Oklahoma D-Day
Encyclopedia
Oklahoma D-Day is the world's largest scenario game of paintball
that recreates events of World War II, held at Oklahoma's D-Day Adventure Park in Wyandotte, Oklahoma
every June. The game was created by Dewayne Convirs, and was first held in 1997 - with attendance of 135 players. The following year was more popular, with 335 players participating.
, Utah beach
, Sword Beach
, Colleville
, Sainte-Mère-Église
, Caen
, Pegasus Bridge
, and Vierville
. The game caters to an average of 4000 players a year, often run on the anniversary of the events being recreated.
The game is played on a 740 acres (3 km²) area at the D-Day adventure park, with a range of differing terrains to suit different scenarios (including open fields, ravines and creek beds). Trench works, villages, firebases, headquarters, bunkers and gun emplacements provide strategic options for players. Play itself deviates from standard tournament paintball rules - in that when hit by paint, players move to a reinsertion zone and are back in the game within thirty minutes. Emphasis is on completing objectives rather than solely eliminating enemy players, and the game makes extensive usage of World War II era equipment and vehicles (including tanks and bazookas, among the standard paintball marker
s).
In game, players belong to either the Germans or the Allies. Allied forces include the French resistance
, Americans, British, and Canadians. Each side has its own Battle Staff in corresponding "tactical operations centers
" and divisions assigned to three different beachhead or other objectives. The Allies invade from off playing field locations, including actual wet insertions from landing craft.
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
— SHAEF —
German Army Command West
(OB West)
2010 - Axis Forces
2009 - Axis Forces
2008 - Axis Forces
2007 - Allied Forces
2006 - Axis Forces
Paintball
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
that recreates events of World War II, held at Oklahoma's D-Day Adventure Park in Wyandotte, Oklahoma
Wyandotte, Oklahoma
Wyandotte is a town in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 363 at the 2000 census.The town is the tribal headquarters of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma.-Geography:Wyandotte is located at ....
every June. The game was created by Dewayne Convirs, and was first held in 1997 - with attendance of 135 players. The following year was more popular, with 335 players participating.
General
The game seeks to faithfully recreate battles from the real Normandy invasion, including Omaha beachOmaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
, Utah beach
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
, Sword Beach
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
, Colleville
Colleville-sur-Mer
Colleville-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The beach next to the coastal village was one of the principal beachheads during the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, designated Omaha beach....
, Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-History:Founded in the eleventh Century, the earliest records include the name Sancte Marie Ecclesia, Latin for "Church of St. Mary", while a later document written in Norman-French mentions Saincte...
, Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
, Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge , built in 1934, that crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham, in Normandy, France....
, and Vierville
Vierville
Vierville may refer to the following communes in France:* Vierville, Eure-et-Loir* Vierville, Manche* Vierville-sur-Mer...
. The game caters to an average of 4000 players a year, often run on the anniversary of the events being recreated.
The game is played on a 740 acres (3 km²) area at the D-Day adventure park, with a range of differing terrains to suit different scenarios (including open fields, ravines and creek beds). Trench works, villages, firebases, headquarters, bunkers and gun emplacements provide strategic options for players. Play itself deviates from standard tournament paintball rules - in that when hit by paint, players move to a reinsertion zone and are back in the game within thirty minutes. Emphasis is on completing objectives rather than solely eliminating enemy players, and the game makes extensive usage of World War II era equipment and vehicles (including tanks and bazookas, among the standard paintball marker
Paintball marker
A paintball marker, also known as a paintball gun, is the main piece of equipment in the sport of paintball. Markers use an expanding gas, such as carbon dioxide or compressed air, to propel paintballs through the barrel. Some paintball players refer to the piece of equipment as a "marker" rather...
s).
In game, players belong to either the Germans or the Allies. Allied forces include the French resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
, Americans, British, and Canadians. Each side has its own Battle Staff in corresponding "tactical operations centers
Tactical Operations Center
A tactical operations center is a command post for police, paramilitary, or military operations. A TOC usually includes a small group of specially trained officers or military personnel who guide members of an active tactical element during a mission....
" and divisions assigned to three different beachhead or other objectives. The Allies invade from off playing field locations, including actual wet insertions from landing craft.
Field operations
The site at the D-Day adventure park includes 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of camping area, showers, restrooms and food vendors for players. The mimimum age of players is ten years, and all players who participate in the game are charged a playing fee (which may also allow the player to enter for prize draws), and must sign waivers. The field operators recommend purchasing at least two cases of paint. Players are given the choice at a recruitment depot of which side they wish to play on, and which particular unit to play as; dependent on places available.Historical accuracy
The game continues to evolve and the overall realism is improved every year. The most recent changes have been a massive terraforming project to create the beach landing of Utah beach. The game has mechanisms that are installed to facilitate the flow of the game, the mechanisms take away some of the realism but are generally approved. For example, players (even snipers) must have a brightly colored hopper cover designating their side. GPS and 2-way Radios are permitted despite their non-existence in the real invasion.Allied
These countries historically represented are the United States, Britain, Canada, and France. This unit represents the oppressed French under German occupation, who banded together to help the allies any way they could.German
The German side is represented in the spirit of the German soldier who fought for the love of his country like the allies.Units
Players are sorted into various units on either side. Each unit has its own objectives to accomplish throughout the day.Allied
— SHAEF —
- S.H.A.E.F. Forum>
Infantry Airborne Armor 1st Infantry Division(US) 101st Airborne Division(US) 2nd Armored Division (US) 3rd Infantry Division(British/Canadian) 6th Airborne Division(British/Canadian) 13/18th Royal Hussars Regiment (British/Canadian) 4th Infantry Division(US) 82nd Airborne Division(US) 899th Tanks Destroyers Battalion (US) 238th Engineer Combat Battalion (US) 1st Ranger Battalion (US) 2nd Ranger Battalion (US) 5th Ranger Battalion (US) Free French forces Royal Marine #41 Commando (British)
German
(OB West)
- Fourm/Website>
Infantry Special Armor 91st Luftlande Division 6th Fallschirmja(ä/ae)ger Regiment 21st Panzer Division 352nd Infantry(ie) Division Geisterja(ä/ae)gers Sniper Unit 352nd Panzerja(ä/ae)ger Battalion 709th Infantry(ie) Division Brandenburg Kommandos 716th Infantry(ie) Division 1058th MEK Marine-Einsatzkommando 726th Infantry(ie) Regiment 914th Infantry(ie) Regiment 916th Infantry(ie) Regiment
Winning side by year
2011 - Allied Forces2010 - Axis Forces
2009 - Axis Forces
2008 - Axis Forces
2007 - Allied Forces
2006 - Axis Forces