunker. Still panting from the charge, I turned around slowly and saw a most scary sight. At least two dozen Vietcong were standing there surrounding the base like animals waiting to attack. They're eyes were wide with adrenalin and their postures were coiled up waiting to pounce. I wouldn't have wished that on anyone let alone a handful of defenders! Looking back in to the base, I gave it to the Americans straight. They could try to play on, but would simply be overrun. They looked around, then at each other, then back at me, and it seemed we all knew what was obvious... The Americans headquarters had been overrun!
 "For the people!" Cheers sprang forth from the Vietcong troops and they had certainly earned it. The march up the field from base to base, sending scouts out in advance, and their all out ferocity was acknowledged by both sides. The battle was one of the most intense I had ever seen and everyone was exhilarated. They congratulated each other for a job well done and both sides were very pleased with the fight. One of our regular, local players came up to me and said, "This is the most intense battle I have been in on this field EVER!" Just what I wanted to hear. It's comments like those that make all the hard work worth while!
 "Great Game!" "You, too!" The smiles and handshakes went on as the players enjoyed the euphoria of a battle well fought. Reluctantly, the last of them exited the field, but it wasn't easy. Some of them wanted to play more! Back in the campgrounds the awards and raffle prizes begin to appear. Players are still buzzing about the game as the staff prepares for the ceremonies.
 After a break for lunch, the final segment is about to begin. Players settle down once again in front of the stage and start to drool over the prizes and trophies before them.
Commanders are asked for their final recommendations and selections are made for the awards. We have awards for the Best Costume, Most Valuable Player, Best Sportsmanship, and many more. These decisions are always hard because all the participants are so great in both character and conduct. Nonetheless, some players, costumes, or exceptional deeds stand out and we try to give them according to the most popular. The ceremony is immediately followed by the raffle prize giveaway and the players are about ready to burst with anticipation! There is everything to give away from supplies and accessories to custom pistols, AEG's, and more!
 These are the donations from our generous sponsors and everyone was amazed at the prizes. We gave away thousands of dollars of merchandise and nearly half of everyone there won something! The crew then came up on stage for what would be their final bow. We couldn't do these events without lots of hard work and each one was exceptional. They took center stage while everyone gave them a great round of cheer!
 "Thank you all!" The appreciation doesn't stop there, however, as we make sure to mention all of our volunteers and fine sponsors. Once the ceremony has finished, the campgrounds begin to buzz again with activity as everyone packs up to leave. The weekend has gone by so fast! People are shaking hands and congratulating each other on such a great weekend. The combat was excellent and the people even better. Everyone seemed to have a good time and the smiles are all about. Saying good-bye to everyone is never easy and this year was no different. It's both euphoric after such a weekend yet slightly melancholy as we talk about seeing each other "next time". It's been nearly a week now and the images of battle are still flashing though my head... It's a nice feeling and I'm trying to savor it as long as possible like everyone else that was there I'm sure. As these events get better and better, I can only imagine what lay in store for us next year! I hope that time comes sooner than later and doesn't take too long to get here. I'm already anxious to see my new friends return as veterans, and the veterans return as even better friends. On behalf of everyone at Combat Enterprises, thank you all for a wonderful event. It is only with such great people that we can have so much fun enjoying our hobby this way and I hope to see you all again next year.
Sincerely, ©2004 Combat Enterprises. All rights reserved. |
Players on both sides have spent a lot of time on their costumes and the results are evident. US forces are tricked out with 'Nam era goodies on their uniforms and lots of authentic gear. The VC have their traditional scarves, boonie hats, rice rolls, and other peasant goods. Most players even have the correct weapon with lots of M16's, AK's and plenty of M60's and M79's, too! It's quite obvious that everyone is getting in to it more and more every year.
Unfortunately, the VC caught on quickly and deployed entire squads in a perimeter around the objectives. Hiding amidst the dense foliage and natural bunkers, the Americans never saw them until it was too late... I learned what it meant first hand to land in a "hot LZ" as I watched the helo's deploy their load of troops right into the VC's sights. The area all around them suddenly erupted in blazing, full-auto gunfire and it took only a moment to annihilate the entire patrol...
After getting food, liquids, and some rest in them the troops were ready to go once again. We assembled in the staging area and prepared to deploy. Missions were reviewed with their commanders and then everyone set forth upon the field.
Back to the campgrounds where the sound of music once again fills the air. Campfires spring forth and begin to glow as darkness starts to fall.
Today's mission for the Vietcong would be the most difficult yet; the "Tet" offensive. This would mean they are on the offensive all morning while the Americans defend.
They hit the Northern outpost with everything they had and the defense began to fall apart. Screaming VC charged the base only to be slaughtered but kept on attacking nonetheless.
I saw the flash from a Vietcong sniper's scope only a split second before an American defender in front of me went down. Another brave American charged forth seconds later to try and hold the same position, but exploded right in front of me as well. It seemed no one else could even get out...
One US soldier was reported to say, "Every time I tried to look out, showers of white bb's came back in at me!"
