Shields? Such as Entry SWAT Shield???

[snake doc]

A shield?!? ugh! Swat teams don't use shields for large/mediums arms fire. The impact would knock the shield into you and put you on your back. The shields are used for shrapnel, debris, and small (VERY small) arms fragments not as bullet protection. In prison they use them as a physical barrier between the inmates and the same thing for crowd control for riot officers.

Funny how people keep talking about realism and now everyone wants to be Captain America.

There enough big boy toys to use on the field without adding a shield.

[Sparrow 69]

ever see the documentary thousands in an hour?  Them SWAT boys were under extremely heavy fire and they used shields.  They're ballistic shield for a reason.  The Shilds you're talking about are Riot shileds and they are not ballistic.  We are referring to the ballistic kevlar lined carbon alloy jobbers with the view window.
Even going with your statement, "they are only used for frag and schrapnel," what about grenades? What about tripmines, door breaches, landmines, and the ever infamous Flamer debate?  If a Flamer is in play, and a shild could protect you, would you not want one to keep from getting your marker covered as you said you'd be mad to have to clean your gun out...
Again, I'm not saying your points aren't valid, I'm just saying your not looking at all the angles.  REDS use shields, and they're available for SEALS and we all know SWAT has them, and use them often, especially the ones here in Delaware.  Remember, there are doors to be breached in this league...

[snake doc]

True, True. I didn't think about the balistic shields until after I wrote the post. They still aren't 100% effective against large and mid range arms..the impact is just too much. If someone opened up fire with a .50 cal......the shield isn't going to do much.

My point was that since a paintball gun doesn't come with a large caliber designation to determine impact, bullet composition, etc....it is overkill to have them. Teams will be facing an equally equiped fighting force which you wouldn't use a balistic shield against. Kevlar absorbs the impact, but bullets don't simply deflect off it. A shield in this area wouldn't be able to make that designation.

As far as using them for flamers....see THAT post for the discussion. 

[Sparrow 69]

agreed, agreed, however what about the squad of three fasing the squad of 10?  are those equal odds?  Thats what makes this tactical people, you never know what you are facing, so prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

[snake doc]

What about realism for the sake of fun, sparrow? Why do we need to use every toy and gimmick that we see on Future Weapons or Combat Zone? We don't need this stuff and adding it just makes the concept more about the gear than the strategy. What is next?...Flashbang paint gernades ("ok, I just threw a strobe light in the room simulating a flash bang and now everyone has to close their eyes for 1 min.") It is overkill to try to include this stuff.

Stay tuned...in our next episode snake doc and Sparrow discuss if laser sights give teams an unfair advantage. 

[Sparrow 69]

man, you'd have loved the Night Vision Goggles Debate.  As for Flashbangs, they actually seel those in paintball grade, and yes, we are allowed to used them.  Since you wern't aropund for that discussion, incindiary smoke grenades are allowed too, but all pyrotechnics need to be checked out prior to the game, thats the official ruling, not mine... however it puts me in hog heaven because i have so many smoke grenades you light that it isn't funny.  Poppers, flashbangs, and Laser sights are all allowed.  BTW, watch out for my radio Jammers and Flying Cameras and rovers with eyes.... servaillence is key to a tactical squad.

[snake doc]

I left the Night vision debate alone because I can only fight three losing battles at a time.

Flash bang paint gernades...see what happens when sarcasm becomes reality. Can't wait to see the LAW heat seeking rocket someone dreams up....all for realism of course! 

It is like playing on-line poker for free, but it isn't fun because the other players are just going "all in" because it isn't really $10k at stake and they can always just log back in and start over....takes a lot of the suspense out of the game.

Hey Hitman, how about that column?

[Sparrow 69]

well the flashbangs are paint granades, they are just lower grade for paintball, and they function the exact same way, lage flash of light and you literally can't see for like 2-3 minutes.  not a thing where you have to play its real all real.   And the bangpoppers, they go off at 119 Db which is the equivelent of a self protection alarm for women.  They make your ears ring for about 5 minutes.  a heat seeking LAW... now thats a bit difficult to figure out, as it would require its own propellent, and still not cause a hard enough impact to kill or injure... I doubt it could be done, but who knows.

[snake doc]

Interesting to see what fields allow FLASH bang paintball gernades.
I like the concept and if someone actually manufactures them, cool! So if I say "thumbs up" can we dump the shields please?

[Sparrow 69]

this field allows them.... the field has been stripped for their use.  As for dropping the shileds, I can tell you unequivicably, My team will not be using one, we don't plan on needing it 
But since I don't make the call, and Hitman does and he has already ruled that they are in, all I can say is wait and see what happens in april.
BTW the ruling was that only one shild would be allowed and that the weilder could only use a pistol...

[snake doc]

I love the action, pace, and strategy of all this. 50 hopper limits, close quarter combat...pure adrenaline...so why not just let the markers and the operator do the talking and not the best equipped? No shields, no need for tanks....you pop a grenade (flash bang or regular)...you use the sense God gave you, your marker, and everyone doesn't need a utility belt full of unneccessary stuff. Radios? of course! Pistol? Probably good idea. Grenade? If that is how you roll....put a scepter launcher if you want one. Everything else?.....gizmos and not even necessary.

[Sparrow 69]

they may not be nessasary, and that I agree with, but does that mean they should be banned, no.  there may be teams that base their stratagy on them, and hey, thats their choice, and in the end it'll bite them because thers alayas someone out there who can outsmart your gadgets.  then again theirs always someone wout there with better gadgets too, and i agree somewhere there needs to be a line drawn, but I don't think that line can be drawn here.  Hell the NPPL had ramping for an entire season before they banned it.  they needed to see it in action before they realized how overbering it made the game.  Same here.

[snake doc]

Sponsors will probably hate it, because it will allow a product that is either homemade or bought from a company for deflecting paint instead of the intended purpose.

SPECIAL ESPN COMMENTATOR GREG HASTINGS: The midnight raiders looked like they had it all figured out, until the Dirty Southern Boys made a frontal assualt

SPECIAL ESPN COMMENTATOR OLLIE LANG: Yeah Greg, it looks like...waitaminute....the midnight raiders have a SHIELD and are making a move that will put the raiders in defensive mode! This could be a power shift.

SPECIAL ESPN COMMENTATOR GREG HASTINGS: You said it Ollie! This is tactical ball at its best. Just when one team has the advantage it can be anyones game with the introduction of unconventinal devices.

SPECIAL ESPN COMMENTATOR OLLIE LANG: Fire power notwithstanding it helps to have an ace up your sleeve and when it isn't Tippmann or Special Ops...it might as well be Policeone.com merchandise.

SPECIAL ESPN COMMENTATOR GREG HASTINGS: You said it again Ollie!

[Sparrow 69]

we should really see what can be done about moving all of these somewhat off topic posts to the Sparrow vs Snake_Doc Battleground! [nudges hitman] think you could move these so they arent littering up the place scattered all around?