A noobs guide to combat training

by Cinder coal

Another failed run

Scott and paddy sat hunkered down behind a stack of metal packaging crates as the ping of bullets echoed around them.

“Well it could be worse” commented Scott over the sound of bullets defecting off their cover.
“Yeah” Paddy agreed “we could be that guy”

Paddy pointed about 10 meters behind them where some noob ran straight at the enemy assault rifle blazing; only to have his head vaporized by a blast from the plasma turret the other team had deployed ,mere seconds before, to guard their flag zone.

“Five minutes until sudden death” Boomed the announcer in a deafening monotone .

‘Shit’ Scott thought ‘we need to cap that flag or we’re in elimination’.
Paddy was obviously thinking the same thing as he yelled something about cover fire before propping his sniper up and getting three consecutive head shot kills on the enemy soldiers around the flag.
Scott took the queue and sprinted for the flag, quick scoping the final two enemy soldiers with his .50 Cal assault rifle before rolling down to grab the flag.

“Yes we have it,” he yelled before being vaporized by a fiery blast of plasma.

Scott materialised back in the chat forum, were almost his whole team his team sat moaning about their unlucky, not to mention untimely, deaths.

“Man these teams ain’t fair” some Australian in his 20’s moaned.
“I had that guy so good, he didn’t even realise I was there, then BLAM plasma to the face.”
“Yeah” an American agreed “these bots are far too high level for us.”

“Get your shit together marines, you’re meant to be playing a TEAM GAME. so far your TEAM has failed every exercise; even though each of you has higher than average combat grades”. “We wouldn't give you a simulation we knew you couldn't handle, so get out there for the next round and get your shit together this time”.

With that omega squad’s commanding officer cut the communication and went back to watching all of the reruns of the trainee’s failures.

Paddy was now the last of omega squad in the simulation and had wisely left his last position near the flag after Scott got his ass fried.
At the present he was sitting atop a tower overlooking the whole map. Back towards to enemy flag was an area meant to simulate an industrial centre’s streets, packed full of crates that would never be shipped.

Back towards their base was a forest of carnivorous trees, that had claimed more than a few lives at the start of the game.
Paddy finished surveying the area and had just enough time to turn around, as a figure materialised in front of him and plunged a knife into his stomach.

Meanwhile at the edge of the Everfree forest, Shining Armour and a multitude of royal guards gathered around the small glowing portal that Princess Luna had said would take them to a training area were they could be killed but not die.

It seemed like the perfect answer to the accidental stabbings that happened regularly during the guards sparing sessions in Canterlot (some grudges never died it seemed).
Luna had also said it would be perfect for team building as there were already enemies to fight inside the portal.

The ponies stood silent for a few minutes before Shining Armour gave the word and they descended into the unknown training ground.