‘Left out of this analysis is the psychological effect on the gunmen of suddenly realizing that they might be facing armed opposition. According to various accounts I have read, the realization by a gunman that he is being confronted often wrecks his discipline and instills panic. Many’s the case where upon being confronted, the gunman turns from attacking to fleeing.’
This is the best point yet. No reenactment could simulate the shock of people who expect to be shooting fish in a barrel, when the fish unexpectedly start firing back. I have read countless incidents in which the would-be shooters—or robbers, whatever—go into complete panic at encountering unanticipated armed resistance.
So now I agree with whoever it was that made the very first comment, that this was a pointless exercise. Not even telling the pseudo terrorists to expect unarmed targets would do the trick. They know only paintballs are coming at worst. The real gunmen would be facing sudden, unexpected death—and that changes things.
Exactly. I too initially thought the first commenter was off base. It never occurred to me that a gun group would release a re-creation that didn't show armed victims making a real difference. I now have to agree that what this gun group did was wrong headed and foolish.
They used their best guys as the "terrorists" and they used average people as the "victims." They did not set up a realistic test at all, and they have done more damage than good in the propaganda wars with the left.
Now they need to do the scenario a few more times and at least once tell the aggressors that the others are unarmed when they aren’t.
That would be very interesting.