Like it was mentioned in another post (buried somewhere where it don't belong,lol)... last night we played without optiwands... this IMO is more realistic because only about 10 departments in the US have them, most are the big cities...

Well it was very fun, more intense, and alot quicker... BUT theres a catch, (isn't there always)... since you don't know whats in the next room, you have to work more as a fine oiled machine, and you have to follow proticol...

1. You should use bangs as much as possible, at least in the bigger rooms, if you've studied your layouts.

2. You have to stack and enter very very tight, because if team A enters and clears left (as per SOP), team B has to be in fast and furious to engage a subject that might be to the right, before that subject has time to kill team A.

3. If team A enters, there suppose to clear left, but if they see a subject to the right or strait, then they need to communicate "Subject Right", then they change there plans and go directly to the subject, Team B needs to know this because now they have to clear left!

4. It goes alot quicker w/o the wand... the element enters and clears a room, calls all clear, immediately the EL points at the next door, and orders a stack, you stack, enter and clear... theres very little planning or talking now... so you need to know what your responsibility is.

There... it is alot of fun, but to succeeded, you need to know the procedures for stacking and entering rooms... it's not as strict or difficult as you think. 3 stacks, and 4 entries.

and this goes to show, the EL gets to run it as they wish... so it's not all set in stone and hard to figure out... but it ain't no military shooter folks.