On January 17th, Ashton Court Woods in Bristol played host to Recon3 Black Operations, another invasion/evasion evening from the HQRecon team. While the evening was overcast but thankfully rain-free evening, the ground remained sodden and treacherous with little wind to cover noise, making infiltration and the need for silent movements all the more challenging.
First things first, if you are not already familiar with HQRecon then get familiar here and here.
It stands to notice that while the Recon events are held in the same area, with different course layouts, different guards and a higher number of operatives to contend with the challenge is completely fresh throughout each event. The three zones on this evening consisted of two heavily wooded areas (one being a further km over a hilly field, nice after an uphill km from HQ to the zone check-in point) and one advanced ‘open-plain’ zone.
The open zone allowed you to see the base from the entrance of the zone. Easy. Unfortunately you could also see the guards and how clearly they are able to see you – this is where tactics will need to come into play. Luckily through some careful stealth (hiding behind trees) and timing guard movements, I managed to successfully escape with the code and a possibly new ‘sprinting across an uneven field in the dark PB’. The overall 30% capture rate of the evening suggests that others may have not been so skilled (lucky).
Operative Tom Smith said of the challenge;
“I’ve been doing HQRecon for about 4 months give or take. I’ve been to 5-6 events day and evening. The night time ones are a lot more challenging with visibility decreased, also requiring a fair bit of running. I originally signed up mainly just to see what it was all about but I quickly got hooked with the leader board appealing to my competitive side. Some of the zones can be quite challenging… depending on how many events you have done before.”
It is this kind of innovation that keeps Operatives coming back for more, there are always new/different zones to face and a new challenge – can you complete the zones faster this time? Can you listen out for a special guard code and score more points? Can you complete all zones before returning to HQ to log your points? There are so many ways to score points that a bit of savvy and bravery can pay off in a big way.
Operative John Powell has taken part in 3 countryside/woodland Recons so far and summarises his experiences for us below;
“Daylight & darkness make the whole experiences completely unique & the difference between competing under either visibility condition makes things more challenging in their own way. What made me first sign up was a combination of friends saying they wanted to try a recon & my desire to experiment with something new.”
The events are more mentally challenging with an added adrenaline buzz.
“I can see Recon appealing to the computer screen bound & armchair video game addicts who want to add fresh air & activity into their routine, avid paintballers, hunting, fishing & outdoorsy types through to seasoned obstacle course racers & fitness fanatics who want an active change & added mental stimulation. It’s like sophisticated hide & seek blended with escape & evasion.”
“The Zone levels vary & this variety allows newcomers & seasoned operatives alike to test out their scope of skills and/or learn quickly. It took me one failed zone & a capture and one successful zone to get me ‘hooked’. I would encourage anyone to give it a try. After a night recon under the cover of Saturday darkness to exposed daylight of a Sunday morning…it’s nice to get up fresh for work on a Monday morning with the satisfied thought of “I did something different this weekend”
What’s Next?
Next up for HQRecon is an attack on our urban landscapes – the team will be creating zones in the city, with strategically placed guards in formation ready to pounce on the wannabe Bonds among us. With no cover from trees or bushes, the bussling nightlife with become your camouflage – how will you sneak through a town without arousing suspicion? Latch on to a hen party? Scope out the streets from a bus stop? Cut two eye-holes in a newspaper and spy on those around you, trying to separate the guards from the public?
The HQRecon events have it all – you can walk between zones if you feel like you’re not the fittest on need a rest yet still score big points, you can (and will) face some hills that will challenge the legs and lungs of any fitness level, you will jump, crawl, climb and run for the obstacle-minded among us and you will experience an adrenaline buzz like no other when you stumble a little too close to a guard for comfort! Now with the option to either get muddy in the woods or to take to the streets for a cleaner challenge and the pricing remaining at less than £25 per event, the only question left regarding this game of ‘sophisticated hide & seek’ should be ‘where do I sign up?’
Answer: Here