ODA 163 Receives MVT Award at Call For Duty

Hellions.net - September 30, 2010 – Hellions Southwest Detachment ODA 163 recently attended the Call For Duty 2-day scenario event produced by Viper and hosted by Cousins Field in Forney, Texas. Hellions in attendance were: BioAndrews, Custar, Drunkenmaster, Flight, Payne, Spartacus, and Swampthing. Flight and Payne fielded ODA 163's tank, "The Gremiln".

The event went very well for the Hellions. The format was a common formula for a Viper scenario with game segments beginning at 1200 on Saturday and adjourning Saturday evening and then restarting at 0900 on Sunday with a final battle just after lunch. Flight and Payne did an outstanding job using the Gremlin to keep the Roughnecks' tank at bay and providing support to the infantry. The rest of the Hellions were spread out over the field acting in various leadership roles, keeping allied players moving in the right direction. By the end of the day Saturday, the OPFOR was run down so badly they only had a handful willing to play the night game.

Sunday was a similar affair. The Hellions used movement and radio communicaitons to reach objectives and complete missions quicker and more efficiently, which wore down the other side. By the end of the on-field game, most of the OPFOR was too exhausted or too dejected to remain on the field. Several of the final missions were virtually uncontetsted.

In the Final Battle, the BLUFOR scored all available points after an aggressive first move and employment of a well-coordinated defense of the ground taken. In the end, the Hellions were awareded the Most Valuable Team award.

Hellions Appear on New Tippmann Trailer

FT. Wayne, Indiana- May 12, 2010 – Last year, representatives from Tippmann Sports snapped some photographs of the Hellions during a test fire at their home field of CPX Sports in Joliet, Illinois. Several months later, some of the shots began to appear in magazine ad spots for the TPX Pistol and Internet web flyers on the Tippmann Sports Official Site and Facebook page.

Last month, the Hellions got a message from Tippmann requesting to take some higher-resolution images for a top secret project. On May 11, Tippmann unveiled the design of their new trailer on their Facebook page. The Hellions were pleasantly surprised to see one of their own featured prominently on the center of the trailer. The Hellions team patches are visible just above the Tippmann name. Below is the press release that appeared on the Tippmann Facebook page:

Tippmann Sports The new Tippmann Trailer is on its way to the Long Island Big Game this weekend. At this game and in our trailer area, Greg Hastings will be showcasing his new video game that is launching this fall. Stop by and check out all the great Tippmann products in the game plus some unlockable items you do not want to miss. The Long Island Big Game on May 15th and 16th is in Coram, NY where up to 2,000 players are expected. There is still time to get in the action so check out http://bit.ly/NYBigGame.

The trailer will be at the Living Legends of Paintball III event by Viper Productions and hosted by CPX Sports in Joleit, Illinois over the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30, 2010.

Hellion Lani "SKY" Fox Interviewed by PBWoman

PBWoman.com - May 12, 2010 – In a recent interview posted on PBWoman.com by Pam "Cookie" Robertson entitled "The Commander's Wife", Hellion Lani "Sky" Fox is asked by to tell what it's like to be the wife of a big game general:

Lani “Sky” Fox is an unusually interesting person when it comes to paintball. She runs double duty. being both wife and teammate to one of the most challenging commander positions of the year. Her husband and teammate, DJ "Honu" Fox will be commanding "The Man" side against the infamous and most adored Barney of Blue’s Crew at CPX Sports Living Legends of Paintball III produced By Viper. One thing I have personally noticed about Sky is that she is always up for the challenge when it comes to a hard job. I found her answers to be very interesting and supportive.

1. How do you feel about Honu commanding at LL3? I think this is a great opportunity for him and I'm very proud of him for taking on the task because as we've found out it's not an easy one.

2. Does it effect your relationship at home? Not at all. If anything it brings us closer together because we have a common interest and now everything he's told me over the years isn't over my head because I understand it now.

3. Do you get treated any different on the field or at a game than other teammates? I don't see any different treatment other than maybe not quite soooo much ribbing from the guys. I certainly do not expect any special treatment. I chose to get into this sport which is predominantly male and was aware of what may come from that. I believe our teammates have been very good at accepting me and really once you're around me you realize I can give as good as I get, so no need to curb your instincts around me.

4. Do you feel like you are under more pressure has a wife or a team mate to be supportive and take home a win? As a wife we are teammates so in either sense "we're in it together". The win really isn't important, yeah it's nice, but paintball is about having fun and getting together with your extended family. In all of our time together we've always been an "us against them" kind of couple and not in a bad way, just in a "we know we can always go to each other for support" kind of way.

5. What are some of the things you do has a wife to support his role has a commander? I've been active in trying to pinpoint some of the problems I've seen in the past in the base and trying to remedy them before they even start at LL3. In the time I've spent in different bases in the past couple of years I also see what works so we have been bouncing ideas off each other since he agreed to take on this role. The biggest change since he's agreed to do this is that he's on the phone a lot sometimes with some of the teams we are playing with and I get dizzy watching him pace the floor and doing laps around the living room.

6. Does the fact that you and Honu play on the same team make it easier or harder for you to play at games? I think it makes it easier because as I said we can bounce ideas off each other on the way to the game and on the way home we talk about what worked or what didn't so we know for next time. We also know each other very well so many times we don't even have to talk on the field. I'll see him doing something and I know instinctively what I should do. It's kind of cool because I've done things without thinking and he gets so proud. Almost like a proud dad.

7. Any comments to others who may have a spouse wanting to play? One of the many reasons I started playing was because our boys were getting older and they want to play so I started playing primarily because when they are ready it'll be great family time. Now that I've played I really enjoy it and it's a good time. Remember, there are all kinds of jobs that need to be done (front lines or near the base). You don't have to be physically gifted or a crack shot, the goal is to have a good time, getting exercise in the meantime and telling stories around the campfire after.

PBWoman is advertised as "The 1st Official Home for Female Paintballers on the Web -- All Tuff. No Fluff." For more information on PBWoman, contact Bambi. J. Bullard, PBWoman Writer and Media Contac, or write to PBWoman at P.O. Box 90, Winnsboro, Texas 75494.

Hellions Review the Tippmann Tru-Feed 7-Ball Magazine

Reviewer: Lonnie "Grendel" Colson, Hellions SFG Company Commander and Team Captain.
Manufacturer: Tippmann Sports, LLC., 2955 Adams Center Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46803.

Description: "The new Tru-Feed 7-Ball Magazine will now come standard with every TPX Pistol. It uses a straight feed, low tension spring system that allows players to use a wider variety of paint, and is less affected by hot or humid conditions." (From Tippmann Sports' Facebook press release)

Period of Product Use: Approximately one month

Paintball Experience: Almost 20 years (1990)

Similar Products Used: Tippmann 8-Ball Staggered Magazine

Marker Setup: Stock TPX (serial no. 0014572)

Recommended Upgrades: HammerHead barrel

Strengths: Straight feed is quicker to load as you do not have to worry about a paintball sometimes stacking out of sequence creating dimples when filled to capacity. The lower tension spring reduces the effect of hot and humid weather on paintballs stacked in the magazine. It also allows the TPX to fire a wider variety of paintballs, even the relatively brittle-shelled premium paints.

Weaknesses: Loss of one shot per magazine. I consider it a very minor one that is overpowerd by the gain in reliability, but there are some that may consider that a weakness.

Review: Anyone who has every taken the field at D-Day with a TPX Pistol (or similar paintball marker-pistol) as a sidearm has likely experienced the frustration of having a misfeed. Worse is the jumble of paintballs resembling melted gumballs in their magazines. Tippmann has come up with an ingeneous way to virtually get rid of the problem caused by having paintballs mashed together in hot and humid weather. After extensive testing, they got rid of the staggered feed and went with a lower tension spring. The result is magazine that is 'gentler' on a wider variety of paint, including the relatively more brittle-shelled premium grade paintballs.

The first thing I did was compare the new Tru-Feed 7-ball magazine with the standard 8-ball magazine that came with the TPX Pistol. At first glance, the only thing that really looks different is that there are 3 screws on the Tru-Feed. The dimensions are almost indistinguishable one from another. Once you load them with paintballs, the differences start to stand out. The tops(magazine feeds) are noticeably different. The standard magazine has a curved finger-like feeder lift on the carrier (see photo, second from left), while the Tru-Feed has a dimpled semi-circular feeder that is spring actuated. The newer version is easier to depress and is therefore easier on paintballs.

Loading the Tru-Feed seems faster. I sometimes would get a paintball that did not want to stagger correctly on the old stock version. If I was in a rush and did not fix it, I would often end up dimpling one or more paintballs from the extra pressure being exerted. The straight feed just loads straight. Load fast or load slow, they all load in a straight line. Both magazines' carriers lock down in a similar fashion prior to loading. Paintballs did not jump out of the magazine when dropped into a pouch.

During the test fire, I would alternate between the Tru-Feed and the standard 8-ball magazines to keep a one for one comparison going. During the course of fire, I could not tell the difference in the magazines by way of weight, feel or handling. If I went through speed drills, I occasionally forgot which one I was using until the last shot. As a result of that, I would recommend that guys who count their shots to either make a point of checking to see which magazine they are loading (tough in a game), or store them separately, or just not bring both versions on the field.

The tests used to write this review were conducted over a two-day period using a new model TPX Pistol. Temperatures were very mild for the Chicago area. Paints used were: RPS Marballizers, DraXxus Heat and Empire Blizzard. Neither magazine experienced a break with any of the three brands of paint.

Conclusion: The improvements of the Tru-Feed Magazine are enough to cause Tippmann to make it standard with all future TPX Pistol sales. Experiences with "gumballs" in the old 8-ball staggered feed magazines during those hot D-Day summers makes the switch to the new Tru-Feed a no-brainer. I was never a fan of the staggered feed to begin with. The loss of one paintball per magazine is not even a consideration in my mind. In fact, during those cold Chicago winters, I usually could not get through 3 of the 8-ball magazines on a single CO2 cartridge. During tests of the pre-production models of the Tru-Feed, I was always able to get through 3 of the 7-ball magazines. I like consistency. Knowing that you are finished with your 3rd straight feed magazine means you need a CO2 change as well is much better than wondering which shot is going to roll out the barrel on the 3rd staggered feed magazine.

Anyone who does not see an improvement (reduction) in their rate of breaks should contact the Tippmann Techincal Support Team at (800) 533-4831, especially if they are using one of the original models. Tippmann has come out with several updates/upgrades and their techs will repair or exchange parts free of charge. Visit them at any one of the many major big game events literally around the world.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

For More Information: Tippmann Sports TPX Pistol

Photos: Images of the Tru-Feed 7-ball magazine and standard 8-shot magazine with the TPX used to conduct this review.

Lani "SKY" Fox Interviewed by Catshack Reports

The Catshack - April 19, 2010 – In a recent interview posted in the Tomcat's Corner of The Catshack Reports by Paul Forcier, Hellion Lani "Sky" Fox is asked about what it is like to be a woman in a predominantly male sport like paintball:

In an effort to show the world that paintball is not just a male dominated sport I have taken the initiative to interview some ladies who love and play the sport right along side of us men. These ladies are a force on and off the field but when you see their markers pointed at you prepare, they will not hold back and their mind is set on sending you to the dead box. Today we have a visit from Lani Fox a member of the well known Hellions based out of Chicago.

Name: Lani “Sky” Fox (my first name is pronounced like Loni)

Age: 35

Occupation: Legal secretary/paralegal

Marker: Phenom

Home Field: CPX

Team: Hellions

How did you get involved in paintball? My husband has been trying to get me to play for years and I finally gave in and went to an open game and loved it, so I continued to go to games and improve my skills.

For all of those new people who ask does it hurt, what would you say? I would say yes it does, but no more than getting hit with a rubberband. It stings for a second and then it goes away. Besides, you’re having too much fun to notice anyway.

Out of all of the sports available why did you choose paintball? I’ve competing in different sports throughout the years. The only one I could still actively play at this point is softball because there are summer leagues. So, when I decided to give paintball a try, I was hooked. Now, I play more paintball than softball and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

To date, what has been your favorite playing experience? One was when my husband and I were holding off 15 guys coming up a trail and they had no idea where we were and you could hear them all yelling “where the heck are they?” It was early in my career and it was a very memorable experience.

What tips, that you have learned, would you give to fellow players? Don’t be scared or intimidated, you have the same gear as everyone else and are just as capable of shooting them.

Other than paintball, what do you do for fun? Softball and recently started taking karate classes.

When you are outnumbered on the field what is it that you do to stay in the game? With my team we coordinate through radios and hand signals that even if we are outnumbered we don’t feel like we’re out of the fight. Better to go out fighting than just walking away.

Who do you look up too in the sport and why? I don’t really have anyone I look up to. I got into the sport as a way to spend time with the family and found out I loved playing too. I’ve met a lot of great people who have taught me a lot and contiue to learn, but I can’t really pinpoint any one person. As I’m meeting more of the well known people and getting to know them I can appreciate their contributions and all the hard work they’ve put into to get the sport known around the world.

What has been the funniest off field antics you or someone else has done that you were a part of? I have to say off field is full of fun stories and great comraderie. One of the best is watching people try to work the Indo Board (which is a surfing balance trainer – think large rolling pin with a cutting board on top of it) after playing all day.

How can the industry attract more women to get involved in paintball? Acceptance. I think we’re trying to do that with pbwoman.com and just getting women more visible on the field is helping I think. There are certainly stereotypes to overcome and that’s what we hope to do with the website and as players on the field. I think a lot of girls see their boyfriends, husbands, etc. paintball magazines with a bikini clad woman showing off a marker and that may turn them off. I would like to see more women players being showcased. I look at those pictures and say “I don’t think she can play in that.”

We welcome stories from all of you women players. In an effort to get more of the ladies involved we want to hear from you. Send us your story at cryptic@catshackreports.com

Paul Forcier

Read the full interview and accompanying photos at The Catshack Reports.

Grindhouse to be Featured in Episode of "MEGADRIVE" on MTV

MTV Greenlights new series about extreme vehicles
and invites the Grindhouse to strut its stuff on air.

JOLIET, IL. - January 17, 2010 – The Hellions met for a full day of fliming by Lion TV, a professional video production company developing a program called "MegaDrive" set to air on MTV sometime late this spring. MegaDrive is hosted by stand-up comic Johnny Pemberton who gets "the keys to some of the most extreme vehicles on the planet." The Hellions' tank, the Grindhouse, will be the focus of one of the upcoming episodes. LionTV chose the team's home field, CPX Sports, as the backdrop of the show. CPX Sports rolled out the red carpet and allowed the crew onto the Town of Bedlam even though the field is normally closed during the winter.

Despite temperaturs in the lower 30's and light snowfall, the Hellions were out in force to demonstrate the awesome power of the Grindhouse. Filming lasted from 0800 until well after sunset.

The team is obviously sworn to secrecy and cannot give away all of the details of the show. Suffice to say, like any paintball event the show will culminate in a final battle. Stay tuned to MTV to see what Johnny and his crew bring to the field to square off against the Grindhouse and the Hellions.



NEW YORK, NY. - August 11, 2009 – MTV President of Programming Tony DiSanto today announced a greenlight slate filled with assorted projects which include ... Megadrive. “Our viewers expect reinvention and creative diversity from MTV, and this greenlight slate gives them a peek at the broad spectrum of new ideas, tones and formats we are focusing on to break beyond just reality TV,” said Tony DiSanto, President of Programming for MTV. “Our commitment to the scripted genre has never been stronger. And with the greenlight of ‘Hard Times,’ along with the many scripted projects in the development pipeline, we have focused in on the right concepts coupled with the right execution and talent to define our brand in this arena.”

“All of these projects have one thing in common–they serve up laughter to our viewers. They also tap into a new generation of talent both in front of and behind the camera,” said Liz Gateley, Senior Vice President, Series Development. “In ‘Hard Times,’ we’ve discovered two young creators in David and Seth along with a tremendous new star, Paul Iacono.”

Broadening MTV’s slate, this latest wave of projects includes ... Megadrive is an adrenaline-pumping reality comedy that follows thrill-seeking host Johnny Pemberton across the country as he tries to master the most extreme rides on land, sea and air.

NEW GREENLIGHTS
MEGADRIVE: “Megadrive” features audacious host Johnny Pemberton as he attempts to master the most extreme vehicles ‘off the road’ often ending in mayhem and destruction. Although he has failed his drivers license test several times and has no business behind the wheel of anything that moves, Pemeberton will push these vehicles to their limits as he embarks on a hilarious adventure across America, where he challenges power, speed and gravity. Tony Tackaberry and Allison Corn of Lion Television are executive producers.

Read more: http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/08/11

Photos: A selection of photos from the event is available for viewing in the Hellions Team Gallery.