TEAM RONIN
by SteveH, Invictus, Scooby Doo and The Boy
PBUK Issue 49
Ronin, what is it about a name that can conjure up different images? Think of Ronin and you imagine Japanese knights with a strict honour code – first into a battle, last out and loyal to each other but no other.
Now move forward a few hundred years and coming towards you are a bunch of camouflage-clad party animals carrying paintball markers, so no relation to Ronin of old then. Funny thing is that they are much closer than you might think.
Today’s Ronin have a strict honour code and it is that you never wipe, you give it your all on and off the field and above all else you need to be able to laugh no matter what is happening in a game or off field.
The formation of the team is an intricate tale of drinking, meeting in tents and Big Games.
SteveH recalls: “In May 2006 unbeknown to the paintball world a team was being slowly formed, by a mixture of crap bands and alcohol and a chance meeting between myself, Matt (pariah) and JayB, and it all started one dark evening with bottles of beer listening to people fall over the guide ropes to people’s tents.”
As you can probably see, a sense of humour and an ability to drink alcohol are prerequisites for a Team Ronin member. Now on a separate note just how many teams have started over a beer?
SteveH says: “After the game we got chatting and came up with the idea to take the Warped Mercs on tour, to some other games. The two of us went to the BZ game later on that year, froze and got drunk again.
“The following year we started again and took about 12 Mercs to Flashpoint - meeting new players for the first time is a good gauge to how they will fit in. When we arrived at the Travel-lodge at Gatwick we were greeted by a very tall man with an Ireland Rugby shirt on behind a mountain of Magners bottles. Invictus had arrived at the hotel slightly early and was enjoying himself.”
Just after Flashpoint the Warped Mercs had some differences of opinion as to the direction of the team, the team members all like different markers and playing gear. Corporate branding is a thing they did not and do not want to be restricted by, so with no regrets a large portion of the team went their own way. The team voted on a new name which embodied the nature of the team - a group of warriors without a master -and Team Ronin was born.
The team does have to say a big thank you to Warped Paintball and their Cosford site because if they had not all been members of the site and played as Mercs at the Big game in 06 they would not have got together in the way they did.
In May 2007 Team Ronin was born, not really in a flash but if you are imagining a formation of a team it probably went more with a health warning attached!
Over the next year the team grew from a group of 12 to 16, gaining new members whom they knew from playing at games and wanted to be part of a team. Contacting BZ they formed a support package with those most excellent guys, who they continue to pester at every game, and they started to spread the word thatTeam Ronin are here.
Since the team’s inception they have played in most UK Scenario games and also sent members to Portugal’s big game where, along with a member of PBA, they won the fair play award. There were also a couple of members at D-Day 2008 flying the Team Ronin and UK Scenario flag.
But as a group of players the biggest step was running their own game.
Founding member, SteveH says: “I had played at Paintball Park at Kidderminster and participated in the Staar Wars game in 2005. Since then no scenario or Big Game had been staged there so I contacted John to sow the seeds of Kelly’s Heroes.
“110 players for our first game was great. We marshalled the game ourselves, which helped the game but as we found watching from the sidelines more and more we wished we had played, the fire fights were epic.”
At most game you can find at least a few of Ronin but the Warped Big Game is where they all attend, with guests to put on the Ronin cinema, which of course is always accompanied by the traditional beer bong and spirit.
Ronin are recognised by their peers as hard opponents but always fair, they always head into battle and rarely retreat, they do not overshoot and as mentioned above they never wipe.
Invictus sums up the way the team all feel about Ronin: “The whole Ronin thing for me is not just about the paintball – it’s about the social side of things. I am sure there are many of us out there who are tied down to family commitments and thus don't get out to socialise as much as we like. The friends I have made within the team are different to those you have outside or at work. For a start you all have a common interest which is paintball. But it goes beyond that. It’s hard to explain really but we all bond on a different level akin to that experienced by servicemen. We eat, sleep and drink together and get on really well (most of the time).
“There is also the diversity of our backgrounds that keeps the campfire stories going. Although we have a common interest, we come from all different walks of life. The team consists of students, police officers, a nurse, various computer geeks, engineers, fitters and many others. This means we never get bored of each other’s stories and it also comes in handy when you need jobs doing. We are a diverse lot from all walks of life and with paintball experience starting from a year to 20+ years but the good thing is there are no prima donnas in the group, we are all still learning and everyone’s experience is important. We could have been called plain and simple Ronin, instead it was decided “Team Ronin” as it embodied what we all felt.”
Invictus also comments on campfire drinking: “As for the drinking, I was teetotal until I met this lot. The Ronin moonshine and the beer bong has been the downfall of many an opponent on and off the field. And while professionally I can not condone the excessive consumption of alcohol, it’s bloody funny. The most memorable victim being Mr L Wickham at Staargate 2007.”
Above all today’s Ronin are loyal to each other, they help each other whether it is kit or kit issues, if one person goes forward he knows the others are covering his back and flanks and he knows that the video cameras are always running waiting for you to make a fool of yourself.
All the members of Ronin agree: play paintball for fun, don’t get caught up too much in the political thing and just enjoy playing with good people whom you can class as friends.
Team Ronin are:
SteveH, Pariah, Yan, Jayb, Noodles, Messiah, Invictus, Scooby Doo, Shortie, Mighty Joe, Marquis, Dazler, The Boy, Belton, Asandir, Swift Half, Sir Solo, Ironman, Altair, Kaos, Gavy G, Mengali, D Rabe, Skeletor
