English
On the first weekend in April this year, the Operation Black Sky MagFed event took place once again in the East German town of Mahlwinkel, the paintball mecca of the republic. Under the title DROP ZONE, things got heated on the field for 24 hours. Three factions fought for mission objectives, terrain twists and the resulting points. Of course, we didn't miss that and were there for you with photo and video cameras to bring you some great impressions of this event. Let's go…
The Operation Black Sky event entered its 16th round in April. 16 hardcore MagFed events, each with 24 hours of pure playing time and hundreds of active players per event. Plus exciting missions that are played continuously from Saturday morning 10:00 a.m. to Sunday morning 10:00 a.m. This makes the OBS the only event of its kind on German soil that is also played continuously at night. At the same time, this fact also makes it by far the toughest MagFed event of its kind. As players and organizers always like to tell us: "The OBS is won at night and is definitely not for beginners!"
It is precisely when your legs are heavy and your head is tired that you have to pull yourself together, mobilize your last strength and get the decisive points for your team. But it is just as important not to use up all your energy beforehand. Many players who are new to the OBS underestimate how exhausting a real 24-hour event is. Anyone who has ever spent a whole day on the paintball field knows how exhausted you are in the evening. But the OBS is only just getting started at this point and it is not even half-time yet.
Our article today is therefore aimed particularly at interested newcomers who want to know what the Operation Black Sky event actually is, what they should look out for and what to expect on site. This time we not only pulled out the camera, but also the video camera. Ulli and Martin, the two main event organizers, were kind enough to let us take a look behind the scenes of the OBS and also answered many of our questions about the event. While Ulli was able to tell us more about the event and the special requirements for the players and equipment, Martin led us into the back room of the organization, the so-called command tent. From there, the event management controls the game and has a permanent eye on all processes and missions to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The planning and implementation of this event is a logistical masterpiece, because no fewer than four large main missions, with up to 13 smaller sub-missions, have to be coordinated, while hundreds of players are out on the field in small command squads. This not only requires good advance planning on the part of the organizers and the game management, but also the command structure within the teams must be solid. Anyone who acts on their own at the OBS and lets their teammates down will lose valuable points and, in the end, probably the event as well. You can only be successful at the OBS if you stick together for 24 hours.
We were out and about at the hotspots of the event site and were able to capture exciting paint battles in really great areas of terrain for you on camera. We were also allowed to take a quick look at the blue team's headquarters. They use the latest technology there. From live video links between the organization and the command post, to sophisticated radio equipment, to GPS-tracked unit movements and a 3D terrain map, the HQ had all the tactical equipment you need for a successful mission. But that's not all… the HQ itself was made up of four large office containers that were driven hundreds of kilometers to Mahlwinkel on two low-loaders especially for the event. All for a 24-hour paintball event. At every Operation Black Sky you can see that the teams take their sport very seriously and live it to the fullest. What is put on here really defies description and that is exactly what makes this event so unique. Anyone who gets involved in the OBS will enter an adventurous world of camaraderie, fun, sacrifice and devotion. This event has been the flagship for MagFed Paintball Europe for years and has nothing to hide from any other event! Not least thanks to the team and the supporting teams in the background, it is always a great experience. At this point, a big THANK YOU to everyone involved.
In addition to these great impressions, the video also gives you further insights into the headquarters of the DDC disruption unit, which as the third faction repeatedly intervenes in the game with targeted attacks, ambushes and disruptive actions. We also visited the base of the Combat Medics, who act as a support unit to support the team in battle, which has previously earned its support by fulfilling the corresponding mission objectives.
Unfortunately, packing all these interesting impressions into a text and preparing them in an appealing way for you would have been far too much at this point and would definitely go beyond the scope. In addition, pictures always say more than a thousand words. Therefore, we would like to refer you to the digital content for today's article, which you can find on our YouTube channel. There you will find many more moving images and exciting interviews in addition to this article. We hope you enjoy it and are already looking forward to the next Operation Black Sky event, which will take place from September 27th to 29th this year. Registration started in June. Those who decide at short notice should try to get a ticket as soon as possible, because this OBS event is expected to sell out very quickly.
