Issue 04 - Xmas 2011

ACTION

THE Airsoft Magazine

XMAS 2011 - £3.95

WIN Celcius MX2 CTW

£650 + MORE! worth

l e e t S Real stonia!

E in e g n a r s e c r o F l ia Live fire on a Spec

Cowboys ‘n’ Indians ■ Military hovercraft ■ Gun maintenance ■ Cam and con

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December 2011

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ACTION

THE Airsoft Magazine

XMAS 2011 - £3.95 Airsoft Action

WIN

CONTENTS

Celcius MX2 CTW

£650 + MORE! worth

XMAS 2011

Real Steel Live fire on a Special

AIRSOFT ACTION - XMAS 2011

6

21 SAS RESERVES 21 SAS RESERVES IS HIRING – DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

30

TEAM FORMATIONS DO YOU KNOW YOUR TEAM FORMATIONS?

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AIRSOFT NEWS NEW KIT, ASSOCIATION NEWS, FIRST AID AND MORE

35

BIG BOYZ TOYZ RATTY TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO MILITARY HOVERCRAFT

12 16

RIFLE REVIEW MEET CELCIUS’ MX2 CTW

40

FIFE WARGAMES OUR REPORTER NORTH OF THE BORDER VISITS FIFE WARGAMES

FLYING LEAD, GUNMAN GADGE REPORTS ON GUNMAN’S WILD WEST THEMED GAME

44

XMAS GIFT SUGGESTIONS MAMMOTH GUIDE ON STUFF TO ASK SANTA FOR THIS YEAR!

20

GLOVES ‘N’ GLASSES, PT2 DANNY P FINISHES HIS TEST OF GLOVES AND GLASSES

52

RIFLE REVIEW RATTY CHECKS OUT REDWOLF’S NEW M4

24

LIVE FIRE IN ESTONIA LEARNING LIVE FIRE DRILLS ON AN SF RANGE IN ESTONIA!

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CAM AND CON MASTER CAMOUFLAGE AND CONCEALMENT

28

COMPETITIONS WE’VE GOT SOME AWESOME COMPETITIONS FOR YOU LUCKY BLIGHTERS THIS ISSUE!

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WORKSHOP GUNMUNKI TAKES US BACK TO THE BASICS OF MAINTENANCE

Forces range in Estonia!

Cowboys ‘n’ Indians ■ Military hovercraft ■ Gun maintenance ■ Cam and con

Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Anthony Platt Art director: Chris Sweeney Ad design: Ryan Dixon, Steve Dawson Advertising: Hannah Benson Operations director: James Folkard Assistant publisher: Ruth Burgess Editorial director: James Marchington Publisher: Wesley Stanton

Full UK 13-issue subscription rate: £59.40 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoftactionmagazine.com Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street Leamington Spa.Warwickshire. CV32 5SZ Tel: 01926 339808 Fax: 01926 470400 E: info@blazepublishing.co.uk W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk © Blaze Publishing Limited, 2011 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Blaze Publishing Limited 2011. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publishers in writing. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.

RECOGNISE THIS PATTERN? TAKE A NOTE! YOU’LL NEED THE PATTERNS FROM ISSUES 1 - 12 TO ENTER OUR CAMO COMPETITION!

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Xmas 2011

64

ON TEST: PYROS ANT PLATT LOOKS IN DEPTH AT STUFF THAT GOES BANG

69

SITE REVIEW: MOA RON MAHONEY REPORTS FROM MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

74

RIFLE REVIEW YES, ANOTHER ONE! SCOTT ALLEN ON G&G’S GR4 G26

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COLD WAR WARRIOR GADGE LOOKS AT THE BRITISH ARMY OF THE RHINE, C.1980

85 87

TEAM PROFILE THE DUCHY OF GRAND FENWICK

90 92 94 98

INSIDE: JD AIRSOFT INSIDE OF THE UK’S LEADING AIRSOFT RETAILERS GAME REVIEW THIS MONTH: RAGE YOUNG GUNS JEZZ BLUME TALKS TACTICS MARSHAL MATTERS NEW FACE MIKE BUTTRICK ON BEING A PLAYER MARSHAL BOOKSHOP WE REVIEW ROBERT KERSHAW’S TANK MEN

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elcome to the Xmas 2011 Edition of Airsoft Action, and may I be the first to wish you a very Happy Christmas. A bit early perhaps but there’s nothing like being prepared – and our Xmas Gift Guide (page 44) should help (just leave it open at the appropriate page and hope someone takes the hint!).

The first thing you’ll notice is we’ve put on a bit of weight (and we haven’t even started on the pud yet). Airsoft Action has got fatter – by nearly 20 per cent in fact! More pages means more articles, loads more reviews and more competitions and to get the celebrations going we have got two huge EXCLUSIVE competitions for you lucky buggers – including the chance to go shoot some real steel in Estonia! See page 28 for more details on those.

On a slightly different note, you might be aware of the circulation of a letter from ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers). This letter states ACPO’s position regarding the lethality of airsoft weapons. Based on testing conducted by the Forensic Science Service it states: “it will be safe to conclude that fully automatic airsoft guns operating at 1.3 joules or less and single shot (or semi automatic) airsoft guns operating at 2.5 joules or less would not engage the lethality threshold crossing over into stricter controls under the Firearms Act. “ What is important to note is that the limits are expressed in joules not velocity, so to help out we’ve put a handy guide on page 10 which gives you fps limits based on different BB weights.

The good news is that the vast majority of players and sites already operate within these levels and, although there are one or two areas I feel need more clarification, this is obviously a big step in the right direction.

Now where’s the mince pies and brandy?

Keep safe, Nige.

Find us on… www.facebook.com/AirsoftAction

Search ‘Airsoft Action’

Letter, idea or question?

Got something to say? A question for our experts? Or an article, or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the assistant editor (anthonyp@blazepublishing. co.uk), send us a letter at the Blaze Publishing address on the previous page – or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

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21 SAS RESERVES Have you got the drive and determination to make it through UKSF(R) selection?

I

f you had the opportunity to join the SAS, would you do it?

I guess there are loads of you out there that would love to, but you’re not in the Forces and have no actual military experience, so you can’t, right? Wrong!

Did you know that the army is currently recruiting for new UKSF Reserves and anyone can apply – even those without any military experience?

I know some of you have thought about it applying and, like many before you, have asked the same questions of yourself: can I crack ‘The Hills’? Will I make the grade? Do they accept guys straight off civvy street? Have I got what it takes?

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For many people those questions will remain unanswered – but for a large group of others it’s a challenge to be overcome.

21 SAS (R) is recruiting in the South of England and all you have to do is pick up the phone, dial one of the numbers and see where it leads – and that is often the hardest step.

If you’re between 18-32 (or upto 34 with previous regular or reserve service), of average fitness but above average drive and determination, are looking for adventure and can commit to a yearlong course of alternate weekends and Wednesday nights, then you might be just what 21 SAS(R) is looking for.

You’ll become a highly-skilled map reader, marksman and soldier, be a member of a small, tight brotherhood of like-minded individuals – and you’ll be well paid for it too!

In short, if you want to join the SAS and thought you’d never get the opportunity, now you have. Make the first step and give them a call. It may well change your life – and the weapon you carry at weekends!

To find out more visit: www.uksfr.net. ■

21 SAS(R) Units are located throughout the United Kingdom.

London and South East: 02077 562362 South Wales: 01633 255277 M3/M4 corridor: 01256 880113 Cambridge and East Anglia: 01223 413794 Exeter and South West: 01392 459814

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AIRSOFT AIR A AI IIR RSO RSO RS SOFT SOF OFT O FT FT

NEWS NE N E EW W WS S BERGET X CHARITY CHALLENGE Next June will see a small group of intrepid airsofters – The 13th Regiment – trek 3,200 miles across Europe to raise money for Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion. The road trip – Operation: Sundin – will end at the annual Berget airsoft event in Sweden.

Organiser Rob Campbell said: “We are

looking for 30 players to take part and each player has to commit to raising a minimum of £1,000 in sponsorship. We have already got 10 interested players so I think we should have no trouble filling the seats. We are delighted that Airsoft

Action will be sending an embedded reporter to cover the whole experience.”

Driving ex-MoD Landrovers, the nine day, 3,200 mile experience is preceded by a mechanical infantry boot camp at Stirling Airsoft where players will learn the art of fighting from a light vehicle.

The Landies will be used in Europe’s largest airsoft event, with more than 2,000 players, as a Quick Reaction Force.

The first of the Landrovers was bought recently and others are on the way. Each will undergo an extensive overhaul and be refitted to make them ready for the trip.

If you want to get involved, contact Rob: fod_13@hotmail.com. You can also support the event by donating here: bit.ly/BergetX.

ASYLUM TRAVELLER THREAT: PETITION Skirmish site The Asylum could become a travellers’ site if plans to repurpose the ground are not halted. An online petition objecting to the plans has been set up in response.

The Wyre Forest Planning Committee has proposed making the Lea Castle site, on which First and Only Airsoft’s site sits, a gypsies, travellers or travelling show peoples’ site. If the plans go ahead The Asylum would be forced to shut to make way for travellers.

So far the petition has gained more than 500 signatories. To add your support visit chn.ge/FirstOnly – or Airsoft Action will never get a chance to play The Asylum!

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AIRSOFT NEWS

AIRSOFT FIRST AID Lincolnshire Airsoft Club (LAC) is introducing Emergency first aid courses for application within the airsoft industry. The seven-hour course, approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), satisfies the legal requirement for first aid in low/medium risk environments.

Those who complete the course, including a practical element, receive the HSE-recognised Emergency First Aid at Work certificate.

The practical element comprises a night game – which will feature first aid related objectives – during which attendees will be assessed on their practical first aid skills.

Ian Lawrence, owner of LAC, said: “I’ve been running airsoft sites for three or four years now and think it’s time to change things a bit. So far I’ve trained all of my marshals and we’ve even run one course with a group of players that included two NHS nurses in its ranks.

“The course has a definite focus on paediatric first aid. The majority of our customers are younger than 18 and its important site operators understand first aid for adults can’t necessarily be applied to children.”

Topics covered include: assessment of first aid scene, recovery position, unconsciousness,

NEWS The results of lethality tests performed by the Forensic Science Service were recently published by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The full report can be found at bit.ly/Lethality if you would like to read about it.

The power limits recommended in the report are: Full-auto or burst-fire capable: 1.3 joules (around 370fps with 0.20g bb) Single-shot only (including semi-auto): 2.5 joules (around 520 fps with 0.20g bb) ACPO’s Firearms and Explosives Licensing Working Group (FELWG) has proposed that these power levels be regarded as the lethal threshold for airsoft BBs. Nothing has changed in law but most police forces have adopted this as policy, so will most likely prosecute

NEW LAND WARRIOR SHOP CPR (including infant CPR), head injuries, choking, bleeding, burns, scalds and legislation.

Courses are run at LAC Site 5 and currently cost £30 per person – though the course provider is flexible and costs could come down if uptake is high enough.

Contact Ian: ian@lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk.

For full course details visit: bit.ly/LACFA.

any skirmisher who exceeds them. In simple terms, airsoft skirmishers should now regard these figures as the maximum UK limits for possession, sale, purchase, import and use.

All types of airsoft replicas are affected by this including spring, gas and electric powered guns. There are still other areas which are unclear though, such as the status of automatic gas replicas (the muzzle energy of which can vary greatly), whether it will be deemed acceptable to downgrade a postlethal AEG and whether a semi-auto only AEG or even a sub-lethal AEG will ever be regarded as ‘readily convertible’ (and thereby Section

Scottish readers will probably be aware that Land Warrior Airsoft has recently moved premises. The new shop can be found down the road at: 44/1 Hardengreen Business Park, Dalkeith EH22 3NX The company’s phone number is unchanged – 0131 654 2452 – as is the website at: www.landwarriorairsoft.com.

5). Again, we will publish any information we receive as it comes through.

Fortunately the vast majority of UK skirmishes are already playing within the recommended limits. UK airsoft is in a much better position now that results are out as we now have a much better idea of how airsoft replicas are regarded by the law, and UKAPU recommends that 1.3J/2.5J limits are adopted by all UK players with immediate effect.

For more information, or to join UKAPU, visit: www.ukapu.org.uk.

Chris Neill United Kingdom Airsoft Players Union

MAXIMUM VELOCITY LIMITS BB weight 0.18 grams 0.20 grams 0.25 grams 0.30 grams 0.35 grams 0.40 grams

Single / Semi-auto (2.5J) 547 519 464 423 392 367

Full-auto (1.3J) 394 374 334 305 283 265

Chart shows max velocity in feet per second, based on different BB weights, for both single shot/semi-auto and full-auto airsoft weapons.

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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REPLICA K6-3 HELMET Russian gear merchant TacGear has unveiled its newest replica: the Russian K6-3 helmet. The visor lens is made of 2mm polycarbonate so it’s airsoft-safe, but it’s a faithful reproduction besides that, featuring the same leather and straps on the inner as the original.

It’s available in black or khaki and

SOLDIERS POCKET BOOK The Soldiers Pocket Book has had its first major overhaul in more than 20 years.

The new version costs £10 including postage and is also available for download from the Apple Store.

First published in 1989 as the Volunteers Pocket Book by John Hobbis Harris (Major, retired), it has been brought bang up to date by his son, John H Harris.

Now completely rewritten and reillustrated, the Soldiers Pocket Book includes chapters on subjects such as fieldcraft, signals, marksmanship and map reading. The pocket-sized tome is packed full of information useful to the modern soldier whether on exercise or in conflict.

Buy it now from the Airsoft Action bookshop (see page 99 for details)!

ISBN 978-1-874528-12-8.

Published by Military Pocket Books Ltd: www.milpkbk.co.uk.

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weighs in at a hefty 2.5kg. The visor is made of 2mm steel and can be fixed up or down.

TacGear said: “The K6-3 helmet is an

iconic piece of Russian military equipment, and anyone trying to perfect a Battlefield 3 support class load-out will need one!”

TacGear’s replica retails at US$300.

Visit www.tacgear.ru.

NEW APO-LICENSED SNIPER RIFLE VegaForceCompany has announced its release of the long-awaited ASW338LM. Licensed by Ashbury Precision Ordnance (APO), the APO ASW338LM will stay faithful to the original – expect it to weigh around 6kg – and will be VSR-10 compatible on the inside (good news for mod junkies).

According to pre-release material the ASW338LM was designed using Ashbury’s 3D drawings to ensure 100 per cent accuracy in terms of parts and handling. The rifle is fitted with an AEG barrel so can be easily upgraded. The upper rail is CNC steel while the receiver is diecast aluminium. An optional upgrade kit allows for the use of up to an M150 spring. The ASW338LM also comes equipped with an integral muzzle brake, sound suppression system and detachable box mag. Information is scarce at present, though the rifle will be distributed

by ActionSportGames. Pricing and release dates will be published on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AirsoftAction) when available.

VegaForceCompany: www.gb-tech.tw; ActionSportGames: www.actionsportgames.com

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&9$-64*7&

CELCIUS M4A1 MX2 TRAINING WEAPON

(CTW)

AIRSOFT ACTION

Is the Celcius M4A1 MX2 a Systema beater – at half the price?

In this exclusive review, Ratty takes a close look at the updated CTW

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ou’d need some serious visual impairment not to notice that the most popular style of airsoft AEG is an M16/M4 design – and the most popular of all is the M4A1 Carbine. They come in all shapes, sizes and configurations from a host of different manufacturers, using various real steel manufacturer licenses.

Perhaps because of this choice, built by so many companies, they are available to suit any budget. If you’re on a tight budget you still have a large range of brands and models to choose from. But the most hotly

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contended area is mid/upper cost M4s, with manufacturers like Classic Army, ICS, King Arms, G&P and G&G all making fantastic, robust and good value M4 variants.

That said, there is one area that, until now, has been dominated by one name: the Professional Training Weapon.

Developed by Systema as a real training aide, it just so happened the PTW fired 6mm BBs. Systema has improved its PTW year on year and all hardcore MilSimmers I know either dream of owning one, are saving up for or indeed already have and swear by their trusty PTWs.

But what if another training weapon system was available – and carried a price tag half as hefty? Could it possibly be a sensible alternative to the much-loved PTW? Well, enter Celcius Technologies’ M4A1 MX2 Training Weapon.

Celcius launched its initial CTW a while ago but it suffered from a few issues which reflected in poor sales. So the company returned to the drawing board and has come back with a much-improved version. The MX2 is the second generation of the CTW, so let’s see if they’re now up to scratch and worth the price.

My CTW arrived in its box along with a 120-round magazine, a pistol style BB loader, a barrel cleaning rod with brush head, a small Allen key to adjust the hop, a CD with the user instruction guide and an exploded parts diagram. It also comes with a warranty card from the UK distributor, which is a very nice touch. You fill this in and send it off to validate your one-year internal parts warranty. Terms and conditions do apply, but at least you can read through it beforehand so there can be no misunderstanding. Having a warranty with a UK distributer gives some peace of mind, certainly when spending this much money.

Getting the M4A1 out of the box, initial impressions were very positive. The CTW is a real steel copy of the M4, weighing in at 3.4kg. This makes it noticeably heavier than its rival manufacturers’ counterparts. Both

THE ARMOURY

upper and lower receiver and outer barrel are made of CNCed steel. The handguards and crane stock are both made of heavy duty ABS and help give it a solid, robust feel.

The Celcius logo is laser engraved on the receiver (which I know will not be to everyone’s taste) along with the weapon’s unique serial number, as well as safety selector markings. The pistol grip fits nicely in the hand because the motor is much slimmer than in a normal AEG. So the overall feel is of a very robust piece of kit – you could easily be mistaken for carrying the real version.

Internally, the polished stainless steel barrel is 6.00mm dead so I would definitely only use high quality BBs in this rifle. Its barrel length is 374mm. The CTW I had for this review came fitted with a standard cylinder and spring. Like on the Systema PTW these are quick and simple to change to raise or lower the power to the right level.

The magazine is basically a direct copy of the Systema PTW magazine. Both are the same size and weight (if loaded with 30 rounds of 5.56mm) as the real version.

It says 120-BB capacity but once I got to about 100-odd it got hard to load up any more. Then again, that is pretty much the same on all mid-cap mags, no matter what make. I used both Celcius’ own magazines as well as couple of Systema mags I had borrowed. Both fitted fine and neither had any feed issues to report. On test I also used a Vanaras Polymer magazine, which fitted in and fed smoothly (not quite as smooth

Inside the lower receiver, showing exposed part of the gearbox and ECU

as either the Celcius or Systema versions admittedly, but I doubt that will put many people off using them considering they’re much cheaper and lighter).

The CTW is set up to run on 11.1v Lipo batteries. I received two for testing, both Celcius branded. The first one, an 11.1v 1200mAh 20C, is for use with the standard cylinder/spring set up. The other was a much

larger 11.1v 2400mAh 20C battery for use with the upgrade M130 spring set up.

Fitting the battery couldn’t have been simpler: just pop the two clips on the butt plate of the crane stock to expose the large Tamiya connector. Slide a battery into the stock, hook up the connectors and replace the stock. Ready to rock and roll!

Something else I really like is the little blue LED inside the receiver that appears when switching the safety selector from safe to either semi- or full-auto. This is on constantly while your battery has enough charge to power the weapon. When your battery starts to run low the light starts to flash so you can stop firing and complete a quick battery change, thus preventing any possible damage to the gun or battery. It will also flash, when attaching the battery, if it is low on power.

I’ve bored you enough with the overview, so what’s it like to use? First things first: I thought I had better chrono it, just to make sure that it was within the site limit. Out of the box, using Madbull Precision Grade 0.2g BBs, this MX2 was

SPECIALIST TACTICAL TRAINING SOLUTIONS STTS is the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor and importer of Celcius products. STTS assures me that it is keeping a good stock of spares and accessories, in terms of both range and quantity. The boss even told me that Systema owners are already asking for Celcius replacement motors, as well as Celcius 120-BB Hi Speed magazines.

The company is offering the Celcius cylinder/springs upgrade as a set, which will contain another cylinder and an M110 and M130 spring, allowing you to fit whatever you require. These, I think, will be very popular and will retail for around £139.99. The range of Vanaras upgrade products are also available, including polymer magazines in black, dark earth and O/D, 6.03mm tight bore barrels and upgrade springs to name a few.

There is also an M4 CQB with a shorter barrel arriving soon and two special editions in the pipeline. More on them when they arrive!

At the moment STTS has selected two retailers to sell the Celcius range: JD Airsoft in Cannock (www.jdairsoft.net) and BadgerTac near Aylesbury (www.badgertac.co.uk).

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Charge options: Celcius CTW showing battery options

achieving 317-325fps through a Madbull Version 2 chronograph. The hop is easy enough to adjust with the Allen key supplied.

If I had one of these myself I would definitely run it on high-quality 0.25g ammunition.

So what’s it like to fire? Well, somewhat like Systema’s PTW to be frank. The selector is precise and clicks into the required setting nicely; it has excellent trigger response so using it on semi and double-tapping people (sorry, I meant targets) would not be an issue. A quick flick to full-auto and letting loose a burst shows the gearbox feels smooth and delivers enough BBs to esnure no one could deny being hit! I was hitting a man-sized target accurately at just over 100ft.

The distributor advised me that nothing more than a three-second burst should be used, but given the rate of fire, combined with the weapon’s accuracy and the fact the mags only hold around 100 rounds, any longer on the trigger would be considered overkill. When the magazine ran out of rounds the MX2 stopped firing.

I lent it to a Systema owner, who was mightily impressed with the performance and his first question was “How much are these again?” There was another MX2 CTW owner there this day. He had been looking at Systema PTWs for some time and had used one just two weeks previously. This was his first outing with his new CTW and, after a couple of games and a load of kills,

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his verdict was: “Yeah, it’s better than the Systema and exceeded my expectations!”

Verdict I suppose I, like most of you MilSim players, had always wanted a PTW. The main thing stopping me from getting one was the cost: cost of rifle, cost of upgrades to make it work better and even the cost of accessories.

So does the Celcius M4A1 MX2 compare favourably against such an airsoft icon?

The answer is a definite yes. It’s not just that the M4A1 retails for around £649.99, less than half the cost of a PTW – it performs just as well too, so what’s the point in shelling out the extra cash? I am sure die-hard Systema fans will dismiss this revelation, but Celcius’ newest offering really is as good.

When you tot up all the things you need to get you going – gun, couple of batteries, eight mags (for the sake of argument), upgrade spring and cylinder – it still comes to less than a PTW on its own.

There are still things that can be done to make it better (waterproofing the ECU and such) but with that initial saving, these things aren’t quite so financially daunting.

Look out Systema: there is a new kid on the block, and with performance like this your dominance is under severe threat!

Now to work out how to get away with not sending the test model back… ■

WIN! WIN! AIRSOFT ACTION HAS ONE CELCIUS MX2 CTW TO GIVE AWAY IN THIS ISSUE! FLICK TO PAGE 28 FOR DETAILS! SPECIFICATIONS Weight: 3,400g Build: CNC steel upper and lower receiver and outer barrel, military/law enforcement grade ABS handguard and crane stock Inner barrel length: 374mm (6.00mm sniper grade polished stainless steel inner barrel) Internals: Advcned ECU-2011, with thicker wiring, faster trigger response, faster rate of fire, low battery indicator, dimmable LED light Gearbox: CTW Planetary Type (semi- and full-auto) Motor: Celcius 495 Motor Magazine: 120-round steel cased high speed mag Battery: 11.1v Lipo Velocity: 317-325fps Price: around £649.99

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flying lead - peace maker Wild West airsoft is more than a little out of the ordinary, and something we at Airsoft Action just had to find out more about. We caught up with Gareth Harvey and Rich Vaughn to find out exactly what it’s about

Bitterlich Photography by Caroleich@ hotmail.co.uk [Contact carole.bitterl

each with their own individual advantages. I chose a sharpshooter, giving me $100 in cash to start with and the option of using a rifle without needing to buy a license.

Four friends and I formed the Jameson & Jameson Mining Company and headed out to find our fortune. We quickly found our plot of land and set to work building our mine, as the sooner it was up and running the sooner we would be earning money. Not a lot of money though: only $100 an hour, and once our backers had taken their cut we were left with a mere $10 a piece. Clearly we were not going to get rich quick that way.

Our main concern, though, was crossing the railroad line (the track not yet laid) to exchange our gold for cash back in town, as this was patrolled by the crooked lawmen-forhire of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. The road blocked our route and the Pinkertons were asking a dollar a crossing and, with small enough earnings as it was, we weren’t about to start lining their pockets. This toll

RICH (COWBOYS): As a long time fan of westerns, when I heard about Gunman Airsoft’s ‘Flying Lead’ Western games I knew I had to be there. So I raided local charity shops for suitable attire, bought myself a six shooter (as a birthday present to myself) and booked in.

GARETH (INJUNS): When my long-suffering airsoft buddy Evo suggested we take part in Gunman’s new Wild West game Flying Lead I was somewhat dubious – and when he told me we’d be going as ‘Injuns’ I had serious reservations.

Let’s get something straight: while on the one hand this was more ‘playing Cowboys and Indians’ then any Wild West living history event, on the other hand it wasn’t just any normal airsoft event.

As Gunman’s head honcho Josh Smith explained, this was more a live role-playing event that used

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airsoft weapons for its combat than an outand-out shooting spree. I was somewhat relieved to hear this, as our Indian Tribe (the Blackfoots) had one rifle and one pistol between the four of us, although we had plenty of airsoft-safe bows, arrows and tomahawks to ambush the unwary paleface!

Now at this point I have to profess ignorance to a lot of the plotting and shenanigans taking part on the other side of the site, so it’s probably best to hand you over to Rich who, in the guise of an Irish rogue, took part in the side of the story unseen by Injun eyes.

COWBOYS: The frontiersmen were fully briefed on the rules and the aim of the game.

The aim could not have been simpler: get rich or die trying! Our target, to escape the discomfort of the frontier and live a life of luxury in the big city, was $10,000. We each chose a character class that suited our style,

GAME REVIEW visitors (unbeknown to us, one of the major plot devices of the weekend was to secure the rights to mine upon the Indian Territory).

Soon we encountered a posse of gunmen encroaching upon our lands and found ourselves on the receiving end of some wellplaced rifle fire. With a whoop and a yell we drew tomahawks and charged in – I’ll let you guess the outcome of the battle but suffice to say it stung a bit, and it’s the last time I’ll take a knife to a gunfight!

Vengeance was now required and knowing we were outgunned we decided to take up the offer of the Westerners’ law. Beating the war drums we threw down a challenge.

Claiming we had been attacked on our own ground we demanded the scalping miscreant brought to us in chains within an hour or war would erupt between our tribe and the settlers.

“…our Indian Tribe (the Blackfoots) had one rifle and one pistol between the four of us, although we had plenty of airsoft-safe bows, arrows and tomahawks to ambush the unwary paleface!”

COWBOYS: Things started to liven up for us.

We’d heard about a band of wanted outlaws and, upon hearing a firefight nearby, we rushed to investigate. Seeing a group of bandits being pursued by angry savages we set off after them, intent on picking up the bounty for any bandits killed.

But fate was not on our side: the Injuns were gunned down and the bandits made good their escape. We’d been told of a golden idol hidden in the native camp that a certain gentleman would pay handsomely to acquire, so we hatched a plan to keep watch on the savages and when their camp

was avoided by skirting their patrols through the woods until a deal was struck: in return for $20 we would have free passage for three hours, and some dynamite the Pinkertons had acquired (which would vastly increase our earnings from the mine).

Generally speaking, much of the morning passed without incident other than the odd visit from fellow prospectors seeking trade, and a nervous but friendly first encounter with a pair of half-dressed savages.

INJUNS: The stillness of the Indian village was interrupted by small bands of Western folk. Some of them came bearing trade goods and some of them came offering the protection of the Westerner’s law. While we met all with hospitality and a wary eye, it seemed a tad suspicious to receive so many

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his on ed rn tu ns to er nk Pi e th of e on t “At leas played um sc y od ab Pe ow ll ye e th d an en own m etending pr d an ad de g in ay pl ke li , ks ic tr y dastardl to surrender” was empty we would sneak in and steal the idol. Luck was against us too, it seemed, as they stayed in camp, frustrating our efforts.

Fortunately lady luck began to smile on the Jameson boys.

We had considered leaving Jameson and Jameson and setting up our own company so we could take all the profits. I spoke to the landowner, Mr Paris, and the Banker to discuss the cost of setting up a new mine.

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While there I overheard several members of our rivals, the Peabody and Smythe Mining Company, discussing similar plans to set up on new land. This land was owned by the natives and we figured they would be none too pleased at their land being sold without their consent. With this to our advantage we opted to tell the Injuns in the hope that it would help build relations between our two

groups and give us a chance to find the idol, as well as sabotaging our competitor’s plans.

Understandably the Indians were angered by the news, particularly as they had already clashed with Peabody and Smythe.

INJUNS: Back at the Reservation we expected either no response or a mighty gunfight, and were pleasantly surprised to find the lawmen bring us a suspect a mere five minutes before the deadline ran out. Disappointingly they had brought us

the wrong man but by sheer chance the real villain was in the party and, incredibly, they agreed to hand him over when he was identified. This ne’er-do-well was not going down without a fight and as he was delivered to us he broke free and stabbed one of our braves, only to be shot down by the lawman.

Honour was now satisfied but realising that time was against us, the tribe put our heads together and decided an alliance with one group of settlers (who had not so far attacked or harassed us) was in order. We arranged this by the quickest, most logical means possible… kidnapping one of their group!

Luckily he took this in good spirits and the first day of the event ended with the Blackfoot Tribe in firm alliance with the Jameson’s mining concern. Not a moment too soon either – our camp was attacked by the dastardly Pinkerton’s.

With Injun braves fighting side-by-side with the gunslingers, the Pinkertons were repulsed as the sun set on the wooded trail.

COWBOYS: The next day dawned with good news for the Jameson boys. Pleased with our previous day’s work Mr Jameson had decided to reward us by sending the money needed to purchase the new land, along with a $500 bonus (which we split equally between us). Now we owned two plots of land we were forced to split our men into two groups to keep mining one while building the other. In order to do this we had to hire two additional men to protect our interests. Our miners objected to being paid less than the new hired help and striked, briefly stopping production.

An agreement was soon reached and work resumed, but not for long.

INJUNS: All in all our morning was fairly uneventful until some strange travellers entered our camp, wishing to trade with us.

While we couldn’t part with our tribal relics we did trade some minor food and goods for some lovely, comfy-looking blankets. As the white men departed we unwrapped our new throws only to discover, to our horror, a note exclaiming that the blankets were infected with smallpox and that all but one of the tribe was now dying! Cursing their treachery we drew lots to see which one of us would

survive – the gods of the forest obviously favoured us as it was our medicine man. Not only was he the only one of us with a rifle but he was also the most able of us to run to our new allies for help.

COWBOYS: One of the fellows from our new mine came running up all excited and calling for help. Our new mine was under attack and the natives had been stuck down with smallpox, leaving it undefended. As soon as we got there we found our rivals and the

GAME REVIEW cause of the trouble, Peabody and Smythe, and a brief gunfight exploded. In the ensuing melee our deed to the Injun land was snatched and our enemies made good their escape. This meant war!

We gathered our men and even paid off the Pinkertons to join us in attacking the enemy camp, intent on wiping the dogs out.

The firefight that followed was intense and confusing, as when the now recovered Injuns entered the fray it became unclear who was fighting who. At least one of the Pinkertons turned on his own men and the yellow Peabody scum played dastardly tricks, like playing dead and pretending to surrender.

The end result was the same though: the swine were slaughtered and our thirst for vengeance quenched. But in the confusion a dreadful mistake was made: our deed was forgotten and not recovered, left in the hands of our enemy.

A task for next time!

The game was quite unlike any I have attended before, with far more roleplaying and uniquely intense firefights. It’s surprising how you learn to save your shots when you only have six rounds in your gun and very little range!

I’m not usually a roleplayer so I was nervous of this at first, but once I got used to it I found it a lot of fun and the roleplay elements added a great deal to the overall experience. This was not ‘Cowboys and Indians airsoft’, this was life on the Western Frontier with airsoft guns – and I can quite easily say that it is one of the best airsoft weekends I have ever experienced. ■

Gunman Airsoft 07854 277264, www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk Gunman runs a range of FilmSim and MilSim events, including Cold War, WW2 and Western

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GLASSES AND GLOVES Danny P’s finished playing with four pairs of glasses and five pairs of gloves – in part two he delivers the verdict on the last bits of kit to go under the microscope ESS Crossbow

Viper Tactical glasses Viper’s Tactical glasses come in a hard case, which includes the frame, four ballistic lenses and a prescription lens holder.

There is an assortment of lens colours: two dark tinted ones, a yellow lens and a clear lens. All pretty standard stuff, though there is an issue with the clear lens: it has a coloured finish to it which looks like oil on a puddle. When used in an urban, low-light environment, it tends to reflect and also darkens the wearer’s vision as they’re not actually clear.

I used these glasses on a weekend event. Although they were comfy they did suffer from a lot of fogging up, which as we all know can be a real pain. But the lenses were easy to change according to the type of gameplay (or if weather and time of day dictated) and only took a couple of seconds in the safe zone.

These glasses give all round good protection to the eyes, but like all others on test that’s all they protect. But saying that, you certainly get a lot for your money and these would do just fine as a starter pair of glasses.

EXPECT TO PAY AROUND: £39.95 SUPPLIED BY: BadgerTac, 01296 658600, www.badgertac.com

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These glasses are supplied in an easy-carry hard case and come with three different lenses: dark tinted, yellow and clear. The lenses are loose in the case (which can be a bit of a pain) but that’s only a minor issue, and probably more of a personal issue than real criticism.

I found the ESS Crossbows extremely comfy to wear – you almost forget you’ve got them on as they are that lightweight and close fitting.

I used these glasses when I was following a weekend skirmish and was able to use my camera without any issues, so using them with a sight shouldn’t throw up any problems.

The lenses were a bit tricky to change to start with, but it did become easier as the day wore on. They only fogged up a little too, and it didn’t really restrict my vision.

As before these are great eye protection, but don’t protect anything else from those 6mm rounds – prepare to take a few shots in the cheek, forehead and other painful places. You get what you pay for, as they say, and while these are at the top end price-wise it’s about personal preference and, of course, budget.

EXPECT TO PAY AROUND: £98 SUPPLIED BY: Edgar Brothers, 01625 613177, www.edgarbrothers.com

HWI Gear Hard Knuckle Tactical glove

Line of Fire Pointman gloves Line of Fire is a new brand to me, and these gloves are something I have never seen before. They come with a system called TEGS (Technology Enhanced Grip System), designed to increase grip by up to 240 per cent when used with the supplied TEGS Tape.

I applied the tape to my pistol’s grips and the mags of my rifle – and it really does what it says on the tin! It gave me a greater grip on my weapon systems and the mags, making grabbing mags from my pouches for mag changes much easier. I had someone try and pull my pistol from my grip while I was using this system and it did seem to increase my hold on the weapon.

The gloves themselves are very comfy and have a hard knuckle protector and leather on the fingers and palms to help protect your hands and hopefully reduce the pain of BB strikes.

These are the most expensive of the gloves we tested, and although they are something of a specialist glove and probably not of use to everyone the TEGS system is unique and definitely has practical uses.

This was my first experience with HWI products too, though I was aware that the company has a background in both the police and military markets.

These gloves are made from Kevlar and leather and feature a hard knuckle piece. They are pretty tight fitting but still flexible, allowing ease of movement when using a rifle or, in particular, trying to get mags out of pouches.

I tested these during a skirmish and the hard knuckle protected my hands from a few strikes so I didn’t have to go home with badly hurt hands – we all know how much it hurts to get shot on the hand (especially when it’s cold!).

This might be an obvious point but the hard knuckle is particularly, erm, hard. It does put a bit of pressure across the top of your knuckles but they’re still comfy to wear – but do expect to take a little time to break them in.

EXPECT TO PAY AROUND: £58 SUPPLIED BY: Edgar Brothers, 01625 613177, www.edgarbrothers.com

EXPECT TO PAY AROUND: £82 SUPPLIED BY: Edgar Brothers, 01625 613177, www.edgarbrothers.com

5.11 Tactical Series Taclite 2 5.11 is a very well-known company; the quality of its kit is renowned, and its range of tactical gloves is no exception.

The Taclite 2 is a light use glove. They’re made with a sheepskin

leather palm with four-way stretch material on the upper parts. They are designed to offer protection to the wearer but, importantly, not hinder touch and feel.

I was told these were designed for use by police patrol officers and personnel in search and surveillance roles. I wore them when using a camera and, true to the brief, they didn’t prevent me using it at all. They really are like a second skin, and very comfy to wear even for long periods. However I can assure you they don’t offer much protection from BB strikes (toting a camera doesn’t stop you getting hit!) – bear in mind these are a specialist use glove for a special role.

One of the cheapest we tested, the Taclite 2 gloves were fine for a day on the field with a camera – and would probably perform best in a CQB environment – but personally I’d prefer something a little tougher, especially for any MilSim event.

EXPECT TO PAY AROUND: £35 SUPPLIED BY: Level Peaks, 01432 341686, www.levelpeaks.com

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LIVE FIRING IN ESTONIA

Fancy a trip out to Estonia to shoot real steel weapons with Estonian Special Forces? Danny P did just that – and you can too!

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few weeks ago I was asked by the editor of Airsoft Action if I would like to go to Estonia on a fact-finding mission with a couple of guys from a company called Warfighters. I knew what I’d be doing there so there was no way I was going to refuse – but more about that later.

Warfighters is based in the Warwickshire countryside and is run by Dave Thatcher (one of the fellas on the trip). Over the last six years Warfighters has built its reputation offering laser simulation, paintball and now airsoft games at its sites. Some of you might

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have seen them at the opening premiers of recent first person shooter games when they were launched. I can’t go into too much detail about the other guy; suffice to say he is one of the Instructors on the courses that Warfighters will be running and has served in the British Army for around 25 years (over half this time with UK Special Forces).

But Warfighters will soon be offering something totally different and unique… It will be running a number

of live fire (that’s with real weapons and ammunition) courses in Estonia, on a facility used by Estonian Special Forces (and a number of SF teams from other countries).

Warfighters has secured an exclusive deal to use the facility and some top notch Estonian SF personnel who will also instruct on the courses.

Now you know why it took me less than half a second to say “Yes!” I met the guys at 05.30 at Standsted airport for our 07.30 flight to the Estonian capital of

REAL STEEL

“There is something incredibly satisfying about the thump to your shoulder as a 7.62mm round spits out the end of a barrel!”

range. After a short drive down a country track and through some beautiful woodland we arrived at the main building (which doubles as the bunk house when courses are being run). Inside we were introduced to the owner and operator of the facility, a gentleman named Peter, who showed us the site and some pictures of units that had previously used the facility for training.

They included snaps of US Army Green Berets and Chinese Special Forces, plus many others from around the world.

Tallinn. Once there we met our Estonian host and made plans for the following day, which was to be spent at the range checking out the facilities and all it had to offer. As the rest of the afternoon was ours we explored the Old Town and discovered what a great (and very friendly) place Tallinn is. There is plenty to do in the Old Town, especially if you’re into your history, and a wide range of bars and restaurants cater for every taste from medieval cuisine (OK, I know you’re probably not that old) right up to the ever-present Irish bar.

Next morning we made our way to the

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From the main building it’s a short walk to the live fire ranges that Warfighters will be using on its courses. We also noticed an assault course and abseiling tower, which are used for adventure training at the facility.

Once at the range it was time to get the weapons out of their cases. To say we had a mixed bag was a bit of an understatement!

We had a H&K G3 7.62mm assault rifle, an AK74 in 5.56mm, a 9mm Makarov pistol and a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun – but my personal favourite was the .300 Magnum Sako rifle.

It was hammered home to me that this was not going to be a ‘shoot loads of rounds down the range’ jolly. The courses aim to teach people that have perhaps never fired live firearms how to conduct all weaponhandling drills safely. We covered the lot – from loading magazines with ammunition and the ‘make safe’ drill to the handing-over of the weapon, and every drill in between.

Despite having spent many years in the forces I don’t know everything and still made mistakes (albeit minor ones, not dangerous or unsafe) and these where corrected by the

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REAL STEEL FAQ Would I do the course myself?

Without a doubt – I have never met such a friendly, unassuming bunch of people in all my life, with a wealth of knowledge that is second to none.

Will I come back with a new found respect for weapons and the dangers they hold?

Absolutely. Even those who have served in the military or police can get rusty and this is a great way to brush up on those skills.

eagle-eyed staff who were at my shoulder all the way down the course.

I was handed the G3 and asked to make ready. I inserted the mag into the weapon and made sure everyone was ready before cocking it. I placed the butt in my shoulder, closed one eye, aimed at the target and squeezed the trigger. There is something incredibly satisfying about the thump to your shoulder as a 7.62mm round spits out the end of a barrel!

I did this 19 more times, all the while ‘fire and manoeuvring’ down the range with the instructor right behind me; when I got to the end of the mag I was grinning from ear to ear. There is nothing quite like the feeling of firing a live round and scoring a hit, no matter how many times you do it.

We went on firing the rest of the weapons throughout the day, on a number of different ranges including CQB for the pistol and shotgun and firing the sniper rifle from an elevated hide at a target some distance away. I walked away not only with a smile, but with a fair bit more knowledge under my belt thanks to the very helpful instructors.

The courses are set to start in May 2012 and last four days, including travel. You'll be on the ranges for around two and a half days and the course will end with a well-deserved meal (and possibly the odd drink or two) in Tallinn.

I can’t wait to get back out there! ■

Will I enjoy myself?

The course deals with a serious matter (let’s not forget these weapons are killing machines) but anyone that does it will come away enlightened and, like me, will be talking about it for a long time afterwards.

There is nothing like this available in the UK (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter). From Basic Beginner through to Basic Plus there are a number of courses available, and there is plenty to learn and take in over a short period of time.

Dave Thatcher and his team are offering the chance to get hands-on experience with live firearms, on a range used by Special Forces units from around the world, in a country just two hours flight from the UK, with some of the UK’s and Estonia’s most experienced real-world military operators. ‘Nuff said!

CONTACT Warfighters: 01327 323042

WIN! WIN! LIKE TO TRY THE COURSE YOURSELF? WE'VE GOT ONE PLACE ON A LIVE FIRE TRAINING COURSE UP F0R GRABS! FLICK TO PAGE 29 FOR DETAILS! www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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WIN...WIN...WIN...

CELCIUS M4A1 MX2 CTW AS REVIEWED IN THIS ISSUE OF AIRSOFT ACTION!

AIRSOFT A

CTION

&9$-64*7&

COMPETIT

ION

H WORTE R O M THAN

HUGE THANKS TO STTS FOR PROVIDING THIS FANTASTIC PRIZE:

£600

You’ve read the review (starting on p12) – now own this awesome weapon!

To be in with a chance of winning a brand-spanking-new CTW, tick the box beside the answer you think is right, fill out the form and send it off to us.

When was the M16 Armalite first introduced into service with the US Special Forces (NOT when it was an issued weapon)?

Was it…

1961 ■ 1963 ■ 1965 ■ 1967 ■ Answer Name Address

Postcode Country Telephone Email

Post your entry to: Celcius Competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. Or, email your entries to competition@blazepublishing.co.uk, quoting ‘Celcius Competition’ in the headline – please make sure to include your full name and address.

Photocopied entry forms will be accepted. The first name we pull out of the editor’s hat will win; entries received after 20 December will not be valid.

One entry per household only. Prize must be collected from Blaze Publishing office.

Blaze Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email

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COMPETITION

WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...

SPECIAL

FORCES

SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING COMPETITION Name Address

Postcode

TRAINING

Country

AS SEEN IN AIRSOFT ACTION!

Email

I

f you enjoyed Danny P’s article (starting on p24) you’ll love the real thing! Warfighters UK has offered one place on its live-fire Special Forces training course in Estonia, exclusively to you lucky Airsoft Action readers!

The first course is scheduled for May 2012. Prize winner will be put on the first course available.

To be in with a chance, take a look at the two pictures below.

There are five differences between the two pictures – spot them all and send the form off to us (or email us, if you like)! Couldn't be easier.

Remember, competition open to UK residents aged 18+ only! ■

Telephone

Competition open to UK residents (British passport required) aged 18+ ONLY. Prize includes flights, accomodation, course and range fees.

Post your entry to: Estonia Training Competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. Or, email your entries to competition@blazepublishing.co.uk, quoting ‘Estonia Training Competition’ in the headline. Entries received after 20 December will not be valid. One entry per household. Winner will be first correct entry pulled from the editor's hat.

Blaze Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email

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AIRSOFT

Using formations is another simple way to stay ahead of the game.

Airsoft Action’s newest models took to the studio to demonstrate

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– bunching up will make you an easy target, and the game will be over a little prematurely!

While moving in formation you should avoid deliberate, even spacing as this is also obvious to the human eye. Irregular distances between team members can confuse the eye, especially in low light conditions where an evenly-spaced squad of marching troops is glaringly obvious.

The Team Leader or Section Commander should decide what formation the team will travel in depending upon the following factors:

FORMATIONS fter the last three issues you’ll all know everything you need to know about communicating with your team, right? Good – now we’re moving onto the tactics that will help you get from A to B without one of those frustrating trips back to regen.

Gone are the days when the might of the British armed forces would stand shoulder to shoulder, chests puffed out in bright red tunics, advancing to take on the enemy with shot and bayonet and standing firm despite an imminent incoming volley.

Undoubtedly the soldiers were brave to stand and face such conflict, but the tactics themselves were severely flawed and resulted in a huge amount of unnecessary casualties. Other tactics were called for to prevent such devastating losses.

Formations are typically used when a section or patrol needs to move across different types of ground or cover, to

either approach an objective or get to an RV (rendezvous) point. It is important that the Team Leader can communicate with members of the team – but equally important that the team is spread out to prevent opposition players easily wiping the entire squad out. The team must be alert and prepared for an enemy attack from any direction at all times, and this means different formations are required for different environments to give the best control and protection.

Operationally, the spacing between each patrol member should be at least five metres, though visibility and terrain can reduce or expand this spacing. This is just as relevant to airsoft, although the calibre of weapons used in games is significantly less powerful than those deployed in real conflict so you could consider reducing that spacing a little. Always remember that a well-placed pyro will still take out everyone within a five-metre radius though

■ Ground ■ Visibility ■ Direction from which enemy fire is expected ■ The need for control by the Section Commander ■ The need for producing the maximum fire with the minimum delay.

Here are the five most commonly used formations and some pros and cons of each.

SINGLE FILE Useful for linear features such as hedges, ditches and walls, which give cover from view or fire. Single file can also be effective in close woods and very dark night patrols. It offers good protection from fire from a flank.

One of the main drawbacks to this formation is that the patrol is very vulnerable to attacks to the front and rear as, initially, the team can only respond with one gun until the team is redeployed into a different formation.

Moving in this formation can also make for poor flank observation as players tend to lose focus and let their eyes rest on the person in front or the terrain ahead.

Also, as the Team Leader should ideally be positioned near to the front (shown second from front in our example), passage of commands

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and information to those at the rear can be frustratingly slow. The signal for the team to adopt single file is simply for the team leader to raise the hand not holding a weapon high in the air away

from his body to aid visibility in low light conditions. Each member of the team may repeat the signal to ensure the rest of the team knows what is required.

FILE (SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS ‘STAGGERED FILE’) This formation can be used on a path or track, or either side of a small bank or hedgerow wide enough for the team to move on opposite sides of it. This gives good protection to the flanks although, again, limited protection to the front and rear when under fire. A team patrolling in file should alternate or stagger their position in the patrol, so viewed from above it would look like a ‘zig zag’ of troops (see our example – Team Leader is to the right of and behind the leading scout).

This formation is easy to control and highly useful for moving at night.

But as the formation is so much closer together it presents a more concentrated target and is thus susceptible to area effect weapons (such as pyros in airsoft). File is often used while patrolling in an urban environment as you can use walls and building lines at both sides of a

ARROWHEAD The arrowhead formation is essential for moving across open countryside.

It offers good protection to both flanks as well as to the front and rear of the patrol. It is probably the best way to move on a broad front in open country. If the patrol has only one support weapon it is best

SKILLS ROOM

street as cover and provide cover to the other line of the patrol if an enemy in a building engages you.

The signal for the team to move into

this formation is for the team leader to raise both arms above the head, shoulder width apart.

positioned on the flank most likely to be attacked.

But while this formation allows for good all-round observation, if it gets too concentrated it presents a vulnerable target.

The signal for the team to move into arrowhead is for the Team Leader to

push both arms backwards behind him forming a V wedge, parallel to the ground. If a support weapon is required on a particular flank this can be indicated by holding the weapon in the relevant hand (which can mean a short sprint for the gunner carrying his heavy kit).

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DIAMOND This formation is best used when the team is crossing open countryside at night, for example during a weekender MilSim event or in extremely bad visibility. Each player must be able to see the next and ensure all arcs of fire are covered. The Team Leader may control from the front or middle of the formation.

Diamond formation gives good all-round defence and provides for good observation and efficient communications. This would also be the perfect formation to use in a scenario where you need to ’protect a VIP’, or where your team is making off with the hard-won ammo crate objective marker. The main drawback is that it presents a vulnerable target after dark when illuminated if the team is not quick taking cover.

The signal for the team to adopt a diamond formation is for the leader to simply position his arms above his head (as if representing a roof over his head – or, thinking more laterally, a diamond). If the leader wishes to be positioned in the middle they will drop back into the centre of the formation and another team member, usually the Scout, will take their position.

USING FORMATIONS If the terrain and tactical situation dictates then the Team Leader could arrange a ‘baseline’ from which the team’s forward advance can be planned.

An efficient way to get the team into position quickly while under fire is to shout “Baseline!” With a little practice, the team should be aware of the leader’s location and would then form a baseline along the direction indicated by the Team Leader. This allows for

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EXTENDED LINE The most aggressively-used formation is extended line. It is most often used on approach to a suspected enemy location, advance to contact or as an assault formation. It offers poor protection to the flanks but excellent

protection to the front and rear of the patrol, as firepower can be quickly maximised to threats on these sides of the team.

One of the main problems with this formation is that it’s difficult to control – this is where team sub leaders come into their own while the Team Leader co-ordinates each fire team into position.

This is a formation an airsoft team can adopt quickly once they come under contact (while patrolling in file, for instance).

If he wants his team in extended line formation the Team Leader holds both arms outstretched to the sides, parallel with the ground. As before the side his weapon is held in can be used to dictate which flank any support weapons carried are required to position themselves

rapid deployment of any formation necessary.

Once in the baseline, the team members should return the shout to indicate they are in position and ready return fire. Once the baseline is confirmed then clear, loud target indication can be given and accurate fire returned, allowing the assaulters to move forward and clear the enemy position.

By linking different formations together like this, you and your team

can respond to changing terrain, visibility and developments in individual battles during games.

Basic tactics like these can really give you the edge over an untrained or unprepared team, regardless whether it’s ‘Captain Killer and his team of spray-and-pray merchants’ or ‘Team support weapons R us’! By using these methods you can make your gameplay more quiet, efficient and tactical – after all if they didn’t work, the military would be doing it differently. n

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BIG BOYZ TOYZ Some of the largest hovercraft in the world are used by the military.

Ratty looks back at their history and asks that all important question: can I buy one?

MILITARY HOVERCRAFT

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his issue I’ll break away from land based hardware – well, the sort with wheels at least.

As a kid I was fascinated with machinery of all shapes and sizes, mainly military stuff, though there was another new form of transport which grabbed my attention. It was the hovercraft. At that time crossing the channel on a hovercraft was the nautical equivalent of flying in Concorde,or driving a Lamborghini Countach.

Hey, it was the 70s after all!

A hovercraft is basically a craft supported by a cushion of slow-moving, high pressure air which is forced against the surface and contained within a ‘skirt’. This makes the hovercraft unique as a form of ground transport as it is able to travel equally well over land, ice and water. Small hovercraft have found a niche in the recreational/sports market while large hovercraft are used in both civilian and military applications. Giant hovercraft have been used with success for years as cross channel ferries and in military roles as landing craft, able to transport large equipment such as tanks, trucks and troops across all types of hostile environments and terrain. They are also used as emergency response vehicles in affected areas after

natural disasters but, although supported by air, a hovercraft is not an aircraft.

Brief history The first air cushioned vehicle (ACV) was built by an Austrian, Dagobert Muller. The original design would not be recognisable as

a modern hovercraft. It was propelled by four aero engines driving two submerged marine propellers and had a fifth engine blowing air under the front of the craft (to increase the air pressure underneath it). The hull resembled a large aerofoil and it was designed as a fast torpedo boat, but never saw actual combat.

After the First World War, Konstantin Eduardo Tsiolkovsky developed the theory of moving an object on a cushion of air. In 1931 the first true hovercraft was designed

by Finnish aero engineer Toivo Kaario. This design featured a lift engine, blowing air into a flexible envelope for lift. ‘Surface Soarer’ was the first prototype built in 1937.

A Russian, Vladimir Levkov, closely followed Kaarios’ work but his designs were based more along Muller’s original aerofoil design.

The disaster craft Meulaboh brings supplies to devastated communities in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami

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Lekov designed and built a small number of craft during the 1930s, including the L-5 fast attack boat that reached 130kmh in testing.

Levkov’s work can still be seen today, classed as ground effect vehicles.

Once WWII was over, development of air cushioned vehicles was undertaken by several groups around the world. The Soviets especially saw the potential and set up the Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau, but persisted with Levkov’s ground effect design.

Over the next 30 years the Bureau produced a number of craft but none ever entered production. The most famous of these designs was the ‘Caspian Sea Monster’, as it was nicknamed, which was a massive missile-firing boat powered by eight jet engines.

Meanwhile in Canada John Carver Frost, who worked at Avro Canada, had started experimenting with another system. His work led to the development of the Avrocar, which used a lift engine to blow air directly down like modern hovercraft. But as it was Both the US and Japanese Navy use the LCAC hovercraft

being developed for the aero industry results were not what they were expecting, and the project was abandoned in 1961.

It was Sir Christopher Cockerell who really developed what we now recognise as a hovercraft. He named the key concept in his design the ‘momentum curtain’, which could be used to trap high pressure air inside the curtain to provide the lift required based on pressure, not on airflow.

Cockerell built several models of his designs in the early 1950s, featuring an engine mounted to blow air from the front of the craft into a cavity below, thus combining both lift and propulsion. He demonstrated this model at Whitehall and his design was put on a secret list. Unfortunately, not one service was interested and he received no funding to carry on his work. The idea was declassified and Cockerell convinced the National Research Development Corporation to fund development of a full scale model. In

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The Soviet Ekranoplan, better known as the Caspian Sea Monster

1958 a contract was placed with Saunders Roe, based on the Isle of Wight, for the development of what became known as SR.N1. Saunders Roe Nautical 1 (SR. N1) made its first hover on 11 June 1959, followed by its famous crossing of the English Channel on 25 July 1959.

American inventor Norma B McCreary is credited with inventing and patenting the ‘Doubled Walled Flexible Skirt’, also known as the ‘Bag Skirt’. It inflated around the edge of the hovercraft and was a major development, allowing the craft to move more easily over waves and uneven or rough terrain. The craft could be raised and lowered off the surface by inflating or deflating the skirt.

To compensate, and reduce wear and drag, ‘Fingers’ were added later. In 1960, after this concept was made public, all hovercraft began to utilise the ‘Doubled Wall Flexible Skirt’ design.

Military hovercraft In the UK the Inter-Service Hovercraft Trials Unit (IHTU) was set up to test the suitability of hovercraft for military applications. Based at Lee-on-the-Solent (now the site of the Hovercraft Museum), trials were carried out on SR.N1s as well as testing the SR.N2, SR.N3, SR.N5 and SR.N6 craft. Currently, the Royal Marines use the Griffon 2000 TDX Class ACV operationally, which saw deployment in Iraq.

During the 1960s in the US, Bell, under licence, sold the SR.N5 as the Bell SK-5.

The US Navy deployed a number of these to the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War. They were known as PACV patrol craft and their speed and mobility were used to good effect. Some were modified with a new deck configuration featuring a gun turret and grenade launchers. These were designated 9255 PACV. The US Army also experimented

with the SR.N5 hovercraft. These hovercraft were deployed to Dong Tam in the Mekong Delta and then up to Ben Luc. Unfortunately one was destroyed in early 1970 and a second in August, causing the unit to be disbanded. The last remaining US Army SR.N5 hovercraft can be found on display at the Army Transport Museum in Virginia.

Development continued though and the Bell SK-10 was put into production. This model now forms the basis for the Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC) class that is now in use with the US and Japanese Navy, as well as the US Marine Corps. They have been designed to carry a mixture of vehicles, troops and supplies to shore from Wasp class Assault Ships.

These huge hovercraft can achieve speeds of up to 40 knots (46mph) and are armed with just two machine gun emplacements, although feature additional weapon

BIG BOYZ TOYZ The monstrous Soviet Zubr Class (aka Pomornik Class), capable of carrying three T-80 battle tanks, 140 fully-equipped troops or up to 130 tons of cargo

“The Zubr Class can carry three T-80 Tanks, 140 troops or up to 130 tons of cargo. Four have been sold to the Greek Navy, so keep your cheque books close by – they could be up for sale soon!” mounting stations. According to the USMC, the LCAC can cross 70 per cent of the world’s coastline (as opposed to just 15 per cent for normal landing craft). The first LCAC was delivered to the Navy in 1984.

Manufactured by Textron Marine and Land Systems of New Orleans, 91 LCACs have been built, the last delivered in 2001.

A Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) is currently on-going, making sure that these craft will see service beyond 2015. However, a number of new LCACs are currently under development.

But it was the Soviet Union that became the largest developer of military hovercraft.

They had a range of ACVs from the Czilm class (similar to an SR.N6) all the way up to the monstrous Zubr Class LCAC, which is the largest hovercraft in the world.

The Zubr Class is 57.6 meters long and has a maximum displacement of 535 tons.

It can carry three T-80 Main Battle Tanks,

140 fully-equipped troops or up to 130 tons of cargo. Four of these have been sold to the Greek Navy, so keep your cheque books close by – they could be up for sale soon!

After the fall of the Soviet Union most Soviet military hovercraft fell into a state of disrepair or were sold off. The Russian Navy only recently began building new classes of military hovercraft.

Imagine that at somewhere like Battle Lakes – mount a couple of M249s and hey presto!

You would need insurance and some form of transportation to and from site, and it would do no harm to learn what your hovercraft is capable of. The Hovercraft Cruising Club UK promotes safe usage of hovercraft and runs courses for just that, as well as club meets and race days. There is also the Hovercraft Club UK, formed in 1966, which runs events all around the UK. You may not be able to trundle up the M1 on your hovercraft, but imagine the looks on the faces of the other team as you pitch up at the car park! ■

One hovercraft, slightly used But on to that most important of questions: can I buy one? Indeed you can! Griffon Hoverwork has three ex-Royal Marine hovercraft for sale. How much? You had better contact them direct, but be warned – an Excelsior class hovercraft (similar in size to a Zubr) came up for sale in 2009. The pricetag? A trifling US$69 million.

Alternatively, you could make your own small fast attack hovercraft, adapting one of the smaller racing or recreational hovercraft.

CONTACTS Griffon Hoverwork: 02380 686666, www.griffonhoverwork.com Hovercraft Cruising Club UK: www.hoverclub.org.uk Hovercraft Club UK: www.hovercraft.org.uk

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THE KINGDOM’S OWN

FIBUA VILLAGE Scott Allen reports from Fife Wargames, one of the hottest new airsoft sites in the UK

O

li Walker, Sam Baynes and the Fife Wargames team have just opened what may be one of the best sites in the UK. That’s not the most subtle of opening lines, but at least you know what’s coming!

Former Royal Naval Air Station HMS Jackdaw was built at the end of the Great War in 1918 and had seen service in various formats over a 50 year period. Most recently it was a disused part of a farm – now it’s one of the hottest airsoft FIBUA (FIghting In Built Up Areas) sites in the UK.

Oli’s airsoft career began with playing at Airsoft Edinburgh. Right from the beginning he said: “We need a good site in Fife, and I hope to be the guy who has it.” It took a fair bit of time but Oli, true to his word, does indeed have a site – and it’s an absolute cracker!

As with everything in life it wasn’t as simple as ‘opening a site’. Literally tons of debris and general mess have been cleaned out of the buildings to make them airsofterfriendly. The Fife Wargames team has put a great deal of time, care and thought into the site. An airsoft site should always prioritise safety over immersive experience and the team has definitely got the balance right.

Don’t get me wrong though – the place has an impressive, intense atmosphere like some kind of post-nuclear airbase. You almost expect to see mothballed MIG 21s,

and James Bond driving around in a DB9 being chased by some Soviet General (well, maybe I just have a very active imagination).

Located on the East of Fife near Anstruther, Fife Wargames is a fair journey from our base south of Edinburgh. Travelling in convoy and meeting at our usual haunt (McDonalds, Forth Road Bridge) we came across Dog Team from Glasgow who were also heading up, guys I hadn’t seen in a long time so it was good to know they were going. The closer we got the smaller the roads became – and the more cars we saw full of guys in camo.

There was a bit of confusion with parking on our arrival – not a good sign, I thought, until I realised the problem was unusual numbers: nearly three times as many people as Oli was expecting had shown up. Teams from all over Scotland had heard

Photos courtesy of Oli Walker for FifeWargames

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SITE REVIEW

“Smoke-filled corridors made it easy to stay in the shadows, pop off a couple of silenced P99 shots and watch the ensuing confusion as Yellow Team thought they had engaged their own team in friendly fire!”

around buildings much more effectively. In all honesty I think this is due to the fact the majority of sites in Scotland are woodland – players just aren’t used to moving through buildings every game day. I suspect this mindset and style of play will change very quickly now Fife Wargames is on the scene.

My personal favourite game of the day was Last Stand. Our team was holed up in one of the larger buildings, with dozens of access points, corridors, windows and rooms with old animal pens to hide in and fight through.

The Last Stand was where we finally did some good damage to the attacking team. Smoke-filled corridors made it easy

about this wündersite that was just a few weeks old, and they all wanted a slice of the action. We saw faces, old and new, from NCIS Airsoft, Section 8, The Fort, The Deserters Club and more. All in all nearly 100 players took part – a big turnout for a Scottish site.

We get signed in, took a quick look around and immediately realised this site is something special. Little did we know we had only seen a small part of it and in total it’s around four times bigger than we thought – the place is a warren of buildings, corridors, bunkers and the occasional herd of sheep. This site is nothing short of an airsofter’s dream!

The first game was a nice and simple ‘prevent your VIP from being killed’ scenario. We failed miserably and, oddly enough, except the outer walls we didn’t use a single building. Once we got more to grips with the site a variety of WMD seek and deliver, Fallback and Land Grab type games saw the fighting moving in and

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to stay in the shadows, pop off a couple of silenced P99 shots and watch the ensuing confusion as Yellow Team thought they had engaged their own team in friendly fire!

This worked for a good 15 minutes as two teammates and I alternated engagements to inflict maximum casualties on the other team. In the end it didn’t really matter; we all got shot and headed to the dead zone laughing.

When the end of the day rolled around I was shattered. We had run all over the site, fighting around corners, through corridors and across open scrubland. The site offers good variety of games and the quality of

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play throughout the day was excellent – a sure hats off to the Fife Wargames team. In a short space of time Oli and his team have delivered an awesome product that will undoubtedly mature and improve with time, and I cannot wait to see what next year will bring.

One of the things I love about away games with my airsoft buddies is the roadtrip experience. At the end of the day, a day off from the office and down-time with friends is important too. So on the way back we stopped at the world famous, awardwinning Anstruther Fish Bar, to reflect on the points of the day – and we came to

the conclusion that not only was it a good day, but Fife Wargames has near-limitless potential for the future, and we’ll be back soon to find out what’s changed. ■

FIFE WARGAMES Crail Airfield, KY10 3XL Site type: Includes both outdoors/woodland and FIBUA/CQB areas Opened: 2011 Green fee: £20 Rifle hire: £15 Contact: www.fifewargames.com, www.facebook.com/fifewargames

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PERFECT PRESENTS

Pressie list got you stumped? Leave it to us – we’ve got a mammoth selection of airsoft stuff to ask Santa for ❆ UNDER A TENNER ❆ ZOOSICK HAND GRENADE COFFEE MUG These awesome grenade mugs are standard issue coffee equipment for the British SAS. Ok, we made that up – but if they did choose their mug, the Zoosick Hand Grenade Mug would surely be first choice.

Price: £8 Zero One: 01202 769614, www.zerooneairsoft.com

SHOOTING TARGETS Rimfire Shooting Target’s range of quality targets make a great stocking filler – no need to wait to test that new rifle! Printed on good quality card, these 45x64cm shooting targets are available in a host of designs, from standard targets through zombie apocalypses.

Price: £1.50 Rimfire Shooting Targets: www.rimfireshootingtargets.com

NITE GLOWRING PATCHES Ok, we’ve all seen them – Velcrobacked patches for giving your load-out that personal touch. With squillions of designs available there’s bound to one to suit you.

Price: £5 Soldier of Fortune: 01490 412225, www.sofmilitary.co.uk

This crafty bit of kit will glow in the dark for up to 10 years – and it doesn’t need batteries or sunlight to charge it. The Glowring is a self-powered GTLS light source, ideal for use as a keyring, marker or zip tag. A cheap but useful gadget, perfect to chuck in a stocking.

Price: £9.99 Nite Watches: 01202 487757, www.nitewatches.com

ABBEY BRUT SNIPER GAS Abbey Supply Company is wellknown for its range of gases, greases and oils.

The Brut Sniper Gas is Abbey's newest gas and gives better performance in gas guns when compared to green gas, with less risk to the gun due to reduced silicon content.

Price: £9.99 Abbey Supply Company: 01202 603067, www.abbeysupply.com

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BOLLE SLAM PROTECTION GLASSES The Bollé Slam glasses are perfect entry-level eye protection. They feature a black frame and smoke lens, and at this price how can Santa refuse? Zero One stocks over 25 different styles of Bollé eyewear at prices from £6-£18.

Price: £9.95 Zero One: 01202 769614, www.zerooneairsoft.com

XMAS GIFTS ❆ £11-£50 ❆ HELIKON PATRIOT FLEECE This excellent jacket features double superfine fleece, a high collar integrated with the hood, full-front zipper, reinforced Cordura material on backs of the sleeves, six zip pockets, Velcro plates on each arm, armpit ventilation, adjustable wrist cuffs and drawstring waistband with cord lock.

Available in four colours (shown here: coyote), ideal for all outdoor activities.

Price: £47.99 Military 1st: www.military1st.co.uk

WEAPON 006: SNIPER RIFLES

THUNDERFLASH MK5 TLSFX's Mk5 Thunderflash is an awesome bit of airsoft equipment. Pull the cap off, strike the fuse and throw toward enemy – the Thundie explodes with a good bang and flash sure to keep your enemies on their toes. A nice size for strapping to your belt too!

Price: £2.20 TLSFx: 01673 863294 www.tlsfx.co.uk

THE PARA FITNESS FLICK BOOK This nifty pocket book, written by the youngest British soldier since WWII to achieve the rank of Major, can teach any civvie how to become as fit as the Paras.

Comprising 150 workout moves.

ISBN: 978-1-78096002-9.

Price: £6.00 Osprey Publishing: 01206 256002, www. ospreypublishing. com

A technical outline of the history of the sniper rifle, from its introduction during the Napoleonic wars to today. Details development of ammunition and different weapon types, and discusses current advances in technology such as laser rangefinders and night vision devices. Published by Osprey Publishing. Parperback, 80 pages. ISBN: 9781849083980.

Price: £12.99 Osprey Publishing: 01206 256002, www.ospreypublishing.com

AIRSOFT INNOVATIONS GASCAN The nifty Airsoft Innovations GasCan Compact Filling Device helps keep you in the game. Safely store a day’s gas on your rig.

SUPER XMAS OFFER: All orders in December shipped with free GunGas Propane Adaptor worth £16!

Price: £30 Airsoft Innovations: www.airsoft-innovations.com

LEATHERMAN WINGMAN S’up bros and lady bros – I’m the Wingman. Here to help you out with any trouble that comes knocking.

Car troubles, bathroom troubles, lady troubles. No troublemo. Covered by the Leatherman 25-year warranty, unless used for opening peach wine coolers.

Price: £39.95 Eton Guns: 01753 800009, www.etonguns. co.uk

MECHANIX M-PACT GLOVE Featuring double stitching and dual panels in critical wear areas, Trek Dry spandex top, and a hook and loop wrist closure for a secure fit, the all new M-Pact Glove is a lesson in durability, functionality and protection.

Available in covert black, tan and woodland.

Price: £29.99 JD Airsoft: 01543 466356, www. jdairsoft.net

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❆ £11-£50 ❆ A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 WEAPONS

AFG2

Chris McNab tells the story of the world through the medium of, er, weapons.

This highly-illustrated book details 100 important weapons by age, including: Roman gladius, Japanese katana, English longbow and the AK-47. A fascinating read for anyone interested in historical and modern weapons and warfare. Published by Osprey Publishing. Hardback, 384 pages. ISBN: 9781849085205.

Price: £25 Osprey Publishing: 01206 256002, www.ospreypublishing.com

Magpul’s AFG2 (Angled Fore Grip) takes natural body mechanics into account and provides a comfortable and stable system that allows for more precise weapon control. By positioning the shooter’s hand high on the centerline of the bore, the AFG2 helps mitigate recoil and control the weapon, meaning faster and more accurate follow-up shots.

Price: £29.99 Edgar Brothers: 01625 660670, www.edgarbrothers.com

5.11 TAC NFO2 The 5.11 Tac NFO2 tactical gloves feature innovations you won’t find elsewhere. Tac NFO2 gloves are made with the patented TacticalTouch construction system for maximum dexterity and longer service life. There is no seam at the fingertip, so nothing to add bulk, wear out or irritate you.

Price: £29.99 Zero One: 01202 769614, www.zerooneairsoft.com

BLACK BEAR MESH FACE MASK It might look like a fencing mask, but Black Bear’s full face mesh mask is perfect for the airsofter that values vision. Mesh construction means it has no issues with fogging, and plenty of room inside the mask means its ideal for wearers of prescription glasses. Available in black, olive and sand.

Price: £35 Surplus Stores: www.surplusstore.co.uk

COLDGEAR TAC CREW VENTILATOR GLOVES This highly breathable glove is designed for operations in hot environments. They are padded on the fingers, knuckles and the inside of the palm, and leather reinforcement on high stress areas.

Available in fingerless or full finger design.

Price: fingerless £14.99; full finger £19.99 Soldier of Fortune: 01490 412225, www.sofmilitary.co.uk

SOLARFORCE PTS-3 PRESSURE PAD TAILCAP With the usual high Solarforce build quality and a unique removable tape switch, this remote pressure pad really stands out. Ideal for anyone with a weapon light – use as a pressure pad or unscrew for a regular tail switch, Fits Surefire 6P 9P type and most of Solarforce's L range.

Price: £25.99 Flashlight Heaven: www.flashlight-heaven.co.uk

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The crewneck design of ColdGear’s tactical base layer ensures a stealthy fit beneath your uniform or outerwear. Double-sided brushed fabrication means you stay warmer and dryer, and the durable nylon outer is wind resistant.

Price: £38 Top of the Range: 01937 830500, www.top-of-therange.co.uk

LONEX MAGS: AK47, M4

MX-80 DIVERSIONARY DEVICE The new MX-80 diversionary device was designed purely for airsoft use. A quick-reloadable unit that delivers an 80dB soundwave that is not only safe to the user but safe to other skirmishers.

Lightweight and durable, the MX80 looks as good as it feels. The internal part has been designed to resist carbon build up for longer.

Price: £69.99 JD Airsoft: 01543 466356, www. jdairsoft.net

The unique pullcord design of the Lonex mags (available for M4 and AK47) makes speed loading even speedier – just two or three pulls on the cord is plenty to feed all 500 rounds through these high cap mags.

Full metal construction.

Price: AK47 £32.95; M4 £29.95 SUPER XMAS OFFER: 10 per cent off all Lonex mags from Firestorm!

Quote discount code AA2 Firestorm: 01262 469904, www.lonexuk. com

❆ £51-£100 ❆

XMAS GIFTS

WALTHER PS55 RISMOUNTABLE RED-DOT SCOPE Fully adjustable 20mm Weaver or Picatinny type rail mounted red dot sight

by Walther. Features a tough metal construction with coated lens. Requires a single AAA battery (supplied).

Price: £90 Surplus Stores: www.surplusstore.co.uk

MASADA PTS AAC SILENCER KIT

FLYYE MOLLE AIII BACKPACK Made of durable Invista 1000D Cordura Nylon, the Flyye AIII backpack features ergonomically designed padded shoulder straps and MOLLE web platform on front, bottom and both sides (and pockets!).

Available in black or coyote brown.

Price: £82.99 Military 1st: www.military1st.co.uk

The Advanced Armament Corp Silencer Kit includes both AAC Flash Hider and Silencer – simply screw the silencer onto the flash hider and it locks in place to give that tactical look so many people crave. And it’ll make a tiny difference to your weapon’s report, too.

Will work with any AEG with standard 14mm clockwise threading.

Price: £74.99 Edgar Brothers: 01625 660670, www.edgarbrothers.com

PISTOL RANGE: BABY HI-CAPA How about a stocking filler with a difference?

Pictured is the Baby Hi Capa, one of a huge range of fullmetal, quality airsoft pistols available from UK blowback specialist MilSpec Solutions. Contact MilSpec today to discuss your pistol needs!

Price: from £95 MilSpec Solutions: 01257 453689, www.milspecsolutions.com

MICH 2000 HELMET This tactical, high cut helmet features side rails and a MARSOC/WARCOM three-hole night vision mount on the front.

Also features three Velcro panels for patches, a Picatinny adapter for lamps and clips for attaching face masks. Available in black, green and camouflage.

Price: £69.99 Soldier of Fortune: 01490 412225, www.sofmilitary.co.uk

SOLO ENHANCED COMBAT PANTS Produced for UKSF and police firearms teams, SOLO's Enhanced COmbat Pants feature ripstop fabric, removable kneepads, Velcro knee adjustment, MOLLE panels on the hips, zip fly and waist tabs – and they have a staggering 12 pockets too. Available in ATP and black.

Sizes S-XXL. Price: £69.99 Camouflage Store: 01803 552899, www.camouflage-store.com

AIRSOFT INNOVATIONS TORNADO IMPACT GRENADE Airsoft Innovation’s Impact Tornado Grenade explodes on impact! The trigger components are sensitive enough that the Impact Grenade will trigger from as little as a one inch drop onto a solid surface.

SUPER XMAS OFFER: Free DD Kit and Spoon Kits worth £26!

Price: £69.99 Airsoft Innovations: www.airsoft-innovations.com

LEATHERMAN WAVE Leatherman’s Wave multitool is famous for its outside-accessible blades that can be deployed with just one hand. The new Wave features larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters and alllocking blades. Perfect for any job, adventure or everyday task.

Price: £99.99 Eton Guns: 01753 800009, www. etonguns.co.uk

ACM CA870 SHOTGUN This heavy mag-fed shotgun, available in both fullsize and sawn off configurations, is heavier than most and feels like a real shotgun in your hands. This straightshooting shottie fires one round at a time.

Price: Full size £90; sawn off £85 Combat Action Games: www.combatactiongames.com

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❆ £51-£100 ❆

❆ £101-£300 ❆

ASCU UNIT

SRC G36C

Fancy owning a PTW, but don’t fancy spending £1,000? The ASCU unit can make every AEG with a V2 gearbox work just like a PTW. By replacing the anti reversal latch and switch gear with a processor that monitors the gear position at all times, it can control the motor with a double MOSFET active braking system.

This means it will always complete a full cycle, and a single trigger pull in auto mode will produce a three-round burst.

Price: £99.99 SUPER XMAS OFFER: Just £79.99 for all Airsoft Action readers!

Airsoft Support Products: www.airsoftsupportproducts.co.uk

A compact weapon, ideal for urban environments, SRC’s G36c is a solid little gun that packs enough punch to take it to the woods. Constructed of nylon fibres and glass fibres it’s robust yet nimble, and features a three-piece steel gear set, hightorque motor, metal hop unit and 470-round magazine.

Price: £144 Combat Action Games: www.combatactiongames.com

POWERMONKEY EXTREME HIGHLANDER TOMAHAWK ELITE LX The Highlander Tomahawk Elite LX backpack is comfy and lightweight yet durable, thanks to its 1000D Cordura nylon construction. It’s MOLLE compatible and has a removable waistbelt, as well as plenty of pockets and compartments. The Elite LX has a 40-litre capacity.

Price: £79.99 John Bull Military Clothing: 01748 833614, www. johnbullclothing.com

Power without boundaries! The Powermonkey portable solar-powered charger can charge a tablet twice, smartphone four times or a mobile phone eight times, as well as dozens of other supported devices.

Kit includes battery unit, solar panel and travel pouch.

Price: £120 Top of the Range: 01937 830500, www.top-ofthe-range.co.uk

UNDER ARMOUR VALSETZ TACTICAL BOOT This awesome tactical boot from Under Armour is a low weight but high performing boot at a good price. With moulded toe guard and heel cups to protect during use in rough terrain and high-abrasion rubber outsole these boots are built to last – and built to make your feet last too.

Available in UK size 5-15, colours black or desert.

Price: £90 Top of the Range: 01937 830500, www.top-of-therange.co.uk

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COUNTER TERRORISM BOOT The Counter Terrorism Boot is a purpose-built boot, lightweight and with full grain leather upper. It is fully antistatic, features Lenzi anti-penetration insoles and special compound OTR outsole rubber (oil and slip resistant). Hard wearing and with extremely good traction, the CT Boot is an excellent choice.

Price: £134.99 OPS Systems: 07534 287639, www. opssystems.com

XMAS GIFTS MX10 300T

TOKYO MARUI PRO LINE HIGH CYCLE AEG STEYR CUSTOM Another new offering from Tokyo Marui, the Pro Line HC Steyr Custom has a very fast rate of fire, spitting out 1,400 rounds a minute (or 23 a second). Its 8.4v mini battery is stored in the buttstock. The body has a flat rail top for adding optics, and side rails for your accessories of choice. Supplied with 330-round mag.

Price: £284.95 Zero One: 01202 769614, www.zerooneairsoft.com

TOKYO MARUI GBLK SIG P226 This TM licensed version of the Sig Sauer P226 – official sidearm of the US Navy SEALs – is the company’s newest gas blowback pistol. This weapon has a very smooth blow-back action and the slide cycles fast and crisp. A railed frame allows for various attachments.

Price: £124.95 Zero One: 01202 769614, www.zerooneairsoft.com

Stay true to the tactical look with this beautiful watch, featuring matt black dial, graphite grey hands and numerals and pillar box red second hand.

A contemporary and purposeful piece designed for extreme adventures and outdoor pursuits.

Price: £199.95 Nite Watches: 01202 487757, www. nitewatches.com

B&T MP9 Another B&T licensed product from ASG, the MP9 GBB SMG has a highly realistic construction, with functional cocking handle and realistic metal bolt. Capable of both semi- and full-auto firing.

Adjustable hop up. MP9A1 has integrated front grip; A3 series features top rail.

Price: £139.99 ASG: www.actionsportgames.com

CONCERN IZHMASH DRAGUNOV SVD-S Licensed by Concern Izhmash of Russia, the real manufacturer of the legendary SVD-S, this spring-operated rifle shoots at 311fps out of the box but comes supplied with an easy-to-change spring which upgrades this to 394fps. Features foldable stock, adjustable cheek rest and metal internals, body and barrel.

Price: £149.99 ASG: www.actionsportgames.com

B&T GL-06 GRENADE LAUNCHER

G&P MAGPUL MOE M4 CQB Featuring popular Magpul parts and a full metal receiver with authentic markings, this G&P powered MOE is as solid as a rock. Hardwearing AEG that just oozes that Magpul look and feel – and for the price, you won’t get better!

Price: £149.99 JD Airsoft: 01543 466356, www.jdairsoft.net

For those tricky situations when your best bet is to destroy everything in sight. This licensed replica of Brugger & Thomet’s GL06 grenade launcher has authentic B&T engravings. Features four sides of metal rails for every accessory you’ve got. Cross compatible with all 40mm gas/CO2 airsoft grenades.

Price: £199.99 ASG: www.actionsportgames.com

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❆ £101-£300 ❆ TACTICAL WINDPROOF COMBAT SMOCK Tested in combat by demanding UK units, Level Peaks’ Tactical Windproof Combat Smock is one of the most advanced combat smocks available. It is wind, sand and water resistant, lightweight and comfortable and customised for combat by one of the world’s leading SF units.

Price: £160 Level Peaks: 01432 341686, www. levelpeaks.com

CAMELBACK UK MOTHERLODE 500 LIGHT The UK Motherlode Light is an adaptation of Camelback’s original Motherlode, developed with suggestions from the MoD. Internal compartments have been reduced or removed to keep weight down.

Features 3-litre bladder capacity.

Total capacity when filled is 42.5 litres.

Price: £119.99 John Bull Military Clothing: 01748 833614, www. johnbullclothing.com

❆ £300+ ❆ NATO NA6-300T The perfect watch for night ops, the NATO NA6-300T has covert blue and orange illuminated dial and hands. The graphite dial, bezel markings and red second hand complete the look, resulting in one of the best-looking tactical watches on the market.

Price: £329.95 Nite Watches: 01202 487757, www.nitewatches.com

CAW M134 MINI GUN We’ve all seen it. We’ve all marvelled at its 3,000-roundsa-minute fury. It’s the Daddy of all AEGs. And we can all put it on our pressie list for Santa. He won’t listen, but it’s worth a shot – it’s Christmas after all!

Price: £3,495 Zero One: 01202 769614, www.zerooneairsoft.com

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ALPHA AL3 If you’ve got the cash to spare why not get one of these awesome watches for your nearest and dearest? Unless they don’t like watches. Spoilsports.

Swiss Trigalight GTLS illumination technology means there’s no need for pressing buttons or draining the battery to discover the time!

Price: £399.95 Nite Watches: 01202 487757, www.nitewatches.com

YAMAHA GRIZZLY 300 Ok, so it’s not very airsofty, we’ll admit – but that doesn’t mean we don’t want one! The 2WD Yamaha Grizzly 300 has a compact chassis for easy handling, 22in tyres for improved traction and a 287cc four-stroke single cylinder engine – for going fast! Available in green, red or blue.

Price: £4,399 (exc VAT) Yamaha Motor UK: 01932 358036, www.yamaha-motor.co.uk

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RWL STAG DANIEL DEFENCE M4 SOCOM (LIMITED EDITION) If one licence simply isn’t enough then why not try three? Ratty takes a look at Redwolf’s limited edition M4 variant to see if three into one will go

I

like my M4s as much as the next airsofter, but I will admit my first thought on reading the box was ‘Oh joy, another M4 variant.’ After all, there surely must be a point when you ask yourself just how many more M4/M16 versions we really need.

I soon lost my cynicism though when I opened the box and saw what lay inside.

These days airsoft manufacturers align themselves with ‘real deal’ firearm manufacturers in order to utilise real markings and make their weapons more realistic and appealing. Redwolf has properly grabbed the bull by the horns and used three such licences to create an undeniably awesome-looking M4. By using Stag Arms for the receiver, Daniel Defence for the RAS and Magpul for the stock, the end result is an impressively realistic-looking weapon that is adaptable, flexible and robust.

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Stag Arms

Magpul

Founded in May 2003 and located in New Britain, Connecticut, Stag Arms manufactures AR 15 type rifles marketed as Stag 15 rifles. Its innovative left-handed AR 15 rifles, which use mirror-imaged upper and lower receivers, helped Stag carve a solid niche.

Now a well-established parts, accessories and complete rifle manufacturer, Magpul products are available for military and law enforcement as well as commercial use.

The Magpul E Mag is now on issue to the British Army.

Daniel Defence

First inspection

Daniel Defence was founded in 2000 by Marty Daniel. His vision was to provide premium quality and readily available small-arm products at an affordable price in the commercial market. After a lot of effort and hard work, Daniel Defence M4 rail systems were adopted by the US Army marksmanship unit for the Designated Marksman Rifle Programme. More recently, Daniel Defence developed and won the contract to supply the British Army an integrated rail system for the issue L85 A2 rifle.

The first thing that struck me as I lifted it from the box is its weight. It weighs in at just over 3kg, and features a full-metal M4 flat top receiver. It does not come with a rear sight (so you’ve got plenty of choice when it comes to optics) and all the normal M4 functions are in the usual place. The licenced Stag Arms markings are a really nice touch and each weapon is uniquely serial numbered, which adds to the air of top-notch quality this rifle exudes.

THE ARMOURY

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To get to the hop adjuster you simply pull back the charging handle, which pops open the ejection port cover and pulls back the imitation bolt to allow easy access. When finished with hop adjustment, simply hit the bolt release catch on the left-hand side of the receiver.

The 7in Daniel Defence Omega rail system is well fitted and solid as can be with any AR, with only the slightest wobble. With rails on four sides you can quickly and easily adapt your rifle for mission (game) specifics. A normal front sight and M4 side sling swivel are located in front of the rail, and this version uses the standard length M4A1 16in outer barrel. A steel flash hider sits on a 14mm clockwise thread.

The Magpul MOE six-position telescopic stock means that no matter your size there will be a comfortable position for you. It also makes it a versatile rifle suitable for most situations a game can throw at you and finishes the gun off nicely, in keeping with the modern ergonomic look.

You have to pop off the stock so you can get to the battery terminals. This weapon is designed to take and run on a 7.4v LiPo battery that sits inside the stock tube. Also included in the box is a 120-round mid-cap magazine.

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Take aim After getting into the box, getting my hands on it and getting to know it I was itching to give this rifle a good test. To be honest I was expecting something special – and I wasn’t disappointed. With the stock set and mags loaded I headed off to the proving ground.

Despite its full-metal construction the RWL Stag Daniel Defence M4 SOCOM is not so heavy it becomes a hindrance.

It would be a very nimble rifle in CQB scenarios, although this would obviously change as you bolted more accessories onto it. I was using a few different brands of magazines, none of which caused any feed issues.

With 0.20g BBs it was achieving good accuracy and hitting torso-sized targets at around 120ft. Its decent rate of fire means it will appeal to full-on skirmish players as well as the MilSim and FilmSim community.

With the hop on I was getting results between 295-310fps. That’s not bad straight out of the box with only a handful of midcap mags put through it. With the hop off it was doing 315-330fps.

Conclusion This rifle is aimed at possibly the hardestto-please sector of the airsoft market

(mid-level) and is up against some stiff competition from established brands.

But thanks to its very competitive price I believe it holds its own well against these other brands. My hat’s off to the guys at Redwolf for coming up with the idea of mix ‘n’ match licences to develop one very good-looking and functional rifle.

If you were thinking of going for an M4/M16 variant anyway, and fancy a rifle up to the task of multi-roles, this certainly represents great value. n

SPECIFICATIONS Limited edition Weight: 3,028g Build: Metal receiver/RAS/outer barrel Length: 790mm stock retracted 870mm stock extended Hop-up: Adjustable Battery: 7.4v LiPo Velocity: 295-310fps (hop on) 315-330fps (hop off) Mag capacity: 120 BBs Price: Around £160 Manufactured by RWL; Available from Redwolf Airsoft: 01684 273052, www.redwolfairsoft.com

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P

ersonal camouflage and concealment is taught to every soldier during basic training. It’s a skill many believe is easy to master but it takes time and practice to conceal yourself without being seen, and to know when you have achieved the right level of camouflage.

It may look good to have your face painted with every colour under the sun, in the Hollywood style we’re all familiar with, but the principle behind personal camouflage is to break up the basic human shape and form – not to look good. So the idea is to use camouflage paint to break up the lines of the face, paying particular attention to the eye sockets, chin, cheekbones and forehead, as well as the back of the neck and behind the ears.

A lot of people also overlook their hands. You might wear gloves and therefore don’t bother putting paint on the back of your hands, but what happens when you take them off?

Locally available vegetation should also be used to break up the shape of the body – but remember to change your camouflage whenever your surroundings change, or the vegetation starts to dry and die off, which usually happens within about four hours.

Some of the main factors why things are seen: ■ SHAPE Some things can be instantly recognised by their shape ■ SURFACE If an object has a different surface to its surroundings it stands out (contrasting colour etc) ■ SHADOW In sunlight an object casts a shadow, which reveals its presence and can give you away ■ SILHOUETTE Any object silhouetted against a contrasting background is clearly visible, so plan your route carefully ■ SPACING Natural objects like trees are very rarely regularly spaced.

Regularly-spaced objects are manmade objects, so remember to watch your spacings ■ MOVEMENT The eye is attracted to movement (especially sudden movement), so remember to move slowly and deliberately

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PERSONAL -# ".-"$ +,$-3 It might look easy but don’t be fooled – cam and con is a difficult skill to master. Danny P gives us some advice on how to get it right HERE ARE SOME OF THE BASICS OF PERSONAL CAM AND CON:

TOO LITTLE Too little paint and vegetation has been used, and too much of the skin is still exposed and will shine once light hits it.

TOO MUCH Too much use of camouflage paint and vegetation makes the wearer look like a walking bush. Rather than concealing the wearer, over-using paint has the opposite effect and creates as much shine as not having any in the first place.

!$%.1$

SKILLS ROOM Remember: Blend in with the local surroundings, and‌ If they change, so must you!

%3$1

These pictures show how easy it is to blend in with your surroundings and lose your shape by moving just six feet. This is also a good example of how your surface should not differ from your surroundings.

JUST RIGHT This image shows the right amount of camouage paint and vegetation. This helps the wearer blend in by softening the features of the face. This amount of vegetation works by taking away the sharp, unnatural features of the head and body.

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!$%.1$

These next two pictures show how easy it is to see detail – that is, how easy it is to spot the individual because of where he has placed himself in relation to his surroundings, and the effect moving three feet can have on blending in.

You should always look through cover whenever possible, and not around it. You must try to see without being seen.

%3$1

Don’t use isolated cover – it stands out! Look at this picture, what is your eye drawn too? If there was someone hiding behind something out there you easily would see the movement.

Another major problem when moving in the field and trying to conceal yourself is getting ‘skylined’.

What this means is that your route has led you along a ridgeline, or some other place where there is no background except sky, meaning you show a silhouette – and your position.

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So there you have it, the basics of camouflage and concealment. It may look pretty daft but I can tell you from personal experience, it works! ■

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CLEAN AND TIDY O

kay, so you’ve ripped open the box and are trying to remove the static cellophane sheet that has attached itself to your face – and there it is, your new airsoft gun, all shiny and ready for war. Or is it?

Today many AEGs (automatic electric guns) come with everything you need to start skirmishing, including battery, charger, shooting glasses, cleaning rod and even some BBs. Like all diligent airsofters, you pick up the instructions booklet and are suddenly confronted by a mixture of anime-style images and the wonder of Chinglish text. If you’re lucky you’ll figure out that you should not aim your gun at tigers, but probably not an awful lot else!

So, where do you begin?

Battery? Check Unfortunately, before you can even see if your AEG works you have several hours to wait for your new battery to charge (unless your local dealer is nice enough to charge

it for you). I have witnessed many new shooters arriving to skirmish, running onto the field and… they haven’t charged their battery.

Most rechargeable batteries that come with new AEGs are nickel metal hydride (NiMh for short) and need to be slowly, or ‘trickle’ charged. Trickle charging gradually introduces the power and allows the battery to store the maximum amount of energy – more energy means more hours of shooting.

The chargers that come with new AEGs are usually European two-pin trickle chargers so you will need a three-pin plug adaptor before you can begin.

WORKSHOP Gunmunki explains how to look after your new AEG and helps answer that commonest of questions: “Why won’t it work?”

But how long do you trickle charge for? The recognised rule is: battery capacity divided by charger output multiplied by 1.4 equals your charging time in hours.

If maths is not your friend this means an

“Do not fast charge new batteries as this will reduce their game time to around 10 minutes rather than several hours” 1100mAh (the battery usually supplied with a new AEG) will take around six and a half hours. If you are not sure just ask the shop owner or a regular airsofter to help you out – we’re not all that bad to talk to, but be prepared to listen for several hours.

Eventually your trickle charged battery will run out of power. This might take four or five hours of play or less, depending upon the battery size and how trigger happy you are. At this stage you can either trickle charge or fast charge the battery.

Many skirmish sites have fast chargers.

Fast charging is a speedy way of getting your battery working and takes around 10 to 15 minutes. You generally know your battery is ready when the charger beeps loudly at you.

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Hop up? Check

Important note though – do not fast charge new batteries as this will reduce their game time to around 10 minutes rather than several hours.

Okay, so you fit the battery and test how it sounds by flicking the selector between single and full-auto and all is good. Time to go shooting!

So here we go. Your first target comes into view at a skirmish, you line up the sights, squeeze the trigger and… the BB hits the ground 10ft from you. What went wrong?

This is usually because the ‘hop’ has not been adjusted. Almost all AEGs have a hop, which simply stands for Higher Operating Power. They were introduced in the early 1990s to give airsoft guns more range than previous models. They are all designed to put backspin on the BB, which generates lift and therefore greater range. To adjust the range of your AEG just turn the wheel or slide the lever on the hop unit, which adjusts the lift. (The technical name for this is the Bernoulli principle, but we’ll leave that for the specialists.)

With the hop adjusted and good-quality BBs loaded you should now be hitting targets out to 50m.

BBs? Check

Gun? Check

Your new AEG may have come with a small bag of BBs and they probably ran out long before you got to the skirmish site (embedded in a cardboard box at the bottom of the garden), so you need to get some more.

Some new shooters go searching for ‘good’ BB deals online or from the local market and, picking up 10,000 BBs for £5 they think they’ve got a bargain. However, this is a big mistake!

Most cheap BBs are cheap for a reason; they are simply not suitable for good quality AEGs. Standard BBs are the same regular size, 6mm. Airsoft guns that take 4.5mm BBs, 8mm BBs, and even rare 10mm BBs do exist, but for now we will deal with the standard 6mm size.

The industry standard weight is 0.2g, the recommended weight for use in most AEGs. Lower weight BBs are to be avoided for the following reasons: many are two-piece castings and often the two halves do not match, leaving a raised seam line. On a more obvious note they are very light (around 0.11g) and therefore very inaccurate.

These BBs leave a lot of residue in the barrel due to the inferior plastics used and, as a result, they can cause your new gun to jam.

Most lightweight BBs are easy to recognise. They are brightly coloured, usually yellow, orange or bright blue, while regular airsoft BBs are usually white.

Great skirmish guys! Time to drop the gun back in the box and forget about it until next month.

Be honest: we’ve all done this, even some of the hardcore veterans out there. But it is good practice to clean your gun barrel fairly regularly to maintain good accuracy and to prevent BB jams during games. This is especially true with a new AEG. The gearbox inside your pride and joy is usually liberally coated in grease which has to exit the gun somewhere, more often than not straight down the barrel.

A simple run through with a cleaning patch lightly coated in silicone spray, inserted into the eye of that cleaning rod in the bottom of your gun box, is usually enough to clean a barrel. Do not use oilbased lubricants or solvent-based silicone sprays such as WD40 as they will slowly eat away any rubber seals inside your hop unit.

Make sure that the patch you use is not so big it will become jammed in the barrel during cleaning (this is especially important if you eventually upgrade to a tight-bore barrel). Twist the rod in one direction as you pass it through the barrel to allow the cleaning patch to do its job and also stay attached to the eye of the rod.

Important note: When cleaning any barrel please make sure not to ram the rod

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into the hop unit, as this will damage the rubber. The best way to prevent this is to measure the distance from the hop well (the hole inside the magazine slot) to the muzzle and tape the cleaning rod about an inch shorter than that point so that you do not overextend the rod.

So there you have it: some basic maintenance tips that will help get you on your way and keep your gun running smoothly. Hopefully your first AEG will be a source of fond memories in 20 or more years, rather than being remembered as ‘that bloody gun!’ ■

Gunmunki can be found at The Grange, Balsall Common, where he works his magic and keeps the site guns in tip-top condition.

If you have a question, or would like more information, contact the Gunmunki via email to: anthonyp@blazepublishing.co.uk The Grange: 01676 532384, www.suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk

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ON TEST: PYROTECHNICS

There are dozens of different types of single-use airsoft pyros – but which is best?

Ant Platt took to the field to find out which are the best performers

P

yrotechnics can play an important role in airsoft, able to turn the tide of individual battles in seconds. Struggling to wipe out a firesquad embedded in the kill house? A well-placed frag can sort that out. Or if the defending

team is holding its line firmly, a good stun grenade in their direction could be enough of a distraction to allow your squad to advance and clear them out.

But it’s a real minefield out there in terms of various products, generations and companies – where to start?

FRAGMENTATION GRENADES

SMOKE GRENADES

When people think of the word ‘grenade’ it’s usually the frag that comes to mind. These are designed to explode and scatter fragments – in airsoft the payload is usually either BBs or dried peas – which wipe out everything in their strike radius.

They come in various sizes and price brackets – from strike-fuse pineapple grenades to pull-ring tennis-ball grenades, and even the German stick-type. The one thing they have in common, though, is they are designed to take out players, not distract them.

Frag grenades are best used in urban environments, as confined spaces give the best chance of scoring a hit – but they can be used to good effect in woodland too.

Pretty self-explanatory these – once the fuse burns down they emit plumes of obscuring smoke. These are available in a rainbow of colours and several burn durations, from small 30 second smokes to gigantic canisters that spew smoke for minutes.

Smoke grenades can be a useful tool in both urban and woodland settings; outside you can use the wind to your advantage to obscure either your position or drown your opponent in smoke. Inside (where permitted) they can reduce visibility massively, and if you’re well-prepared you can use this to do some serious damage to the enemy.

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STUN GRENADES These probably offer the greatest scope for variety. During testing we used a multitude of thunderflashes, thermobarics and multibangs, ranging from first-gen thermosmokes to the incredible Mk9 Thunderflash (be warned: not all sites allow the use of Mk9 or greater thunderflashes).

One of the greatest assets of the stun grenade is that, by dint, it is a grenade.

It may not have the power to take your enemy out – but they often don’t know that, and will scatter anyway. This initial confusion is followed up by the stun element, either a huge bang, flash or both (and sometimes lots of them!). So from throwing to post-explosion you should have plenty of time to achieve whatever objective was troubling you.

Indoors even a low-power thunderflash can reverberate strongly; outdoors the less powerful stuns are not so effective, but more top-end stuff is equally at home in woodland.

ON TEST: PYRO

FRAG GRENADES BALL GRENADE

BB FRAG GRENADE

Manufacturer: TLSFx Payload: Dried peas Ignition: Ring pull Generation: 1 Price: £3.96

Manufacturer: Enola Gaye Payload: Clay pellets Ignition: Strike Generation: 2 Price: £3.96

TLSFx’s standard ball-type grenade gives a decent report, about equal to a Mk5 thundie. But the actual fragments travel in one direction only – even stood 3m distant you’re unlikely to take a single hit.

Most sites operate a ‘5m rule’ (meaning if you’re within 5m of a frag, you’re hit) but I was still a little disappointed by this.

I found the ignition system on this a little pointless – you pull the pin, then remove the cap and strike it anyway. No denying it looks cooler, though. Surprisingly loud bang, too, but I’d probably save the expense and go for a cheaper ball or pineapple frag.

FLY-OFF LEVER BALL GRENADE Manufacturer: TLSFx Payload: Dried peas Ignition: Ring pull Generation: 3 Price: £9.25

PINEAPPLE FRAG GRENADE Manufacturer: Enola Gaye Payload: BBs Ignition: Strike Generation: 1 Price: £2.50 A pretty standard frag grenade, good bang similar to a Mk5 Thunderflash. These are Enola Gaye’s older generation of frags, but personally I prefer the simple strike ignition and, for the price, you can’t go far wrong with this one.

AA

FAVOURITE

There are two things you can’t ignore with this grenade: it’s expensive, but looks so awesome I don’t care. Features TLSFx’s Gen3 pin ignition and detonates with a very nice blast, showering peas in a good 5m cloud. And just look at it!

BALL GRENADE Manufacturer: Spectrum Payload: BBs Ignition: Strike Generation: 1 Price: £1.90 Pyromad’s standard tennis ball grenade has a waxy coat, which makes it a little grippier and easier to throw. It’s also the cheapest we tested, yet I didn’t see any difference between this and TLSFx’s equal offering – so I’d recommend saving a couple of quid and buying the Spectrum (so long as your local skirmish site allows them!)

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SMOKE GRENADES WIREPULL SMOKE GRENADE

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FAVOURITE

Manufacturer: Enola Gaye Duration: Varies Ignition: Wire pull Generation: 3 Price: £3 I prefer this grenade’s wirepull ignition method to the standard strike-fuse, and in a day’s testing we had just one fail on us (out of about 15 used). Not perfect, but certainly not bad.

The various colours have differing runtimes, which we judged to be about

150 SECOND SMOKE Manufacturer: TLSFx Duration: about 150 seconds Ignition: Strike Generation: 1 Price: £9.35 This is an absolute beast of a grenade, delivering clouds of reddish smoke for almost three minutes before fizzling out.

At more than 7in tall, its proportions make me wonder as to its practicality on the field though – it’s not the kind of thing you’d want to carry ‘just in case’, but something you’d take with you to achieve a specific objective. Either way though, if you need industrial amounts of smoke, this is your friend.

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70 to 100 seconds, which is good for the physical size of the grenade. Some colours of smoke lack density, but we

TWIN VENT SMOKESCREEN Manufacturer: TLSFx Duration: about 60 seconds Ignition: Strike Generation: 2 Price: £3.96 This Gen2 smokescreen is a compact little strike-fuse grenade, but it sure packs a punch. In terms of output and density I found it better than TLSFx’s Gen3 smokescreen, and probably easier to use. I’ll definitely have a couple of these strapped to me next time I head to the skirmish site.

found the blue and purple grenades to be most obscuring. Well worth the price – I’ll be using these again!

60 SECOND SMOKE Manufacturer: Dangerzone Duration: about 80 seconds Ignition: Strike Generation: 1 Price: £3.50 This grenade was the only one I tested that I had difficulty igniting – the method just isn’t as foolproof as other manufacturers’. But once you’ve got the thing lit it spews good thick smoke for about 80 seconds – better than it says on the tin. Output speed and smoke density is nothing groundbreaking here, but for the price you can do a hell of a lot worse.

The strike method needs revised, but other than that this is a solid offering.

AA

STUN GRENADES

FAVOURITE

ON TEST: PYRO

MK5 THUNDERFLASH

MULTIBANG

Manufacturer: TLSFx Output: Flash, bang Ignition: Strike Generation: 1 Price: £2.20

Manufacturer: TLSFx Output: Flash, bang Ignition: Strike Generation: 2 Price: £3.65

MK9 THUNDERFLASH Manufacturer: TLSFx Output: Flash, bang, smoke Ignition: Strike Generation: 2 Price: £5

This was tested outdoors first to see how the bang compared without too much echo report. Initially it was a little hard to strike, due to its small size, but eventually I got there. The Mk5’s bang is decent, again given its size, but the flash was weak. Given the difference in price I’d probably get TLSFx Gen2 thermobarics instead.

This earlier Gen multibang is a regular strike ignition grenade. After the first explosion, which is a solid bang with a decent flash, the grenade flies off about 2m before exploding twice more. I loved this little quirk, and can easily imagine it instilling terror in the troops it’s being launched at! Incredible bit of kit for the price.

It’s a testament to the power of this grenade that I had to acquire more witnesses to determine the strength of the flash. This is a real beast, even outdoors, that will leave your ears ringing, and even issues a little smoke. Not too pricy, and guaranteed to stop your enemy in their tracks. Lovely.

MK5 THUNDERFLASH

THERMOBARIC

Manufacturer: Spectrum Output: Flash, bang Ignition: Strike Generation: 1 Price: £1.78

Manufacturer: TLSFx Output: Flash, bang, smoke Ignition: Strike Generation: 2 Price: £3.65

These Spectrum pyros are super easy to ignite – the cap only needs to touch the fuse to light it. To be perfectly honest I struggled to see much difference between this and TLSFx’s offering, in terms of the actual explosion (which means, if your skirmish site is happy for you to use them, I’d probably go for the Spectrum purely for the ease of use and slight cost benefit).

This little strike-fuse stun has a far better flash than I was expecting, much better than that of the Mk5 thunderflash. Again, as a Gen2 it is a compact unit and easy to strike (though a light weight might make it difficult to throw far). The bang is decent too, and overall this is a proper distraction device. Wellpriced, too, thanks to the arrival of Gen3.

Huge thanks to the following for supplying pyros for the test: TLSFx: 01673 863294, www.tlsfx.co.uk Enola Gaye: 01189 714470, www.enolagaye.com Pyromad: 0845 459 4156, wwwpyromad.co.uk Zero One: 01202 769614, wwwzerooneairsoft.com

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SITE REVIEW

MILITARY

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

M

ilitary Outdoor Adventure is now an accepted term for a group of us having a fun day out. If you look up your military history though you will find that the concept of skirmishing has been around quite a bit longer than the sport of airsoft.

One of the first British regiments to adapt both early camouflage and skirmishing was the Rifles Corps and regiments of the Foot – later regiments went on to form the Light Infantry and The Royal Green Jackets. These early troops were known for being light and fast, carrying no colours and were renowned for their skill at arms and marksmanship with their Baker rifles (readers familiar with Sharpe’s Rifles books and TV series will

know exactly how they differed from the red-tuniced Line Regiments of the time).

Why is this relevant? Because the owner of Military Outdoor Adventure (MOA), as an ex-Royal Green Jacket, has skirmishing running through his blood!

Situated in rural Lancashire about 10 minutes from J27 of the M6, getting to MOA requires a shuttle ride from the large car park. This means you don’t have to worry about the low-slung suspension on your city-mobile being ripped to shreds as on some sites. An old SWB Landrover collects you and your kit and then trundles down the rutted track to the three military tents that form the HQ and safe zone (two for kit storage and prep and the other for hot food and drinks). Once signed in you get a hot brew of tea or coffee thrust into

Ron Mahoney reports from a Lancashirebased site run by an ex-Royal Green Jacket your hand as you are introduced to the regulars – hospitality is mandatory at MOA – so you won’t be left wondering what the hell to do.

After your kit is sorted (full hire is available too) it is out for a briefing and overview of the site. Set on 14 acres of undulating woodland the site features some very dense jungle trails and areas of sparse trees and bracken, connected by trails used in scenarios to make the most of the site.

A typical day involves four or more attack/defence phases, so you will get your fair share of improving your contact, skirmishing, holding the line, fighting withdrawal and patrol drills and skills.

The site has a number of complexes and stand-alone features that can provide

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several options for dynamic gameplay. The largest area is the Bunker 1 Complex, with numerous single storey buildings, trenches and permanent low cover tyre walls. There is even a caravan (or control centre) for the happy camper, though being inside that while under attack is a pretty grim experience.

After players new to the site have been through the safety brief, teams are divided for the first engagement – on my last visit it was ‘Don’t forget the Alamo!’ This is a straightforward attack-and-defence scenario using a large fortified complex called (surprise, surprise) the Alamo. It is quite easy to defend, as it sits in relatively open ground, and it’s a real BB magnet as you can engage it from as far as 60 yards with accurate sniper fire or ‘walking’ your shots on from a support weapon. It is a good opening game, and though on many sites this would be the premier feature, at MOA it is just one of many.

“Everybody was playing this for real – from the old lags like me to the youngest lads who wanted to experience CoD for real” One of the hardest games I’ve played there was an ‘advance to contact’ with a difference. As part of the attacking force we had to advance from the top of the site right the way down to the Kill House at the opposite end. With plenty of space to spread out over this would have been a relatively straightforward exercise, but there was a twist.

The area had been heavily mined and, as the enemy had accurate maps of where the mines had been laid they could operate at-will using that intel. We, however, had only limited maps and had to advance down a known safe route. If we strayed from this route we would have to take a ‘hit’ – and the marshals were watching.

We rallied at the start line and divided into two fire teams; we knew this mission was going to be slow moving, and although we had unlimited medics and the enemy just two hits before a regeneration was required, it was going to be about putting supporting fire down as teams edged forward.

I think it took all of about two minutes before the lead elements were under contact. Thick undergrowth made it hard to figure out if the enemy had bugged out after the initial contact or were still lying

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in wait. For many of the contacts I was convinced we were shooting at shadows and the enemy had long since gone – much as in many a modern conflict. We advanced about 150 yards in 30 minutes, but that was pretty quick compared to what was about to come as we had reached the edge of the aptly named jungle walk.

If you’ve ever experienced or read anything about jungle warfare you’ll know it can be very slow and arduous, with advances measured in yards per day, not miles. The MOA version of the jungle is a dense area of rhododendron shrubs and roots that reduce visibility down to about five yards along a thin path.

Although it may not have the poisonous beasties that crawl and slither it does have its own swamp-like area that passes as the site’s POW camp. Really, in these circumstances a shotgun or moscart would be ideal – there were a couple onsite but, unfortunately, on the wrong team.

Progress down this section was painfully slow and I lost count of the number of grenades we put in after about the 15th.

Although MOA runs a skirmish site, as opposed to purist MilSim, everybody was playing this for real – from the old lags like me to the youngest lads who wanted

to experience CoD for real. Nobody was prepared to make some sort of Ramboesque charge forward, knowing they wouldn’t have lasted long.

After what felt an eternity we reached a clearing that afforded us a wider field of view. Already hyped on the adrenaline that constant CQB tends to raise we quickly crossed the area before moving into the valley that leads to the Kill House. I think the last phase was completed fairly quickly by comparison; it was nice to be able to track back the enemies’ firing position and suppress it while others skirmished forward.

Following the streambed I could see our final objective and managed a couple of hits before being raked from combined fire from the house. I was probably one of the last few out (although we could hear some firing coming from the high ground behind us) as end-ex was called, after about a two hour/600 yard advance. The enemy had managed to hold onto their objective but it had taken a big toll on both teams and, although we had time for another game, many decided to sit it out or return to the safe zone.

As we trooped back to the Bunker 1 Complex for a spot of defending I was listening to the excited chatter of a few of the younger players who had just been part of the attacking team. There wasn’t any whinging about not getting a thousand hits – they had really understood the tactical element to the game we had just played and it was great to hear them talk about fire and movement and how they had suppressed the enemy. For many this had been their introduction to the sport and I knew we had a few converts.

SITE REVIEW

The last game was, by comparison, a pretty short-lived and bloody affair. Those that still had their legs working after the last two hours wanted to take our objective PDQ (pretty damn quick) as a heavy shower of plastic started raining down on us. This was proper skirmishing as the two teams of four moved uphill, keeping our heads down as each fire-team leapfrogged forward. With plenty of controlled aggression they headed uphill and into the complex, which fell rather quickly. I think all concerned really needed to let off steam after the previous very nervy and edgy game.

So, MOA in a nutshell: a great location, friendly and well-organised staff and great mixed gameplay (goes without saying – as does the quality of Cath’s brews and burgers). On top of that, for a good airsoft

site to be great it really needs a team that has the ability to adapt tried and tested military tactics into skirmishing fun. MOA certainly supply that and, to sum up what a day at the site will be like, the old Royal Green Jacket motto comes to mind: it will certainly be ‘Swift and Bold’. ■

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Wrightington, near Wigan WN6 9PL Site type: Mostly woodland Members green fee: £19.95 Non-members green fee: £21.95 Rifle Hire: £9.95 (1x full hi-cap mag included) Contact: 01942 514724 / 07886 688474 www.militaryoutdooradventure.com

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G&G GR4 G26 With a proven gearbox at its heart, a Magpul-inspired design and an affordable pricetag, it’s hard to think of a reason not to love the new G&G G26. Scott Allen tells us why

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&G has two product lines for customers of all budgets to own, love and play with. Think of it like an Audi: you can have a 1.8L engine basic model, or the 4.8L with all the trimmings. Both are perfectly good cars. It’s all about choice, and G&G provides this (sometimes too much).

Top Tech is the high-end range. With full-metal construction featuring blowback and higher quality internals, this range is around double the price of the entry level range. The quality of the parts is generally higher and therefore should perform better and for longer… Should!

The entry level Combat Machine range is where the G26 resides, although it is creeping up into the Top Tech price bracket. Read on and you will understand why.

Let’s start with the internals, which are almost completely polymer. I find it amazing that people baulk at polymer/ ABS rifles, believing them to be a lesser product. I’ve seen more metal than polymer break on airsoft rifles. The metal in airsoft rifles is not, in most cases, CNC steel but a light alloy and therefore not as strong as it appears. So the fact that the flash hider, outer barrel, receiver (the main body), front handguard and stock are all

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polymer should instil some confidence – not dissuade you.

At just under 2.5kg it is lightweight and available in black or desert (which is the polymer colour, not paint, so it will never scratch). It’s a nice and compact rifle, coming in at 700mm in length, and comes with a funky 300-round high-cap magazine.

External features include: a stylish flash hider, polymer handguard (similar to the Magpul MOE handguard), polymer body with snazzy Combat Machine logo, polymer pistol grip (similar to a Tango Down grip), polymer/ rubberised stock and metal buffer tube

(again in Magpul MOE style). The stock can also hold spare CR123 batteries. But there’s more…

Reinforced polymer enhanced trigger guard; Flip up front sight which folds into the top rail to allow seamless rail access; Flip up metal rear sight, which is removable; A rubberised grip high capacity magazine; A pneumatic blow back system; Built in red Laser; Built in flip up LED torch.

That’s a fairly impressive list! Part of the appeal of the G26 is all the little touches that G&G has crammed into this design. A great deal of thought has gone into the package,

THE ARMOURY

with the red laser and torch each powered by individual CR123 batteris, leaving enough space in the front handguard for a 8.4v mini NiMH or similar sized LiPo battery.

Admittedly the LED torch is not the brightest, but then there is only so much a single CR123 can do. I would be tempted to fit something more powerful if I was feeling adventurous. The torch activates as you flip it out and the red laser works via a 90° twist of the gas block, and seems very bright.

The test G26 chronographed at 330fps with 0.20g Blaster BBs, so would be usable at all sites in the UK. The rate of fire was pretty average, as you would expect from a rifle in this range, at around 800 rounds per minute on a 7.4v LiPo. The hop up and the barrel grouping could have been a little better

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“The fact that the flash hider, outer barrel, receiver, front handguard and stock are all polymer should instil some confidence – not dissuade you” – this is probably my only real criticism of the rifle. I suppose it had to have at least one thing to fix.

I have used just about every airsoft

system available, from a Systema PTW to a VFC 8mm Barrett (for those of you old enough to remember that particular bag of nails) and the G26 is by a country mile not

the worst I’ve had. At the same time I know what a rifle can achieve and I have probably become a little spoiled in that respect. I would never rain on someone’s parade by doing a ‘my gun’s better that yours’, especially with new players. I’m always happy to help out and point someone in the right rifle direction to help them achieve eternal airsoft happiness – or as close as you can realistically get!

Personally, and I do this with almost every rifle now regardless of brand, I would fit a Prometheus 6.03mm barrel and, if I felt it necessary, new hop rubber. Once this has been fitted I would wager my trigger finger that this G26 would shoot as good as 95 per cent of rifles on any skirmish site.

Now of course there is ‘that guy’ on every site who can’t help but rip the guts out of every gun he sees, and turns up each game day to tell you the obscene number of modifications he has made to his rifle. This brings me to one of my final plus points.

These Combat Machines are ideal for upgrades. Why spend another £100£200 on a base rifle only to rip out all the expensive internal parts? You have got a great looking rifle, so if you are going to change wiring, motors, gears and pistons without ever pulling the trigger then these are brilliant candidates for such work.

So that’s about it. The G26 is available in two colours to suit your personal tastes. It looks brilliant – sure, it’s not an exact replica of a real steel rifle, but that isn’t always important. It is compact, lightweight and tough, and there are more features on the G26 than any other rifle in its price bracket.

There is scope for many upgrades and customisation, and at this price (£220-£230) you’ll struggle to top it. ■

SPECIFICATIONS Weight: 2,440g Length: 700mm Build: Mostly plastic with some metal parts Inner barrel length: 233mm Gearbox bearing: 8mm oilless Motor: 25,000rpm Hi-Torque Short Axis Magazine: 300-round rubberised grip Battery: 8.4v NiMH Velocity: 310-328fps Price: around £220

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THE BRITISH ARMY OF THE RHINE INFANTRYMAN 1985 Continuing his journey through the Cold War, Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey looks at the 1980’s British Infantryman.

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he 1980s British Infantryman is perhaps one of the most iconic images of British military history: the astounding success of the British Army in the 1982 campaign against Argentina broadcast the footslogging ‘Tom’ on TV sets around the world.

The British soldier has always been the epitome of the quiet, dedicated professional (and rightly considered among the best in the world). Perhaps the real peak of the Army’s morale was in the years following the Falklands War, at a time when a future war in Europe began to look more likely than ever.

In this article we’ll look at an airsofter with a representative ‘1980s British Infantry’ look and take note of any anachronistic additions that have been made to make the loadout safe and skirmishable!

The British Army of the Rhine was the garrison force in Western Germany during the 1980s, chiefly tasked with delaying a Soviet attempt to invade Western Europe and buy enough time for the US to ship men and equipment over from America. Given that the odds against them were greater than 10 to one it’s not surprising that, in a WWIII scenario, their life expectancy was measured in hours rather than days. They did possess a few major advantages over other armies though: firstly the British Army was once

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the stronger high leg boots and lighter MK6 ballistic nylon helmets, new webbing and the SA80 weapon family were still some years down the line.

Our rifleman (opposite page) represents a soldier from the fictitious Royal Union Rifles (a unit created by the guys at Gunman Airsoft to represent an ‘average’ Brits unit of the time, avoiding any offence caused by wearing unearned badges).

The 1980s soldier The 1980s British infantryman’s basic clothing consisted of a 1968 pattern disruptive pattern material (DPM) suit. This hard-wearing BDU was among the world’s first camouflaged uniforms to be issued as standard, and replaced the similarly-cut olive green 1960 pattern suit. While the pattern was revised and the uniform altered over the years, the original 68 pattern was a firm favourite with the troops for its robustness. Even when later 85 pattern suits came out, soldiers preferred the old, warmer and sturdier 68

again an all volunteer professional force, whereas nearly every other NATO army of the time (bar the USA) was composed of conscripts serving two years or less; secondly, they had already been tested in live fire conditions.

Battle hardened The Falklands War victory supported the belief that the army, while small and under-equipped, was able to fight a war against a numerically-superior and betterarmed foe – and win! Coupled with almost two decades of low intensity conflict in Northern Ireland, this made the British perhaps the most experienced army in the world at the time. With the exception of the US, few of their allies had experienced war in the last decade.

It was still woefully under-equipped though and the mid 1980s saw British Army equipment undergo an extensive review based on combat experience gained in the Falklands. The WWII style issue boot and helmet were determined to be unsuitable for modern warfare and even the basic infantry rifle, the Self Loading Rifle (SLR), was beginning to show its age. In 1985 most units were still soldiering on with kit that had been on issue at the start of the decade and would have been familiar to their fathers. While some units received

COLD WAR WARRIOR pattern. It is also interesting to note that while many other armies strove for the ‘perfect pattern’ for their camouflage, British DPM consistently outperformed all other designs in NATO trials until the advent of Canadian CADPAT in the mid-90s.

While the basic suit was popular with most soldiers, an even lighter and quicker drying ‘SAS pattern’ smock was also issued to some units. Our model here wears an example of this excellent jacket. This version also includes a hood for cold and wet weather, although this was commonly rolled up to prevent it getting in the way.

Close examination shows the use of green fabric tape on the buttons, both to reduce shine and to preserve the stitching holding the buttons on from wear. Lastly, under the smock he wears a standard British Army ‘GS

“Given that the odds against them were greater than 10 to one it’s not surprising that, in a WWIII scenario, their life expectancy was measured in hours rather than days”

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Shirt’ although (privately purchased) hiking shirts and ‘Norgie’ Norwegian army shirts were also popular at the time.

Our soldier’s headdress marks him out as a member of a light infantry or rifles unit as he wears the Rifle Green beret (with the fictional Royal Union Rifles cap badge). Such berets are typical of the post-WWII British Army.

Other headwear suitable for soldiering (and also for skirmishing) includes the DPM ‘crap hat’ patrol cap, green or black wool caps and the aforementioned MKV steel helmet. The helmet was a final version of the MKIII ‘turtle’ helmet worn by D-Day assault troops – but by the 1980s it had evolved to include a far more comfortable liner. Typically (as on last month’s front cover) the helmet would be covered with a sand bag (to reduce shine) and then a camouflage net, liberally topped with strips of material to break up the distinctive head and shoulders shape.

The boots and puttees are also of WWII design. The Direct Molded Sole (or DMS) boot was still very poor by 1980s standards, despite having a rubber sole instead of the previous hobnailed leather. The DMS boot didn’t allow water to drain from it – the result was that many soldiers received incapacitating foot injuries.

There was even instances of trench foot in the Falklands – the problem was so dire that many men bought their own boots.

The puttees are designed to prevent debris entering the boot tops and provide ankle support, but this antiquated WWI idea was entirely unsuited to modern warfare as it took far too long to put them on properly!

Carrying our model’s skirmishing kit is the 1958 pattern webbing. This is a fairly solid and workable design, although it

KIT LIST Hat: Rifle Green beret, around £5 (most surplus stores) Jacket: SAS windproof smock, around £30-£100 (regular 68 pattern smocks are around £10 at most surplus stores) Trousers: 68 pattern DPM trousers, £7 (Jay Jays Surplus, Sheffield) Shirt: Olive green GS shirt, £3 (Anchor Surplus, Nottingham) Webbing: 58 pattern webbing, £30 (various sources but mostly Sabre Sales, Portsmouth and Anchor Surplus, Notts) Boots: DMS ammo boots, around £10-£20 (most surplus stores) Rifle: STAR L1A1 SLR, around £350

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became heavy and pouches shrunk when wet. Made of heavy duty woven canvas, the basic set carried all a soldier’s food, water and ammo for 24 hours. Attached to this set are a respirator bag (great for keeping pistol gas or using as a dump pouch) and the rare 58 pattern pistol holster – few soldiers

carried this on their webbing for real, but for airsofting it is a sensible and fitting addition.

Lastly, we come to the classic SLR rifle. The SLR was a powerful variant of the FN FAL rifle, used by nearly every other NATO army as the standard western small arm. Capable of shooting at great ranges, the British Army had its rifles modified to fire on semiautomatic only, putting greater emphasis on marksmanship and fire discipline than on wild automatic fire – a sound decision given the FN FAL’s near-uncontrollability when firing the hefty 7.62mm round on full-auto!

For the airsoft BAOR Infantry of the 80s look the SLR is the best bet, but unfortunately airsoft versions are becoming harder to find at sensible prices. Other small arms of the BAOR available as airsoft replicas include the Browning 9mm pistol, the GPMG machine gun and the L4 LMG(a modified WWII Bren). At the present moment the classic Sterling SMG used by the British Army is unavailable as an airsoft model, but you’ll find that many players use the excellent and easy to source WWII Sten as a substitute.

Next month: The East German Nationale Volksarmee – the last Prussian Army. ■

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$UCHY OF 'RAND &ENWICK 4HE

TEAM PROFILE

[ SPECIAL OPERATIONS BRIGADE ]

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick Special Ops Brigade is a team inspired by the novel and film The Mouse That Roared. Lawrence Holsworth has the lowdown

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ailing from the Oxfordshire/ Buckinghamshire area, The Duchy of Grand Fenwick Special Operations Brigade is an airsoft team created in November 2009. The team is based upon a fictitious context inspired by the novel and film The Mouse That Roared. There is also an element of an homage to modern European special operations forces, equipment, tactics and procedures.

Within such a fictictionalised (and tonguein-cheek) setting, we aimed to create a team environment that would be fun as well as unique. Another attraction of the Duchy of Fenwick concept was that it allowed us to break the mould and be a bit creative with our load-outs and reflect a more central European look.

The concept struck an immediate chord among a number of the local ‘old hands’, most of whom are also either serving or ex-military. This helped us quickly slide into a common way of operating and interacting

based on our military training.

The overall purpose of the Special Operations Brigade (DGFSOB) is to provide the Duchy of Grand Fenwick with a rapidlydeployable unit, fully trained and equipped to conduct special operations from the moment of insertion by land, air or maritime assets.

In particular, the unit performs the following missions: tactical reconnaissance and observation; intelligence and counter-intelligence; strikes, raids, search-and-destroy; interdiction and disruption operations.

At the present time, the exact number of troops in the Duchy of Grand Fenwick Special Operations Brigade is a closely guarded secret. But photos of the SOB, on operations and in training, show that the team operates four or five man squads at a basic unit level.

Beyond this it is clear from photographic evidence that the members of the Duchy’s Special Operations Brigade wear combat uniforms in the German ‘green-dominant’ Flecktarn camouflage pattern in the spring/ summer seasons and the Chinese ‘browndominant’ Highland camouflage pattern in the autumn/winter. It has also been seen that the SOB troops wear a dark olive-green beret with a gold badge comprised of a royal eagle surrounded by an oak wreath, and that the distinctive unit insignia consists of a winged mouse holding a dagger on a shield-shaped patch.

In terms of individual weapons, the Special Operations Brigade uses the H&K G36KV carbine and MG36 light support weapon. ■

Profile and images provided by Lawrence Holsworth (even though he’s now in the States!).

WANT YOUR TEAM FEATURED IN AIRSOFT ACTION ISSUE FIVE? It couldn’t be simpler – just send your profile (300-400 words) and hiresolution photos to: nigels@blazepublishing.co.uk.

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INSIDE AIRSOFT

JD AIRSOFT

The JD team: Tony, Phil, Joseph and Ross

Airsoft Action visited JD Airsoft in Cannock, and owner Phil Corns gave us the lowdown on the company and where it’s headed

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D Airsoft is a relatively small shop in Staffordshire – but it’s still a Mecca for airsofters.

More than 160 guns hang on the walls and boxes upon boxes of guns are stacked throughout the shop.

But it was very different in January this year, when JD Airsoft was in a dire position. Owner Phil Corns readily admits that it looked for a while like the shop would be forced to close.

Twelve months on, though, and the company is in the midst of finding bigger premises to keep up with the levels of stock it needs to hold to meet demand. A change in business tactics has reversed JD Airsoft’s fortunes – and the next step is to establish the company as a premier airsoft superstore.

The Staffordshire-based retailer has some 165 guns on its walls, probably more than any other shop in the UK. By buying huge quantities of guns direct from manufacturers the company has cut its prices on certain popular products, such as the G&P Magpul MOE (see our Xmas Gift Guide on p49!), which JD sells for £300.

For those that don’t know, JD Airsoft is the third name the company has traded under. Originally known as Airsoft Armoury Midlands, Phil and his ex business partner soon decided to go it alone. Together they formed 6Mil Airsoft.

Unfortunately the VCR Act hit the company hard – sales dropped by 50 per cent overnight once the bill came into effect. After splitting from his partner Phil rebranded the company JD Airsoft (‘JD’ is his son’s initials). Now the company has just about managed to shed its reputation as 6Mil – with good reason.

“When we changed the name we

changed our whole business ethos. At that point we started buying stock in much bigger quantities - in January this year we spent literally every penny we had on guns and accessories. Once we’d sold them we

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bought even more – and it’s gone on that way to the point we’re at now.

“Our stock is piled up round the walls – we just don’t have enough space here.

So we’ve found a new shop, which has a warehouse as well as retail space about double the size of our current premises.”

And JD Airsoft does like to make use of space – the shop is packed with displays of rifles, pistols, scopes, BBs, accessories – and the 160-odd rifles on the wall are for

JDEALS

customers to get hands-on with, not to be sold. It’s a worthwhile expense, says Phil: “People new to airsoft often come in with a clear idea of the rifle they’re going to buy – but 99 per cent of them leave with

ENTRY-LEVEL MP5 Recognising the popularity of entry level SMGs, JD has a selection of Classic Army and ICS MP5s available for between £100-£130.

ASCU UNIT This nifty little device can make any AEG perform like a PTW. From JD the unit will cost you £100 – but Tony will happily fit it for free while you wait!

MAGPUL PTS MOE CQB

MX-80 DIVERSIONARY DEVICE

Because they buy so many of these topquality rifles at once JD can pass their savings along. The Magpul PTS MOE will set you back just £300 if you buy from JD – as much as £130 cheaper than other retailers! And it’s JD’s best-seller of the last six months.

This awesome reusable distraction device is exclusive to JD. Designed by airsofters purely for airsoft use, the MX-80 is quickreloadable grenade that delivers an 80dB sound wave. Lightweight, looks great, and at a sensible price too – just £69.99!

something completely different. They like to be able to pick up the rifle, get a feel for it, decide if it’s for them. So none of the rifles on our walls are for sale – everything we sell comes brand new in a box.”

One or two regular customers dropped by to check out new stock, to pick up the rifle they’d been eyeing online and to restock on consumables. Just 10-15 per cent of JD’s sales come through the website, and it’s easy to understand why so many of JD’s customers are hugely loyal to the shop: Phil and the guys there can happily recommend any of their products as they simply don’t stock anything they wouldn’t use themselves.

As an example, when airsofters got hold of the TLD GR-10 distraction grenade, which wasn’t designed for airsofters, Phil decided to step in to help create something specifically for use within airsoft. Together with the manufacturer Phil helped improve the design for airsoft use, changing the venting system to twin vents on the top and bottom. The result is a functioning, reloadable and safe diversion device that appeals to airsofters’ need for realism.

So things are looking bright for JD Airsoft now. Once the shop move is confirmed and JD has settled into bigger premises Phil and his team can continue to focus on their goal of establishing the company as one of the UK’s leading airsoft megastores. If things continue as they have for the past year, it shouldn’t be much of a stretch to surpass that goal. ■

GET IN TOUCH JD Airsoft Unit 11 Exchange Business Estate, Cross Street, Cannock, Staffs WS11 0BW 01543 466356, www.jdairsoft.co.uk

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See your ad here Call Hannah on 01926 339808

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Resident gamer Alex Wharton gets his hands on id Software’s post-apocalyptic shooter Rage and delivers his verdict, no holds barred…

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erseverance – probably the most qualified word to describe my play through of Rage. Without it I don’t think I’d have got further than 30 minutes in. It’s not that Rage is a bad game – it’s decidedly average – but serious flaws in plot, structure and level design make the experience quite frustrating.

The game opens with your character emerging from an Ark, a cryogenic safe-house that allowed the best minds to survive an apocalyptic asteroid. Ok, with you so far.

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You meet a local who takes you to the nearest town and explains some of the fundamentals of the future. There’s an oppressive force called ‘The Authority’ (scary!) as well as mutants and bandits, all of which you’re going to have to deal with on your travels.

So far it’s all gravy – not the most imaginative of scenarios but it’ll do. But at this point, as I was being tasked with all sorts of combat missions, I got confused. Wasn’t I one of the great minds, frozen to survive the apocalypse? Couldn’t they have got someone

more suited to battling mutants?

And this is Rage’s number one flaw: I don’t have the first inkling why I’m doing the things I’m doing. Surely when the writers sat down to flesh out the storyline they noticed this gaping hole in the players’ knowledge? It wouldn’t have taken much to sort out – just a few lines about me being a security officer would have at least given me something solid, and not left me on the look out for some sort of plot.

Rage is the newest first-person shooter (FPS) from id Software, ‘the father of FPS’ and the company behind some of the great classic shooters: Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein 3D – the latter of which has long been considered the game that popularised the FPS genre of PC gaming. So where did id go wrong?

Well in a sense it hasn’t – those familiar with Wolfenstein 3D won’t remember spending hours contemplating the game’s vastly complex storyline. Because the game didn’t have one, and the players didn’t care.

Videogames have come a long way since the early 1990s though: today gamers expect story structure to rival the best of Jane Austen, character development that renders Shakespeare’s Hamlet a whimsical cartoon and graphics so realistic they make the outside world look pixelated. On all points but

the last, Rage is likely to leave modern gamers wanting.

But, perseverance cap firmly on head, I headed off on my first mission: to clear out some mutants as a favour to the chap who rescued me. With borrowed gun and quad bike I drove over to the mutant hideout and some good old-fashioned shooty fun ensued.

The level is linear but plays well; mutants jumping from random places keep me on my toes. They move naturally yet unpredictably, so head shots on moving targets aren’t the easiest thing to pull off. Weapons look great and are satisfying to use, ranging from a simple pistol to a pulse cannon. You can also get different ammo types for each weapon – for example the shotgun uses buckshot, but load it with ‘pop rockets’ and it becomes a grenade launcher.

After dispatching the mutants I head back to town, receive my thanks and get sent to someone else who promptly tells me the mutants have something he needs and I must go and fetch it.

Wait, what?

Really? I have to go back to the same linear level, fight the same enemies and fetch something? It’s not even like I could have done the quests at the same time as they lead into one another.

Sure, a couple of new doors opened so the level played out ever so slightly differently, but it’s an overwhelming realisation that this is still the same level – and that brings me to Rage’s second fatal flaw.

Don’t get me wrong, some of the locations are stunning. The first time you see them, at least. But when you’re playing the same damn level for the third time it’s tedious, and smacks of lazy design.

Plenty of good games require you to return to places, but usually it’s much later on. And this isn’t the only time this happens; some of the levels change around a bit but it’s not enough to mask this poor development choice.

Between locations you get to drive around, fight vehicular-based bandits and admire the scenery, which is striking. The designers have really gone to town on the inhabited locations (hehe, see

what I did there?) – with a mix of run-down shanty style and futuristic technology the locales looks fantastic, as do the people that live in them. Unfortunately they still suffer from a ‘ghost town’ feel – people do the odd thing, but don’t move from the locations they have been placed in. I’ve played deader-feeling games but couldn’t shake the impression this game could’ve been an awful lot better.

Soon the Authority begin to appear; with strong armour and heavy weaponry they are fun to fight, but unlike in other games you fight with the resistance simply because you are told the Authority is evil. Not even when I found out what they’re up to did I feel they were the villains. The only times they wanted to kill me was when I was attacking them, and I can’t really blame them for that!

GAME REVIEW

So I’m working for the resistance, yet not entirely sure why, when I’m told to go to The Authority’s home base.

After being given a new weapon from a man who looks like a 1920’s circus strongman I head off to what turns out to be the final fight. This was easier than half the rest of the game, finishing with a small arena match where I pushed a couple of buttons and won. The end came with absolutely no sense of accomplishment, although the credits did have a pretty cool rock/country song in the background. Good save.

Overall I feel Rage is mediocre. It has its moments, and looks amazing, but the world lacks life. Any time a character talks you don’t listen – you just wait for them to shut up and get on with the shooting. The vehicle combat is good fun if nothing new – it just breaks up the scenery between mission locations.

Conclusion: Rage is worth a bash, but do yourself a favour and wait until it’s in the bargain bin. ■

“Rage is the newest FPS from id Software, ‘the father of FPS’ and the company behind Wolfenstein 3D, long considered the game that popularised the FPS genre of PC gaming”

RAGE Developed by: id Software Published by: Bethesda Softworks Out now on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 Price: From around £30 (depending on platform)

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G N U YO

GUNS

Jezz Blume offers some words of wisdom to young gun players about tactics and how to survive a little longer

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here are loads of sites across the UK and many varieties of terrain, such as urban areas, wide open spaces and woodland with lots of cover.

I’m going to identify different playing styles based on the terrain you’re in, as different tactics are used within each area.

So let’s start with CQB and urban areas.

When in a close combat situation or some form of building make sure you’re not alone, as clearing or taking buildings can be near impossible on your own – unless you seriously know what you’re doing!

I suggest four or five man squads to help you out. With a building, for example, it is usually best not to assault from one side but from as many as possible simultaneously. Grab a bunch of people and try to organise them into two squads.

Get both teams to enter at the same time (usually front and back), thus splitting up the enemy within the building and leaving each squad an easier job.

Enter the building and get up to a wall as soon as possible, as standing in the corridors will leave you sitting ducks. Clear every room you see with tactical entries, or ‘frag and clear’ (which is most effective), until you meet the other team – so the building’s cleared and you can focus on controlling it if needed. Do not run in guns blazing – that will simply get you shot as the enemy will be under cover or in separate rooms.

For every building assault or close combat situation I recommend tactical and precise warfare to help secure the battle

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and make sure you don’t lose it. You will have seen many of these tactics on Rainbow Six Vegas 2 if you have played it (Campaign).

Next up: open ground with little to no cover.

If you’re caught in this situation the best thing to do is not panic and hide as you’ll just end up having a long and unwanted battle of shooting at each other from long ranges, and you’ll get nowhere. Instead I recommend the very useful method of ‘fire and move’, a very simple tactic but equally effective.

Split the team you’re with into two groups (let’s call them Alpha and Bravo) and pick one to go first (in this case, Alpha). While Bravo lays down covering fire, Alpha moves five metres forward, gets down and then lays covering fire to allow Bravo to move. Bravo moves two metres ahead of Alpha.

The method repeats until you reach your destination, by which point you will have probably taken them out. But if you find yourself alone in a situation like this you can be sneaky and go ‘bush crawling’, although I suggest you back away from the situation and get backup or go for a different objective.

And finally: woodland areas with lots of cover (bushes, trees, barricades). This type of terrain offers a lot of choice. If you’re in a group of people simply split up so you’re not

so grouped and move forward from cover to cover, shooting the enemy as you do. But move fast and keep separate – if you are in a large group the enemy can just mow you down.

If on your own you have the choice to do what you can, and in some cases can succeed very well. As a young player you have a major advantage: size. You’re small and agile so you can get into places bigger men can’t, and run faster than most players. So you can sneak around quietly, using the cover to hide yourself, get into bushes and take out the enemy one by one. Bear in mind that if you attack a large group your position will be compromised though, and you can do nothing about it.

I’m sure there are many more ways to deal with these situations than I’ve identified here, but these should get you going.

So, Young Guns, what are your ideas for airsofting? Don’t tell me, I guarantee I already know what you have in mind; I’ve been there, done that and received so many t-shirts I’ve lost count.

We all know that younger players just starting out have all sorts of fantasies about what they want to happen in airsoft. As much as I support the fact you’re having a great time (and that’s what airsoft is about), the idea of suddenly becoming a sniper for example just won’t work. I know – I’ve been there!

We younger players (and we can all admit it) just want to get out there and shoot people. Sniping is seen as cool, and we want to do it. But it takes patience and, I’m not going to lie, a lot of skill. You can’t really snipe and run around at the same time as a singleshot bolt-action is no match for a full-auto AEG unless you have the element of surprise.

YOUNG GUNS To help you out massively I suggest you stick with the AEG and running around thing until you’ve had some experience and can really decide what you prefer to do, whether it be sniper or not. On top of everything else, a decent sniper rifle will cost more than double the amount of a good AEG. That said, don’t let me put you off because I used to snipe an awful lot in my early days and I still enjoy sniping every now and then – and it is good fun! With practice you can become quite a troublemaker on the battlefield, and starting early is the best way to get good at it.

To take a tangent, I’d like to talk about Young Gun teams. It’s great you want to play as a team, but as a younger player you’ll find that nobody takes you seriously in the slightest. There goes your dream of having a team like the rest. Because I know how it is: you look up to well-known teams but until people take you seriously I suggest you try to play with or join another team.

By joining an established team you’ll learn a lot about team play and how to go about running one. Gain some airsoft experience then try again. But as I’ve said before, don’t let me stop you. If you want to create a team with your friends then go for it, you’ll learn valuable lessons about leadership and teamwork.

I also made a team with friends when I was younger. It didn’t work out, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without that experience.

That’s it from the War Wolf for this issue.

Catch you next time. ■✎

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

093

MARSHAL MATTERS The importance of being earnest (about airsoft) – Mike Buttrick puts marshalling under the spotlight.

A

fter being royally impressed by the first edition of Airsoft Action I thought that I would share my own experiences and love of airsoft. My initial idea was to write about my change from being a player to becoming a player-marshal and how that has changed me as a person.

That idea has mutated and developed into a guide to the skills that a good marshal displays – to quote Ian Lawrence (founder of Lincolnshire Airsoft Club and my marshalling mentor) the article is now “a blueprint for the skills required to be a good marshal.”

In 2007 I moved to a new job where a colleague told me (emphatically) about airsoft – it quickly piqued my interest but sadly, due to being a government slave (aka public servant) it wasn’t until 2008 that I could attend a game with him. The moment that he put a G&G G300 with under-slung grenade launcher in my hands I knew that I was hooked! Within a few months I had my UKARA registration and a shiny new JG

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G36E. Within a year I had joined an infamous local team and thought that I was a pretty good airsofter – how wrong I was!

For various reasons 2011 has not been the best year for me. By July my stress levels reached breaking point and, due to some poor player conduct, I had a meltdown during a game. That evening I was ready to walk away from airsoft altogether, but it was at this low point that Ian asked me not to quit and to consider training as a marshal.

After calming down I realised that this was a good alternative, and also an area I wanted to develop in, as it would allow me to learn more about airsoft and to give something back to my local airsoft community. In three months I progressed from being a player to being an assistant marshal, and from this (and by working with Ian) I have learnt far more about playing airsoft skirmish than in the previous three years combined (though I still have no experience of MilSim). The following are what I consider examples of effective marshalling skills.

Tactics There are many sites out there that base their gameplay upon media influences such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honour. While this can be fun it cannot match the benefits of playing games that have been designed by someone who has lived and served with the Armed Forces – Ian served with the RAF as a Sergeant Armourer and EOD specialist, so he brings a great wealth of experience to the planning of games.

There may be inter-service rivalry (and also rivalry between retired and operational servicemen) with regards to appropriate tactics and their usage, but I have witnessed Ian inspiring losing teams into a winning position by teaching them some new tactics. I have also found it immensely amusing watching teams using CoD-based tactics being beaten by a team using the ‘horns of the bull’ that was so effective at Isandlwana in 1879 – I’ve even seen skirmish lines which date back to the ancient Greeks!

Communication

MARSHALS

This is as important in airsoft as it is in any other area of human endeavour. Failure to communicate clearly can ruin a game, or even a whole day of airsoft. Marshals need to ensure that they give players clear instructions and guidance at all times. They also need to be prepared to take action when communication errors occur.

As airsoft has evolved and personal radios have become more common, so has the role of the marshal. Just because a player owns a personal radio does not mean they know how to use it effectively, and marshals can remedy this by correctly advising on the use of radios.

Ian enhances this further by adding exibility into the mix.

If the games that he planned for an event are not suitable, whether it be due to reduced player numbers or adverse weather conditions, he is always ready to change them to suit the conditions. However, the most important factor to take into account when it comes to planning is the human factor – when humans are involved then be sure that if something can go wrong it will, so learn from it and adapt.

Planning/logistics

Human behaviour: patience

Any airsoft site is only as good as the games that are provided. A site that sticks to the same old games, week in week out, is destined to lose players to sites that adapt and change. At LAC I have witnessed an extensive play book that is always being adapted, and

I have to admit that I did not display much patience as a player. With the experience of marshalling I have now learnt to be far more patient with other players. When a player has done something wrong they will learn more if you take the time to help them understand

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

095

the problem rather than just pointing out the obvious – no one likes to be patronised!

Knowing your players and their behaviour can also help; by delicately manipulating players’ behaviour traits you can direct the flow of a game and prevent a rout that might lead to some players becoming disillusioned.

This is also a good way to help diffuse tense situations that can get out of hand.

ran straight into cover behind a group of small structures but enemy fire pinned them in this area for a significant period of time and they lost momentum. But when the game was reversed, Yellow Team made exactly the same mistake. Thanks to my position outside of the game, though, I could witness these and make a mental note not to make the same mistake at that site in future.

Criticism

Humour

Being able to give criticism in a constructive manner is vital. As previously stated, the manner in which you point out a player’s error can seem patronising if not done correctly and this can lead to a bad relationship between players and marshals. It is equally important to be able to take criticism yourself; listening to feedback from players will enable marshals to develop further.

No one wants to play with unfriendly marshals. By displaying a good sense of humour you will show players that you are approachable and friendly and this in turn will help to foster a good relationship and encourage them to return. I witnessed the exact opposite at a large airsoft event in the south of England where the demeanour and behaviour of the marshals made me determined not to return to that particular site.

In a time of recession and austerity people are careful about how they spend money, so airsoft sites are competing for a limited pot of money and, ultimately, the sites with good games and friendly marshals are likely to be the long term winners.

So my final message to all marshals out there is this: you’d better have a sense of humour! n

Observation An alert marshal is able to continually monitor for cheating or issues that may damage the flow of a game. Marshals must adapt as a player by learning from the mistakes that others make and avoiding repeating them. I learnt this valuable lesson when I marshalled a night game for the first time.

At the beginning of the evening, Red Team

“The moment that he put a G&G G300 with under-slung grenade launcher in my hands I knew that I was hooked!”

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www.airsoftaction.com

097

TANK MEN THE HUMAN STORY OF TANKS AT WAR

T

ank Men is a turreteye perspective of what it was like to fight from tanks, from their sudden appearance in 1916 to the end of WWII. British, German, Russian, French, American and Italian tank crews describe the emotional and physical consequences that stemmed from the technological tanks arms race that occurred during this period.

The book describes what it is like to be inside a tank at war: a tight metal box, from which little can be seen to lighten an all-pervasive claustrophobia heightened by the fear of burning. Human senses are dulled by restricted vision, the reek of petroleum and oil, deafening engine and track noise, tasting a gritty residue of dust and exhaust fumes. Hot spots have to be avoided, as do potentially dangerous moving mechanical parts. Tank designers were obsessed with maximising technical gun, armour and mobility improvements. Human requirements and comforts were compromised to favour combat effectiveness.

Specific chapters cover a typical day of tank combat during the various tank campaigns of WWII. Others deal with the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland, France and Russia, as well as tank campaigns in the Western Desert, Kursk and the Normandy Bocage. Oral accounts are juxtaposed against letter and diary observations to

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expose the grim reality of tank warfare.

This is a human story that describes the emotional bonding that occurred between crew members, from where they were recruited and why they chose to fight in tanks. Countless small stories are told from a multi-national perspective, describing the experiences of the primary tank protagonists that fought the war. Fear of burning is ever present. Soldiers had just five to eight seconds available to flee a

burning tank, rearranged by the wreckage of an incoming shell, before the oxygen was sucked out by the flames or it exploded.

The First World War experience revealed that crew combat endurance was fundamentally limited by fumes, heat, enemy artillery and the buffeting ride with no suspension. By WWII, Britain had lost her tank lead and operated in the shadow of German, Russian and American developments throughout. The Germans were the first to master the man/machine interface, electing to construct technically excellent and highly effective tanks. The Allies opposed technical excellence with the mass production of inferior tank types, coldly and rationally electing to accept the high loss of life that comes from any unequal battle of attrition.

Drawing upon vivid, newly researched personal testimonies from the crucial battles of the WWI and WWII, Tank Men: The Human Story of Tanks at War illustrates the brutal and often moving story of tank crews during conflicts. ■

Tank Men: The Human Story of Tanks at War Robert Kershaw Published by Hodder & Stoughton ISBN 978-0340923474 Visit www.virtualnewsagent.com or use the order form opposite!

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UKARA LISTING APPROVED UKARA RETAILERS As an airsoft player or retailer it is your sport, or living, which the VCR Act threatened to extinguish. It is our joint responsibility to make sure we do not cause the exception we gained to be removed by foolish acts which, although perhaps not technically breaking the law, might lead to a threat to the concessions we worked so hard to gain.

An example is the purchase and gift of a realistic imitation firearm. This may be quite legal but, to do this with intent to supply a non-registered person would not be if, in reality, it was just a ‘back-door’ sale.

FOUNDING MEMBERS AIRSOFT ARMOURY

WOLF ARMOURIES

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101

SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

SYMBOL KEY Is it woodland or urban? Check the key!

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Pyros allowed

Shop onsite

Repair service

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102

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Xmas 2011

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Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data!

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CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL

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Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk

St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com

Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk

UKARA

£

£

£

CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT

FINMERE AIRSOFT

FRV AIRSOFT

Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk

Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com

Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com

UKARA

UKARA

UKARA

£

CUMBRIA AIRSOFT

FIREBALL SQUADRON

GASS AIRSOFT – PENN

Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com

Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com

Penn Bottom, Buckinghamshire, HP10 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

UKARA

UKARA

£

UKARA

£

DOGS OF WAR

FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP

GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON

Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk

Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

UKARA

£

UKARA

UKARA

£

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

103

SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT

LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT

NSC AIRSOFT

Leicester, LE9 9FP enquires@grangefarmairsoft.co.uk www.gingerliberationfront.com

Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk

Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk

£

UKARA

UKARA

UKARA

GREENZONE COMBAT

LINCOLNSHIRE AIRSOFT CLUB

Hamiltonsbawn, Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com

Saxillby, LN1 2JW 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

NTAC Durham, DL4 2ER 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk

£

UKARA UKARA

£

£

UKARA

GROUND ZERO AIRSOFT – WOODLAND

LINDSEY AIRSOFT

Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF 01329 849818 www.groundzerowoodland.com

Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8 07895 011206 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk

UKARA

£

Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS

GROUND ZERO AIRSOFT – URBAN

MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES

Bransgore, Dorset, BH23 8AU 01329 849818 www.groundzerourban.com

Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com

Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk UKARA

£

PHOENIX AIRSOFT

UKARA

UKARA

OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL

GUN HO AIRSOFT

MAW

Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk

Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com

Budby, Nottinghamshire, NG22 9FG 01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk

£

UKARA

PLATOON 1HQ GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE

MIA

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6SE 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk

UKARA

£

£

UKARA

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – MIDLANDS

MILSIM UK

Balsall Common, West Mids, CV7 7FP 01676 532384 www.suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk

Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk

UKARA

£

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – MIDLANDS RAF HONILEY Kenilworth, CV8 1NR 01676 532384 www.suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk UKARA

Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com

PLAYERS OF WAR High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk UKARA

NCIS AIRSOFT Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk

£

UKARA

NOMAD AIRSOFT Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com

£

UKARA

Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 028 4377 0566 www.predatorcombat.com

Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz UKARA

ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk UKARA

104

Xmas 2011

£

UKARA

Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk

£

UKARA

£

UKARA

RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk UKARA

RIVOCK EDGE Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492

UKARA

INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS

£

RAVEN’S NEST

UKARA

£

HILTON PARK AIRSOFT

UKARA

PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES

UKARA

UKARA

Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk

UKARA

£

SHEFFIELD WOODLAND Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 UKARA

£

NORTHFLEET CQB

SWAT AIRSOFT

Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

Neston, Merseyside, CH64 3TB 07703 177756 www.swatairsoft.eu

£

UKARA

Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data!

SWAT AIRSOFT – URBAN

SW WAR GAMES – SCRAESDON FORT

Chester, CH3 5UE 07703 177756 www.swaturban.com

Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AB 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk

£

UCAP GREEN OPS

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

SW WAR GAMES – TREGANTLE FORT Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AZ 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk

UKARA

£

SG1 COMBAT GAMES Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk

AIRSOFT SITES Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

£

UKARA

UCAP VIRUS

TA EVENTS Hemel Hemstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk

Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 0BL 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

£

UKARA

UKARA

£

SHADOWOPZ Dover, Kent CT17 9PS 07707 632855 www.shadowopzairsoft.co.uk

UCAP SANDPIT

TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk

£

UKARA

SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

£

UKARA

SKIRMISH EXETER Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk

£

UKARA

SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com

£

UKARA

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH Cowbridge, South Glamorgan, CF71 7RQ 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk

£

UKARA

TECH BRIGADE Hertford, SG13 8NH 01438 235249 www.techbrigade.org

Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

£

UKARA

ULTIMATE AIRSOFT Tortworth, GL12 8 01179 353388 www.ultimateairsoft.co.uk UKARA

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

£

UKARA

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD UKARA

THE COMPLEX Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492

£

UKARA

THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk

Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

£

UKARA

URBAN ASSAULT Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk

UKARA

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

£

UKARA

£

UKARA

THE EX SITE Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk

£

UKARA

STIRLING AIRSOFT Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com

THE SANDPIT Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 UKARA

Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk

THE WARGAMES CENTRE Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre.co.uk

£

UKARA

SUSSEX AIRSOFT Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk

£

Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com UKARA

VIKING AIRSOFT Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN contactus@vikingairsoft.co.uk www.vikingairsoft.co.uk

£

£

UKARA

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

URBAN6AIRSOFT

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Warminster, BA12 7RZ 01985 211774 www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk UKARA

£

£

UCAP AIRSOFT Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk UKARA

£

Email anthonyp@blazepublishing.co.uk to add or change a site listing

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

105

ACTION

THE Airsoft Magazine

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