Aftermath: Operation Iskra January 30, 2021, Wayne’s World of Paintball, Ocala, FL $35 Advance Registration / $40 onsite Introduction: Operation Iskra is the first game in (what we hope will be) a new MGP event series Aftermath. The setting is the immediate aftermath of a devastating world war which shattered national governments and saw the deaths of countless millions in nuclear fire, chemical toxins, hunger and disease. Some military units remain operational in the ruins, although they rarely have a chain of command or even a functional government to direct them. Ruthless gangs have moved quickly to fill the lawless power vacuums and rule local fiefdoms of terrified and desperate survivors. A few countries were relatively unscathed in the conflict or suffered minimal damage and are on the road to recovery. But collapsed power grids, satellite and communication network, and savage factional violence in the ravaged lands prevent easy aid or relief efforts. The Aftermath series is intended to be a grittier approach to post-apocalyptic airsoft gaming, using a near future milsim dynamic and theme. Operation Iskra is set in the ruins of Eastern Europe after the Twilight War. If the theme proves popular, the storyline of future Aftermath events may take place in the Easter European setting, the United States, or other locations spun into a post-nuclear war storyline. Cost for advance, online registration is $35. Onsite registration is $40. Take advantage of advance registration. It saves you money and makes the organizers’ job easier! Please pay attention to mask requirements, uniform guidelines, weapon and ammo rules! Players should be 16 years of age or older by January 30, 2021 unless cleared in advance. We hope you’ll enjoy the experience! Aftermath: Operation Iskra Player’s Pack v. 1.0 BACKSTORY: It can be said that the roots of the Twilight War began in 2014, after the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. A low-intensity conflict smoldered for years between Russia and the Ukraine. Although it was gradually ignored by most of the world, it was a vicious and deadly reality with Russian regulars and special purpose forces crossing into the Donbass region of Ukraine, masking their identities among pro-Russian separatists and battled Ukrainian government. After the success of a Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russia abandoned its irregular approach in late summer 2014 and launched a conventional invasion of eastern Ukraine. The conflict ground to a stalemate in 2017, becoming a series of broken cease-fires as the occupation and hostilities continued. Leading into the 2024 Russian elections, a popular reform movement posed a threat to Vladimir Putin’s hold on power. Stoking a surge of aggressive nationalism, Putin initiated a massive military operation in the contested Donbass region. The attack pushed deep into Ukrainian territory and was rapidly condemned by Western allies and the United Nations. Ukraine appealed for assistance, and a multinational UN force was deployed to provide logistics, air- defense, and limited combat support to the beleaguered Donbass Region, Eastern Ukraine, February 2024 Ukrainian military. The multinational force halted the Russian advance across the Ukraine, but Russia responded by opening a northern axis of attack through Belarus into Poland and eastern Germany. Russian drones attacked major cities in the European Union in a clear warning to pull out of the conflict. The international situation spiraled out of control as China took advantage of the US focus on Eastern Europe to launch an invasion of Taiwan. Alliances and treaties drew more and more nations into the conflict, which reached a critical mass on March 3, 2024, when Russian hit cities and troop concentrations in Ukraine and Poland with low-yield tactical nuclear weapons. Ukraine had long-since dismantled its nuclear arsenal, but responded with the aging, but considerable biochemical arsenal it had inherited from the Soviet Union. Pandora’s Box was opened. Rather than exploding into the massive, world-ending nuclear exchange so popularly depicted by popular fiction, the great powers bogged down into a brutal, deadly brawl; pounding and jabbing at each other; staggering like punch-drunk boxers across international borders; drawing more and more nations into the conflict. Low- to mid-yield strategic and retaliatory strikes sporadically flared with nuclear fire across the globe. Armored, mechanized, and infantry troops maneuvered across artillery scarred, toxic fields, trying to never remain in one location too long. Military and civilian logistics faltered. Power grids flickered and collapsed. By mid-June 2024, the military operations slowed and finally halted as calls for orders were answered only by static. The Twilight War ended, not with a bang, but a whimper. Aftermath: Operation Iskra Player’s Pack v. 1.0 Mask and Social Distancing Rules: • Masks and attention to social distancing remain a requirement for this event. • All players must wear cloth masks, paper medical masks or respirators when in the staging and registration areas. • Temperatures will be taken during registration process. Players with a body temp higher than 100 degrees will be asked to leave the event (with refund given). • Cloth masks should be two layers or more (e.g., a doubled gaiter would be acceptable). • Mesh or paintball masks are not acceptable by themselves; a cloth or paper mask must be worn underneath. • Registration will be held under a pop-up shelter. Please maintain 6-10 feet distance between other players/groups. • After picking up lunch (wear masks in line), spread out in staging area and parking lot to eat. • Players may remove masks when eating or hanging out in parking lot (if nearby players don’t object) • Players may remove masks when on the field when by themselves or among teammates who don’t object. • Players must mask up when entering settlements and when approaching other players. • When in doubt, if someone approaches you wearing a mask or respirator, put on your mask or respirator. • Players who repeatedly violate these rules or refuse to comply will be asked to leave the event. Factions and Uniforms While Aftermath is a post-apocalyptic setting, it is set shortly after the end of the war and is intended to have much more of a military simulation flavor than MGP’s Wasteland series of games. While there are some non-military factions in the game, most players will represent surviving members of different military units and should dress and equip themselves accordingly. Players in “military” factions are asked to wear full uniforms (matching top and bottoms) rather than a t-shirt or mixing in civilian clothing. To help add to the setting and as an additional aid to identify units, players are encouraged to pick up an appropriate national flag or military patch appropriate to their team. This is not a hard requirement and the game staff will explore additional identification options for military players who do not bring a national patch, but these will not be as tacticool as a legitimate national flag or military patch. By contrast, players in the non-military factions are asked to NOT wear uniforms. The summary for these factions contains details for their requested game attire. Aftermath: Operation Iskra Player’s Pack v. 1.0 Russian Military The brave troops of Mother Russia. Composed primarily of survivors from the 331st Guards Airborne Regiment and the 6th Motor Rifle Brigade operating north-east of Dubrovka, this band of Russian army troops has been operating for months with little communication from Moscow. While there have been considerable desertions, these soldiers have remained loyal to their local commanders. They begin the game operating out of the Kolyban Regional Army HQ, enjoying the considerable supply or weapons and ammunition secured in the armory. While the war seems to be over, as far as anyone can tell, they maintain security patrols against vengeful Ukrainian troops and ruthless bandits and conduct raids and search parties seeking critical supplies. Wearing – Green-based camo patterns (Woodland, Woodland MARPAT, FleckTarn, Olive Drab, Green-based Russian patterns, etc.) Any color load-bearing equipment. Consider picking up a Russian national flag or Russian military patch for your uniform! Ukrainian Military Survivors from the army of the Ukraine, these troops include remnants from the 74th Recon Battalion, 53rd Mech Brigade and the 532nd Maintenance Regiment. They have gathered at the Karlova Research facility, where the 532nd had established a logistics and maintenance hub. There is a considerable reserve of arms and ammunition cached at the facility, however increasing shortages of food and medical supplies force them to send out patrols to wrest supplies from gangs of bandits. They have had no communications from Kiev for months and are focused solely on staying alive and protecting their brothers in arms. Surviving Russian army units are known to be in the sector, and no opportunity is wasted for payback. Wearing – Tan-based camo patterns (Multicam, Desert MARPAT, ATACS AU, Tan/Coyote, etc.) Any color load- bearing equipment. Consider picking up a Ukrainian national flag for your uniform! The Gopnik Droogs One of the largest group of bandits operating in the region, the Gopnik Droogs seem to have arisen from various urban street gangs who seized control of weapons and critical supplies in the ruins of Zales’ye. At the start of the game, they are operating out of the Zales’ye regional hospital, controlling a treasure trove of critical medical supplies, drugs, and antibiotics. They selectively dole these lifesaving supplies out to those they favor, ruling local survivors with a combination of carrot and stick. Although this medical stockpile is great benefit in sustaining their members in these deadly times, they lack the ammunition reserves the Ukrainian and Russian military control at the start of the game.