A skirmish for twenty people runs on goodwill and a whistle. At a hundred players that stops working. People arrive at different times, squads lose each other, and a rule nobody explained turns into an argument at the respawn point. This checklist covers what to settle before the day and what to run on the day. It is written for one-day games with two or more sides, and it applies whether or not you use an app.
Weeks before the game
The site. Walk the whole area with the landowner or field operator. Agree the playable boundary, the out-of-bounds zones and where cars park. Ask what the local rules are on permits, insurance and noise, because they differ between countries and regions. Note where mobile signal is good and where it drops; you will need this for the meeting point.
Sides and squads. Decide how many sides you run and how players are split. Clubs and teams usually want to play together, so ask for team names at sign-up and keep teams on one side. Inside each side, plan squads with a target size your squad leaders can manage by voice and radio. Pick a commander for each side early and give them the map before the day.
Player cap. Set a cap and close sign-ups when you reach it. Leave room for late arrivals and staff who are not playing.
Radios. Write a channel plan: one channel per side for command, and one per squad if you have the radios. Players bring their own radios at most events, so publish the plan with the sign-up confirmation. Check which frequencies are licence-free in your country before you publish it.
The map. Draw the boundary, the respawn points, the objectives and the safe zone on one map. Print it in colour and share it as an image. Every player should see the same version.
The safe zone and safety
- One safe zone, clearly marked, away from the playable area. No magazines in guns and eye protection off only there.
- Chronograph every gun before play, against the limits you published. Mark guns that passed.
- Eye protection rules written down and repeated in the briefing.
- A first aid kit and a named first aider at the safe zone, and someone who knows the address and the route for an ambulance.
- One stop-the-game call that everyone knows. Many fields use “blind man” for an injury or lost eye protection. Say it in the briefing and practise it once.
The meeting point
Put the meeting point where there is mobile signal. Check-in, gun checks and side assignment all happen there, and any app that needs to download the event will do it there.
Run check-in as a line, not a crowd: name, waiver if you use one, chrono sticker, side. Have printed side lists or side QR codes on a board so players can see where they belong without asking staff.
The briefing
Keep it short and in this order:
- Safety: eye protection, the safe zone, the stop call, the boundary.
- Hit rules and respawn, with one example of each.
- Sides, commanders and the radio plan.
- The scenario and objectives.
- Timings: start, breaks, end, and what signals them.
Repeat the hit and respawn rules at the start of each side’s own briefing. Most disputes start with a rule half the field did not hear.
During the game
- Put one staff member at each respawn point and at least one moving through the field.
- Keep time centrally and announce phase changes on every side’s command channel.
- Check on squads that have gone quiet. A squad that lost its way is the most common reason for a stalled game.
- Write down every incident with the time, so you can sort it out after the game.
After the game
Collect lost property at the safe zone, count players out, and ask for feedback the same day while people remember. Note what to change for next time while it is fresh.
How TacLink fits
TacLink covers the map and the chain of command part of this list. You create the event on the web at app.tac-link.com: the area polygon, the sides, the squads with a target size, the commanders, the player cap, the map image and pins for respawn points and objectives. Publishing gives one QR code per side to print for the meeting point.
Players sign in to the app and scan their side’s code at check-in, where there is signal. The server places them on that side and in a squad, keeping teammates together when the squad has room. During the game positions keep sharing with phones locked in pockets, and phones on the same side keep each other updated over Bluetooth where there is no signal. Staff can start, pause and end the event, and move players between sides and squads from the app.
An event for up to 15 players is free. A cap of 100 players falls in the 41 to 100 band, which costs 39 EUR for the event, no VAT. Players never pay. See pricing for the other bands.