Operation Ship of Fools 2021

Operation Ship of Fools has traditionally been the season opener for many midwestern airsofters. This airsoft milsim event pits a US Military Joint Task Force against a force of Pirates and Private Military Contractors.

Elites/Specialists are no longer restricted to twenty per team. Just buy a ticket for your team, and show up dressed appropriately for whichever role you are playing.

Updated rules for 2021 posted below.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO UNIFORMS!

-Multicam/OCP is no longer a SEAL camo. It is Army, now.

- Both Ahegao pattern and Sexy Maid costumes have been added to the acceptable XOF camo list.

Operation: Ship of Fools 2021. This event will be PRE-REG ONLY, and will be capped at 300 players! The event pits a joint military task force against pirates and PMCs.

General rules/faction requirements:

Age limit is 14. Minors must have a waiver signed by a legal guardian. Responsible adult must be onsite (parent, sibling, creepy uncle, scout leader, etc...)

PIRATE CLASSES:

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Pirates/Contractors = The standard Pirate/Merc troopers

Base Uniform: Civilian clothes. No camo. No solid black or navy blue shirts. No solid tan or solid OD shirts. Hawaiian shirts or plaid encouraged, but not required. Try to avoid red shirts, as these can be mistaken for referee shirts or kill rags. If you do not adhere to the uniform restrictions, you will be taped up with fluorescent arm bands. No gear color/pattern restrictions. No Ghillies. If you decide to wear a ball cap, please do not wear a red one. It can be mistaken for a kill rag, or may cause you to be mistaken for a referee. (Referees wear red ball caps at my events).

Weapons Restrictions: Pirates/Contractors can use whatever weapons they want. They must adhere to magazine, FPS, and engagement restrictions for their weapons. If a player is carrying a SAW/LMG or Sniper/DMR, that player must carry a secondary weapon like a pistol to use if they are closer than the minimum distance.

Medics: Pirates/Contractors will have a limited number of medics. The ratio will be 1 medic to 10 pirates/contractors. Medics may not carry machineguns, sniper/DMR weapons, or launchers. These are standard medics within the ranks of the pirate forces. They will get pink arm-bands.

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Médecins Sans Ethique: A rogue humanitarian group made up of disgraced former physicians, nursing school dropouts, and burned out veterinarian expatriots. They are the super-medics of the Pirate faction.

Base Uniform: Scrubs or a Lab Coat. No military gear. Helmets are allowed. A pistol belt or shoulder holster is allowed.

Weapon Restrictions: MSE can only carry pistols, shotguns, and rubber knives.

Medics: All MSE are medics.

Special: MSE are super medics. Not only can they tie bandages on, but if given enough time, they can remove previous wounds/bandages.

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XOF = The elite operators of the pirate faction.

Base Uniform: Solid grey, solid white, urban grey camo, snow camo, snow raptor, urban grey purple, urban grey yellow, Ahegao pattern (white based), or a Frilly Sexy Maid costume. All XOF wear yellow armbands. Grey, black, or white headgear. Tops and bottoms do not necessarily have to match, but must be from the accepted list. No gear color/pattern restrictions. No Ghillies.

Weapons Restrictions: XOF can only carry Assault Rifles, SMGs, PDWs, Shotguns, Pistols, and rubber training knives. They must adhere to magazine and FPS restrictions for their weapons.

Medics: All XOF are medics.

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MILITARY CLASSES:

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SEALs = the elite operators of the military faction

Base Uniform: Three-color desert, digital desert, six-color desert, solid Tan, Desert DPM, Arid ATACS. Tops and bottoms must match. No gear color/pattern restrictions. No Ghillies.

Weapons Restrictions: SEALs can only carry Assault Rifles, SMGs, PDWs, Shotguns, Pistols, and rubber training knives. They must adhere to magazine and FPS restrictions for their weapons.

Medics: All SEALs are medics.

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US Army and USMC = standard troops for the military faction

Base Uniform: OCP/Multicam, M81 woodland, digital woodland, ACU/UCP, OD green, woodland flecktarn. Tops and bottoms must match. No gear color/pattern restrictions. Ghillies are allowed for snipers.

Weapons Restrictions: Marines and Soldiers can use whatever weapons they want. They must adhere to magazine, FPS, and engagement restrictions for their weapons. If a player is carrying a SAW/LMG or Sniper/DMR, that player must carry a secondary weapon like a pistol to use if they are closer than the minimum distance.

Medics/Corpsman: The ratio will be 1 medic to 10 troops. Medics may not carry machineguns, sniper/DMR weapons, or launchers. These are standard medics within the ranks of the Army and USMC. Medics/Corpsman will get pink arm-bands.

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Coast Guard and Air Force Para-Rescue = medical support for the military faction

Base Uniform Coast Guard: Solid navy blue, solid black, Blue digital, Blue Kryptek, Multicam Black. Matching tops and bottoms. Blue Armbands. No gear color restrictions. No Ghillies.

Base Uniform Air Force: Air Force digital tiger stripe, Vietnam tiger stripe, or desert tiger stripe. Matching tops and bottoms. Blue Armbands. No gear color restrictions. No Ghillies.

Weapons Restrictions: Coasties and PJ’s can only carry SMGs, PDWs, Shotguns, Pistols, and rubber training knives. They must adhere to magazine and FPS restrictions for their weapons.

Medics: All Coasties and PJ’s are medics.

Special: Coasties and PJ’s are super medics. Not only can they tie bandages on, but if given enough time, they can remove previous wounds/bandages.

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Headgear:

Everyone - I strongly recommend helmets. This field has low hanging cross beams etc... in some of the buildings. They are the bane of tall people. Trust me.

Because I put safety before aesthetics, I won’t be a dick about matching headgear. I mean, if you are playing as a Marine, but you only have a tan helmet, I’m not going to bust your balls about it. I’d rather have you just wear the damn helmet. If possible, though, please TRY to match your headgear. Helmet covers are super cheap.

Pirates/Contractors - If you decide to wear a ball cap, (sports team, MAGA, etc...) please do not wear a red one. It can be mistaken for a kill rag, or may cause you to be mistaken for a referee. (Referees wear red or orange ball caps at my events).

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Chrono:

All airsoft weapons must be chronoed with 0.32g bbs

Weapons will be chronoed in Joules.

Rifles, SMGs, PDWs, single shot shotguns (non tri-burst) < 1.49J (approx equivalent to 400 FPS @ 0.2g) with minimum 10ft engagement.

Semi-auto or single shot only

Midcaps, Lowcaps, or a single Hicap magazine

DMR < 1.88J (approx equivalent to 450 FPS @ 0.2g) with minimum 100ft engagement, must be mechanically incapable of automatic fire.

Semi-auto or single shot, only. DMR must be a large caliber weapon system in real life, like a .308 (M14, FAL, G3 etc...), or a purpose built DMR like a VSS Vintorez or a Dragunov. Your M16 or M4 or AK cannot be a DMR. There is a safety related reason behind this. We have had problems in the past with players using DMRs that LOOKED like M4s, to shoot people at very close quarters, and the referees had no way of telling that the weapon was supposed to be a DMR.

Midcaps or Lowcaps

Sniper Rifle < 2.81J (approx equivalent to 550 FPS @ 0.2g) with minimum 100ft engagement. Bolt action/single shot only.

Midcaps or Lowcaps

SAW/LMG < 1.6J (approx equivalent to 415 FPS @ 0.2g) with minimum 50 ft engagement, must be real world machinegun/support weapon like SAW, RPK, M60, PKM, Shrike, etc... M27 and RPK16 are allowed.

Drum mags, Hicaps, Midcaps, or Lowcaps

SAW/LMG is allowed to shoot on full auto.

Special rule: Reloader

Players can reload magazines in the field if they are within ten feet of a friendly machine-gunner.

Pistols, Burst shotguns < 1.14J (approx equivalent to 350 FPS @ 0.2g) with no minimum engagement distance.

Semi-auto or single shot, only.

No magazine restrictions

AA12 Auto Burst shotguns < 1.14J (approx equivalent to 350 FPS @ 0.2g) with no minimum engagement distance on semi, but 10 ft minimum engagement on full auto.

AA12 Auto Burst shotgun is allowed to shoot full auto.

No magazine restrictions

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Eyepro:

Full Seal ANZI rated goggles are required by this field. They must be secured by a strap/band. Face protection is required for anyone under 18 years of age.

Mesh face protection is allowed. Mesh eye protection is not.

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Medic Rules:

All players are responsible for providing two of their own bandages. These can be strips of white cloth, Ace bandages, Vet wrap, surplus field dressings, or rolls of kling. The medics will not be carrying bandages for you. If you are injured, and a medic comes to help you, you need to give the medic your own bandage to use. Keep your bandages in a designated first aid pouch. Yes, MSW style trainer tourniquets are allowed.

All players are responsible for providing their own kill rag. If you do not have a kill rag displayed, the medic cannot revive you. Bring a damn kill rag, or you will be walking to respawn A LOT. In fact, bring a spare.

A bb strike anywhere on your body or gear counts as a hit. Gun hits do not count. Ricochets do not count, but if you are unsure as to whether it was a direct hit or a ricochet, do the right thing and take the hit.

If you are hit, you may not talk to anyone, but you may call for a medic or scream piteously. Display your kill rag, or the medics cannot help you.

Bleed out is five minutes. Wounded cannot run, and may only crawl or walk if assisted by a live player. If you bleed out and die, you must drop any props you were carrying.

If a medic is ever forced to STOP treating their casualty for any reason, they will have to start all over again. In the meantime, the casualty’s bleed out time (5 min) will be considered “reset” back to 5 min.

A medic can revive you by tying one of your bandages on your arm. This will put you back in the game. Put your kill rag away and resume play. If you are hit again, a medic may revive you one more time by tying a bandage on your other arm. Further hits will necessitate a trip to respawn. Freshly respawned players remove their bandages and replace them back in their first aid pouch.

Super Medics: The Coast Guard, Air Force PJs, and MSE are super medics. In addition to applying bandages, they can actually remove existing bandaged wounds by holding pressure for two uninterrupted minutes, after which the player may replace that bandage back into their first aid pouch. Alternately, two super medics working together may do the same thing in just one minute. Neither the casualty nor the super medics can do anything else during healing.

Medics and super medics cannot treat anyone who has been killed by a grenade, shower shell, or rubber knife. These casualties are instantly killed, with no bleed out, and must respawn. Casualties who died in an explosion must drop any props they were carrying.

IMPORTANT EDIT TO MEDIC RULES:

**** In the interest of social distancing, medics won't tie bandages on their patients this game. Instead, medics will touch their boot to the other players boot, and announce that they are healing that player. The player can then apply their own bandage from their own aid pouch. During the healing process, the medic cannot have their hands on their weapon. It must either be set down, or hanging freely on a sling.

The same goes for Super Medics who are removing a bandage. They will follow the same process, except that they also will be responsible for timing treatment. When the time is up, they will instruct the patient to remove their own bandage.

If you are going to buddy drag/buddy carry a casualty, ASK them if they are ok with it. If they are not ok with it, don't do it.

Or literally toss them a fucking rope to hold onto. No grappling hooks.

Remember, EVERY player is responsible for bringing their own bandages or milsim tourniquets to this event. Keep them somewhere on your kit where you can reach them yourself.

Every player is also responsible for bringing their own kill rag. Please bring an extra one if you can, because those things get lost all the time at outdoor events. ****

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Radio Frequencies for different factions will be assigned as follows:

Channel 4-7 Pirates

Channel 9-12 Military

Channel 1 APOC Paintball Staff

Channel 2 ADMIN

Players are not allowed to listen in or spam on enemy frequencies.

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Vehicles:

Players must stay at least ten feet away from moving vehicles. Players must not lie prone underneath, directly in front of, or directly behind vehicles. Players should avoid lying prone on the major roads. Don’t be stupid.

Vehicles are classified as either a transport or a tank.

Transports can carry troops. Transports can be taken out in two hits from a nerf/vortex/tag rocket launcher. The first shot stalls the vehicle for two minutes, and does not hurt the passengers. The second shot destroys it and kills any passengers who are still inside. Troops may not embark or disembark a moving vehicle. The vehicle must be fully stopped.

Tanks cannot carry anyone besides the crew. Tanks can be taken out in three hits from a nerf/vortex/tag rocket launcher. The first hit stalls the vehicle for one minute. The second hit stalls the vehicle for one minute. The third hit destroys the vehicle.

Hand-grenades cannot destroy a vehicle. Shower shells cannot destroy a vehicle. BBs cannot destroy a vehicle.

Drivers are OC/event staff. All they do is focus on safe driving. They cannot fight, and they cannot be killed. Other members of vehicle crews can be killed, including gunners. Gunners are NOT invincible. When backing a vehicle, someone dismounted must act as a spotter/ground-guide. Even if they are alive, this person should display their dead-rag while backing, so that no one shoots at them.

Dead vehicles must display a red sheet or large red flag. Dead vehicles cannot carry living riders, but CAN carry dead riders back to respawn as a courtesy.

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Grenades -

Anti-personnel

Thunder B, Burst XL, Cyclone, Storm, EG67, Pea Grenades, Blank grenades, and Tornado grenades are allowed. They kill everyone in a small room (ten feet or smaller), or anyone within ten feet of where they blow up, unless that person is behind hard cover. Hand grenades do not kill vehicles. No BBs in Thunder B's, please. They are designed for sound only.

Shower shells are allowed for grenade launchers. Shower shells kill by bb strike or kill everyone in a room who is not behind hard cover. Shower shells do not kill vehicles.

Players killed by a grenade are instantly killed with no bleedout. They cannot be healed by a medic. If the player was carrying a prop, they must drop the prop where they were killed.

Anti-vehicle:

Grenade launchers/Rocket launchers must either fire nerf/vortex style foam projectiles or TAG rounds, which are approved for this site.

Commercially produced launchers that are powered by shower shells or by CO2 guppies are allowed. Homemade launchers MAY be allowed, but must pass inspection by staff.

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Capture Points:

There are four capture points in play. They are color coded, and are based around chess clocks. These capture points earn valuable victory points for whichever side has activated them. They are reset hourly by the staff. Do not overlook these objectives. They are critical to your faction’s success on the ground.

Mission Board:

There will be missions and side-ops posted in each spawn point. If you aren’t sure what the current mission is, and you don’t have comms with your chain of command, you can look on the mission board, to see what the current mission is.

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Registration will open at 0730. Game on at 1030. Lunch is at 1300. Game on at 1430. Endex is kind of fluid based on how the final missions for each side go. Probably around 1700.

***Raingear: In the event that it rains, your outer layer/rain gear must still adhere to uniform restrictions for your team, just like any other milsim. Same goes for cold weather gear.

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The HVT extraction side op is a fun tribute to Metal Gear Solid. Some players on each team will be selected to wear special QR code armbands. If your team neutralizes an enemy player with an armband, you can scan it with your phone to find that player’s ranking. The higher ranked a player is, the more points they are worth if extracted.

S - rank 25pts

A - rank 15pts

B - rank 10pts

C - rank 5pts

D - rank 2pts

Only your commander can authorize a Fulton extraction. If you request an extraction, and the commander authorizes the extraction, your team must move the HVT to a location where there is no overhead cover or forest canopy. Once in position, they can claim the armband as a trophy, and return it to basecamp to get points for it. Like any other casualty, neutralized enemy HVTs will still bleed out and die after 5 minutes, unless a medic maintains direct contact with them. As long as a medic maintains direct contact with them, their bleedout timer will freeze.

Your team only gets 3 Fultons for morning phase, and 3 Fultons for afternoon phase, so use them wisely.

Note: HVTs who were instantly killed with no bleedout, like by an explosion or knife kill, cannot be extracted. They dead. Bang-kill/courtesy killed HVTs still can, though.

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Intel packets are not to be moved. Intel packets will be left in place, and scanned with your Idroid device.

Military Intelligence: Intel Packets. They are encrypted in QR codes. If you find one, scan it with your I-droid, and notify your command immediately with your location, and the text. The command will be tracking the recovery on a spreadsheet. You have to catch them all! It is an ongoing mission for the day.

Pirates and Military will both be collecting Intel.

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Covid considerations:

You may be healthy, and fit, and strong, but all of us have people in our lives who are at risk of getting gravely ill from Covid or similar disease. The Wisconsin Airsoft community has already lost one of our event organizers to this virus, and some of us have lost friends and family as well. It is for these reasons that we are taking the following precautions. If you are in the safe zone, or you need to go into the shack to get something, wear a droplet mask of some sort. Half of you wear balaclavas or shemaghs anyway, so this shouldn't be an issue. If you need to, tie a handkerchief or kill rag over your face. When you are on the field, playing in a large open outdoor environment, a mask will not be required. We are taking a cue from the golf courses, which stayed open during the quarantine. They required masks in their proshops and clubhouses, but not for players out on the green.

Also, due to the virus, there is no safe way for Dave to prepare and serve lunch for you this year. I am sorry. I know that you all look forward to his spaghetti as much as I do, but this year please pack a lunch, instead.