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Historical Perspective
Moses has led the Israelites out of Egypt. Escaping Pharoh had been a daunting task, but they had made it. In the two years since the exodus from Egypt, the
Israelite people had crossed the Red Sea, seen the destruction of Pharaoh's army, drunk water out of the rock, been sustained with manna for food, and received the Ten Commandments
at Mount Sinai. For those two years they had grumbled and rebelled and complained until they finally came to the southern boundary of the Promised Land.
From Kadesh-barnea at the very south of Canaan, Moses had selected twelve men, one from each of the Twelve Tribes, to spy out the land, getting the lay of the land,
probing for weaknesses, and developing strategy for conquest. When they returned, they came carrying a huge cluster of grapes on a pole between two of them as a sign of the fruitfulness
of the land. "We went into the land ... and it does flow with milk and honey!" they reported.
However, ten of the twelve scouts were afraid. They began spreading reports and rumors of Canaanites as big as giants, displaying feats of massive strength, and who lived
in greatly fortified cities. These ten scouts lacked faith, and their discouragement was spreading like wildfire. Although Joshua and Caleb had reported a plan for God's conquest of the Land,
the people of Israel would not be swayed from the majority opinion. The night after the scouts returned, the people rose up against Moses and Aaron, deciding to go back into Egypt.
At that point God intervened. Though he forgave the people their sins of unbelief and contempt against Him, he swore that none of that generation, except Caleb and Joshua, would
ever enter the land. "Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert," He told them.
And so the Israelites wandered the desert for forty more years. Finally, after most of the unfaithful generation had passed, they came back to the Promised Land.
Moses had brought the people to the very edge of the Jordan River. It would be Joshua's task to bring them across, and lead them to conquer and occupy the very land he had spied out forty years
before as a young man. The first conquest lying before them is the great city of Jericho. This is where our battle takes place...
Modern Warfare Aspect
Even though the history of this scenario would put us somewhere around 1500 to 1400 B.C., our Battle of Jericho is a modern warfare battle. Participation
in the scenario begins with a war room briefing for each of the teams. Following is a general synopsis of the "events":
The Israelites have launched a covert mission to gain knowledge of the city and its defenses. Two spies have been sent in to gather intelligence and report back the findings
of an inside informant, codename Rahab. Rahab has in fact provided a great deal of intelligence to the spies. Available to the Israelites now are schedules of
the guard changes, specs of the city's walls, the equipment capability of the Canaanites and their armory and ammunition reserves, and the amount of food and water rations they had remaining. With this information,
Joshua, the Israelite Commander since the death of Moses, could plan an assault upon the city which would give his army a chance at success.
It was clear to Joshua that his army would not be able to take the city without some help against the city's fortifications. The Canaanites were at a distinct advantage, having the high
ground opposite the Jordan River. There would be no way to break through the walls without some help - the Israelites needed to gain air superiority. A bombing run would need to be made prior to the
ground assault in order to penetrate the thick walls. Wholescale destruction could not be done via the air alone, however, because the informant Rahab was still inside the city. Rahab would be marking her
position via an infared beacon, which would signal to the bombers an area to not destroy in the first pass.
The Canaanites will not be rolling over easily, though. Even at the prospect of losing Jericho's fortifications, they will fight as fearsomly as any other opponent that the Israelites have
come up against. Though the Canaanites are fearful of the Israelites, as stories of the Israelite defeat over Pharoh and the Egyptions have circulated for nearly four decades, this battle is primarily
a turf war. The Canaanites view this land as their turf, and they won't be giving it up easily.
Objectives
The Canaanite "Flies" begin on the west end of the field at the "Jericho fort," while the Israelite "Lions" begin on the east side, in an encampment by the "Jordan River." This
game is a turf-war style game, with each army being given a fort to defend at the start of the game. These forts are very near the main two deadboxes, which will serve as the resupply points for each team.
Each team has a "Commander", whose main objective is to stay at the team base and run strategy for the army. There will be specific missions to complete, the details of which will be
given to each Commander at various times during the game. If the Commander can gather a small squad to complete the missions, bonus points will be earned for the team. Each Commander may operate
multiple squads to concentrate his or her army forces upon various parts of the field.
Inbetween the two forts lie two other main points of interest. At each of these points there will be a fixed timer. The team that controls the objective will cause their team's timer to begin running,
which will accrue points for the team. The other team may retake the objective only by repeling the enemy force and switching the timer. These points of interest may be taken in any order, and it is up to the
players to make sure that the timer is running for their team.
In addition to the special mission objectives controlled by the Commanders, and the points of interest to be captured and controlled, each team must defend their base and their Commander from capture.
If an opposing force is able to overwhelm the main base and shoot out the Commander, bonus points will be awarded.
At the end of the day, the team with the most points will be declared the winner.
Special Rules
Deadboxes: This is a lengthy scenario with reentry allowed. There will be designated deadboxes for players to go to once they are
shot out. Some of these deadboxes are also designed for players to restock on paint and air if necessary, and also to get lunch during the scenario. Because of these factors and because the reentry times
will vary, a player may be required to stay within a deadbox for a period of time. Deadboxes are therefore "safe" zones, meaning that goggles may be removed, barrel blocking devices MUST be on and
all marker safties MUST be on. Failure to abide by these rules may result in a reentry penalty or the player may be asked to leave the event.
Staff: Throughout the battlefield there will be Event Staff acting in the form of referees and videographers. These staff will be
unarmed and wearing yellow shirts or masks. These staff are NOT to be shot. Accidentally shoot a ref or videographer and you're out. Purposefully shoot one and you may be asked to
leave the event. Other staff will be located in the deadboxes though these personnel may not be wearing yellow. As you will be in the deadbox when you meet these staff members, there better not be
any markers discharging.
Medics: Medics will be designated in this scenario. In order to be a medic you must wear a white arm band and carry a medic supply card.
A player shot in the head is instantly out and is not able to be saved by a medic. A player taking a hit on the gun/hopper, arm, hand, leg or foot is "wounded". This is where a medic
comes into play. If hit, the proper way to call for a medic is: once you are hit yell "medic!" and drop to the ground while continuing to call. Yelling "out" or "hit" will automatically terminate
your medic call and you must go to the deadbox. Once you call for a medic you have only one minute to be "healed" before you are considered out and must go to the deadbox. Once a medic reaches a player
he or she asks for the player's card number, writes it on their supply card, and wipes the hit off of the player. The hit player is now live. Medics may not heal medics. Hit players
yelling for a medic can not move; once you move after being hit you are out and must return to your insertion point. ** Please keep in mind that calling for a medic may result in you
taking fire until you are hit again. If you are hit a second time after calling for a medic but before being "healed", no matter where you are hit, you are out and must return to your
deadbox. If you are hit in a questionable spot please do your medic a much needed favor and just call yourself hit and go to the deadbox.** Medics seen by refs not completing the process
of filling out slots as they heal players will forfeit their medic role and supply card to event staff. It is the medics responsibility to secure a writing utensil to use on their supply cards.
Grenades: Paint grenades are allowed at this event. Paint grenades must be commercially made with a fill color other than orange or pink (white is
preferred) OR, if homemade, must be filled with a homemade "paint" recipe of cornstarch and water with no coloring (default white fill).
Tanks: There are no tanks in the scenario at this time, and therefore no anti-tank armament. This is subject to change.
Smoke Bombs: Smoke bombs may be used at various times BY EVENT STAFF ONLY. Once a smoke bomb hits the ground, it must stay there.
Players are not allowed to move or manipulate a smoke bomb by any means.
The Wrap Up
This scenario battle is able to be won by either side, though historically it is Joshua's army that prevails against the Canaanites. How do we handle this? By simply noting
that our scenario battle is but one of many that took place in the Israelite conquest of the Promised Land.
Ultimately the Israelite army prevailed over Jericho under God's issuance of "herem", which means complete destruction. The only Canaanites spared were Rahab and her family, pursuant
to the promise made by the Israelites spies.
Our battle, however, is only one skirmish in the war occuring at Jericho. Will the Canaanites be able to stave off the first wave of the Israelite assault, or will this be a battle wherein
the walls come tumbling down and the Israelites fulfill part of the prophesy? Sign up, and you can help decide.
