As many know, I took my boys to the annual Invasion of Normandy Paintball event at Skirmish PA. This is one of the biggest events in Paintball. They estimate over 4000 players (they hard cap at 4500). People come from all over and camp out for days. Skirmish is the best place for paintball in my area, it’s a huge place and they have so many well kept fields.
We went up Friday night and stayed at a local hotel (I’m too old to sleep on the ground, in a tent). We usually hit up a restaurant in Wilkes Barre PA called Smokey Bones (I think it may be a chain). Stupid tradition my youngest likes.
We got there early Saturday morning. All you saw were tents. Thousands of tents and some RVs. Tons of people. We walked around the vendor area (there were over 30+ vendors). My youngest was working the vendors for deals on guns, he got over 50 bucks off a really nice one.
The game itself is just craziness. They start it off like Saving Private Ryan with the boat’s doors dropping. I think there are several boats. Smoke bombs are going off, paintballs are flying and it’s just nuts. Some guy from the American team was dressed as Captain America with a shield. He lead their charge. People were doing Conga Lines on the “beach” area. For the first 30 minutes all you saw and heard was the fire of paintballs.
People get so into it. Dressing in full military gear and using Mil-Sim Guns. Some guys had full sized German LMGs. Then you had a dude with a paintball compound bow (my oldest wants this SOOO bad). There are several Tanks, Jeeps and Half-tracks.
This event may not offer the best games, but who cares it’s a ton a fun. My kids were a bit nervous so I got them a padded shirt and padded jerseys. That took off the edge and they both played very aggressively. My youngest joined in several attacks and blew threw a ton of paintballs. All in all, it was a good time.
Pre-Game Dinner
Getting ready
What they really want to do to each other. (Barrel Socks were on for safety).
Vendors and my finger
More Vendors
One of the many tanks
The boys before the start of the game
More “Germans” getting ready
Banana Man. He pulled a Braveheart and lifted up his kilt towards the enemy
Andrew showing off his new jersey
Alec showing off his new jersey
Another "tank"
3 killers
“Germans” taking the entire “beach” from the "Americans"
I took this video 10-15 minutes after the start. The amount of firing is still outrageous.