Phyrfight Intel

For several years now I have had an on going dialog/debate with my “operational” friends about the practical value of FPS (first person shooter) video games. My argument has been that if you use a com tool like Roger Wilco, then not only do you learn the value of communication but some games provide the opportunity to learn and practice tactical movement. This covers two of the tenants of our motto: Shoot, Move, Communicate. Let’s just say that for the most part we have agreed to disagree. Needless to say, that does not keep us at Team Phyrfight from our weekly forays in the world of virtual combat. Our current game of choice is Joint Operations- Typhoon Rising. Here is an AAR (after action report) on a recent Friday night outing.

The five of us, 3wire, Bluey, Hi-power, Q Ball and TomCat find ourselves pinned down in a narrow valley with steep cliffs on both sides. Our objective is a village about 2 km up the valley. An APC is hammering on our position with its 30mm gun. We are hunkered down behind some large boulders. Several emplaced 50 cals open up anytime we try to move. And we are taking sporadic small arms fire from the surrounding hills. Basically we are FUBARed. Attempts to get a shot on the APC with an AT4 have been futile. We simply can’t see shit and they are zeroed in on us. I’m humping a Javelin but there is no way I can get into position to get a lock and fire the thing. If we don’t do something we are all going to die here.

The Plan.
The map indicates that there is a road that parallels the valley half a click to our left on the other side of the ridge and we can see a trail that looks like it will take us to the road. The other three team members draw fire from the right side of our position while TomCat and I make a mad dash for a trail that runs up the left hill. We are totally exposed for about 20 meters but we run like hell for the trees. The APC doesn’t notice us but a 50 cal opens up on us. We hear the rounds zip through the trees around us. We dive for cover behind a low berm. The rounds pound the berm but we are safe. We crawl up the trail and eventually find our way to the road. We hump down the road as fast as we can, occasionally pausing to glass the area ahead. Our plan is to flank the APC and take it out with the Javelin.

We run into one patrol along the way but neutralize them from about 300 meters. TomCat makes quick work of them with her SR-25. Did I mention that TomCat is a 13-year-old girl? TomCat’s favorite real-world shooting these days is precision rifle so naturally in Joint Ops she always kits up with a sniper rifle of some sort.

The mountainous terrain doesn’t allow us a shot at the APC. We keep on the move until we have hiked all the way passed the village and by then we can’t see the APC. The rest of the team has managed to extricate themselves somewhat by crawling back down the valley where they set up a mortar and try to pound the APC to death.

TomCat gets in position on a ridge high above the village and with me spotting and ranging for her she takes out a dozen or so hostiles. Joint Ops has pretty realistic ballistics for a video game. You have to know the range of your target and dial in the right elevation or you wont hit anything. At long ranges you can even see the swurl trace of the rounds arcing into the target just like reality.

We work our way slowly down the side of the mountain to the valley floor then into the shallow creek that runs through the valley. By this time the rest of the team has managed to take out the APC and are working their way up the valley toward us. TomCat and I can see a lot of activity in and around the village. It seems that everyone is hunkered down behind cover waiting for the main element of our team to come in from the other side of the village. They don’t notice us. We get as close in as we can then lie down on the bank of the creek and set up. About 165 meters away are two tangos behind sand bags. One is on a 50 and the other has an AK. They are looking toward the advancing team and are totally exposed to us. TomCat dials in and gets set. I tell her to take out the guy on the 50 and I’ll hit the other guy with my M-4 on her shot. I get ready. The head of the 50 operator explodes in a crimson spray as he flips over the sandbags. The other guy is turning toward us bringing his AK to bear but before I can squeeze the trigger on my M-4 I hear another round from the SR-25 and see this guy’s head explode too. That’s my girl. Two quick shots, two kills. Could a father be any more proud?

We mop up the rest of the bad guys and finish the mission without incident. Practical training? Maybe yes, maybe no. Quality father-daughter time? Absolutely!