Team Time

I met up with my Armageddon teammates while we were all in Ohio the night before a different tournament (a draft where we were not likely to be on the same team), so we took the opportunity to enjoy some tag together at a couple of locations. We met up at Putt N Stuff in Orrville, which is believed to be the last location in the country (maybe the world?) still operating with LaserTrek, which makes it very interesting to all of us.

Wil, Dave, Chris and Kassidy were all waiting for me when I arrived. The whole team was looking forward to experiencing something different. This was a rare opportunity for me and for everyone else it was also a first opportunity to play using this vintage system.

We vested up under the black lights, which really make the neon colors pop!

Owner Dana gave us a system briefing, going over how you have to tag two bases in a row in order to then proceed to tagging the mega-base in the center. Bases are the key to this game.

I enjoy the “intruder alert” which harkens back to Photon. We all had different play styles. Cookie and I were all about getting those base tags. Dave went up the ramps to take sniper shots from the upper level looking down on the entire arena.

Wil tended to engage more on the offense while Kassidy adopted a spot with some cover to tag as players passed by. I think those game styles are indicative of how we play on other systems too.

The arena got some nice compliments from the whole group and at the end we exited to the counter out front where Dana announced our placements. He built to some suspense at the end, as he could obviously tell Cookie and I are both super competitive. And the winner is…Cookie! However, I’ll still take some pride in taking second.

From here we moved on to our next location, the North Canton Skate and Entertainment Center for a game of Lazer Runner. We walked through the facility past the skaters to the laser tag arena on the opposite side of the facility. I was pleasantly surprised that we were going to get to use newer Runner packs in a really nice arena!

This was a really nice two-story arena that was much larger than I would have guessed. This is actually one of the best Lazer Runner arenas I have ever experienced with familiar system-specific walls making up the maze on the bottom floor and a bright neon “internal tech” theme on the perimeter and upper-level walls.

The view from the ramp gives some perspective of the balcony-style overlook design.

And there is something I really love about a fully grated floor that lets you tag between levels.

These floors are a little “Quest-like” and we were all hoping to play a little LQ as we were close to the only site in the country still actively using the gear. But first, a dinner break.

While we were at dinner we called (twice) to inquire about getting into games at the other center, but unfortunately were told it was a very busy night and they were sold out for the remainder or the evening. Heavy sigh.

Oh, well. With no other laser tag arenas close enough for us to visit at that hour we shifted gears and decided to do something else. These are the faces of people who didn’t get to play more laser tag and had to settle for bowling instead.

Well, we decided to enjoy the experience and we bowled a game in honor of Katt.

I think it’s safe to say none of us will be turning pro any time soon.

However, this was a nice way to spend some team time together before the next day’s laser tag tournament and by the time we left our mood had shifted.

It was really nice to get to hang out with my teammates and enjoy a nice evening exploring the laser tag and other entertainment in this part of Northeastern Ohio.