Issue 16 - Dec 2012

ACTION

THE Airsoft Magazine

AIRSOFT ACTION

WINNER ANNOUNC ED! CAMO COMPETI T PRIZE DR ION AW!

IRON MAN III

SPANISH MILSIM

SUPPORT GUNNERS DECEMBER 2012

LCT TKMS NV ZOMBIES AT 'REAL TAKEDOWN' ARDEER Does LCT's new-for-2012 TKMS live up to expectations?

Baz C gets stuck in at his first ever FilmSim event

INSIDE AIRSOFT: HYDE DEFINITION Meet the British creator of the PenCott camo pattern family

Big boyz toyz ❱ north west alliance ❱ co2 marushin m1 ❱ art of patrolling AA_001_Cover_Rev2AP.indd 1

DECEMBER 2012 - £4.25

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CONTENTS AIRSOFT ACTION – DECEMBER 2012

6 9 Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Anthony Platt Graphic Design: Steve Dawson Art director: Chris Sweeney Ad design: Anna Makwana Advertising: Toni Cole Group production editor: Colin Fallon Operations director: James Folkard Assistant publisher: Ruth Burgess Publisher: Wesley Stanton

Full UK 12-issue subscription rate: £59.40 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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Cover photograph: H Photography Tel: 07979 912146 W: www.hphotography.me.uk Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street Leamington Spa.Warwickshire. CV32 5SZ Tel: 01926 339808 Fax: 01926 470400 E: info@blazepublishing.co.uk

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READERS’ GALLERY YOUR CHANCE TO GET YOUR FACE IN THE MAGAZINE AIRSOFT NEWS TOKYO MARUI UPDATE, NEW SITES AND KIT, AND COMP WINNERS ANNOUNCED! REVIEW: LCT TKMS NV BAZ C LOVES HIS LCT AKS BUT IS THE 2012 OFFERING UP TO THE STANDARD? EVENT: NWAA IGGY ROBERTS DISCOVERS THE N. WEST AIRSOFT ALLIANCE SUPPORT GUNNERS RON M ON THE ROLE OF THE AIRSOFT SUPPORT GUNNER KIT BAG TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE KIT WE’VE USED RECENTLY IRON MAN III NO, NOT THAT IRON MAN – ROBERTO LOPEZ TACKLES SPAIN’S NATIONAL EVENT

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BIG BOYZ TOYZ BIG BOYZ TOYZ TAKES TO THE SEAS (WITH TORPEDOES) REVIEW: WE ACE VD RATTY GETS STUCK INTO WE’S NEW SVD REPLICA DEBATE: MAG CAPACITY GARETH HARVEY STIRS UP THE CAPACITY CONUNDRUM AIRSOFT ABROAD: BRAZIL DEAN ANTON TELLS US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW TO PLAY AIRSOFT IN BRAZIL FILMSIM: RESIDENT EVIL HE PUT UP A FIGHT, BUT WE FINALLY GOT BAZ C ALONG TO A FILMSIM – AND HE LOVED IT! REVIEW: SNOW WOLF SWS HAS SCOTT ALLAN FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL OF AFFORDABLE SPRING SNIPERS? INSIDE: HYDE DEFINITION HYDE DEFINITION DEVELOPED THE PENCOTT CAMO FAMILY – LAWRENCE H TELLS US MORE

W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk © Blaze Publishing Limited, 2012 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Blaze Publishing Limited 2012. 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.

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BILLY BASICS THIS MONTH BILLY ASKS: ARE SPECIAL FORCES SPECIAL? MARUSHIN M1 CARBINE HAS CO2-POWER IMPROVED MARUSHIN’S M1 CARBINE? RATTY FINDS OUT COLD WAR WARRIORS GADGE RECREATES ANOTHER AFFORDABLE COLD WAR IMPRESSION SKILLS ROOM: PATROLS DAN MILLS TAKES US THROUGH THE ART OF PATROLLING MEDIA REVIEW ALEX W’S ADDICTED TO FREETO-PLAY TANK ACTION! WOUNDED SHOOTER DRILL ANDY N RETURNS WITH MORE REAL WORLD ADVICE FOR AIRSOFT ROLE PLAYERS SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE NEXT WEEKEND...

BOOK SHOP GRAB YOURSELF AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESSIE FROM THE AA BOOKSHOP!

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t the time of writing I have just got back from a weekend at Copehill Down with Tier1 (full report in next issue) which, as an observer, brought home one particular aspect of airsoft which for me makes it the best game to be involved in – sportsmanship.

Sportsmanship can be defined as: Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing.

Yes, airsoft is an adrenalin-fuelled game and yes, sometimes participants can get a little heated, but for the vast majority of the time I see the game played in the true spirit of sportsmanship. Last weekend was testament to that.

While moving through a mouse hole a player went over and twisted his ankle.

He was obviously in some pain and “Cease fire!” was called. Copehill Down is not a small place and squads were spread right across the area, some involved in pretty heavy fighting – but within a matter of seconds the message spread and the whole area fell silent. Nobody moved from their position – not one single person tried to gain an advantage from another player’s misfortune – and I wouldn’t mind betting that nobody even thought of doing so.

Airsoft might be unpopular with the ‘PC Brigade’ but it is simply not possible to play without first adopting certain unfashionable traits, such as taking responsibility for your actions, admitting when you get things wrong, being prepared to make decisions (and sticking to them) and then wrapping the whole lot up in the ideals of sportsmanship.

I can think of more than one section of our modern society that could learn an awful lot by getting out on an airsoft field for a day or two…

See you out there, Nige (PS. ‘Sarge’, the player who went over, was soon back on his feet, sore but OK. Thanks to Tommo and the rest of the guys who took care of him!)

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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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READERS’ GALLERY Send your pics into anthonyp@blazepublishing.co.uk and see yourself in the mag – the more the merrier!

Dave at CQB Swindon, featured in this month’s News section!

Bulby Wood site!

Christopher Gray at Free Fire Zone

Henry Wissel sent in this awesome picture!

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Nick Baxter sent th is shot of him at Stormforce Airsof t!

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AIRSOFT | NEWS

AIRSOFT NEWS NEW CQB SITE IN SWINDON CQB Tactical has opened in Swindon.

This new venue features almost 100,00sq/m of prime CQB battleground.

A full site review will follow in a later issue – but already we’ve had positive reports from players who attended the site’s open day.

AA reader Dave said: “The arena is made up of ground and first floor levels, staircases, disused toilets and offices,

old cars, pallet stacks, walls and other cover made from assorted materials.

The organisers are awaiting health and safety clearance on an additional zone, the basement, a pitch black area full of old industrial equipment – when this is opened it will be madness!”

Run by experienced staff and marshals, the site has an onsite shop and large Safe Zone, and due to good ventilation has no

restrictions on smoke grenades or other pyros (which Dave tells us are absolutely essential here, so you have been warned!).

The site address is: Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, Darby Close, Swindon SN2 2QW. The site holds games every Sunday.

For more information call 07710 236316 / 07500 894224, or visit www.cqbtactical. co.uk.

ECHO1 TO BUILD RIFLE DYNAMICS REPLICAS Madbull and Echo1 have joined forces to create the airsoft replica of Rifle Dynamics’ ‘501 Rifle’ AK-style rifle.

Madbull announced earlier this year that it had gained the Rifle Dynamics license.

Madbull recruited Echo1 as its build partner for the project. It is also working closely with Rifle Dynamics, proving a growing trend for real-steel manufacturers to get involved with the development of airsoft replicas.

A video released by Echo1 also suggests that Echo1 will manufacture airsoft replicas of the Rifle Dynamics PKM. Madbull released a photo which appears to show the airsoft 501, though no release date or price have been confirmed yet.

NEW A-TACS FG KIT

Warrior Assault Systems has launched a full range of webbing/load carrying products in the new A-TACS FG camouflage pattern.

The company is running a Facebook giveaway for £400 worth of the new FG kit.

Currently WAS is offering two plate carriers in the FG pattern, along with a full range of ammo and utility pouches and other kit. The products are available to order now – check with your favourite retailers whether they are stocking any.

To enter Warrior Assault System’s competition visit: www.facebook.com/ warriorassaultsystems

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TOKYO MARUI NEWS

Tokyo Marui has unveiled several forthcoming products at the All Japan Model Hobby Show held in October.

The TM HK416D Recoil Shock EBB is due for Japanese release before the end of 2012. When it eventually reaches UK retailers expect a price around £400-£550. Weighing around 3.5kg with battery fitted, the focus has clearly been on accurate replication of the real-steel. It features interchangeable barrels (10in and 14.5in), ambidextrous selector, six-position detachable stock, limitable midcap magazine (limit from 82 to 30 rounds), ‘automatic stop’ and CNC machined aluminium parts.

A 520-round hi-cap magazine will be released alongside it, though the ‘automatic stop’ function will not work when using them.

An optional M203A1 grenade launcher for the HK416D will also be released, which has a gas injection valve leading to some debate about its operation. As yet there is very little information from Tokyo Marui.

TM has also developed it’s smallest, lightest High Cycle AEG to date – the MP5K HC. Weighing around 1.5kg (and just 345mm long) it has a short top rail and no stock. The battery is fitted inside the end cap, held in place with two screws.

There’s been no word of a Japanese release price (or even a ‘tentative price’), though it is set to be on sale in Japan in December so we should have more information before the year is out.

CAMO COMP WINNER ANNOUNCED After more than a year we can finally reveal the winner of the camouflage competition is: Amy Elizabeth Bishop – congratulations!

If you’re new here, the camouflage competition has been running since issue one of Airsoft Action. Each issue has contained a different swatch of a legitimate camouflage, and for a chance to win all of the kit pictured here (and a bit more we couldn’t squeeze in) you had to tell us what all 12 of the patterns were.

To put you out of your misery, the correct answers are as follows: Issue 01 – West Germany BGS Sumpfmuster Issue 02 – Portuguese M63 Vertical Lizard Issue 03 – Swedish M90 Splinter Issue 04 – Italian 1st Issue Army Desert (‘Mimetico Deserto’) Issue 05 – Indian DPM (sometimes called Palm Frond or Fern Issue 06 – Switzerland, M92 or TAZ 90 Issue 07 – East German Flachtarnenmuster (also called blumentarn (flower) or kartoffelnmuster (potato) pattern) Issue 08 – Oman Desert DPM variation Issue 09 – Italian San Marco Battalion (Marines or BSM, beach or temperate version) Issue 10 – Chinese PLA ‘DPM’ Pattern (one side of reversible camouflage uniform issued during 1980s) Issue 11 – Egyptian Dense Desert Pattern (nicknamed Scrambled Eggs) Issue 12 – Russian (pink variation of) TTsKO pattern (also called Russian Woodland and known colloquially as Butan).

We had dozens of entries to the competition, and all those with 12 correct answers were chucked in the Ed’s hat before one winner was drawn.

We hope to bring you a picture of Amy with all her new goodies next issue – and for those who missed out this time, stay tuned for our next competition!

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AIRSOFT | NEWS

SNIPER POCKET BOOK We have just received a copy of the Sniper Pocket Book, the latest release in the Pocket Book series published by Military Pocket Books.

The Sniper Pocket Book is a collaboration between Rupert Godesen and Frank Fletcher. Rupert had previously updated and illustrated the Soldier Pocket Book and supplied both graphics and assistance to Frank, who wrote the book.

As the title suggests, the book is designed to fit neatly into a pocket, pouch or small enclosure on a Bergen and is absolutely packed with useful information and titbits acquired from many years of practical experience and gained knowledge – like using a car jack to lift the eaves of a building to create a viewing and firing aperture.

Although aimed squarely at the real-steel sharpshooter, the Sniper Pocket Book is also a really good source of information for airsoft snipers as all the techniques are as pertinent

to airsoft as they are to those working in the real world.

Author Frank Fletcher is a former Colour Sergeant and Sniper Instructor who served with the Parachute Regiment in Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He now works for Accuracy International, which manufactures the L115A3 0.338-inch calibre rifle used by Craig Harrison when he took out two Taliban machinegunners with consecutive shots at a range of 2,475m.

Frank knows his subject and covers topics which include Stalking, Concealment, Observation, Judging Distance and, of course, Shooting.

The Sniper Pocket Book is produced and published by Military Pocket Books Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-874528-18-0; Price: £10 (optional PVC book cover: £1) www.milpkbk.com

VFC HK417D WINNER Last issue we ran a competition for one reader to win a VFC/Umarex HK417D. After reviewing all the entries and pulling a winner in the usual fashion we have landed ourselves in a conundrum.

The winner of the VFC HK417D is David Tippen – however David has not left any contact details for us to get in touch (somewhat our fault for not including the usual ‘address and details’ box that’s usually

on our competition pages).

As we are incredibly lovely we’ve decided to print that information here in the hope David sees it. If we have not heard back from David by the time the next issue heads to the printers we will have to pick a new winner (so don’t uncross your fingers too soon if you’ve already entered!).

CASH FOR OLD KIT A ‘cash for gold’ style airsoft gun trader has launched in the UK. Airsoft Gun Trader bills itself as ‘The only place to sell your airsoft gun and kit legally’. Users select the make and model of the gun they wish to sell. If it has no modifications they will receive an ‘instant valuation’ – if not they send it to the company for valuation.

In future the company will also sell guns – a statement on the website says: “We will be launching our classified sales service.” In future it will also be possible to buy or sell airsoft paraphernalia Airsoft Gun Trader is owned and operated by the team behind Just BB Guns, which earlier this year cancelled plans to exhibit at the Airsoft Arms Fair.

Earlier this year we reported that the company had opened its first retail premises after gaining UKARA registration.

Visit Airsoft Gun Trader: www.airsoftguntrader.co.uk

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LCT TKMS NV Baz Collins has been a fan of LCT AKs for some time, and jumped at the chance to try its ‘Real Takedown’ AKMS, new for 2012

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very time we look at guns, kit, ammo, whatever, we are faced with a number of choices. When it comes to guns there are several main manufacturers to choose from. In this player’s opinion, though, there is only one when it comes to the AK platform: LCT. I suppose I should do a little bit of history on the gun – but let’s face it, it’s an AK. It’s the most famous gun ever and we all know it comes from Russia/Soviet Union. The full designation for this gun is Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy, which roughly translates as ‘Kalashnikov’s Modernised Assault Rifle’. The ‘S’ part means Skladnoy or ‘folding’ in English. This is represented in all folding-stocked AKs and

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anything with ‘S’ after it usually means it has a folding stock such as the AKS-74, AKSU, SVD-S and so on.

The AKM was developed in the 1950s and went into active service in 1959. This remained the main firearm in the Soviet Army until the 1970s when the AK-74 was born. The AKM has been seen in countless countries and is still the main firearm of many armies today. More recently they have been seen in the contractor circuit in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The AKMS, which has the underfolding stock, was developed to make the weapon more portable when not in active use. This allowed the weapon to be carried in vehicles more easily. Today the Russian army almost exclusively uses the AK-74 platform, but

some elite units (including Alpha and FSB) still use the odd AKM due to the superior power of the 7.62mm round over the 74’s 5.45mm.

Now on to the good stuff! LCT has been on the scene a fair few years now. It is the OEM for Inokatsu, but LCT branded guns forgo the massive pricetag associated with Inokatsus. The first time I heard of them was at a local CQB site and a guy called Chris had a very nice AKSU. It was a VFC one but it had a very unique-looking loop-gripped handguard.

Chris told me it was an LCT handguard – from then on I went on to own several AKSUs and bought the LCT handguard for them all!

LCT eventually began putting out full kits for Marui conversions and, shortly after that, its own AEGs. For years LCT has produced some

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THE ARMOURY | LCT AKMS

“It all goes downhill once these pins are removed.

Inside the handguard are several grub screws to separate the front assembly from the receiver – it shouldn’t be like that!” superb AEGs with excellent finishes. Now it has released its new 2012 ‘Real Takedown’ models – let’s see what’s changed…

I had been waiting on these coming out for quite some time so when the AKMS (or TKMS NV, to give it its proper designation) was available I got my order in straight away.

I have owned around six LCT AEGs in my time – most recently a couple of 105s and a standard AKMS, all 2009 models. When I opened the plain cardboard box adorned with just a small LCT sticker and a picture of the AKMS I expected something a little different but no, same packaging and padding as before.

Taking it from the box I was happy to feel the same heft as the previous models. No

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THE ARMOURY | LCT AKMS Don’t get me wrong, the performance or build quality of this gun aren’t affected by whether it has ‘Real Takedown’ features – but don’t say it’s something that it patently isn’t.

This brings me on to my next (and most annoying) gripe: the selector positions are off. Full-auto and semi are too close to each other, compared to a real AK platform.

This problem has plagued all LCT models and for whatever reason never been fixed.

For the purists it’s simply unacceptable.

In the box alongside the gun was a sheet of paper with an average fps reading, which is tested at the factory before it leaves. The reading was between 335340fps. I immediately stuck a battery in (mini tamiya connector as standard), loaded up the supplied 600-round hi-cap magazine and put some rounds through my chrono. The readings were bang on, averaging the same as the factory read out.

On a 7.4v 25c LiPo this was putting out a respectable 18 rounds per second – not too shabby! Out on the range it was hitting out around the 45m mark at its best. As it has a V3 geabox it’s very easy to upgrade this, so if there was anything you wanted it would be fairly easy to do. My own personal recommendation would be to get a CNC ‘ProWin’ hop unit. Stick one of these in the AK and you’ll see a drastic difference.

All in all I am still mega impressed with LCT guns. As far as AKs go you have Real Sword’s Type 56 models and VFC’s exceptionally expensive entries – but I personally find that the overall feel of the LCT is better than both. Yes, there are the slight issues with correct markings and terminology – and it’s still not ‘Real Takedown’ – but for £250 it is considerably cheaper than its two main rivals.

I think this alone will be the deciding factor for a lot of players. You can’t go wrong! rattles at all here, LCT guns are absolutely rock solid. The receiver, barrel, dust cover and selector – basically everything – is made of stamped steel. The polymer handguard feels well made and solid to the touch, as does the pistol grip. So far so good.

The gearbox is apparently LCT’s own now, but it looks just the same as the older models which used a CYMA gearbox. Not that there is anything wrong with them, but you would expect a gun with externals like this to have a cracking gearbox, but it’s just OK. Now the bit I was most excited about: the ‘Real Takedown’ feature. This basically means that the gun should come apart like the real

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thing (which uses body pins to separate parts). There are body pins on the front iron sight, the gas block and the handguard lock.

Unfortunately, it all goes downhill once these are removed.

Inside the handguard are several grub screws to separate the front assembly from the receiver – it shouldn’t be like that! On the real version, just below the rear iron sight (rear sight base), there is a central body pin – knock that one pin out and the gun splits apart. On the LCT models this pin has always been there, but it’s always been non-functioning – and now on this, the ‘Real Takedown’ model, it still is!

LCT TKMS NV CONSTRUCTION: All metal parts stamped steel; polymer WEIGHT: 3,550g LENGTH: 902mm (extended); 661mm (retracted) BATTERY: 7.4v / 8.4v stick type (not included) GEARBOX: V3 MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 600-round hi-cap supplied VELOCITY: ~335fps PRICE: £250

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NORTHWEST

AIRSOFT ALLIANCE

The North West Airsoft Alliance is a new entity in UK airsoft and Iggy Roberts went along to get the full story

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EVENT REPORT | NWAA

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hick smoke pouring out from two grenades started to engulf the small defensive position that four of us were manning. A couple of depleted magazines lay discarded at our feet, used up holding back courageous attempts from the many enemies that had tried (and failed) to cross the open ground to take our position.

By now all of our friendly forces (wearing Multicam, MTP, blacks and other camouflage) had been hit, leaving just us four against the 45-man strong enemy forces wearing DPM camouflage – and they had ‘constant respawn’!

As they all turned their focus to our position, the pinging of BBs on the tower and waist-high pallet barricades that formed the wall around half of the position was a constant, loud pounding.

We continued to hold the enemy back.

Our teammate in the tower was returning a strong fight – until he had to change battery and was peppered with rounds to his upper torso. We were now down to three.

By the time the smoke cleared the enemy was literally on the other side of the pallet wall. Not a great time to hear the words “Hit!” from one of my remaining teammates and “Last mag!” from the other.

“By the time the smoke cleared the enemy was literally on the other side of the pallet wall.

Not a great time to hear the words ‘Hit!’ from one of my remaining team mates and ‘Last mag!’ from the other”

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“I started the Alliance to keep my site going for the players who have become great friends over the years and stuck with us through thick and thin” I was down to my last stand 50-round mag when I was taken out by a full-auto burst up the right arm (from the only angle open to view). Our last guy in position held the enemy force at bay for another two minutes, using semi-auto to conserve the ammunition in his last mid-cap magazine.

Five guys ran in and after taking three out he was finally hit with a single round to the face. He had three shots left before he was completely out of ammunition.

This was my introduction to North West Airsoft Alliance (NWAA). The game was held at Ex-Site near Mold, North Wales.

After the fantastic introduction of skirmishing with so many players on a private site, the rest of the day continued at a similar pace. We played various types of game, from simple attack and defend to search and destroy through forests and over fields, with defensive structures dotted everywhere. There are a number of large, steep hills which you find yourself fighting up – and in the rain, wind

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and slippery muddy ground, it is a tough battle.

Having such a target-rich environment, full of enemies with various levels of airsoft experience, is an enjoyable and worthy challenge for any team. If you’re in the North West, these skirmish events are not to be missed.

Alliance assembles The NWAA was formed in summer of this year to bring together six airsoft sites from north west England and north Wales (ExSite, Over The Top, Shock and Awe, SWAT, Military Outdoor Adventures, and Delta Team 3).

The idea for the NWAA first came about a few years ago when the owners of Over The Top and Ex-Site decided that, once every few months, one site would take all of its players to the other site for a large game.

The scheme proved a success – for the sites and players involved – and the

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EVENT REPORT | NWAA

owners of OTT and Ex-Site contacted several other north-west based sites.

Sites in the Alliance benefit by having players attend game days who otherwise might never have visited. The host site experiences a larger number of players at their site for the game day, meaning more money to invest or just keep going. In this financial climate small sites need all the revenue they can get to survive and not be dwarfed by larger companies.

The NWAA was set up promote the smaller private sites in the area – getting them to work together rather than compete for custom, avoiding a ‘them and us’ attitude from individual airsofters and sites. The concept boosts the number of players attending these smaller private sites and, in turn, generates a very good game day for the customers. There were 120 players booked in for this first Alliance game which, for a private site, is incredible – and shows that players are 100 per cent behind the idea of the NWAA. The Alliance also gives regular players from each site an opportunity to play somewhere different, and offers a chance for the players to meet new teams and likeminded people that share a passion for airsoft while expanding its presence in the area and protecting our sport. It also gives the opportunity to gain knowledge of tactics and gameplay used by other teams and put their own tactics to the test.

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EVENT REPORT | NWAA Game prices vary from site to site – but members of the six sites that make up the NWAA can enjoy a discount when they book through their own site.

Anyone is welcome but the discount is open to members of one of the Alliance sites only.

The future I asked John ‘Taffy’ West, owner of Ex–Site, why he set up the group: “I started the Alliance to keep my site going for the players who have become great friends over the years and stuck with us through thick and thin. Many have come and gone but some true friends have been made for life.”

Speaking to a team from the SWAT airsoft site, who call themselves 2SRR (Second Special Reconnaissance Regiment), I was keen to hear what they thought of the first Alliance game – they simply answered, “Hilly, windy and good!”

Mrs Sam Smith from Shock and Awe airsoft site said: “It is the best thing to happen in airsoft in the North West since the invention of the BB!” Other teams such as the Spartans, (Bangor Airsoft Society, Shock and Awe and the Ex-Site’s home teams were all very satisfied with the formation of the NWAA and look forward to future games.

So where does the NWAA go from here?

NWAA is playing a few skirmishes this year but plan to hold further games, run by the six sites, next year. So in effect there will be at least six Alliance games a year minimum, with one game run by each site under the Alliance banner.

They plan to help promote the Alliance as private site owners with players’ interests as a priority. In time they are keen to open the doors to other likeminded site owners but it is early days and, at the moment, they plan to keep to the original six sites.

In terms of game types, Alliance skirmishes are just open days currently but there is a big game next year which will have a real story line to it.

Long live the Alliance!

NORTH WEST AIRSOFT ALLIANCE CONTACT: 07840 001975 taffyairsoft@hotmail.com www.nwaa.eu

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SKILLS ROOM | SUPPORT WEAPONS

SUPPORT GUNNER Ron Mahoney explains how an airsoft support gunner can be a useful asset to a team, and outlines some of the best available today

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s a glossy image in a brochure or featured in an online video, support weapons look fantastic. Mean, menacing, mechanical works of art which don’t cost much more than a good-quality AEG carbine yet are capable of laying down hundreds of BBs – it’s easy to see how squad automatic weapons (SAW) tempt players into the role.

When I chat to players, though, many tell me that they own a support weapon but that it rarely gets an outing. The surprising thing about this is that, as far as I can tell, the reasons given for not using them are the very reasons you would want to own one!

The standard complaints are that they are heavy, unwieldy, uncomfortable to lug around and difficult to target in comparison to a carbine. However, when you ask how they were used you start to see where the problems really stem from. Perhaps too many players try to emulate the use of a SAW based on how they’ve seen them used in the movies or a computer game.

When used correctly support weapons can be one of the most effective tools a squad can have at its disposal – and although the 350fps limit may seem to level everything out, the SAW can be used to tip the balance of play in a skirmish. Despite the Hollywood image

of the support gunner as a knuckledragging meat-head draped with 2,000 rounds of ammo, stubby cigar and a cutoff t-shirt, in the real world the support gunner is very much the ‘thinking rifleman’. Not only do they need to put down a constant barrage of fire, they need to be aware of the overall tactical situation while they’re at it. Where and when it is to be deployed is important, as is anticipating moves that may be made by both friendly and opposing forces. This is also not probably going to suit those who want to go lone wolf all the time – squad and support are the bywords of the gunner’s oath!

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But first let’s qualify what we are talking about – the dedicated Light Machine Gun (LMG), General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) or SAW. We are not including AEGs such as M4s or AK74s with a C-Mag, bipod and vertical foregrip…

In the real steel world a support weapon, by its very nature, is heavily-engineered, uncomfortable to carry and slow to target.

Ammunition is heavy and barrels are built to withstand the stresses of prolonged fire.

From the earliest Gatling and Maxim guns to the iconic German MG42 of WWII, the design of the machine gun had one thing as its goal: to put as many rounds on target as quickly as possible.

Notice I didn’t use the word ‘accurately’ in that sentence, as the idea right from the beginning was to produce an arc of lead into which anything moves at its peril

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(though obviously an arc of plastic is more relevant to us!).

Another term that developed from machine gun tactics is ‘beaten zone’, a concept I first encountered when I dragged around a GPMG for a couple of years as a young section gunner back in the day!

In rough terms this describes the highest and lowest point on an arc that a round will reach, so from head to toe anyone in the beaten zone is at risk of being hit.

This is often used in a sustained fire setup, with a number of heavy tripod-mounted guns creating overlapping arcs and beaten zones. Not only does the sustained fire mode more than double the effective range of the GPMG, if you see this for real from half a dozen guns you’ll understand why nobody would want to move into that killing zone without 9in of armour around them!

So, lots of incoming fire keeps opponents occupied – how do we then apply this to an airsoft scenario, as both attackers and defenders?

Attack!

As a gunner in an attacking team you really have one aim: to support your squad as they move forward into the assault by keeping the enemies’ heads down. If you combine the points above you can see that even BBs can create their own Beaten Zone – it is just a case of walking rounds onto the target as far as you possibly can.

Even a .2g BB fired at 350fps and angled at about 30° can get out to 70-80 yards and still have enough energy for a recognisable hit. Combine this with a high rate of fire and you have a plastic shower of BBs on the enemy position.

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SKILLS ROOM | SUPPORT WEAPONS

“The design of the machine gun had one thing as its goal: to put as many rounds on target as quickly as possible” were on a raised area with a good drop down to a narrow river. I set the gun to cover a small stone bridge across the river and fired some ranging shots towards the choke point some 50 yards away. I was happy to see the BBs pinging off the stones and splashing into the river, but by angling the gun up I was reaching out to the tree line a good 20 yards further out.

A small team of attackers soon emerged and tried to cross the bridge. I let them come out from the trees and reach the bridge before opening up and sending the first few back like they were on a conveyor belt. I kept up a sustained rate of fire and the attacking team soon realised this was a non-starter and gave the crossing a miss.

Job done – they only took a couple of hits perhaps but the SAW created the effect I had wanted.

So you can see how a SAW could be used to good effect on the airsoft battlefield – so let’s take a look at what’s available to the aspiring support gunner.

M249 Probably the most common support weapon on the airsoft field is the M249 and its derivatives (LMG, Mk46, MINIMI, M249 PARA).

It’s a fairly lightweight 5.56mm SAW that is equally popular in the real-steel world.

It’s fed by box magazine or hi-cap, adding to its versatility. Several airsoft models exist, from around £300-£550 depending on make and model. They weigh in at around the 6.5kg mark which is fairly mid-range in that respect.

L86A2-LSW The LSW is an odd choice of support weapon – it seems lessons learnt with the Bren gun during WW2 didn’t register with those that planned this system. It’s just too damn accurate! Add to that a limited supply of ammunition (30-round magazine-fed) and an inability to change barrels and really it is just an L85 on steroids.

In the airsoft world the LSW has two main advantages over other SAWs: it takes

You could achieve the same from a carbine, but if the enemy knows that it is a SAW raining on their parade (especially with a large box mag) they won’t be expecting it to let up any time soon.

Defend!

As a defender, manning a gun is all about working on the enemy’s most probable course of action: what’s their main line of approach? Where are they most likely to assault from? Work out your arcs of fire and make the use of the available ground and cover you have. Using our beaten zone we can work out the maximum range we can pump rounds out to and slow down the enemy assault.

I remember covering a likely enemy approach to a fixed defensive position consisting of trenches and bunkers. We

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SKILLS ROOM | SUPPORT WEAPONS wallet by) in the airsoft M60 range. Expect to pay from £350 for the Mk43 Mod 0, with only a measly 6kg to lug about, right up to the stratosphere of £1,000+ and 15kg for the Inokatsu versions.

I recently sent my Mk43 in for a reinforcing job on some of the wiring to the box magazine. When I went to pick it up from John at Raptor Airsoft (my AEG ‘airsmith’) he had an M60 VN, the iconic Vietnam-era model. Now we’ve all heard that size doesn’t matter, but this was one of the few cases in my life where that statement has been borne out! This airsoft replica was an absolute beast, and it would take some serious stamina to skirmish with it.

Russian AK-style support weapons

standard M4-style high-cap mags and weighs in at a manageable 5kg. Expect to pay anything from £370-£450 for a decent model.

FN MAG Designed by the famous Belgian manufacturer Fabrique Nationale d’Herstal (FN), the FN MAG is known in British infantry terms as the L7 General Purpose Machine Gun and in the US as M240.

Although designed in the early 1950’s the FN MAG keeps being re-invented Recently there have been a number of airsoft versions launched (we reviewed the Echo 1 version earlier this year) though I’ve only seen one, a vehicle mounted version, in actual use. Possibly two factors for this: cost – expect to pay anything above £700 –

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and weight, around 12kg. That said people pay this sort of money for high end (and heavyweight) sniper rifles like the M200 and I know what I’d find more useful in the field, so hopefully more manufacturers will jump on the L7/M240 bandwagon.

M60/MK43 There isn’t that much new in the world of the belt fed support weapon; the M60 has been around just as long as the FN MAG. It is no coincidence that the M60 bears more than a passing resemblance to the German support weapons of WW2, as when development began in the late 1940s both the FG42 and the MG42 (the infamous ‘buzz saw’) were used as design blueprints.

There’s a lot of choice as to how much you want to lug around (and lighten your

RPK-47 and RPK-74 are fairly common in the field and if you are into your Soviet classics then these support weapons will be right up your street. They come with a 1,000-round hi-cap magazine as standard and after-market drum magazines can be fitted to take that capacity to around 3,000 rounds.

Most of the models are constructed from stamped metal bodies with real wood furniture so it’s pretty easy to age them a bit for a more realistic look if that’s important to you. They are only about a kilogram heavier than a standard AK carbine, so comparatively easy to lug around all day, and they are pretty light on the wallet too with versions starting from around the £250 mark.

Many of the Russian SAWs are pretty good with all brands of BB, which has to be a consideration – the support gunner can easily go through 6,000 rounds in an average day, and that isn’t just sitting there with your finger welded to the trigger.

I know there are a few other replicas out there – Steyr, Heckler & Koch and Stoner come to mind – and we’ll continue to review them as they come into Airsoft Action. I think we’ve provided a good overview of what the capability of the airsoft SAW is.

The support gunner can be a crucial member of the squad but it takes physical endurance, tactical awareness and good communication. Without these things the SAW is just a chunk of metal with a bipod, and the only hole it leaves is a big one in your wallet.

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GUNS AND GEAR

This month we highlight some of our old favourites, and introduce you to something exciting we’ve got our hands on FRANCHI SAS-12 SHORT Our standard choice for springer shotguns at the AA office, the Franchi SAS-12 three-burst is available in both full size and short specs (pictured here is the Short). At around 1.5kg it is very light and its diminutive length makes it perfect for close-quarters urban action. Spring power is ideal for shotguns as it allows a consistent velocity (around 260-280fps) and makes for an extremely reliable weapon. The shotgun takes ASG’s realistic-looking shotgun shells, which can be loaded with 30 BBs. The gun fires three rounds at a time, meaning 10 shots from a single shell. The only downside is having to keep track of your shells – but that’s all part of the fun! Affordable, reliable and very effective, whether it’s those end-ofthe-day pistol/shottie games on your local woodland site or a full day at your CQB venue of choice.

PRICE: £50 Check local retailers for availability ASG: www.actionsportgames.com

BLACKHAWK ENGINEERED FIT SHORT SLEEVE V-NECK Another of our favourite bits of kit, the Blackhawk Engineered Fit V-Neck is part of the Warrior Wear range from Blackhawk. It’s designed to regulate body temperature, wick moisture, control odour and dry quickly – so it’s perfect for airsofting outdoors whatever time of year, and an ideal base layer in the colder months. You’re recommended to get a size smaller than you would normally wear for the Engineered Fit, meaning a skin-tight, no-movement fit which stops friction-related hot spots and helps reduce muscle fatigue. Available in black, foliage and coyote (pictured) in sizes S-3XL PRICE: £30 HEINNIE HAYNES: 033 0300 0400, www.heinnie.com

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KIT BAG | GUNS ‘N’ GEAR ARKTIS BASIC SMOCK / WATERPROOF SMOCK We’ve borrowed one of Arktis’ Special Forces smocks for a review in a future article, but first let us introduce the Arktis Basic Smocks. Intended primarily for warmer climate use (rather than extreme cold environments), the smock is a rugged and extremely well-made bit of kit made from 50/50 cloth exclusively for Arktis. It weighs just 1.4kg and is available in a host of colours or patterns, and is shown here in the Digital NL print (right). The Basic Smock features a wired avalanche hood with both drawstring and Velcro adjustment, two large zippered chest pockets, two hip pockets and left-hand notebook pocket. While the Basic isn’t waterproof, Arktis has a full range of smocks including its Waterproof Smock (shown here in Tundra print below) which features a waterproof dropliner inner and internal chest pocket. Available in sizes S-2XL. PRICE: Basic: £95; WATERPROOF: £175 ARKTIS: 01392 201614, www.arktisltd.co.uk

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Roberto ‘Tenchu’ Lopez reports from Iron Man 3 Spain’s hardcore national airsoft event

SPAIN: IRON MAN III Roberto ‘Tenchu’ Lopez reports from Iron Man 3, Spain’s hardcore national airsoft event

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he valleys, rivers and mountains of the entire Morcin Council has hosted the third MRA Iron Man, the Spanish national airsoft event.

Almost traditionally, the players’ physical and mental endurance are put to the test each year in incredible environments and enviable playing conditions.

Our team could not deny the call of our Astur brothers and we sent the two available guys, Shinobi and Tenchu, to fiercely defend the role of Recon patrol behind the enemy lines, the eyes and ears of our army.

We arrived at the Morcin sport centre and were invited (in the ‘sweet’ Marines way) to equip ourselves quickly to be deployed to the southwest of the loved (and hated) Mount Monsacro (1,054m).

From the point of insertion we have to move towards the mount and recognise possible transport paths, looking for clues about the leader of a local drug gang, Pablo Dolorosa and his accomplices.

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Night falls quickly – for our mini-unit to find Dolorosa’s hidden main camp on unknown terrain seems very difficult.

Thanks to our good work we should be invisible to the eyes of guerrilla patrols (this country has everything in), though this depends on the two combat squadrons: Barcelona’s Renegade Airsoft and Airsoft Bilbao Team. Both will have good focus after being infiltrated into the game area.

Finding good information on these teams is an important task so we got moving past the first hill. Eventually we came to a point that we could locate ourselves on the map and work out the best route to follow.

Suddenly we saw two vans pass in the far distance and travel down one of the routes we were studying. From a distance I could see the crew inside were very ugly: clearly the enemy. This gave us a starting point – we turned on a stopwatch to time the transport in case it returned, so we could have some idea about the distance at which the packages were delivered.

Once the van was out of sight we started up the hill after it, silently following a parallel path, outside the passage of vehicles and unpleasant surprises. Along the way we found an empty settlement, ideal for a camp area. We logged this as a way point in our GPS. (Later this settlement would be identified as a guerilla base and attacked by one of our squads.) We continued on another 200m.

The sun is low and visibility is poor when we see an enemy patrol heading in our direction. We take up defensive positions in the scrub – the plan is not to ambush, we need to avoid contact at this point.

Fortunately, the column of a dozen or so guys passes directly past us; we barely dare to breathe and it takes a moment for our heart rates to drop. From our vantage point we can tell the patrol is heading for the empty settlement 200m down the road. We now know we are in a good area to observe. We decided to hold ground – we will meet our comrades here.

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EVENTFILMSIM REPORT| GUNMAN | SPANISHAIRSOFT MILSIM Mission impossible Over the next hour the enemy transport unloaded two more patrols in front of us.

Once we sure things had settled down we began moving important information to the Commander so the rest of our comrades could be directed. We are motivated for the fight but must first try and contact our units to receive further instructions. The fog rises, visibility drops to nothing – the task seems impossible, we are several hours in game and begin to despair.

Unhelpfully at this time the orbayu (a light but continuous Asturian rain) begins and, combined with the confusion of fog and darkness, we almost walk straight into an enemy ambush. No more than 5m away a voice shouts; we drop to kneeling position, trying to remain calm and silent. We ignore the shout and slowly withdraw the way we came. (Later we found that the ambush was an enemy patrol – but they were not certain either so didn’t open fire.) Incredibly we all survived such a close encounter and continued along a different path.

After a short while we found a milestone marked with chemical lights. We can recognise the area on the map but are unable to coordinate an allied meeting, so now we decide it is time to move downhill and be daring. Every shadow and plant

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becomes a cause for concern in such conditions; cows and wild horses are aimed at before being identified (none were shot, though we did learn later that another patrol of players had been chased by a bull they surprised).

At the bottom of the hill is a large building under construction with heavy machinery dotted about. Again we locate ourselves on the map and take a few minutes to relax and regain some momentum. We must not fail our people!

Hide and seek While trying to get into this area an enemy transport vehicle unexpectedly arrives at a crossroad ahead of us and we quickly hide among the trees. Instinctively we move, taking up a better position 30m from the building – good job, too, as five minutes later there is a hornet’s nest of activity.

Lights flash, people are searching the area.

We didn’t know what was going on… perhaps we aren’t supposed to be here…

Sentries pass by us several times as we lie in the gutter – so close I worry the pounding of my heart will give us away!

Soon we hear a fierce firefight begin further up the hill – it was Airsoft Bilbao, ‘visiting’ the first settlement we passed by several hours ago.

Meanwhile we felt like wanted fugitives.

All that was missing was the barking of

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dogs. There are moments of extreme tension as we try to communicate once again with HQ, or attempt to use our torches or GPS devices to determine our exact location. It is hard to express but it was torturous – we were heavily outnumbered and the slightest mistake could see us all taken out.

And if the constantly roving sentries weren’t problem enough, we all know that at night in Asturias the Trasgus come out to play...

The Trasgus (the Asturian equivalent of goblins) do exist! They greatly enjoy teasing the gullible and testing their senses. They are the whispers, creaks and footsteps when no one is around; they are the feeling there’s someone behind you, the unmistakable feeling of someone too close for comfort.

In these delicate moments the brain tries desperately to defend itself with logic, but you can’t help the paranoia. We are more used to the sounds of the cities and the natural noises of the forest sound alien. These are my thoughts when I hear: “Shinobi, did we turn off the infrared strobe?”

Oh my god, the enemy can see us if they use their IR glasses! We have to move.

With painful slowness we move 10m even further down, lying among the ferns at the edge of a cliff (we discovered at dawn that

TRASGUS In Asturian folklore, the trasgus is a mischievous elf. It is small and has a limp in its right leg, further accentuated by its long stride. It dresses in a red cap, with a suit of the same colour.

It has horns, a tail and a hole in its hand. To dismiss one you must give it grain, which escapes through the hole in its hand, or an impossible task – the shame of failure will cause it to leave.

In Asturias they are usually blamed for upsets to the livestock which have no apparent reason, or when objects simply disappear from the face of earth.

the drop was much more than we thought).

Here we feel safe enough to test the IR strobe – and discover it has, in fact, been turned off for a long time. It seems the paranoia had got to Tenchu!

There is half an hour until dawn – 30 minutes to relax. Despite our waterproof ponchos we are soaked from lying on the wet ground. Fortunately we are certain no human could have followed us (though the tireless goblin will remain…).

As the first slivers of sunlight pierce the fog we finally receive new orders from HQ. From the information we had gathered, and from those of other friendly patrols,

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EVENT REPORT | SPANISH MILSIM

“We felt like wanted fugitives.

All that was missing was the barking of dogs.

There are moments of extreme tension as we try to communicate with HQ, or determine our exact location on the map”

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EVENT REPORT | SPANISH MILSIM

ED’S NOTE As I understand it from Roberto, the local Council gives permission for (and actively promotes) this event, which takes place in Morcin (in the Principality of Asturias), Spain.

The Council not only endorses the event – it is actively involved and, as you can see from Roberto’s report, players don’t have to skulk off into the hills around the town: the game involves active buildings within the town itself.

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

the location of the drug baron has been confirmed – he is holed up in the ‘Hotel’.

We climb up to the road; there are a few guards roving but no sign of the activity that sent us scurrying for cover. We crossed the road, remaining undetected, and keep going until we reach higher, more defensible ground. We can hear enemy sentries in the distance. They have done well to defend the area.

We arrived early; we must wait for the two other teams who are several hundred meters up the mountain and attack together as the enemy takes up assault positions. We pass the time in a bush, soaking and shivering.

Suddenly we hear the unexpected sounds of combat. We could not get there in time (apparently HQ could not radio orders to us, our comms were offline) but we did manage to recover an allied agent who had escaped. Finally we made contact with HQ, and were evacuated.

Final mission At about 8.30am, after 12 hours in game, we have two final challenges to complete. Again we are deployed up the mountain.

First we must defend a communication antenna. We have barely taken up position when the first enemy assault is launched. Our team is sharp and we repel wave after wave; the enemy assaults

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slow, and after several hours of almost relentless attacks they eventually stop altogether.

Our very final mission is to attack the Cheese Museum, inside the Morcin Village. We cross the river in an attempt to surprise the defenders. Carefully we wipe out the advance guards before we are seen. Together with our allied teams we storm through the village – the enemy was not expecting such numbers and we easily beat the defence aside to capture the museum.

Then, at 2.30pm, our team’s story is complete. Our third Iron Man is complete.

We return to the sport centre to meet the other teams and share war stories from another very testing, exciting game.

Iron Man is by invitation only, so our thanks and gratitude go to Marine Recon Asturias for our third invite to this fantastic event that gives us the opportunity to prove ourselves, and to meet great people and players (both alongside us and in front of us!).

We were very pleased to fight alongside Barcelona Renegados Team for our first joint mission, which we hope is not the last one.

Airsoft Bilbao Team is possibly the best Spanish team and it is difficult to add more positive comments! Those guys lasted out another two hours in the mountain destroying guerilla

encampments – they are extremely tough and it is always a pleasure to share a playground with them!

It is fitting to finish with a word about the MRA Team – as Shinobi said: “You have great country here!” It is very enjoyable for us to play in green country, already we want to go back – I will return to take care of that goblin, if nothing else!

It only remains to thank the Morcin Council for its incredible collaboration.

IRON MAN III Organised by Marine Recon Asturias team, belonging to the Spanish Airsoft Federation events circuit.

Game area: The entire terrain of Morcin Council (see Ed’s note) IM is not an event for the faint hearted.

Only the best teams are invited to attend. Players must be fit, prepared to work with maps and ropes and able to play day and night in an assigned role.

In IM1 and IM2, more than 60 per cent of players abandoned the game. Only three teams have participated in all editions and actually finished the game each time.

Tenchu and Shinobi proudly represented Airsoft Special Group, the official team of ICS: www.airsoftspecialgroup.com

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becomes a cause for concern in such conditions; cows and wild horses are aimed at before being identified (none were shot, though we did learn later that another patrol of players had been chased by a bull they surprised).

At the bottom of the hill is a large building under construction with heavy machinery dotted about. Again we locate ourselves on the map and take a few minutes to relax and regain some momentum. We must not fail our people!

Hide and seek While trying to get into this area an enemy transport vehicle unexpectedly arrives at a crossroad ahead of us and we quickly hide among the trees. Instinctively we move, taking up a better position 30m from the building – good job, too, as five minutes later there is a hornet’s nest of activity.

Lights flash, people are searching the area.

We didn’t know what was going on… perhaps we aren’t supposed to be here…

Sentries pass by us several times as we lie in the gutter – so close I worry the pounding of my heart will give us away!

Soon we hear a fierce firefight begin further up the hill – it was Airsoft Bilbao, ‘visiting’ the first settlement we passed by several hours ago.

Meanwhile we felt like wanted fugitives.

All that was missing was the barking of

032

dogs. There are moments of extreme tension as we try to communicate once again with HQ, or attempt to use our torches or GPS devices to determine our exact location. It is hard to express but it was torturous – we were heavily outnumbered and the slightest mistake could see us all taken out.

And if the constantly roving sentries weren’t problem enough, we all know that at night in Asturias the Trasgus come out to play...

The Trasgus (the Asturian equivalent of goblins) do exist! They greatly enjoy teasing the gullible and testing their senses. They are the whispers, creaks and footsteps when no one is around; they are the feeling there’s someone behind you, the unmistakable feeling of someone too close for comfort.

In these delicate moments the brain tries desperately to defend itself with logic, but you can’t help the paranoia. We are more used to the sounds of the cities and the natural noises of the forest sound alien. These are my thoughts when I hear: “Shinobi, did we turn off the infrared strobe?”

Oh my god, the enemy can see us if they use their IR glasses! We have to move.

With painful slowness we move 10m even further down, lying among the ferns at the edge of a cliff (we discovered at dawn that

TRASGUS In Asturian folklore, the trasgus is a mischievous elf. It is small and has a limp in its right leg, further accentuated by its long stride. It dresses in a red cap, with a suit of the same colour.

It has horns, a tail and a hole in its hand. To dismiss one you must give it grain, which escapes through the hole in its hand, or an impossible task – the shame of failure will cause it to leave.

In Asturias they are usually blamed for upsets to the livestock which have no apparent reason, or when objects simply disappear from the face of earth.

the drop was much more than we thought).

Here we feel safe enough to test the IR strobe – and discover it has, in fact, been turned off for a long time. It seems the paranoia had got to Tenchu!

There is half an hour until dawn – 30 minutes to relax. Despite our waterproof ponchos we are soaked from lying on the wet ground. Fortunately we are certain no human could have followed us (though the tireless goblin will remain…).

As the first slivers of sunlight pierce the fog we finally receive new orders from HQ. From the information we had gathered, and from those of other friendly patrols,

December 2012

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Available to download now for iPad and iPhone 036

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BIG BOYZ TOYZ | MTBS

MOTOR TORPEDO BOATS Ratty returns in a nautical frame of mind

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his summer’s been nothing short of a wash out, so I thought it would be appropriate to take a nautical theme for this month’s Big Boyz Toyz.

During WWII the motor torpedo boat was thrust to the frontlines of battle, but since then has been virtually forgotten, overshadowed by bigger aircraft carriers, battleships and submarines. Their history stretches back to before WWI, and all the major players had MTBs or an equivalent in fairly sizable numbers.

For this feature I will be taking a look particularly at the MTBs of the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy as well as Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boats of the US Navy.

History The British navy began developing ‘fast attack boats’ prior to the outbreak of WWI. Dubbed ‘Coastal Motor Boats’ these early production versions were particularly small at 11-15 tons displacement. Italian Motoscafo Armato Silurante (MAS) boats were slightly larger at around 20-30 tons displacement, and proved

very effective: MAS-15 is the only torpedo boat in history to sink a battleship, the AustroHungarian Szent Istvan in 1918.

At around the same time the American Navy was experimenting with similar vessels, constructing early PT boats with displacement hulls.

The inter-war years saw massive development of these vessels on all sides.

The requirements were an engineering challenge: a high-speed boat that can carry out ambushes on enemy shipping and operate at night, with high manoeuvrability on the water at low speeds to keep down noise and produce no wake. The idea was to get them in close without being detected to allow them to launch torpedoes before making their escape. To keep the weight down they were virtually unarmoured; they relied on high speeds, agility and the element of surprise.

UK and USA Boats built with the ‘MTB’ designation varied substantially. The first, in 1930, was 55ft long and could travel at speeds up to 40 knots (it

actually carried the designation ‘MTV 4’). It was armed with two torpedoes, two antiaircraft guns and four depth charges and a contemporary article noted ‘A dozen … cost less to build than one large destroyer.’

The British Power Boat Company built a number of MTBs, loosely based on the company’s rescue boat. These could carry two torpedoes and had a maximum speed of 33 knots. The Royal Navy ordered 18 in 1936 which entered service as MTB 1-12 and MTB 14-29 (with tensions rising around the world, these boats were often painted with different numbers and photographed, to give any possible aggressor the impression that the Navy had more boats than they actually did).

However, the most well known manufacturer of MTBs was Vosper. Vosper developed a 68ft ‘private venture boat’ in 1936. Completed and launched in 1937, she entered service as MTB 102. Powered by three 57 litre petrol engines giving 3,300hp, MTB 102 was the fastest British wartime vessel, able to reach speeds up to 48 knots (although a top speed of 43 knots was more

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likely when fully bombed up). Carrying 12 men, armed with two torpedoes, a number of depth charges and decked out with heavy machine guns, MTB 102 was a formidable vessel.

Wartime production Vosper also produced a 70ft MTB which entered service in 1940. Early versions had a top speed of 37 knots and were fitted with two torpedo tubes, four depth charges, two .50cal machine guns two .303 machineguns.

Two more Vosper designs were developed in 1943 and 1945. The Type 1 could hit speeds up to 40 knots and had a range of 470 nautical miles (870km). Heavily armed with four torpedo tubes as well as the usual compliment of an Oerlikon 20mm cannon and heavy machineguns, these carried a crew of 13.

The Type II design remained in use after the end of WWII, and featured fewer torpedo tubes but an additional QF 6-pdr anti-tank gun and two 20mm Oerlikon cannons.

All British MTBs were operated by British Coastal Forces and, besides attacking enemy boats off the coast of the UK, they were used

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BIG BOYZ TOYZ | MTBS

“Powered by three 57 litre petrol engines giving 3,300hp, MTB 102 was the fastest British wartime vessel, able to reach speeds up to 48 knots (although a top speed of 43 knots was more likely when fully bombed up)” in notable operations including the Dunkirk evacuation, St Nazaire Raid and Operation Neptune.

The Royal Canadian Navy used up-armed motor gun boats, re-designated as MTBs, to engage enemy craft.

In the United States there were four main companies building MTBs, or PTs as they were known, all making their own designs in various sizes. Unlike the British boats built for operations around the coast of UK and Europe, American PT boats would see their working life fighting the Japanese. Nearly all these vessels were built using planing hulls, the same type as you find on power boats.

The sizes varied quite dramatically, with displacement between 30-75 tons , but were still capable of speeds between 35-40 knots.

They were heavily armed; some were even modified for specific tasks and fitted with rocket launchers, mortars, and 40mm Bofors guns.

A popular in-theatre modification was to fit 37mm Oldsmobile M4 aircraft cannon taken from crashed fighter aircraft. They were designed to attack larger surface vessels and were nicknamed ‘Mosquito

Fleet’. The Japanese had another name for them though: Devil boats! They attacked all manner of Japanese surface boats, from armoured barges used as inter-island supply vessels to much larger supply ships – and it wasn’t unusual for them to attack Japanese destroyers!

Of the 531 PT boats that served during WWII, 99 were lost to various causes.

Post-WWII Almost all surviving US PT boats were disposed of shortly after Japan’s surrender in late August 1945. Hundreds of boats were deliberately stripped of all useful equipment, dragged up on beaches and burned.

In the UK, MTB numbers were considerably slashed and were re-designated as Fast Patrol Boats. The remaining vessels continued service well into the 1950s.

The last pair of ‘Brave’ Class boats were capable of speeds up to 50 knots; they were eventually retired from service in 1958.

British MTBs that weren’t kept in service were stripped of armaments, and the empty hulls were sold off as the basis for houseboat conversions. Two Vosper boats of note

survive – the first is in fairly good condition at Portsmouth. The second, used as a private residence, is floating on a canal north of London.

In the US, a total of 11 PT boats and two experimental PT boat hulls survive in various states of repair.

For sale A couple of MTBs are up for sale in the UK. MTB/MGB-45 ‘Asco’ was originally built for the Royal Norwegian Navy but requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1940. She served at RNAS Arbroath and has had a total restoration – for sale at the reasonable price of £120,000!

Check out www.worldwartwoboats.com.

When embarking on this article, I failed to realise how influential these boats were.

Their role in the war is overlooked, and the heroism of the crews forgotten. For me it’s another reminder that when you see some of these ‘old boys’ on various parades or on Remembrance Day, it is worth taking a bit of time to talk to them – you never know what they’ve seen and the stories they might have to tell…

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WE Ace VD GBB

After a few weeks away Ratty was hungry to get his teeth into something.

Did this Dragunov lookalike satisfy his appetite?

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fter a bit of a break from reviews I was chomping at the bit to have something that was a little bit different but also, perhaps, a bit iconic…

Then this arrived on my doorstep! Upon opening the package I realised it would probably tick all those boxes.

The WE ACE VD is based upon the infamous Dragunov SVD sniper rifle, which has been around for many years. WE has been specialising in and making gas blow back rifles and pistols for some time.

While some of its products back in the early days were best described as hit or miss, its more recent offerings have been quite the opposite.

Since the introduction of the WE GBB open-bolt system its rifles have been so much more reliable and useable, as well as being ultra-realistic. Many of its pistols have been revamped, as gas technology got better, so the general finish and build

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quality is much better than on the initial models. In my personal arsenal you’ll find a WE 3.8 Baby Hi-Capa, a WE MEU and an M16 VN open-bolt – so you could say I’m a bit of a fan.

Real-steel history In 1958, Soviet think-tanks were specifically looking to develop a sniper rifle and a specification was put out for a long range squad support weapon. It was believed that long engagement ranges would be lost on normal fighting troops who were all equipped with sub-machine guns and the new assault rifle, which were all geared up for short and medium ranges.

There were three designs in the running, but it was the SVD-137, submitted by Yevgeny Dragunov, that won out. After extensive field testing in a wide variety of conditions, Dragunov’s

design was accepted into service in 1963.

An initial batch of 200 pre-production models was built for evaluation with serial production (at Izmash) starting in 1964.

Since then the Dragunov has seen action on many battlefields around the world and, apart from a few updates (ABS stock and furniture), it remains basically the same as the original design.

From Vietnam and Afghanistan through the Balkans conflicts, to more recent actions like Libya and Syria, the Dragunov has been used in anger, proving itself a world class sniper rifle and reliable in all manner of environments.

Overview Gas sniper rifles have always been a nightmare. What with variation in the weather, cool down and general shooting inconsistencies, they have had a fairly bad rep in the past. Has WE managed

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The Armoury | WE ACE VD

“Unlike any airsoft gun I have ever fired before you can actually un-chamber a round!

I don’t know if it is a design flaw, ‘innovation’ or just an oversight but it is a pleasant feature nonetheless”

to overcome these and make a reliable, open-bolt gas sniper rifle that can combine realism and reliability? Only one way to find out…

On opening the box I was faced with a rather unimpressive plastic bag protecting the gun and two smaller bags of accessories – the cheek riser and the speed loading tools.

The first thing that struck me was the enormity of the gun. It is a sniper rifle and therefore long is good, but at 122cm this is truly a beast. To put into perspective the Vietnam Mk1 M16 is 99cm, the L96 Accuracy International of the British Army is 114cm and the M700 is 116cm. It is reassuringly weighty, with a very solid feel to the back end of the gun. The wood stock and furniture have been covered in a plastic-like coating to give a varnished wood grain look. It is a little on the shiny side and the foregrip furniture, although

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solid in place, does have a little flex. The coating creaks like plastic (I actually dug a knife into it to confirm it was wood and not plastic).

Fixing the magazine and dry firing the gun is a treat. The mag has a metal outer and very sturdy, although it requires a certain technique to fit (familiar to all AK users), so make sure you familiarise yourself with this before trying to ram it home. Once fitted there is very little movement, and then only when forced.

Cocking the action feels pretty similar to the RS version and with the magazine out and the action left to spring forwards, it even has a similar tone. The working parts will remain at the rear on an empty magazine and there is no release catch so the magazine must be removed and the cocking handle re-cocked to release it. To counter this, there is a nifty little catch on the rear of the magazine that holds the spring follower just below the bolt, so the gun will dry fire until you are out of gas instead of locking open.

On test On the day I tested this rifle the ambient temperature was 15째C, although the wind was bitter. I used Blaster Devil 0.20g ammo and ASG Ultrair green gas, and a Madbull Revolution version 2.1 chronograph.

The following test was conducted straight out of the box: no lube, no service, no nothing! The average velocity from 10 shots was 409fps, but the last two shots showed a drastic decrease in power.

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The Armoury | We ACe VD – but did adjust the hop-up during this process.

Every round went the distance – I am a little ashamed to say that I only landed six on target but the other 14 were certainly close enough to prove I was at fault and not the hardware.

It was during this phase I made two discoveries. Firstly, the hop is a treat to adjust – stiff enough to not move unless I wanted it to, yet easy enough to move when I did, and accessible through the ejection port.

Second, unlike any airsoft gun I have ever fired before you can actually unchamber a round! I don’t know if it is a design flaw, ‘innovation’ or just an oversight but it is a pleasant feature nonetheless. Simply twist the gun over to the side (bolt down) and elevate the barrel a little, just like you would with a real weapon. Pull the action back and more often than not the round falls to the floor.

A couple of times it needed a shake, like trying to get stubborn sauce from the bottle, but it was repeatable time and time again, offering a very nice safety factor as you are not left with a chambered round.

Summary

Out-the-box velocity Rounds 1-3: 486fps Rounds 4-8: 475fps Round 9: 381fps Round 10: 345fps

I removed the mag and checked the release valve. It was still firm, indicating I still had at least some gas in the magazine.

I quickly refitted it, cocked the weapon and carried on while it was still cold to the touch.

The next eight rounds varied between 272fps and 346fps. I let the gun, magazine and bottle of gas rest in the office and come up to room temperature while I sorted out a suitable target, then took the gun back outside to test range and a confirmatory chrono.

Room temperature velocity Round Round Round Round Round Round Round Round Round Round

1: 424fps 2: 385fps 3: 412fps 4: 366fps 5: 376fps 6: 371fps 7: 393fps 8: 386fps 9: 385fps 10: 371fps

Now for the repeatable accuracy test – although this was more for my information than any real scientific study! The target was a cardboard cut-out of a human body approximately 5ft 8in tall, out in the open at a measured distance of 53m (173ft). I was firing in the wind with un-zeroed sights

All in all, this is a very impressive gun – more so than I was expecting. I am not a fan of the faux finish on the wood but it is a nice solid gun with many RS similarities – and I have heard on the grapevine that there will be synthetic furniture finishes available shortly. It is easy to use, impressive out of the box and I have no doubt it could be made even better.

As many of you will know I have a shop rammed full of various guns, and I am not keen on sniping but if I was asked to take up the role on an event this is what I would roll with – if only for the fun factor.

WE ACE VD GBB CONSTRUCTION: Aluminium; real wood furniture LENGTH: 1,220mm WEIGHT: 3,300g POWER SOURCE: Green gas (blowback) MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 21 rounds VELOCITY: ~400fps PRICE: Around £430 CONTACT: Badger Tac 01296 658600, www.badgertac.com

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DEBATE | MAG CAPACITY

CAPACITY FOR DEBATE Hi-caps, mid-caps or low-caps? Gareth Harvey delves into the controversial debate READER RESPONSES

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ou won’t last 10 minutes on an airsoft forum without coming across the allimportant question: What’s the best type of airsoft magazine?

Obviously we’re not talking about the printed sort (you’re reading the best one now).

Magazines for airsoft weapons are usually available in three capacities: high capacity (hi-caps) that hold 300-plus rounds; middle capacity (mid-caps) that hold around 80-120 rounds; and real capacity (low-caps) which emulate the weapon’s real-steel magazine and usually hold no more than 30 rounds.

Over the last few years the airsoft scene has seen a rise in the number of sites and events that limit the amount of ammo that can be carried, or the type of mag you can use. In these cases you’ve got no choice, but when you’ve got to make a call between high- or low-caps some players go for the middle ground.

So, is a skirmisher better off with just one or two hi-cap mags, a pouch full of mid-caps or a dozen or more low-cap magazines?

Highs and lows For many, the wind-on 300-round high-capacity magazine is the standard. If your gun comes with a mag there’s a very good chance it will be a hi-cap. For players starting out and on a budget it’s the cheap option, allowing you to carry at least a game’s worth of ammo in one go.

But over the years the hi-cap mag has developed something of a stigma. Some players – whether you call them ‘elitist’ or ‘realists’ – sneer at hi-cap users, believing them less skilled or experienced players. But surely this isn’t always the case?

We asked dozens of players, both new and veteran, for their views on magazine capacity.

Some responses were repeated time after time.

A few favoured low-cap and mid-cap magazines for the ‘realism’ factor and liked their load-carrying kit to hold as many mags as a real soldier. But a surprisingly large amount preferred lower-cap magazines primarily for their reliability (there’s no clockwork to be overor under-wound, meaning smoother ammo feed) and the lack of a ‘maraca’ effect caused by loose BBs rattling about.

Some cherish the challenge that low- and mid-caps provide, as they are forced to pick their targets and reserve auto fire for really hairy situations – again much like real world soldiers.

But many others players feel that hardcore realism is best left to MilSim events – for those that enjoy massive amounts of firepower, high-speed play and a high-cap mag go hand in hand. Sometimes you just want to have fun on a Sunday skirmish and if you only need two clipped-together G36 mags to last through each battle what’s the point of carrying a vest full of mags and giving yourself a hernia?

On the flipside, though, some players we asked believed high-cap users are generally ‘spray and pray’ players – lacking finesse, tactics and skill. Quite a few of the more experienced players remembered being hosed down by ‘overkill’ bursts from a 600-round AK mag and felt it ruined their airsoft experience.

Each to their own – at the end of the day, its airsoft; play the game the way you want to play it!

So how do you play? 

“For MilSim, mid-caps are the way forwards; reloading under fire in those moments when you’re not sure how much is left in the magazine is all part of the experience! But for the spray and pray skirmish, the high-cap has a place in everyone’s kitbag” – Stacey, skirmisher and marshal “I’m a student and can’t afford a plate carrier covered in kit, I use a couple of high-cap mags but I don’t take the micky; I tend to fire short bursts to conserve ammo” – Chris, Sheffield “Low- or mid-caps all the way. They put players on a level playing field and have the added challenge of practising quick mag changes while in a contact and having to resort to a sidearm when things get really tight” – Jamie, Worcester “In short games or if you’re playing, for the sake of argument, special forces in a themed event, low-cap is better. Otherwise, I think high-cap is fine, especially if you’re in a sprayand-pray rebel/renegade faction, but I think for the majority of people it depends on affordability” – Carrie, Leeds

HAVE YOUR SAY Got an opinion on the magazine capacity debate? Got an idea for a future topic? Get in touch – letters can be sent to the address on page 4 or emailed to: nigels@blazepublishing.co.uk.

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AIRSOFT ABROAD

Airsoft is a young but growing sport in Brazil, and Dean Anton explains why it’s an ideal destination for the travelling ‘softer

BRAZIL W

hen thinking of places in the world to go for a game of airsoft, Brazil might not rank high on many players’ lists. In recent years the country’s attitude to airsoft has begun to change though, thanks to the Brazillian Federação Paulista Desportiva de Airsoft (FPDA).

On the practical side of things Brazil presents some challenges compared to the countries we have previously looked at in our Airsoft Abroad feature. Direct flights cost anything between £500-£700, and

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it’s entirely possible to spend 24 hours travelling from the UK to Brazil. Portuguese is the official language throughout Brazil and while it is mandatory for students to learn a second language you could still face some language difficulties.

But if you persevere you will find some of the most exciting airsoft action on the planet. Brazil’s unique landscape has seen a number of popular jungle sites spring up around the country, along with varied CQB venues. Many of these game sites are shared with paintball organisations.

The law The most recent legislation affecting airsoft came into effect in 2010. The FPDA was subsequently set up to represent airsoft as a legitimate sport. The FPDA wants airsofters recognised as legitimate sportsmen, and to that end works hard to improve the public perception of the activity and distance legitimate airsofters from criminals who use replica weapons.

Much of the law affecting airsoft will sound familiar to UK players, but there are some very important differences. Firstly,

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AIRSOFT ABROAD | BRAZIL

“At the discretion of game organisers, single-shot sniper rifles may be allowed up to 500fps with a 5 per cent tolerance” any gas weapons a player owns have to be registered with the army like any other firearm, and listed on a registration certificate. To avoid any trouble we advise UK players to leave their gas-powered weapons at home in favour of AEGs. Getting your airsoft gun out in public will most likely result in you being arrested or shot by military police. When travelling to a game site all weapons must by law be kept in a closed box in the boot and separate from ammunition. A red or orange flashhider must be fitted during transportation.

Wearing a uniform that is in use by any of Brazil’s armed forces or auxiliary forces (including the military police) is a big no-no – as is wearing or displaying any symbols related to fascist, segregationist organisations. Laser sights and ‘large telescopes’ are forbidden – we’re not sure how they define a ‘large’ telescope, but as always recommend you err on the safe side.

The beautiful game Velocity limits in Brazil are pretty similar to those in the UK. The muzzle velocity of all

types of airsoft weapon is limited to 400fps with a 5 per cent tolerance (using 0.2g BBs). At the discretion of game organisers, single-shot sniper rifles may be allowed up to 500fps with a 5 per cent tolerance. During practical pistol events muzzle velocity is rarely policed as it cannot present a danger to players or spectators.

There are three main types of airsoft in Brazil: practical pistol (known as ‘force on force’), skirmish and mission.

Force on force games generally aim to prepare players for the complexities of

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AIRSOFT ABROAD | BRAZIL

“Missions are designed to test the skills players develop in the easier game types” combat they might face in more difficult games. Employing weapons and skills realistically is a big part of it, and some organisations require uniformity among a team – all teammates wearing current BDUs and using weapons of the American forces in the Iraq War, for example.

In Brazil, a skirmish will see two or more teams put head-to-head. The main aim is to eliminate as many opposition players in the shortest time possible. Generally there are no other goals in a game of this type – simply rack up the highest kill count without being eliminated. Just to spice things up organisers will sometimes add ‘elements of

050

unrest’ – lone wolf players whose only goal is to cause havoc for the teams in play.

The third, most complex and largely most difficult game type is known as ‘Mission’, and comparable to MilSim. Missions are designed to test the skills players develop in the easier game types. Each team is given a task beyond simply eliminating the opposition. Missions are generally played in a much larger area with many players and last for several hours.

The cost to play a day’s airsoft in Brazil roughly translates to about £11 – but a bag of 4,000 BBs can set you back as much as £25, so be aware.

In Brazil, popular manufacturers of airsoft guns include Classic Army, KWA and ICS (and WE and TM for pistols). The classic

designs are still most popular in Brazil – M4s, AK47s and MP5s are rife on the game fields (as they are over here), with 1911s, G17s and M92s the most oft-seen handguns. The Airsoft Innovations Tornado grenades are also widely used in Brazil.

All of this goes to reinforce the idea we’ve tried to get across in each of our Airsoft Abroad features to date – that wherever you go in the world, the game and the players are pretty darn similar. One of the best resources we’ve found is www.airsoftbrasil.com and its forums.

As always, do your research and get in touch with players and organisations before you travel. If you’re looking for an exciting new airsoft challenge – and have a fair bit of spare cash burning a hole in your pocket – then Brazil is undoubtedly a top destination.

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ARDEER RESIDENT EVIL Baz Collins is finally tempted to try a Resident Evil inspired FilmSim at the Wargames Centre

I

have always preferred the MilSim style of play – mid-caps, tactics, proper team camos, the whole lot. I’ve never bothered with FilmSim/ themed events based on games or fantasy – it’s just not my thing. But I was finally talked into a Resident Evil inspired survival-horror game at the Wargames Centre, Ayrshire, and I was stunned.

Ardeer (as we regulars call the site) is a CQB venue within a large factory. The inside is done up to look like a street with multiple buildings, cars, vans and even a bus. Back in the May 12 issue

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I reviewed a standard walk-on day at Ardeer, but this event could hardly have been more different.

Obviously, as it was a Resi themed game, it was held at night. We arrived at 7pm with the game kicking off at 8pm.

There were two teams: Umbrella Corp, wearing camo; and the Special Tactics and Rescue Service wearing civvies. An ammo limit of 500 rounds included both main rifle and sidearm.

Game on It wasn’t until I sat down to load my mags that I noticed the music playing

through the PA. After a moment I recognised it as the ‘house theme’ from Resident Evil 1 which sent chills down my spine – I hate that song!

The game brief covered all the usual points, though it was all done on a laptop with a very flashy powerpoint set up with rules and maps of the site/ game areas.

The first game of the night would see the Umbrella team secure its evac point. We had been told there were some ‘changes’ to the site – doors closed, routes blocked, that kind of thing. I have played Ardeer regularly

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EVENTFILMSIM REPORT | RESIDENT EVIL

since the day it opened, so I was shocked when we entered a corridor from the Safe Zone that I had never seen before. I was out of my element.

The corridor was very narrow and illuminated by one flashing light – very reminiscent of Laser Quest – and the horrifying Resident Evil theme playing throughout made this a very tense opener to the night.

As we approached the end there was a door slightly ajar. We all knew there was a zombie on the other side – it’s a zombie-themed game after all. How wrong we were…

As we filed up the corridor we had all failed to spot a small cubbyhole in the wall. Needless to say that, when the zombie chose his moment to strike the middle of the line, there was an outburst of ‘manly’ screaming.

If I could write obscenities in this review I’d fill a paragraph with them to describe that first encounter!

Evil residents After the first zombie scare the team broke out into the street.

Massive tarp barriers had been draped across streets, forcing

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FILMSIM | RESIDENT EVIL

“Usually I’m a rather sound player but the dark, the music and a very tactical group of zombies made me want to throw down my gun, re-familiarise myself with the foetal position and cry myself to my happy place!”

players to find alternate routes and funneling us into pitch black rooms. I had played here hundreds of times, yet changes like this meant I was just as disadvantaged as the newer players.

In true Resident Evil style there was an unreal amount of locked doors we came across that we had to find keys for.

There were even points where we had to find keys to access other keys! I was all over the place. Usually I’m a rather sound player but the dark, the music and a very tactical group of zombies made me want to throw down my gun, re-familiarise myself with the foetal position and cry myself to my happy place!

Some five minutes after we entered the STARS team was released – and sure as fate, five minutes later we heard the manly screams echoing from the entrance corridor. They would be on us all too soon so we set up a rear guard while searching for the keys to the evac point. This lasted around 45 minutes and was very, very intense.

What a way to start off the night!

The next game saw the Umbrella team searching for an antidote to the T-Virus, which they had to inoculate themselves against. If you didn’t find

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this in this game and were bitten you had to play the entire night as a zombie!

Fortunately no one was bitten, but the sound of shrieks followed by rapid footsteps was all too common! This game was heavy as it involved both teams fighting over the upstairs area which changed hands several times.

End-ex The next game had STARS in possession of the Nemesis project – a huge coffin-like container. Their job was simple: keep it away from Umbrella!

This game was the longest and lasted for well over an hour.

The Umbrella guys couldn’t find the container and lost the game. Right at the end the eerie music changed: the last 20 seconds of the game were marked by a very loud smash followed by a massive guttural scream – Nemesis had awoken.

At that point the game ended and so did the evening. I was a wreck, physically and mentally drained. This has to be one of the most intense styles of play out there. From the outside looking in I never thought for a second FilmSim games would be like this – and in all honesty,

after trying this, I doubt I’ll be playing any ‘standard’ MilSims any time soon.

I’m hooked!

I can’t recommend this enough; it was without doubt one of the most enjoyable game days I’ve ever been to.

The Wargames Centre really knows what it’s doing here, as the guys there have been running themed FilmSim games for a while now – Resident Evil is one of the biggest but they have also run several Terminator games and an Alien Vs Predator game. Get along if you can – I promise you won’t be disappointed!

THE WARGAMES CENTRE Stevenston, Ayrshire KA20 3LN The Wargames Centre runs several themed games, as well as weekly evening walk-ons and monthly walk-on games PRICES ZOMBIE SURVIVAL EVENTS: £30 REGULAR WALK-ON: £20 RIFLE HIRE: £25 (includes AEG, facemask and 3,000 BBs) CONTACT: www.wargamescentre.com, 08456 434326

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THE ARMOURY | SNOW WOLF M24

M24 SWS

A heavyweight full-power sniper rifle package that doesn’t break the bank – it almost sounds too good to be true. Scott Allan investigates

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now Wolf is one of the many Chinese ‘All China Made’ brands – low-cost rifles boasting big stats, but well known (like most of the Chinese brands) for the occasional ‘Friday afternoon’ production run. Missing parts, poor performance and broken guns are all pretty common when dealing with ACM companies.

The M24 is a nearly-exact copy of the Classic Army version released many years ago. The CA version was nice in every aspect, but only produced around 300fps out of the box, as it was leaning more toward the Japanese market. This meant you had to drop another £250 on bringing the power up to skirmishable levels and the rifle only cost around £250 to start with. Parts made by Laylax from Japan were the best but came with a hefty price tag.

First impressions The M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) is the US Army version of the Remington 700 rifle, introduced to replace the M21 (a sniper variant of the M14 rifle). While it was intended to replace the M21 outright that never happened entirely. Instead, each model proved useful in a variety of conditions even in modern day theatres. Using the ever-popular 7.62mm NATO round it packs a good punch, giving great accuracy over a long distance. At over 5kg it is heavy, and the airsoft version attempts to mimic this heft.

Externally it does not appear to be anything overly exciting, with a fairly standard rifle stock and bolt action design. It is not until you shoulder it that you feel and enjoy the rifle’s design. A slightly textured finish is just begging for a spray job of some sorts – but then I have issues with black sharpshooter rifles for airsoft – and then you notice the weight! It is nearly

A Harris-style bipod and 3-9x40 scope are included with the rifle

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such as the scope, bipod or silencer adapter. If you are waiting for the inevitable ‘Yes, but…’ you are not to be disappointed – there is one, but not in the way you think. This version is over £60 cheaper than the bog-standard Classic Army version, yet packs in more power, a scope, a bipod and a silencer adapter for around £180. Crazy! You can see why the ACM companies do so well.

‘But what about that Friday afternoon gun thing you mentioned?’

Well that is the roll of the dice, if you will.

I have seen hundreds, maybe thousands of ACM rifles over the years. A few years back I saw a batch of Thompson M1A1s that were all either completely dead or producing anywhere between 300-470fps. Quality assurance is an optional extra that the ACM companies opted not to go for, unlike Magpul PTS or Real Sword which check every single rifle they ship. as meaty as the real version, but very usable still.

The butt is adjustable by 70mm, so you can get it just right regardless of your size. The 3-9x40mm scope gives a clear sight picture and is one of the most common styles found on sharpshooter rifles today. The bipod is a replica of the Harris bipod and provides a sturdy support should you need it. Everything

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that should be metal is metal, and the stock is a thick polymer. The version I reviewed even came with a silencer adaptor as standard – this is shaping up to be sickeningly good value.

The initial chronograph reading was nothing short of a jaw-dropping 490fps after one shot!

That is 190fps more than the Classic Army version. It should also be mentioned that the Classic Army version doesn’t come with extras

The plus side Think about it: they are technically very simple rifles and if parts need to be swapped out you could probably do it yourself, or buy locally or in the UK. At least then you have some backup and support from whoever sells it to you. Most UK companies test rifles before shipping, which means someone has looked it

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THE ARMOURY | SNOW WOLF M24

“Everything that should be metal is metal and the stock is a thick polymer. The version I reviewed even came with a silencer adaptor as standard – this is shaping up to be sickeningly good value”

over quickly and it should all be good for you.

Obviously it is not going to be zeroed though!

It is undoubtedly a handsome package for the pricetag. Many of the internal parts share their design with the APS2/L96, so it will take some upgrade parts that are available – but not all of them, so it’s best to check before tearing the guts out.

While testing in game conditions I removed the bipod after a while, but I have never got on with bipods very well so that could just be me. With the bipod off the front end was considerably lighter and more manoeuvrable, particularly when lying prone in long grass.

The scope is clear, although in low-light or dense woodland you may want to consider a 50mm scope.

All of my shots easily hit out to 65m with 0.40g BBs, although we did have to play with the hop to get enough pressure. The action was nice and smooth and the adjustable butt plate was more useful than I expected.

If you are looking to do the occasional bit of sniping you could not go wrong with this package. Even if you want to take it up as your primary role I would urge you to consider this rifle. For under £200 you have a full-powered complete package which, with a little bit of fine tuning (and a spray job) will see you happily picking your targets all day long.

SNOW WOLF M24 CONSTRUCTION: Aluminium; polymer body WEIGHT: 3,500g LENGTH: 1,130mm POWER SOURCE: Spring MAGAZINE: 18 round VELOCITY: ~490fps PRICE: £180 (including silencer adaptor, bipod and 3-9x40 scope) Available from Landwarrior Airsoft 0131 654 2452, www.landwarriorairsoft.com

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GREAT BRITISH CAMOUFLAGE We’ve seen PenCott camo patterns in these pages before, and this month Lawrence Holsworth tells us about the British company behind them

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yde Definition was founded in 2008 by Dominic Hyde. Today it is the only British company designing camouflage patterns that operates internationally.

Besides the successful PenCott family of patterns, Dominic has designed more than 2,000 camouflage patterns for clothing and gear, vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, buildings and structures.

The PenCott family includes GreenZone for verdant terrain, Badlands for semi-arid terrain, Sandstorm for arid terrain, and Snowdrift for snowy landscapes. A pattern for operations in low-light urban terrain called Metropolis is also in the pipeline.

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PenCott patterns are now in use with a growing number of police tactical teams, military special operations forces and civilian enthusiasts.

The original PenCott pattern for verdant terrain, GreenZone, was first trial-launched on a very limited scale in the UK in late 2009. it wasn’t until summer 2010, however, that the company found Duro Industries, a fabric printer that could help take the PenCott family of camouflage patterns to full-scale production across a wide range of clothing and gear fabrics (including both civilian and military-spec fabrics). All of the PenCott patterns are printed at Duro’s facilities in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Early days PenCott is named after two influential WWII British camouflage experts, Sir Roland Penrose and Hugh Cott. Penrose and Cott differed radically in their approach toward camouflage; Penrose, an artist, used his training and design talents to produce ‘artistic’ camouflage schemes through a process of trial and error. Cott, on the other hand, felt that camouflage was essentially a scientific process, and effective schemes could be developed without the need for artistic training by studying examples of camouflage in nature.

Camouflage prevents the observer detecting or recognising the wearer – and a

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INSIDE AIRSOFT | HYDE DEFINITION split-second reduction in detection can quite literally mean the difference between life and death. Hyde Definition aims to provide the most effective multi-environment camouflage schemes possible.

Back in 2005 Dominic reached the conclusion that there were serious problems with existing camouflage patterns: Woodland camouflage schemes were too dark for all other types of terrain or environments (and even many woodland environments) Desert camouflage schemes are often just a hastily recoloured version of a woodland scheme, and often a sub-standard match for many types of desert Universal and ‘all-terrain’ camouflage schemes are often such a compromise that they are ineffective in many environments Mismatched patterns on clothing and individual equipment Many new ‘pixelated’ camouflage patterns are simply following a fashion trend and not well-researched or terrain-matched Dominic set about re-examining the problem with an innovative design, rather than an imitative approach. Hyde Definition looked at the challenges of concealment from many different angles: natural camouflage of living creatures, recent design and market trends, and a look back at effective historical patterns to identify key elements that work particularly well.

Painstaking process The PenCott pattern went through several hundred iterations, trialling more than two dozen samples in natural environments.

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INSIDE AIRSOFT | HYDE DEFINITION

The PenCott Snowdrift pattern in action

Creating an entirely new and effective concealment pattern from scratch was a painstaking task.

What came out of this entirely independent and self-funded research was a ground-breaking, natural-looking, hybrid digital pattern.

It uses a complex mixture of blending and disrupting techniques to more effectively conceal the wearer. The resulting PenCott Multi-Environment Camouflage pattern family shares common fractal-based, multi-scalar pattern geometry with separate, colour-optimised environmental variations.

The benefits of PenCott can be simply stated as:

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It conceals more effectively at all typical engagement distances It conceals more effectively at much closer distances than other patterns It conceals more effectively in multiple environments and terrains It looks far more ‘natural’ than other pixilated digital patterns PenCott patterns have been tested and proven by users in the UK, US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They are in use with a growing number of special law enforcement teams in Europe, the Americas and Asia. It has even been reported that some US and Coalition Special Forces units have been using the Badlands variant in Afghanistan.

WHERE TO GET IT There are now many manufacturers of tactical clothing and kit that have added PenCott to their range. Many of these manufacturers deal direct with special operations forces so their choice of the PenCott patterns makes a statement in itself.

You can find a list of gear and clothing makers and retailers specialising in PenCott on the Hyde Definition website. Airsoft Action can personally recommend SpecOpShop (www.specopshop.com), which supplied kit in PenCott Greenzone pattern for our British Shooting Show competition earlier this year.

VISIT: www.hydedefinition.com

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WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL?

Billy Basics ponders the question: do Special Forces really deserve to be called ‘special’?

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pecial Forces the world over attract a certain level of attention and respect from the general public.

They create an aura – an air of mystery which is often beneficial to them. The SAS is one our best known ‘brands’, and I know of at least two sieges that were brought to a speedy conclusion by the negotiators mentioning that The Regiment was on its way if discussions failed!

But do they deserve it and what exactly makes them so special?

They can’t all fly helicopters, fight like Bruce Lee or charm the chicks like James Bond does. They do a very specific type of work requiring a particular cocktail of patience, stamina and explosive violence which (thankfully) is not common in most people – ‘a bunch of misfits that just happen to fit together’.

We’ve all seen the pictures of exotic weapons being held by blokes with black boxes for faces and thought to ourselves ‘Wow, I wonder what it must be like?’

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What kind of guy is he, and what makes their outfit better than any other? If weapons and anonymity made the guys special everyone would be doing it.

An army unit is not a building, nor is it a garage full of cool looking vehicles bristling with gadgets and gizmos that would make Jason Bourne jealous, or an armoury full of weapons… OK yes it is, but it’s not just that, there’s more to it. There’s the heart of the unit.

A unit is a collection of individuals – team players that play well together but are happy to work alone and can motivate themselves when it gets tough. That’s the first part of the heart – the second is the ethos on which it was founded. In the case of our SAS it was the four tenets that David Stirling devised in his hospital bed in Cairo: The unrelenting pursuit of excellence; Humour and humility; Self discipline; Classlessness.

So you bring the right kind of men together and you bind them to a common

goal and shared ideals – and then of course you give them the Gucci kit and cool stuff to do, but that’s just icing on the cake!

What really sets them apart is that they take pride in doing a job to the best of their ability, sometimes at huge sacrifice, and occasionally the ultimate sacrifice.

Their reward is the regard and respect they receive from their comrades, men like them in whose company they are proud to serve.

They’re not all from the same mould but they do share a common set of values: they have something in common that makes them all tick. I once read that ‘Techniques can be taught and almost anyone can learn them, but qualities are born in us.’

Weapons Unlike the rest of us who select weapons because we think they look cool (let’s be honest here) SF units will choose a specific weapon because it performs well and

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SKILLS ROOM | SPECIAL FORCES Vehicles SF units choose vehicles the same way they chose weapons – for a specific job or role – but every now and again they’ll go a little ‘off-piste’ and invent something new if they can’t find exactly what they want (alright if your name is James Dyson, but a little trickier for the rest of us).

reliably in certain circumstances – short barrels for working in tight spots and vehicles and long barrels with big calibre for distances and punch. The HK MP5 suited the SAS very well for its counter terrorism role in the 1970s and 1980s and Heckler & Koch has the Regiment to thank for its subsequent success and worldwide reputation. It has since been replaced by other weapon systems though, because the Regiment’s needs have changed.

The American M16 with its 5.56 mm round was favoured for years over the heavier SLR with its 7.62 mm round. The lads could carry more ammunition, and of course in the days of marching huge distances over the worst terrain known to man and having a big scrap at the end of it, that was really important. Nowadays the guys are driven to the target area or ‘land on’ in choppers; the enemy know they’re coming and they want the manstopping power of the 7.62 round for obvious reasons.

The Pink Panther or old Land Rover WMIK was coming to the end of its useful life and a successor was needed. So a couple of the boys phoned the guys over at Supacat and went over to see them.

They sat down with pencils and paper and designed the Supacat MV, which became the Jackal we see so much in Afghanistan.

“I once read that ‘Techniques can be taught and almost anyone can learn them, but qualities are born in us’” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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SKILLS ROOM | SPECIAL FORCES

They needed a mobility platform that could not only carry a shed load of ammunition and supplies and protect the occupants from IED strikes, but could also lift the vehicle to a height of 1m, to clear major obstacles. There was nothing on the shelf so they built it – as they say, close enough is not good enough.

Tactics There’s no room in this small article to cover tactics used by SF, but through training and selection they are able to punch well above their weight.

Special Forces soldiers are trained to use absolutely everything to defeat the enemy, from night vision equipment to the weather, from surprise and audacity to physical fitness.

They’ve even employed psychologists to determine the best time of the day to attack. You think I’m joking? Why do you think the British Army always seems to attack at 03:00? Because that’s when the human brain is at its lowest ebb and, in its natural state, will most likely be shut down and sleeping.

Selection Of course, what we know SF best for is the harsh process of selecting their men. It’s tough and brutal, and rightly so.

There’s an awful lot of running about, sleep deprivation, cold, wet, misery et al.

But the process also has to change and adapt to reflect the capabilities of the young men and women submitting themselves to it. The claim that it’s become easy just isn’t true – it’s equally hard now as it was back in the day. It’s just that, due to the modern day society in general, we’re not as tough now as we were 50 years ago, so it has to adapt and bend with

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the population or nobody will get in. As you can imagine that is a controversial subject, and one I won’t get into here.

Now I don’t want to get all Yoda on you but within each of us there’s the opportunity to achieve great things and to be special, regardless of age or fitness, and most of it is in the mind.

Some guys in civvy street are lucky: they just happen to be very fit, single (or with an understanding partner), have a flexible employer and are so dedicated and singleminded they attempt and pass selection for the TA SAS. They’re no different to you reading this: they all thought to themselves, ‘Could I really do it?’ We’ll I don’t know, but neither will you until you try. The hardest thing will be picking up the phone, the rest is a walk in the park… followed by a few cold, wet strolls in the hills, at night with a giant Bergen…

So, do Special Forces deserve to be called ‘special’? Damn right they do, but they are no more special than any of you could be – if you really want it, that is.

There is a saying in Portugal: ‘Change yourself and fortune will change with you’.

If you emulate some of the dedication, attention to detail and creativity of SF men and women you too could bring some of the SF spirit into your life. That’d be pretty cool wouldn’t it?

Billy (Yoda) out.

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M1 CARBINE CDX CO2 Has CO2 power improved Marushin’s updated M1 Carbine? Ratty inspects…

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he gas blowback Marushin M1 Carbine has been around for some time. They are still available in both 6mm and 8mm variants and are extremely realistic, but the older gas system technology can suffer the usual problems encountered on gas blowback rifles.

The introduction of CO2 to the airsoft scene should, in theory, ensure newer products don’t suffer from cooldown and make them more consistent. So when I got the chance to test the CO2 version of this iconic rifle I jumped at the chance.

Real-steel life The M1 carbine was introduced to add another string to the bow of the M1 Garand, but was widely considered underpowered as it didn’t have the range or stopping power of the Garand.

The first M1 carbines were delivered in mid-1942 and while it was never intended to serve as an alternative to more powerful assault rifles as it used the smaller .30 cartridge, it was soon issued widely to American troops.

During WWII its reputation on the frontline was varied. It was praised for its small size and weight combined with decent firepower,

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THE ARMOURY | MARUSHIN M1 CARBINE but later reports suggest it was very prone to jamming and unable to lay down sufficient suppressing fire. It fared better in the jungle warfare of the Pacific Theatre, where its small size and weight were true advantages.

From 1943 the British SAS also used the M1 carbine.

The M1 carbine and other variants saw further action during the Korean War (though the M2 carbine was more common among the US troops). During this period the M1

carbine gained a widespread reputation for jamming in cold weather conditions.

Despite this it was again issued to US forces during the Vietnam War, though by the early 1960s they were being gradually replaced by the M16 and M16A1. By the late 1960s they were effectively out of service, though limited numbers remained in use until the fall of Saigon. Almost 800,000 M1 and M2 carbines were given to the South Vietnamese forces during the war.

The M1/M2/M3 carbines were the most heavily produced family of US military weapons for several decades, used by every branch of the US Armed Forces. The M1 carbine specifically has been sold to more than 50 countries – the Royal Ulster Constabulary used M1 carbines until the mid-1990s and military, police and security forces around the world continue to use this infamous rifle. If you like your period-specific FilmSim then this is one versatile rifle.

“I spoke to a couple of guys who already own one of these CO2 M1 carbines and they do tell a different story – one was running a consistent 400fps. Now that is more like it!”

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THE ARMOURY | MARUSHIN M1 CARBINE

Marushin M1 Carbine CDX C02 This model arrived in a snug polystyrene lower in a simple brown cardboard box and was very well protected during transit. It is lighter than I was expecting from a gun with real wood furniture – this is thanks to the use of modern alloys for the metal components of the gun. That is no bad thing if you plan on running around with it all day, and as you will see from the pictures the wood is rather nice (if a little shiny).

The 15-round magazine is a weighty little thing. It holds a single CO2 capsule, inserted from the base. A special tool, supplied with the gun, is required to unscrew the fitting and is very easy to operate.

Straight from the box, with no fettling or adjustments, I loaded an Umarex CO2 capsule into the magazine and filled it with Blaster Devil 0.20g BBs. I then headed to the range armed with my trusty Madbull Revolution V2.1 chrono.

First impressions? Well, readings varied between 191-241fps – so first impressions are pretty poor!

I emptied the CO2 cartridge, getting to around the 50-shot mark before there was a noticeable difference in the tone of the gun and the laboured recoil of the working parts.

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Japan has stricter gun laws than most, including airsoft restrictions, and granted the Marushin is a Japanese product – but despite that I felt it was far too low-powered. Not only that it was too inconsistent from shot to shot and, as this is CO2-powered, conventional wisdom suggests it wouldn’t be as badly affected by the cold as GBBs are.

Having put another couple of mags through it I revisited the chrono. Results were still not what I was expecting: lowest was 192fps with a peak of 229fps.

It was at this point I started to wonder if I have been accidentally sent a gun that had been destined for the domestic Japanese market, instead of one of the export versions. I won’t bore you with the details; suffice to say the next morning’s chrono tests showed a marginal improvement on the previous ones with a ballpark average of 220fps, though there was still wild variation between shots.

Summary This gun is a true double-edged sword. It is beautiful and realistic, it feels great, has a lovely action and is well finished – but at the same time it has a limited magazine capacity and, as it stands, is grossly underpowered

for a typical walk-on day. At the time of writing I am awaiting confirmation of whether this is the export spec or if I have in fact been sent a Japanese version by mistake. I spoke to a couple of guys who already own one of these CO2 M1 carbines and they do tell a different story – one was running a consistent 400fps. Now that is more like it! I think I may have got a ‘Saki break’ gun in this instance.

Before splashing out, check with your favourite retailer what velocity readings they’ve been getting. If the fps problem is indeed a one-off then this rifle would make a great addition to any WWII, Korean War or Vietnam War load-out.

MARUSHIN M1 CARBINE CDX CO2 CONSTRUCTION: Full metal/wood WEIGHT: 2,000g LENGTH: 910mm POWER SOURCE: 12g CO2 capsule MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 15 rounds FIRE SELECT: Semi only VELOCITY: ~400fps PRICE: Around £300

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COLD WAR WARRIOR | WEST GERMANY

WEST GERMAN

PANZER GRENADIER

After being accepted into NATO, the West German panzer grenadiers quickly become experts in mechanised combat. Gadge Harvey explores the load-out

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n the years before the outbreak of WWII the Germans had explored the potential of equipping their infantry with armoured vehicles. They wanted something capable of crossing rough terrain and keeping up with a rapid tank advance.

British trials in the 1930s had seen exercises conducted with all mechanised and armoured combined armed forces – but while the British quickly shelved this idea as unpractical the Germans quickly latched onto the concept.

They developed powerful panzer grenadier (armoured infantry) formations equipped with excellent, highly-mobile half-tracks.

While for some time post-war Germany was not even allowed an army, let alone armoured vehicles, eventually the West realised a need to re-arm Germany to help safeguard against a Soviet invasion. The Federal Republic of West Germany (FRG) was accepted into NATO in 1949.

West German insistence on guarding every single square foot of German soil and giving no ground to the Russians – rather than withdrawing to more suitable defensive positions – forced NATO into a complicated defensive posture, but luckily the new German army, or Bundeswehr, was up to the challenge.

Early West German uniforms and combat equipment went through several changes

and dead ends – initially surplus supplies of WWII material were used, alongside an early camouflage combat uniform. Many of Germany’s new allies were uncomfortable seeing her armed again – and the heavily camouflaged Germans reminded some member states a little too much of the excesses of the Waffen SS, so a new uniform was implemented.

“The 1970s panzer grenadier essentially wore a slightly updated version of an ancient webbing design – it was inadequate in WWII, and hopelessly obsolete by this point” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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Armoured vehicles As well as the new uniform (which we will look at in detail) the FRG was also responsible for an excellent new armoured vehicle, the Marder. Designed from the ground up as a dedicated infantry fighting vehicle, the Marder was one of the first Western vehicles of its kind (the Soviets had introduced the BMP a few years earlier) and set the pattern for all NATO mechanised infrantry combat vehicles. Now the infantry team could fight as easily from within the vehicle as they could dismounted, despite the environment of chemical threat.

Able to carry a three-man crew and fullyequipped seven-man panzer grenadier squad, the Marder 1 also sported a quick-firing 20mm auto cannon and a remote controlled Mg3 machine gun facing the rear. As well as considerable armour plate the occupants were protected by an NBC overpressure system

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to keep contaminants out of the vehicle, and infrared blocking smoke launchers.

Impressive cross-country ability is supplemented by night vision equipment for the crew, and when you compare the Marder to other NATO APCs in service at the time, like the US M113 and UK FV432, you can see the Marder is in a class of its own.

Technically-minded soldiers Some of the best soldiers rode aboard the Marder. While still comprised of a large proportion of conscripted ‘national service’ members, panzer grenadier soldiers were highly trained. They had to be – they were required to be able to effectively operate, maintain and fight from this cutting edge warhorse.

Our Cold War Warrior this month is a West German panzer grenadier unteroffizier, which is roughly equivalent to a sergeant or squad

commander. Most notable is the almost grey-green tone to his combat dress. The Bundeswehr had discontinued camouflage some years earlier and reverted to the traditional feldgrau uniform that it had always worn.

At this time the majority of NATO armies wore olive green or olive drab uniforms, with the British Army among the few to field camouflage; the feldgrau uniform would serve the Bundeswehr for over two decades, before being eventually phased out in the early 1990s in favour of the flecktarn pattern when Germany was reunified.

The uniform itself is the summer combat dress and comprises a warm and comfortable moleskin shirt, trousers, jacket and field cap (almost identical to the popular WWII M43 field cap). In combat, a US NATO pattern M1 steel helmet was worn but our NCO carries the panzer grenadier’s dark green beret with a

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COLD WAR WARRIOR | WEST GERMANY

cap badge of a Marder APC in an oak wreath.

Notable on nearly all West German combat clothing (and much of their equipment) is the national flag, usually worn on both upper arms – again this was a practice common in other NATO armies like Belgium and Holland.

Obsolete equipment While the uniform itself was practical and hardwearing the panzer grenadier’s boots became a ‘must have’ item among other NATO armies. The German high leg combat boot was fairly heavy but offered fantastic ankle support, relatively good waterproofing and above all a well-designed ‘speed lace’ system that would eventually become standard on all western combat boots. Sharp eyed readers will note that that our model wears boots similar to 1970s West German infantry boots as we were unable to get the correct model.

Much less practical, however, is our warrior’s webbing. The German army left its soldiers sadly lacking in this department and the 1970s panzer grenadier essentially wore a slightly updated version of an ancient webbing design – it was inadequate in WWII, and hopelessly obsolete by this point.

Oddly, both the FRG and the communist

DDR across the wall had both opted to retain the traditional German ‘Y-strap and belt’ webbing system. This arrangement, while simple, involves many metal to metal fittings and is noisy when the soldier is moving. Our NCO here is lightly-equipped, having left most of his field kit on the Marder, and his webbing comprises two ammunition pouches for his SMG, a water bottle contained in a two-part mess tin set and a fighting knife.

Our squad leader’s personal weapon is also quite unusual – an Israeli-made UZI submachine gun. Despite West Germany making the world’s best SMG at the time, the Heckler and Koch MP5, the Israeli Uzi was chosen as a cheaper option. It was known as the MP2 in German service.

Both solid wood and collapsible metal stock versions were used by the Bundeswehr and it’s worth noting that while the army used the MP2, elite police formations such as GSG9 (a unit similar to the SAS of the time) used the more accurate MP5.

Practical load-out While section commanders, radio operators and other specialists used the venerable Uzi, the basic weapon for most panzer grenadiers was the powerful 7.62 G3 battle rifle. This is

good news for those of you hoping to adopt this load-out on the skirmish field: while Airsoft Action has been a little disappointed with the performance of the two makes of Uzi we’ve tried, inexpensive and reliable G3s exist!

A slightly more expensive option for those of you favouring this load-out would be the German MG3 light/medium machinegun. Each team carried at least one of these amazing support weapons, which are based around a modernisation of the classic WWII MG42 design – in fact it’s so similar it’s hard to spot the difference from a distance. The downside, as with many retro airsoft weapons, is that they can be somewhat expensive and hard to find – completely the opposite of the uniform!

Once again we found that this Cold War Warrior impression was incredibly cheap and easy to put together. West German feldgrau was once so common you’d struggle to give it away, and you can still find it very cheaply at militaria fairs. Very few parts of this load-out cost over £5 to source, with some pieces costing as little as 99p. Even the more expensive items (webbing and trousers) were less than £20, making the panzer grenadier impression exceptional value for money – and something a little different to take to the skirmish field!

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SKILLS ROOM | PATROLS

THE ART OF PATROLLING This month Dan Mills explains the skills we use when patrolling, and how effective patrols are conducted

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hy do we go on patrol? What do we want to achieve? I will cover some of the basics – take note, budding airsoft commanders, and put it to good use.

Each member of the patrol should be tasked with looking for certain pieces of information. Doing this ensures that everyone isn’t counting the same thing. For example, in the event of a chance encounter with the enemy, the point man counts how many there are, next man observes what weapons they carry, next man looks for any special equipment carried, next looks at commanders/radio operators and so on.

We’ll cover the specifics of what you should be looking for later.

You should also keep a look out for any signs of enemy movement while patrolling – bootprints, cigarette stubs, dropped equipment and whatever else.

As you can imagine, during war things are going to be very busy. A large percentage of your time will involve patrolling of one type or another. For the infantry soldier patrolling is your bread and butter, and one of the most demanding operations you will carry out.

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There are three main types of patrolling, each with specific aims: To obtain information, by reconnaissance.

To destroy or disrupt enemy forces, by fighting or ambush.

To dominate the area in front of, or between defensive positions and formations, by standing.

Recce patrols Recce patrols should consist of at least a fireteam of four. As it’s a recon patrol you should avoid any combat, unless in self defence. The main tasks of a recce patrol are to: Collect information about the terrain and routes Locate enemy positions Get details of enemy positions (including minefields and any obstacles) Get information of enemy habits, strengths, movements and routine Investigate suspicious areas, noise and movement identified by previous patrols I was part of a large recce patrol tasked with locating and identifying any enemy positions in a small township. In particular we were looking for illegal vehicle checkpoints (IVCPs).

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We were dropped off by vehicles and walked several kilometres with heavy loads so we could approach silently.

Throughout the night the patrol dropped off a cover group with night vision while the remainder ‘bounced’ around our given arc of the town.

During the night we located an IVCP on a road junction, manned by a number of armed militia. To help block the road they used rubber tyres, concertina wire and an anti-tank mine. The IVCP was monitored throughout the night and during the whole of the following day, allowing us to gather as much information as possible before extracting under the cover of darkness.

On return to base a full report was written, sketches made and all information handed in to the intelligence cell and operations room.

Job done.

Standing patrols Standing patrols are set up to provide early warning of enemy movements, by observing likely enemy approach routes and dead ground. Usually a standing patrol will be of section strength, with good communications and the ability to call in

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SKILLS ROOM | PATROLS

“For the infantry soldier patrolling is your bread and butter, and one of the most demanding operations you will be called upon to carry out” indirect fire from mortars and artillery if required.

Standing patrols should move stealthily into position and remain concealed and undetected until they are required to fight or withdraw.

The main tasks for standing patrols are to: Watch and listen over likely enemy approach routes Cover dead ground in front of and in between defensive positions Provide overwatch for minefields and obstacles In 2004 I spent a long, cold night on a task to provide overwatch on a likely enemy approach route at the rear of a coalition location that was having attacks mounted against it. I led a team of four, with rear protection from a Warrior AFV in the distance.

What are we looking for?

When patrolling against the enemy, there are certain important pieces of information we need to gather for headquarters.

Enemy strength: guessing does not help, count them and say what you see Positions: How are the enemy situated, are there any radio masts, trenches, quarters, defensive works, roadblocks, weapons pits, manned roof tops, buildings or other obstacles Weapons – Observe and list all weapons that you see (small arms, machine guns, medium machine guns, heavy machine guns and so on) Equipment – Observe and list all equipment that you see (stores, ammo stocks, ladders, stock piles, bridging, fuel/dump and so on) Morale – Do enemies look confident? Happy, unhappy, carefree, switched on, disciplined?

Obstacles – Note any minefields, rivers, wire entanglements, rubble, streams, hills, booby traps, roadblocks Surveillance devices – Note location of any seen Patrols – Are the enemy conducting patrols? Detail these Routine – Observe for a given period and note down any routines noticed, such as sentry changeover times, an officer or NCO checking security and alertness and so on Future intentions – Do the enemy appear to be preparing for something? A patrol, an attack, withdrawal, inspection, digging, bombardment – what are they doing?

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SKILLS ROOM | PATROLS

My team was concealed in a dry riverbed observing and reporting enemy movements.

The priority was to report enemy movement signifying the build up to an attack. I had the remit, as a last resort, to destroy any opportunity targets that presented themselves.

During the early hours of the morning an attack by rocket propelled grenade and small arms fire came from the urban settlement outside the targeted approach route my call sign was observing. I was still able to report the attack and provide useful information to headquarters even though the enemy were unseen, apart from the RPG lighting up the night!

As the attack continued numerous enemy gunmen were spotted and reported back. I offered to break up the OP and put an attack in but was turned down by higher command.

A Warrior C/S was tasked instead; we were to continue monitoring the situation and provide a live feed.

The enemy were observed setting up an ambush position on the main arterial route past the base, which we reported. It was a result

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of hearing the armour approaching (believe me, the sound of armour in the desert at night travels far!), at this stage still some distance away. Again I reported that an ambush was setting and the likely target was the approaching Warriors, and offered to attack.

I was turned down once more and had to sit and watch as the two vehicles arrived and were indeed attacked by RPG and small arms fire from a determined enemy!

Fighting patrols As the name suggests, fighting patrols are tasked to attack, harass, ambush or create a diversion. Consisting of at least platoon strength they are prepared to take the fight to the enemy. They will have good communications and be able to call in direct or indirect fire, including air assets.

The main tasks of fighting patrols are to: Deny the enemy any freedom of action Harass or disrupt any enemy working parties Carry out raids against the enemy Carry out anti armour/ anti personnel ambushes

Over the last few years our operations have developed substantially from what was once considered ‘the norm’. In Iraq and Afghanistan I have carried out fighting patrols that deploy to a given area to draw the enemy to attack us before we smash them with better weaponry!

To patrol until attacked is a pretty nervewracking experience, particularly for point or flank men – but it is all part of the crucial battle to harass an enemy on their own ground, where they should naturally feel most comfortable.

I was patrolling on the outskirts of an enemy-held area when my patrol was shot at by a heavy calibre machine gun. Despite the fact we had walked onto their turf our swift reaction, fighting spirit and superior training turned the tables on the well-concealed enemy.

Once they had shown their hand I turned my patrol into the enemy position, deployed my weapons to destroy two mounted machine guns and then killed numerous enemy soldiers. A good result.

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Get in your tank and fight! Alex Wharton did – and now he’s hooked!

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t’s been a pretty quiet summer for big releases – the next Hitman, Borderlands and Assassin’s Creed are all nearly here, but still I gotta be patient. So to cure the boredom of waiting, and on a friend’s recommendation, I decided to give World of Tanks a go.

And oh dear god! I’m hooked on this beast!

World of Tanks is a free-to-play (micropayment model) massively multiplayer team-based online-shooter. As you might have guessed the game is centred around armoured warfare. Each player pilots their tank in battle and aims to take out the opposing team.

The player controls the whole tank

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rather than just one part – you are the commander, gunner and driver, radioman and loader all in one. Tanks are modelled accurately on their real-world counterparts and include tanks from the 1930s through to the 1950s. They carry the same armour and weaponry to the real deal and behave how they should.

There are over 150 tanks to choose from, which fall into different categories.

There are Light, Medium and Heavy Tanks, Self Propelled Guns and Tank Destroyers. Currently tanks from the USA, USSR, Germany and France are represented, though new nations are in the works with British and Chinese tanks on the way. Each plays differently and after a while you’ll work out what type of

tank from which nation is best for you.

Light tanks are the scouts of course – they run around and try to dodge shells, likely not doing a great deal of damage but negating the fog of war and discovering enemies that the rest of the team can close in on.

Mediums are the all-rounders – they are tough, have decent speed and deal out reasonable damage. Nothing like the heavies though – slow, cumbersome and able to pop the lesser tanks in a single salvo. They can also absorb a huge amount of punishment. That isn’t to say they are the best, though; I’ve been dropped in my Tiger a number of times by a light tank, simply because it can stay behind me and I can’t turn fast enough to kill it!

Self Propelled Guns are the artillery of the game. They sit at the back and hide from the opposition, usually in a bush. If a tank is spotted its location is radioed back for all to see – the SPG slowly dials in their gun and looses off a massive shell. These tanks deal the most damage, but of course are the weakest armoured and slowest to reload.

Finally there are the Destroyers, the snipers of the game. They can be placed at key locations on the map, waiting for prey to move into the kill zone. Many of them are equipped with guns with amazing accuracy so can easily engage targets before they get close enough to shoot back. Others may choose to fit a massive inaccurate beast of a cannon and sit in hidey-holes, just waiting for a

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MEDIA REVIEW | WORLD OF TANKS WORLD OF TANKS DEVELOPED BY: Wargaming.net OUT NOW ON: Microsoft Windows PRICE: Free download www.worldoftanks.eu

tank to pass by before delivering a hell of a gut punch to the weak side or rear armour.

Each tank has its own tech tree. Win a game and you get research points and cash. You then spend the research points to unlock new equipment. These range from new engines, different turrets and different guns. Once you have worked through the tree of a particular tank you can then unlock the next tier of the tanks.

Early on you will only have access to small light tanks, but as you progress you will work towards the heavier and more dangerous tanks.

You may even want to try and catch them all! I currently have nine tanks in my garage, ranging from a light Russian

to my heavy German Tiger tank. In between are a couple of tank destroyers, artillery and a few others I have kept as I worked towards the next unlock just because I enjoyed driving them.

As you move up the tiers, so do the matches that you are thrown into. Tier 1s are only paired with Tier 1s, but once you reach Tier 2 you will find yourself in battles up to Tier 4 or even Tier 5. I’m running a Tier 7 Tiger now, and coming up against Tier 8s and Tier 9s.

Each battle is a 15 v 15 fight to the death, though there are bases that can be captured. Some of the games are set up as an attack-defend instead of a straight battle, which creates a different dynamic in the tactics required. Lose a

flank and all of a sudden that measly light tank has whipped the victory out from under your crushing dominance.

Being a tank makes this game inherently different to other, similar titles. Other shooting games will see you strafe left and right to keep from being hit, but in World of Tanks this will mean exposing your side armour. Learning how to drive the tank effectively – to leave yourself an exit yet not expose the weak points – is key to the game. Once you crack this you’ll find yourself using the same ability in other games – now when I jump in a tank in Battlefield or Planetside I’m thinking about the way to move it, and the terrain around me, in a whole new way – which totally helps me trash everyone else!

Everyone should have a go at this game. It really is something a bit special.

When you are limping along and spot an enemy tank about to smack you, only for their shot to ricochet, you will punch the air it feels so good. Getting the drop on a more powerful tank and winning the engagement simply by outmanoeuvring them is just as great a feeling – as is breaking through enemy lines and watching them all panic as you capture the flag, too far away for them to do anything about it.

All of this makes Wold of Tanks what it is: a fantastic and compelling game. Once you start you may well find yourself addicted to working towards that next tank, and you won’t look back.

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WOUNDED SHOULDER

DRILL Pro-Tact’s Andy Nightingale explains how to keep in the fight when your strong hand’s out of action

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ne of the most difficult handgun skills to learn is the wounded shooter drill – especially if you are injured in your strong-side arm or hand.

You will be in pain, complicating the task of engaging your opponent, and it will take a huge amount of concentration to perform the drill under stress.

In this scenario, your strong-side is out of action before you’ve even had chance to draw your weapon to defend yourself. You need to draw your sidearm from its holster, insert a magazine, operate the slide to make the weapon ready and return fire on your aggressor – all with just one hand.

Whether real-life or roleplay, this technique can help keep you in the fight when your life depends on it.

The first rule is to never give up. If you give up when wounded then you’re already dead. If you are on your own you must try to eliminate all threats to you before you can think about seeking help. You could call for help or backup, but remember never to turn your back on your adversary to find help.

You must take cover as quickly as possible once hit – you’ll be no good to anyone bleeding to death in the open while trying to fight back. Kneel down in cover, presenting as small a target as possible should you be outflanked.

For this drill you should place your ‘injured’ strong hand on your upper chest area – this is how most people naturally hold a wounded arm as it’s relatively comfortable.

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Step One Take a firm grip of the weapon – reach around the back of the body if possible.

Step Two If there is no magazine in the weapon, carefully place it between your knees with the magwell facing up and the muzzle pointing to the ground. Clamp firmly with the knees

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SKILLS ROOM | DRILL Step Four Take a firm hold of the weapon with your weak hand and turn it over. Once the weapon is turned over adjust its position in your hand to obtain a correct grip.

Step Five Bring the magazine down hard onto the knee to fully ensure that the magazine is seated correctly.

Step Three

Step Six

Retrieve a full magazine from the pouch or pocket and insert it into the weapon.

Do not slam it in as you could dislodge the weapon from your knee clamp.

The magazine should be seated firmly to ensure it does not fall out when the weapon is turned the right way up.

While in the kneeling position, operate the slide by hooking the sights onto the heel of your boots. Push down and away from the heel to operate the slide. If you are standing you can use the same technique by using the trouser pocket or belt to hook the sights onto. Remember to push down fully and then away from the body. If the weapon you are using has ambidextrous safety you are OK but if not you will at this point need to manipulate any safety catches if the weapon has them.

Step Seven Continue the fight or make good your escape.

The drill is a complex and difficult one, so be sure to take things slow and practise as often as you can to get it right.

If you need to reload the weapon, first seek cover and drop to both knees if possible. This will buy you time while performing a much slower reload than normal, and will mean you are closer to the ground if you have to pick up an ejected magazine.

Although practice and training for combat or self-defence situations ensures that you are able to perform a certain task with some speed while under pressure, this drill is not designed for speed but to familiarise you with the sequence of moves. Go slow – keep the actions positive and deliberate. You may need it one day.

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

SYMBOL KEY

Is it woodland or urban?

Check the key!

UKARA

UKARA MEMBER UKASGB MEMBER WOODLAND

£

SHOP ONSITE BATTERY CHARGING URBAN PYROS ALLOWED REPAIR SERVICE DESERT

ATROOP AIRSOFT

Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk

ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT

Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk

ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES Penkridge, ST19 5RE 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk

ACE COMBAT

Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk

AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com

AIRSOFT ASYLUM

North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com ayrsoft@gmail.com

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AIRSOFT COMMANDOS Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com

AIRSOFT KGB

Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com.

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH

Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

ALPHA ELITE GAMING

Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – SOUTHAMPTON

New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

AMAZON EVENTS

Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM

Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT

Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com

ARENA AIRSOFT

Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB

Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

AIRSOFT XCALIBRE

Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ 07921 837658 www.airsoft-xcalibre.co.uk

ALL ARMS AIRSOFT

Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk

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

AWA HERTS

Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE

Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

BARNSLEY AIRSOFT

Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk

BATTLETEC AIRSOFT

La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk

BETTER BATTLES

Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com

BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT

Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com

CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND

Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk

DOGS OF WAR

FINMERE AIRSOFT

DRAGON’S LAIR

FIREBALL SQUADRON

DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT

FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP

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

Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk

Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk

EAST MIDLANDS AIRSOFT COMBAT ACTION GAMES

Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk

COMBAT SOUTH URBAN

Earlswood, B94 6SF 0844 870 9785 www.sabreforce.co.uk

ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING

Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5AB 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND

ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM

BRISTOL AIRSOFT

Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com

Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT

Sheffield, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com

CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL

Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk

BUNKER 51

Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk

COOL UNDER FIRE

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

C3 TACTICAL

Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX

Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT

Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT

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

Epsom, Surrey, KT18 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING

Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

DELTA TEAM 3

Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk

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

Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – BATTLE LAKES

Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9AP 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD

Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS

Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

ELITE BATTLEZONE

Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT

Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk

CUMBRIA AIRSOFT

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

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

FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS

Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk

FIFE WARGAMES

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

FIRST AND ONLY – ASYLUM Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – THE EMBASSY

Leicester, LE2 6EA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – THE MALL Reading, RG1 1NR 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

GROUND ZERO WOODLAND

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

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SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

LAC SITE 3

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

LAC SITE 5

Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

LINDSEY AIRSOFT

Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk

FREE FIRE ZONE

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

FRV AIRSOFT

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

GASS AIRSOFT – PENN

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

GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON

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

HIGHLAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT IV25 3PY 07702 846090 www.highlandtacticalairsoft.co.uk

HILTON PARK AIRSOFT

Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com

GREENZONE COMBAT

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

Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft

INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS

Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz

ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT

Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk

LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT GUN HO AIRSOFT

Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk

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

LAC SITE 1 GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

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Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com

MAW

Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com

HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT

GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT

Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com

MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES

MIA

Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk

Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

NSC AIRSOFT

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

NTAC

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

OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk

PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369

PHOENIX AIRSOFT MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.*militaryoutdooradventure. co.uk

MILSIM UK

Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk

Budby, Notts, NG22 9FG 01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk

PLATOON 1HQ

Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk

PLAYERS OF WAR

High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk

NCIS AIRSOFT

Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk

Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

NOMAD AIRSOFT

LAC SITE 2

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT

Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

NORTHFLEET CQB

Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com

Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk

PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 028 4377 0566 www.predatorcombat.com

RAVEN’S NEST

Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk

RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk

December 2012

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

RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com

07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com

TA EVENTS

Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com

Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT

Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

UCAP GREEN OPS

Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

UCAP SANDPIT

Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD

Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk

Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

STIRLING AIRSOFT SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com

Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk

Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT SG1 COMBAT GAMES

Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk

SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY

Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

SKIRMISH EXETER

Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk

SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT

Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR

Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk

SUSSEX AIRSOFT

Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk

SW WAR GAMES – SCRAESDON FORT

Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AB 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk

SW WAR GAMES – TREGANTLE FORT

Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AZ 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk

THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT

URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13

THE EX SITE

URBAN6AIRSOFT – IVYWOOD

Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk

Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk

Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com

Elmhurst, Lichfield WS13 8EU www.urban6airsoft.com

URBAN6AIRSOFT THE WARGAMES CENTRE

Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre.co.uk

UCAP AIRSOFT

Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0QN www.urban6airsoft.com

URBAN ASSAULT

Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk

VIKING AIRSOFT

Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT

Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430

Email anthonyp@ blazepublishing.co.uk to add or change a site listing

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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AIRSOFT

ACTION

BOOKSHOP

Total War - SRP £25.00

The Retreat - SRP £10.99

AA Price £21.00

AA Price £9.00

Tank Men - SRP £8.99

Never Surrender - SRP £8.99

SAS Operation Storm - SRP £25.00

Kill Switch - SRP £6.99

The Kill Zone (hdbk) - SRP £18.99

The Kill Zone (pbk) - SRP £6.99

AA Price £6.00

Killing for the Company (hdbk) SRP £18.99 AA Price £16.00

Soldiers Pocket Book - SRP £10.00

Cadet Pocket Book - SRP £8.00

Air Cadet Pocket Book - SRP £8.00

Army Cadet’s Log Book - SRP £4.00

Skill at Arms - SRP £6.50

AA Price £7.50

AA Price £16.00

AA Price £7.50

088

AA Price £7.50

AA Price £7.50

AA Price £21.00

AA Price £3.50

AA Price £6.00

AA Price £9.00

AA Price £5.00

December 2012

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Visit www.virtualnewsagent.com for these fantastic offers. Either fill in the form below – don’t forget to put a tick by the books you’re ordering – and post/fax to us, or call us on the number at the bottom

Elite:160 World War II Infantry Assault Tactics - SRP £11.99

AA Price £10

Soldier I – The Story of an SAS Hero - SRP £8.99

AA Price £7.50

Elite:168 World War II Street Fighting Tactics SRP £11.99

AA Price £10

Elite:170 Special Operations Forces in Iraq - SRP £11.99

AA Price £8.50

Title

Author

Category

Tank Men

Robert Kershaw

Non-fiction 1212-001

Code

SRP £8.99

AA price £7.50

Never Surrender

Robert Kershaw

Non-fiction 1212-002

£8.99

£7.50

Total War

Michael Jones

Non-fiction 1212-003

£25.00

£21.00

The Retreat

Michael Jones

Non-fiction 1212-004

£10.99

£9.00

SAS Operation Storm

Roger Cole & Richard Belfield

Non-fiction 1212-005

£18.99

£16.00

Kill Switch

Bill Shaw

Non-fiction 1212-006

£6.99

£6.00

The Kill Zone

Chris Ryan

Fiction

1212-007

£18.99

£16.00

The Kill Zone

Chris Ryan

Fiction

1212-008

£6.99

£6.00

Killing for the Company

Chris Ryan

Fiction

1212-009

£18.99

£16.00

Soldiers Pocket Book

Maj John Hobbis Harris(retd), Rupert Godeson and John H Harris

Non-fiction 1212-010

£10.00

£9.00

Cadet’s Pocket Book

Maj John Hobbis Harris(retd)

Non-fiction 1212-011

£8.00

£7.50

Air Cadet Pocket Book

Maj John Hobbis Harris(retd)

Non-fiction 1212-012

£8.00

£7.50

Army Cadet Log Book

Maj John Hobbis Harris(retd)

Non-fiction 1212-013

£4.00

£3.50

Skill at Arms And Shooting

Maj John Hobbis Harris(retd)

Non-fiction 1212-014

£6.50

£5.00

World War II StreetFighting Tactics

Stephen Bull

Non-fiction

1212-015

£11.99

£10.00

World War II Infantry Assault Tactics

Gordon L Rottman

Non-fiction

1212-016

£11.99

£10.00

Pegasus Bridge Benouville 1944

Will Fowler

Non-fiction

1212-017

£11.99

£10.00

Soldier I – the Story of an SAS Hero

Pete Winner

Non-fiction

1212-018

£8.99

£7.50

Special Operations Forces in Iraq

Leigh Neville

Non-fiction

1212-019

£11.99

£8.50

Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan

Leigh Neville

Non-fiction

1212-020

£11.99

£8.50

Fairbairn-Sykes Commando Dagger

Leroy Thompson

Non-Fiction 1212-021

£9.99

£8.50

The Rocket Propelled Grenade

Gordon L Rottman

Non-Fiction 1212-022

£9.99

£8.50

Total

Raid:11 Pegasus Bridge – Benouville D-Day 1944 - SRP £11.99

AA Price £10

Elite:163 Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan - SRP £11.99

AA Price £8.50

Name ...........................................................................................................................

Address ....................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................

Postcode/Zip Code ........................................................................................................

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Telephone ...................................................................................................................

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Signature ......................................................................................................................

Date ..............................................................................................................................

I enclose a cheque for ______ payable to Blaze Publishing Ltd. Please debit my Switch/VISA/Mastercard/Maestro for _____ (No Electron or Amex please)

Expiry date ……/…. Start date/issue number ……/….…

Weapon:2 The Rocket Propelled Grenade - SRP £9.99

AA Price £8.50

Weapon:7 The Fairbairn-Sykes Commando Dagger - SRP £9.99

CVV No. (Last 3 digits on reverse of card) Your credit card statement will read Blaze Publishing Ltd. Please call +44 1926 339 808 for international postage costs.

Now fax or post this form to: Blaze Publishing Limited, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, CV32 5SZ England T: 01926 339808 F: 01926 470400 E: info@blazepublishing.co.uk

AA Price £8.50

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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DEALER LISTINGS

ADVERTISERS INDEX Action Hobbies .......................................................................21 Airsoft Innovations ................................................................67 BadgerTac .............................................................................67 Badger Tac 2 .........................................................................90 Bulle UK Ltd / Flecktarn ........................................................46 Celcius...................................................................................51 Dragon Valley Airsoft Ltd.......................................................79 First & Only Airsoft ...............................................................90 Gunman Airsoft .....................................................................79 JD Airsoft ........................................................................27, 90 Just BB Guns Ltd ...................................................................22 Land Warrier Airsoft ........................................................2, 90 Military 1st............................................................................22 Outdoor Pursuits / No VAT ......................................................8 Patrol Base ..............................................................................8 Pro Airsoft Supplies ...........................................................3, 92 Redwolf ...................................................................................7 Shoot n’ Scoot ........................................................................90 Surplus Store.....................................................................8, 90 Thatchreed ......................................................................55, 91 British Airsoft Show ..............................................................15 TLSFx Ltd .............................................................................63 UK Tactical ............................................................................35 Wolf Armouries .....................................................................56 Xsite Airsoft Ltd ....................................................................79

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