Everyone has heard the hype surrounding paintball mega games but why are big games so special? At big games players get much more than just a day of trigger squeezing. At a big game you get not only a target rich environment but you get to see things like Darth Vader, Ironman, Sarge from Halo, and a jungle explorer riding an ostrich.
Tippinators love big games so much that part of the team made the twenty eight hour round trip drive from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Montreal, Quebec to attend Tippmann Challenge held at Paintball Mirabel on August 10, 2013.
The Tippmann challenge has been a tradition at Paintball Mirabel, since 2006. The reputation of the Tippmann Challenge is based on the quality of the scenario and an incomparable quality price ratio for an event of that caliber, Paintball Mirabel delivers on both counts.
PBL Action Sports, in conjunction with Tippmann Sports, bring their years of paintball expertise to produce a scenario game for 1500 paintball players from across the country who gathered in Quebec for the challenge.
Tippmann Challenge Mirabel offers more then just paintball. The game has helicopters, entertainment, attendance prizes, free lunch, free on site technical support from Tippmann employees, costume contests, speedball exhibitions and more during the event.
To accommodate all 1500 players, Paintball Mirabel joined all of the individual fields together to create one large field. Joining all fields together creates a multifaceted field that requires changing playing styles when moving from area to area in order to be successful.
One of the new fields Mirabel has just completed is a Vietnam War style village. It is not two or three building but an entire village. The area has twenty plus buildings, an open air market, temple with a gong, prisoner holding cages, communications centre, vehicles, storage silo and more.
Big games are more then just playing, they are an opportunity to reacquaint with old friends. The Tipps were excited to play alongside the eternally youthful Mike 'Blue' Hanse and Blue's Crew for the afternoon. It had been seven years since the Tippinators played with Blue and his Crew while attacking the Castle Aaarrg at EMR in 2007.
Tippinator Bruce Johnston was excited to be able to spend time one-on-one with Tippmann Sports Chairman Howard Kosick, PBL Action Sports President Robert Lee and Tippmann VP of International Sales Brent Cunningham.
"To be able to spend hours talking with the heads of the world's leading paintball companies is an incredible experience." said Johnston "I can't think of another sport where a participant can walk up and talk to the people who shape the game world wide. It is humbling"
As the day drew to a close, tents were being taken down, and RV's pulling away; the smiles on player's faces proved Tippmann Challenge Mirabel was an incredible experience for all involved. Once again Hugo Bigras, owner of Paintball Mirabel and his professional staff put together a memorable day of paintball.
The team would like to thank Brent Cunningham from Tippmann, Robert Lee, Mike Silva, and Louie D'Alesio from PBL Action Sports, Hugo Bigras of Paintball Mirabel for their hospitality and for making the Tippinators feel like they were playing their home field.
If you are a player who loves paintball you owe it to yourself to attend a big game. The organized insanity of 1500 players on the field at once is something that must be experienced at least once. Find the nearest Tippmann Challenge, sign up and go experience it for yourself.
Photos courtesy of HalifaxSportsPhotos.ca