Survival games are becoming a widely accepted pastime among military personnel, as they help foster camaraderie and give soldiers a way to blow off steam while staying in line with Ministry of National Defense policies, sources said.
Paintball, with a variety of game modes, allows military enthusiasts to simulate a battlefield, which they often further enhance by wearing military-like gear, including goggles, camouflage, tactical vests and other items.
The 269th and 333rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the Kinmen Defense Command, the army’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense training center and the communication, electronics and information division have all established clubs for these kinds of games, the sources said.
The use of personal equipment is not prohibited when participating in the clubs, which have allowed participants to bring in their own gear, they said.
While the club activities count as leisure and recreation, their nature is almost inseparable from military life, and participation not only helps release stress, but also trains a soldier’s physical condition and accuracy in shooting, they added.
These games help soldiers prepare and stay combat-ready even while participating in recreational activities, 269th Brigade Commander Major General Lin Chih-ying (林志穎) said.
Lin, who had also pushed for the creation of a similar club when leading the 333rd Brigade, said he hoped the soldiers and officers could use what they learned in the army and improve their performance during club events.
To meet this goal, the clubs adopt scenarios that hone soldiers’ close-quarters combat capabilities, squad-based combat abilities and covert operations, the military said.
The clubs also use the strictest rules of “one-hit down” in hopes of fostering team or solo combat capabilities, it added.
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