Are you a D-Day Junkie?
I’ve heard the term “D-Day Junkie” used to describe people who like to attend the D-Day paintball event at D-Day Adventure Park in Wyandote, Oklahoma. This term is used by people who don’t like D-Day for some reason. Well, I like the D-Day event, and I am certainly not a junkie. I simply love paintball scenario games, big or small. I do know a few people who spend the entire year planning for D-Day and actually put a lot of work into the event. Maybe they classify as “D-Day Junkies” or maybe they are really just D-Day enablers because someone has to do the work. There is a ton of planning that has to be done to make this event possible. I won’t go into that, but I am not one of those. I just attend once a year and that’s it.
Some people don’t like this big event because they feel that it’s just a mass of people spraying paint all over the place. Some don’t like that it’s a recreation of war. Some don’t like it because of this and that. But anyway, no has to like this event and I won’t criticize them for it, even though they might stereotype you because you attend this event. It’s not for everybody, and that’s ok. So, why the heck to do I like this event?
Here’s a few reasons:
1. Hanging out with my team. My team travels to this event and camps out for days. Hanging out with my friends and talking nothing but paintball, bar-b-q, beer, campfire, etc. What’s not to like about that? Sure you can do that anywhere. But this event gives me an excuse to do it for a week if I like!
2. Friends. Since my first trip to D-Day, we have made great friends there. Chances are, they will be there when we attend the following year. This is a great place to make friends and network with people.
3. We roll with the 82nd Airborne. This year we are running as Pathfinders. This group falls behind enemy lines and has to be on the move all day long. This is a group that will get into a ton of firefights and has the potential to do a ton of damage. We don’t just tag along with anyone and just start firing into every direction. We try to make a difference. So how can you make a difference in a game with 4000 players? That, my friend, is the challenge.
4. The terrain. The D-Day field is pretty cool. Some players don’t get to see the whole field and remain in one area all day. Pity. There is beautiful terrain out there with rolling hills and man-made paintball bunkers. What a combination. Over 1000 acres, if I am not mistaken.
5. The vendor area. This is a cool place to go checkout some paintball gear and find some good deals on some gear. You don’t see this type of thing at normal scenario games.
6. Props. The D-Day field is loaded with props, military transport vehicles, fast tracks, home-made tanks galore, etc. No other game has such a large array of machinery for game use. Sure, I don’t make it down just for this, but it’s nice to see it.
Ok, I think that’s enough for now. So that is why I like D-Day. Someday I may get tired of it, maybe not. I don’t know, and I don’t really care. My glass is always at least half full. So, I won’t lose sleep over it. But I’ll be there this year.
- Grinder out
