As I prepare a few things for Tactical Tag's 3-year anniversary, I thought I'd tackle a common question I've had through the years: why I do what I do here. Views have changed, shifted, and realigned things over this blog's short history... and there are PLENTY of writings that explain where I'm at with these hobbies, but I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on what got this blog where it is and where it's going.
I started off being an Laser Tag enthusiast and was active in organizing local outdoor games. It wasn't until I got into "recasings", where the guts of a laser tag blaster are transplanted into a different toy gun shell, that I discovered Nerf. Things started off by making trips to thrift stores, picking up second-hand blasters, and converting them into Laser Tag blasters. In looking for more information on how the internals were laid out, my internet searches came across a vast community swirling around the Nerf topic, so I thought I'd look into it more. Once I picked up some darts on sale, I started messing around with the dart blasters. Laser Tag was still my focus as I enjoyed working on electronics, but Nerf was a completely different element with springs, sealed plunger tubes, and the process of hurling foam darts further by enhancing those bits. As a result, the tinkerer in me became interested in both.
There's not much of a Laser Tag or Nerf scene here in the Heartland of America, but the games I've been able to organize with both have always been fun and successful. I mainly organized outdoor laser tag games, but slowly started to have Nerf games pop up every now and then. As a result, my focus on modifications still centered around Laser Tag with a helping of Nerf on the side. However, I always found that Nerf players didn't really know much about Laser Tag and, when they'd attend one of my outdoor games, they ended up getting hooked on it. The whole goal of organizing my big outdoor laser tag games was not only to have fun, but to also promote the little-known game that I started off loving. Thus, the whole basis of "Tactical Tag" started off. By showcasing Laser Tag, Nerf, and the crossovers I've had with them, I wanted to dip into the obviously larger following of Nerf and shed some light on Laser Tag in the process. It also doubled as a unique way to pitch the blog in the never-ending sea of Nerf blogs that come and go with the tide.
You'll notice there's no other authors on here, just me. You'll also notice that the URL for the blog is "Bazookafied", not "Tactical Tag". It's just that: what I do and what I find interesting when it comes to Nerf and Laser Tag. It's been the idea this whole time... and what it'll continue to be. The "Durango", pictured to the left, is pretty much Tactical Tag wrapped up in a Red Strike series Longshot: Nerf, Laser Tag, modifications, all tucked inside a nice pretty shell. I've always cared about presenting things in a professional manner, always done whatever the heck I wanna do, and then shared it here. While I'm not sure how many folks I've converted over to Laser Tag through luring them in with Nerf-ness, it's a side-effect of what I do here. It's a rewarding side-effect that does seem to keep fueling the fire with these hobbies: the community that seems to have gotten behind it!
I do Nerf indoors. I do Laser Tag outdoors. Sometimes I blur the lines a little. That's what started Tactical Tag, and that's what'll keep me going in the future, too!
