I have decided that writing an AAR of most of the games I have attended is a little ambitious at this point. I spent two years on my MA in Sweden and haven't written very much of anything since. The well can run dry. But I have also decided to look at things I have learned in the last few years and share them, so that they might be of use. I've applied the same analytical methods to paintball as I did during my studies and maybe I can glean some insights to share. This is an post about Spying, a controversial topic, and I'll look into where and why it works, problems I've seen with it, and support this with first-hand experiences.
First up, let me just say that I have never been a spy and never will. I have two rules in regards to paintball. The first is avoid paintball politics like the plague. Some would argue that is impossible the more you play, and to some extent I agree. But I have seen too many people who swore they would not make concessions or get involved in pb politik give an inch and lose a mile. They have been drained, betrayed, beaten on and off the field (forums is a whole different post) and had the joy of the game sucked out of them. So yes, there are times when one must get involved, but I strive to keep out of the messes and entanglements, personal grudges and backstabbing that can go on behind the scenes once the lights go down the players go home.
The second rule is I will never spy. And I will get into my reasons later on.
Albany Vietnam Series, Game 2, Albany Scenario Club.
We were deep in the bushes behind the enemy base and there were five of us. We had completed a tapeline run and moved undetected to within a few meters of the enemy HQ, a bunker-tunnel system just on the other side of a thick patch of raspberry bushes, their thorns gargantuan, able to pierce clothes and flesh at will. It was an excellent spot to hide, since it was the last place anyone would want to look. But we were jammed. The two hour mission block was an attack and defend game. There were three flagstations that started off Blue at the beginning of the game. If we flipped them Red, we scored points and they could not be flipped back to Blue. The problem was we had flipped the one nearest our own respawn in the first 20 minutes, which meant the enemy could consolidate around the remaining two, one of which we knew was in their base and the other we had yet to locate.
I checked my watch. We had fifteen minutes left on this mission block. We had lost the first game in the series at the Hornet's Nest a month earlier and the points carried over throughout the three game Albany Vietnam Series. We needed to comeback. We needed those flags.
We could hear the enemy shouting inside their bunkers and engaged with our frontline. But there was no way we could hope to mount a 5-man assault on their base and survive long enough to find and flip the flag stations. It was time for the Ace in the hole.
Background
The Albany Vietnam Series was a three-game event held in succession at Hornet's Nest, Albany Scenario Club and High Energy Paintball during the summer of 2009. One of those rare and fleeting occasions when competing fields in the same area lay aside their differences and work together to make something truly cool for players in the area. The points from each came carried over cumulatively and were tallied at the end of the summer to determine the overall winner. Each field had different objectives and each game was written around a different battle during the Vietnam war. Some of the games had special rules pertaining to props, non-combatants (for example at HEP the VC could walk around without markers and could not be shot) and special missions or equipment (The US forces got to use tanks, the VC had none). The organizers also allowed each team to have one spy. This person could change each game (while I understand the logic of this because maybe the same person could not attend all three, I also have a beef with changing spies during the series and wish we had played the spy cards better), but was an officially recognized part of the scenario. IE the spying would not upset the producers and arouse legitimate complaints. Both teams knew to be on the lookout for a double agent. The US General for the summer was Tackleberry and he tapped me as his XO. In the final game we switched roles. He is more of a go-out-and-break-things kind of guy than strategist. In the end we lost two of the games, the first quite badly and the second by a very narrow margin, but we scored enough points during the final game at HEP to eek out the series victory.
At the game at ASC, our man on the inside was Brendan Quackenbush, a member of Trashtalk paintball, who was taking a big risk. Members of his own team would not easily forgive the betrayal. I don't remember how Tack had chosen him, but Tack and I had decided to keep the circle small. Tack had radio and comms with the line units. I was the XO and had a separate radio to speak only with Quacks. I was the handler and Tack left all the spying to me while he brought the hammer on the line.
I had never handled a spy before, but I had seen the ugliness that came out of Skirmish a few times.
There are several issues with spying that both the spy and the handler (typically command staff) have to negotiate.
The first is whether the spying is legitimately recognized by the game producers. While one could argue paintball is real life and real spies don't care about rules, paintball is also a game and a business. Illicit spying upsets game dynamics, turns the tide of battle and can enrage and discourage paying customers. Yes, I get the benefits, but at what price? Straight play should be just that.
Assuming that spying is allowed/condoned/organized by the promoter, it should be used to its full potential. It is a powerful tool. But I see a few common and recurring problems in this department. I will not get into forum spying, but focus on practical field applications.
Problem #1. The spy sucks.
This happens when you pick someone who hasn't actually thought about what they should do as a spy and/or you don't work out communications properly. The spy either doesn't know what he/she should do, and therefore just acts as an ineffectual member of the other team... or they don't have the means to communicate information to their own team. Trying to arrange secret rendezvous to discuss intel wastes time and is a potential giveway. And once cover is blown, there is not much you can do about it. Spies need to be smart and need to work with smart command. Don't pick from volunteers. Pick someone you know is capable. Approach them in private and hope that they don't turn double-agent on you.
Problem #2. The spy is too eager.
Too often I've seen spies shoot a General at point blank range in the first few hours of the game. We'll call this the premature e-paintjulation in the world of paintball espionage. A general kill is nice, but it is the cheapest and most ineffective use of a spy ever. You have a man on the inside. An assassination sends a personal message, yes, but it does not accomplish very much and again, the cover of the spy is blown. This isn't real-life. You didn't permanently remove Rommel or Patton with your little move. At best you sent them to respawn and if you're really lucky you didn't get lit up by base security. But the General will be back in the game in a few minutes and he will be able to operate with the knowledge that his concerns about the identity of the mole in his unit are resolved. He can focus all his attention on winning the game now and you have neutered your ability to be of assistance. A spy must be patient, level-headed and able to assess the risk/reward of his actions. Protecting your cover should be paramount, even to winning the game, if you want a long and anonymous career as a double-agent. You might love the power and sense of accomplishment that comes from capping a commander in the back of the head, but you can do far more damage via intel and subterfuge than by simply shooting someone.
If you want to contribute to a General kill, coordinate with your handler to take a turn on base-defense and let him know your position. He can send a strike team to that location where they can 'snipe' or better yet 'barrel tag' you unawares, penetrate the perimeter and get a General kill. You will be protected by the Dead-men don't talk rule and have the excuse that you were running to respawn and could not communicate the breach in time. And THIS move can be repeated in a variety of ways throughout the day. (reposition base defenses to create openings, leave your post to take a pee, forget something in your car while on base defense.... if your handler is working with someone like Dave Cilio who can drop a base in his sleep, creating even small plausible opportunities is far more effective than executing the command staff yourself)
Problem #3. The hero-complex/Reward system
This is the biggest problem I've seen with spying. And that is a hero-complex. The desire to be recognized. The spy can truly be an invaluable asset. They can misdirect troops, share intel, complete objectives from within and turn the tide of games. They can and often do become 'the most valuable player' in terms of points scored and damage inflicted. The problem is ego. Spies want recognition. I've seen several of them come out at the awards ceremony or on a forum when the game has played out to trumpet their success. What does this do? Yes, you get your laurels and your 15 minutes, but you also sacrifice the trust you have built that enabled you to be a spy in the first place. Friends will feel betrayed. Generals will frown on you. You may get blacklisted. Not from attending games, but from any future role near command. Even the general who used you may lose trust in you. In short, you've won a battle (the game) but lost the war (your paintball spy career) and burned a lot of bridges in one or two days of work.
Worse, still, is not having prior communication with the command staff when the game is over about what you want done. The commander will know the benefit you have provided and may feel obliged to offer you the MVP or may just do so without informing you ahead of time. The last thing you want is to have quietly done your job, remained undetected, and then have your name broadcast as the spy at the awards ceremony. This also blows your cover and puts you in the same position as the egoist with betrayed friends and your name out there as "A Spy!" The best spy is one who clearly indicated to command that they DO NOT WANT any public recognition. Their service is to be kept secret before, during and after the game. They swallow the anonymity of not being rewarded for the actions, but are satisfied with a job well done and the quiet professionalism of their post. This builds trust with the command, maintains friendships and allows you to keep doing what you enjoy... being a legitimate double-crossing bastard (again, I stress during legitimate spy-friendly games)
Problem #4. Keep the circle small.
Loose lips sink ships. So too do they ruin a spying career. Do not tell your teammates you will be a spy on the enemy team. Do not post it in your team forum. Don't even tell your girlfriend. The only people who should know you are a spy are the general and maaaaybe his command staff if he can trust them to keep their mouths shut. You don't want it coming out later in some off-handed remark or someone reminiscing about "Hey, Jack, remember when you were a spy at that game." Cover blown. Game over. In addition, you don't know who is talking to who during a game. Most games that allow spying will ensure that both teams have an equal number of spies. So keep in mind that someone else on your team is out to burn you. If the General knows, usually his XO will not be a spy. That should be as big as the circle gets and any communication with you should be done in absolute private. This cannot always happen, but it should be attempted. And the General should be suspect of any players lounging around command under any excuse, especially asking about missions. A good spy will not be out in the woods shooting people (He will do this occasionally to maintain his cover), he will be hanging out near the command or a few layers outside the inner ring to glean information and pass it on. The tighter you keep control on your identity, the better chance you have of making it through this game and the next, undetected.
Now there are things that I think spies SHOULD do, separate from the problems and their solutions.
DO #1. COMMS
Once your circle is established, figure out comms. Keep in mind that in some games, other teams will be monitoring comms, so you might need to get Jason Bourne-y and switch frequencies. If it is a smaller game, you should be okay. Bigger games mean more people and more specialization and there is someone out there who would like nothing better than to monitor radio chatter all day and find you. You'll have to figure out a way around this with command. But good communication to your handler is essential. Do not use names. Do not use direct speak about objectives. Develop a code. It can be complex or simple. Get in the habit of joking around on the comms. This will irritate the enemy commander you are serving under, but it can also pave the way for you to say nonsensical things that get dismissed. Use movie references, jokes, popculture, annoying shit, and have a tell, a 'simon says' code word so that your handler knows when you are conveying information and when you are just spouting off. If you can, get two radios or use your smartphone to send SMS. There are dozen ways to skin the comms cat. Figure one out and make it rock solid BEFORE the game starts.
DO #2. AVOID CONTACT
When you get to the game, the plan should already be in place. Avoid your handler and home team at all costs. Talk trash about them. Never go anywhere alone with anyone from the team you are spying for. Establish your cover the moment you leave your car. You don't know your handler. You hate his mother. Don't overdo it. But do nothing to arouse suspicion. Stick to the team you are spying on and keep your mouth shut. No 'knowing' glances or nods. Get your shit straight before you arrive and remain that way until you leave the game (if you are in it for the long haul).
DO #3. Bring a change of outfits.
This is optional. It depends on how well you know the people you are playing with. I attended a game at High Energy Paintball and since we were coming all the way from Rochester, the General, Ed, asked if one of us would like to be a spy since no one would know him on the enemy team. Our player agreed. He drove in a separate vehicle with his gf. He arrived 30 minutes later than us and setup in a different area. We pretended not to know him the entire game. He went out on the field dressed as albert einstein (the game called for a scientist) and in the first halfhour was able to steal a massive number of props and give us a huge tactical advantage. However, he got caught. He went to his car during the game and changed outfits and returned to continue spying. When the enemy general figured out there was still a leak, he lined up his entire team and shot each person in the foot (the enemy spy had to respawn at their true base). This outed our guy again. Again he changed clothes, this time through on a hoody and switching markers to look like a walkon. Again he continued to spy. He was finally outed in the last round because the enemy general recognized his shoes. C'est la vie. The point is once he was burned once, he had alternative and contingency plans and kept going. If you are a known player at a field, don't spy at that field. If you get outed, you blow local trust and it is nearly impossible to reestablish cover at an event where your face, voice, name and gear are known. Spy abroad.
DO #4. Maintain your Cover
Too many spies think they need to thwart every effort of the team they are betraying. WRONG. This will blow your cover. Someone will put two and two together. Do things that no spy would ever do. Coordinate with your handler to stage events around low-point objectives where your handler sacrifices his own units so that you can take a flag stations or retrieve a prop. Do go out and play a bit. Do not hover around the command tent all the time. Alternate between thwarting missions and maintaining your cover by completing objectives for the team you are undermining.
DO #5. HUNT DOWN THE COMPETITION.
The spy is in one of the best positions to identify and out the double agent on the other team. The other spy is your nemesis and part of your primary objective should be figuring out who they are. There are various ways to do this. Your general can line up the whole team and shoot them at the beginning of the game (seen it done, we have a video on the channel of it). But this can cost time off the break and there are ways a smart spy will avoid it. DO NOT go around asking "hey do you know who our spy is?" I've seen this done and the question was a dead giveway and burned the cover of the enemy spy.
Be smart. Talk with your handler. Figure out where your leaks are. Whats going wrong? How does that correspond with what you know. Narrow the field. In a one day game, there might not be time, but 2 days should be more than enough time for you to find the identity of the enemy spy unless they are as skilled as you are.
DO #6. Plausibility, excuses and false flags.
Always maintain plausible deniability. Before you do something against the team you are spying on, figure out an excuse and a good one, to justify it in case you get caught. Try to set someone else up as the spy. Do not loudly declare them either. Share your 'suspicions' in confidence with one or two people. Tell them to 'keep an eye on so-and-so, because...' this way you are diverting resources and also seem genuinely interested in catching the spy. Loud accusations scream guilty conscience. Avoid them.
DO #7. Think long term.
Yea, you might be doing great and feel like you want recognition. But think long term. Maybe it is better to establish a working relationship with your commander and forge a loyalty that can span a season or several years of spying. Think long term. Think ambitious. Even a moderately intelligent and patient person can be a spy for a day, but can you master your ego, swallow your pride and settle in for a 'career of selfless service' as a paintball NOC? Which sounds cooler and more challenging? Which will you be prouder of in the long run... that one time you were a spy like dozens of other people, or that time you played 10 games in a row as a spy and still remain undetected. Need an outlet? Keep a private journal of your games and your work and when you are ready to step away from being a spy, write about and post it up or submit it to a magazine. Hell send it to us! We'll post it.
This is all I've got for now. I'll update this. Let's continue with our expose....
I got on the radio.
"Quacks... come in."
I waited. I waited some more.
"Benny, this is Quacks, I had to get away. MattyLaw saw me on a radio. I told him I was talking with one of the walkon teams." (Plausibility, and talking in private. We didn't have time to work out secure comms, we were just winging it here)
"Okay, listen, we are 5 meters behind your base in the bushes. Where exactly are the flags?"
"There is one in the bunker compound. And the other is off in the woods."
"Can you flip them without being detected?"
"I don't think so... not the one in the base."
"We need those flags flipped. We have no time."
"Benny, How?!"
"I don't know. Figure it out!"
Quacks told Matty he was going to go check on the 2nd flag station since he hadn't heard anything in awhile. He walked over to it and told the guards to push up 15 more meters into the treeline. While their backs were turned, he took a tremendous risk and flipped it. Admittedly, this could have been it for our spy, but it was my first time as handler and his first time as a spy and we got damn lucky that no one saw him. He walked partway back to the base and then sprinted, running inside in a panic to tell Matty that the flag station had been flipped and he did not know how! Matty was incensed. They needed to lock down the compound.
He ordered Quacks to guard one end. Quacks slipped away to do as he was told and got back on the radio.
"Okay... the flag is flipped... but there is still the one in the base... what do I do?"
"Nice... We need to flip that last one. Can you do it?"
"I don't know. Matty is in here. I don't know."
There was less than 5 minutes left. We had to think quickly. Realizing there was no way for my small squad to storm the base, I came up with a plan... Diversion.
"Listen... here's what we'll do... when we get down to three minutes, we will come out of these bushes loud and hard. That should distract the people in the base... While that's going on, you run over like you are coming to help... trip on the flag station... and when you put it back up, flip the stick..."
"Seriously?"
"Serious... it's gotta work. Once they are flipped they can't be flipped back..."
"You want me just to run into it like an idiot?"
"Yes."
".... Benny..."
"DO IT!"
I explained part of the plan to the guys with me. I didn't know if one of them could be a spy, too, so I just told them that in 60 seconds we were going in loud because we had no choice and we had to try. Everyone checked their ammo. I had a box-fed A5 SAW and 700 rounds. I stacked my pods on the ground so that I could reload as quickly as possible.
"Okay... Now!"
We opened up fire like it was the fourth of July. Screaming and hollering, fully cyclic with nothing to shoot at. Two of the guys went right around the back of the base, screaming and shooting to create confusion and the other two bumped up with me to a sand berm immediately outside the bunker system. I got the trigger pressed on the A5 and started dumping rounds. It was on full auto and whammed away intimidatingly. We were quickly surrounded and taking fire from three sides. We continued yelling and screaming, telling invisible allies to go left, go right. The other two snap-shot over the berm while I laid down a steady stream into the gully-approach to the berm. We were burning through paint, but whooping it up something grand. Finally, in the midst of reloading, someone wrapped the berm and gunned us down. Time expired.
Inside the base I heard cursing and screaming.
"Quacks! I told you to watch the flag!"
"Matty, I swear I was. I went over to shoot the guys at the back! Someone must have gotten in!"
Matty bought it. Partly because he never thought Quacks would spy, and partly because in all the confusion it was plausible that someone had gotten inside the system and done it. In reality, Quacks had sprinted like an idiot, tripped, knocked over the flag and set it up incorrectly, and continued on into the firefight. The whole charade took only a few seconds and was disguised as a simple accident. We scored points for all three flag stations and maintained Quacks identity.
The rest of the game we continued to communicate. The Allied team was allowed a tank and we were permitted a LAW. Quacks volunteered to be the gunner in the tank and kept me posted on its location and movements, ordering it into easy ambushes. We murdered it again and again, and we also let it shoot me out several times to maintain plausibility, but we were careful to keep it away from missions and bodies of troops. At night, he used a flashlight and smacktalk to give away their troop concentrations, positions and and movements, hollering obscenities at us out of the darkness and pointing a maglight at us numerous times to draw our fire on to areas where he had gathered players. He even flipped one of our own players to their side, further establishing credibility with the enemy team and we made a big deal for show out of Micah's betrayal and Quacks insidious recruitment to help sell his loyalty.
The next day I approached him about being MVP before we announced anything. Tack and I both felt he had earned it, but we wanted to check with him before bringing on the repercussions from his team. He said he did not mind, so we did award to him. This is perhaps a violation of all the rules I've stated above, but he wanted it and we wanted to give it to him. In hindsight, it would have been better NOT to burn his cover and to use him again in the third game at HEP. Then maybe give him a series MVP at the conclusion of the 3 game tournament if he wanted his cover blown. However, like I said, this was a first time for all of us. I have learned and watched paintball spies for awhile since then and reflected on it and that is what we should have done. C'est la vie.
I personally don't like the idea of spying because I have built up rapport with several generals including Barney and I do not want to sacrifice that trust by becoming known as a spy. This is why I do not do it. I was asked to do so at Skirmish and declined. It is not my style and I do not trust that I could do it anonymously forever. And the longer you do it, the harder the hammer comes down when you are outed. But that said, I hope this analysis can be useful to anyone considering it.
See you on the field
Benny
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