All set for Operation Southern Cross-3

Everything is already in place for the staging of the 3rd Operation Southern Cross dubbed as “Cebu City Mayor’s Cup Airsoft Military Simulation Challenge this weekend at the South Reclamation Property.

Event organizer Frank Horfilla said a total of 12 teams have already confirmed their entry in the two-day shootfest presented by Tactical Action Games, Incorporated.

Bacolod City, the champion in the last staging of the Operation Southern Cross in 2005, will be fielding in three teams, while one will be coming in from Dumaguete.

There will also be contingents from the Cebu City Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Navy personnel from the Naval Force Central Command (NAVFORCEN).

Horfilla said the 3rd Operation Southern Cross is a challenge not a competition because the participating teams will not contend against each other.

“The Operation Southern Cross is a challenge not a competition because the participating teams will not go up against each other. They will go up against the opposing members of Team EMC who are highly-trained in airsoft warfare ,” said Horfilla in a press conference the other day at Jollibee fastfood in Panagdait, Mabolo (fronting the PASEO).

The 3rd Operation Southern Cross is composed of five military simulation scenarios that the participating teams will be undertaking.

Unlike the average concept of ‘wargaming’ as airsoft games are commonly called, military simulation exercises allows the team to pursue a mission in as close a situation as the real scenario would be. This includes the area of operation as well as the eventualities of such an operation.

The interesting thing in this year’s holding of the event is that all the participating teams will be quartered in a mock-up firebase to be held at the Sugbu grounds.

The Saturday evolution starts will a full military obstacle course patterned after that of the Philippine Military Academy’s TAPS Challenge at 9 am. All scenarios of the event will only be revealed to the participants right before they are deployed.

Although no cash prizes are at stake, Horfilla said the challenge is still of huge significance for the participants who will battle for “bragging rights.”