Unit documentation
Two binding documents. The ROE tells you when and how you may use force. The SOP tells you how duty is performed. Read both before the event, not on site.
ROE
Rules of Engagement — rules for combat action. Right to self-defence, PID, graduated force, border regime, Shoot to Kill, detention and the chain of command.
Open ROE → Document 02SOP
Standard Operating Procedure — the operations manual. Uniform discipline, duty and rotation, patrol, the complete procedure for searching people and vehicles, customs duty, passes, game items and documents.
Open SOP →Official event rules
Documents of the organizer (AIRSOFTWARS z.s.). The ROE and SOP on this website are based on them — where anything differs, these documents and the decisions of the ORG apply.
Key facts for duty
Only the numbers you will really use at the gate and on the border. Everything else is in the PDF files.
| Item | Value 2026 |
|---|---|
| Game time | 5 Aug 2026 16:00 → 8 Aug 2026 16:00 |
| Border crossing | Bridge of the Americas — the only legal crossing in the game. It is operated by USBP together with the other armed forces. The gate of the crossing cannot be destroyed or forced open. |
| Opening hours of the crossing | Posted at the gate, USBP is present 24/7. Crossing when the border crossing is closed = death by shooting without warning. |
| Border marking | Three forms: white-and-red tape (yellow line on the map, cannot be crossed), yellow-and-black tape (red line on the map, crossing is illegal in the game) and mobile fences + non-woven fabric, where the crossing stands. Damaging or moving the border marking = possible immediate exclusion from the event. |
| Where we may operate | The USA (El Paso) and the occupied zone including Ciudad Juárez. We have no mandate in Free Mexico. |
| USBP refresh | 1 hour — this is the minimum and cannot be shortened further (coroner, funeral and building upgrades do not apply to us) |
| Customs duty | Default 10 % of the price list value, may be up to 50 %. It is set by the Governor Administrator, USBP only collects it during checks. The current rate is posted at the crossing. |
| Price list values for calculating customs duty | Alcohol / tequila 100 Peso / piece, oil 130 Peso / barrel. The customs duty is calculated from the price list value, not from the price paid. |
| Time Pass to the USA | 45 minutes up to 6 hours, the recommended standard is 2–3 hours. The range and who receives one is decided only by the USBP commander. |
| Search compensation for a vehicle | 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 Peso for level 1 / 2 / 3 / 4. It is paid by the person who searches, only if nothing was found. |
| Detention of a person | Max. 2 hours, it must not be repeated on purpose. USBP does not run interrogations — we hand detainees over to ICE or CIA. |
| Referendum | Ciudad Juárez, 8 Aug 2026 13:00–15:00, results at 16:00. Because of it, all ID cards and US IDs cannot be confiscated or destroyed. |
What changed from 2025
The most important section for returning players. If you remember it from last year, rewrite it in your head.
Four things that will most quickly get you into an argument at the gate: command, the mandate in Mexico, who sets the customs duty and prices / compensation. All four have changed.
| Topic | 2025 (not valid) | 2026 (valid) |
|---|---|---|
| USBP superior | "The only superior is POTUS." | Binding chain of command. In the USA: US Army → USBP → FBI → ICE → EPSO → CIA. In the occupied zone: Governor Administrator → US Army → CIA → USBP / ICE → FBI. |
| Entry into Mexico | "USBP may not enter Mexico." | USBP and US Army may operate in the occupied part of Mexico. The Governor Administrator may change the mandate. |
| Who sets the customs duty | The USBP command decided. | The Governor Administrator sets it (a change is approved by the ORG), USBP only collects it. |
| Opening hours | Fixed 07:00–02:00. | Fixed hours are cancelled — they are posted at the gate, USBP is there 24/7. |
| Allies | Delta Force, DEA, NCIS. | Delta Force, DEA and NCIS are not in the 2026 game. PARTNERS: US ARMY, GOVERNOR ADMINISTRATOR, CIA, FBI, EPSO, ICE. |
| Who to hand over detainees / contraband to | CIA / FBI / DEA. | ICE (illegal activity in the occupied zone), EPSO (offences committed in the USA), CIA (commanders of Mexican factions, intelligence), FBI (federal investigations). |
| Commodity prices | Avocado 5, tequila 10, oil 13 Peso. | Avocado is not in the 2026 game. Alcohol 100 Peso / piece, oil 130 Peso / barrel. |
| Search compensation | 2 / 4 / 8 / 16 Peso. | 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 Peso for levels 1–4. |
| Search of a level 4 vehicle | "Minimum 5 USBP, other forces may not do it." | It may be done by the US armed forces and members of the Governor's team (at least 5 people searching). USBP does not have exclusivity. |
| Search time limit | Generally 20 minutes. | The general limit is gone. The only limit: max. 15 minutes for vehicles of level 3 and higher, after that the driver must be allowed to leave. |
| Refusal of a search | "Red stop." | The official wording is "I refuse the search / RED STOP" — the searched person must then show all game items. The rest of the procedure is unchanged. |
| What you never confiscate | Only money. | Cash (also from illegal activity), Mexican ID card, US ID (because of the referendum), the POI collector's booklet and pistols (these can only be destroyed with white tape). |
| White-and-red tape | "A wall, you cannot cross it or shoot through it." | A yellow line on the map. Crossing = a serious breach of the rules (an out-of-game sanction, not a reason to shoot). |
| Yellow-and-black tape | "Shoot to Kill without a warning shot." | A red line on the map. It can be crossed, but it is illegal in the game and the death penalty is possible. Exception: vehicles of level 2 and higher may drive across it. |
| Roadblocks on the border road | "Have a grenade launcher ready." | The border road between the occupied zone and Mexico is a public road: no blocking, no fighting from it or onto it, vehicles must not stand or wait there. |
| Shooting at the crossing | "Use pistols." | The crossing is part of the city — only PISTOLS and CITY GUN weapons. Shooting through walls and fabric is forbidden and a hit through them does not count. |
| Confiscation of long weapons | "Confiscate the weapon certificate." | The Weapon Certificate exists in the USA / MEXICO / ZAPATA versions (it shows the origin of the weapon). Removing the tape = permanent destruction, until the player gets a new certificate. |
| USBP uniform discipline | Camouflage or OD, single-colour uniforms forbidden. | Civilian clothing and vz 95 are forbidden. Mandatory: a camouflage set used in the US armed forces + a US flag. Multicam, woodland and OD are only recommended. |
The 2026 documents say nothing about the US green card, the A2 diplomatic visa and about the "ISAF base" as the home location of USBP. This does not automatically mean they are cancelled — do not decide by yourself, ask the USBP commander or the ORG.
New in 2026 and what to do with it at the gate
Elements that the old USBP website did not describe at all. Read the right column — that is what we do about it.
| Element | What it is | What it means for USBP |
|---|---|---|
| US Army NEW | A new faction, it keeps security in the occupied zone and the border on the Mexican side. The uniform looks the same as ours (US camouflage + US flag). | It is above us both in the USA and in the occupied zone. We work together on running the crossing and on defending the base. |
| Governor Administrator NEW | Hoňo el Koňo, the interim governor of the occupied zone. A US flag is mandatory, 6 lives. | He sets the customs duty and the embargo. In the occupied zone he is above USBP. His team may search level 4 vehicles. |
| ICE NEW | Immigration and customs office, it also works in the occupied part of Mexico. | The main partner at the crossing and on the border. We hand over illegal activity from the occupied zone to them. They may use a disguise as a Mexican civilian. |
| CITY GUN NEW | A weapon with SAFE GUN parameters, but SEMI only. The tape is not transferable and cannot be removed. | At the crossing and in the city only a CITY GUN or a pistol — nothing else. A Weapon Certificate must be on every weapon, including a CITY GUN. |
| Import embargo NEW | Declared by the Governor Administrator with the agreement of the ORG. | USBP does not declare the embargo — it is posted at the crossing and we enforce it. |
| Drugs in the USA | Illegal goods disappear from the game at the moment the dealer gets them into his tent. | The goal is not to search homes — the goal is to catch the drugs before they reach the dealer. That means at the crossing and on the border. |
| Disguise | Only ICE, FBI, CIA and the Zapatistas may disguise themselves as a Mexican civilian, and only on Mexican soil. In the USA it is forbidden for everyone. | USBP does not use disguises. But expect that a civilian from Mexico may be our agent. |
| Mexican relics | Golden statuettes. LEGAL in Mexico, ILLEGAL in the USA. | If found at the crossing or in the USA, they may be confiscated. |
The GameBook gives us an explicit mandate: "at the crossings a search of persons according to the USBP SOP will always take place (people who do not cooperate do not have to be let into the USA)". Our SOP is therefore binding in the game and we have the right not to let in a person who does not cooperate.
USBP tasks 2026
Exactly according to the GameBook — three points, nothing more.
- Operate the Bridge of Americas border crossing and carry out border protection.
- Work together with ICE and the US Army to stop illegal migration into the USA.
- Support the US armed forces and together ensure the operation and defence of the base.
PARTNERS: US ARMY, GOVERNOR ADMINISTRATOR, CIA, FBI, EPSO, ICE. USBP has no declared enemy — but the Zapatistas have US ARMY, USBP and the Governor Administrator in HATED.
Quick identification at the gate
| Who | Recognition mark |
|---|---|
| US Army / Governor Administrator | US camouflage + US flag (for the Governor only the US flag is mandatory) |
| ICE | Ranger green cap + ranger green shirt, sand-coloured trousers, ICE logo, no camouflage and no helmets |
| EPSO | Sand-coloured shirt with EPSO patches, green trousers, green sheriff cap, badge |
| CIA | Civilian set, no camouflage patterns and no tactical gear |
| Los Dorados | Boonie hat / US BDU field cap, black shirt, sand-coloured trousers, Los Dorados logo |
| Cartels | Scarf: Sinaloa RED, Gulf BLUE, Los Zetas GREEN, Tijuana ORANGE. Mandatory only at the moment of combat activity — you cannot expect it at the crossing. |
| Nuestra Familia | Civilian clothing + jewellery (a ring, a necklace) |
| Texas Rednecks | Civilian set, checked shirt + the flag of Texas |
| Zapatistas | vz 95 + a single-colour beret |
| Santa Maria de Jarineiro | Hat + civilian set of the Mexican type |
Los Dorados and ICE both have sand-coloured trousers. The shirt and the cap tell them apart: ICE = ranger green shirt and cap, Los Dorados = black shirt + boonie/BDU cap. Do not mix them up.
Checklist before going on duty
On you
- USBP uniform discipline: a camouflage set used in the US armed forces + a US flag. Civilian clothing and vz 95 are forbidden.
- A chronographed and marked weapon: at the crossing and in the city only a pistol or a CITY GUN; every long weapon must have a Weapon Certificate, otherwise it does not exist in the game.
- Participant ID band and a reflective vest / panel according to the event rules.
In your backpack for the crossing and patrol
- Water and food for the whole rotation — based on experience from past years at least 3 litres of water per person; there is no shade and no way to refill on the border
- White adhesive tape — destroying drugs and pistols
- USBP stamp and tickets for Time Passes
- Cash for search compensation for vehicles (20 / 30 / 40 / 50 Peso) and for collecting customs duty, including small change for giving back
- Basic tools and a flashlight — checking the engine compartment, the underside, the seats and the motorcycle fairing
- Tactical gloves for searching people
- A radio on the frequency from the comms plan, spare batteries
- A watch or a phone with the time — recording passes and the 2 h limit for detention
- Signs / information for the gate: opening hours, current customs duty rate, embargo
What to remember before you go
- At the crossing only pistols and CITY GUN. Nothing else.
- Never confiscate: cash, a Mexican ID card, a US ID, the POI collector's booklet, pistols.
- You may confiscate: drugs (coca, cocaine, fentanyl), illegally held weapons, relics found at the crossing / in the USA.
- A vehicle search only with the driver present; a damaged vehicle may be searched, a destroyed one may not.
- Detention max. 2 hours and it must not be repeated on purpose; we do not interrogate, we hand the detainee over.
- The base is in play for the whole event — even when most of the platoon is at the crossing, duty is kept at the base on the gate and the towers. A tower is put out of action by 1 paintball hit and is out of the game for 1 hour; the gate is destroyed by 3 paintball hits and must stay open for one hour — an open gate is the condition for destroying the base.
- Offences committed on the territory of the USA are handled by EPSO — you hand the offender and the case over to them.
What the command will specify on site
The 2026 documents do not decide these things. Do not decide them by yourself — you will get them at the briefing from the USBP commander or from the ORG.
Division into platoons and squads, appointment of commanders, the rotation plan (gate / patrol / QRF / rest), QRF readiness time, the number of medics for USBP.
Comms plan (channels, call signs, contact reports) and Friend-or-Foe identification — light and hand signals, how CIA / FBI agents in disguise will identify themselves.
The position of the USBP home location (the place for respawn, interrogations and transport of detainees) and the physical layout of the crossing gate (pedestrian entrances, vehicle entrance, towers).
Opening hours of the crossing, the current customs duty rate, any embargo, the standard length of passes for the given shift and the starting cash for compensation.
Unclear points in the documents — do not interpret them by yourself
- Does the mandatory search apply in both directions, or only for entry into the USA?
- Is driving a level 2+ vehicle across the yellow-and-black tape legal in the game, or only technically possible while the act stays illegal?
- The regime for diplomats (diplomatic marking of the USA and the German embassy): may they be searched, may they be detained? The A2 visa and the green card do not appear in the 2026 documents.