The thud of footprints approaches. A man is running, dodging left and right around barrels and low walls with fierce determination in his eyes. He screeches to a halt and drops effortlessly into a crouched position. With the click of machinery, the slide of a magazine, he loads his rifle with smooth precision. As he draws the gun to his eye, he can feel his heart beating heavily inside his chest – adrenaline is surging through his veins, and lactic acid is building in his muscles. This is the moment to be calm, to be still, despite the exertion that has come immediately before. He takes aim and four cracks ring out, echoing off the dusty bricked walls surrounding him. The targets are hit. No time to waste, he leaps to his feet and runs off, gravel crunching under his heavy boots, out of sight almost immediately. This isn’t a warzone, this is one of shooting sport’s hottest contests. This is a Brutality Match.
The What, Why, and How
Let’s start at the top because there’s no such thing as a silly question: what is a Brutality Match? In short, a Brutality Match is a shooting competition that tests the entrant’s marksmanship with two gun types as well as their physical strength, endurance, agility, and ability to stay cool under pressure. They have some similarities with International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) rifle and handgun disciplines, only with more of a focus on fitness and strength-based sports, and a heavy tactical aesthetic.
To say these events are not for the faint-hearted is probably an understatement. One minute you’re running and carrying heavy items from point to point, the next you’re crawling through a narrow tunnel, dodging in and out of wrecked cars, or maybe even climbing a tree or zip line. In between these bursts of physical exertion, you’re required to take down targets with either rifle or pistol. The stages feature a heavy tactical design, which aims to simulate real combat situations while pitting shooters against each other in a test of their skill and speed. Oh, and it’s all timed. Sound fun? You’re not alone in thinking that.
The source of Brutality Matches can be traced back to Two-Gun Action Challenge Matches that began in the United States in the 2000s. Organised and popularised by Karl Kasarda and InRange TV, these eventually evolved to create the first-ever Desert Brutality in 2018. Since then, this style of competition has exploded in popularity in the United States and other countries around the world too.
The hunger from shooters for events that combine physicality with marksmanship has contributed vastly to their growth. Another great example is The Tactical Games, which currently hosts events across the United States each year that culminate in a National Championship. In its own promotional video, The Tactical Games claims to not just be shooting and fitness sports, but a community to its participants, which include everyone from people just starting out to tier-one military unit and SWAT Team members.
A Point of Reference
With interest in tactical-style shooting and gear growing in popularity in Europe steadily for the last decade or two, it was only a matter of time before Brutality Matches made their way here. One place in particular where they have thrived is Slovenia thanks to the innovative team at YouTube brand Polenar Tactical. They created the event Lynx Brutality, which has grown significantly to become a major point of reference for European shooting sports in a relatively short space of time.
