One-Way Mirror Camping

Lore & Background

Mira's Black Mirror gadget was developed by the GSG 9 to provide defenders with a tactical advantage through one-way vision. The reinforced glass allows defenders to observe and engage attackers while remaining hidden, as long as the mirror's integrity is maintained. This gadget has become a cornerstone of defensive strategies, enabling players to hold angles and deny entry with minimal risk. The tactic of 'One-Way Mirror Camping' involves placing the Black Mirror on a wall and using it to control sightlines, often paired with a teammate to cover the canister from destruction.

In Their Own Story

Today, three matches are played each year in Piazza Santa Croce in Florence in the third week of June. A team from each quartiere of the city is represented: Santa Croce / Azzurri (Blues), Santa Maria Novella / Rossi (Reds), Santo Spirito / Bianchi (Whites), and San Giovanni / Verdi (Greens). After playing each other in two opening semi-final games, the two winners go into the final, held annually on 24 June, the feast of Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence. For decades, this violent match has resulted in severe injuries, including death. During the early decades, in order to encourage wagering and achieve a bettable winner, there were times when bulls would be ushered into the ring in hopes of adding confusion and inciting victory. The most successful team since 1979 is Santa Croce / Azzurri (Blues) with over 20 tournament wins.

Reader's Guide

Matches last 50 minutes and are played on a field covered in sand, twice as long as it is wide (approximately 100 m × 50 m or 109 by 55 yards). A white line divides the field into two identical squares, and a goal net runs the width of each end. Each team has 27 players and no substitutions are allowed for injured or expelled players. The teams are made up of four datori indietro (goalkeepers), three datori innanzi (fullbacks), five sconciatori (halfbacks) and 15 innanzi or corridori (forwards). The captain and standard bearer's tent sits at the center of the goal net. The referee proper and the six linesmen officiate the match in collaboration with the judge commissioner, who remains off the field. Shots from a small cannon or culverin announce the beginning of the event and each caccia, or goal. The game starts when the pallaio (the ceremonial ball-carrier) throws the ball toward the center line. The fifteen forwards from each team begin fighting—punching, kicking, tripping, hacking, tackling, and wrestling with each other. The modern version allows tactics such as head-butting, punching, elbowing, and choking, but sucker punches and kicks to the head are currently banned. It is also prohibited for more than one player to attack an opponent. Any violation leads to being expelled from the game. The game ends after 50 minutes and the team which scored the most cacce wins. Along with the pallio, the winning team used to receive a Chianina, a type of pure-bred cow, but this has been reduced to a free dinner for the winning team; the players earn no other compensation.

Did You Know?

• Mira's Black Mirror can be destroyed by shooting the red canister at its base, which requires precise aim or explosives.
• The mirror is bulletproof but can be shattered by melee attacks or explosives if the canister is compromised.
• One-Way Mirror Camping is most effective on maps with narrow corridors, such as Oregon's basement or Clubhouse's garage.
• Attackers can counter this tactic by using Twitch's shock drones to zap the canister from a distance.
• Mira's gadget was introduced in Operation Velvet Shell, the first season of Year 2.