Brusing Combat!

No church today - instead combat duties with a paintball gun!  As part of Thom's belated birthday treat (from February!) he had invited two friends - Doug and James - to join him paintballing near Romsey.  Mary had also invited her friend Hannah along too.  We set off in two cars after breakfast arriving at the paintballing site at 9.15 a.m.  Although we had already paid, in advance, for the day's paintballing and 100 rounds of ammunition each, it soon became evident that we were expected to buy a significant number of paintballs extra.  The whole area was extremely muddy woodland and it seemed that our combat was to be undertaken in similar conditions to that of the Battle of the Somme in World War I.  I really disliked being there.  Sara was originally going to leave us and go back to Winterslow to tidy up after last night's murder party but I  persuaded her to stay to look after our things whilst the six of us went into combat.  The first game required our team to defend and hold a series of huts.  We were each given claustrophobic masks to wear as well as smelly head protectors.  The whole thing was most unpleasant.  I obtained my gun and loaded it with about thirty paint balls.  I was late getting to the combat ground and was sent the wrong way - firstly into another game entirely and then, latterly across enemy territory to my hut.  My mask was starting to steam up so I wasn't entirely sure whom I was aiming my weapon at! I did manage to kill four people (including one of my own team!) and didn't get shot myself until the final second of the game.  I discovered the best way to stay alive was to keep out of the way and snipe occasionally so that your position wasn't given away.  The kids were impressed that I hadn't been killed within the first thirty seconds!  I didn't tell them my secret was to hide away as much as possible.  During the second game - storming a castle - I was hit twice in the leg and although I am writing this some three days afterwards, I have enormous bruises to prove it.  Lunch was pizza and chocolates brought by Sara.  In the afternoon we had to defend and then storm a double decker bus - an ex-London DMS by the look of it.  By this time the mud was so churned up that it had become a liquid slurry.  Horrible.  The end of the day couldn't come quickly enough for me!  We were all exhausted - the kids complaining that the opposing team were a bunch of cheats who wouldn't die!  I certainly don't want to repeat the experience thank you.  It did confirm my view that if ever I had been vcalled up for service - I would have joined the navy.  The army never did appeal to me.  Grim! A hot bath and an early bed! Next time, Sara can go into combat.