Executives battle boredom with arduous war games

Executives battle boredom with arduous war games

Text and pictures by Mulkan Salmona

GUNUNG PUTRI, West Java (JP): Bang, bang, bang! The sound of
gunfire breaks the silence around a small hilly area at Gunung
Putri, Citeureup, West Java. Only one or two shots at first but
later there are more gunshots, louder and more intensified.

Suddenly some people in green uniform appear from behind a
tree. Carrying long rifles and moving with great agility, they
make their way through the bushes and slip behind another tree to
avoid being shot. Firing back, those wearing red armbands move
forward.

To avoid the gunfire, they somersault, lie face down on the
ground and hide in the bushes, in an old cottage or in wrecked
military jeeps discarded in the hills.

Those wearing green armbands are no less enthusiastic.
Defending their fort against enemy attack, they fiercely try to
drive the enemy troops back to their fort. From behind empty
barrels, used tire casings and wrecked military jeeps, they fire
their guns incessantly at the enemy position.

Amid the excitement and suspense of battle, a loud voice booms
from the hills: "Those who have been shot must retreat and leave
the battle area. Raise your guns so that you will not be shot
again."

People wearing gray T-shirts can be seen in the area. They are
the judges or supervisors of the battle.

"Excuse me, but you have run out of bullets, sir. Leave the
battle area while we get fresh bullets. Don't forget to raise
your gun so that you will not get shot," the officer said.

The troops wearing yellow armbands appear to panic and can not
put up a proper fight as some of them have been shot. But the
troops wearing red armbands continue to attack from the right and
left sides of the yellow troops' defense, who are getting snowed
under and fail to shoot properly at their targets.

"Well, the whole thing will be over in a matter of minutes. If
Miller can get close to the blue drum and can shoot accurately at
Renny, the yellow team will be defeated," a spectator said.

His analysis proved correct. Miller drew stealthily closer to
the blue drum and shot Renny, hidden behind a mask, in the head.
Not long afterward, Miller's colleagues from the other side draw
closer to the yellow fort and attack it so fiercely that all the
yellow troops surrender. Miller quickly grabs the flag off the
yellow troops. The first round of the battle ends in victory for
Miller's group.

Luckily, this war is all a game and the weapons only paint.
In this paintball game at the 3234 Brigade battle simulation
arena at Gunung Putri, those who are shot are only hit by paint.

The battle simulation was launched on Oct. 25, 1996 and has
since gained popularity, especially among young executives who
take the opportunity to escape their office and have some fun.

The owner of the establishment, who is also general manager of
the 3234 Brigade, Guntaru Mandiraatmadja, was introduced to
paintball while studying at university in the U.S. While his
childhood ambition of becoming a soldier did not eventuate, he
became a soldier of different sorts armed with paint not
gunpowder.

But don't think for a minute that this game is not a war. The
participants fight like real soldiers in a battlefield, bearing
arms and wearing military attire.

The 3234 Brigade battle simulation establishment is the first
paintball game operator in Greater Jakarta, and the second in
Indonesia after the Bali Splat MAS in Bali.

The battle simulation establishment occupies two hectares of
land and has three outdoor battlegrounds covering 500 square
meters each and one indoor battleground. There is also an office
building for the management and a cafe where participants can
take a rest.

People wishing to try paintball are required to bring their
own battle equipment and military attire. The 40-minute war costs
Rp 40,000/person. The indoor battle costs Rp 35,000.

While efforts have been made to reduce the cost of the game,
Guntaru said that the price of equipment, such as the guns and
the bullets, are imported and therefore costly. A gun costs about
US$300 and a box of bullets about $62.

Paintball was originally played by cattle breeders in the U.S.
and is now popular among Americans and Europeans. There is also
an annual international paintball competition, in which countries
such as Germany, Britain, France, Australia, Scotland, the
Philippines and Japan participate. In Indonesia, the game is
known only in four places: Bali, Surabaya, Malang and Jakarta.
The 3234 Brigade is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m to 9 p.m.

The game is definitely entertaining. People take their roles
as soldiers seriously and engage in real-life combat. But
fortunately, win or lose, it's only a matter of a few paint-
stained clothes and bruised egos.