Operation: Irene  

17 - 19 October 2003

Regulator's Outpost, Dalton, Georgia

On 17 - 19 October Team Blackjack deployed to be staff at Operation: Irene.  Team members that deployed were:

CloudCaptain:  Balin Deloach

Masque:  Beth Giles

Sixgun:  Aaron Stanfield

Echo5Hotel:  Jim Hunsinger

Echo1Hotel:  Cindy Hunsinger

Tail-Gunner: Chay Butler

Shady: Jake Hiers

The weekend event turned out to be absolutely great!  Many teams attended from all over the United States as well as several local teams.

There were of course, some issues but as a whole the operation was a success and everyone had a great time.  There has been a lot of really positive feedback as well as some constructive criticism that we will take to heart and have in the fore-front of our minds when Team Blackjack runs Operations Fallen Sparrow and Urgent Harvest.

Anyway...We as the staff were just happy that everyone had a good time and enjoyed themselves.  We had a blast planning for and executing the operation.  We threw in a couple of "off-the-cuff" things such as the "technical" which received a hail of fire during it's second appearance...Thanks, I needed to be hit 300 times in the span of two minutes!  It was cool though!  Some players expressed an interest in the booby traps that were set during the ammo crate mission.   Well, they were there and they did manage to claim three or four personnel that were in the trapped area.  For those who were interested in how the traps were made you can look here for some details. 

We have put up our gallery page for the event as well.  The pictures in the gallery were taken by the staff or shared with us from many of the generous teams that attended the event.  You can view the gallery here.

Here is some of the feedback the event got:

“In return, we must thank you as well for being that "tool" that brought the event to our region. It was truly special to be able meet and play with Col. McKnight and MSG Mullen, and many thanks to them as well for putting up with all of us "has beens", "used to be's", "wanna be's" and "never was's". We have many great teams and players in this region, and it was great to see many of them support and take part in Operation Irene. We have had only a handful of really good events worth the time, effort, and cost to drive to and participate in our region (like OSC-Dothan, Dawsonville, Memphis, CRASH/NC, etc...just to name a few) and it would be great to be able to look forward to one more, especially like Op Irene, each year. I hope, as I'm sure many of us here do, that it becomes an annual event in our area. Thanks again.
Chuck
Team OpForce

“Thanks again for a great event. I had one of the best airsoft experiences yet. Im glad there is people like you out there supporting airsoft in such a BIG way. I would love to go to OP: IronClaws.

Thanks again and hope to see you again soon.”
Gratefully yours,
David Zajkowski (a.k.a. Dingo)

“All I can say is WOW. What a great weekend down at IRENE. I had a blast. After the first mission, they just kept getting better and better. Sunday's mission, was too cool. After Charley Co. 3rd squad disintegrated after a couple rounds of respawns, I found myself escorting the hostage to the extraction point. That was the coolest game I have played to date. All 6 of us from the Cleveland area said the same thing.

I also wanted to say thanks again. Your time and effort were greatly appreciated by my. The props, 3rd party player, missions, and raffle gifts were great. The only think I not sure if I liked was the respawn rule, but we don't play that way up here. No big deal, it was an awesome weekend.

Again, thank for all of your work. Good Job.”

Sincerely,
Jeff "nextmayor" Minch
Charley Co. 3rd Squad Sgt.

“We are just glad we could be part of this event and perform along with Col McKnight and MSG Mullen (Night game). We always try to stay low profile and do our things so it is interesting to see that Col. McKnight noticed us.

Next time you plan an event let me know ahead of time so I can support you better and send you something for sponsorship too.

It was a great event, thanks a lot.”

Regards,
Michel Veillette
The 6mm Shop

“The whole team talked all the way home (all nine + hours) about how much fun we all had and discussed our AARs. Several long distance cellphone calls were also made to members who could not make the trip to torqued them up about it as well. I suspect there may be more coming next time including and maybe up to OP: Lion Claw III in California. Thank you for all of your hard work to make OP Irene so memorable.

We truly enjoyed OP Irene and look forward to the next event.!! We are already exploring the logistics needed to make the trip to California.

Let us know if you need anything!”
Elmo

“….I can't stress enough how grateful we are that you went through all the heartache involved in setting up this event. I know that with the personnel fluctuations and everything that entails we certainly cut your work out for you.

I know I can speak for all of 2nd Squad when I say we had a great time. Thank you for providing us the opportunity to meet MSG Mullen, and COL McKnight. It was an honor and a privilege to work for MSG Mullen.

Thanks for the confirmation of dates for LC3, hopefully we'll see you there!”

Michelle
"Mercy"

“First of all, let me start by saying that Irene was fantastic. There will always be the small things that come up, but overall, it was great. Don't give out all of the intel, have seperate respawns, enforce the no camping the respawn area rule. Those were the major rubs.”
Ed (Spook) Sumner

“Thanks for all of your efforts to put together an awesome weekend of airsoft. The players of this region are truly grateful for the opportunity to participate. While there are many dedicated players in the area who will support an event such as Op: Irene, it takes an equally dedicated person to step up and organize it. Well done!

Definitely look forward to Op: Irene II next year, and don't be surprised if there is at least one infiltrator from Louisiana at Lion Claws II.”

Kevin
Black Company

“John, thanks to you and our special vip's for bringing the West Coast airsoft to the South.
Thanks again to all of the teams/squads/players that made this game fun.”

Bananaleader

Black Omega and myself would like to thank you from every fiber of our beings for the op you organized. We all learned a lot of what to expect in the future, and we had the time of our lives. My mates said they would do it every week if they could, and we all agree your one of the coolest people on this planet! Loved your sense of humour, and thought the op went great, despite conflicts and what not. Also I KNOW I will do a better job in command next time, because now I have a much cleaer idea of what to expect from other teams, players, and also how to organize around attitudes, egos, and personal grudges....Thanks for the expierence, it was worth the 16 hour drive, and also we'll see you at OPLC III for sure. Hooah RLTW!!!

Regards,
Nick Maas - Team Black Omega - Lt. Charlie Company.

“Well after a grueling 15 minute drive home from the field I am back in front of my computer. Shoes off. AC on.

John – Thanks for organizing the event. I had a great time. The scenarios had some good twists that made things interesting. I’m looking forward to Irene’s sister in a year or so.

MSG Mullen & Col. McKnight – Thanks for coming up to lead us. It was great to meet you guys and I know I learned a lot from you guys. Hope I get to make it to another game you guys are participating in.

…….This has been one of my favorite events I've been to. Over all there was some great game play. The missions were challenging. My teammates were motivated. The enemy was EVIL. Think everyone had a great time……Best line from Op Irene: "The two female hostages are male!"

……To Col. McKnight and MSG. Mullen, it was a mutual team and personal honor to be led by and to engage in "combat "with you, and I want to thank you for your time and generosity both during and after the event, especially after the raffle. HOOAAH!!

……To the staff, you guys did a great job, made it fun, made us tippy toe during the ammo crate game, LOL, and hope to see you guys and gals again soon.

And to Mr. John Lu, you definitely brought this thing together and did an AWESOME job on this event, we hope to see you soon, if not in CA at OPLC 3, then in GA for sure!!!!

Redsix
Delta/2nd squad
Grey Ghost Platoon

The outcomes of the scenarios comprising the event:

Scenario I  (Downed Pilot  Recovery)  Outcome: Draw

A Black Hawk was shot down over a dense jungle in Africa. Col. Danny McKnight and his Rangers are tasked with the mission of recovering air surveillance documents from the down bird and bring back the pilots, dead or alive.

@keep in mind that the down pilots may be dead (then your team must be ready to carry the bodies out),
injured or captured by the time Col. McKnight’s team reaches the site.

MSG. Mullen’s elite jungle warriors are on a Black Op. Mission to eliminate all evidence of American ‘s presence in the area of the downed chopper. The order is simple: No Americans were ever here.

Charlie Company managed to secure one of the downed pilots and the LZ while Delta Company secured the other pilot.  The pilots (played by Sixgun and Echo5Hotel) were killed early in the mission.  Delta Company captured Sixgun's dead body while Charlie Company recovered Echo5Hotel's body.

 Scenario II (Ammo Convoy Escort)  Outcome: Draw

The last colonial army left a large amount of ammo in the dense jungles of South East Asia. Ranger MSG. Mad Max Mullen, a combat veteran of Panama, is leading his men to recover this prized cargo and deliver it to the indigenous force so they may continued to fight the local ruling warlord.

@rumor has it that the ammo dump is along the river bed……

Ranger Col. Danny McKnight and his men, recently returned from Mogadishu, are given the assignment of eliminating all forces attempting unauthorized operations in the jungles of South East Asia, American or otherwise, to avoid any international incident or a potential American embarrassment. The order from SOCOM: Terminate with Extreme Prejudice!

Delta secured two boxes but only two were placed instead of three, however, failed to reach Western Base. (due to box count error on the part of the staff, both CO agreed to a draw).  Team Blackjack played third party mercenaries that were protecting the weapon cache.  Delta Company managed to reach the mercenaries and provide the password to gain their confidence and assistance.  After the mercs showed Delta where the ammo boxes and trip-wire booby traps were they loaded into their pick-up truck (technical) and rode around the AO attacking Charlie Company troops.  Charlie Company reacted with confusion initially but quickly recovered and staged a very effective, hasty ambush against the technical, killing all of the mercenaries within, neutralizing the threat.

 Scenario III  (Jungle POW Camp Raid) Outcome:  Delta

Rumor has it that two American diplomats are being held hostage in a castle located in the middle of the German Black Forest. MSG. Mullen and his jungle experts are given the assignment of guarding this castle against all intruders, American or foreign. These special POWs must be retained, alive.

@keep in mind that the identity of these two POWs is a big mystery, and the intel. report itself is based on
a "rumor". These two may exist, they may not; they may be US agents, or they may not.

Col. McKnight’s unit received an urgent plea from the CIA indicating that two of its top secret operatives are being held captive in the German Black Forest. As usual, CIA can not verify the exact location of neither the forest nor the castle; however, the rescue mission is a GO!

Charlie obtained both hostages within 46 seconds of the game but walked into a well placed Delta ambush with only 20 minutes to go.  The "technical" appeared again as the local militia decided they did not like the presence of the troops in the area.  It did not last long however as both Charlie and Delta shifted fire on the technical and obliterated it in short order.  Delta held the hostages at the air port tower until the end of the scenario.

 Game IV Night exercise

While a night fight did occur it was not the original mission that was in the schedule.  Many players ad abstained from this game as they were tired and burned out from a long day of intense maneuvering and fighting.

Charlie Company is task to fight their way into the deep jungle and rescue as many UN diplomats as they can from 4 different terrorist camps. These “hostages” can not die. If the hostages are shot, they are immobilized and must be carried. Charlie Company must extract 6 hostages to safety via Ravine or LZ.

Ravine: if the rescue team made its way to the opening of the Ravine, it’s considered RESCUED by a
Submarine.

LZ: if the rescue team made its way to the designated LZ (parachute zone), it must fight off attackers
until the end of game. While at LZ, if a hostage is hit, they may be first aided up to consciousness after a 120 second count by anyone with both hands on their shoulders or boots.  Otehrwise….they may be moved as per the rules from the night game.

Charlie Company managed to  obtain all 6 hostages but failed to break into neither the ravine nor the LZ.  One Charlie Company group, that had three of the live hostages in their possession,  was a mere 15 meters from their extraction when the scenario ended.

All and all it was a great weekend!  Thanks to all who participated and made it happen!